Empowerment Is Back, Thanks to New HCC Partnership
Empowerment College Preparatory High School, which was slated for closure at the end of the 2009–2010 school year due to a contractual dispute with Texas Southern University, is back—and ready to open this fall at a new location.
Now called Empowerment South Early College High School, the five-year-old campus—which celebrated its inaugural graduating class in 2009 and is projected to be an Exemplary school when the Texas Education Agency releases the 2009–2010 school year ratings in July—will be temporarily housed at Jesse Jones High School (7414 St. Lo, 77033) until a new facility can be built.
The building will be constructed on or near a Houston Community College campus in the area of HISD formerly known as the South Region, thanks to a new agreement the district made to expand its early college partnership with the Houston Community College System (HCCS).
HISD representatives were granted authorization to negotiate a contract with HCCS on behalf of the school by the Board of Education during its June 24 meeting. Once complete, the arrangement will make Empowerment the district’s fifth early college high school.
“At Empowerment, we are in the business of ‘going to college,’” said Principal Traci Stewart Jones. “We believe that students rise to the level of expectation—and we have very high expectations. Those expectations have helped us achieve our status as an Exemplary high school, with a 100 percent graduation rate and a 100 percent college acceptance rate. Here, Advanced Placement and dual-credit courses are the expectation, not the exception, and we look forward to the excitement of a new school year and continuing to live out our school’s motto: ‘Be encouraged, be inspired, and be empowered!’”
“Empowerment has been such a positive addition to our community,” added Board of Education First Vice President Paula M. Harris, “and all the credit for its success goes to Traci and her team—as well as the involved community and parents who all won’t accept anything less than the best for children.”
Empowerment South Early College High School is now accepting applications from freshmen and sophomores for the 2010–2011 school year. To be considered for enrollment, please complete this form (.pdf) and follow the instructions for submission.
Questions may be directed to Principal Traci Stewart Jones at 713-732-3623.
