Principal's Post
Dear Charger Parents and Families,
I can smell summer…it’s so close! Thank you for trusting us with your child(ren) and I truly hope that your family has a safe, restful, and fun summer break making tons of memories! To my 8th graders…you DID IT! You are my third graduating class as your principal, and that gives me all the feels! I am so proud of you, as you have amazing opportunities ahead of you as you transition to high school. Be brave enough to take a chance on whatever high school passion you have…whatever that is make sure it brings you joy, and if you get knocked down, get back up! You have the courage, tenacity, and heart to make anything come true so DREAM BIG and CHARGE ON! 8th grade parents, you did it too! Thank you for the unwavering support and commitment, you mean the world to us, as well. Now go hug and kiss them and take TONS of pictures…they are forever your babies and you have earned it. Last Week Procedures: Leave your backpacks at home Tuesday and Wednesday! As I say daily…KEEP making those SMART decisions with behavior, academics, and attendance. It all matters to make it smoothly to summer! Students are required to be in dress code and adhere to all campus expectations. Most importantly…Be KIND to one another! |
8th Grade Celebrations POMS is holding its annual 8th Grade Breakfast & Yearbook SigningPartyon Tuesday, June 4. This breakfast will be a final hurrah for all 8th graders before their Promotion Parade & Picnic on Wednesday, June 5. All 8th graders will take their final walk down Main Street as the graduating class of 2024 while the other grades celebrate them. Please ensure that 8th graders arrive by 8:15 AM for both events: - Tuesday morning report to the cafeteria
- Wednesday morning report to the MPR
On Wednesday, we need everyone to be on time so we can take attendance and line up for the promotion parade by 9 AM. Late students could delay the parade. Additional details for 8th graders, including what to wear both days and guest arrival details for the parade can be found below under 8th Grade Activities Update. |
POMS Kickball Tournament Last week students had the opportunity to register as a team or buy a spectator’s ticket for our 3rd annual Kickball Tournament scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 4. Players/Spectators Should: - Apply sunscreen at home.
- Bring a refillable water bottle.
- Leave phones, AirPods, etc. at home to prevent loss or damage.
This fun and friendly kickball tournament supports our Athletic department. If you have any questions about the Kickball Tournament, please email Coach Carter. |
Chromebook Collection Students will continue to turn in their Chromebook and charger tomorrow. Please contact Ms. Bell-Brown with any Chromebook-related questions. |
Charger Camp Charger Camp* is a one-day event for students and is tentatively scheduled to take place the week of August 5th: - 6th graders: 9 AM - 12 PM
- 7th/8th graders: 1 - 3 PM
The confirmed date will be communicated to the POMS community as soon as district schedules have been finalized. Charger Camp is required for all students attending Pin Oak for the 2024-2025 school year. *HISD student email is required to complete the Charger Camp registration form |
Required Immunizations for 7th Grade - Tdap – 1 dose of Tdap is required if at least 5 years have passed since the last dose of tetanus-containing vaccine.
- Meningococcal (MCV4) – 1 dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine is required on or after the student’s 11th birthday. If a student received the vaccine at 10 years of age, this will satisfy the requirement.
If your child is a rising 7th grader, s/he MUST have the vaccines listed above in addition to all previously required vaccinations, or risk being removed from school until proof of vaccination is presented. For more information, visit: Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements for Students Grades K-12 Where to go for low-cost immunizations? Questions? Contact Nurse Troetscher by email or call 713.295.6500. |
Sports Physicals Athletic Physicals are a MANDATORY REQUIREMENT for any student participating in sports at POMS. They are not optional! No student will be allowed to participate on an athletic team or practices without a current Athletic Physical. Athletic Physicals are good for the duration of one (1) year and physicals should be taken prior to the start of the school year. |
Updated Contact Information in HISD Connect Parents, now is the time to update your contact information in HISD Connect and be sure that we have your address, working phone number(s), and an email address linked to your student’s account. This is very important, as we will need accurate contact information to reach you over the summer with important information, including finalized date for Charger Camp 2024. |
Yearbook Update There is a delay regarding the delivery of our yearbooks. Unfortunately, our printing company, Balfour, has been affected by unforeseen manufacturing delays, causing our yearbooks to be delivered after their originally scheduled dates. While they have taken full responsibility for this issue and are working diligently to expedite the process, the yearbooks will not arrive before the end of the school year. Please rest assured that we are in close communication with Balfour to ensure the yearbooks are delivered as soon as possible. We are committed to keeping you updated and will notify you promptly once we have a confirmed Yearbook Pickup Day. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we navigate this situation. We are confident that the yearbooks will be worth the wait and look forward to sharing them with you soon. Thank you for your cooperation. |
Upcoming Campus Events - 8th Grade Breakfast & Yearbook Signing: Tuesday, June 4
- 8th Grade Promotion Parade & Picnic: Wednesday, June 5
- Last Day of School/ Final Report Cards: Wednesday, June 5
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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. |
| Thank You for Your Generosity!
