Testimonials

The skills and resources I acquired during my HISD ACP internship attributed to my continued growth and success in the classroom and as a leader on my campus. I earned Beginning Teacher of the Year my first two years in the classroom and was promoted to Teacher Specialist after my third year. I’m currently on the trajectory to becoming an assistant principal. The program is affordable and the knowledge/support I gained from my field supervisor’s mentorship has been life changing as I transitioned from corporate America to education. I highly recommend the HISD ACP to anyone interested in becoming an effective, engaging and successful educator.

~Katie Howell, Teacher Specialist

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I applied to the HISD-ACP at the beginning of 2020. Despite the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, we were able to start our coursework to start teaching the following school year. I was applying to become a high school English teacher and I certainly did not want to pass up an opportunity to start this career change. Thankfully, the ACP was able to accommodate the Covid restrictions that were enacted at the time and get us prepared to start our careers as teachers. Now more than ever, we needed all the help we could get to begin our teaching careers. As if teaching wasn't already a difficult proposal in the best of circumstances, Covid and remote learning made this a daunting task even for the most seasoned teacher. Despite the challenges and obstacles, I was hired to work at Heights H.S. in an amazing group of English teachers. I have been grateful to work with this team and felt about as prepared as possible to start my educational career, thanks to the efforts of the ACP and mentors.

Gilberto A. Paniagua III

Teacher, ESL/English

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The HISD ACP provided the support and education that I needed to fulfill my life-long dream of being a classroom teacher.  After college, I felt a lot of pressure to attend law school and work as a lawyer.  I did, but I didn’t find joy in the courtroom.  The HISD ACP created a space for me to learn best research-based practices to support our wonderful, wonderful HISD students.    First year teaching is hard.  I would not have made it through without the emotional and instructional support provided by my wonderful ACP family (along with my excellent campus leadership and mentor teachers.)  I am enormously grateful for the generosity of love and expertise provided by the HISD ACP.   HISD ACP was there for me – in my classroom – with my students – to support me in being the best beginning teacher I could be.

Sarah Rodriguez Arvidsson, 5^th Grade Math, Seguin Elementary School