Originally delivered on 2/25/2024 6:34 pm

SUBJECT: Charger Chatter

February 25, 2024

Principal's Post



Dear Charger Parents and Families,


POMS will host a Parent Information Night for the IPC and Algebra I Matrix on Tuesday, March 5from 5:30 - 6:30 PM in the POMS Cafeteria. Interested 6th and 7th grade parents can join us to learn about the requirements for your Charger to place into Algebra I. 7th grade parents can also learn about IPC placement for 8th grade. The meeting will be recorded and shared for any parents unable to attend.

The IPC and Algebra Matrix will go live on Friday, March 1. All information will be posted on Canvas and the Pin Oak website. 

Upcoming Campus Events

  • Spirit Night at Betsy's: Tuesday, February 27 (3 - 8 PM)
  • Kona Ice: Friday, March 1
  • Parent Information Meeting for IPC & Algebra I: Tuesday, March 5
  • Report Cards: Friday, March 8
  • No School - Spring Break: March 11 - 15
  • PTO General Meeting: Thursday, March 21
  • No School - Chávez-Huerta Day: Monday, March 25
  • No School - Spring Holiday: Friday, March 29

Connecting with you is important to us and we are here for you parents. Visit Our School Website for the full list of Pin Oak Support staff and assistant principals plus much, much more. Join Remind or send a text to 81010 with the message @hghga3b. Additional POMS Useful Links can be found below near calendar events.

See you soon!

Lindsey Vela, Principal


Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram!

Twitter: @pinoakms

Instagram @pinoakchargers

Join us for Spirit Night at Betsy's on Tuesday from 3-8 PM


Join us for our next POMS Spirit Night at Betsy's at Evelyn's Park, located at 4400 Bellaire Blvd, on Tuesday from 3 - 8 PM .

Betsy's will donate 20% of sales back to POMS. Be sure to mention or show this flyer at checkout so we receive credit for your purchase.

Kona Ice Friday!


Kona Ice will be at POMS after school on Friday, March 1 in the front parking lot near the entrance of the school.

Please bring your cash to purchase a treat. Treats are $4, $6, and $7.

Please email POMS PTO Kona Ice Chair Jennifer Deneen with any questions.

Thank You to POMS Families, Community, Participants, & Sponsors!


Thank you to all of our Pin Oak families who participated in our Pajama Jam virtual auction. Because of your support, we were able to raise over $35,000!

If you purchased a ticket to the POMS Ice Cream Social, more details to come! Please be on the lookout for an email from our auction chairs.

If you sponsored a teacher's lunch, please be on the lookout for a Google form to arrive via email.

We are excited to announce the following raffle winners:

  • PS5: Jennifer Sanders
  • Meta Quest 2: Melanie Hardy
  • POMS Basket: Alex Torres 
  • Ladies Swag: Shaine Morris
  • Boys Swag: Kinsey Wall 
  • Tech Bundle: Melissa Patrizi
  • White Wine Bundle: Monica Cavazos
  • Red Wine Bundle: Tina Leung
  • Saint Arnold's Bundle: Denise Larue

Additionally, we would like to thank all of the Pin Oak community who contributed to auction items and truly helped this event be a success.

Didn't get a chance to pick up an auction item?  It's not too late! We still have spots open for Instabuy - Treat your POMS teacher(s) to lunch or snag an Ice Cream Social spot for your Charger! We also have a few spots open for your lucky student to join one of the Pizza Lunches! Want to rock the mic with other POMS parents? We still have spots available for the Karaoke Social!

Did you know you could also donate directly to the Pajama Jam Auction Fund? Go to the Donate tab on the auction site to help support our Chargers!

Register now to snag one of these items or make your donation!

Pin Oak Tennis


Do you want to learn to play tennis? We have a limited number of openings in the Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday late sessions. 

The sessions begin Feb 26 and run through mid-May. Class is from 5-6 PM with after-school care from 4-5 PM. The cost is $300. 

Please contact Anna Stewart at PinOakTennis@gmail.com if you are interested.

POMS Amazon Wishlist - Student Snacks Needed


We are in need of student snacks for the upcoming district and STAAR tests.

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

Thank you so much for your generosity!

Charger Dungeons & Dragons After-School Club


We are excited to start on a new adventure at Pin Oak Middle School with the Charger Dungeons & Dragons Club. The club will run the first and third Wednesday after school (4 - 5:30 PM) at Pin Oak Middle School. The first meeting took place on February 14.

To indicate your interest in joining and details for the next meeting on March 7, students should complete the form below.

D&D Club Interest Form

The club welcomes players of all experience levels who have an enthusiasm for tabletop roleplaying games. We ask that players draft an origin story for a character they might want to play, and tell us why they are excited about playing Dungeons and Dragons.

For questions, reach out to Kyle Verret.

Join the POMS Team for the Houston Texans Kids Triathlon


The Houston Texans Kids Triathlon will be held Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 at Texas Typhoon Waterpark in Katy, TX. Experienced triathletes and beginners are welcomed to register to join the Pin Oak Middle School team on Saturday, April 13.  

  • SHORT COURSE: 125-meter swim, 2-mile bike, and 1-mile run.
  • LONG COURSE: 225-meter swim, 4-mile bike, and a 1.6-mile run.  
  • SPLASH & DASH: 125-meter swim, and a 1-mile run. 

Pin Oak will have a team tent set up for pre- and post-race fueling and camaraderie. Parents are encouraged to bring snacks/drinks to share with other athletes, as well as a portable folding chair for rest.

Click here to register for the event.

When registering be sure to select:

  • Team: Pin Oak Middle School
  • Password: Go Chargers

You will receive a 10% discount on registration when you join POMS team. 

