JANUARY 6, 2026 | ISSUE 19 | PTO | CONTACT

Happy birthday Roberts! 2026 marks the 90th anniversary of Roberts Elementary.

• A note from PTO President Michelle Wan
• New staff member spotlight: Assistant Principal Kim Flores
• PTO meeting this Friday Jan. 9
• Middle of year NWEA testing begins Jan. 13
• Science Fair registration open! Deadline this Friday Jan. 9
• Raising Cane's spirit night Jan. 15
• Pajama Day Jan. 16
• Spring semester piano for kinder students - sign up by this Friday Jan. 9
• Tours for prospective RE families
• Global Glam Auction Soirée tickets on sale now
• HISD School Choice tours and information
• Support Roberts by shopping at Kroger

Happy New Year! I hope you had a restful Winter Break with family and friends.

Springtime at Roberts is filled to the brim with events and activities- starting with a Raising Cane's Spirit Night, our annual Fun Run, Lunar New Year Celebration, and the Global Glam Gala and Auction.

As we jump into a new semester, it is also a time of reflection and renewal at Roberts as we enter our 90th year. Roberts has welcomed thousands of students through its doors and continues to be the cornerstone of this neighborhood and community.

Our community thrives because of your involvement in Roberts. If you aren't already volunteering, now is the perfect time to get involved! There are so many ways to contribute- help the teachers organize the kids at Fun Run; set up tables at the Lunar New Year Celebration; pull weeds at the International Garden; buy tickets to attend the Gala and Auction (how can you miss out on your favorite teachers dancing?!); help the PADRES with fixing up the grounds and school- all are welcome and needed. Just email volunteer@robertspto.org or drop me a line at president@robertspto.org, and we will get you connected to the right committee.

Most importantly, we are so excited to welcome our new Assistant Principal Kimberly Flores to the Roberts Community. Make sure you come to this Friday's PTO meeting at 8am to meet Ms. Flores and get to know her!

WE ARE ROBERTS!

Greetings Roberts family! I am honored to serve as the new Assistant Principal at Roberts Elementary and am truly excited to be part of the Roberts community.

With more than 20 years of experience in education, I have had the privilege of serving for eight years as an elementary classroom teacher and over twelve years in the areas of special education, Section 504, and MTSS implementation, compliance, and monitoring. I am currently a doctoral candidate in Professional Leadership K–12 Studies at the University of Houston, and I firmly believe that learning is limitless and that every child deserves access to rich, challenging, and supportive educational experiences.

Outside of school, I enjoy traveling, cooking, and spending quality time with my husband, our three adult sons, and our dog, Zeus.

My educational philosophy centers on fostering a safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environment where all students are valued and empowered to reach their fullest potential. I look forward to working alongside students, staff, families, and the broader community to continue the strong academic traditions that make Roberts Elementary such a special place.

Join us for this month's PTO meeting, this Friday January 9th 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 December's meeting? Never fear- the minutes can be found here!

We will begin our campus NWEA testing starting Tuesday January 13th, please see the schedule below. Make sure that your student is present and ready to test each day. We will begin testing promptly at 8:00 am. These tests will measure growth from the beginning of the year in each subject area (reading, math, and science). Kindergarten and 1st grade students only take the math portion.

• January 13th – Math NWEA Beginning of year testing for grades 2nd through 5th; Kindergarten and 1st grade will test the week of January 13th - January 16th.
• January 14th – Reading NWEA Beginning of year testing for grades 2nd through 5th.
• January 15th – Science NWEA Beginning of year testing for grades 2nd through 5th.

Please email Ms. Tran at Kristina.tran@houstonisd.org if you have any questions about NWEA testing.

Chicken chicken chicken, what combo you pickin? Skip cooking dinner and join us at Raising Cane's on Thursday January 15th. You don't have to cook and a portion of sales goes back to Roberts, it's win win!

Prepare to get cozy! Purchase a wristband for $1 and wear your Pajamas to school Friday January 16th! Wristbands will be available to purchase at morning drop off gates on Thursday January 15th and Friday January 16th. Proceeds go towards 5th Grade Fundraiser.

Would your 2nd – 5th grader like to participate in Roberts' third annual Science Fair? Please have them see Mr. Coronado to sign up or complete the attached interest form in the packet! Deadline to register is this Friday, January 9th.

The Science Fair will take place on Thursday, February 5th. We look forward to seeing what our future scientists have to share!

Questions? Contact Mr. Coronado at jason.coronado@houstonisd.org.

Prospective Roberts' families interested in touring the campus may do so on the given tour dates below. All tours start promptly at 9AM 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:

• 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

You heard it here first - on February 28th, the online Auction will open at 4PM for VIP tickets and 5pm for General Admission tickets. JUST THINK of how much more fun you’ll have dining, dancing, and catching up with new and old friends!Get your Auction Soirée tickets and support Roberts!

Can’t attend the evening event on 2/28? You can get a mobile bidder ticket and still participate in the auction! Mobile tickets on sale now too!

There's something for everyone at Roberts Annual Auction Soirée:

• vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals

• open bar and alcohol-free tickets

• casino games

• dinner and dancing

• amazing auction items, trips, parties, and teacher and school perks!

Find out more about Roberts PTO’s Auction Soirée.

Attention 5th grade Parents (and incoming Kinder students not zoned to Roberts), Phase 1 of the School Choice window opened December 9th, 2025 and closes on February 27th, 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.

Register for a Pershing fine arts magnet tour to hear about magnet opportunities for zoned students as well as accelerated academic pathways. Magnet tours are Thursdays at 1PM starting on November 6th and select Tuesdays at 10AM starting on November 11th.

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