Do you want to elevate your lunch game? Maybe time away from you in the morning, you're deciding between homemade vs pre-packaged foods, or you just want to make sure your child's meal is balanced and delicious. Registered dietitian with Milk & Honey Nutrition, Mary Ellen Phipps is here to help us all out.

Teachers can significantly impact their students’ lives and often give more than they receive. This week on Houston Life, we celebrate teachers throughout the greater Houston area by teaming up with our friends from Shell Federal Credit Union to deliver surprise gift baskets. San Jacinto Kindergarten teacher Ms. Kaileigh Dempsey was our Tuesday honoree!

Ms. Nealey was in the middle of teaching class when the Houston Life camera burst in to surprise the second grade teacher. Tearing up over the honor, Ms. Nealey said it was wonderful to be recognized for her work in the classroom.

Summer vacation is behind us and the kids are back in school. From staying organized to keeping track of homework and assignments, watch the player above for tips to help set your kids up for success in the new school year.

Join us as we explore the BEST Houston thrift stores ahead of National Thrift Store Day! #ThriftShopping #Houston

Klein ISD launches new resource to enhance partnerships with parents and students focusing on campus safety, digital safety, and new training for staff and police. #BackToSchool #Education #CommunitySafety

One major district in the Greater Houston area has announced a new cell phone policy that is being widely discussed as the school year gets underway.

Houston ISD’s new school year started officially started yesterday.

Many students and teachers in HISD are beginning the school year with a brand new curriculum under the New Education System with their daily routines overhauled, requiring them to adapt to a new learning approach.

As Houston ISD prepares to start school again on Monday, the district says around 700 students are still being assigned new bus stops and routes.

More Southeast Texas school districts are heading back to class this week.

Many school districts are already back in session and Houston ISD is just a weekend away from its first day. However, with that in mind, some parents noticed some T.L.C. that needs to be done at some area schools and they’re taking their concerns right to the top.

This week, the state-installed superintendent of HISD sat down with KPRC 2 Investigates to call attention to the district’s successes during his first year at the helm.

HISD has made cuts to 85 school bus routes

The new school year is starting across the Houston area, and KPRC 2 invites the community to share their back-to-school photos on Click2Pins.

Experts say this year, just like everything else, it’s going to cost you more money to buy all that back-to-school gear. KPRC 2′s Bill Spencer is looking for brand new ways you can save money.

Students at several Southeast Texas school districts will be heading back to class this week.

A number of school supply drives are happening around our area in the coming weeks

Houston Life and Shell Federal Credit Union are teaming up once again to show some special teachers some love as they head back to the classroom.

Parents, get ready to save! Texas' tax-free weekend is just around the corner, from Aug. 9 to Aug. 11. What’s on your back-to-school shopping list? Let us know in the comments!

Are you ready for your little one to head back to school? If so, check out one of these back-to-school events offering supplies and MORE!

You can help by donating school supplies, diapers, hygiene items and more.

Last year, the Hitchcock Bulldogs won their first state championship in program history. This year, they’re primed to run it back.

Bread Man Baking Company Founder and CEO Tasos Katsaounis left his corporate job to follow his dreams of baking bread

Start the new year on the right foot!

Mel Camp is chatting with Dr. Victoria Regan about some of the most common reasons you may visit your child's pediatrician this fall.

As we help get your family classroom ready it’s not just reading, writing and math your students are learning, they will also learn about lockdowns, evacuations and sheltering in place. There are six different types of safety drills Texas students will practice this school year. KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis explains the difference so you can talk to your child about what they’re learning.

KPRC 2 Investigates talks with parents about safety concerns, checks with area school districts

Back to school season is here, and it's the perfect time to set new guidelines for social media use.

Students who have already started class are forced to be hours late in the morning as a shortage of bus drivers continues across Houston area schools.

As someone who was once a very broke college student, having TV, let alone free TV, was an aspirational goal to have.

KPRC 2 is getting you classroom ready. With tens of thousands of students across the Houston area riding the bus to school every day, the safety of those vehicles is always top of mind for parents. School districts are required to abide by strict regulations. KPRC 2 talked to Kayne Smith, Director of Transportation Services at CyFair ISD, who walked us through the inspection process step by step.