Once you register for the event, please send an email with the name and the grade of your athlete to Norma Terrazas. We look forward to having another fun and memorable event!

8th Grade Yearbook Farewells!


Dear Parents and Students,

If you would like to include a farewell statement/quote for the graduating 8th graders this year, please email Mrs. Ventura or Ms. Shank. Please make sure it is only one or two sentences and includes your name.

2023-2024 Yearbooks on Sale!


2023-2024 yearbooks are now on sale!

Order yours today with Balfour starting at $65. Personalization options are available.

We sell out every year and you won't want to miss getting your copy. 

Join the POMS PTO for 2023-2024


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 Chair.

POMS School Store Hours & Volunteers


The POMS School Store is open during student lunches. Please refer below for full schedule:

  • Monday, Wednesday and Friday - open for all lunches
  • Tuesday - open until 1 PM (some Tuesdays we may be open for all lunches. Please contact the school store with any questions.)
  • Thursday - open until 1 PM

The POMS Online School Store is open for business. ***Please note that online orders may take a few days to fulfill and you will be notified to have your student come pick up orders when they are ready.***

Volunteers: This is your chance to volunteer and be in the middle of the action! It's a great way to meet other parents and interact with the students in the school store. 

Signups are for the 2023-2024 school year and we require at least 2 people in the store at all times. The school store is open during the students' lunch periods. Please sign up for the group (A or B)/day(s) that works best for you (shifts are every other week).

Please feel free to reach out to Jean Lee or Thuy Promubol at: schoolstore@pinoakpto.org with any questions or concerns. 

All school volunteers are required to be VIPS approved.

Register for VIPS (Volunteers in Public School)


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)

Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities


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 Anu Hiremaglur for more details.

Update Information for POMS Directory


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 Storejoin 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.

Need Food, Clothing, Child Care, Rental Assistance, or Health & Human Services?


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.

Useful POMS Links and Info
Looking Ahead
Monday, February 26
6:00p POMS Girls and Boys Soccer vs Rice @ POMS
Tuesday, February 27
3:00p POMS Spirit Night at Betsy's
4:45p POMS Baseball vs Black @ POMS
Wednesday, February 28
5:00p POMS Softball vs Black @ POMS
Thursday, February 29
5:15p POMS Baseball vs Lanier @ POMS
Friday, March 1
4:00p POMS Kona Ice Friday
Tuesday, March 5
5:00p POMS Baseball vs Pershing @ POMS
5:30p POMS Parent Information Night for the IPC & Algebra I Matrix
Wednesday, March 6
5:00p POMS Softball vs Hamilton @ POMS
Thursday, March 7
9:00a POMS PTO Executive Board Meeting
5:00p POMS Baseball vs Meyerland @ POMS
5:00p POMS Softball vs Lanier @ POMS
6:00p POMS Girls and Boys Soccer vs Pershing @ POMS
Friday, March 8
POMS Report Cards
Monday, March 11
POMS No School - Spring Break
Tuesday, March 12
POMS No School - Spring Break
Wednesday, March 13
POMS No School - Spring Break
Thursday, March 14
POMS No School - Spring Break
Friday, March 15
POMS No School - Spring Break
Tuesday, March 19
5:00p POMS Baseball vs Hamilton @ POMS
Wednesday, March 20
5:00p POMS Softball vs West Briar @ POMS
Thursday, March 21
9:00a POMS PTO General Meeting
5:00p POMS Baseball vs Meyerland @ Meyerland
6:00p POMS Girls and Boys Soccer vs Tanglewood @ POMS
Monday, March 25
POMS No School - Chávez-Huerta Day
Tuesday, March 26
5:30p POMS Baseball vs Hogg @ POMS
Wednesday, March 27
5:00p POMS Softball vs Hogg @ POMS
6:00p POMS Girls and Boys Soccer vs Lanier @ POMS
Thursday, March 28
5:00p POMS Baseball vs Pershing @ Pershing
Friday, March 29
POMS No School - Spring Holiday
Monday, April 1
4:30p POMS Baseball vs Black @ Black
6:00p POMS Girls and Boys Soccer vs Meyerland @ Meyerland
Friday, April 5
4:00p POMS Kona Ice Friday
Saturday, April 6
POMS Charger Fest
Wednesday, April 10
POMS No School - Spring Holiday
Thursday, April 11
9:00a POMS PTO Executive Board Meeting
5:00p POMS Softball vs Lanier @ POMS
Friday, April 19
9:00a POMS PTO General Meeting
Friday, April 26
POMS Report Cards
Friday, May 3
4:00p POMS Kona Ice Friday
Thursday, May 9
9:00a POMS PTO Executive Board Meeting
Thursday, May 16
9:00a POMS PTO General Meeting
Friday, May 17
POMS 8th Grade Semi-Formal Dance (Will be rescheduled - New Date TBD)
Monday, May 27
POMS No School - Memorial Day
Thursday, May 30
POMS Staff Appreciation End of School Luncheon & Gift Distribution
Friday, May 31
POMS 8th Grade Field Trip
Monday, June 3
8:30a POMS 8th Grade Breakfast & Yearbook Signing
Wednesday, June 5
POMS Last Day of School
POMS Report Cards
POMS 8th Grade Promotion Parade & Picnic
Stay Connected
Ways to Give

When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate a percentage to Pin Oak Middle School PTO.

Use the new Box Tops App on the App Store or Google Play to scan your receipt. The app will find participating products purchased at any store and instantly add cash to Pin Oak Middle School PTO's earnings online.

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.

We Appreciate Our Corporate Sponsors & Community Partners
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