May 17, 2026

This week, our students will participate in the final assessment of the 2025–2026 school year: the End-of-Year NWEA MAP Assessment. Throughout the entire year, Parker has remained focused on one major goal — student growth. We are incredibly proud of the hard work our students, teachers, and families have put in to help every child grow academically and confidently.

Our campus-wide growth goals for NWEA MAP are:

• Reading Growth: 75th Percentile
• Math Growth: 70th Percentile
• Science Growth: 75th Percentile
• SPED Growth: 60th Percentile

The testing schedule can be found below.

These will be Closed Campus Days to ensure a quiet and focused testing environment for all students.

At Parker, we take NWEA MAP testing just as seriously as STAAR because it allows us to measure how much our students have learned and grown throughout the year. We ask families to help support students by ensuring they:

• Get a good night’s rest
• Arrive to school on time for a smooth, stress-free morning
• Eat a healthy breakfast
• Take their time and try their very best

Most importantly, we want students to know this assessment is about celebrating growth and progress. Our goal is for every student to show how much they have improved from the beginning of the year to now.

To celebrate student growth, the Parker Student Council helped create a special recognition plan centered around effort, achievement, and academic growth.

Each class will work to show as much growth as possible in:

• Math (Grades K–5)
• Reading (Grades 2–5)
• Science (Grades 2–5)

Classes with the highest growth in each grade level will receive:
🏆 A Growth Trophy
👕 A Free Dress Pass

In addition, any class that meets the following campus growth goals will also be recognized:

• Math: 70th percentile or higher
• Reading: 75th percentile or higher
• Science: 75th percentile or higher

Thank you for your continued partnership and support throughout this school year. We are excited to celebrate the incredible academic growth our students have made together.

Let’s finish strong, Parker!

It's that time of year! We're asking all HISD families to complete the Annual Student Update (ASU) — your chance to verify and update your contact information and complete important districtwide forms before the new school year begins.

Completing your ASU now means a smoother, stress-free start to the school year for your family.

The Priority deadline to complete is June 4th!

To begin, click on the link below and follow the "Current Student" pathway.

https://apps.hisd-survey.org/surveys/enrollment

The ASU includes:

• Updated family and emergency contact information
• Beginning-of-year districtwide required forms
• Other important information to support your student

It only takes a few minutes — don't wait! Families who complete the ASU early are set up for a seamless first day of school.

Thank you for partnering with us to make the 2026-2027 a great year! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the front office at 713.726.3634.

As we prepare for our end-of-year Awards Ceremonies, please take a moment to review the following important information:

Some general awards presented at ceremony will include:

• Parker Proud Certificate
• Parker Honor Roll Certificate
• Principal’s Honor Roll Certificate
• Perfect Attendance Certificates
• NWEA Growth Certificate

Special Awards

• Safety Patrol
• Student Council
• GT Expo Finalists
• Music Awards
• 5th Grade Diplomas

Performance Hall Logistics

• Balloon Reminder: Balloons are not permitted in the Performance Hall.
• Stroller Parking: Strollers must be parked in the main hallway.
• Food/Drink: No food, drinks, sippy cups, baby bottles, or candy are allowed inside the Performance Hall.

PreK & 5th Grade Ceremony Specifics

• Each student will receive 4 tickets for guests. Infants seated in laps do not require a ticket.
• Reserved Seating: Designated for PTO auction winners.
• Tickets will not be reissued if lost.

Kinder-4th Grade Ceremony Specifics

• Each student may receive 2 tickets for guests. Infants seated in laps do not require a ticket.
• Reserved Seating: Designated for PTO auction winners.
• Tickets will not be reissued if lost.

Dismissal Procedures

• Sign-Outs: Parents may sign students out before the ceremony on a class roster provided by the front office. After the ceremony, students will return to their classrooms and be released once called over the intercom.
• Sibling Checkout Policy: If a parent chooses to sign out a sibling not involved in the ceremony, the sibling must be checked out after 9:30 a.m. (ADA time) and must go home for the remainder of the day. Students may not attend an award ceremony for a grade level they are not part of.
• Seating Notice: Due to limited seating and fire code compliance, additional seating in aisles or walkways is not permitted.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in making these celebrations memorable and safe for our students and families. Let’s finish the year strong!

As we celebrate the final week of school for our amazing 5th graders, we are inviting all 5th grade students to wear a t-shirt representing the middle school they will attend next year on Tuesday, June 2nd!

This special day is a fun way to build excitement, celebrate their next chapter, and honor the incredible journey our students have had at Parker. We cannot wait to see our future middle school scholars proudly representing their new campuses!

