October 2, 2022

Dear Charger Parents and Families,

Our teachers have been very busy creating and implementing amazing learning opportunities for all our students.  Our classrooms, house commons, library, cafeteria, and hallways are buzzing with excitement, laughter, questioning, and motivation to explore and learn. A strong school-to-home partnership is incredibly important for the growth of your student.  Be on the lookout for the Cycle 1 grades to post this Wednesday in HISD Connect Parent Portal and Cycle 1 Report Cards will be delivered to students to take home on Friday. Also, cluster leaders will be reaching out to families to schedule parent-cluster conferences during the month of October if a student was unsuccessful in two or more of their classes.

Welcome to POMS

Please help me welcome the following staff members to our POMS family: 

• Mr. Brown - Band Director
• Dr. Osinski - Urban Ag Teacher
• Mr. Thomas - Special Education Teacher Assistant

Socioeconomic Form

Have you submitted the socioeconomic information form? This form impacts our funding. Please make sure that the form is updated or completed for the 2022-2023 school year.

To complete the form online:

1. Log in to the HISD Connect Parent Portal, which can also be found on the Pin Oak MS website on the left-hand side under Helpful Links. 
2. Once inside the Parent Portal, click on the Forms section on the left-hand side navigation to access and submit the Socioeconomic Information Form for the 2022-2023 school year.

It is very important that we receive this form from everyone.  Please email Mrs. Salinas if you have questions or need a paper form. 

PSAT

The PSAT is on October 12th for all 8th-grade students (no registration required). All students testing will receive an email from Mrs. Warren the week of testing that includes their testing room assignment. On the day of testing, students should be in their testing room by 8:30 a.m. Students will eat lunch once all testing is completed and then follow an altered class schedule for the afternoon. If you have a testing question, please email Mrs. Warren. 

Club Connections

We are almost ready to relaunch our Charger Club Connections. Staff will offer clubs on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month during Team Time. Students will be notified, and posters will line Main Street with student club assignments beginning Monday, October 17th. Contact Molly Childs, Magnet Coordinator if you have a question about clubs. 

Promoting Character at POMS

Students spend much of their young lives in classrooms, and we understand that learning the core subjects is incredibly important academically. However, if we are not educating the next generation to be decent human beings to one another, then what is the point of it all? This year, we are encouraging our students to be young men and young ladies of character.  We want them to form their own moral compass, based on core values and timeless principles we will be promoting throughout the year. Our hope is that our students will become responsible citizens that are committed and competent in making good decisions. Principles such as respect, empathy, compassion, trustworthiness, and perseverance will be presented through the year from our character word of the month through our daily news broadcast and Charger Time. Our house administrators will have positive student discussions with each grade level each quarter, and our SEL team and counselor will share character lessons during Charger Time. We know that students need educators in their lives to set high standards and expectations for good behavior, and we strive to make a positive difference in our school’s culture by always reinforcing exemplary character at POMS.  Stay tuned each month on how we are implementing and promoting character development. 

The character trait we are focusing on in October is Communication. Students will learn that effective communication will help them create positive relationships and meaningful connections with family members, teachers, classmates, peers, etc. Check out a few of our essential questions that students will engage in during Charger Time this month. 

• What are some ways that people communicate with one another?
• How can conflicts be resolved peacefully?
• How can you stay safe on the internet?

POMS Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) Team:

• Olga Catoni - Dean of Instruction
• Anastasia Warren - Counselor
• Ashleigh Todd - Wraparound Specialist
• Kerri Coffman - SEL Liaison
• Sarah Ricard - Teacher Behavior Specialist

Intruder Detection Audits

Over the summer, school districts engaged in several initiatives to enhance school safety as directed by Governor Abbott on June 1. This work continues this fall with exterior doors and intruder detection audits for public K-12 and charter schools and the review of emergency operation plans for public K-12 charter, and junior college districts. 

The Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) began intruder detection audits, in partnership with regional educational centers, on September 12, 2022, and while the specific date or time that the audits will be conducted is not revealed to districts, HISD and POMS expect audits of our campus within the upcoming weeks. The purpose of these audits is to assess control measures of a campus during the school day.  For example, inspectors will check to see if they are able to gain unauthorized access through exterior doors and if the campus is conducting required exterior weekly door sweeps.

Audits will be conducted by trained inspectors, in plain clothing, who if stopped by school personnel, will self-identify, and proceed with the rest of the intruder audit. They will not be simulating an intrusion. Any findings will be provided to the district as soon as possible

To date, Pin Oak Middle School has submitted the campus Safety and Risk Management plan to TEA, and Principal Vela and Dr. Morse met with the TEA Risk Management auditors on Thursday, September 22nd to discuss all campus safety measures and internal audits previously conducted over the last 17 months. 

Let's Go Chargers!

Cross Country Girls Won the HISD Invitational Meet. For the second year in a row, the XC Team, led by Coach Merz and Coach Ward, won the HISD Invitational. They captured the top 6 of 8 places earning them back-to-back victories. 

Upcoming Campus Events

• Teacher Service Day/Student Holiday - Tuesday, October 4th
• Fall Holiday - Wednesday, October 5th 
• Homecoming Spirit Week - October 10th – 14th 
• Homecoming Pep Rally - Tuesday, October 11th
• Homecoming Tailgate & Football Game - October 12th
• Homecoming Dance - October 14th (7th & 8th Grade Only)
• PSAT - October 12th (8th Grade Only)
• 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 month. 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

A friendly reminder, we do not have an open lunch policy so please do not order food for your child from outside vendors to be delivered to the school during the school day (i.e. Uber Eats, Grub Hub, Door Dash, or any kind of delivery service).  This is a safety concern that disrupts the educational process within our community and random people delivering food is not part of our safety plan.  In addition, please do not bring or share lunches with other students due to safety, medical concerns, allergies, etc.  

Parent Drop-Off Table: If your child forgets their lunch, we have a parent drop-off table in the front foyer for you to drop off lunches.  

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.

Backpacks & Lockers Update

Over the last six weeks, I have listened to and met with parents, students, and teachers about the campus policies around clear backpacks and locker usage.  I understand that everyone has a quick fix and solution on what can and should be done. Believe me, I am listening and diligently working to find common ground, without increasing student tardies and creating cluttered and congested hallways so we do not lose sight of all the accomplishments and success we’ve experienced since returning to in-person learning. Earlier this week, I met with the campus instructional leadership team (administrators, support staff, department chairs, and cluster leaders) to better understand their position and solutions around these topics. Unanimously, all were in favor of keeping the clear backpacks while adding a few more opportunities for students to visit their lockers throughout the day. Therefore, we are going to provide students with four opportunities to visit their lockers throughout the school day. 

• Blue/ Gray Days - Students will be allowed to access their locker before school, after 3rd/4th period, before Team Time, and after school. 
• Charger Days - Students will be allowed to access their locker before school, after 4th period, before 5th period, and after school.

The additional locker time will allow students to access their locker before and after lunch. In addition, students should not have to carry anything other than their materials for morning classes and switch them out with their afternoon materials with the additional locker time provided. 

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 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