Sign up to bring drinks, chips or dessert to make the tailgating-themed lunch a success.  

Please drop off at the front desk on the morning of Wednesday, November 16th. Thank you!

Please email the POMS PTO Staff Appreciation Committee at staffappreciation@pinoakpto.org with any questions.

Thank you to everyone who attended Charger Fest on Saturday! It was a HUGE success and wouldn't have been possible without the help and support of all of YOU!

Thank you to the following 2022-23 Charger Fest Underwriters for their generosity:

Celebrity Underwriters ($200)

The Duncan Family

Casso Family

Idol Underwriters ($150)

The Balke Family

Champ Underwriters ($100)

The Dabney Family

Ethan Mackay

We also thank our booth sponsors who helped to make our large variety of inflatables and games possible:

Booth Sponsorships ($300)

Law, Mandayam and Onufer Families

Booth Sponsorships ($200)

Sleepless in NOLA Pediatric Sleep Coaching

Donna Mark Designs

We would also like to thank the MANY parents, teachers, and student volunteers who gave their time to work wherever we needed them, supervising games and inflatables, giving tours, and cleaning up, and donated food and drinks to make Charger Fest a success. We could not have done it without you!  Thank you to Mickie Turner for donating balloon decorations. 

We want to especially thank the teachers and administrators who volunteered to get in the murky waters of the dunk tank, bringing smiles to Chargers' faces! We are so lucky to have you, Christal Wilcher, Katty Warren, Dr. Johnny Morse and Ricardo Caraballo. You all are rockstars!

Finally, a HUGE thank you to our amazing Charger Fest Chairs Courtney Cernosek, Lindsay Colvin, Jennifer Deneen, & Kim Dolibois and Co-VPs of Fundraising Lindsay Colvin and Dawn Johnson who worked tirelessly to plan and organize this event down to every last detail. The Pin Oak community is so grateful for your efforts and hard work.

The book fair was a HUGE success as well. Thank you to our Book Fair Chair Mickie Turner, POMS Librarian Ms. Corso for all of her help during the fair and all she does to make the library loved by our Chargers, VP of Activities Jenny Dagley and Rainy Gibbs for restarting the book fair during Charger Fest, Book Fair volunteers: Jenny Dagley, Zoila Rappazzo, Amanda Phillips, and Jenifer Jackson.

Thank you to Jean Lee and Thuy Promubol for opening the school store during Charger Fest and to Pauline Mathiesen and Martha Lyles for having the used uniform sales.

Thanks,

Anu

Hey there Chargers,

Our CCC House Competition is almost over, but you can still make a donation!

Click here to donate and boost the percentage of donations from your child(ren)'s house(s)! Any amount counts towards the overall number of donations per house. Currently, A House is in the lead, but B House and C House are neck and neck and closing in...

We will announce the winner first thing Tuesday morning, and that house will win a popsicle party before the end of the first semester!

Together, we can give our students and teachers what they need to make POMS the best!

Donate today!

Questions? Please reach out to us at commitment@pinoakpto.org.

Sincerely,

Katie and Francyne

Come out and support Pin Oak by attending Spirit Night at Escalante's, located at 590 Meyerland Plaza, Houston, TX 77096, on Monday, November 7th - valid all day. 

Provide the Pin Oak flyer or mention Pin Oak to your server and 20% of the sales (not including sales tax or alcohol) will be donated back to Pin Oak! Dine In or Carry Out!

Students who are interested in trying out for the baseball team. There will be will be an interest meeting in the DLL in the library at 4:05pm afterschool on Thursday 11/10. 

The meeting is for students only. 

The meeting will last about 30 min. or less. If you cannot make the meeting, please see Coach Fujiwara.

School picture day is Wednesday, November 16th.  The link to prepay for pictures will remain active for one week after picture day - Wednesday, November 23.

Come to the Information meeting about Traveling to Athens and the Greek Islands in the summer of 2024 with Ms Hulbirt and EF Tours. This is an exciting opportunity for all of us.

Meeting is Wednesday, November 16th in the Cafeteria at 6PM ... Please register for the meeting so I can send out reminders and have enough hand outs for everyone. I will also have a meeting simultaneously on TEAMS if you cannot make it in person.

2022-2023 yearbooks are now on sale!

This will be a very special book commemorating Pin Oak's 20th anniversary. We sell out every year and you won't want to miss getting your copy. 

Books are $55 until December 31 then rise to $60 on January 1. 

Get yours at www.balfour.com and type Pin Oak Middle School in the search bar.

To join via mobile phone:

1. Send a text to 81010
2. Text this message: @pomsparen

To join via web:

https://www.remind.com/join/pomsparen 

Download the Remind app:

• App Store
• Google Play

Please make sure you have subscribed to school notifications on HISD Connect Parent Portal. Its one of many notification tools for POMS. Please see the screenshot below on how to subscribe for school notifications.

ATTENTION PARENTS: The Student Annual Verification is now available on the HISD Connect Parent Portal. Please complete your child’s annual updates and forms by October 28 to ensure their information is accurate and up to date. 

Learn more: https://blogs.houstonisd.org/news/2022/09/06/hisd-parents-asked-to-complete-student-annual-verification/#more-43346

Please visit ChooseHISD.org for an important update from our Chief of Schools regarding the 2023-2024 school choice application timeline. Applications for the 2023-24 school year will open in December!

