February 2, 2025

Parker Families,

I want to take a moment to address concerns that have surfaced in our community regarding recent changes in government policies and the impact they may have on our families. Please know that at Parker Elementary, we are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all students and families, regardless of their background or immigration status.

Houston ISD has clear protocols in place to handle any law enforcement visits to our campus. All front office staff and administrators have been trained to follow these procedures, ensuring that no student is ever removed from school without the proper legal process being followed. Additionally, per our strict district policy, any law enforcement official requesting access to a student must go through me, the principal, before any further steps are taken. These safeguards have been in place well before any recent policy changes and will continue to be enforced.

Your child’s safety and privacy are our highest priorities. We strictly adhere to FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), which prohibits the unlawful sharing of student information, including classroom locations, teacher assignments, birthdays, addresses, and parent contact details. This means that no one—not even law enforcement—can access student records without the appropriate legal documentation.

At Parker, we firmly believe that school is the safest place for our students—a place where they are protected by policies that safeguard their rights. We want you to feel confident that when your children walk through our doors, they are in a safe and caring environment.

If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to support you, and we will continue to stand by our commitment to keeping every child safe, nurtured, and focused on learning.

-Principal Carter

February is here, a new month and the perfect month for our new Character Education Theme: Kindness

Help us live the concept of kindness with your family by following our focus for every week of the month. We will be talking about the following concepts and focus during morning announcements every week. Kindness means doing nice things for ourselves and others, like speaking nicely, sharing and being a good friend.

Week 1: Self-Kindness-

Self-Kindness- Remember to be kind to yourself. Take time to do things you enjoy like playing, reading, or drawing. Take breaks when you need to rest, say positive things to yourself, and be proud of your accomplishments, big or small.

Week 2- Empathy-

Try to understand how others feel. Putting yourself in their shoes helps you respond with kindness.

Week 3: Be intentional. Share kindness with others.

Random Acts of Kindness Week: February 18-21

Random acts of kindness are unexpected and thoughtful gestures or actions that you do, without expecting anything in return. Make someone else’s day better this week: smile at a stranger, help a friend, hold the door open, say nice things to people or leave a kind note for your teacher, student, family member, or friend.

Week 4- Keep being kind. Practice kindness regularly. When you are kind a lot, it’s like planting seeds of goodness. Your kindness can inspire others to be kind, creating a chain of happy actions that can make the world a better place.

-Susan Carlock, Counselor

We are thrilled for our students as they embark on this year’s Suzuki Workshop, where they will learn from incredible clinicians throughout the week! This is an exciting opportunity for growth, inspiration, and musical excellence as we explore this year’s theme, "The Soul of Suzuki."

📅 Workshop Dates: February 3 – 7, 2025
🎶 Suzuki Workshop Concert: February 7, 2025 | 6:00 – 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Westbury Baptist Church (10425 Hillcroft St., Houston, TX 77096)

We can't wait to witness our students' progress and celebrate their hard work at the Suzuki Workshop Concert! See the flyer for details. 🎻✨

I am thrilled to announce the promotion of Ms. Phebe Chen as Parker Elementary’s Special Education Department Chair! Many may not realize that Parker serves a middle school-level SPED caseload, and for over 12 years, Ms. Chen has been the backbone of our SPED department in her role as a Resource Teacher.

While our entire SPED team works collaboratively, Ms. Chen has consistently taken on a leadership role in guiding and supporting both students and staff. To formally recognize her dedication and to further strengthen our department’s support for students, she will now officially serve as Department Chair. In addition to continuing her work with students, Ms. Chen will lead efforts in hiring, training, and coaching staff to ensure best practices in special education at Parker.

Congratulations, Ms. Chen! We are grateful for your unwavering commitment and leadership.

-Principal Carter

Parker Parents:

I cordially invite you to come visit me in person if you would like to learn about HISD school choice and the programs they offer. The application is currently available online for parents, if you need application assistance or just have a question, feel free to contact me at evelyn.olivares@houstonisd.org or you can reach me at (713) 726-3634, extension 215237

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

On Thursday, Jan 30, 2025, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys came to Parker! The Sugar Land Space Cowboys Reading Program is a literacy initiative to help boost extracurricular reading while also teaching students valuable life lessons and providing an incentive to participate. Students who read 4 books over the course of the Reading Program will earn two free tickets to a 2025 Sugar Land Space Cowboys game!

Our 4th and 5th Graders were able to attend the assembly, but the program is for all Parker students! 4th and 5th Graders received the information and reading log on Friday and PK-3rd will receive the flyer and reading log in Tuesday Folders this week! All reading log forms are due to Ms. Hokanson by April 4, to receive credit and claim your 2 free tickets!

We are beyond thrilled to share that the Parker Elementary Advanced Chorus has been invited to perform at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conference—an honor rarely extended to elementary school choirs!

This prestigious event showcases the nation’s most elite choral programs, and Parker is making history as one of the few elementary ensembles to receive this recognition.

Under the direction of Marianna Parnas-Simpson, our talented students will take the stage at Winspear Opera House in Houston and Myerson Symphony Hall in Dallas, sharing their incredible voices with audiences from across the country.

