Who’s ready for the 2024 Bulldog Bash? The Bash is the PTO’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and the proceeds support our important initiatives of Teacher Grants, Senior Scholarships and Staff Appreciation.  The 2024 Bash will be held on April 13th at the SPJST Lodge.  Individual ticket and sponsorship sales will open soon!  Share our Bulldog Bash Facebook event with your friends!

Besides attending, there are lots of ways to support the Bash:

• Donate an item or service: You don’t have to be a business to donate!  Event/sports tickets are always a hit, but also think about things that you have a talent for. Maybe something new that you would like to regift.  No donation is too small.  Click here to donate.
• Host a signup party:  A signup party is a get together (small or large) hosted by one or more people, that auction goers can buy a spot to attend.   Examples of past signup parties are murder mystery dinner, game nights, chocolate tasting,  themed dinners, wine tasting, learning to play or make things (padel, crepes), and the list goes on.  Be creative!  Click here to host a signup party.
• Donate wine: Our wine pull needs donations of wine in value of $20 or more.  Email auction@heightspto.org to donate.
• Do you want to help organize, setup or decorate? We need all hands-on deck.  Next meeting is Feb. 20th at 6 PM via zoom.

Speaking of the Bash…We need a Logo

Each year a student designs the logo for the Bulldog Bash. This year's winners will provide credit at the School Store that can be used for merchandise and/or snacks ...$40 credit for the winner and $20 credit for 2nd and 3rd places.  The deadline for submission is Feb 26, 2024. If your student would like to enter a logo, they can use the form here.

New to Bulldog Bash? Read this article written by HHS parent Dawn Cole from last year's Bash.

Students arriving late:

Class begins at 8:35 a.m. each day.  Students are expected to be in class at that time. We’ve had an increasing number of students arriving in the morning after the 8:35 tardy bell.  I watched approximately 200+ students arrive between 8:35 and 9:05 last week.  These students are not arriving late because of a late bus.  Many of them drive and remain in their cars parked on the street or in the parking lot until after school starts.  Beginning tomorrow, February 6, 2024, students who arrive after 8:35 will go to the performance hall. Administrators will be on hand to greet them and record their tardiness and provide them a pass to class.  Students will be released from the performance hall and will have a short amount of time to get to their first period class before the level of offense rises.

Students who arrive after 9:05 a.m. have already missed 30 minutes of class and are considered absent.  Those students will remain in the performance hall and log onto Canvas and complete work assigned while supervised by staff.  They will be released for the next class.

Exceptions will be made for the following:

• Students arriving late due to a late HISD bus.
• Students arriving late due to a medical appointment or other valid reason with documentation.
• Students arriving late escorted in by a parent with a valid reason for arriving late.

Please also note that on Mondays students are considered absent after 15 minutes of class.

If your student is late to school more than 3 days, you will be notified and disciplinary consequences will occur according to the Heights tardy policy.

We will also begin doing Tardy sweeps between classes. 

Students were notified of this on Friday.  We were actually scheduled to begin today, but I wanted to make you all aware as well.

District Cell Phone Policy:

Most of our students are doing a great job keeping cell phones put away during class.  I really appreciate that.  However, district policy is printed below:

Cell phone use is not allowed when a student is at school, from the time they enter the school doors until they leave. That is because student use of phones during the academic day disrupts learning and instruction, fuels disputes between students, and undermines the culture we are working to create at all HISD campuses. Cell phones should not be visible unless they are in a mesh or see-through backpack. Phones should be kept in the backpack or relinquished to the school per school procedures at the beginning of class or once a student enters the school.

Division Superintendents may make the following specific exception to these rules: high school students (and only high school students) may use a cell phone in the cafeteria or eating area at lunch only. 

We do not take all phones when students enter campus nor do we make them turn them in to their teachers during first period--nor do we want to do that.  However, we will have to start taking those phones up that are out except for when students are at lunch.  None of us want to battle a student for a phone, so please assist us by communicating the policy to your students.  Please ask them to power off their phones and put them in their back packs until lunch and then power them off again after.  I understand the need to sometimes reach your child during the school day.  If you have an emergency, please call the office or email the grade level clerk and we will get your student and bring them to the office so they can call you.

As always, thank you for your assistance, and please reach out if you have any questions.

Respectfully,

Wendy Hampton, Principal

The National Honor Society Induction Ceremony will take place this Thursday in the Performance Hall at 6:30 PM.  Current members are invited and welcome to volunteer! New members, please check your school email to access the RSVP link.

We have lots of several openings for volunteers in February.  We need your help! Sign up here.

Heights will host an IB showcase Thursday, February 15, from 6-7:30pm in the Cafeteria. Visit with current IB students about their work!

This year's IB showcase features not only work from Heights students (DP, CP, and sophomore Personal Projects), but also Hogg Middle School (IB Middle Years Program) and Harvard Elementary (IB Primary Years Program) students.

