NHE News
January 6, 2026

A Note From Mrs. Smith
NHE Families,
We hope you had a wonderful holiday break filled with time to rest, recharge, and enjoy family and loved ones. We truly missed our students and were so excited to welcome everyone back to campus this morning!
As we begin a fresh semester, please take a moment to review a few important reminders to help ensure a smooth and successful start to the spring:
-
Arrival Time: Please make sure your child arrives in time to be in their classroom by 7:50 a.m. Our goal this spring is to reduce the number of late arrivals, and we appreciate your support with this.
-
Dismissal Time: School dismisses at 3:10 p.m. Please plan to pick up your child promptly at dismissal.
-
Lunch Visitors: Lunch visitors are welcome. Parents and their child may eat together at the visitor tables in the hallway; however, friends are not permitted to join. Thank you for helping us maintain consistency during lunch.
-
Birthday Treats: Birthday treats will be distributed in classrooms at the end of the day. If you choose to drop treats off in the front office, we will ensure they are delivered to your child’s teacher to share with the class.
-
Early Student Sign-Out: Student sign-out for appointments must be completed before 2:45 p.m. We will not release students after this time due to end-of-day procedures. Thank you for adjusting appointment times accordingly and for your understanding.
-
Absence Notes: Absence notes must be submitted within three days of your child’s absence. Notes may be uploaded directly into Focus, turned in to the front office, or emailed to the Student Data Specialist at sadaf.ramzan@risd.org
Please take a moment to review these and other school-wide procedures in our NHE Family Handbook, linked at the top of this newsletter. Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We look forward to a great semester ahead!
Warmly,
Jenni Smith
NHE Principal
Coming up @ NHE
Please be aware of the upcoming events at NHE!
January 7: YES! Assemblies for 2nd-6th grade
January 8: Spanish Spelling Bee
January 8: Report Cards Shared through Focus
January 12 - 23 MAP Growth Assessments
January 26: Coffee & Conchas with the Principal 8:00-8:30
January 26: After School Tutoring
January 29: Parent Growth Goal Camp and PTA Pancake Supper 5:30-7:30
YES! Student Assemblies on January 7th
We are excited to share that NHE will be hosting a student assembly presented by Youth Equipped to Succeed (YES!). This assembly will focus on Introduction and Strategies to Manage Mental Health, providing students with age-appropriate tools to better understand their emotions, build resilience, and develop healthy coping strategies.
At NHE, we are committed to supporting the whole child—academically, socially, and emotionally—and this presentation aligns with that mission. Please review the attached flyers for more information about the assembly.
If you do not wish for your child to participate, please notify your child’s homeroom teacher in advance.
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students’ well-being.
Important Upcoming Assessments
Middle-of-Year MAP® Growth™ testing window is January 12-23. During this time, students in grades K–6 will take MAP Growth assessments in Science, Math, and Reading. These tests adapt to each student’s responses, giving teachers a clear picture of what your child knows and is ready to learn next. Results will help teachers personalize instruction, set meaningful goals, and track growth across the year. We cannot wait to see how all of our students have grown!
NHE MAP Testing Schedule
1.12.26 | 3-6 Science
1.14.26 | Grades K–6 Reading
1.16.26 | Grades 3–6 Math
1.21.26 | Grades 1-5 Spanish Reading
To help your child do their best, please make sure they:
Get a good night’s sleep
Eat a healthy breakfast
Arrive on time to school
Avoid outside appointments during testing if possible
After testing, you will receive a Family Report through Focus that summarizes your child’s performance and growth. For more information, visit NWEA Family Toolkit
School Board Appreciation Month
January is School Board Appreciation Month, and we’re celebrating the incredible leaders who champion our students, staff, and community. Now more than ever, our Board of Trustees stands with public schools across the nation behind one belief: that Our Future is Public.
Thank you to our Board members for your vision, support, and commitment to our North Star
Goal: Every student, teacher, and leader will meet or exceed their academic growth goals.
Yearbook Cover Contest
Library Information
Winter Reading Challenge
Mrs. Lozure has challenged all students to read 6 books during the winter break. Your student should come home with a blue sheet to fill out their 6 books, but in case they didn’t here is the page they can fill out.
NHE PTA News
Chess Club Volunteers
We're excited to launch an after-school Chess Club and are looking for some volunteers to help us get started! Volunteers will assist with teaching basic skills, supervising friendly matches, and fostering good sportsmanship. If you enjoy working with kids and want to help spark a love of strategy, problem-solving, and confidence, we would love to have you join us! See the flyer below for details and contact Rubria Marines-Price if interested or if you have questions!!
Order Your 2025-2026 NHE Yearbook + Share Your Photos!
Don't miss your chance to capture the memories! Our '25-'26 yearbooks are now available for preorder. Secure your copy early to guarantee you don't miss out on all the photos, highlights, and special moments from this school year! We are also inviting families to help make our yearbook even better by submitting photos online. Whether it's classroom activities, school events, spirit days, or proud moments from home, your pictures help tell the story of our amazing school community.
6th Graders - submit your baby photos by February 27th!! See below for more details on how to order your yearbooks and upload photos. Thanks for helping us make this yearbook the best one yet!
2025 NHE Benefit - Tickets Are On Sale NOW!
Get ready to roll the dice for a great cause! Tickets are now on sale for our annual NHE Benefit on Saturday, March 7, 2026! You can purchase single tickets, table tickets (grab your friends and make a table of 8!), silent auction access tickets and more!! Check out the link below for all the details and to purchase!
https://northwoodhillspta.networkforgood.com/events/93715-viva-las-vegas-2026-nhe-pta-benefit
Used Book Drive
Learning Community News
RHS Girls Soccer
Do you have a girl who loves soccer?
