Week of May 18th

🎬 NHE Families!

The first day of school is almost here, and we are excited to welcome our Knights back to campus! We look forward to seeing all families at Meet the Teacher this afternoon, August 11, and welcoming students for the first day of school on Thursday, August 13.

We had a wonderful Popsicles on the Playground event on Sunday! It was great seeing so many of our students and families reconnect, enjoy time together, and share in the excitement of a new school year. A special thank you to our amazing PTA for organizing and supporting such a successful event and for all they do for our Nottingham community!

Our teachers and staff have been working hard to prepare classrooms, finalize plans, and make sure our campus is ready for an amazing start. As we begin the year, thank you for your partnership, patience, and support. This week's updates are below.

📅 Important Dates

Meet the Teacher
Tuesday, August 11
4:30–6:00 p.m.

We look forward to seeing everyone as students meet their teachers and families reconnect before the first day of school!

First Day of School
Thursday, August 13

⏰ School Hours

K–5th Grade: 7:55 a.m. – 3:05 p.m.

Students should arrive on time each day so they are ready to begin learning promptly.

🚪 First Two Days of School

Parents are welcome to escort students to their classrooms on Thursday, August 13 and Friday, August 14. To help us begin instruction smoothly, all visitors will need to exit the building by 8:15 a.m.

Thank you for helping us establish strong instructional routines from the very beginning!

🚗 Arrival, Dismissal & Safety

The first few days always require a little extra patience as everyone learns our routines. A few reminders will help us keep arrival and dismissal safe and efficient:

• Please do not allow your student(s) to walk through the parking lot unattended.
• Students should exit and enter from the passenger side of the vehicle for a safer and smoother car-line exit.
• Please pull forward as far as possible in the car line to help us load and unload more vehicles efficiently.
• Parents walking students to campus should use the designated crosswalks at all times.
• For afternoon pickup, please plan to arrive at 2:45 p.m.
• Please remain patient with our car rider and bus lines as routines become more efficient during the first few days.

Thank you for helping us keep traffic moving safely and smoothly!

🚲 Bike & Campus Safety

We are excited to share that we have added more bike racks this year to better accommodate our students who ride their bikes to school!

Please continue reminding your child to:

• Always wear a helmet.
• Walk bikes while on school sidewalks.
• Stay alert and follow campus safety expectations.

Drivers, please remain distraction-free and watch carefully for students, pedestrians, and bicyclists during arrival and dismissal. Thank you for helping keep our Knights safe!

⭐ iKids U After-School Program

Registration is now open for iKids U After-School at Nottingham! Families can choose from 1–5 day schedules with Stay & Play, enrichment activities, homework assistance, and one-on-one options designed to fit your family's needs.

For questions, contact 713-665-5200, email support@ikidsinc.com, or visit www.ikidsinc.com.

🍽️ Lunch Visitors

We look forward to welcoming parents for lunch beginning Monday, August 31. Additional information regarding lunch visits will be shared with families.

💙 Ready for an Amazing Year!

Our staff is excited and ready to welcome our Knights back! Thank you for entrusting us with your children and for partnering with us to make Nottingham a safe, welcoming, and engaging place to learn.

We can't wait to see our students Thursday morning and begin an incredible year of learning, growth, and success!

Knights, Camera... Action! 🎬

With Knight Pride,

Dr. Wright

Hi NHE Families,

The first day of school is almost here! Here are some back-to-school tips to help your family ensure a smooth start.

-Establish Routines Early- Begin regular bedtimes, morning routines, and mealtimes a week or two before school starts. Predictable routines help children feel safe and prepared.

-Create a Calm Morning Plan- Mornings can be stressful: prepare clothes, backpacks, and lunches the night before to ease the rush.

-Talk Positively About School- Show excitement about the new year. Avoid sharing your own worries or past negative experiences. Kids take their emotional cues from you.

-Encourage Independence- Practice skills like tying shoes, packing/unpacking their backpack, or opening lunch containers. This helps build confidence at school.

-Reconnect with Friends- If possible, arrange a playdate with a classmate or visit the school playground. Familiar faces and places help ease first-day jitters.

-Listen to Their Feelings- Let your child express their hopes, worries, or questions. Normalize nervous feelings and remind them it’s okay to need time to adjust.

