NHE News
May 6, 2026

A Note From Mrs. Smith
NHE Families,
Our educators are the heartbeat of Northwood Hills Elementary, and their dedication to our students goes far beyond the classroom walls.
We see the way they inspire curiosity, provide a safe harbor for growth, and go the extra mile to ensure every child feels seen and supported. They don't just teach; they #LevelUpNHE every single day.
Share the Love on Social Media!
We want to fill our community with stories of impact. Do you have a teacher who has made a difference for your student or family? We invite you to share a shout-out on our social media channels. Whether it’s a quick thank you or a heartfelt story, let’s make sure our staff know how much they are valued.
How to post:
Facebook: NorthwoodHillsElementary
X (Twitter): @nherisd
Instagram: @NorthwoodHillsES
Don’t forget the hashtags: #RISDThankaTeacher #LevelUpNHE
Thank you for being such a supportive community and for helping us honor the incredible professionals who shape the future of our Falcons!
Warmly,
Jenni Smith
NHE Principal
Coming up @ NHE
Please be aware of the upcoming events at NHE!
April 30: Lunch Hero's Day
April 30: NHE Site-Based Decision-Making Committee
May 1: School Principal Day
May 4-8: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 4: College Colors Day
May 6: School Nurse Day
May 8: 5th Grade Science Camp
May 4-14: End of Year MAP Assessment Window
May 4-8: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 4: College Colors Day
May 8: 5th-grade Science Camp field trip
May 12: Career Day
May 13: NHE Talent Show
May 14: Falcon Award Night
May 15: Field Day
May 18: School Speech Pathologist Day
May 19: 6th-grade Kickball and Picnic
May 19: Author Visit
May 20: 6th-grade Field Trip to Pinstack
May 21: PK/Kinder Promotion
May 21: Falcons Take Flight Event
May 21: 6th grade Honors Night
May 22: Last Day of School
May 22: Early Release
Upcoming Celebrations at NHE
Important Upcoming Assessment
End-of-Year MAP® Growth™ testing window is May 4-14. During this time, students in grades K–6 will take MAP Growth assessments in Science, Math, and Reading. These tests adapt to each student’s responses, giving teachers a clear picture of what your child knows and is ready to learn next. Results will help teachers personalize instruction, set meaningful goals, and track growth across the year. We cannot wait to see how all of our students have grown!
NHE MAP Testing Schedule
5.7.26 | Grades 3-6 Science
5.11.26 | Grades K-5 Spanish Reading
To help your child do their best, please make sure they:
Get a good night’s sleep
Eat a healthy breakfast
Arrive on time to school
Avoid outside appointments during testing if possible
After testing, you will receive a Family Report through Focus that summarizes your child’s performance and growth. For more information, visit NWEA Family Toolkit
6th Grade Families
Invitation to Future Westwood Junior High Families,
We are excited to welcome your student to Westwood Junior High next school year!
As you may be aware, the voter-approved Bond 2025 will continue work on RISD’s Middle School Transformation initiative across six junior high campuses, including Westwood JH.
As visible construction activity will begin soon for our transition to the Middle School model set for 2028-2029, we are committed to keeping you informed throughout this process. I invite you to attend our first Westwood JH Bond Construction Parent Information Meeting to learn more about the project and how it will impact our campus and incoming 7th graders.
Meeting Details
Date: Monday, May 18
Time: 7:30 pm.
Location: Westwood Junior High
If you cannot attend in person, you are welcome to join virtually through TEAMS:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/234216620596210?p=VukqQIaOYDHAzwTMPn
Meeting ID: 234 216 620 596 210
Passcode: DA7xz2rt
I look forward to welcoming your family to Westwood JH!
Katie Mottram, Principal
NHE 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!
May Sign-up
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090449A8A829ABF85-63797956-maylibrary#/NHE PTA News
Teacher Appreciation Week
NHE is celebrating our wonderful teachers and staff on May 4-8 for Teacher Appreciation Week! Show your teachers some love by sending a note, something from their favorites list, or just telling them how much you appreciate them! Check out the flyer below to see what our PTA is doing for them as well! We LOVE our NHE teachers and we appreciate how hard they work for our kids!
Raising Canes & Urban Air Spirit Night
We have two super fun spirit nights coming up!! These spirit nights help our school by providing a portion of what you spend, and every dollar counts!
Mark your calendars for May 14th and head to Canes on Campbell Rd for a night off from cooking! Remember to bring your friends and mention NHE when you check out! Canes will donate 15% of our net sales to our school and every purchase counts!!
Grab your friends and head to Urban Air from 4-8pm on May 19! Get a special price on the "ultimate" attraction package and help your school earn money while having fun...it's a win win!!
Field Day
Field Day is coming soon so mark your calendars for May 15th! We will need parent volunteers for this event so we would appreciate it if you could give us some of your time on that day. A signup genius for volunteers will be coming home soon, so be on the lookout for that and more details about Field Day!
Join our PTA Team!!
We're looking for parents to fill open positions on our PTA! This is a wonderful opportunity to make a meaningful impact in our school, support teachers and students, and help organize fun events and programs that enrich our school community. Whether you have a few hours a month or can commit more, your time and talents make a difference! See the open positions below and reach out to NomCom@nhepta.org to learn more and get involved!
Learning Community News
National Merit Honors for NHE Alumni!
We are thrilled to celebrate three former Northwood Hills Elementary students—Brody Crowder, Ted Yost, and Bram Teeple—who were recently named National Merit Commended Scholars.
Now seniors at Richardson High School, these young men placed among the top academic performers in the country. This prestigious recognition is a testament to their hard work and the strong foundation built during their years in our halls.
Please join us in congratulating Brody, Ted, and Bram on this incredible milestone. We are so proud to call them Northwood Hills alumni!
Need help enrolling for the 2026-27 school year? All new and returning families Pre-K to 12 are welcome to attend one of the enrollment support events for in-person support.
March 24 – May 13 (Every Tuesday and Wednesday)
4:30 to 6:30 p.m
Apollo Junior High
1600 Apollo Rd, Richardson, TX 75081
You may also contact your school (469) 593-3700 about enrollment or to submit pending documents or contact RISD.
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
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