August 22, 2021

Dear Pin Oak Middle School Families,

Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! I am thrilled to be welcoming your children back to school. We have anticipated seeing all students return to in-person learning. Our continued commitment to fostering resilience, perseverance, grit, empathy, and the ability to communicate effectively during times of uncertainty will undoubtedly help our students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

One of the greatest characteristics of the Pin Oak community is the genuine care and compassion shared between staff, students, and parents. Pin Oak is a place where staff and families come together to ensure that the children entrusted into our care grow to be productive, confident, compassionate members of a global society. I look forward to a safe and amazing year!

Updated POMS Bell Schedule (PDF)

This Week's Schedule

Charger Camp 2.0

This week, students will be assigned their lockers and issued their preordered school supplies, textbooks/consumables, IDs, and grade-level lanyards.

Lanyard Colors:

• 6th Grade: White
• 7th Grade: Gray
• 8th Grade: Royal Blue

POMS Health & Safety Updates

First Day of School:

• If you, your child, or members of the household are quarantining, have been exposed, or currently have COVID-19 or any of its symptoms, please contact us at (713) 295-6500. DO NOT bring your child to school on the first day. You child will NOT lose their magnet seat!
• Please see the Temporary Online Learning section on page 18 of the HISD Ready Set Go Plan to learn more if your child falls into one or more of the categories listed above.

School Nurse:

• The Pin Oak school nurse, Ms. Thea Troetscher, will be monitoring the health of students and staff. Students with regular visits (inhaler, minor injuries, etc.) will be kept separate from students displaying symptoms of illness.
• Please keep all of your contact numbers in HISD Connect Parent Portal up to date.It is helpful to have multiple emergency contact numbers for each child.
  • As per the HISD Ready, Set, Go Plan, students and staff self-screen daily before arriving at school. Please report any COVID-19 symptoms and/or test results.
  • As always, children should be fever free and should not have thrown up for 24 hours before returning to school. If you are unsure about sending your child to school, please call the school nurse at (713) 295-6500 to discuss the situation.

Contactless Drop Off for Office:

• This year, we have to limit the items that go between home and school. In the past, students have enjoyed bringing certain items (e.g. soccer balls or small toys) to school to play with at school or on the bus. Please keep all non-necessary items at home this year. 
• In the rare occasion that items need to be dropped off at school, parents will leave the item(s) in the basket outside the main office. Please be sure to label the item(s) with your child's first and last name.
• Student pick up and/or drop off during the school day will continue to be handled through the office.
• Please call ahead whenever possible to minimize the contact time. Per district guidelines, parents will be asked to wait outside.

Classroom:

• Each student will be assigned a seat.
• When entering a classroom, each student will be required to sanitize their desk. 
• Students will refrain from sharing personal supplies such as glue sticks, pencils, pens, scissors, etc. When an item must be shared, it will be sanitized between uses. 
• Students will be asked to help sanitize throughout the school day.

Car Riders - Drop Off in the Morning:

• Students should exit curbside for safety. 
• For the sake of time, please unload all along the sidewalk on Circle Drive. It is not necessary to wait until you are in front of the Main Doors to unload.
• You may begin dropping off your child at 7:45 a.m. when they will be supervised by school staff. Students will be allowed to enter the building at that time.

Car Riders - Dismissal:

• Students must be picked up by 4:30 p.m.
• Pin Oak does not have coverage to supervise students outside of those already registered with POMS After Care.

Bus Riders - Arrival/Dismissal:

• All drivers and students (regardless of age) must wear a mask when riding a school bus.
• Students will be placed in an assigned seat and a seating chart will be maintained.
• During arrival and dismissal, bus riders will be dismissed one bus at a time. 
• It is important that students follow all bus procedures and stay in assigned seats.
• Students will only be able to ride on their assigned bus.

Breakfast:

• At 8:00 a.m., breakfast is served from three carts at three separate locations within the school: 
  • 6th Grade: Cafeteria
  • 7th Grade: Gym
  • 8th Grade: MPR
• Students who choose to participate in the breakfast program will get their meal from the cart and dispose of their trash.

