DECEMBER 2, 2025 | ISSUE 16 | PTO | CONTACT

RE third graders combined bold black-and-white city designs with vibrant, swirling skies inspired by Wassily Kandinsky. Using pattern, contrast, and color harmony, students created dynamic cityscapes that reflect creativity and balance— showing their IB spirit as thinkers and risk-takers in art! Courtesy of Teacher Morales.

• A note from PTO President
• PTO Meeting this Friday Dec. 5th
• Roberts annual Winter Festival Dec. 12
• Spirit Saturday at Purple Glaze and Bitty & Beau's Coffee this Saturday Dec. 6
• Fall picture retakes and class photos from Lifetouch
• Roberts Soccer in Final Four tournament Dec. 9
• Spirit day at Candelari's Neighborhood Italiano Dec. 9
• IB Exhibition mentors needed
• New staff member spotlight: Theresa Edwards
• PADRES softball tournament this Sunday Dec. 7
• Global Glam Auction Soirée tickets on sale now
• Girl Scout Winter Wonderland Dec. 6
• Exclusive RE discount for Ice Village at Rice Village
• GT Testing results available this week, virtual info session tonight at 6PM
• Time to get jolly! December Dress Up Days ahead
• Tours for prospective RE families
• Epps Memory Box, submit your memories
• Middle School Magnet tours and information
• Fundraise and save on holiday cards with Minted
• Support Roberts byshopping at Kroger

Happy Giving Tuesday! The PTO has been busy putting your generosity to work this fall, and the school appreciates all our support.

From major tree trimming of the entire grounds to electrical fixes (yay, we didn’t blow any fuses at the Campout!) to providing Thanksgiving pies to teachers and staff, you have made this all possible. You have embraced the spirit of caring for your community- the Roberts Community. We have more fixes and projects on the way!

As you consider year-end giving, make the most of your charitable donations by giving to Roberts before December 31st. There are three easy ways to do this:

1. If you haven’t already, give to the Teacher Gift Fund via your Room Parent so all teachers and staff can feel appreciated this season;
2. Buy your Auction tickets and underwriting sponsorships now—you do NOT want to miss the grown-up party of the year—also, pro tip—book your babysitter sooner rather than later; and
3. Donate directly to Roberts at https://robertspto.membershiptoolkit.com/generaldonations (and tell Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Moneybags to donate as well).

What is just as valuable, however, is your donation of time. In the next few weeks, Roberts is packing in holiday and community events, and we would love to have your help.

Our Annual Winter Festival on Friday, December 12^th is such a fun time of teachers singing holiday songs, a hot chocolate bar (donations needed!), and crafts—all FREE and festive! Oh, and this year a pop-up Chick-fil-A is in the works. So, since you’re coming anyway, why not volunteer to help make the magic happen?https://robertspto.membershiptoolkit.com/winterfestival

Also, we’ve got a 3^rd Grade Music Show this Thursday, PTO meeting this Friday, Purple Glaze/Bitty & Beau’s Spirit Day on Saturday, Padres Softball Game at Rice on Sunday, Final Four Soccer Tourney and Candelari’s Spirit Night on December 9^th, plus a PADRES workday and MIMS Chess Tourney on December 13^th. Whew. And when all that’s over, Class Holiday parties are on tap!

So, whichever way you choose to give to Roberts, thank you. Because of you, Roberts continues to be a vibrant foundation where kids, teachers, and community can thrive. WE ARE ROBERTS!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Festivus (for the rest of us),

Join us for this month's PTO meeting, this Friday December 5th at 8:00am in the Roberts Cafeteria. All Roberts Elementary families are members of the PTO, no dues are required! And there will be coffee!

Please remember to bring a valid ID and arrive at 7:45am for check in at the front desk. Can't attend in person? Click here to attend the meeting virtually via Zoom (Meeting ID: 922 6565 1797 - Passcode: 19qcg8).

Did you miss November's meeting? Never fear- the minutes can be found here!

The 3rd Annual Roberts Winter Festival is on Friday December 12th from 5 - 7PM! Featuring Faculty Caroling (at 6pm, not to be missed!), hot chocolate, popcorn, crafts, face painting, and more provided (free!) by our PTO and community. More food will be available to purchase from 5th Grade Concessions and a Chic-Fil-A pop-up!

