How to make your voice heard and find family resources in Aldine ISD

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The Houston Landing published an in-depth report Monday on Aldine ISD and the current leadership struggling to improve academics over its seven years running the district.

We want to make it easier for Aldine families to have their voice heard and find resources for their children. Here's a list of people in power around Aldine and resources to turn to when you need help.

How to make your voice heard Reach out to school officials

Who they are: Aldine ISD staff can provide you with more information about your child's education and school district programs available. What they offer:

If you want to know more about how your student is doing in class, reach out to your child's teacher.

If you want to know more about after-school programs, reach out to your child's school principal. You can find their information on your school's website or by calling your school.

If you want more information on districtwide programs, such as child nutrition or support for students with disabilities, the district recommends you reach out to each department or office directly. You can find contact information and website links to each department here .

Other resources: Aldine publishes several important documents for families in English and Spanish, which can be found here . They include the Student/Parent Handbook, Student Code of Conduct, vaccine requirements, cell phone policy and dress code guidelines.

Reach out to the school board

Who they are: The Aldine ISD school board is made up of seven unpaid, locally elected officials who govern the district. Information on each trustee, including their email address, can be found here .

What the school board does:

Discuss and vote on school district matters.

Create, change and remove school district policies.

Hire, manage and evaluate the performance of the superintendent.

Approve and oversee the district's overall budget. (District staff are generally responsible for deciding how to spend the budget approved by board members.)

Hire and manage an internal auditor.

About school board meetings:

Board meetings are where the school board discusses and votes on major issues affecting the district, such as district policies, spending priorities and the superintendent's contract. All board meetings are open to the public, but state law allows the board to discuss some matters in private. All votes must be taken in public.

You can speak to the board during the meetings or submit comments if you'd like to make your voice heard about an issue.

The school board meets in public twice a month . One meeting, held on the third Monday of each month, is called a "study session." The second meeting, held on the third Tuesday of each month, is called a "regular meeting."

During the study session, board members typically discuss items on the regular meeting agenda. They generally do not vote on items.

During the regular meeting, board members typically hold discussions and votes on items.

How to know what's happening at a board meeting: The board must post an agenda for every board meeting 72 hours in advance. The agenda shows what trustees will discuss and what action they could take.to find board meeting agendas and other meeting information.

Location and time: Board meetings are typically held at the district's administration building, 2520 W.W. Thorne Drive, Houston, TX 77073 . Study sessions typically start at 6:30 p.m., while regular meetings typically are held at 7 p.m.

How to speak at board meetings:

To address board members during a regular meeting, fill out this public comment form by 6:50 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

If you can't attend the meeting but want to submit a written comment, fill out the same public comment form .

The board offers Spanish interpretation services for up to 10 people per meeting. If you need an interpreter, you must submit a request through this form by the Friday before the meeting.

Reach out to your elected officials Harris County commissioners

Who they are: Harris County commissioners are elected officials who lead the county government. They set the county's budget, manage county operations and oversee community services, such as parks and roads. While they do not have any authority over school districts, they are high-profile local leaders with influence in their communities.

Three commissioners represent parts of Aldine: Rodney Ellis, Adrian Garcia and Tom Ramsey. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who's also considered part of the county commission, represents the entire county. To find out which commissioner represents your area,.

How to contact them:

Rodney Ellis: Call 713-274-1000 or email .

Adrian Garcia: Call 713-274-2222 or 713-755-6220, or email .

Tom Ramsey: Call 713-274-3000 or email .

Lina Hidalgo: Call 713-274-7000 or email .

State representatives and senators

Who they are: Six members of the Texas House of Representatives and three Texas senators represent the Aldine area. The state officials vote on new education laws, many of which have an impact on Aldine, and decide how much money each school district will receive to educate kids. To find out which representative and senator represents you,.

How to contact them:

Rep. Armando Walle: Use this form to contact his office, call 281-442-2206 or email .

Rep. Senfronia Thompson: Call 713-633-3390 or email .

Rep. Charlene Ward Johnson: Call 713-699-3043 or 512-463-0554, or email .

Rep. Charles Cunningham: Use this form to reach his office, call 512-463-0520 or email .

Rep. Valoree Swanson: Use this form to contact her office or call 281-257-4222.

Rep. Harold Dutton Jr.: Use this form to reach his office or call 713-692-9192.

Sen. Molly Cook: Use this form to reach her office or call 713-864-8701.

Sen. Carol Alvarado: Use this form to reach her office or call 713-926-6257.

Sen. Brandon Creighton: Use this form to reach his office or call 281-292-4128.

Free educational resources Harris County Public Library

What they offer:

The Future U Program, which helps students, parents and adults with the college application process.

Citizenship classes and support navigating the naturalization process to become a U.S. citizen.

Classes to learn English as a second language.

A job board .