A Special Message from Chief of Schools Denise Watts:

HISD Community,

School Choice Timeline is Changing!

In Houston ISD, all families have districtwide access to unparalleled educational opportunities, and now the school choice application process is changing to better meet family needs!

HISD will be opening phase one of the school choice application in December 2022 through February 2023. Phase two of the application process will open in April 2023 and go through June 2023. This will provide families with the time to settle into the current school year before they have to decide on the school that they want to attend for the next school year. The district is also rolling out a new application system to help streamline and improve the school choice application experience.

• Who Should Apply in December?
  • Current HISD families that prefer for their child to transfer to another HISD school for the 23-24 school year â—‹ Families that will be new to HISD in the 23-24 school year
  • Families that are seeking to apply to a specific program that is not available at their child’s current and / or zoned school
  • Families with a child in a transitional grade
  • Families who want to enroll in their zoned neighborhood school
  • Families that have moved away from their formerly zoned HISD school
  • Out-of-district families seeking to attend a HISD school in the 23-24 school year
• Who Does Not Need To Apply In December?
  • If your child is currently enrolled in an HISD school in a non-transitional grade, and you would like them to continue at that school for the 23-24 school year, you do not need to submit an application.

In the meantime, families should check-out HISD’s new School Finder platform to explore the vast opportunities available in HISD and help families find the school that’s right for them.

Please contact the Office of School Choice with any questions.

Please consider helping us purchase items on the Pin Oak Amazon Wish List. 

Thank you so much for your generosity!

Do you know a business who is looking for corporate sponsorship opportunities? 

Pin Oak offers a variety of sponsorship levels and benefits, including school-wide newsletter and website recognition, banner display in a prominent location on campus, marquee signage and much more! By partnering with businesses in our community, we raise funds for teacher, student, classroom and technology support, curriculum enrichment, staff appreciation, and facility enhancements. 

Contact POMS PTO Co-VP of Fundraising & Corporate Sponsors Chair Dawn Johnson for more details.

Join the Pin Oak Middle School PTO and help the students, teachers, fine arts, athletics, and academic programs at our school.

Membership is just $10.

Membership must be renewed each year, as annual membership expires at the end of each school year on June 30.

If you have any questions, please email POMS PTO Membership ChairChrissy Abaza.

All volunteers in HISD must register to be VIPS approved. Please register at least two weeks before your scheduled volunteer shift, as it can take three to five business days to complete the background check. Even if you were previously VIPS approved, you will need to register again as your approval expires at the end of each school year.

VIPS Registration

VIPS Registration (Español)

Log in to update your directory info or sign up for a new account if you're a new user. If you have used Membership Toolkit at another school, you may log in using your same account information.

The POMS PTO uses the Membership Toolkit platform across the board, so you'll need an account to receive the Charger Chatter, shop at the online School Store, join the PTO, and more! It can all be found at pinoakpto.org.

Also, be sure to download the free Membership Toolkit app on the App Store or Google Play, so you'll have the school directory and school calendar with you at all times on your mobile device! You can even sync the PTO calendar to your phone's calendar and opt to receive push notifications for important announcements!

If you have any issues signing up or logging in, please contact the POMSPTO VP of Communications Rebecca Grazier.

Hatch Youth is Houston’s oldest, currently active social group dedicated to empowering LGBTQIA+ youth between the ages of 7 and 20. Hatch Youth groups provide a safe and affirming environment where youth can socialize, make new friends, and engage in educational and creative activities to help youth in and around Houston not just survive, but thrive.

Educational programs include:
LGBTQIA+ health issues and accessing care
Mental health and wellness
LGBTQIA+ rights
Queer history
Creative writing and art
Social justice
Community resources
Empowering community speakers

The groups are comprised of introductions, social time, programming, and small group, and are curated by Hatch staff and trained volunteer facilitators. Youth have access to role models and peer support and can participate in special projects and events, including Hatch Prom and walking in the annual Pride Houston Parade. There are no costs for any activities.

Pin Oak Middle School implemented the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System last October. Sponsored by Sandy Hook Promise, the program educates secondary students, educators and administrators on how to recognize the signs and signals of individuals who may be at-risk of hurting themselves or others and encourages them to report that behavior through an anonymous reporting system. The reporting system allows administrators and law enforcement to create effective interventions and help prevent violence, suicide, bullying, self-harm and other forms of threatening behavior.

Anyone can submit an anonymous tip by going to the program’s website (www.saysomething.net), calling the hotline (1-844-5-SAYNOW) or using the Say Something mobile app, available on the App Store or Google Play.

The Say Something program is provided through Sandy Hook Promise, a nation-wide non-profit organization focused on preventing gun violence before it happens. For more information, contact Anastasia Warren at 712.296.5600.

Submit an anonymous tip:

• Use the Website: www.saysomething.net
• Call the hotline: 1-844-5-SAYNOW
• Use the Mobile App: Available for Apple and Android devices

Say Something Parent Guide

Say Something Parent Brochure

HISD Wraparound Services is here to help. Please see the following documents and complete a Student Assistance Form (SAF) found here.

Wraparound Services Contact Sheet

Wraparound Services Info Sheet English/Spanish

For more information, visit HISD Wraparound Services.