May 11, 2025

At Parker, we believe that supporting our students’ emotional and mental well-being is just as important as academic growth. This May, we join schools across the country in recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage healthy habits for our minds and hearts.

Throughout the month, we’ll be sharing age-appropriate resources, classroom activities, and strategies to help students build emotional resilience, express themselves, and care for one another. Let’s work together to create a school environment where every student feels seen, supported, and safe to be themselves.

If you or your child need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our school counselor or administration team. We’re here for you.

Last week, we held a Master Schedule Pilot Day to test the structure and flow of our new schedule for the 2025–2026 school year. The goal was to create a more cohesive, focused learning environment—with fewer interruptions, better pacing, and more purposeful time blocks for both academics and our music magnet programming.

What We Saw:
From smoother hallway transitions to increased student focus, our team saw incredible collaboration across the building. Classrooms buzzed with energy—from engaged readers and STEM projects to beautiful sounds during Encore and Magnet blocks. Students were actively learning, and many even asked, “Can we do this schedule every day?”

What We Heard:
We gathered feedback from both teachers and students:

• Staff highlighted the benefits of clearer structure, stronger pacing, and efficient use of time.

• Teachers appreciated the more organized lunch and recess blocks and praised how engaged students were throughout the day.

• Students shared mixed but helpful feedback—especially around lunch. Some weren’t fans of eating before recess, and others noted longer wait times due to shared lunch shifts. While every grade level was served within 15 minutes, we’re already working with our cafeteria team to make adjustments.

What We’re Doing Next:
The feedback collected from staff will guide our refinements as we continue to build a schedule that supports both strong academics and our unique magnet offerings. We're proud of the teamwork that made this Pilot Day a success and grateful to our teachers, staff, and students for their adaptability and effort.

Stay tuned—more updates on next year’s schedule will be shared soon!

-Principal Carter

During our recent Master Schedule Pilot Day, our teachers were thrilled to see classrooms nearly full and hallways completely clear by 7:40 AM. It made a noticeable impact on classroom focus and instruction—and we want to keep that energy going every day for the remainder of the school year!

A friendly reminder: Instruction at Parker begins promptly at 7:30 AM.

This has been our schedule all year, and arriving on time ensures students get the full benefit of every school day. When students enter the building, they still need time to:

• Walk across our large campus,

• Grab and eat breakfast,

• And (if it’s their Magnet day) drop off their instrument.

• 
  

These steps can take several minutes, so arriving even a little late can lead to a rushed, stressful start for students.

New Update: Doors Open at 6:45 AM

To support our families and give everyone more time to arrive and settle, we will begin opening the building at 6:45 AM starting this week. This provides a full 45-minute window to get students inside and ready before instruction begins.

Carpool Gate Closes Promptly at 7:25 AM
To maintain a smooth and safe transition into the school day, the carpool gate will now close at 7:25 AM sharp.

Beat the Rush + Protect Our Budget

Here’s a fun fact—with a real impact: Just this past week we spent $3,000 on Raptor badge labels used for required tardy slips. That’s money we could be using for instructional resources, materials for our classrooms, or student enrichment.

Being on time doesn’t just benefit your child’s learning—it helps us protect valuable resources for all students.

Parking & Drop-Off Reminders

For the safety of our students and community, please remember:

• The front of the school building (coned area) is a NO PARKING / NO DROP-OFF ZONE (marked by city signage)from 7:00–9:00 AM and 2:00–4:00 PM.

• The area in front of the staff parking lot is for loading and unloading only (marked by city signage). Vehicles may not park or be left unattended here.

• If you plan to walk your child up, please park along the neighborhood side streets or near Westbury Park—not directly in front of the school.

Staff will be present to help safely escort students from cars to the building in designated drop-off zones.

Pro Tip:

The busiest time for drop-off is between 7:18–7:25 AM. Arriving earlier helps your child start their day smoothly—and saves you time too!

Thank you for helping us prioritize safety, timeliness, and learning. Let’s finish the year strong—together!

-Parker Admin Team

Families of students with excessive absences were sent home with an Attendance Credit Recovery letter on Friday, May 9. These students are currently at risk of being required to attend summer school due to attendance—not academic performance.

To help students recover lost credit, Parker Elementary is implementing Attendance Credit Recovery through IXL. Affected students must complete assigned IXL activities outside of school hours between May 5 and May 20, 2025, to be removed from the summer school list for attendance-related reasons.