Sign up to host a community table and show off your holiday traditions with food or crafts. To host a table, please email communitynight@robertspto.org by December 6th and let us know what you plan to do!

We also need donations of hot chocolate fixings, as well as volunteers to help with set up and manning the PTO tables. Click HERE to donate or volunteer!

Join us for Spirit Saturday THIS Saturday, December 6th featuring Purple Glaze Ceramics Studio and Bitty & Beau’s Coffee in Rice Village! It’s the perfect chance to support our school, get a head start on handmade holiday gifts, and enjoy some delicious treats! Mention Roberts and 20% of all proceeds at both locations will be donated directly to the Roberts PTO. Bring the family, invite friends, and make it a festive Saturday out!

Lifetouch Photography will return to campus on Tuesday, December 9th to photograph any students who missed the original Picture Day, are new to school, or need to retake their photo. If your child needs a retake, please fill out this form to ensure they are pulled for pictures on December 9th.

If you ordered photo prints in October, you will need to return this first set to receive retakes. The Picture Day ID needed to order retakes is EVTDHCP8V.

Additionally, group class photos will be taken the following week on Tuesday December 16th. You can order online using Picture Day ID EVTTJBFMP.

Cheer on our Roberts Mustangs as they participate in the invitational Final Four tournament Tuesday December 9th at 4PM in Blue Ridge Park! Admission and parking are free, but parking is limited so consider carpooling if you are able. Remember to bring your own seating! Let’s go Mustangs!

Mangia! Come for Spirit Day ALL DAY Tuesday, December 9th at Candelari's Neighborhood Italiano! 20% of proceeds are donated back to the Roberts PTO.

Our 5th Grade Exhibition is the culmination of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) journey — a capstone project that allows students to demonstrate their learning, inquiry skills, and action toward making a positive difference in the world. We are looking for Exhibition Mentors!

Mentors play a vital role in guiding students as they explore real-world issues connected to one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Topics range widely — from protecting endangered species to promoting quality education, reducing waste, and supporting equality.

Mentor Commitment:

• About 1 hour per week
• Serve as a guide to support students with brainstorming, refining research, organization, and presentation skills — while students complete all work independently
• You must be VIPS approved for the 2025 – 2026 school year
• Mentors will not be paired with their own child’s group

We welcome parents and community members with experience or interest in any field- science, technology, arts, business, health, social work, education, and more. If you’re interested in becoming a mentor, please fill out this form.

Let’s help our young inquirers make a meaningful impact through their Exhibition projects!

Hello Roberts Elementary!

My name is Theresa Edwards, and I am excited to join you as your new front desk receptionist. I’m a native Houstonian, and after retiring from the airline industry with over 30 years of customer service experience, I’m looking forward to greeting our students, assisting parents, and supporting our wonderful staff.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family- especially when we’re traveling together.

I sincerely thank the staff, PTO, and parents for the warm welcome and support. I’m truly grateful to be part of the Roberts Elementary community!

Warm regards,
Theresa Edwards

The PADRES Softball Tournament will take place this Sunday, December 7th, at the beautiful Reckling Field, from Noon – 6PM. The rosters are now full, but tickets are available to join in on the spectator fun cheering on your favorite players!

Time is running out for Auction Soirée Early Bird Discount!

NOW is the time to get your Auction Soirée tickets! Discount code earlybird2026 expires on 12/31! Save money, support Roberts, and make your 2025 donations now!

Our 2026 BIG ASK is a RE-juvenation for our building! Help us fund fixes for as many of the thousand little indignities of age as we can tackle.

2026 marks a remarkable milestone: 90 years of global learning at Roberts Elementary! Join us and honor this legacy by supporting the Auction Soirée. We have limited underwriting opportunities available to you! Learn more here.

Find out more about Roberts PTO’s Auction Soirée.

Interested in Girl Scouts? Join us for our Winter Wonderland event at the Girl Scouts office on December 6th 10AM - Noon! For more information, contact Ruby Salazar at rsalazar@sjgs.org or 713-292-0291.

