September 4, 2022

Dear Charger Parents and Families,

We are backkkkk and ready for week three at POMS! I have included a lot of information, from updates and expectations to upcoming events. We LOVE having our Chargers back! They have done a great job learning the new processes, following the campus rules, and adhering to the safety protocols we have in place to keep everyone safe! I am blessed and proud to be their principal!

Safety and high levels of learning will ALWAYS be the top priority at POMS! I am always here to help, or get you to the right person who can, but I need to make sure we are both working toward the same goal…success for each and every Charger that crosses our front doors. We must work together as one team.  

Campus Schedule - Week Three

• Labor Day - Monday, September 5 - NO SCHOOL - Student & Staff Holiday
• Uvalde Strong - Tuesday, September 6 - Uvalde students and staff will return to school for the first time since the tragic events that took place at Robb Elementary on May 24th. Please wear maroon, the Uvalde CISD school color, on Tuesday in show of solidarity that we are #UvaldeStrong!

Backpacks, Chromebooks, and Lockers at POMS

Chromebooks, lockers, and backpacks…hot topics over the last two weeks.  With the district transitioning POMS to a PowerUp campus (one-to-one) we’ve worked really hard to embrace the unknown while staying positive and flexible.  All students have been issued a Chromebook so requiring them to lug around a bunch of supplies defeats the purpose. Beginning this week, you should see a significant decrease in the amount of “stuff” our students have to carry from class to class or take home in the afternoon. Therefore, we are going to implement two minor changes to our daily routine:

1. Composition books, spirals, folders, binders, etc. will be in the classroom of the teacher who requested the resources. Students can take these item(s) when completing a homework assignment or studying before an assessment. Please contact the classroom teacher if you have a specific question. 
2. Students will be allowed to access their locker before school, before Team Time, and after school. 

Clear backpacks allow staff to monitor Chromebooks.  It is easier to locate a “missing” device when we can clearly determine the last place a student had it.  Imagine trying to help hundreds of students keep track of their things each day. I am sure you can relate so having clear backpacks helps when you are supporting 1200+ students. Your support is appreciated. 

Chromebook Expectations

All students have a Chromebook, an incredibly powerful tool, with them in the classroom and at home.  It is important that we have clear expectations as to the responsibilities that come with this privilege. 

• Please make sure your student brings their fully charged Chromebook each day. Students are encouraged to leave their charger at home since paying for a lost charger is one of the most common expenses students incur (lost chargers are not covered by the insurance).
• Students must secure their Chromebook in their clear backpack when transitioning from class to class. 
• Students must use wired headphones.  Bluetooth headphones are not allowed.
  • Why are Bluetooth headphones problematic? A few reasons are listed below.
    • Students can easily hide Bluetooth headphones and listen to music, videos, podcast, etc. during instructional time.
    • Students can use their Bluetooth headphones to control their phone, start and stop music, send text messages, be on calls with student in other classrooms, etc.

Campus Updates & Reminders

As we prepare for Week Three, it is extremely important that students arrive before 8:30 a.m.  Any student not in class at 8:30 a.m. will be marked absent/ tardy depending on their time of arrival. We open our doors at 7:45 a.m. so there is more than enough time for students to be in class when the tardy bell rings.

Attendance

Students who have been absent or tardy must present a written excuse from their parents or guardians when they return to school. Parents may also email excuse notes to the attendance clerk at: michelle.fusilierjohnson@houstonisd.org.

Excuses for absences and tardies are:

• personal illness
• sickness or death in the family 
• quarantine 
• weather or road construction making travel dangerous
• participation in school activities with permission of the principal
• juvenile court proceeding documented by a court officer
• religious holidays

In the case of ANY absence, excuse notes must be turned in to the attendance office within three days of returning to school.  All notes must contain the following:

• student’s full legal name and school ID number
• date(s) of absence  
• date the note was written
• parent name, signature, and contact phone number

Additional information can be found on our website. 

Dress Code

All students attending Pin Oak Middle School will be required to follow the Pin Oak Dress Code. All articles of the uniform are to be maintained and worn in a way that represents the individual students and the school in a positive way. Students are required to wear the uniform to school and throughout the entire day until leaving for the day. The provisions of the dress and grooming code shall be enforced equally with regard to all students to whom the provisions apply.

Please read our dress code policy carefully.  Students that are not in dress code will be referred to their House Administrators. 

• The length of shorts and skirts should be no shorter that 4 inches above the knee. 
• Students must wear a collared shirt; colors: royal blue, white, or gray.
• Pants and shorts must be worn at the waist. 
• Clothing must be size appropriate, including sweatshirts and jackets. 
• All clothing must be school appropriate. Tank tops, camis, and clothing designed to be worn as an undergarment are not permitted to be worn as a shirt. 

