August 16, 2026

Parker families, we officially made it through our first full week of the 2026–2027 school year! By Friday, our students and staff were definitely feeling those first-week miles, but everyone continued to push through and finish the week strong.

I want to take a moment to recognize our incredible Parker staff for the resilience, preparation, and teamwork they demonstrated throughout the week. Our classrooms were beautifully prepared, materials were ready for students, and campus systems were in place from Day One. Even with a rainy first-day dismissal adding an extra challenge, our team stayed focused, adjusted, and kept things moving. That level of preparation made a tremendous difference in how we started the year.

A special thank you to our Parker PTO for continuing to show up for our school. Your support throughout Pre-Service and our first week helped us take care of our staff and prepare to welcome our Lions. We appreciate this partnership more than you know!

Now we turn the page to Week Two!

This week begins an important part of our instructional work as we establish each student's Beginning-of-Year baseline. Our K–5 students will participate in NWEA MAP assessments, while our DIBELS window opens for Kinder–2nd Grade and our CIRCLE assessment window opens for Pre-K.

These assessments are not about a single score. They give our teachers valuable information about where students are starting so we can set goals, monitor growth, identify areas where additional support may be needed, and make sure students who are ready for greater challenge continue to be pushed.

NWEA MAP Testing Schedule

Math | K–5

Reading | 2–5

Science | 2–5

Testing will take place during the first two hours of the school day. Students will receive additional time when needed, and regular instruction will resume once the majority of testing has concluded.

Please help us set our Lions up for success by making sure students get a good night's sleep, eat breakfast, and arrive at school on time each morning. Most importantly, encourage your child to simply do their best and show us what they know. BOY data gives us a starting point. What we do with that information throughout the year is what helps us grow.

To protect a focused testing environment, please remember:

• No lunch visits on testing days
• No private lessons during the school day on testing days

For families who are new to Parker, we will also include informational resources below to help you better understand how the various assessments work and how we use the results to support student learning.

We had a strong first week, Parker. Now it is time to build on it.

• What is the MAP Growth test? (Kinder-5th Grade)

• MAP Growth: What's this test about? | NWEA Student Resources (Kinder -5th Grades)

• CIRCLE Assessment (PreK)

• What is DIBELS (Kinder - 2nd Grades)

• What is the ROAR Assessment (2nd Grade)

As many of you may know, our 2025-2026 TEA Accountability Rating was released on Friday. Our 2026 accountability rating is a B with an overall score of 83. While we always want to earn an A, the data also gives us a very clear picture of where we need to focus this school year.

First, it is important to understand what this rating represents. STAAR accountability is based on the performance of students in our tested grades, 3rd through 5th, not all Parker students.

For example , this year, we have 438 students in grades 3 through 5. Of those students, approximately 61% are identified as At Risk, 55% are Economically Disadvantaged, 28% are Emergent Bilingual, and 21% are students receiving Special Education services. Many students are represented in more than one of these groups.

Our school earned an overall score of 83, which is a B.

Texas uses three areas to look at our school:

Student Achievement: 86
How well students performed on STAAR.

School Progress: 82
How much students grew academically.

Closing the Gaps: 77
Whether different groups of students are meeting the academic goals set for them.

For our rating, Texas compares Student Achievement and School Progress and uses the higher score. Our Student Achievement score of 86 was higher.

That score counted for 70% of our rating. Closing the Gaps counted for the other 30%.

So, What Does “Closing the Gaps” Mean?

Texas does not only look at Parker students as one big group. It also asks: Are ALL groups of students succeeding?

This includes groups such as:

• Students receiving Special Education services
• Emergent Bilingual students
• Economically Disadvantaged students
• High Focus students
• Other student groups included in state accountability

Each group has academic targets, or goals, it is expected to meet. Our 77 in Closing the Gaps tells us that some of our student groups did not meet all of those targets.

Why Is This Our Focus?

The data shows that overall our students are still achieving and growing. Now we must make sure that success reaches EVERY group of students.

Even if we kept our strong Student Achievement score from the previous year, our Closing the Gaps score would have still brought down our overall rating because it counts for 30%.

That is why Closing the Gaps is one of our biggest priorities this year.

