June 6, 2021

Principal's Post

Pin Oak Community,

You’ve made it to the last week of school! We are extremely proud of you all for working so hard this year while facing an uphill battle of unexpected and unfamiliar challenges along the way.

This year also reminded us that with every challenge comes opportunity. In addition to completing our typical rigorous school curriculum, our students have discovered how to advocate for themselves and adapt to new ways of learning. They have overcome obstacles and become more resilient- real life lessons that can’t be taught from a textbook. Our teachers have dedicated every waking hour to enhancing their instructional technology skills, exploring new ways to engage their in-person and virtual students simultaneously, and encouraging one other through the process. Our parents, after spending part or all of the school year with at least one child learning virtually at the kitchen table, have expressed to me how much more they appreciate our amazing teachers and staff.

While we will never forget the hardships and difficult times this school year brought, I hope that we will always remember the way we came together as a community to support one another through them all.

Michelle Shoulders

#ChargeOn

This Week's Schedule:

Monday: BLUE

Tuesday: SILVER

Wednesday: CHARGER DAY

Thursday: CHARGER DAY

Friday: CHARGER DAY

Attendance will be taken this week. Students should log into the HUB and check for any enrichment activities their teachers may have posted. If you have already returned your Chromebook and have no other way via computer or smartphone to log into the HUB, please email your house principal.

HISD Announces New Principal for Pin Oak MS: Mrs. Lindsey Vela

Mrs. Vela comes to Pin Oak Middle School from West Briar Middle School where she served as Dean of Students. She has 18 years of experience in education, including 11 years as a classroom teacher.

If you missed the New Principal Introduction, you may view the replay here.

We are excited to welcome Mrs. Vela to Pin Oak Middle School!

Farewell Gift for Ms. Shoulders

Pin Oak Middle School PTO is presenting Ms. Shoulders with a scrapbook as a thank you gift for her time at Pin Oak Middle School and we need your help!

We are inviting current and former students, parents, faculty and staff to contribute to the scrapbook. Please write a handwritten note (if possible) on either a plain white sheet of copy paper (preferred) or a sheet of notebook (loose leaf) paper. Please use ONE SIDE OF THE PAGE ONLY as it will be glued onto a larger decorative page in the scrapbook.

You can write her a letter wishing her well on her new endeavors, sharing a memory that you have of her, or anything else meaningful that you would like to say.

We are going to present the scrapbook to her on Tuesday after school, so please submit your letter via one of the following ways by Tuesday, June 8th at 12PM:

Scan and email your letter to communications@pinoakpto.org
Drop off your letter to the front office
Drop off your letter to Ms. Chelsea Reynolds' classroom (C111)
Drop off your letter in the box on the front porch at 8510 Prichett Drive (77096 - Meyerland)

Let's show Ms. Shoulders how much of a positive impact she has made on our community and how much she will be missed! Thank you so much for your support!

#ChargeOn

POMS PTO Executive Board 2021-2022

A new board slate was approved at the PTO General Meeting on May 24, 2021. Congratulations to our new board!

Pin Oak PTO Executive Board

2021-2022

President: Tricia Onufer

President Elect: Anu Hiremaglur

VP of Communications: Melissa Law

VPs of Activities: Andrea Freedman & Lauren Blackburn

VPs of Fundraising & Development: Melissa Bayne & Dawn Johnson

VPs of School Store: Peggy Chang & Barby Garibaldi

Treasurer: Roxzan Zager

Treasurer Assistant: Dawn Pennington

VP of Budget & Finance: Keith Desrosiers

Recording Secretary: Lindsay Colvin

Corresponding Secretary: Renee Konstanzer

Parliamentarian: Lisa Lim

President Emeritus: Judy Cheng

Return Your Chromebook, Library Books, & Textbooks

If you still have not returned your Chromebook, library books, or textbooks, please return them this week to the front office.

POMS Sports Physicals for 2021-2022

On June 7^th and 8^th, we will be offering physicals for any POMS student who may need one for the 2021-2022 school year. Physicals will be in the D wing area from 11:30-1:30 both days.

We will encourage students to get this done during part of their lunch, but it is possible they may miss a short amount of class time, depending on the number of students in line at a given time.

The cost is $20 (cash only) and for any student who cannot come on the 7^th or 8^th, we will also have another opportunity before the start of school in the fall on August 18.

POMS Yearbook Distribution

Students who pre-ordered a yearbook can pick up their copy from Ms. Beckman's room (A109) this week at a time that does not interfere with classes.

If you still need to purchase a yearbook, you may do so this week from Ms. Beckman's room at a time that does not interfere with classes. Bring $50 check or $50 cash, exact change only. Extra copies will only be available until we sell out, so buy early.

