May 24, 2022
A Message from Dr. Shetzer
Greetings Panda Community,
 
We are down to only 10 days of school and we have some important information below. 
 
I want to thank the PTO for setting up our 8th grade dance and making sure that the students had a memorable evening. Sadly we did have to shut the dance down a little early because of some misbehavior from our students, which included throwing glow sticks toward the DJ stand. As we approach the June 3rd 8th Grade Field Trip to Schlitterbahn, I want to stress to all parents the importance of reminding your children that they must follow the rules at Schlitterbahn and any inappropriate behavior will result in the parents being called to drive to Galveston to pick up their child. 
 
Backpacks
Backpacks will no longer be allowed starting May 31st. Students may bring a lunch kit or small purse. They will not need to bring anything else back and forth as teachers will provide whatever is needed for the last week of school. 
 
Water Guns, Water Balloons, Silly String, etc.
Under no circumstances are water guns, water balloons, silly string, etc. allowed at school. Students who are caught in possession of any prohibited item(s) will have it confiscated and assigned a possible in-school suspension. Please help us by making sure that these items are not with your child when they leave the house.
 
Algebra Readiness
All 6th and 7th graders will take the Algebra Readiness Test this Thursday or Friday during their normal math class. The test consists of 40 questions and is one part of the rubric that is used to determine placement in Algebra. We will notify all parents by June 7th. There will be an Algebra bridge camp for all 6th graders who qualify for Algebra in 7th grade. Dates will be provided soon.
 
Course Selection
The 2022-2023 Course Selection Form is now live on our website for all rising 7th and 8th graders. We will remain with an 8-period A/B block schedule for the 2022-2023 school year. All 7th graders will take ELA/R, Math, Science, Social Studies, PE, and Enrichment. The remaining two classes will be electives. Please review the elective course descriptions for more information on the electives offered. To access, click here. For the Course Selection Form, please click here.
 
Cycle 6 Grades
This Friday is the cut-off for all Cycle 6 grades. Teachers must have their grades submitted and verified by June 2nd so that we can print final report cards for distribution on June 7th
 
End-of-Year Activities
We are excited to be offering various end-of-year activities for our students. Here is a quick look at what is coming up:
 
  • May 27                Talent Show
  • June 2                  6th & 7th Grade Field Trip to Main Event
  • June 3                  8th Grade Field Trip to Schlitterbahn
  • June 6                  8th Grade Superlative Award Ceremony (students only) and Picnic
  • June 7                  8th Grade Promotion, Last Day of School
 
I hope everyone has a great week. As always, if you need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s counselor or Assistant Principal.
 
We hope that everyone has a great week!

Steven Shetzer, Principal
President's Message
Hello Pershing Panda Families!

Our campus is overflowing with amazing people who make the operations run smoothly for our children each and every day... the custodial and cafeteria staffs. They work hard behind the scenes, frequently without any thank yous. The PTO is setting up an End of Year Thank You Gift fund for these devoted friends. Please consider giving any amount. The total will be divided equally among the staff members on June 6 as a BIG thank you!

To contribute by Venmo: Pershing-MiddleSchool

If you would like to participate in another way (cash/cashapp) please email, pershingpres@gmail.com.

Have a wonderful week!

Alison Moorhead
PTO President
May 26th - Library Books Due
May 27th - Talent Show
May 30th - No School
June 2nd - 6th and 7th Grade Field Trio
June 3rd - 8th Grade Field Trip
June 7th - 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony
Please contact Ms. Harrison for more details.
6th and 7th Grade Parents

The 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony is June 7th at Butler Field House. Pershing Staff and the 8th Grade PTO Team need help from 6th/7th grade parents to supervise the registration tables at the ceremony.
Our role is to take tickets as the parents enter the facility.  
We greatly appreciate you volunteering your time to help. 
They would like the volunteers to arrive at 8:45am and stay until approximately 10:30am-10:45am.
Even if you can't stay the entire time, we still welcome you to volunteer. This is the first ceremony since Covid as well as the ticket system. We could use all hands on deck and this is a great learning experience for our promotion ceremony next year. Rising 6th grade parents will be asked to do the same for us.

6th and 7th Graders

National Junior Honor Society is taking application for the next school year.

If you have great grades with a high cumulative GPA, and a desire it help others, please fill out the
They are due Thursdays May 26.
Yearbook is recruiting!!!

Students who are interested in growing their journalism and photography skills while capturing Pershing’s memorable moments should apply. 

Students must fill out an application with writing and photography samples, have two teacher references and sign up for an interview with
Mrs. Van Den Bossche. 

Applications and interview sign-ups are outside room 222.

Application is due on the day of your interview.
All JJP Library books are due Thursday, May 26th
Kona Ice Wednesdays !!!

4:00- 5:00 pm

Pershing’s small lot off of Braes Blvd.

Prices range for $4-$6

Kona Ice will donate a portion of its sales to the PTO.
8th Grade News
8th Grade Event Dates
Save the date, 8th Graders!

8th Grade Field Trip - June 3rd (all day)
8th Grade Promotion - June 7th, 10:00 am at Butler Stadium
8th Grade Ice Cream Social or Breakfast - June 7th

Need Assistance?
Here are some frequently asked questions from parents who have been looking for assistance.

  1. Where can I find contact information for my child's teacher? Our website directory is an excellent place to find our faculty and staff email addresses.
  2. How can I monitor my child's grades? HISD Connect Parent Portal is the spot! Click here for information on setting up an HISD Connect Parent Portal account.
  3. I have a question, but I'm not sure who to reach out to for an answer. If you have a question, you can reach out to your child's Homeroom teacherCounselor, or Assistant Principal for assistance.
  4. I need to schedule a meeting with a teacher, what do I do? Please email the teacher(s) you wish to meet with and allow them 24 hours to respond. Teachers are provided with a planning period each day, so they will send you those times to schedule a meeting. You can also call the main office at 713-295-5240 and leave a message for the teacher.
  5. I feel disconnected now that my child is in middle school. How can I get involved? This is easy. Join the PTO and attend the regularly scheduled meetings. We also recommend you attend the sporting events, fine arts performances, and PTO events throughout the year.
Contact Information
Campus Administration Team

Steven Shetzer, Principal

Carrie Curtis, 6th - 8th Grade & Compliance Assistant Principal

Maria Jackson, 6th Grade Assistant Principal

Tyesha Beller, 7th Grade Assistant Principal

Alberto Fernandez, 8th Grade Assistant Principal (Discipline)

Amy Ford, 6th - 8th Grade Assistant Principal (8th Grade Activities)

Grisury Candelaria, Magnet Coordinator

Hope Goodson, Dean of Instruction

Campus Support Team

Sherman Parker, 6th Grade Counselor

Enitsha Allen-Cooper, 7th Grade Counselor

Sara Graur, 8th Grade Counselor

Alesha Rushing, Wraparound Specialist

Jolynn Vallejo, CIS Social Worker
Important Links

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