December 7, 2025

HISD is excited to share an outstanding opportunity for students interested in improving their performance and audition skills in the arts. HISD will host “Audition HISD,” a hands-on workshop designed to help students strengthen their audition techniques, build confidence, and prepare for future performing arts experiences.

Who Can Participate:
Students in 4th through 12th grade

Date & Time:
Saturday, December 13th
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Location:
Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA)
790 Austin St., Houston, TX 77002

Registration Deadline:
Friday, December 8th

Please note that capacity is limited to only 150 students and spots will fill quickly. If your child would benefit from this experience, we encourage families to register as soon as possible.

🔗 Registration Link: https://bit.ly/AuditionHISD

This is a wonderful chance for students to learn from experts, gain valuable audition experience, and further develop their artistic confidence. Please share with any students or families who may be interested.

We are excited to celebrate the holiday season with our students! Each homeroom will hold a class celebration on December 18th or 19th.

Donations

If you would like to donate snacks or activities, please check with the room parent(s) for the needed items and amounts.

Celebration Time Limits

Each class celebration will last one hour. Please check with your child’s teacher to confirm when parents may arrive, set up, or decorate before the celebration begins.

Parent Attendance

To ensure celebrations are enjoyable and safe for all students, we have a limit to the number of adults who may attend in person:

• Pre-K: No limit

• Kindergarten: 2 room parents + up to 6 additional parents

• 1st–5th Grade: 2 room parents + up to 4 additional parents

Thursday, December 18

• 4th Grade: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

• Kindergarten: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

• 2nd Grade: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Friday, December 19

• Pre-K: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

• 1st Grade: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

• 3rd Grade: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

• 5th Grade: 12:35 PM – 1:35 PM

Thank you for helping us make this a joyful and memorable experience for our students. We appreciate your partnership and look forward to celebrating together!

If you have any questions, please reach out to your homeroom teacher.

HISD has released new English and Spanish Quick-Start Family Guides to help families get ready for the school year. These guides provide a simple overview of important information such as district dates, required forms, transportation details, and helpful student and family resources.

Families can access the guides using the link below:

🔗 HISD Family Corner: Houston Independent School District – Family Corner
(available in both English and Spanish)

We encourage you to review these guides to stay informed and prepared for a successful school year!

Join us Tuesday, December 9th at 8:30 in the cafeteria. Jeanette Mueller, our PTO president and former bilingual teacher, will be here hosting a Parent Education workshop in Spanish. She will be sharing easy ways to help your child practice oral language skills in Spanish and English.

Learn simple activities you can do anywhere to build your child’s vocabulary, confidence, and communication skills. Whether your child is in a bilingual now or previously, this workshop will give you practical tools to support their language growth in everyday moments. We’ll also be serving breakfast tacos, handing out resources, and raffling prizes.

We hope to see you there!

-Heather Grosso, Teacher Specialist

🎉 Last Day for Our Tomfoolery Spirit Event
Today is the final day to support our PTO spirit event with Tomfoolery! Remember, the Meyerland location closes at 5:00 PM, so make sure to stop by before then. You must mention Parker at checkout.

📅 No December PTO Meeting
Our December PTO meeting has been canceled. We’ll see you again in January!

👕 PTO Free Dress – December 18
If you purchased Free Dress, it will still take place on Thursday, December 18. Mark your calendars!

🎶 Performance Shirts
Huge shoutout to our amazing parent volunteers who have been working overtime this week to help with performance shirts. We appreciate you!

Only Advanced Guitar, Band, Strings, and Chorus students need the upgraded performance shirt. If you’re unsure, please check with your music teacher.

If you placed your order before December 1 and haven't received your shirt, email president@parkerpto.org.

🧤 Lost & Found
Lost and Found items will be delivered next week. Thank you for labeling your belongings, and a big thank-you to our volunteers for helping clean, sort, and deliver everything!

🤠✨ Auction Gala – Save the Date!
Our annual Auction Gala is happening on Friday, February 27!

Ticket sales open December 15. Keep an eye out for our Auction Gala Guide newsletter, packed with everything you need to know.

Shine With Us at the 70th Deck the Halls Parade! ✨

Our Art Car is going full Platinum Sparkle this year—and we want YOU in the shine squad! Throw on your glittery holiday gear (or just come as you are) and help us show Westbury that Parker spirit.

Arrival and Lineup: 4:15 PM @ Shannon Walker Library
Parade Start: 5:00 PM
Route: 1 mile of festive fun!
Who: Parker parents, students*, and friends
Parking: Please carpool—no parking in the library lot or along the route.

Parker Lions welcome—just attach a grown-up who can keep tempo AND keep up!

👉 More details here!

Piano Workshop: January 20th – 23rd More details coming soon!

Suzuki Workshop: February 2nd – 6th Purchase ads and t-shirts here!

Music Fees: Pay here or download a paper form here!

--

Julie Doyle-Madrid (She/Her/Hers)

Executive Director

Parker Friends

julie@parkerfriends.org

www.parkerfriends.org

832-910-7761