August 18, 2024

Dear Charger Parents and Families,

We had a great start to our 2024-2025 school year, and we are ready for week two. We LOVE having our Chargers back! They have done a great job learning campus rules and expectations and adhering to safety protocols we have in place to keep everyone safe! I am blessed and proud to be their principal!

NWEA Beginning-of-Year Testing Update

This week your child will take a MAP® Growth™ test from NWEA®. Chromebooks will be provided in each classroom for testing. It is very important that students are in attendance and on time. 

MAP Growth scores help teachers check student performance by measuring achievement and growth. Teachers use results to tailor classroom lessons and set goals for students.

MAP Growth tests are unique and adapt to your child’s responses to measure your child’s knowledge. If your child answers a question correctly, the next question is more challenging. If they answer incorrectly, the next one is easier. These results will provide a more complete picture of where your child is on their learning journey - regardless of whether they are on, above, or below their grade level.

Since MAP Growth tests provide immediate and accurate information about your child’s learning, it’s easy for teachers to identify students with similar scores in similar skills and topics and then plan instruction accordingly.

MAP Growth reports also provide typical growth data for students in the same grade and subject with the same starting performance level. Each school year, students grades 6th through 8th take the tests in August, January, and May. Following each testing period, you will receive a Family Report showing a summary of how your child is performing academically.

Please encourage your student not to guess on their responses and to use their testing time productively. Remind them of the importance of maintaining testing decorum, if they finish earlier than other students. They may sit quietly and read a book upon completing their exam.

We are truly excited to focus on your child’s individual growth and achievement. For more information about MAP Growth, visit NWEA.org/familytoolkit.

Chromebook Deployment

In order to prepare our students for a world beyond the four walls of a classroom, POMS launched PowerUp, a campus initiative aimed at transforming teaching and learning. PowerUp is about creating a personalized learning environment for today’s 21st-century learners and to enable teachers to facilitate instruction, manage curriculum, collaborate with their peers, and engage today’s digitally wired students more effectively. 

Requirements:

• All documents and payment must be submitted before a student is issued a Chromebook & charger. The paperwork was distributed to students the first day of school.
• The $25 Chromebook PowerUp User Device Fee can be paid via SchoolPay.

Student Schedules

There is still movement happening due to student enrollment verification, HB1416, student interventions, and course offerings, so shifting and class leveling will continue to happen until Friday, August 23.

Do You Need Help Understanding Your Schedule? Please refer to the Schedule Cheat Sheet.

Please understand that all campus administrators are supporting students and teachers throughout the school day. We are working on student schedules after hours and on the weekend so your patience, understanding, and grace is appreciated. 

If you have a specific question regarding your child’s schedule, you will need to email your child’s assistant principals so they can help support you. (I have included their names, house assignments, and linked email addresses to make this easy on you.)

Schedule Change Request

Before a schedule change request is reviewed by the house assistant principals:

• Parents/ guardians must complete all beginning of the 2024-2025 forms for their child enrolled at Pin Oak Middle School.
• The $25 Chromebook PowerUp User Device Fee must be paid via SchoolPay.

Once these steps have been completed, click on the link to access the Schedule Change Request Form. 

HISD Connect - How to Videos

Getting Started with HISD Connect Parent Portal

• How to create your account and associate your student’s information

Canvas - Parent Resource

Pin Oak students access all their classes through Canvas, a robust online learning management system. As a parent, you can create a Parent Observer account, which allows you to pair with your student and gain access to their course materials, assignments, announcements, syllabus, and more. Houston ISD created a webpage with all the information you need to learn more and sign up. We encourage all our Pin Oak parents to explore the website and sign up for a Parent Observer account today!

Campus Updates & Reminders

As we prepare for Week Two, it is extremely important that students arrive before 8:30 AM. Any student not in class at 8:30 AM will be marked absent/ tardy depending on their time of arrival. We open our doors at 7:45 AM so there is more than enough time for students to be in class when the tardy bell rings. 

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 edit.churchill@houstonisd.org. 

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 in the POMS Student Handbook.

Dress Code 

Please read our POMS Dress Code Policy carefully. Students that are not in dress code will be referred to their House Administrators. 

Traffic & Safety Procedures

Traffic patterns were heavy during the first week of school. With your help, we can get you on your way and clear Circle Drive by 4:15 PM.

Please refer to the School Safety & Transportation page for school drop-off and pick-up procedures.

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.
  • POMS has already received numerous complaints from neighborhood families that parents are speeding, blocking driveways, and parking on their grass. Please be mindful of our POMS neighbors and their property at all times.

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.

Transportation

The Houston ISD Transportation Department determines eligibility for transportation services. The Transportation Department, upon determining eligibility, will assign a route and stop. This is not a campus based decision nor does the campus assign or determine bus routes, times, or pick-up and drop-off locations.

If your HISD student is eligible for transportation and you haven't received your bus stop and route assignment, you can call one of our transportation hotlines and speak with a member of HISD's Transportation Team.

Please refer to the POMS Student Handbook to understand the systems, procedures and supports at POMS. Additional Useful POMS Links can be found below in newsletter.

Upcoming Campus Events

• NWEA Testing - Math: Wednesday, August 21
• NWEA Testing - ELAR: Thursday, August 22
• NWEA Testing - Science: Friday, August 23
• PTO General Meeting: Tuesday, August 27
• NO School - Labor Day Holiday: Monday, September 2
• NO School - Staff Development Day: Tuesday, September 3
• POMS Open House: Thursday, September 5
• Kona Ice Friday: Friday, September 6
• TELPAS Family Night: Wednesday, September 11
• Yearbook Pictures: Wednesday, September 18

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

Pin Oak Middle School PTO

4601 Glenmont • Bellaire, TX 77401

pinoakpto.org