March 15, 2026

We hope you had a restful and enjoyable Spring Break. We are excited to welcome everyone back as we begin an important stretch of the school year. From this point forward, every instructional day matters as we move into testing season and begin the final push toward the end of the year.

This week, students in grades 3–5 will participate in our Practice STAAR Reading assessment on Tuesday, March 17 and our Practice STAAR Math assessment on Friday, March 20. Fifth-grade students will also take the Practice STAAR Science assessment next week. These practice assessments will provide us with important data to help guide instructional decisions and prioritize student support over the next several weeks in preparation for the official STAAR assessments.

The campus will be running the Testing Schedule on the 17th and the 20th. Suzuki lessons and lunch visits will continue as normal as we will NOT be running a closed campus on these days. However, please note the adjusted times based on the testing schedule.

As we return to instruction, I also want to stress the importance of strong daily attendance. We saw a number of absences in the days leading up to Spring Break, and missed instructional time can have a direct impact on both attendance and academic success. While Parker will host summer school, our goal is for students to enjoy their summer break and not be required to attend due to attendance concerns.

Summer learning should be reserved for students who need additional academic support or opportunities to close learning gaps through the extended school year. Strong, consistent attendance helps ensure students remain on track and are not placed in jeopardy due to missed instructional time. Please also keep in mind that unexcused absences do not guarantee opportunities to make up missed assignments. In addition, many unit assessments are scheduled according to district pacing, often on Fridays before a break, so we ask families to be mindful of this when planning vacations or additional time away from school. For questions about missed assignments or assessments, please contact your child’s teacher(s).

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Let’s return focused, encouraged, and ready to finish this school year strong.

Have a great week, Parker!

-Principal Carter

Congratulations to our Parker GT Expo Grade Level Winners! We are so proud of each of these students for their hard work, creativity, and dedication in showcasing their learning through this year’s GT Expo. Your thoughtful projects and strong presentations reflect the excellence we love to see at Parker. We celebrate Carlin M., Phoenix B., Colin M., Evan D., and Mille W. for this outstanding accomplishment.

Please note that our 4th grade winner and finalists who will advance to the HISD Expo will be announced by the next Parker Pulse edition. Grade level winners should also keep all projects until finalists have been announced.

-- Jennifer Mills, Assistant Principal / GT Coordinator

We are looking for parent volunteers for Solo and Ensemble this Saturday, March 21!

Please review the volunteer time slots at this link and let us know if you can help. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409054EABAF2AA7FB6-62804132-solo

-Ashley Kolb, Magnet Coordinator

At the end of March, we’re excited to celebrate literacy and inspire a lifelong passion for reading during our annual Book Fair Week! Each day, we’ll feature a different book and invite students to join the fun by dressing up to match the daily theme.

We’ll also host our Family Literacy Night on Thursday, March 26th. A special evening to celebrate reading together as a community. More details coming soon!

--Heather Grosso, Teacher Specialist

Still recovering from Spring Break? No need to cook! Join us Tuesday, March 17 for Fajita Pete’s Spirit Night 🌮

Dine in, pick up, or order delivery and a portion of the proceeds will support Parker PTO.

Missed the chance to sign up for a Spring Socials at the auction? The remaining spots will open Tuesday, March 17 at 8:00 pm. Check out the list and grab a spot while they last. If you can’t attend a social, you can still support the fun by donating to our teacher-led socials. PTO will help fund them thanks to your support.

📚 Book Fair Week: March 23–27

Our Book Fair is coming up, and we need lots of volunteers to help make it a success. Please sign up if you can! 🙌

Key dates to add to your calendar:

🍩 March 23 (7am- 7:20am) – Donuts with Grown Ups (Pre-K, Kinder, 1st Grade)
🍩 March 24 (7am-7:20am) – Donuts with Grown Ups (2nd–5th Grade)

📖 March 26 | 6–7:30 pm – Family Literacy Night

Planning dinner that night? You can pre-order from Chick-fil-A by March 24 at noon.

You’ll find full Book Fair details in your child’s Tuesday Folder this week or online here:
https://parkerpto.membershiptoolkit.com/bookfair

One more note: There is no PTO meeting on March 26 because of Family Literacy Night. But don’t worry, Free Dress Day is still on!

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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