-Communicate with School- Stay in touch with teachers, staff, and me. We’re here to support your child and your family!

-Limit Screen Time Before Bed- Help kids wind down with quiet activities like reading, drawing, or talking about their day.

-Celebrate the Wins—Big and Small- Praise effort, kindness, and resilience, not just grades or achievements. A little encouragement goes a long way!

Let’s see those First Day of School pictures! We would love to spotlight your student’s special back-to-school memories in the yearbook, so please send your photos to Nottingham.Elementary.Yearbook@gmail.com.

As the school year continues, be sure to keep sharing photos from school events and various celebrations with the NHE PTA Yearbook Committee. We want all students featured in the yearbook!

The district submission window for the SBISD Summer Reading Challenge has closed, but there is still time to turn in your child's reading minutes to be counted within our campus.

You may submit your child's reading minutes through Friday, August 21 by emailing their reading log to Ms. Henao at sandra.henao@springbranchisd.com or have your child turn in the reading log at school.

SBISD offers bus transportation for eligible students! Families are encouraged to visit the district website to find their student’s bus route information before the start of school. Having this information on hand will also be helpful at Meet the Teacher, since parents will be asked how their student plans to get home after school each day!

SBISD families now have one convenient, connected way to stay informed! Instead of using multiple websites, apps, and communication tools, the Spring Branch ISD TX app brings important school and district information together in one place. With the app, families can access:

• District and school websites
• Live Feed stories, celebrations, and announcements
• School calendars, events, and important resources
• Emergency alerts and timely notifications
• Personalized notifications based on your interests
• Secure classroom-to-family communication through Rooms, including two-way messaging with your child’s teachers and school staff

To log in to the Spring Branch ISD TX app, families should use the email address and phone number on file in Skyward Family Access. During annual registration, please review and update your contact information to make sure you receive important school and district communications. For more information, visit the SBISD communications website!

To help everyone start the school year smoothly, families are encouraged to review SBISD’s dress code guidelines. Students should come to school in clothing that is comfortable and appropriate for a full day of learning! A few important reminders for elementary students:

• Students should wear tennis shoes on days they participate in health fitness classes. Sandals, flip-flops, and Crocs are not permitted at any time.
• Shoes with built-in wheels are not allowed.
• Clothing should not include inappropriate language, images, or references to tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or gang-related symbols. Please avoid crop tops and spaghetti straps.
• Hats, caps, bandanas, hairnets, trench coats, dusters, and hoods worn over the head are not permitted during the school day. Hats are only allowed if given as an incentive by teachers or during specific school events.
• Costumes and costume accessories are not allowed unless they are part of an approved school event.

The district may also restrict clothing or grooming that interferes with safety or the school day. Families can find complete dress code information in the 2026-2027 SBISD Student/Parent Handbook (English)/2026-2027 SBISD Student/Parent Handbook (Spanish)!

SBISD uses SchoolCafé to help families easily manage their student’s meal account in one convenient place! Through SchoolCafé, you can make payments, set up Auto Pay, create purchase restrictions, receive low balance alerts, submit meal applications, apply for benefits, view letters, review purchases, and explore school menus. It's a helpful tool for staying informed and managing your student’s cafeteria account throughout the school year! We look forward to welcoming parents and guardians to join their student(s) for lunch beginning Monday, August 31, 2026!

SBISD uses Skyward Family Access which is a password-protected site that provides both parents and students access to course grades, homework, attendance, and other important data! Families can find their student’s teacher assignment in Skyward Family Access under the "Schedule" section. Contact Kimberly Muckridge, NHE Attendance Specialist, at kimberly.muckridge@springbranchisd.com for more information on how to sign up for Skyward Family Access. There's an app! The app is available through Apple, Amazon, and Google app stores and is compatible with Apple and Android mobile devices.

To help us keep every student safe and healthy, please review the NHE clinic information and submit any required forms no later than Wednesday, August 12, 2026. The nurses are on campus each day from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Please update your student’s medical information in Skyward Family Access as soon as possible. It is very important that the nurse is aware of any medical conditions or alerts for your student. You may share this information with Nurse Kelli by email at kelli.atkinson@springbranchisd.com or during a scheduled visit.

