Middle school is such an exciting time—full of growth, new challenges, and opportunities for students to discover who they are. Each day your child is in school, they’re learning important skills, building confidence, strengthening friendships, and taking meaningful steps toward their future. Consistent attendance helps students feel connected, supported, and ready to succeed.

Our campus attendance goal is 96%, and we truly believe we can reach it together! Of course, we understand that illnesses happen. If your child is absent, please remember to submit an excuse note within 48 hours of their return.

Notes can be:

Thank you for partnering with us and encouraging your student to show up each day. Your support makes a tremendous difference. Together, we are helping our students grow, learn, and achieve their goals.

With appreciation,

This year, we have been utilizing IXL to help students gain proficiency and mastery of specific skills. While students don't take their laptops home, they can login to IXL at home.

Students can go to their classlink: https://launchpad.classlink.com/pasadenaisd and login using their username and password. Once they are logged in, they can click on IXL and begin practicing.

Here is a helpful hint, students are trying to do elementary work, but our challenge is grade level or higher work. Our challenge is looking at Mastery (a Smart Score of a 100), but even just 10-15 questions a day per subject will give them that boost. Below is a video for families to give you some more information.

If you have any questions about IXL, you can reach out to a teacher or administrator through Parent Square, email or call the school and we will be happy to help.

Below are the links to the extra practice for each subject. Students will receive these assignments as weekly homework, but we also wanted to share them with you so you can support your child at home.

This additional practice, along with IXL, is a great way to help your child stay caught up, build confidence, and even get ahead academically.

We want to wish our amazing counselors a very Happy Counselor’s Week! These incredible ladies do so much around our campus each and every day—from listening to students and guiding them through challenges, to creating engaging lessons, adjusting schedules, supporting teachers, helping parents, and keeping our school community connected and cared for.

They sort out the drama, celebrate the wins, and show up with compassion and expertise no matter what comes their way. Truly, our counselors are the heart of our campus. 💛

Please take a moment this week to thank them for all they do and to wish them a very Happy Counselor’s Week!

5th Grade Counselor: Mrs. Lowe

MLowe@pasadenaisd.org

6th Grade Counselor: Ms. Bradford

ABradford@pasadenaisd.org

This month, our students will participate in Mock STAAR tests for Reading, Science, and Math. These practice assessments help us understand how students are progressing and give us valuable insight into how they may perform on the actual STAAR test. The data we gather allows us to provide targeted interventions so every student feels prepared, confident, and successful.

To encourage strong attendance, students who are present on the day of their Mock STAAR test will earn a special reward:

🎉 They may wear pajamas to school that Friday!

Please note:

Thank you for helping us support student learning and success!

Students must complete a Short Constructed Response (SCR) worth 4 points and an Extended Constructed Response (ECR) worth 10 points. That means 14 points on the test come directly from writing.

Throughout the year, we have been intentionally building students’ writing skills. Every Wednesday during 4th period, students practice responding to a writing prompt. These weekly writing sessions help students grow more confident and comfortable with the structure and expectations of STAAR writing. In class, teachers have also been focusing on the different types of writing students are expected to master.

However, writing can still be challenging for many students. Sometimes they stop early, don’t fully answer the question, forget to include evidence, or simply rush through the response. We want students to understand just how valuable these writing points are—and how much they can boost their overall performance.

To encourage students to take the writing sections seriously, we are offering a Writing Incentive based on their MOCK STAAR ECR score (the 10‑point response). Students will know their score right away, which allows us to celebrate their effort and growth.

At this time, we are not able to offer an incentive on the actual STAAR test, as STAAR writing scores are not released until long after the school year ends. Because we do not receive the writing breakdown in time, we use MOCK STAAR instead to recognize students’ hard work.

We believe strongly in the power of writing—not only for STAAR, but for students’ future success. Writing helps students think critically, communicate clearly, and express their ideas with confidence. Thank you for supporting them as they continue to grow in these essential skills!

At the end of February, our campus will be participating in Jars for Joy, a schoolwide effort to support Project Joy & Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families with medically fragile children who are battling cancer, awaiting or recovering from transplants, receiving hospice care, or facing other life‑limiting conditions. This organization happens to be located right behind the school on Tulip.

We invite your family to join us by sending in spare change or small bills. Every little bit adds up and directly supports the incredible work this organization does for children and families in crisis.

Thank you for helping us spread joy, hope, and compassion within our community! 💛