April 19, 2022
A Message from Dr. Shetzer
Hello Panda Nation! We are only a few short weeks away from our first round of STAAR testing. As much as we may or may not agree with mandated testing, it is a part of our educational culture and something we must do. We could use your help in reinforcing with your student the importance of them doing their best on the tests. How they score on these tests will determine whether or not they have to participate in additional accelerated learning during the next school year. This accelerated learning can take place in lieu of an elective and/or be mandated after school and on Saturdays. We know our students are prepared and will do well, but a little boost from you would certainly be helpful. Here is the testing schedule:
 
  • May 3 – Algebra End-of-Course
  • May 4 – Biology End-of-Course
  • May 5 – 8th Grade Science
  • May 6 – 8th Grade Social Studies
  • May 10 – 6th- 8th Grade Math
  • May 11 – 6th – 8th Grade Reading
 
Please be reminded that no visitors are allowed on testing days and we ask that any appointments you need to make for your child are scheduled after 2:30 p.m. so that they have the entire allotted time to complete the test.
 
Have a great week!
 
Steven Shetzer, Principal
Panda Praise and Highlights
Texas Latin Competition
For the first time, Pershing Middle School participated int the Texas State Latin Competition in San Antonio. There were over 60 schools in attendance, with almost 2000 students competing. Our Pandas did an amazing job. 
Congratulations to:
 
  • Kate Oguntoyinbo – 5th Place in Latin Literature
  • Murphy McCallum – 5th Place in Classical Art
  • Ashleigh Washington – 5th Place in Greek History
  • Haileah Flores – 5th Place in Greek Life and Literature
Our Studio Guitar group performed before the concert by visiting guitarist Meng Su. This was after spending the entire day at the Bellaire Guitar Festival, hosted by Pershing Middle School.
Region Choir

7 of our Panda choir members performed at the region choir recently. Over 300 middle schoolers performed and Pershing was the only school to represent HISD.
Congratulations to the PANDA UIL Academic Team!

Saturday, April 2 Devika Kurup, Sofia Ananaitis, and Zachary Barnett advanced to District Competition for Modern Oratory with a tie for 2nd for the girls and 3rd place Zach. 

The following students have participated in UIL Tournaments once a month and qualified for District Competition:
Anthony Klementich
RJ Stanfield
Victoria McCarthy
Devika Kurup
Eden Harris
Armando Rodriguez
Sean Gair
Suhas Nagamani
Sydney Nguyen
Jennesy Morones
Brooklynn Boudreaux
Zeina Nouri
Sofia Ananaitis
Zachary Barnett

District Competition will be held at Carnegie Vanguard April 23rd and May 2nd.
UIL Band Competition
 
This week our Wind Ensemble performed for the UIL Concert and Sightreading Evaluation in Katy for the first time in 3 years and were awarded with straight 1's from all 6 judges earning the "Sweepstakes" award.
 
None of these students have ever performed at a UIL event and this was also Mr. Atkins, our Band director, first time going to UIL and performing for this evaluation, so this is a huge honor and accomplishment.
Pershing Boys Lacrosse

The Pershing Boys Lacrosse team played their last tournament of the season at Frank Black Middle School on Saturday, April 9th winning 2 of their 3 games played. Go Pandas!
Pershing Softball

Pershing softball beat Frank Black MS in the HISD softball district championship game 9-1 Monday Night.
Congrats to the District Champs!
President's Message
Hello Panda Families!

Our PTO supports so many activities across our campus on an annual basis. This spring alone we’ve helped fund the Pershing theater department’s musical, Wonka, as well as teacher/staff recognition lunches, garden and grounds clean-up at the school, and several grade-level activities.

That is why your support of our biggest spring fundraiser, Bingo Night, is so important. The dollars raised at this event help support activities for ALL students. Please consider donating your time and/or making a monetary donation to support this event. I can’t wait to see all of you on Friday, April 22nd!

Bingo links:

Have a great week!

Alison Moorhead
PTO President
Apr. 22nd - End of 5th Grading Period
Apr. 22nd - Bingo Night 6:00
Apr. 25th - 8th Grade Panoramic Picture Day
Apr. 29th - Report Cards Sent Home
Apr. 29-30 - Willy Wonka Jr. 7:00
May 2nd-6th - Teacher Appreciation Week 
May 4th - School Store Sale 4:00-5:00

PERSHING FAMILY
BINGO NIGHT

Friday, April 22nd
6:00pm – 8:30pm
Pershing Cafeteria
We will be hosting our traditional BINGO Family Night here at Pershing Middle School. We are so excited to bring this event back to our campus. BINGO is our largest PTO fundraiser that supports our campus with a large variety of needs. We want to invite all of you to come and enjoy an evening of family fun with our Pershing community. We have some great prizes ready to be won! Please see the information below and feel free to share with other Pershing friends and families. This is a great opportunity to meet other families and support our campus. 
When: Friday, April 22, 2022
Doors Open: 5:30p.m.
Game Begins: 6:00p.m. 
Food: Popcorn, drinks, desserts, snacks, and pizza will be available for purchase
Cost per Bingo Card: $20.00 (includes $20 worth of games and bingo blotter) -Purchase Bingo Cards - Linked Here
Available Prizes May Include: Gift Cards, Nintendo Switch, Electric Scooter, $500 Amazon Gift Card, Samsung 43" TV, Oculus VR Headset, Apple Airpods and more
All children under the age of 18 years playing bingo, must be accompanied by a parent/guardian, per TEXAS LOTTERY COMMISSION RULES 
  
Grand Prize
$500 Amazon Gift Card

Red Panda Prizes
Apple Airpod Pro
Bluetooth Speaker
Dave & Buster's Gift Card
At the Movies
and Palace Social Gift Card

Giant Panda Prize
Electric Scooter
Nintendo Switch
Oculus VR 2
and Samsung 43" Smart HDTV

Want to help but can't attend Bingo Night.
Donations can be made here.