All prescription and non-prescription medications require a completed form each school year, signed by the parent and/or physician, as applicable. The clinic does not stock medication and students may not self-carry medication unless it is emergency medication accompanied by a physician’s order. All medication must be delivered to the clinic in its original labeled container. If your child needs to self-carry emergency medication on campus, please complete the required form(s) below:

• Asthma
• Asthma Action Plan
• Anaphylaxis
• Anaphylaxis Action Plan
• Seizures
• Seizure Action Plan
• Diabetes (There is no need to complete SBISD's diabetes form if you are submitting a diabetes order packet from Texas Children’s Hospital or another endocrinology specialist.)

Although the NHE SPARK Park area is currently closed, some students and families have still been entering the space despite posted signage and locked gates. Dr. Wright has asked that we help remind our community to please respect the closure and avoid entering the SPARK Park area over the next two weeks. This is important to help protect the new surface and ensure the project is completed successfully. Thank you for your cooperation and support!

Need to change your student's way home? No problem! If your student requires a change in transportation, please email the request to nhe@springbranchisd.com and your student's teacher before 1:00 p.m. to help ensure the change is received and communicated before dismissal. Please include your student’s name, grade, teacher, and change of transportation on the email.

The first day of school for the 2026-2027 school year is August 13, 2026! Regular school hours are 7:55 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and the front office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Student drop-off begins at 7:30 a.m., and students may not be left unattended before that time. Please note that students arriving after 7:55 a.m. must be walked in and signed in by a parent or guardian. A valid ID is required for sign-in. On the first two days of school only, parents may walk their student to class and need to exit the building by 8:15 a.m. We look forward to welcoming our students back for a great year at NHE!

Open House will be held on September 10, 2026 at 4:30-6:00 p.m.! This event gives parents and guardians an opportunity to visit the school, learn more about their child’s classroom experience, and hear directly from teachers about routines, expectations, and curriculum for the year. It is a valuable chance to strengthen home-school connections and gain a better understanding of what students will be learning throughout the school year. Preordered spirit wear items will also be available for pickup at Open House! Only limited extra inventory will be available for purchase. Stay after for the first NHE PTA General Membership meeting of the year at 6:15-7:15 p.m. in the NHE cafeteria where proposed amendments to the PTA budget, Bylaws, and Standing Rules will be presented and the membership vote will take place at that time. The current NHE PTA Bylaws and Standing Rules may be reviewed here. We look forward to seeing you there!

Primary Gifted Program (PGP): Gifted/Talented-identified Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students participate in PGP classes on their home campus one day each week. For the 2026-2027 school year, these students receive additional support and enrichment on Tuesday at NHE, along with differentiated learning in their regular classroom every day of the week.

Spring Branch Program for Improving Reasoning and Accelerating Learning (SPIRAL): Gifted/Talented-identified 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students attend SPIRAL classes at Bendwood Elementary one day each week, with SBISD bus transportation provided to and from the home campus. For the 2026-2027 school year, NHE’s assigned day is Tuesday. Bendwood’s school hours are 8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

The Gifted/Talented referral and evaluation process begins in the fall of Kindergarten. Families interested in learning more may attend the online webinar, “Should I Refer My Child for Gifted Services”, on September 16, 2026 from 6:00-6:45 p.m. Evaluations take place from October through January at NHE, and results will be shared through Skyward Family Access by March 1, 2027. More information for how parents and guardians may submit an online referral coming soon!

The NHE PTA was delighted to treat our wonderful staff to lunch from Jason’s Deli for the back-to-school staff luncheon as we kicked off the new school year. We hope everyone felt celebrated and appreciated! A special thank you to the NHE PTA Hospitality Committee for helping start another great year together!

The NHE PTA Popsicles on the Playground was a hot, but oh so much fun evening! It was wonderful to meet our incoming Kindergarteners, new students, and their families as we welcomed everyone to the NHE community. A special thank you to the NHE PTA Family Engagement Committee and to everyone who POPped by!

The PTA Big Form is your one-stop shop for getting connected, and supporting our PTA and school community. Through the Big Form, which opened August 1, 2026, parents and guardians can renew or purchase a PTA membership, check out upcoming volunteer opportunities, order a birthday or 5th grade graduation marquee sign, explore Knighthood Fund donation opportunities, and more.