Parents know the back-to-school financial struggle all too well. You gotta buy pencils, paper, safety scissors and not to mention the pressure to buy a new wardrobe for the kids. It all adds up. But what if you split it up over four interest-free payments?

On KPRC 2+ Now, our traffic anchor spoke with law enforcement and AAA to learn about the safety and concerns with younger drivers.

The first day of school is different for schools across the Houston area, but some districts have already gone back.

Multiple Houston-area school districts are providing free meals to children during the 2023-2024 school year.

See how the Solutionaries team addresses educational challenges to exploring food insecurity and behavioral interventions.

Going back to school means keeping our kids safe and bullying is an issue in which all school districts may have to deal.

The highly anticipated 13th Annual Mayor’s Back 2 School Fest presented by Shell and produced by the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, was held this past Saturday and was one of the most successful back-to-school fests to date.

As the new school year approaches, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Shell have partnered to get students ready to go back to the classroom with the Mayor’s Back to School Festival

Dr. Anna Brown shares how to identify if your stress is normal and coping tips to help reduce stress & anxiety.

Choose from three back-to-school gift ideas that will impress your teachers.

These products will make back to school as easy as 1, 2 3!

This CompTIA and IT learning bundle here on sale for 83% off can give you some much needed smarts

KPRC 2 is focusing on making sure families are Classroom Ready.

KPRC 2 is helping you get classroom ready. We are always looking for ways to save time and money stocking up on all the school supplies your child needs. No matter which type of shopper you are we think you’ll find value to this list of ways to save on back-to-school shopping.

Houston Life and Shell Federal Credit Union will surprise five amazing teachers!

The Harris County Clerk’s Office (HCCO) is hosting its third annual Back-to-School Birth Certificate event on Saturday, July 29, specifically to issue birth certificates for families who need their child’s records for school registration.

Don’t panic, but schools go back into session in just weeks! So are you ready? KPRC 2 will help you prepare for school through our new station initiative, Classroom Ready.

With the start of school looming in August, now is a great time to give back to children in need of school supplies.

Regardless of the time of year, or how old your kids are, it's important to have a system in place to wind them down at the end of the day.

Why a focus on Virginia’s most in demand industries could be the answer to less student debt.

School districts around the country are working to beef up security measures. This school year, safety of students is top of mind more than ever. That's why school systems like Roanoke City are having to rethink the way they do things.

Classes resume Tuesday in Uvalde, Texas.

As children head back to school, a local audiologist is warning about auditory processing disorder (APD). The condition is when the brain has a problem processing sounds, which can affect how someone understands speech.

National and local teacher unions hold live news conference to address school staffing shortages across the Houston area

Our Solutionaries team tracks down solutions to one of the scariest, most terrifying problems plaguing parents—school safety.

As the majority of kids in our area are back in school, sleep schedules are no doubt a major part of this year’s routine.

Shanekia Hall, is a Kindergarten Teacher at Ponderosa Elementary School in Spring, for as long as she remembers she has wanted to teach. She lost her parents early. At two her father died. Three years later, Shanekia’s mother passed after suffering an aneurism. Shanekia credits her teachers for inspiring her to success as a young woman and becoming a teacher herself is a way she says she can pay it forward.

As students prepare to return to school on Monday, Houston Independent School District Superintendent Millard House II will welcome students back to school in a news conference.

Hundreds of kids in the Houston area will be heading to school in style thanks to multi-platinum artist and entrepreneur Money Man.

Teachers of Tomorrow is the nation’s largest alternative certification provider, where over 75,000 quality teachers have become certified. Wondering how to become a teacher with Teachers of Tomorrow?

Back-to-school nerves and anxiety can be worse than just a one-day ordeal. Some kids may show behavioral problems or signs of anxiety.

Teacher vacancies are becoming quite common throughout our area, right now there are 12 unfilled teaching positions at Cleveland High School.

Students can get fresh haircuts, much-needed supplies, health screenings and more at a back-to-school drive hosted by several businesses and business leaders on Wednesday.

What should you pack in your child’s lunch box? Dolores Woods, MA, RDN, shared healthy snack and lunch ideas on KPRC 2+ Tuesday.

