September 25, 2022

Dear Charger Parents and Families,

We already have so much to celebrate, and this week I want to spotlight Open House, Game Night, and Athletics.  After two long years of COVID-19 restrictions, Pin Oak welcomed all parents and families to our in-person Open House event.  Parents and families had an opportunity to meet our faculty and staff, walk the halls, visit classrooms, learn about PowerUp and Canvas, and receive assistance and support so all families have access to HISD Connect Parent Portal.  Our 6th graders had a blast at our first annual Game Night sponsored by our Athletic department. Having fun and building relationships with students, teachers and administrators was a fun event for all and something we plan to incorporate for years to come. Lots of winning took place this weekend, our POMS XC teams took home lots of medals and our 7th-grade volleyball team placed 2nd and our 8th-grade team placed 1st at the West Briar Volleyball Tournament on Saturday.  Congratulations again to this incredible group of athletes and coaches for all their hard work!

The 1st Six Weeks comes to an end this Friday, September 30th. Thank you so much to all our parents and students reaching out to classroom teachers for questions and assistance about assignments, tests, and grades. Please continue to email your student's teachers, as they can assist you the quickest with classroom questions. Students will receive their first six weeks' report card on Friday, October 7th.

Say Something

As a school district and campus, we are committed to creating and sustaining a comprehensive, coordinated effort to improve the overall safety and well-being of our students, educators, and administrators. To do this, we believe this must involve community-wide programs and initiatives involving parents, teachers, administrators, local law enforcement, mental health & wellness professionals, and elected officials to take meaningful action to protect our students.

During Charger Time we will conduct yearly mandatory “Say Something Anonymous Reporting System” (SS-ARS) student training for students in 6-12 grade. This program teaches students, teachers, and administrators how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and Say Something to a trusted adult OR use its anonymous reporting system. Specifically, the program educates participants to:

• Recognize the signs and signals of at-risk behaviors – especially within social media
• Take every sign and signal seriously; act quickly to get help by talking to a trusted adult OR
• Report it anonymously through SS-ARS 24/7 Crisis Center, mobile app, or website
• Respond to and manage the submitted tip via a multi-disciplinary educator and administrator teams
• Sustain the curriculum and awareness via student clubs, in-school activities, and call-to-action weeks

Our students often are aware of the problems their peers are facing, so we must empower them to know the danger signs and give them the tools to help each other with the assistance of trained and caring adults. As you know, most conversations are taking place on social media, therefore it is critical that we teach our students to be looking out for one another as these digital conversations are taking place. SS-ARS teaches them what to look for in text, video, and photos while empowering them to act quickly to help a fellow student.

The SS-ARS program is being provided through Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), a nationwide non-profit organization. SHP’s programs are in 50 states – with 7,000+ schools and over 3.5 million students and adults trained. They have a track record, reputation, and knowledge of how to work effectively with kids, parents, and teachers to improve school safety and culture.  The program is age-appropriate and research-based. They also have funding to provide and sustain the program at NO COST to the district. To date, SS-ARS and other SHP prevention programs have helped stop multiple school shootings, suicides, and gun threats; reduced bullying and cyberbullying; intervened upon cutting, drug use, racial conflicts, and other violent and victimization acts. We know this program will do the same for our district.

PowerUp - Cyber Safety & Student Requirements

We may think of our kids’ online, mobile, and technological activities as “digital life,” but to them, it’s just life. In their world, being able to connect and communicate 24/7 from just about any location is normal. Phones aren’t simply for phone calls anymore but for listening to music, sending texts, filming videos, snapping and sharing photos, and accessing the Internet. Our kids are using computers and tablets to socialize, stream video, and create movies and songs. And they can connect and communicate 24/7 from just about any location.

HISD requires every student complete nineDigital Safety & Citizenship lessons through Learning.com. We will dedicate ONE day each month to Digital Literacy.

During Team Time on Monday, every Team Time teacher will incorporate Online Safety: Dealing with Cyberbullying and Digital Citizenship to meet this district requirement. Parents can view the lessons by accessing the link above or through their student's Canvas page. 

Communication is essential and we strive to connect with our students, parents and families, and community each day. We also encourage you to visit our website and follow our ‘school run’ social media pages including Twitter and Instagram for accurate information on announcements, information, and celebrations. Please email your student’s teachers if you have a specific question or concern regarding their academic success.

Let's Go Chargers!

Upcoming Campus Events

• Pep Rally - Tuesday, September 27th 
• Student Holiday - Tuesday, October 4th
• Staff/ Student Holiday - Wednesday, October 5th 
• Homecoming Spirit Week - October 10th – 14th 
• Red Ribbon Spirit Week - October 24th – 28th 
• MD Anderson Boot Walk - November 4th 
• Charger Fest - November 5th 

Campus Updates & Reminders

Student Success Table

This year a student can stop by the Student Success Table located by the main entrance if they need to purchase a replacement ID or lanyard.  In addition, we have mini bell schedules on sale for $2 and Chromebook assistance from 7:45-8:15 each day.

Student Lanyard & ID

Each student was issued a grade-specific lanyard and ID last week. All students are expected to wear their lanyards around their necks with their student ID clearly visible. Any student that has their picture covered or defaced will be expected to purchase a new one. This is purely a safety procedure for both your child and our staff, not to mention it speeds up the lunch process.

Things to remember:

• First lanyard and ID are FREE
• SCHOOL ISSUED Lanyard and ID must be visible (top half of body)
  • 6th Grade: Charger White 
  • 7th Grade: Charger Gray
  • 8th Grade: Charger Blue
• Replacement ID $5 and Lanyard $2 
  • Replacement ID & Lanyard may be purchased from the Student Success Table located by the main entrance. 

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.

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. 

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. 

High School Tours (only 8th graders) - 8th graders are allowed 2 excused high school tours

Are you planning on having your 8th grader attend a campus tour? 

• Plan with enough time so you do not feel rushed or make demands that are unreasonable of our campus staff.  Please keep in mind that the staffing is limited so there may be a period of wait time. 
• Submit supporting documentation from the high school within 3 instructional days. Make sure the documentation includes the campus letterhead with your student’s name, ID#, date, and time of the tour.

Student Records Request

Forms are available in the front office or on the POMS website https://www.houstonisd.org/pinoak. Please allow up to 14 days for processing your student records request. If you are requesting records for a private school, please contact the private school to obtain an official transcript release form. Submit the signed transcript release form to the POMS Attendance & Records office in person or email michelle.fusilierjohnson@houstonisd.org.

Note: The last day to submit a student records request for private school is December 9, 2022, for the first semester. 

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 and parents/ guardians will be notified. 

• The length of shorts and skirts should be no shorter than 4 inches above the knee. 
• Students must wear a collared shirt; colors: royal blue, white, or gray.
• 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. 

Food/ Drinks Outside of the Cafeteria

There will be no chewing of gum, food, or candy in the school at any time with the exception of food in the cafeteria. Coffee, energy drinks, and the like are not allowed in classrooms or in the hallways. Teachers may ask students to throw such items in the trash if they show up in their rooms.

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 chargers 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 backpacks 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 students in other classrooms, etc. 

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 4:15 p.m. 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 cell phone. 
• 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 is deployed.
• 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.

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.
• Follow our #WeArePinOakhashtag 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