Have five minutes?! Parents and guardians are encouraged to create a Membership Toolkit account and complete the Big Form. It's a quick and easy way to remain informed, get involved, and stay connected to school events and activities throughout the year!

Texas PTA recognizes Local PTAs each month through its Monthly Membership Awards which are automatically based on membership totals reported by each month's deadline. August’s focus is the Head Start Award which encourages PTAs to jump-start the year by reaching at least 85% of the previous year’s final membership total!

NHE PTA finished the 2025-2026 school year with 651 members, including an exceptional 19% increase in membership from the year before. To earn the August Head Start Award, our goal is to have 554 members join or renew their NHE PTA membership this month and we are a little more than halfway to our goal. We would love your help in getting there! Please register today!

School is back in session, and it is time for moms to celebrate! Join your fellow NHE mamacitas for our annual back-to-school Mamacitas' Knight Out parent-hosted fiesta on August 15, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. This event is currently sold out, but if you would like to be added to the waitlist, please contact fundraising@nottinghampta.org!

Host Families: Julianna and Trey Crain, Stephanie and Jared Flynn, Allie and Russell Hodges, Brandee and Frank Johnson, Ashlee and Kevin Menchaca, Giovanna and Matt Molina, Lori and Bobby Zabor

Join us for our first NHE PTA General Membership Meeting of the school year on September 10, 2026, following Open House! The NHE PTA Executive Board is recommending a proposed amendment to the PTA Bylaws and Standing Rules to streamline the Executive Board structure and focus membership on officers and key governance roles. The Standing Rules would also be updated to reflect these changes and ensure consistency between the organization’s governing documents.

In accordance with PTA requirements, and in the interest of full transparency, this information is being shared with the NHE PTA General Membership at least 30 days prior to the vote. The proposed NHE PTA Bylaws and Standing Rules amendments can be found here and will be presented at the first General Membership Meeting. The membership vote will take place at that time. The current NHE PTA Bylaws and Standing Rules may be reviewed here. We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us for the SBEF Style Show & Luncheon on September 11, 2026 at The Post Oak Hotel for one of SBEF’s signature fundraising events supporting SBISD students and educators. This year’s theme, Round Top on the Runway, promises a fun and festive afternoon of fashion and philanthropy. We hope you will make plans to attend this special event in support of our schools!

Support NHE in a simple way that costs you nothing extra! Box Tops for Education makes it easy for families and community members to help raise money for our school without making a direct donation or volunteering time. Just download the Box Tops app, select Nottingham Elementary, and scan your grocery receipts to earn cash for our school on eligible purchases. You can learn more about how to earn and start supporting NHE right away. NHE has historically received more than $14,000 through this program, so every receipt truly makes a difference. Thank you for helping support our students and school community!

But wait, there's more! Your PTA membership gives you access to exclusive discount offers! Click here to access your discount codes!

Show your school spirit and celebrate our nation all year long! For just $60 per year, NHE dads will place an American flag in your yard for each of the six major patriotic holidays. All proceeds directly support the NHE PTA. This program is available to all homes zoned to Nottingham. Sign up for your flag today!

If you preordered school supplies in May through Educational Products, your student’s supplies will be delivered directly to the classroom and will be ready and waiting at Meet the Teacher on August 11, 2026. If you missed the deadline to preorder packaged school supplies, no worries! Please refer to the 2026-2027 Nottingham Elementary school supply list to purchase the needed items before the first day of school. For questions or assistance, please contact the NHE PTA School Supply Chair at nheschoolsupplies@nottinghampta.org.

Show your NHE spirit with our Spirit Wear collection! Some of our spirit wear items are ordered through specialty vendors, so those items must have been preordered by August 2, 2026. These preorder items will be available for pickup at Open House on September 10, 2026. Only limited extra inventory will be available for purchase at Open House, so ordering early was encouraged!

Other spirit wear items are available for purchase year-round in our online store! For additional t-shirts and bags, please visit our secondary store through a third-party vendor; those items will ship directly to you! All sales are final. Thank you for supporting the NHE Knights and the PTA!