Visit the first-ever "Ice Village at Rice Village" November 28th through January 4th - a festive outdoor ice-skating rink experience created to bring holiday cheer and community spirit to Houston.

Rice University invites Roberts students, families, and staff to join in the fun by offering an exclusive 10% discount on skating admission. Just use the code ICEROBERTS when purchasing tickets online at https://rice-village.com/landing/ice-village.

Gifted/Talented testing results: If your child took the Gifted and Talented test this past fall, the results will go home today in the Tuesday folders. If you do not receive your child’s results by December 8th, please reach out to Ms. Tran at Kristina.tran@houstonisd.org.

Ms. Tran will also hold a brief GT Results Info Session on Microsoft Teams at 6:00PM tonight, Tuesday December 2nd, to further explain and provide information on the GT results. Click on the link below to join the Teams meeting:
G/T Results Info Session | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams

In the words of Kermit the Frog, 'tis the season to be jolly and joyous! (Editor's note: The Muppet Christmas Carol is required viewing, regardless of your holiday and/or religious affiliations). Share your holiday spirit as we count down to winter break! Themes for each of the December Dress Up Days, December 15th - 19th, can be found below.

To celebrate Ms Epps' tenure at Roberts, we will be collecting letters and compiling a book of memories for her. For those wanting to participate, we have two options:

1. Write a handwritten letter and attach a photo or memento to be included in her memory book and drop off at one of our Epps Memory boxes. Be sure to sign your name, child's name, and year(s) you’ve been with Roberts community! You can find the Epps Memory box at reception- collections will be taken until winter break in December.

2. Email an electronic letter to 90th@robertspto.org. Please attach a picture or artwork if you’d like! The letter can be a “ Remember when … “ prompt and share a funny, stressful, or otherwise memorable occasion. Your letter will not be public, just compiled into a book and shared with only Ms Epps.

Thank you for participating! Please send any inquiries to the 90th@robertspto.org email.

Prospective Roberts' families interested in touring the campus may do so on the given tour dates below. All tours start promptly at 9:00 AM and parents should check-in at reception with a valid form of ID 5 - 10 minutes before the start of the tour. Appointments are not necessary.

Tour Dates:
*NEW* Every Thursday until February 27th, 2026. Additionally, tours will also be held on the following Fridays:

• December 12
• January 23
• February 20
• March 20
• April 24
• May 15

Tour Agenda:
9:00 AM- Welcome and School Overview
9:05 AM- Tour of the campus
9:45 AM - Q&A Session, Tour Conclusion

Attention 5th grade Parents, Phase 1 of the School Choice window will open on December 9, 2025 and close on February 27, 2026.

If you are planning to apply to a Vanguard/STEM/Fine Arts middle school or any middle school that is not your zoned campus, you will need to complete a School Choice transfer application when the window opens. Please see the attached flyer for a list of School Choice Fair dates to learn more about the different schools and their offerings. For more information on the School Choice process, please visit: the HISD School Choice website.

A student may receive up to three excused absences for attending tours following the protocol below:

• The student must be present at their enrolled campus during ADA.
• The parent must complete the survey at the touring campus and bring back documentation with tour date and time to the student’s enrolled campus upon return the following day.
• Excused absences will only be given for up to three different campuses.
• These excused absences will still be considered in the total number of absences for credit and plan purposes.

Come discover why Lanier Middle School stands out as one of HISD’s premier Vanguard Magnet campuses. Tours available select Thursdays and Tuesdays at 1PM.

Help us spread the word! Pershing Middle School is looking for next year’s class of Pandas 2026-2027! Join us for our Magnet Tours starting at 1:00 PM (please arrive by 12:50). We are excited to show you our amazing fine arts programs, exciting extracurricular activities, and outstanding academics.

Come see what being a Pershing Panda is all about! ❤️🐼🖤

Minted holiday cards offer a 20% discount and fundraising donation to the Roberts PTO if you use the code FUNDRAISEROBERTSPTO when buying.

Shop at Kroger? Link your Kroger shopper card with Roberts Elementary! Kroger gives the Roberts PTO $100s every year just for doing your grocery shopping through its Community Rewards program. What an easy way to help!