AP/IB Saturday Academy (2.10.2024) - Registration Link: rmd.me/ul8miOf5EHq

• WHAT? AP/IB Saturday Academy
• WHEN? Saturday, February 10, 2024, 7:45am-12p
• WHERE? Milby High School, 1601 Broadway St, Houston, TX 77012
• WHY? Learn useful strategies and tips from excellent AP and IB teachers that will help you prepare for AP and IB exams
• The event is free, open to all HISD AP and IB students and teachers, and breakfast will be provided in the cafeteria starting at 7:45 am. Students should bring a notebook and writing utensils. Students should inquire with their school if transportation is provided.
• Students may choose to attend up to three 55-minute sessions from a variety of course options. Register here by February 10th. (Each session will repeat three times unless otherwise indicated.)
• Giveaways and Prizes
• The College Readiness Department will also offer 4 sessions.
• If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Chris Bowser at cbowser@houstonisd.org / (713) 556-7240.

Attention all FUTURE bulldogs!  A few more tour dates have been added for 8th grade families. Tours will be @ 1:30pm.  Parents, you MUST sign up on our sign-up genius.  Due to high demand, we cannot accommodate walk-ins.  Once you have signed up, make sure you arrive between 1:15pm-1:30pm.  Can’t wait to meet y’all! If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Corona: icorona@houstonisd.org.

School choice applications opened on January 18. The following is the latest update from HISD:..............

Order Through Minted This Valentine Season
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Class of 2024 graduation will be Sunday, June 9, 2024 at 12pm (barring any changes from the district!).  Mr. Montanez will share more details as they are received.  If you have not ordered your cap and gown from Herff Jones, please do so ASAP.  Don’t wait until the last minute!  Cap and gown can be ordered here (scroll to the bottom).

 From Mr. Montanez: 

“If you failed a class that’s required to graduate in the fall, there should already be a plan in place.  Please get with your counselor or me ASAP so we can schedule that class if this hasn’t happened.  It is imperative that you complete all credit recovery classes by March 8.”

Remember, completing the FAFSA is a graduation requirement!  Additional workshop date is below.

FAFSA Lunch Workshops:

February 14th

*All workshops will be held in the Teaching Theater

The College Center will continue to communicate with seniors and parents. Encourage your student to check their Outlook email daily. You can also find more information on our Senior newsletter: www.smore.com/sq6d9 and Instagram: @Heights2college 

Thanks,

Ms. Schumacher and Ms. Garcia

Check the HHS College Center site often!  Updates include scholarships, college fly-in programs, university virtual information, application steps, and more!
Check out the Scholarship Opportunities 23-24
Follow the HHS College Center site for Class of 2024
Follow the HHS College Center Instagram
** Senior Dues pay here** LINK TO PAY SENIOR DUES CLOSES MARCH 8!

Yearbook Ads on Sale - If you would like to honor your senior with a yearbook ad, create and purchase a custom ad here. Yearbooks for seniors are included in senior dues, but ads must be purchased separately. The last day to purchase a yearbook ad is February 8!!

 The College Center wall is open!  Tell your senior to swing by the College Center and sign it when they know their plans for next year–college, military, or career plans!

Class of 2025
Remind code: @78cfcg3
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/heights2025/
Instagram: @heightsco2025

NEW DATE: Juniors will be taking the digital SAT exam at school on March 6, 2024.  Khan Academy offers free digital practice.

Bulldog Bash Gift Card Basket: Thank you so much for your support last year because of your generosity we helped raised funds for our PTO. Please help again this year by contributing Gift Cards for the basket.  You can purchase and give to our Class Representative. Thank you!

 Share the Love!

support our senior year by helping us fundraise!

Congratulations to our boys and girls wrestlers on their performances at District!

Heights debate had teams compete in UIL 18-6A CX District Qualifiers!!  See their results here

A HUGE CONGRATS to our Heights Arts students Abigail Sanchez and Ashton Ruff and Art Teacher Ms. Manjarrez, for their Rodeo Best in Show art!

PSA for all HISD/Houston area high school students. US NAVAL ACADEMY ADMISSIONS FORUM. The US Naval Academy will hold an admissions forum on Saturday, February 24th from 12-2pm at Strake Jesuit in the Parsley Center. This is a Houston-wide event and all are welcome. Register here.

Check out the Varsity and JV baseball schedules - make plans to come out and support Bulldog baseball!  And come support the team this weekend as they play at Constellation Field in the Bregman Cares Classic!

Nominate a Heights HS teacher for the Red Apple award or the Pathfinder Award today!

Current high school sophomores & juniors are invited to apply for the 2024 SEES Internship! Participants complete distance learning modules & guided remote work prior to onsite summer internships at The University of Texas at Austin.  Applications are due Feb. 24.https://www.csr.utexas.edu/sees-internship/

The Pangea Network’s young women’s leadership challenge application is now open. It takes place during the summer in Houston, and the cost is $500. Scholarships are available.  Applications are due April 1. https://empowered2lead.org/

For anyone wishing to express their condolences in person, funeral services for Heights student Sara Castillo Lopez will be held this Thursday.

Support the HHS Baseball Fundraiser: https://verticalraise.com/fundraiser/heights-2024-baseball-fundraiser

See the flyer for Redcoats tryout info!

COMPETITION SEASON IS FINALLY HERE!!!!😆Don’t miss a chance to see the Redcoats perform!! We hope to see you during this year comp season!!🤭💕