We are Richardson Girls Soccer, and we would like to give 3rd-6th grade students in the Richardson Attendance Zone the opportunity to join our Richardson Girls Soccer team as a ball girl this year. All you need to do is sign-up here and we will contact you: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfzBcCv5w0R4BqcFP4uh6Gs7TQ6gLkfNmTM8cC3wIeyIPYBRA/viewform
We hope to see you there!
Parent University: Getting Ready for College, Career & Beyond
RISD families are invited to join a virtual Parent University: Getting Ready for College, Career & Beyond series focused on academic and postsecondary options for students. Topics included are:
Advanced Academics: High School and Middle School Pathways
Dual Credit & University Partnerships: Dallas College and UT Austin OnRamp
Testing For College & Career Readiness: TSI, ACT, and SAT Demystified
Military & AVID: Building Leadership and Readiness
Exploring Careers Early: Career & Technical Education (CTE) Pathways
To register for any of these sessions, visit https://web.risd.org/home/parent-university-getting-ready-for-college-career-beyond/.
While the series targets families in 5th grade and above, ALL families are welcome as it is never too early to start preparing for college, career and beyond!
Click here for the Parent University: Getting Ready for College, Career, and Beyond flyer.
Super Teacher Nominations are Open
Do you know a Super Teacher? How about a Super Team? Of course you do!
Nominations are now open for RISD Super Teachers, and, new this year, an RISD Super Team. Nominate a Super Teacher or Super Team today for this district recognition, including a classroom or campus visit from The Cape!
The program is looking for teachers who exemplify excellence in alignment with the Learner Framework or Graduate Profile, and Teams who are high performing, data-driven, reflective, collaborative, and growth-minded.
The same form can be used to nominate a Super Teacher or Super Team. The window for Quarter 2 nominations is open from Nov. 1 to Dec. 20. Announcements will be made in early January.
Recurring Information
We’re Excited to Welcome Lunch Visitors!
Here are a few reminders to help make your visit smooth and enjoyable:
One visit per week, please. This helps us manage space and make sure every family has the opportunity to visit.
Arrive on time. Plan to be here before your child’s lunch period begins.
Bring your photo ID. All visitors must check in at the front office and wear a visitor badge while on campus.
Enjoy lunch at the visitor table. For safety reasons, visitors should sit at the designated visitor table with their child only. Parents may not sit in the cafeteria.
Friends can’t join your table. We know kids love company, but we ask that you enjoy this time just with your child.
Put phones away. To protect student privacy and keep the focus on your child, please avoid phone use, photos, or videos while in the cafeteria.
Head out after lunch. When your child’s lunch period ends, please exit through the front office. Visitors may not walk students back to class.
Permission for guests. If someone other than a parent/guardian plans to visit, we need written permission from the parent ahead of time.
Thank you for helping us make lunch visits a safe, positive experience for everyone. We can’t wait to see you in the cafeteria!
New Volunteer Management System
Before participating in volunteer opportunities in schools and district facilities, all RISD volunteers must complete a background check and an orientation through our NEW Volunteer Management System. We are using Verkada, the same program already in place for visitor management on every campus. Click here to complete your 2025-2026 Richardson ISD Volunteer Application.
Opt-In & Opt-out Preferences - Important Parent Message
Texas legislation requires all parents and guardians to provide clear opt-in and opt-out preferences for their student regarding various activities and services such as:
Available access to health services (all grade levels)
After-school clubs (all grade levels)
Counseling opportunities (K-5 & 7-12)
Library Services (all grade levels)
All RISD parents/legal guardians received an email from the district on Friday, August 22 with information to select your preferences for your student(s) in FOCUS. Please make sure that you check your email, you should have a message from Richardson ISD, with the subject line: Important Parent Message in Regards to Recent Texas Legislation.
Please visit the FOCUS portal and use the newly created page to submit your preferences for each of your children.
If you have additional questions, please submit a Let’s Talk here.
Thank you for helping us ensure a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. We look forward to a great new school year.
Helpful Parent Resources
✅Verify Your Student's Immunizations Are Up-To-Date✅
By law, Richardson ISD must have an immunization record for each student on file. These records should be up-to-date at the time of registration. https://web.risd.org/healthservices/immunizations
🔎Create a FOCUS Account🔍
RISD provides electronic access to a student's grades, attendance, and other information via the FOCUS software system. https://web.risd.org/focus/
📱Download RISD Mobile Parent App📱
Access student information, view the latest news, receive important alerts, review an archive of parent messages sent by RISD, view school menus and lunch account balances, find your bus stop, access student schedules, assignment grades, attendance and more. https://web.risd.org/home/risd-mobile/
🚍Need a Ride to School?🚍
See bus route information and sign up for student transportation: https://web.risd.org/transportation/
🥗Download SchoolCafe App🥗
RISD’s school cafeteria payment system is called SchoolCafe. https://www.schoolcafe.com/
District Links
RISD Graduate Profile
Parent Information
RISD Student and Parent Handbook
25-26 Academic Calendar
✍🏻Front Office Contact Information✍🏻
Jenni Smith, Principal
(469) 593-4333
jennifer.smith@risd.org
Mark Bell, Assistant Principal
(469) 593-4328
mark.bell@risd.org
Martha Menezes, Dean of Students (habla español)
(469) 593-4275
martha.menezes@risd.org
Paige Pendery Counselor
(469) 593-4332
paige.pendery@risd.org, qwendolyn.dixon@risd.org
Crystal Hunt, Nurse
(469) 593-4250
crystal.hunt@risd.org
Sadaf Ramzan, Student Data Specialist/Enrollment
(469) 593-4251
sadaf.ramzan@risd.org
Leslie Ledezma, Executive Assistant (habla español)
(469)-593-4252
leslie.ledezma@risd.org