Questions? Contact Ms. Beckman at abeckman@houstonisd.org.

POMS Summer Reading List Announced

Current POMS students received packs of books for summer reading from HISD on the day they took the STAAR Reading Test.

Any student who was not on campus for the STAAR Reading Test can pick up their books from the front office this week.

Incoming 6th Graders will need to get their book pack from their elementary school. Parents should be sure to ask about these books before the end of the school year.

Students who are new to HISD can check with Pin Oak after June 11, 2021 to see if we have any extra packets available for pick-up. If not, students will need to acquire their own copies of the book they choose.

Reading Expectations for Students:

Follow the directions for your grade level.
These books are yours. You may annotate them (take notes in the margins, draw doodles of what you imagine while you are reading, underline words you need to learn, or words you love).
Each grade level will be completing activities regarding summer reading books upon returning to school in August.
Scholastic has provided a reading journal, family guides to each book, and colored pencils in each packet. You can use the journal to practice your reading skills, but it is not required by any grade level.

Incoming 6th Graders:

Read at least one of the following books in your packet:

Incoming 7th Graders:

Read at least one of the following books in your packet:

Incoming 8th Graders:

Required reading:

A Good Kind of Trouble, by Lisa Moore Ramée

Choose at least one more book in the collection to read:

Students can visit the Pin Oak Library Summer Reading Page to get more information on any of the books.

For additional practice on Language Arts skills, students can:

Practice vocabulary using sites such as
- www.freerice.com
- www.vocabulary.com

Use this Quizlet link to study words from the book 100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know

Review grammar using Khan Academy Grammar Course

POMS Teacher & Staff End of Year Gift Fund Update

Thank you to everyone who donated to the Teacher & Staff End of Year Gift Fund!

With your help, we raised $6,429.00 and were able to give each teacher and staff member a $50 American Express Gift Card, RTIC tumbler, and catered lunch!

Thank you so much for your generosity and for showing our teachers and staff how loved they are by the Pin Oak community!

POMS Used Uniforms Donation Drive

Is your child moving on to high school? Has your child outgrown their school uniform clothing? Please consider donating their gently used uniforms to the POMS PTO Used Uniform Sale.

School dress code polos, khakis, jeans, skirts, sweatshirts, and jackets in all sizes can be dropped off in the collection boxes by the library until the last day of school: June 11th.

Porch Pickup Service

If you would like to donate uniform clothing, but are unable to drop them off at school, we are offering limited porch pickup service on Saturday, June 12th.

For more information, please contact the Used Uniform Committee at useduniforms@pinoakpto.org and include your residential address.

Orders Placed After June 7th Will Be Delivered at Charger Camp in August

Order your Charger polos, sweatshirts & spirit shirts through the POMS Online School Store! Yard signs, car magnets and umbrellas are now also available for order!

To order, log into your Membership Toolkit account (the same way you access school directory) or create a new account if you don't already have one. You can pay for your items through PayPal or with a credit/debit card.

Once you have purchased your items, you will be contacted by the school store volunteers regarding picking up the items.

Due to COVID restrictions, the physical store at school will remain closed until further notice.

NOTE: ALL ITEMS FROM ORDERS PLACED AFTER JUNE 7 WILL BE DISTRIBUTED DURING CHARGER CAMP IN AUGUST!

Please email schoolstore@pinoakpto.org with any questions.

Thank you for supporting POMS!

Order Your School Supplies Today

School supply kits for the 2021-2022 school year are now on sale. Purchase your student's supplies now and make it easy for yourself when school starts. Use this link: https://1stday.sale/104263

Deadline to order is Thursday, July 1st.

Questions? Please contact the POMS PTO School Supplies Chairs.

POMS Virtual Orientation for Incoming 6th Graders Replay & POMS Tour Video

Did you miss the Virtual Orientation Live Event for Incoming 6th Graders? You can watch the replay via Teams. Then click here to view the POMS Tour Video that includes a special message from the PTO.

Affordable Girls Summer Camp Opportunity

Incarnate Word Academy in Downtown Houston (by Minute Maid Park) has summer camps available for middle school girls in Volleyball, Basketball, Dance, Leadership and Broadcast Journalism!

Click here for more information or visit www.incarnateword.org.

Reminder: School Dress Code

Students must wear our school colors each day. They can wear a polo, spirit shirt, t-shirt, or sweatshirt in grey, white, or royal blue. This is for supervision and safety reasons since students will be outside. All pants/shorts must be school appropriate length.

Reminder: No Deliveries to Front Office

Just a reminder that due to COVID-19 safety protocols, the front office is unable to accept deliveries for students. This includes parents dropping off lunches, instruments, etc. Thank you for your help in keeping our campus safe and healthy!