July 28, 2024

Dear Charger Parents and Families,

Happy end of July and Hello August! I hope everyone is enjoying the last bit of Summer FUN with family and friends! It was a very busy summer at Pin Oak filled with many projects and initiatives. I want to recognize and thank our amazing custodial team, support staff, administrators, and IT staff for the countless hours put in this summer to ensure we will be ready to welcome more than 1,300 students to a safe, clean, and welcoming building.

Are you ready for the 2024-25 school year? Please review the helpful resources below so you are prepared for new school year.

Academic Calendar

For more information, please visit 2024-2025 HISD Academic Calendar.

After School Charger Care

Follow the link to learn about the program and registration. If you have any questions, contact Norma Ruiz, After School Care Coordinator. 

Backpack Policy

All students will be expected to have their backpack before receiving a school issued Chromebook. Hallway lockers are not utilized at POMS and students must carry their school issued Chromebook in their backpack when transitioning from class to class (no exceptions). 

Bell Schedule

All students will follow a modified block schedule for the 2024-25 school year. Please click the link to view this year’s POMS Bell Schedule.

Charger Camp

Please make sure you register your child(ren) for Charger Camp.

*Please note – Charger Camp is for students only.  We want to give our staff a chance to personally interact, show them around, and really get to know them before we kick off our first week with all 1,300+ Chargers together! I promise to take good care of them!

Please drop them off at circle drive (front entrance). You cannot miss it; the cheerleaders and staff will be ready to welcome them inside. 

Please pick up your Charger at the FRONT of the school. 

Charger Camp Traffic & Safety Procedures:

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 maybe 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 may turn right or left on to Glenmont. Be careful of oncoming traffic.

6. Please 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 Charger Camp, 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 cross walk. 

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.

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. I cannot stress enough that lines will be long so please plan accordingly and have patience, so this remains a positive and fun event for students and staff. 

Open House

Please make sure to mark your calendar for Open House! Join us September 5, from 5:30 PM - 7 PM.

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. 

Submit all documents to Nurse Troetscher.

For more information, visit: Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements for Students Grades K-12

Where to go for low-cost immunizations?

• City of Houston Health Centers
• Harris Health Troubleshooters
• Texas Children's Mobile Clinics

Questions? Contact Nurse Troetscher by email or call 713.295.6500.

School Store

All online orders will be available for pick up at Charger Camp on August 5. PE uniforms are now available for purchase from the school store. The online school store will close on Wednesday, July 31 at 11:59 PM to prep orders for Charger Camp. 

The school store on campus will be open the week of August 5. Any unworn and unwashed uniforms can be exchanged at the school store. Please email schoolstore@pinoakpto.org with any questions. 

School Supplies

Pre-ordered school supplies will be placed in your student’s Charger/Team Time class, so they have them on the first day of school.  If you did not pre-order school supplies, click here to view the supply lists by grade.

School Uniforms

All students will be expected to be in their school uniform for the first day of school. Please click the link for the full POMS Dress Code Policy. 

Sports - UIL & Club Sports

We offer a full UIL athletics program for 7th and 8th graders. Our student athletes are competitive, but our program emphasizes the importance of being part of a team. Several sports are offered as Club Sports to students in all grades. 

Fall Sports Parent Information Night is scheduled for Thursday, August 8 from 5:30 - 7 PM in the POMS Gym. All coaches will be available to speak about their program and answer parent questions. 

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. 

POMS Sports Physical Clinic is scheduled for Friday, August 9 from 4 - 6 PM in the POMS Gym. The sports physical clinic will be an open event (walk-in) for current 2024-25 Pin Oak students. The cost is $25 CASH ONLY.  

Please contact Coach Carter, POMS Athletic Coordinator if you have any questions.

Defined Autonomy

The Houston ISD released the Defined Autonomy Framework (DAF), which is a system designed to allow for flexibility and innovation at high-performing campuses while maintaining rigorous expectations for all schools. 

Pin Oak Middle School is categorized within the framework as a Level 3. 

The linked document outlines the specific autonomies earned by the schools at each level. The greater the achievement and overall performance of a school, the more autonomous the school will be. The Defined Autonomy presentation that was shared at the Superintendent's Community Meeting is also linked here. 

Educational Results Partnership

We're proud to be named an Educational Results Partnership Honor Roll school, which recognizes high-performing, achievement gap-closing schools across the nation. The Educational Results Partnership Honor Roll, sponsored by the Campaign for Business and Education Excellence, is the only school award given in collaboration with state and local business leaders. The Honor Roll is a valuable resource for all schools to identify successful peers and learn about best practices that are improving student achievement. 

SDMC Nominations

The Shared Decision-Making Committee (SDMC) has been established on our campus to assist the principal. The committee meets for the purposes of implementing planning processes and site-based decision-making in accordance with Board policy and administrative procedure.  

Pin Oak Middle School is seeking nominations for community and business representatives to serve on the SDMC for the 2024-2025 school year.  We encourage you to submit your information if you are interested in serving next year!  Click here to access the SDMC Form.

Yearbook Update

Dear Pin Oak Parents & Guardians,

Thank you so much for your incredible patience as we navigated the distribution issues with Balfour. I’m thrilled to announce that yearbooks have finally arrived! They will be available for pickup in the main office from Monday, July 29 to Friday, August 9, between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM.

For this year's 7th and 8th graders, we have an exciting plan to turn this challenging experience into a fun and memorable one! Join us for a Yearbook Signing Party during Charger Camp, where students can gather, celebrate, and get their yearbooks signed by friends and teachers.

Thank you again for your understanding and support. We can’t wait to see our 2024-2025 Chargers at Charger Camp!

Upcoming Campus Events

• Charger Camp: Monday, August 5
• Used Uniform Sale: Monday, August 5
• Fall Sports Parent Meeting: Thursday, August 8
• Falls Sports Physicals Clinic: Friday, August 9
• First Day of School: Monday, August 12

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 @f7cb99g. 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

• Attendance Policy (email excuses to edit.churchill@houstonisd.org)
• Canvas
• Clubs
• Counseling Newsletter
• Dress Code for 2024-2025
• Grade Level Teams
• HISD Student Handbook
• Magnet Program
• Parent Resources
• POMS Student & Family Handbook 
• PowerUp
• SchoolPay
• School Safety & Transportation Reminders
• School Website
• Staff Directory (coming soon)
• Student Records Request
• Transportation
• Virtual Library

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