School Safety & Transportation Reminders

School Safety - We are looking for a Golf Cart! Please consider donating a usable golf cart to help us supervise around campus to keep our staff and students safe. We look forward to hearing from you via email Principal Vela. Your support is appreciated.

School Zone Safety

Traffic patterns as expected, were heavy during the first weeks of school. Each day seemed to get a little better, but the reality is, with 1000+ students being dropped off/ picked up from POMS this is going to take some time to get through the traffic. Think of it like this…leaving POMS is like leaving a concert/event parking lot, the same patience and understanding is needed by everyone. With your help, we can get you on your way and clear Circle Drive by 4:15pm. Let’s keep helping each other!

The City of Bellaire has asked us to remind parents to follow school zone regulations.

• Be on the lookout for school zone signals and ALWAYS obey the speed limits.
• Avoid your cellphone. 
• Never text while driving in a school zone.
• Watch out for school crossing guards and obey their signals.
• Never pass other vehicles while driving in a school zone.
• Never change lanes while driving in a school zone.
• Never make U-Turns while driving in a school zone.
• Yield to buses at all times. You MUST stop if you see yellow or red lights, and the stop arm deploy.
• Unless licensed to do so, never use handicap or emergency vehicle lanes or spaces to drop off or pick up children at school.

Car Riders/ Bike Riders/ Walkers

POMS Traffic guidelines are provided below to ensure student safety. Please adhere to the following:

1. Coming from 610, form 1 line on Glenmont. Please turn right into circle drive and stay in the carpool line. Do not drop-off or pick-up your child(ren) off Glenmont.  This may be a time saver for you, but it is not SAFE. 
2. As you enter circle drive, please pull up as far as you can. When the car ahead of you leaves, please pull up. If your child is not ready, you will be asked to exit the lane and park in the front parking lot. Do not stop your car on the crosswalk. 
3. Place your car in park and allow your child(ren) to exit the vehicle on the curb side.  It is dangerous to exit from the driver side of the vehicle. 
4. Wait patiently for cars ahead of you to unload.  Do not attempt to pass vehicles in the drop-off lane.
5. When exiting the school driveway, you must turn right on to Glenmont.  
6. NEVER leave your car unattended. If you need to enter the school building; please park your car in the parking spaces in the front lot. 
7. If your child is going to walk or ride his/her bike to school, please remind them to be very careful. They must always obey the traffic signals, and always cross with the light and in the crosswalk. They should never have earbuds/ headphones, AirPods, or any Bluetooth device distracting them when walking or riding their bike. They must stay alert and aware of what is happening around them. 
8. Students and parents are not allowed to cross in the middle of the street instead of crossing at the crosswalk.

Reminders:

• Do Not U-turn on Glenmont.
• Do NOT pick-up or drop-off in the teacher/staff parking lot at the back of the school.
• Avenue B is NOT a sanctioned pick-up or drop-off location and do NOT block driveways. Bellaire police will give tickets to those who are parked illegally.
• The HCC Parking Lot is NOT available for parking.  Your car will be towed.

Lastly, we are all responsible for the safety of our students. Treat every student you see as if they were your own. Please try not to be in a hurry during drop-off and pick-up. 

HISD Bus Transportation

The Houston ISD Transportation Department determines eligibility for transportation services. The Transportation Department, upon determining eligibility, will assign a route and stop. For more information about eligibility, please visit the HISD Transportation Services Homepage. 

The information will also be available online at https://www.houstonisd.org/transportation. Please click on the ‘Find My Route’ button and enter your address to get your child’s route and stop information. For more information on transportation, please follow the links provided below.

Links and Contact Information for Parents:

• Let’s Talk Link
• Find My Route
• Customer Care Contact Number: 713-556-9400

If you have additional questions, you may contact Ms. Childs Molly.Childs@houstonisd.org. Please be patient and flexible, Ms. Childs 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.

HISD Back to School Guidelines

HISD developed the 2022-2023 Back to School Guidelines as a resource guide for all things HISD. These guidelines outline important information for students, staff and parents regarding health and safety protocols, academic initiatives, instructional supports and so much more. I encourage you to review these Back-to-School Guidelines to understand all the tools available in HISD.

Upcoming School Events

Let's Go Chargers!

(Click on the following sports schedules for a printable PDF)

Campus Administrators

Campus Support Team

Pin Oak Middle School ~ Premier Foreign Language Magnet is an A rated campus and received ALL distinction designations! 

• ELA/Reading
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies
• Comparative Academic Growth
• Postsecondary Readiness
• Comparative Closing the Gaps

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 on Spirit Events, PowerUp, Canvas, Clusters, Magnet Program, Clubs, 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!

See You Soon!

Lindsey Vela

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