🔹 What You Need to Know:

• Letters have been sent home.

• Ms. Milan (registrar) and your child’s homeroom teacher will be reaching out to ensure you are informed.

• Students are required to complete a specific number of recovery hours in IXL, based on the number of absences.

• All work must be completed outside of regular school hours.

• Only on-grade-level or above IXL skills will count toward recovery.

If you have any questions or need help accessing IXL at home, please reach out to your child’s teacher or contact Ms. Milan directly.

Yaneth Milan - yaneth.milan@houstonisd.org

Registrar, Parker Elementary

Summer School is just around the corner, and we’re here to make sure our Parker families have all the information they need. Below you’ll find details about location, schedules, transportation, eligibility, and more.

📍 Location & Contact Information

Parker students will attend summer school at:
Tinsley Elementary
11035 Bob White Dr, Houston, TX 77096
Summer School Principal: Dr. Jose Lopez | jlopez16@houstonisd.org

🗓 Dates: June 11– July 18, 2025 (Monday–Friday)
🕖 Campus Hours: 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📚 Instructional Hours: 8:00 AM – 2:30 PM

Other schools served at the Tinsley site include: Bell ES, Elrod ES, Anderson ES, Foerster ES, Red ES, and Gross ES.

🍎 Daily Schedule Highlights

K–2 Sample Schedule

• Breakfast: 7:15–7:55 AM

• SOR, Reading/Writing, Science, Math

• Lunch Block: Either 11:00–11:30 AM or 12:30–1:00 PM

• Enrichment/Social Studies: 1:00–2:30 PM

3–8 Sample Schedule

• Breakfast: 7:15–7:55 AM

• ELA, Math, Science

• Lunch Block: Either 11:00–11:30 AM or 12:30–1:00 PM

• Enrichment/Social Studies: 1:00–2:30 PM

Final schedules will be shared by the summer school team prior to the start of the program.

🚌 Transportation

• Transportation will be provided from Parker to Tinsley and back.

• A hub model will also be available, allowing families to drop students off at designated nearby schools (Bell ES, Elrod ES, Anderson ES, Foerster ES, Red ES, and Gross ES.)

• Specific bus stop times will be communicated closer to the start of Summer School.

• All 1st–8th grade students qualify for transportation.

• Pre-K/K students in the EB (Emergent Bilingual) program must be dropped off and picked up by a parent.

🧃 Meals

Free breakfast and lunch will be provided daily for all students enrolled in Summer School.

🎯 Who Should Attend?

Summer school serves the following student groups:

Required Attendance:

• Students in grades 1–8 who did not meet promotion standards in academics or attendance

• Students with disabilities who require extended-year services

Optional Attendance (with Invitation):

• Pre-K and Kinder students in the EB program

• Students scoring below the 30th percentile on MAP assessments or those showing limited academic growth

Families received Summer School eligibility letters on May 9, 2025.
To opt in, families must respond by May 19, 2025.
Confirmation of enrollment will be sent by May 23, 2025.

📌 Attendance-Based Summer School

Students identified for summer school due to excessive absences must recover instructional time to meet promotion standards.

• Students may not exceed 10% absences in a class.

• If absences total 10–25%, the student may complete the Principal’s Plan.

• If absences total 26% or more, they must complete an Attendance Appeal.

• Students must also have a final average of 70 or higher to qualify for credit recovery.

• Students who do not meet these requirements will be retained.

➡️ Appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If you have questions, please contact Ms. Milan at Parker.

📘 Instruction & Curriculum

• The curriculum is being developed centrally by Houston ISD.

• All materials will be printed and delivered to each site by the district.

• The focus will be on:

  • Reteaching and strengthening grade-level skills

  • Language acquisition (for Pre-K/K EB students)

  • Enrichment and hands-on learning experiences

• Special Education services will be provided per each student’s IEP.

• Departmentalization (rotating subjects) for grades 2–5 will be decided at the host campus level.

📣 Final Reminders

• Questions? Contact Ms. Milan at Parker

• Transportation details and individual schedules will be shared soon.

We had a wonderful time with author Kari Lavelle at Parker last week! 📚

Parker families, your voice matters! Houston ISD is inviting all parents and guardians to complete the 2024–2025 Title I, Part A Parent and Family Engagement Survey — open now through Friday, June 6, 2025.

This annual survey helps us understand how well schools are partnering with families and how we can improve our engagement efforts to better support your child’s learning experience.

