Updates & Events

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**Please note that starting 10/7/22, the Energy newsletter will be published every two weeks.

Important Upcoming Dates & Deadlines

February 24- End of Grading Cycle

February 27- DiscoverU Application Support

February 27- Blood Drive

February 27- Last Day of the Grading Cycle

February 28- DiscoverU Application Support

February 28- Senior Portraits

March 2 - Senior Portraits

March 2 - Student Gov't BB Tourney

March 3 - MIT Rap Battle

March 3 - DiscoverU Application Support

March 4 - Tutorials and Detention

March 6-10 - Student Gov't BB Tourney

March 7 - Spring Exhibition

March 8-9 - Interim English STAAR

March 10 - Cohort 4 Field Trip to MFAH

March 13-17 - Spring Break, no school

February Calendar

Save the Date!

Spring Exhibition

March 7th.



Sign-up to be a judge here!

Freshman Meeting



On Friday, February 17 the freshmen attended a special grade level meeting with the school deans. Students learned about credits, how to read a transcript, their four year plan, and what GPA/rank mean. We discussed what students can do now to set themselves up to be strong candidates for scholarships and college applications. We talked about special summer opportunities, joining clubs, volunteering, etc. The students calculated their GPA from the fall semester and thought about what they could do now to improve their GPA moving forward. Students also participated in an activity that revealed the things that could impact their college acceptances aside from their GPA.


We encourage freshman parents to talk to their freshman about the meeting. Here are some questions to consider asking:

  • What is your GPA? Do you need to improve it?
  • What can you do on a daily basis to improve your GPA?
  • What clubs are you in? If none, what clubs can you join this spring?
  • What career area are you interested in pursuing?
  • What do you think you can do to stand out in a positive way?


Parents can view the presentation here. Reach out to your child's dean if you have any questions about the presentation or your child, please reach out to you child's dean.

Special Opportunities



Energy Institute highly recommends that students get involved in unique learning opportunities outside of the classroom. There are a lot of wonderful summer opportunities out there to help students stand out. These opportunities great development opportunities for students as well as great for college and scholarship applications. Energy has produced an Opportunities to Help You Stand Out newsletter with various opportunities for students to apply to. You can view the most recent one here.


Discover U is a wonderful partner we have that also helps students find opportunities. DiscoverU provides a database of Fantastic Learning Opportunities for students to apply to. Some programs are free and others have a cost. Students who qualify for free and reduced lunch can also earn scholarship towards programs with a cost. There are programs that are virtual and in-person. Some are local and some are in other countries. There are so many opportunities!


Most Energy students already have their DiscoverU accounts set-up. Freshmen will set them up next week during PBL Skills classes. If a returning student does not remember their password, they can use the "forgot my password" feature to have it reset. The website is www.discoverus.org.


Discover U reps will be at Energy on pre-scheduled days to help students during PBL Skills classes and during enrichment. Students can also schedule a virtual meeting through the portal or at  https://calendly.com/discoveru-advisors.


There is also an event at Energy Institute this weekend where you can learn more about Discover U. See the flyer below.

Absences are calculated by adding excused and unexcused absences together. The only absences that are not calculated into the total are:

  • College visits - limited to 2 days per year, only junior and senior year, and the process must be followed for them to be exempt
  • Medical Appointments - doctor's note must be submitted within three days of the appointment and it only excuses the time of appointment, not days of illness
  • Voting
  • School field trips
  • Religious absences
  • Activity - for example, a student leaves early to play in a volleyball game at their zoned campus - process must be followed



If you have any questions, please talk to your dean or stop by the attendance office.

College Visits


During the junior and senior year, students are eligible to receive two excused absences per school year for participating in a college visit. These absences do not count towards final exam exemption absences, as long as the process is followed. You can download and print the document here or you can visit the Attendance Office for a copy. 


Step 1: Complete the form with all signatures and submit to the attendance office at least two days prior to the visit.

Step 2: When you return to school from the college visit, submit an official letter from the college (printed on college letterhead) that verifies your visit.


Enjoy your visits!

Senior yearbooks are included in senior dues and already ordered. Seniors do not need to purchase a yearbook individually.

The Texas Mental Health Creative Arts Contest



The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas System of Care, in collaboration with the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health at the University of Texas at Austin, is excited to announce the return of the Texas Mental Health Creative Arts Contest in 2023. The contest will accept individual and group submissions through March 10, 2023. The contest seeks to raise awareness of mental health experiences, challenge stigma, and provide an opportunity to express complex emotions through creative outlets. For more information, including past winners, rules, and instructions for submitting artwork, visit the Texas Mental Health Creative Arts Contest webpage.

The Belize Trip is Almost Full!

Thank you to those who attended our Belize Summer 2024 meeting. We had a large collection of enthusiastic students, parents, and teachers and over 145 families RSVPed asking for more information.

 

We are so excited for our 2024 educational and adventurous Belize tour for 8 days!  The initial 25 spots have filled, but I was able to open 8 additional spots! Once those are full, please enroll on the waitlist! Each trip we have been able to move one or two students up.

 

  • Once you pay the $95 deposit, the total price for the trip is locked in at the current rate. It will not increase. No interest is added. There is a Risk-Free, 100% Money-Back Enrollment Period through Friday, 2/17/2023 so enroll with confidence now to lock in your spot, and know you’ll have 14 days to cancel if needed.  


