NHE News
March 24, 2026

A Note From Mrs. Smith
Welcome back, NHE families!
I hope your Spring Break was filled with plenty of rest and relaxation. Walking through the halls on Monday morning, it was clear that our students and teachers have returned revived, refreshed, and ready to give their absolute best for the final nine weeks of the school year. We are heading into our most important season yet, building on all the hard work we have put in since August to finish the year on a high note. We are so thrilled to have our entire school community back in the building to complete this journey together.
We have several important events on the horizon as we power through this home stretch. Please remember that applications for our Pre-K and Kindergarten Two-Way Dual Language program close on March 28, so be sure to submit those soon.
We are also excited to host our Kindergarten Round-Up from 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM in the NHE Library, followed immediately by our PTA meeting at 5:30 PM. Afterward, our classrooms will be open for visits. Our students have been working incredibly hard, and we truly cannot wait to show off all the amazing things they have been learning.
Finally, we are kicking off a friendly competition between grade levels for student re-enrollment. If you haven't yet completed your online enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year, please do so now to help your student’s grade level climb the leaderboard and win a special prize. Your quick action helps us plan for a fantastic year ahead and gives your child’s grade level a major boost.
Let’s make these last nine weeks the best ones yet!
Sincerely,
Jenni Smith
NHE Principal
Coming up @ NHE
Please be aware of the upcoming events at NHE!
March 26: Report Cards shared through Focus
March 26: Kindergarten Round Up
March 26: Open House 5:30-7:00
March 27: Level Up! Power Boost Session (3:30-6:30)
March 30: After-school tutoring
March 31: I Know What To Do Day
April 1: Paraprofessionals Appreciation Day
April 6-10: National Assistant Principals Week
April 10: Level Up! Power Boost Session (3:30-6:30)
April 13: Dallas Mascots Student Assembly
April 14: 3rd-6th grade STAAR Reading Assessment
Please Join Us on Thursday Evening
Kindergarten Round Up on March 26
Northwood Hills Elementary will host a Kindergarten Round-Up on Thursday, March 26 from 5:00-5:30 PM in the NHE library. Parents and prospective 2026-2027 kindergarteners are invited to hear about NHE and the online enrollment process, as well as tour the school during this event.
If you have a prospective 2026-2027 NHE Kindergartener, please RSVP at https://forms.gle/R7Atza7EbsTv9b7P8, including regrets, for Kindergarten Round-Up. Once you complete this form, you will receive an email with detailed enrollment information.
RISD’s online enrollment is now open. All 2026-2027 students must be enrolled online at https://web.risd.org/enrollonline/.
Join us for Open House on March 26th
Enroll NOW for 2026-2027!
🎮 Level Up Enrollment Contest!
It’s time for some friendly competition! For the next three weeks, we’re challenging each grade level to see who can reach the highest percentage of online re-enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year.
🏆 The winning grade level each week earns:
5 extra minutes of recess every day the following week AND a "Workout Wear" pass for the teachers!
🗓️ Winner Announcements:
March 13 - Winner: Second Grade
March 27
April 3
✅Parents:
Find your Snapcode, then go to https://web.risd.org/enrollonline/ and complete your re-enrollment today.
Let’s help your child’s grade level take the lead!
NHE Two-Way Dual Language Applications Closes March 28
Parent Survey Now Open
The RISD end-of-year parent survey is now open. Parents and guardians of currently enrolled students are highly encouraged to share their feedback about their child’s school and their overall experience during the 2025–26 school year.
The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and focuses on key areas such as school climate, student support, safety, and parent engagement.
All responses are confidential. Parents with children attending multiple RISD schools may use the same surveylink to choose another campus and complete a separate survey for each school.
Thank you for taking the time to provide your input. Your feedback helps RISD continue improving and making decisions that support the success of all students.
Power Boost Twilight Camp This Friday
Counseling Corner
Library Information
Library Volunteers Needed
Please find a time to come in and shelve books in the library. Every week the library circulates between 1000 and 1500 books! Every little bit helps!
March Sign Up
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090449A8A829ABF85-62722718-march
Final Spring Tutoring Session Next Monday
Spring State Assessment Dates
STAAR Dates:
April 14: STAAR RLA (grades 3-6)
April 15: Make-up STAAR RLA (grades 3-6)
April 21: STAAR Science (5th grade only)
April 22: Make-up STAAR Science (5th grade only)
April 28: STAAR Math (grades 3-6)
April 29: Make-up STAAR Math (grades 3-6)
NHE PTA News
Panera Bread Spirit Night
NHE is having another spirit night on March 25th at Panera Bread on Beltline! Grab your friends and come by from 4–8 p.m. Make sure you mention our school so that we receive part of your purchase! You can also order online and use code FUND4U. Thank you for all your support for our wonderful school!
Kindergarten Roundup
Do you have an incoming Kindergartener? If so, we would love to have you on March 26th at 5 p.m. for NHE's Kindergarten Roundup! There will be a school tour and a chance to meet the amazing kindergarten teachers! We are excited to welcome a new bunch of kindergartners to our school and we can't wait to meet you!!
NHE Annual Egg Hunt
NHE PTA's Future Falcons are hosting our annual egg hunt on March 28th from 9–11 a.m.! There will be donuts, fun activities, and of course, egg hunting! This is a neighborhood event, so please tell your neighbors and join us for a fun morning!
Learning Community News
Westwood Junior High
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