We will use student data to identify who needs additional support, what they need help with, and how we will respond through 2nd Teach, Encore, intervention, acceleration, and extension.

We must keep our strong students strong AND help more students reach the goal.

We are not adding another new program or slowing down grade-level learning. The plan is already built into our school day. Our focus is making sure we use it well every day.

1st Teach | DOL | 2nd Teach | ENCORE

1st Teach: Students receive strong, on grade-level instruction.

DOL: A quick daily check shows us who learned it and who needs more help.

2nd Teach: Teachers use those results right away to reteach, provide additional practice, or challenge students who are ready for more.

ENCORE: Students receive another opportunity for targeted support so small learning gaps do not become bigger ones.

We are helping teachers protect grade-level instruction while becoming more urgent and more intentional about responding when students need additional support.

In previous years, Parker had additional retired teachers who served as interventionists in grades 3–5. They provided targeted small-group support and played an important role in helping us close learning gaps.

When funding and district structures changed, those additional positions were no longer available. We adjusted our master schedule so that 2nd Teach and ENCORE provided teachers with dedicated time during the school day to give students that same type of targeted support.

Last year as a campus, we did not fully execute in those areas with fidelity and this is where we need to get better. Teachers also needed stronger support with using student data to decide who needed help, what they needed, and how to plan that time effectively.

We have already seen this approach work. In our lower grades last year, our intentional use of DIBELS data and targeted support resulted in strong student growth.

This year, we are reinforcing that same level of intentional planning with scaling a heavier focus in grades 3–5.

This year, we have also added another layer of support through our Teacher Specialists.

One Teacher Specialist (Greg Kabay) will focus on GT enrichment and extension, making sure students who have already mastered grade-level learning continue to be challenged.

Our second Teacher Specialist (Heather Grosso) will focus on students who need additional academic support, including targeted small groups and intervention, especially in grades 3–5.

They will also work alongside teachers to use student data to strengthen 2nd Teach and academic ENCORE.

Our Teacher Specialists are an additional support, but this work belongs to all of us. The Assistant Principals and I will lead and monitor this work, while classroom teachers remain at the center of meeting their students' needs.

Whether a student needs intervention, language support, Special Education services, or greater academic challenge, every student is our collective responsibility.

-Principal Carter

I am excited to continue our Chat & Chew with Principal Carter sessions this school year!

I hope these conversations continue to be a valuable opportunity for our families to connect with me, ask questions, hear campus updates, and have open conversations about the work happening at Parker.

As in previous years, Chat & Chew will begin in September. This timing is intentional. I like to attend our first PTO meeting of the year and use that opportunity to connect with families about our opening of school. August is also a time when many of our campus systems are still settling into place and we are gathering important Beginning-of-Year information.

By September, we have much more to talk about! Open House has taken place, BOY assessment results are available, STAAR and accountability data are finalized, and our campus priorities for the year are much clearer. This allows our Chat & Chew conversations to move beyond beginning-of-school logistics and into meaningful discussions about student achievement, campus goals, programs, upcoming initiatives, and how we can continue strengthening Parker together.

I look forward to sharing our September Chat & Chew date and time soon and continuing these conversations with our Parker community!

-Principal Carter

After an amazing inaugural year, Parker Mariachi is gearing up for Year 2, and we are excited to continue growing this special part of our music program!

Students interested in being part of the 2026–2027 Parker Mariachi Band are invited to complete our Mariachi Interest Form.

Interest Form Deadline: Wednesday, August 19

Rehearsals Begin: Monday, August 24

Weekly Rehearsals: Mondays & Wednesdays 3:15pm-4:15pm

Whether returning for another year or interested in joining for the first time, we can’t wait to see our Parker Lions continue building the tradition of Parker Mariachi! 🎻🎺🦁

Families can now register their child for Gifted & Talented (G/T) testing through ParentSquare.

Registration closes September 25, 2026. To sign up, find the G/T Testing message from the HISD Gifted & Talented Department in ParentSquare and click “Complete Form.” Testing requests are open for HISD students in PK4–12th grade who are not part of the 2nd-grade universal screening.

Please note: All 2nd-grade students will automatically participate in the district’s universal G/T screening, so families of 2nd graders do not need to submit a testing request.