  • The deadline for enrolling is Friday, February 17th, but I cannot guarantee there will still be spots available then. Enroll by the deadline for the $100 scholarship! There are monthly payments plan to make this an affordable option!

 

  • Enrollment for parents & students is on a first-come, first-served basis. You may enroll over the phone at 1-800-665-5364 or online:


Belize 2024: www.eftours.com/2621961EC

Trip Number – 2621961EC

  

  • The trip price includes roundtrip airfare, transportation (bus, train, boat, etc.), hotels with private bathrooms in rooms, entry fees, expert local guides, breakfast, lunch & dinner each day, opportunity for high school and college credit, Global Travel Protection Plan Insurance, and the most valuable part: the 24/7 Tour Director who leads, teaches, and entertains during the trip. 

  

Still have questions? EF's Traveler Support team can help at 800-665-5364 (M-F, 9-5) and you can always email Noelle MacGregor with questions or concerns. You can also view the Parent Guide to Travel from EF Educational Tours, our travel partner. It covers everything from details about EF to options for high school and college credit to payments plans and what to expect on tour.

Is Your Child a Native Spanish Speaker?



Native Spanish Speakers are eligible to take the AP Spanish Language Test FREE of charge! If students score a 3 out of 5 or higher they will receive their required high school world language credits and are eligible to earn college credit! Families can visit the College Board Website to see which 1,918 schools grant credit for this test. Students who earn a 3 or higher on an AP test are also considered College Ready, which means they will not have to take additional math/English courses during their senior year. To sign up for the AP Spanish Language test, please contact your child's dean by March 3.

Are You A Prospective Family Looking to Tour Energy?


Now that Magnet Tours have officially ended, Energy Institute will be offering tours on Wednesdays at 9:00 AM. If you would like to take a tour and learn more about attending Energy next year, sign up for a tour at www.tinyurl.com/TourEnergy. We'd love to show you Energy!

Student and Staff Recognition

Teachers of the Year

We are proud of all of our teachers here at Energy, but today, we would like to highlight and congratulate our Teachers of the Year! The following three teachers were selected for exemplifying outstanding teaching practices, contributing to the school climate in a positive way, serving as a role model for students and other teachers, promoting a love of learning, sharing best practices with others, demonstrating a willingness to reflect, and showing empathy towards others. Teacher of the Year and Beginning Teacher of the Year are invited to submit an application to be considered for Houston ISD Teacher of the Year. The teachers will also be honored at a banquet in May. Congratulations to our three selected teachers Ms. Quagliana, Ms. Bratsch, and Mr Dean!

Teacher of the Year

Ms. Quagliana


Congratulations to Ms. Quagliana who has been selected by her peers as the 2022-2034 Energy Institute High School Teacher of the Year!


Ms. Quagliana teaches Sophomore English in Cohort 3 as well as College Prep English.

Teacher of the Year

Student Choice

Ms. Bratsch


Congratulations to Ms. Bratsch who has been selected by students as the 2022-2034 Energy Institute High School Student Choice Teacher of the Year!


Ms. Bratsch teaches Physics in Cohort 3 and AP Biology.

Beginning Teacher of the Year

Mr. Dean


Congratulations to Mr. Dean who has been selected by his peers as the 2022-2034 Energy Institute High School Beginning Teacher of the Year!


Mr. Dean teaches Environmental Sustainability in Cohort 5 as well as AP Environmental Science.

Mr. Tesla Awarded to Ms. Baird

Mr. Elliott chose Ms. Baird for the Tesla Award recipient. She teaches Principles of Manufacturing and Manufacturing 1.


Mr. Elliott thanked Ms. Baird and said she "has been an amazing help with projects this year and always find availability to help integrate POE skills in cohort projects. Constantly at work, her lab and enrichment periods are always buzzing with students who are learning and engaged in creating. She is a truly compassionate teacher."

Congratulations to the Winners of the MIT Basketball Tournament


The MIT Club sponsored a basketball tournament fundraiser during lunch recently. Congratulations to our winning team of Camden Faseler, Zachary Anibou, Austin King, Johnathon Franklin, and Dennis Jackson. Also a special thank you to PALS who joined the tournament and helped referee and thank you to the Energy staff who helped with the tournament. If you missed this one, Student Government has a tournament coming up too!

Nominations!

Do you know a student that deserves recognition for being truly outstanding? Use the buttons on the right and start your nomination today!

Nominate a Student!

Senior News and Information

Submit Your Acceptances! Apply for Scholarships!



Congratulations to our seniors! They have been hard at work completing college applications. We only have a handful of students still working on their first college application. Acceptances are starting to come in! Seniors should be reporting their acceptances on this google form after uploading the required information on the senior check-out form. Student acceptances will be posted on our college wall!


Seniors should also be working on scholarship applications. They are required to complete at least one every two weeks through their PBL Skills class. Scholarship opportunities can be found here.

Senior Dues - Keep Making Payments!

Senior dues cover graduation ceremony costs, a professional graduation photo on stage, the yearbook, a graduation cap and gown, the diploma cover, a senior class panoramic picture, senior t-shirt, senior breakfast, prom, senior picnic (or other fun selected activity), and more senior week activities. 


Senior students should see their dean if there are any economic concerns and make sure they have completed the Socioeconomic Form. Visit our website for more information. 

PTO News

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Energy is a proud recipient of the 2016 National Merit Awards


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Energy is a public school in the Houston Independent School District


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Energy is an active participant with the district's Canvas initiative


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A special thanks to this week's spotlighted sponsors: