From the Principal’s desk: Thank you for coming out this past week to our two wonderful events; the special presentation “Role of Dual Language on Houston’s Future”, and Helms’ Cinco de Mayo Program. I was delighted to see the turnout at both events.
This week our students in 1st – 5th Grade take the STANFORD/APRENDA tests. Please assist your children to do their very best on these tests by making sure they have at least 8 hours of sleep and eat a protein-enriched breakfast at home or at school. Testing begins promptly at 8:15 AM each day; therefore, we ask parents to pay extra attention to having their children arrive to school on time this week.
Teachers play a key role in every child’s evolution as they assist them in developing their greatest abilities. With this in mind, please join us this week as we celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week for the caring, dedication, and professionalism teachers display each day. Showing our appreciation to teachers is therefore a fair reward and an act of gratitude; which can be done with a simple “thank you” or hug. We invite parents and students to participate in the daily themes that have been set for this special week:
Monday / Bring your teacher some fresh fruit
Tuesday / Bring your teacher a dessert or sweet treat
Wednesday / Bring your teacher some flowers
Thursday / Write a letter or poem OR draw a picture for your teacher
Friday / Bring your teacher a “Teacher Gift”
TODAY students are taking home their Spring Pictures for pre-view. Please decide if you will be purchasingthe entire or partial
package. Parents are to keep only the pictures they wish to purchase and send the appropriate payment for their purchase to their
child’s teacher by Monday, May 14th. All pictures not purchased must be returned to the classroom teacher by this date as well.
From Ms. Hardin, Helms’ Librarian:Great news! Our local Heights Neighborhood Library is hosting a fun event: “Great Poets Monthly Birthday Party and Open ‘Mike’”, on Wednesday, May 16th, at 6:30 PM. Children are invited to bring and read their own original poetry! What a great opportunity to encourage creativity in our children and have them showcase their writing talent! During this event, Houston actor Dean Turner will also read a few poems by poets born in May: Walt Whitman, Robert Browning, Rabindranath Tagore, and Randall Jarrell. Free refreshments will be provided. Please let Ms. Hardin know if your child/you are planning to attend this special event.
From the Nurse’s Desk:THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Many families supported our end of the year community service, the
Food Drive benefiting the local food pantry at Grace United Methodist Church. Your generous donations of non-perishable food items filled
over 10 large boxes which will be delivered to our community partner this week. Thank you once again for your contributions!
PTA UPDATES
- Let’s all show our appreciation to Helms’ outstanding teachers this week! ThePTA has planned a special Staff Luncheon at Helms this Friday, May 11th, 10 AM – 1 PM. We are asking all parents to contribute to this “treat” by donating any of the following items: * 2 liter Coke drinks * canned Coke products * desserts (homemade cookies, brownies, cakes, etc.).
- Just arrived! Helms’ newly designed t-shirts! $10 each new t-shirt.These shirts are on sale now and available in all sizes in the school office with Ms. Murillo. Be the first to wear these on the last field trips of this school year, at Field Day, and be “up-to-date” with the latest design next school year! Clearance: all Helms “Rock-the-Block”& previous styles $5!
- Coming this week! Pre-packaged School Supplies Sales. Order forms for Helms’ CUSTOMIZED Fall 2012 EPI pre-packaged school supplies will go home this week – available for all grades. Please consider this service as it saves you time, money and the hassle of shopping several stores to obtain all your child’s required school supplies. Last day to order: Friday, May 18th.
- Thank you to everyone who submitted BoxTops for the Spring Collection Contest! The counting begins this week. Look for
Monday / May 7 Helms new website: Ancillary day 1
- May 7 – 11: Teacher Appreciation Week
- May 7 – 11: STANFORD/APRENDA Testing for 1st – 5th Grade
- Bring your teacher a piece of Fresh Fruit Day (fresh fruit will be sold for $1 from 7:30 – 8 AM; benefiting 4th Grade)
Tuesday / May 8 Ancillary day 2
- Bring your teacher a Sweet Treat Day (sweet treats/desserts will be sold for $1 from 7:30 – 8 AM; benefiting 4th Grade)
Wednesday / May 9 Ancillary day 3
- Bring your teacher some Flowers or a Plant Day (carnations will be sold for $1 from 7:30 – 8 AM; benefiting 3rd Grade)
Thursday / May 10 Ancillary day 4
- Write your Teacher a Poem or Letter OR Draw your Teacher a Picture Day
Friday / May 11 Ancillary day 1
- Bring your teacher a “Teacher Gift” Day (common use teacher items will be sold for $1 - $3 from 7:30 – 8 AM; benefiting 4th Grade)
- Teachers/Staff Luncheon, hosted by the Helms PTA(parents may drop off any donations in the school office by 9:00 AM)
UPCOMING EVENTS
- May 14 – 3rd Grade & Ms. Allietta’s class Field Trip to the Downtown Aquarium, 9 AM – 2:30 PM
- May 16 – Helms’ After School Program Fine Arts Night, 6:30 PM(new date)
- May 17 – PTA Mtg. – last meeting of 2011–2012 – featuring special guest speaker:
- May 18 – Field Day for Kinder – 5th Grade
- May 21 & 22 – Non-Target Testing for Dual Language 1st – 5th Grade students
- May 21 – Pre-K Field Trip to the Houston Zoo, 9 AM – 2:00 PM
- May 22 – Pre-K Awards Ceremony, 8:30 AM
- May 23 – Kinder Awards Ceremony, 8:30 AM
- May 23 – 2nd& 3rd Grade Parent Math Workshop on Multiplication, by Mrs. Dana Enriquez, 5:30 – 7:00 PM
- May 24 – 1st Grade 1 Awards Ceremony, 8:30 AM
- May 24 –Helms Talent Show, 6:30 PM
- May 25 – Grade 2 Awards Ceremony, 8:30 AM
- May 28 – Memorial Day; NO SCHOOL
- May 29 – Grade 3 & Ms. Allietta’s Class Awards Ceremony, 8:30 AM
- May 30 – Grade 4 Awards Ceremony, 8:30 AM
- May 30 – 5th Grade End of the Year Bowling Field Trip to “Bowl 300”, 11 AM – 3:00 PM
- May 30 – 5th Grade End of the Year “Mardi Gras Celebration, in Helms Cafeteria, 6 – 8 PM (must have signed permission form to attend)
- May 31 – Grade 5 Promotion Ceremony at Church of Christ; arrive: 8:30 AM – ceremony begins: 9:00 AM
- May 31 – Pre-K Games Day, in Helms small playground, 2:15 PM
- May 31 – Last day of school for students