Lunch:

• EXCITING NEWS: ALL students will have the option of eating lunch in the courtyard or inside the cafeteria for the 2021-2022 school year so that students can be spread out. 
• Please understand that there are not enough picnic tables for all students; therefore, I recommend that students bring a towel to sit on while enjoying their lunch outside. 
• This accommodation is NEW, so I need support as my leadership team evaluates and adjusts to implement our plan with students this week. This is an opportunity for all of us to remember that patience, flexibility, and adaptability are needed in life to be successful!
• I want to personally thank the Pin Oak PTO for their unwavering support and dedication in making sure that I am able to implement immediate safety and instructional changes, ensuring that all student needs are met. Last Friday, I called POMS PTO President Tricia Onufer to request the PTO's support in purchasing an additional 15 large picnic tables. By Monday morning, I was notified that the PTO had approved my request. WOW! That's support!
• Wednesday morning, POMS parent Naomi Wittlin emailed me asking how she could help me launch a pandemic safe school year. Since my students always come first, I jumped at the opportunity! I requested shade sails, fans, and picnic tables. Within hours, Naomi Wittlin, Adrian Rountree, Derek Olander, Kerri & Erik Welch, Chely Miranda, and Samantha Lizarraga had a plan in place - and had all donations delivered to Pin Oak by Friday. Amazing!

Parent Conferences:

• Whenever possible, conferences will take place via Teams. 
• In-person meetings must be arranged in advance, will take place in the conference room, and all participants must be screened by the school nurse, wear a mask, and sanitize.

P.E. Class:

• Coaches will spend the last ten minutes of each class sanitizing the gym floor and athletic equipment before the next class enters.
• Students will not be required to dress out for P.E. during the first week of school. P.E. uniforms may be purchased during class for $20 - cash only. Exchanges may be made at that time. P.E. uniforms must be unwashed and unworn to exchange them for a different size.

School Safety:

• School safety is top priority at Pin Oak Middle School. Our safety measures include: locked outside and classroom doors, pre-approved visitors who are properly screened, courtyard/patio carefully monitored, and safety drills implemented following state law. As teachers establish procedures in their classrooms the first week of school, they will teach students about each type of drill. They will discuss the procedures. 
• This Wednesday, we will have our first fire drill. Before starting the first fire drill, the office will announce them and explain why we are practicing the procedures.
• Our goal is student preparedness.

Water Bottles:

• Water is available through water-filling stations. 
• Please send a refillable water bottle to school each day with your child. The water bottle should be filled at home each morning before coming to school.
• Please label the water bottle with your child's name. 

Schedule Change Requests

• Before a schedule change request is reviewed by the house administrator, parents/guardians must complete all beginning of the 2021-2022 school year forms for their child enrolled at Pin Oak Middle School. Please access HISD Connect Parent Portal to complete these forms.

HISD Connect: How-To Videos:

• Getting Started with HISD Connect Parent Portal
  • How to create your account and associate your student's information

• Completing Forms in HISD Connect Parent Portal
  • How to navigate to and complete forms after you are logged in to Parent Portal

• Student Verification in HISD Connect Parent Portal
  • How to complete the Student Verification steps after you are logged in to Parent Portal

• HISD Connect Parent Portal: The Complete Guide
  • How to create your account, associate your student's information, complete forms, and complete Student Verification in Parent Portal

Questions About Your Student's Schedule?

• If your student has a schedule conflict or a question about a particular class, please contact their house administrator:
  • Kiran Kumari: A-House Assistant Principal (Interim)
  • Johnny Morse: B-House Assistant Principal
  • Ashly Evans-Vining: C-House Assistant Principal

Campus Administrators

Campus Support Team

School Uniforms

• Students are expected to adhere to thePOMS Dress Code. 
• Any family in need of support should contact POMS Wraparound Specialist Brigid Gould. 
• I am committed to making sure that all students have the resources, materials, supplies, etc. needed to meet all their needs.

