PTO eUpdate No. 1, 6 January 2012

Happy New Year!!  It’s hard to believe that the Fall Semester is already over and we are beginning the second semester.  As your PTO President, I began the journey during the summer of educating and familiarizing myself with the daily routine and special events of Lamar.  I have had the honor of attending Harvin Moore’s District 7 Leaders’ Meetings where we hear about HISD issues and updates in areas such as the budget, bond updates, and literacy in our schools; working on the 5-year plan in Lamar’s Shared Decision-Making Committee meetings; and working with Lamar’s teachers and staff.  What makes my position so rewarding, however, are the many parents and families who support the PTO and its efforts.

I will be sending monthly updates in this e-format to keep you apprised of events and news, as I am made aware of them.  Please feel free to forward to other parents you may know who would also like this information.  If you know of anyone wanting to join the email list, please forward me their names and email addresses.

Events for January 2012

Magnet Applications Deadline is Friday, January 6.  Tell your neighbors and friends to get their applications in this week!

Report Cards   Issued to students on Friday, January 6.

Did you know you could also get online access to your students’ grades on Parent Student Connect?  Login to access daily grades, assignments, progress reports and more!   Step-by-Step Guide (.pdf): English | Spanish; For more about PSC, click here.

2011-12 Edition of the Orenda   Just a reminder that the deadline for ordering a copy of the yearbook is quickly approaching!  Don’t miss out on all the school year’s highlights including academics, sports, band, clubs, student and faculty portraits and so much more.  It’s all beautifully printed and bound in one spectacular edition! 

Ordering the yearbook has never been easier!  Simply log onto www.smart-pay.com to place your order using your credit/debit card.  Select your school and follow the ordering instructions.  To guarantee your copy, payment must be received by January 13, 2012.  Order now before it’s too late! 

Any questions, please contact the Yearbook Staff at lamar.ads.2012@gmail.com. 

Theater Production   Come see our talented theater students perform in two productions, The Dining Room and Museum, Thursday through Saturday, January 12-14, at 7:30 p.m. in the ­­­­­Lamar Theater.  Ticket prices are $3 presale on Thursday, $5 presale on Friday, and $7 at the door all 3 days.

MLK Holiday   Monday, January 16, there will be no school; enjoy the long weekend!

The next Parent Partners (a Lamar parent peer group) Meeting, will be held on Tuesday, January 24, at 6 p.m. in the Library.  For more information, please contact Hank Byrd at parentpartners@aol.com.

Progress Reports   Issued to students on Wednesday, January 25.

Freshman Round-up, Part II will be held on January 31 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Lamar Gym.  If you have an 8^th grader or know of another family who might be interested in attending Lamar, this is the night for the student!  Part II focuses more on students with information about campus life, athletics, clubs and organizations at Lamar.  Spread the word!

Nominating Committee will be voted on at the February 8 PTO General Meeting.  In the meantime, please think about positions you would like to volunteer for in the 2012-13 school year.  The Executive Board for 2012-13 will be voted on at the March 29 PTO General Meeting, so be sure to get your name in to me before then if you’re interested in working with a great school and parent volunteers!

High School Cultural Exchange Program   Lamar will be hosting our second group of international students February 6 through 13.  Please consider hosting one or two Chinese students for the week.  You will find it a great experience for you and your family.  The exchange students go to and from school with their host student; itineraries are already planned with the exception of the weekend.  This time is spent with the host family, learning about American customs and traditions.  If you are interested, please contact Landa Hauser at landahauser@aol.com.

Lamar High School Travels to China:  June 2012   Join Ms. Gaido, Ms. Sun and Ms. Cox on a three-week trip to China this summer in June.  Students will spend three days in Shanghai, then fly to Dalian, Houston's sister city and home of our sister school, Dalian 24 High School.  There, they will spend 10 days with their host families and be immersed into the Chinese culture. Other trips include Xian and Beijing. If you are interested in participating in this wonderful opportunity, please pick up an information packet in the Main Office, 2nd floor.

Save the Dates:

      Lamar Baseball BBQ and Auction – Saturday, February 4, at 11:30 a.m.

      Principal’s Brown Bag Meeting – Monday, February 6, at 12:15 p.m.

      PTO General Meeting – Wednesday, February 8, at 5:30 p.m.

      Paula Cox’s 11^th Grade Course Selection Meeting – Wednesday, February 8, at 6:00 p.m.

SAT Dates

      January 28

      March 10

      May 5

      June 2

ACT Dates

      February 11

      April 14

      June 9

In the News

Lamar's IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma Ceremony was held Monday, January 2, 2012, at the Houston Club for the 2011 recipients.  One hundred four talented students were honored at the ceremony with a slide show presentation including their colleges, chosen majors and accomplishments. 

It was a very exciting reunion for many freshmen returning from their first semester at college.  There was a “buzz” in the room:  finding favorite teachers in the crowd, swapping stories about their experiences, bragging about their new schools; reminiscing that the last time they were all in this room was for their Senior Prom back in April.

Lamar had an 83% IB passing rate, which is higher than the world average.  There were many, many 6’s and 7’s received for the IB core exams and A’s awarded for the Theory of Knowledge and Extended essays; everyone claimed college credits for their efforts.  Congrats to the Lamar students and faculty!

Dr. McSwain reminded us that Lamar has the largest IB program in Texas and the largest Middle Years program in the U.S.

For a listing of the 2011 graduates, university choices, and scholarships offered, check out the new PTO Press 2011, which comes out later this month . . . stay tuned . . .

College Corner Discussion Meeting   Paula Cox held the College Corner’s PSAT Score Discussion Meeting on Wednesday, January 4, 2012, at which time she explained how to interpret the scores, how to access the free personalized tutorial online, how to use PSAT scores to begin the college search, and suggestions for scheduling the SAT or ACT for juniors.  If you missed the meeting and have any questions about the content, you may call College Corner directly at 713-942-3339.

Lamar is offering a free SAT to juniors on March 20, 2012, which will be held at Lamar during school hours.

If you have any comments or concerns, please feel free to call me at 713-522-5960, ext. 352.