All volunteers must be a SBISD approved volunteer! Click to register with SBISD and remember, you must re-register every school year. To volunteer for PTA sponsored activities, please join the PTA! Don't forget your ID. You must show your ID and sign-in at the NHE Front Office each time you volunteer. Review the Important Reminders and Guidelines information.

Volunteer sign-ups are officially open on the NHE PTA Volunteers website! As we prepare to welcome students back on August 13, 2026, we are looking for back-to-school volunteers through August 28, 2026 to help make the first few weeks of school smooth, welcoming, and successful for everyone. Please sign-up today and partner with us in giving our students an outstanding start to an amazing year at NHE!

It's raining men! WATCH D.O.G.S.® (Dads of Great Students) is a nationally recognized family and community engagement program that brings positive male role models onto campus to support students and help promote a safe, welcoming school environment. Mark your calendars! Sign-ups for WATCH D.O.G.S. will open at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 26, 2026 for the fall semester only.

Because this is one of NHE's most popular volunteer opportunities, each male role model may volunteer one time during the school year in an effort to keep the availability fair and equitable for all families. If you volunteer in the fall as a Watch D.O.G.S., you will not be eligible to volunteer again in the spring. A second opportunity to sign-up will be offered in January for the spring semester for those who have not yet served! Additional volunteer opportunities, such as lunch, recess, the Art Room, and more, are available to all parents and guardians, and provide a wonderful way to engage with your student and our school community!

SBISD Reading Buddies meet 1:1 with a 2nd grader for 30 minutes a week to increase the students’ reading level while developing a lifelong love of literacy. Volunteer training, resources, and continued supports are provided by Spring Branch ISD!

SpringBoard is SBISD's longstanding mentoring program that matches a student “on the brink of success” with a caring adult mentor to be a role model, advocate, and friend. Mentors meet with students 1:1 for 30-45 minutes a week and provide young people with the gift of hope and a vision of success!

7/4 - Ms. Joshi

7/5 - Ms. A. Smith

7/9 - Ms. Nazari

7/13 - Coach Feketi

7/15 - Ms. Hadebe

7/16 - Ms. Aitken

7/20 - Ms. Lancaster

7/29 - Ms. Maynard

8/2 - Ms. Bagos

8/9 - Ms. Brennan

8/9 - Dr. Wright

8/18 - Ms. Blanchard

8/20 - Ms. Muniz

8/29 - Ms. De La Garza

8/11/2026 - NHE Meet the Teacher

8/13/2026 - SBISD First Day of School

8/15/2026 - 🎫NHE PTA Mamacitas' Knight Out

8/26 - NHE PTA Watch D.O.G.S. Volunteer Sign-Up Opens

9/7/2026 - SBISD No School - Labor Day Holiday

9/10/2026 - NHE Open House and NHE PTA General Membership Meeting

9/11/2026 - 🎫SBEF Style Show and Luncheon

9/16 - SBISD Gifted and Talented: "Should I Refer My Child for Gifted Services" Online Webinar

9/23/2026 - NHE Early Dismissal - Staff Development

*🎫 - ticketed event

President: Cassie McClung, president@nottinghampta.org

VP Programs: Alex Brock, programs@nottinghampta.org

VP Arts and Education: Jennifer Brown, artsandedu@nottinghampta.org

VP Volunteers: Jessica Merritt, volunteers@nottinghampta.org

VP Communications: Michelle Klovans, vp_communications@nottinghampta.org

VP Fundraising: Natalie Hightower, fundraising@nottinghampta.org

Treasurer: Maggie Reyes, treasurer@nottinghampta.org

Secretary: Dawn Rasch, secretary@nottinghampta.org

GroupMe is an optional communication app not sponsored by the school or PTA. It is a great resource to stay connected with other NHE parents and guardians that are in your student's specific grade level! There is a GroupMe for each grade level at NHE! Download the app and click to join:

• Kindergarten
• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade
• NHE PGP and SPIRAL
• SBISD SPIRAL
• SBISD Scholastic Chess Club

Never miss a Knightly News edition! As a NHE PTA member, you have access to our Knightly News webpage through Membership Toolkit. Login on your phone or computer to view each of our editions. Access them here!