News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming This Week
Monday, 10/21
Tuesday, 10/22  NTB Reading Day
Wednesday, 10/23  Chinese Delegation Visit, 1:00-3:00
Thursday,10/24  Middle School Information Night, 6:30-7:30
Friday, 10/25  NTB Book Talk, 11:30-12:30

Just Around the Corner
Monday, 10/28
Tuesday, 10/29  NTB Reading Day
Wednesday, 10/30  Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm; Parent Conferences
Thursday, 10/31  Field Day (Teachers will share a schedule next week)
Friday, 11/1  PTO Meeting, 8:10 am

Shout Out!
Thanks to the many people that made Friday such a wonderful event!  A special thanks to our event Chairpersons, Anna and Emmanuela, our stage manager, Kelly, and the many families that agreed to host country booths or help by working the booths.

Chinese Delegation Visit
On Wednesday, 10/23 we will welcome a delegation of educators from Tongzhou District, a newly developing area of Beijing.  The delegation will visit Bellaire and Lamar High Schools, Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School, Roberts Elementary, T.H. Rogers and Young Women's Preparatory Academy.  The educators will learn about our administrative structure, extra curricular activities and will visit classrooms at Roberts.  I have invited a few parents to join us for tours, but if you are from Tongzhou, I would love to talk with you about possibly joining us on Wednesday.  Please email  me at r


Middle School Information Night
Thursday, 10/24, 6:30 pm @ Roberts, Cafe 
4th & 5th Grade Parents Invited

Choosing the Right Middle School 

You have so many wonderful choices for middle school!  Choosing the right school for your child may seem like a daunting task.  There are a number of online resources to help you with choosing the right school for your child.  I particularly like the checklist found on GreatSchools.net.

Here are a few things they recommend to a prospective parent for consideration:

· Do the classrooms look cheerful?

· Is student work displayed, and is it appropriate for the grade level?

· Do teachers seem enthusiastic and knowledgeable? (Notice whether they are asking questions that stimulate students and keep them engaged.)

· Is the principal confident and interested in interacting with students, teachers and parents?

· Do students act respectfully toward each other in class, during transitions and at lunchtime?

· Are facilities well maintained, the bathrooms clean and well supplied and do the grounds look safe and inviting?

· What is the school’s state rating?

Here is a list of MUST DO's when you are visiting a campus:

1. Go into the bathroom to see if it is clean and feels safe.

2. Ask to visit the cafeteria during the lunch period if it is not on the standard tour.

3. If you have an opportunity to talk with a teacher who doesn't currently have a class, ask what they think is the best thing about the school.

You may also want to talk with any students or parents who might be helping with the tour. How do the students feel about their school?  What is the best thing, and what is the most challenging?  Ask parents about the PTO.  An active parent group will help you stay connected at a time when it is difficult to stay connected with your child’s life away from home.

You can also do some of your research online before you go.  Visit the school website to learn about special offerings, extracurricular activities and special awards the campus may have received.  Visit the HISD website for the school profile.  It will tell you about academic standing, attendance, behavior, and enrollment.  You may also visit the Texas Education Agency website for a school academic profile. 

Middle School is a dynamic time in the life of your child.  While this decision is definitely a decision for parents, it is important your child is involved in that process.  

I would encourage you to visit schools first without your child.  Apply to many schools, then take your child to tour after you receive admission letters.  It may save some heartache if the first choice school really isn’t an option.   

If you want to take your child with you on the first round tours, all area Middle Schools will host tours in the afternoons during Magnet Week.  Removing your child during the afternoon for those tours will not impact your child’s attendance record.  I remind you though that absences to visit schools when official attendance is taken at 9:30 are unexcused.

Magnet Application Timeline

SCHOOL CHOICE OPEN HOUSE- November 2, 2013

Northwest Mall (9500 Hempstead Highway)

All Schools: 10:00 a.m. –1:00 p.m.

APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED BEGINNING- November 4, 2013

Applications for all Magnet programs accepted online and on paper beginning November 4, 2013.

PARENT MAGNET AWARENESS WEEK-  November 4-8, 2013
Check with individual schools for tour times.

APPLICATION DEADLINE- December 20, 2013

Applications must be entered in online system or submitted on paper no later than December 20, 2013 for guaranteed consideration in the first round.  Applications submitted online or on paper after December 20^th will be accepted on a space-available basis. 

PARENT NOTIFICATION- March 28, 2014

Application status information sent to parents on March 28, 2014

PARENT RESPONSE DEADLINE- April 11, 2014

Parents must notify Magnet school of choice of student’s “intent to attend” by April 11, 2014.

NTB Book Talk

What is NTB Book Talk and how does it work?

Book Talks are opportunities for us to talk about the books on the NTB list.  We will discuss characters, plot, significant events, things that make the book unique, and similarities between the books.  Book Talks are not required, but it is highly recommended as preparation for the Competitive Team Selection Test and the official competition.  All Book Talks will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays.  A schedule is posted on my bulletin board.  To participate, students must have parent and teacher permission, and must make up any work missed while at Book Talk.   We will eat lunch during Book Talk, so students should bring a lunch, or get one from the cafeteria.  The Book Talk schedule and permission slip can be picked up from the office.

This week's Book Talk topics: 

1. Charlotte's Web
2. Half Magic
3. Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Follow...