Once a Parker Lion, always a Parker Lion! 🦁

Families, this is a friendly reminder to check your child’s summer school notification. If your child is required, recommended, or invited to attend, you should have received a physical letter and a survey link to confirm attendance, campus assignment, and transportation needs.

Please take a few minutes to review the information and complete the survey as soon as possible to secure your child’s spot.

Summer school runs June 10 through July 17, Monday through Friday, with holidays on June 19 and July 2–3. Keep in mind that campuses are hubbed during the summer, so your child’s assigned site may be different from their home campus. Contact your home campus if you need support!

Join us Friday, May 29th from 7:40-8:05 in the cafeteria for our Middle School Transition Meeting. This will be an informative session with parent representatives from MPVA, Pin Oak, Baylor College of Medicine Academy, and Pershing as we discuss the transition from elementary to middle school. Learn what to expect, how to prepare, and how to support your child through this exciting next step. The panel will discuss general topics and answer questions, so no matter where your child is going to middle school, you'll get some good information.

There will be concurrent parent and student sessions. This meeting will conclude before the 5th grade field trip.

The session will be streamed on Teams, recorded and made available for later viewing. Click here to register for the virtual session.

any questions

To accommodate parents who can't be here in person, we're collecting questions in advance to ensure everyone gets their questions answered. Click here to submit your questions.

Let’s get ready for middle school—together!

Reach out to Heather Grosso at hgrosso@houstonisd.org if you have any questions.

Houston ISD Nutrition Services is offering a free Food Systems Summer Camp for students in grades 3–8, running from June 10 through July 17. Campers will get hands-on experience learning how food moves from farm to table through gardening, cooking, and sustainability projects.

The program also includes field trips across Houston, where students can meet chefs, explore urban farms, and discover careers in food and agriculture. Camp runs from 8:00 AM to 2:40 PM, with breakfast and lunch provided at multiple locations serving up to 40 students per site. This is a fun, interactive way for students to build real-world skills and connect with food in a meaningful way. Get Registered Here!

Parker will be loaning Chromebooks to returning students to support summer learning.

It’s important for students to practice skills this summer to prevent learning loss. We don’t want lack of available technology to keep students from using HISD online resources this summer.

This program is only available to returning Parker students.

There are a limited number of Chromebooks available. If you’re interested, please use this link to register by May 29th.

Ms. Grosso will contact families the week of June 1st to schedule technology pick up.

HISD’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) team is inviting the HISD families to HISD Day at Children’s Museum on Monday, June 8. HISD Day will be between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for a day filled with hands-on exhibits, interactive play zones, and endless fun for both children and adults from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring your HISD student to play, learn, and be with their friends to kick off the summer.

FACE asks families to register and attend during one of the following time slots:

• 10 a.m. to noon
• Noon to 2 p.m.
• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
  
  Families must Sign up for your preferred time slot Children's Museum Houston (blackbaudhosting.com). Space is limited, so don’t delay! Families who register will receive a digital ticket and should bring it with them for entry to the museum.

May-June Character Education Theme: Integrity

May 4-8 - 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.

May 11-15 - 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.

May 18-22 - Having Integrity means keeping your promises. This week, keep the promises you make.

May 25-29 - 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.

June 1-4 - 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.

-Susan Carlock, School Counselor

Join us for our final PTO meeting of the school year on Thursday, May 21! We’ll hear summer updates from Ms. Grosso, get the latest updates, vote on the new PTO board slate, and say farewell and thank you to our outgoing board members.

Please RSVP by Tuesday to guarantee dinner. You are still welcome to attend without an RSVP, but meals will only be provided for those who sign up in time.

👉 RSVP Here: https://parkerpto.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/376670

We can’t wait to see you!

✏️ Order School Supplies Now

Start next school year feeling prepared and stress-free! When you order through 1st Day School Supplies, you’ll receive the exact teacher-approved supply list, packaged and delivered before the first day of school.

One less thing to worry about and an easy way to start the year off right.

👉 Order Here: https://1stdayschoolsupplies.com/gs/104115

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Jeanette Mueller

President, Parker Elementary PTO

www.parkerpto.org

832-978-2052 (PTO)

Thank you to everyone who has paid, we are up to 41% of music fees paid!!! If you still need to pay, you can pay online here or download a paper form here!

If you received a music fee reminder letter and have any questions about your payment status, please email me at julie@parkerfriends.org.

Thank you for supporting Parker’s music program! 🎶

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Julie Doyle-Madrid

Executive Director, Parker Friends