Charger Parents and Families - Thank you for helping us show our POMS teachers and staff how much we appreciate everything they do for our students. We appreciate your generosity and support throughout this school year! We are excited to distribute funds from the POMS End-of-Year Collection Fund to our amazing teachers and staff on Tuesday at our final PTO staff luncheon. A HUGE THANK YOU to our corporate sponsors Dish Society and Nothing Bundt Cakes for providing this meal for our teachers and staff! |
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| Pin Oak MS Used Uniforms Donation Drive!
Is your child moving on to high school? Has your child outgrown their school uniform clothing? Please consider donating their gently used uniforms to the POMS PTO Used Uniform Sale. School dress code polos, khakis, jeans, skirts, sweatshirts, and jackets in all sizes can be dropped off in the collection boxes by the library. Please contact useduniforms@pinoakpto.org with any questions. |
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| 8th Grade Activities Updates
The 8th graders had so much fun on Friday at their field trip to Splashway Waterpark! Many thanks to Principal Vela for her leadership in planning this amazing trip and for trusting that the bright sun and blue skies would soon appear to make it a perfect day in paradise!
We were so fortunate to have the hardest working parent volunteers chaperone this trip: Field Trip Chair Heather Hazen, MVP Dad Marshall Law, and Field Trip Committee Wendy Alcanter, Vilma Barboza, Anu Hiremaglur, Jenny Moore, Carrie Ostrin, Sarah Suminski, and Katie Wylie. They loaded and unloaded snacks, drinks, and ice from vehicles to coolers to the buses in an absolute monsoon, handed out fresh Shipley's Donuts to kids to enjoy at school before departure, carried heavy storage bins full of snacks and coolers to and from buses, and waited in the pouring rain several hours before the park opened to secure tables in the biggest and best covered area for our kids. Thank you so much! We couldn't have done it without all of your help!
If your child lost an item at the waterpark or didn't pick up their swag bag, please instruct them to go to the front stage area of the MPR to pick it up on Tuesday at the 8th Grade Breakfast. We will also have the items available for pickup at the 8th Grade Promotion Parade & Picnic on Wednesday. After that time, all items will be donated.
The 8th Grade Breakfast and Promotion Parade & Picnic are coming up this week. Please ensure your 8th grade student reports to the cafeteria on Tuesday and MPR on Wednesday - NO LATER THAN 8:15 AM. See below for more information (including what to wear): 8th Grade Promotion Ceremonies/Breakfast/Promotion Parade & Picnic
Don't forget to complete the High School Intent to Enroll form.
If you have any questions after reading the information that was emailed to you, please reach out to us at 8thgradeactivities@pinoakpto.org. |
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| Advance Orchestra (Sinfonia) Auditions for 2024-2025
If you have an incoming 6th grader who is has more than 2 years of playing experience, they can be considered for placement in Advanced Orchestra. Submissions are to be submitted via Flip. Please contact Ms. MacLeay with any questions. |
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| Exciting Opportunity: Plan Your Trip to Italy with Pin Oak Travel Agency!
Dear Pin Oak Families and Staff, I wanted to share an exciting opportunity with you - the Pin Oak Travel Agency is prepared to assist in planning your trips to Italy! This wonderful service is offered by the students in our Italian Culture class, free of charge. To get started, please take a moment to complete this questionnaire. Once submitted, we will promptly work on providing you with amazing trip recommendations for your upcoming adventure in Italy. Please bear in mind that our travel agency is managed entirely by middle schoolers, so while we promise enthusiasm and creativity, we also ask for your understanding and patience! If you have any inquiries or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to our dedicated Italian Teacher, Mrs. Fumo - Sarah Fumo Grignano. Thank you for considering this fantastic opportunity, and we look forward to helping plan your Italian getaway! Warm regards, The Pin Oak Travel Agency |
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| POMS Online Store Reopens July 1
The online school store is now closed and will reopen on July 1, 2024. All orders placed starting July 1 will be distributed at Charger Camp in early August. Unworn and unwashed items can be exchanged at Charger Camp. Please feel free to reach out to schoolstore@pinoakpto.org with any questions or concerns. Thank you for supporting the store and the PTO! |
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| Attend the Bellaire HS Dance Clinic on June 8
Come dance with the Bellaire Belles and learn some fun routines! No dance experience required. Girls & Boys (K-12) can learn POMS, Hip Hop or Advanced Dance routines. Join us Saturday, June 8 from 9 AM - 12 PM. The cost is $40 in advance and $45 at door. Click here to register online. |
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| 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) |
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| 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. |
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| 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 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. |
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Useful POMS Links and Info |
| | Monday, June 3 | | | Tuesday, June 4 | | | | Wednesday, June 5 | | | | | Monday, August 12 | |
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 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. |
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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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