As this school year starts, the country continues to see contagious illnesses spread.

Jennifer is chatting all about the importance of getting fresh gardens into schools, find out how you can help!

KPRC 2 is hosting a live panel discussion to help prepare families in the Houston ISD to head back to school. We'll talk campus safety, the impact of the teacher shortage on your child's classroom, school bus routes, and the cost of everything from cafeteria meals to extracurriculurs.

It’s Back 2 School time! Here are some of the photos y’all shared with us this year as you head back to the classroom.

The Houston Area Urban League will host a free Back 2 School Vaccination Drive and School Supply give away on Thursday.

This year, students 12 and older will have a new option on where they can go to get an exam at the H-E-B Wellness Primary Clinic, located at 9745 Katy Freeway at Bunker Hill. The clinic is located within the same complex as its store.

Say goodbye to the same old lonely sandwich!

We are counting down to the first day of school and most districts in our area head back over the next two weeks.

Galena Park ISD is working to provide additional emotional support for students as they return to class for the new school year.

HISD officials said they have acknowledged security concerns.

This year the Supreme Court has handed several historic rulings, including one related to school prayer. What effect will that ruling have on the upcoming year?

Parents, back-to-school season is the perfect time to take stock of your child’s physical and mental health to help prepare them for a successful school year.

Antonio Cardenas, DDS, a pediatric dentist with UTHealth Houston and UT Dentists, shares the importance of yearly dental visits and maintaining a healthy smile.

With students heading back into the classroom soon, the American Red Cross, Texas Gulf Coast Region, wanted to help kids remain safe as they head back to school.

This weekend marks the 23rd annual Sales Tax Holiday in the state of Texas. The holiday, created in 1999 by Commissioner Rodney Ellis, is intended to help parents who may be short on cash to get what their child needs for the school year.

Mayor Sylvester Turner will be joined by representatives from Shell and the Houston Food Bank in a news conference Thursday to announce details on the 12th Annual Back To School Fest presented by Shell.

Harris County Fire Marshal, Laurie Christensen, and Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey held a joint news conference on Wednesday to address safety for the upcoming school year.

Parents, as you gear up to send your children back to school, it’s important to make sure they’re up to date with the current list of vaccinations mandated by the state of Texas.

Mayor Sylvester Turner joined NASA Wednesday morning in distributing free Artemis Learning Lunchbox Kits to underserved families and youth in Houston, according to a release.

Where and how to get a free haircut for your children before the start of school.

It’s hard to think of a more bittersweet moment than when you send a kid off to kindergarten for the first time.

BEAR’s Back to School program will help children currently in Child Protective Services get the resources they need for school in the fall.

With the start of school looming next month, now is a great chance to give back to children in need of school supplies.

Jon Taffer returns to ‘Bar Rescue’ to help struggling bars get back to being vibrant and profitable businesses.

Bedtime stories are a fond memory many of us have from our childhood, and on the same note, it’s a memory many of us want to give our children, as well.

Now that the school year is well underway and students are off to the races for another year of learning and studying, we thought we’d ask: Can we see your pictures?

Fort Bend Independent School District announced Saturday that its mask mandate for students and staff has been lifted.

KPRC 2 Insiders asked us questions about what to expect this school year as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.

Fort Bend Independent School District announced Tuesday that Oakland Elementary School will join Pecan Grove Elementary School in temporarily switching from face-to-face to virtual learning. Drabek Elementary will also do so, but only for its Pre-K students.

Cy-Fair ISD welcomed students back to the classrooms on Monday.

It’s a big day for thousands of students in the Houston area as it is back to school for the largest district in the state of Texas. Thousands of students will be heading back to school. Houston ISD Superintendent Millard House made several stops Monday morning. The first was at Benbrook Elementary School, where he welcomed students with breakfast.

We somehow made it to August, which means it’s back-to-school time for students and teachers everywhere.

With students now going back to school or preparing for that very moment, there are probably lots of groans over the fact that summer is about to end -- and understandably so.

Getting dinner on the table at a reasonable hour can be a challenge, but those who have Instant Pots know that dinner can be done in 30 minutes or less with this trendy cooking machine.