Our large conference room was once a school "cafetorium" (on bad days the smell of nuggets and pizza are still noticeable) and can accommodate up to 75 people seated at tables. With theater-style seating the room's maximum legal occupancy of 110 can be reached. The room has a ceiling-mounted LCD projector, a speaker system, and both wired and wireless network access. And for any frustrated thespians, the room has a large stage.
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Small Conference Room
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The small conference room can accommodate up to 35 people seated at tables. With theater-style seating about 50 people can be seated comfortably (a relative term). The room does not have an LCD projector but does have a screen and it offers both wired and wireless network access.
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Computer Lab
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The computer lab is actually two rooms in one. The computer lab section has some 16 working computers and a screen. An LCD projector, if required, needs to be supplied by participants. A separate section of the room offers tables and chairs to seat some 25 people. It also has a screen but no LCD projector. In addition to the many drops in the computer lab section, wireless access is available.
How to Reserve
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1. Check Availability
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Go on Outlook and view the Central Region - HISD's calendar. View our instructions on how to view the calendar belonging to another account.
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2. E-mail Conference Room Reservation Request
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To request a room, send an e-mail to Carol Sotelo. Do not phone to request a reservation, only e-mail requests will be honored. Please remember that on rare occasions confirmed reservations may need to be changed or canceled due to unforeseen Central Region needs. In your e-mail please make clear:
The room
Date
Time
Number of people
Departmental affiliation
Contact name if it is not you
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3. Ensure that you receive a written confirmation of your reservation
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Merely e-mailing a request does not guarantee a reservation. Even if the room appears available on the schedule other requests may have proceeded yours but not yet been processed. Preference will be given to Central Region Office and Central Region school requests.
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4. Inform us of any changes or cancellations
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As a courtesy to other users of these limited resources, please be sure to e-mail timely notice of changes or cancellations. Failure to do so may lead to future room reservation requests mysteriously getting lost in cyber-space. (You have been warned.)
Parking
Parking space is limited so be aware when scheduling events. Encourage participants to car-pool if practical.
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Durham
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Limited parking is available in the Durham parking lot. Do not park in any of the reserved parking spots and do not park in handicapped parking spots without a valid sticker or license plate. Be careful not to double-park or block others. HISD police have actually ticketed cars in the parking lot in the past.
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West 28th Street
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A somewhat larger parking lot is available on West 28th Street. In cases where parking slots fill up people park on the grass.
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Street Parking
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Parking is allowed on 27th street
Building Hours and Room Set-Up
With sufficient notice and if there is sufficient time between meetings, room set-up can be handled by our custodial staff. However, anyone reserving rooms should be prepared to assist in set-up and clean up after workshops or meetings. Be aware too that rooms are scheduled without "passing periods" so you will need to be out of the room by the time indicated so the next group can set up.
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Monday - Thursday
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The building is open from 7:00 AM - 7:30 PM. However, conference room activities need to end by 6:30 PM unless specific arrangements are made to extend activities to 7:00 PM. The conference rooms need to be cleaned and set up for the next day. Rest rooms also need to be cleaned after meetings are over.
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Friday
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The same as for other weekdays except that closing time and conference room use ending time are 30 minutes earlier - 7:00 PM and 6:00 PM, respectively. (If you are scheduling meetings for that time on a Friday evening we will put you in our smallest room - you won't need more.)
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Weekends, Holidays, and After Hours
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The facility may be available but departments will be responsible for custodial overtime. Requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Food and Drink
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Central Region Office Staff
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You will need to communicate with Tony and, if appropriate, he will arrange for Ms. Garcia to purchase and set out whatever is approved (water and nuts).
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Non-Central Region Office Departments
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Naturally, you are responsible for arranging for your own refreshments. You are also responsible for cleaning up the conference room (not just the food area) of litter. Our faith in humanity is continually tested by the mess that people leave.
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Computer Lab
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No food or drink is allowed anywhere near the computers.
Restaurants & Other Eating Facilities in the Area
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Recommendation or Endorsement
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We have posted a list of area facilities. Inclusion on the list is not meant as an endorsement or indication of quality. As a publicly-funded organization we are not allowed to make recommendations. If you know of other facilities that need to be added, please e-mail us with the name, address, and type of food.
It is the policy of the Houston Independent School District not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, handicap or disability, ancestry, national origin, marital status, race, religion, sex, veteran status, or political affiliation in its educational or employment programs and activities.