School Supplies

• All students will be expected to have their school supplies for the first day of school.
• POMS School Supply Lists

HISD Academic Calendar

• 2021-2022 HISD Academic Calendar
• Calendario Académico 2021-2022

Transportation

• Masks covering both the nose and mouth are required for all individuals riding the bus.
• Buses will be cleaned and sanitized regularly as a precautionary measure.
• Hand sanitizer and other cleaning and disinfecting supplies will be provided.
• Upon boarding, students will be required to sanitize their hands and scan their bus badge.
• For more information, visit HISD Transportation.
• Click on Find My Route and enter your address to get your child's route and stop information.
• HISD's Transportation Services Customer Feedback: "Let's Talk!"
• Customer Care Contact Number: (713) 556-9400
• If you have additional questions, you may contact Mrs. Kelly Moore. Please be patient and flexible, as Mrs. Moore is working to answer transportation questions for all Pin Oak families; therefore, I encourage you to follow the links provided to have your immediate questions answered.

POMS After School Care

• Due to the recent district health and safety protocols, the campus after-school care program is limiting the number of participants to ensure safety guidelines are upheld.
• If you are interested in your student participating in after school care, please contact Ms. Norma Ruiz.

HISD Health & Safety Updates:

• There are NEW health protocols announced for the 2021-2022 school year. HISD has updated its Ready, Set, Go! Back to School Plan and strengthened its protocols to ensure in-person experiences are as safe as possible during the 2021-2022 school year. Updated protocols take effect in conjunction with the start of school on Monday, August 23, 2021.
• In addition, I've included recent information shared by TEA specific to Public Health Guidance. The reinstated protocols include:
  • Masks: Masks covering both the nose and mouth are required for all individuals inside HISD schools, buildings, and buses regardless of vaccination status. Their use is encouraged outdoors.
  • Sanitization: All district schools and buildings will be cleaned, disinfected, and fogged nightly with hospital-grade disinfectants as a precautionary measure. Hand sanitizer and other cleaning and disinfecting supplies will be provided in all school buildings and buses.
  • Health Screening: Because they are not yet eligible for vaccines, elementary students will continue to undergo temperature screening upon arrival at school. Pending HISD Board of Education approval, all staff will be required to complete online self-assessments through the Axiom Medical CheckIn2Work health screening app before arriving at work.
  • Visitors: Visitation is limited to essential and pre-scheduled visitors, including individuals who have been pre-approved through the Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) program.
  • In-Person Gatherings: In-person gatherings, meetings, and events are permitted in HISD schools and buildings if all attendees wear masks and maintain 6 feet of physical distance. If these conditions cannot be met, the gathering must be held outdoors or virtually.
  • Uniforms: Student uniform policies will be flexible at all campuses.

Campus Reminders

• Each school year we plan for ways to grow and improve. With this in mind, please be aware of the following important adjustments to our practices and procedures.
  • School Time: School will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will end at 4:00 p.m. each day. Students will be permitted to begin arriving at school at 7:45 a.m. Students may begin entering the building at that time.
  • 10/10 Rule: The first 10 minutes and the last 10 minutes of each period are the most important. To maximize learning, no one is allowed to leave the classroom during those times.
  • Backpacks: Students are permitted to use backpacks to bring items to and from school only. Students may keep their backpack in their locker during the school day. They may not carry backpacks from class to class.
  • Phones: Personal phones must be off and out of sight during the school day.

Connecting with you is important to us. As a result, we have many ways to share the latest and greatest of Pin Oak Middle School, including:

• School Website:Here you can find information such as the Grade Level Teams, Magnet Program, Digital Resources, Virtual Library, and more.
• Social Media: Follow our #WeArePinOak hashtag and me on Twitter @POMS_Principal. We will post pictures and information on our daily activities at POMS to our #WeArePinOak hashtag. We encourage you to share your Charger pride here as well!

Be well and stay healthy,

Lindsey Vela, Principal

lindsey.vela@houstonisd.org

Donate to Pin Oak Middle School PTO when you do your everyday shopping! All donations support excellence in education through activities and programs at Pin Oak Middle School.

Pin Oak Middle School PTO

4601 Glenmont • Bellaire, TX 77401

pinoakpto.org