🗓 Open Dates: May 5 – June 6, 2025
🌍 Available Languages: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, and Mandarin Chinese
📝 Survey Link: Houston ISD Title I, Part A Parent and Family Engagement Survey, 2024–2025

Families can choose their preferred language once they access the link. Please note: the survey must be completed online to ensure accurate data collection.

We truly value your input and encourage every Parker parent or guardian to participate. Let’s work together to make Parker even better!

For questions about the survey, you may contact Ngozi Kamau at nkamau@houstonisd.org.

May-June Character Education Theme: Integrity

Week 1 - Having Integrity is about telling the truth, even when no one is watching. This week, be honest with yourself and others. When you have integrity, people trust you, because they know you are truthful and honest.

Week 2 – Having Integrity is doing the right thing, even when it's hard. This week, choose to do what is right. When you have integrity, people trust you, because they can rely on you to do what is right.

Week 3- Having integrity means keeping your promises. This week, keep the promises you make.

Week 4- Having Integrity is taking responsibility. It’s about owning up to your mistakes and making things right. It's being brave and fixing what went wrong. This week, take responsibility for your actions and use what you learned to do better next time.

Week 5-Having Integrity is being fair. It is treating everyone the same, no matter how they look or where they come from. It's like wearing fairness as a superhero cape. This summer, make it a goal to be fair and kind to everyone you meet. Whether you're playing games, spending time with friends, or meeting new people, aim to treat everyone equally and create a positive and friendly environment at home, in your school and in your community.

Teacher Appreciation 💚🩷

Our first two days were a hit! The fun of showing our teachers and staff how much we appreciate them continues. Please visit https://parkerpto.membershiptoolkit.com/teacherappreciation to learn how PTO is celebrating our teachers and how you can support.

Parker Elementary families — don’t wait! ✏️

It's the same nightmare every year... crowded stores, missing supplies, long checkout lines!

This year, skip the chaos and order everything in one click with 1st Day School Supplies 👉 Order here: 1stDay.sale/104115

Get the exact supplies, guaranteed. Order today and avoid the last minute scramble! All school supplies will be delivered to the classrooms before the first day. You'll need to order by July 1st.

PTO Meeting is May 15th

Come to the Parker Cafeteria to meet your PTO board and hear important updates. Childcare is provided for all, and food is guaranteed to those who RSVP by the deadline.

1️⃣RSVP here for dinner by Wednesday, May 14.

2️⃣If you can't make it in person, join us virtually! Virtual attendee meeting pro-tip: Since in-person attendees are grabbing dinner and a seat, be ready for the meeting to begin around 6:15.

Music Contributions Update

Thank you to everyone who has already paid—43.7% of student music contributions have been received so far! Your support plays a vital role in keeping our music program strong.

If you haven't already done so, you can pay your student's music contribution here.

If you received a reminder letter but have already paid, I apologize. Thank you for your patience as Parker Friends and the school, work to improve the process for sending out reminder letters.

Feel free to email me at: julie@parkerfriends.org if you'd like payment confirmation or have any questions

May 2025

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Mental Health Awareness Month

May 12th -16th

IRT #4 Window

May 12th

Chat & Chew w/ Principal Carter (8am only)

Performing Strings Concert (6pm-7pm)

May 13th

Youngest and Oldest Rehearsal (8:15 - 9:15am)

Elements of Music Concert (1:30pm-2:30pm)

Beginning Strings Concert (4pm-5pm)

May 14th

2nd-5th Grade Guitar Concert (6pm-7pm)

May 15th

4th Grade Piano Concert (1:30-2:30)

May 16th

8th Grade Fun Friday (8am-9:30)

PTO General Meeting (6pm)

May 18th

National Speech Pathologist Day

May 19th

Youngest and Oldest Concert (8:15)

Intermediate Strings Concert (4pm)

May 20th

Kinder - 5th MATH EOY NWEA MAP TEST

May 21st

2nd - 5th ELAR EOY NWEA MAP TEST

May 22nd

2nd - 5th SCIENCE EOY NWEA MAP TEST

Emergent Bilingual Celebration

May 23rd

2nd - 3rd ELA BILINGUAL NWEA TEST

2nd Grade Piano Concert (1:30pm)

5th Grade Fun Day Actvities

Sciavolino Student Recital (3:30pm)

Annual Fire Alarm Inspection (5:30pm)