If you have any questions, please contact Catherine Beebe.
We NEED Your Help

Bingo Night is this Friday!

We need Parents to help make this night a HUGE success.
We have many different ways you can help like selling cards, table captains, cleaning up and more.
Check out the different way you can volunteer.
 
HISD’s Wraparound Services Department will be conducting a Parent and Staff Needs Survey Assessment. The purpose of this survey is to identify the most pressing non-academic challenges facing students and families within the district.
 
Wraparound Services supports are offered at every HISD campus in which its primary function is to connect students and their families with community resources that facilitates students’ ability to learn in school. Wraparound Services can assist with access to a variety of non-academic supports, including access to physical and mental health professionals, food, housing, and more.
 
This survey will be available from April 11-22, 2022. All staff and parents with a valid email address on file will receive an email asking them to complete the survey. The survey will also be posted on the Wraparound Services website, on campuses by QR Code, and other campus-based media platforms. The information collected from this survey will help the Wraparound Services Department better support the academic development of all students through targeted non-academic supports.
 
This survey will ask a series of questions about the following topics:
1.       Healthcare
2.       Stress and mental health
3.       Regular Expenses (housing, food, and clothing)
4.       Home Academic Context (someone to help with homework, books, internet)
5.       Educational Activities (tutoring, mentoring, after-school programs)
 
Answers to these questions will help the Wraparound Department develop programs and services that better meet the needs of all students and families across HISD.
 
All information provided will be kept strictly confidential. The survey should take about 10 to 15 minutes to complete. If you need more information or assistance in completing the survey, contact the campus wraparound specialist.
 
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey!


Parent:
 
Parent QR Codes for Survey
English
Spanish
Vietnamese
Are you interested in getting school items for next year?
The School Store is having a sale!!
May 4th
4:00-5:00

All current in-stock inventory will be 20% off!!
Book Your Birthday Wish Today
Looking for a special way to recognize your student’s birthday?
Post a Birthday Wish on the Pershing Marquee located on Stella Link.

Birthday wishes will appear on the marquee for three days, usually the day before, day of and day after depending on when it falls.

$25 per Birthday Wish
Form and payment must be received two weeks in advance.


Questions?
Contact Sandy Smith
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.
Donations Needed
Show The Staff Some Love

Let's show our love for our Pershing teachers and staff by filling the teacher/staff pantry.

Order from our Amazon Wish List and the items will be sent directly to the school.
Pringles Cans

8th grade History needs your empty Pringles cans for an upcoming project.

8th grade needs these by May 16.

Please drop off your empty Pringles cans in the box in the Main Office.
8th Grade News
8th Grade Event Dates
Save the date, 8th Graders!

8th Grade Panoramic Picture - April 25th at 9:00 am
8th Grade Dance - May 20th 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
8th Grade Field Trip - June 3rd (all day)
8th Grade Promotion - June 7th at Butler Stadium
8th Grade Ice Cream Social or Breakfast - June 7th
Bellaire Zoned Course Selection List
If you are a Pershing student zoned to Bellaire High School and planning to attend Bellaire High School, please fill out this form.

Bellaire High School Counselors will be in person at Pershing on April 25 at 2:00 to meet with zoned students who fill out this form for course selection.
8th Graders
Order your Panoramic Picture Now!
Tryout for the Lamar HS Rangerettes Dance Team
April 11th - Virtual Tryout Materials in Instagram account bio

April 26th - Tryouts in person

Come be a part of the award winning dance team!
Sports
Pershing Girls Soccer

Apr. 14 5:00 @ Tanglewood at PERSHING
Apr. 28 5:00 @ West Briar at West Briar
May 19 5:00 @ Revere at PERSHING
Pershing Boys Soccer

Apr. 14 6:00 @ Tanglewood at PERSHING
Apr. 21 5:00 @ Mandarin Immersion at PERSHING
Apr. 28 6:00 @ West Briar at West Briar
May 19 6:00 @ Revere at PERSHING
Pershing Baseball


Apr. 12 5:00 @ Black JV at PERSHING
Pershing Rugby


Apr 22 5:00 @ Our Savior Lutheran at PERSHING
Pershing Girls Lacrosse


Apr 23 10:00/11:00 @ Klein at Klein
Apr. 30 End of Season Tournament for 5th/6th
May 7 End of Season Tournament for 7th/8th


Sign Up for Retail Rewards Programs That Benefit Pershing

 Pershing Middle School is grateful to participate in programs that reward our school based on the customer loyalty and patronage of our families. A percentage of the proceeds spent on the rewards programs are donated back to the school. Please review the list of retailers on our PTO website and participate where you can. Remember that grandparents, Pershing alumni, neighbors, and friends also can designate Pershing on most reward programs – spread the word!   

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

Know someone who needs to receive the Panda Post for this school year? 
Please share this link to get signed up.

Proud Panda Sponsors
Learn more about Corporate Partners on the PTO Website.