Space for teens to hang out and participate in after-school activities.

Locations and contact information: There are three branches in Aldine, plus one Houston Public Library branch. For contact information, click the links below for each branch.

Aldine Branch Library , 11331 Airline Drive, Houston, TX 77037 .

High Meadows Branch Library , 4500 Aldine Mail Route, Houston, TX 77039 .

Baldwin Boettcher Branch Library at Mercer Park , 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble, TX 77338 .

Shepard-Acres Homes Neighborhood Library , 8501 W. Montgomery Road, Houston, TX 77088 . (Houston Public Library branch)

Aldine ISD's Family and Community Engagement Department

Who they are: The district's Family and Community Engagement, or FACE, Department works with parents and caregivers to help with their child's education.

What they offer:

Family and Community UniversityA program aimed at helping parents find ways to be more engaged in their child's education.

Become a mentor: You can become a mentor to help with student success at Aldine ISD.

: The department hosts events such as the back-to-school backpack drive and health-related events.

How to get assistance: Reach the department at 281-985-3788 or email .

Reach out to your school's parent-teacher organization

Who they are: A parent-teacher organization, or PTO, is a group of parents, teachers, and staff that volunteer in a school and help fundraise for a campus.

How to get assistance:

Contact Aldine's FACE Department to inquire if your school has a PTO.

Those interested in joining or starting a PTO must register as a volunteer with the district and undergo a criminal background check.

Lone Star College

Who they are: Lone Star College is one of the largest community colleges near Aldine ISD, with two locations in the area.

What they offer:

College placement testing, free tutoring, academic and career advising, and more.

Aldine ISD's Rose M. Avalos Pathways in Technology Early College High School, where students can earn a high school diploma while taking college classes.

How to get assistance: For Lone Star College-North Harris , call 281-618-5400. For the East Aldine Center , submit an information request form here , call 346-378-7503 or email .

Community resources United Way of Greater Houston

Who they are: United Way is an organization that can connect you to immediate assistance in your area.

What they offer: Assistance for everyday basic needs, health care, early childhood and youth development, job opportunities and more .

How to get assistance: Reach the main office at (713) 685-2300 or call the Texas/United Way Helpline at 211 for assistance.

Who they are: BakerRipley is a nonprofit organization that focuses on connecting Greater Houston residents, including those in Aldine, to local resources.

What they offer:

Civic education to help you understand your rights and how to engage with elected officials

Resources if you're an entrepreneur

English as a second language classes

GED classes

Help with tax preparation

Basic needs assistance, such as food

Location: The East Aldine Campus is located at 3000 Aldine Mail Route Road, Houston, TX, 77039 .

How to get assistance: Visit the East Aldine Campus from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m Monday through Friday or 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Reach them by phone at 346-570-4463. Their monthly calendar can be viewed here .

East Aldine Management District

Who they are: The East Aldine Management District is a volunteer-run nonprofit aimed at improving the east Aldine community.

What they offer: The management district provides resources directly to the east Aldine community, from hurricane and disaster preparedness to local community events.

How to get assistance:

Reach the district via phone at 713-595-1232 or via email at .

Report community issues or concerns online via this form .

Submit an application for community development projects via this form .

Visit the town center at 2909 East Aldine Amphitheatre Drive, Suite 200, Houston, TX 77039.

Find events here .

Aldine – Greenspoint Family YMCA

Who they are: The YMCA is an organization that provides a space for children to improve their physical and mental health.

What they offer:

YMCA Before and After School Care

Y Teen L.I.F.E., a program aimed at middle and high school students to participate more in service, set goals and work with mentors.

Location: The YMCA's facility in Aldine is located at Tom Wussow Park, 500 Greens Road, Houston, TX 77060 .

How to get assistance: Reach the facility at 832-484-9622 and register for programs online here .

Houston Food Bank

Who they are: Houston Food Bank is a nonprofit working to curb hunger. The food bank has various partners across the region that provide food to Houstonians.

What they offer: Food distribution and meal sites near you.

How to get assistance: Call 832-369-9390 orto find a food distribution or meal site near you.

HOPE Clinic

Who they are: HOPE Clinic is a community health care nonprofit with locations across Houston, including Aldine.

What they offer: Medical care, wellness exams, vaccinations, mammograms, prenatal care and other medical services. Services are available in over 30 languages, including Spanish and Vietnamese.

Location: The clinic is located at 3000 Aldine Mail Route Road , Building C Suite 200, Houston, TX 77039.

How to get assistance: Call the clinic at 713-773-0803 to make an appointment or fill out this contact form to reach the clinic.

This list is not an exhaustive accounting of all resources available to families in Aldine. If you would like your organization added to this list, please email and .

Angelica Perez and Miranda Dunlap cover education for the Houston Landing. What questions about schools or your child's education do you have? We're here to listen. Reach us at and .