Click here for a task card on accessing the GT information.

Please contact Mr. Greg Kabay for any questions or concerns regarding Parker GT programming.

-Greg Kabay, Teacher Specialist

(GT Coordinator)

GKABAY1@houstonisd.org

For the safety of our students and to keep traffic flowing smoothly, please remember:

• Do not turn right off of Stillbrooke to enter the carpool line on Mullins. Line up is further down on Mullins. Go to the end of the line.

• Do not cut off drivers on Willowbend passing the stop sign.

• Please keep on your flashers when you are waiting in the carpool line.

• NEVER exit your vehicle to approach another driver. This can be seriously dangerous.

• Do not park or exit your vehicle in any of the carpool lines.

The carpool has been getting better and faster each day. Not to mention we have almost doubled the amount of PreK students we have. The staff is still learning their names and they are still learning the process for dismissal, so it has taken some adjustment on everyone's part. This is an unavoidable learning curve with so many new families and new staff members.

Thank you for your patience and partnership as we tighten these systems in week two.

Parker is celebrating 50 years of being Houston's Original Music Magnet school with a concert and gala! J

oin our nonprofit, Parker Friends, on August 29 at El Dorado Ballroom for an amazing lineup of performers who all got their start at Parker Elementary. Proceeds go to Parker Friends, who in turn directly supports our music programs.

Tickets can be purchased here: https://parkerfriends.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/parkerfriends/event.jsp?event=3

We are grateful to have After School Care (ASC) available on the Parker campus and want to make sure families know the appropriate contacts when questions or concerns arise.

While ASC programming takes place at Parker Elementary, After School Care is operated by the Parker PTO and is not a Parker Elementary/HISD campus-administered program. Although many Parker staff members also work with the PTO After School Care program, they do so through the PTO’s program structure.

Because of this, Parker campus administration does not have authority over ASC staffing, enrollment, programming, procedures, or program-related decisions. Campus administration may provide recommendations and will continue to ensure that building-use and campus safety expectations are followed; however, questions, concerns, or requests regarding the operation of ASC should be directed to the PTO and ASC staff.

ASC Points of Contact

Parker PTO President
president@parkerpto.org

Maya White, ASC Coordinator
Maya.White@houstonisd.org

Robin Gibson, ASC Clerk
RGibson@houstonisd.org

To ensure concerns are addressed by the individuals who can take action, families contacting campus administration regarding ASC-specific matters will be redirected to the appropriate PTO/ASC contact.

Thank you for helping us maintain clear communication and ensuring your questions reach the right team.

On Thursday, August 20th (6 p.m.), join us at the Parker Cafeteria to meet your PTO board and receive important updates. Childcare is provided for all, and food is guaranteed to those who RSVP'd by the deadline. Learn about all our upcoming events, enrichment clubs, volunteer opportunities, and more.

RSVP for August's meeting by 8 pm Tuesday, August 18th:

🔗https://parkerpto.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/346511

If you can't make it in person, join us virtually!

⭐https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8649700253?

pwd=N9xyQXjy9QTLU2BZX7DDbebMMmoloL.1&omn=87243372891

⭐Meeting ID: 864 970 0253
⭐Passcode: 123456

⭐Plan to login to Zoom around 6:15 pm to give the in-person group time to grab food and get settled, if you are joining us virtually.

Check it out! Be sure to update your grade level and homeroom teacher in Membership Toolkit! Log in to your account, then visit MY STUFF, followed by MY FORMS, and see all the available items for purchase. PTO will explain all the forms at the PTO meeting and in our following monthly newsletter.

🎨 AFTER-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT CLUBS

Parker PTO is excited to offer After-School Enrichment Clubs this fall! Visit the Enrichment page on the PTO website to see the tentative list of clubs.

⏰ MARK YOUR CALENDAR & SET YOUR ALARM!

Some clubs have limited spots and sell out FAST!

Wednesday, August 19 at 8:00 PM — Club sales OPEN

Wednesday, August 26 at 8:00 AM — Club sales CLOSE

Week of September 8 — Clubs begin!

At this time, we do not have clubs available for PK or Kinder. Gymnastics is currently the only club available for Kindergarten. We will reevaluate club offerings later this fall.