This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and excellence of our students and music program. We couldn’t be prouder! #ParkerProud 🎵👏

Read more articles here:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/dallas/article/Parker-Elementary-Advanced-Chorus-Selected-To-Perform-at-American-Choral-Directors-Association-Conference-20250122

https://thekatynews.com/2025/01/22/parker-elementary-advanced-chorus-selected-to-perform-at-prestigious-american-choral-directors-association-conference-in-dallas/

Houston ISD is offering Telehealth by Hazel Health. All students can access virtual physical and mental health care from home or at school at no cost to you, regardless of your student’s insurance status. Visit www.houstonisd.org/telehealth for more information and to sign up. If you wish for your child not to participate in Hazel Health, please log on and indicate that you decline consent.

We were honored to welcome the Unity Dragon & Lion Dance Troupe to Parker Elementary for a spectacular Lunar New Year performance! Our students and staff had an unforgettable experience, immersed in the vibrant traditions of this special celebration.

From the rhythmic beats of the drums to the mesmerizing movements of the majestic dragon dance, the energy and joy were truly contagious! Thank you to the incredible performers for bringing this cultural tradition to life for our Parker community.

Thank you to Ms. Angel Duong and the PTO for making this event possible.

Thank you to Ms. Mills and Mr. Berry for organizing the Run of Show for the day.

Our Pre-K students had an exciting Community Helper Week, learning firsthand from real-life heroes! Sgt. Reynado visited to talk about the role of police officers in keeping our community safe, while the Westbury Fire Department gave an engaging presentation on fire safety.

Students had the chance to see a fire truck up close, learn important safety tips, and ask questions about these vital community roles. Thank you to our special guests for making this a memorable and educational experience!

The Afterschool Enrichment Clubs Team is excited to offer so many various clubs this semester. Almost every club still has plenty of spots, but some clubs still need more students to participate to meet the minimum number. If you are interested in signing up for a club but don't meet the grade-level requirement, email ParkerEnrichmentProgram@gmail.com so we can contact the instructor.

Visit the PTO website at https://parkerpto.membershiptoolkit.com/afterschoolprograms to learn more about the clubs and sign up before February 11th.

Parker PTO Auction Gala: Friday, February 21st! 🎲🎲🎲 is right around the corner, and we need your support!! Please visit the Parker PTO website and find out how to contribute to this fantastic fundraiser: https://parkerpto.membershiptoolkit.com/auctiongala

Even if you aren't able to attend, there are plenty of ways to get involved.

Upcoming Dates:

February 7th: Valentine Bags with TomFoolery due

February 10th: Spirit Event with Kendra Scott Highland Village location 4-6pm or online at kendrascott.com and use code GIVEPACK-IPOZN

February 20: PTO Meeting (with a special presentation from Parker Friends)

February 21: Parker Auction Gala at 6:30pm-10:30pm

---

Jeanette Mueller

President, Parker Elementary PTO

www.parkerpto.org

832-987-2052 (PTO)

Donation Acknowledgments Sent

If you contributed $100 or more in music donations or made any other gifts to Parker Friends in 2024, you should have received an acknowledgment email on Friday. If you have any questions, reach out to Julie: julie@parkerfriends.org.

Advanced Chorus Receives Prestigious Invitation!

Our Advanced Chorus has been invited, as the only elementary school chorus, to perform at the American Choral Directors Association conference! This is a huge honor, and if you would like to support them, visit https://bit.ly/chroustrip to contribute to their fundraising efforts.

-----

Julie Doyle-Madrid (She/Her/Hers)

Executive Director

Parker Friends

julie@parkerfriends.org

www.parkerfriends.org

832-724-4599

February 2025

National African American History Month

February 3rd - February 7th

Suzuki Strings Workshop

February 6th

Suzuki Strings Workshop Rehearsal at Westbury Baptist

February 7th

Suzuki Strings Workshop Concert (6pm - 7:30pm)

February 8th

School Choice Fair @ Lamar High School (9am-12pm)

February 9th

**Birthday Alert** - Ms. Sotelo (Pre-K Teacher)

**Birthday Alert** - Ms. Terry (3rd Grade Math Teacher)

**Birthday Alert** - Ms. Berry (Band Teacher)

February 10th

5th Grade Spelling Bee (8am-9:30)

PTO: Spirit Night w/ Kendra Scott (4pm-6pm)

February 11th

**Birthday Alert** - Ms. Jernberg (Pre-K Teacher)

PTO: Last Day to Purchase Enrichment Clubs

Strings Matinee (3pm - 3:40pm)

SDMC Meeting (3:45pm - 4:45pm)

February 12th

**Birthday Alert** - Ms. Slack (SPED Teaching Assistant)

5th Grade Spelling Bee (8am-9:30)

February 14th

NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Staff Professional Development Day

**Birthday Alert** - Ms. Bennett (5th Grade Math/Science Teacher)

February 15th

**Birthday Alert** - Ms. Orozco (Teaching Assistant)

February 17th

NO SCHOOL - HOLIDAY