Giving Thanks, Giving Pies!

  • November 13, 2020

Thanksgiving is fast approaching! We would like to take this opportunity to show our thanks to all the hardworking teachers and staff at MIMS, who help create such a nurturing learning environment for our children even during this pandemic.

To make things simple and safe for the obvious reasons, we are asking parents to only make money donations. The fund will be used to buy delicious pies for the upcoming holiday.

Our sign-up genius includes a list of all the teachers and staff in MIMS. Our goal is to give a pie to everyone. and to include at least one note of thanks with each pie.

Step 1: Use the Sign-up genius to ensure that we cover at least one pie and one note for each staff member.

Step 2: To donate for your pie, use the direct link for our $15 fixed amount. Then either drop a hand-written note at the school or email to info@mimspto.org with the subject link: Giving Thanks, Giving Pies and include the name of your teacher or staff member. We’ll print out the emails and get them to the staff with the pies next week.

Step 3: Please consider making a donation! We have a fixed amount of $15 and all money will be used for pies or other teacher appreciation efforts. You can donate to more than one name at a time!

 

Reminder: November PTO Meeting Friday

  • November 11, 2020

Just a reminder that our November MIMS PTO meeting is Friday, November 13 at noon.

The draft agenda is available – let Kelly Opot or Libby Ingrassia know if you have something you need on the agenda.

Use this information to join the call:

 

UIL Dates & Locations

  • November 8, 2020

Welcome to the 2020-2021 Elementary School UIL Academic year! Ms. Simpson and Nissa Simpson are your teacher representative and parent coordinator for MIMS. We are so excited to be with you again this year.

The full list and description of this year’s events are on the MIMS PTO UIL page. If you have any questions, please email uil-es@mimspto.org. Please fill out the Google Form to participate. 

We will host a UIL informational meeting Monday, November 16 @ 6:30 pm via Zoom. In this informational session we will go over different events, how virtual exams work, and coaching information.

What is UIL?

A+ Academics Elementary are academic competitions to let your students compete and challenge themselves in different events. This year will look a little different from previous years. Our first 2 meets will be held virtually with the intention to return to in person meets for the spring semester.

What UIL events can your students do?

The full list and description of this year’s events are on the MIMS PTO UIL page.

Some of the events have changed by condensing the grades and this year we will be able to send 5 students per event. We have wonderful parents that volunteer their time to coach our students. If you are skilled in one of the event categories and would like to be a volunteer coach, please email uil-es@mimspto.org.

  • Dictionary Skills (4th/5th)
  • Listening (4th/5th)
  • Number Sense (3rd, 4th, 5th)
  • Social Studies (4th/5th)
  • Art (4th/5th)
  • Creative Writing (2nd)
  • Impromptu Speaking (4th/5th)
  • Mathematics (4th/5th)
  • Oral Reading English & Spanish (4th/5th)
  • Ready Writing (3rd, 4th, 5th)
  • Chess Puzzle (2nd/3rd, 4th/5th)
  • Impromptu Speaking (2nd/3rd)
  • Maps, Graphs & Charts (4th/5th)
  • Oral Reading English & Spanish (2nd/3rd)
  • Spelling (3rd, 4th, 5th)
  • Modern Oratory (2nd/3rd, 4th/5th)
  • Music Memory (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th)
  • Storytelling (2nd/3rd)

Fundraising and Holidays Go Together Like…

  • November 5, 2020

I don’t know, maybe kids and playgrounds? Chocolate and mint?

In any case, we’ve launched a new fundraising partnership with Minted. You use our code when you order the holiday cards you were planning to buy anyway. You get a 20% discount. And then they give MIMS 15% of the sales! What could be better?!

Buy at Minted.com/holiday with code FUNDRAISEMIMS.

MIMS Roll-n-Go Spirit Night: Dream Dinners November

  • October 29, 2020

Dream Dinners is now sponsoring a MONTHLY Spirit Night for MIMS PTO. Buy 3 easy-to-make prepped meals for 3 people at a cost of $50. For every order, MIMS PTO will get $10. Check the flier for November’s meal details!

Use the link to order your dinners between now and midnight, Sunday, November 15.
https://dreamdinners.com/session/863989

(Families who want larger meals email Nhi Le directly: nhi.phan@dreamdinners.com.)

Contactless pick up is Friday, November 20 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Drop off a container with your name and your orders will be ready to go. List your preferred pick up time in the comments section.

Thank you for supporting our PTO!

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Buy & Sell in the MIMS Marketplace

  • October 28, 2020

Welcome to MIMS newest fundraising opportunity: the MIMS Marketplace.

It’s pretty simple: you purchase great items (often from MIMS families’ businesses  ) and the business donates a portion of the sales to MIMS!

Lovely Soap Gift Baskets

Our first MIMS Marketplace items are a set of gift baskets from Sallis Soapery that can be purchased on the MIMS Store and would make great holiday gifts! Read more about the gift baskets in this flier and then buy online in our MIMS Store.

Selling in the MIMS Marketplace

Of course, you can support MIMS by selling items in the marketplace, too. Do you make or sell something you think our MIMS community would like? Want to sell something in the MIMS Marketplace? Contact Community Fundraising chair Kris O’Brien at communityfundraising@mimspto.org.

Other ways to support MIMS

Don’t forget our other key fundraising opportunities right now:

Spirit Night: Lemongrass Cafe

  • October 28, 2020

Our next Spirit Night is at Lemongrass Cafe — and it lasts a whole week (Nov. 7-15)! You know the drill: you eat delicious food from Lemongrass Cafe (dine in or carry out; delivery excluded) and they donate to MIMS PTO so we can support our students.

Dine at the Lemongrass Cafe from Saturday, Nov. 7 through Sunday, Nov. 15 and they will donate a percentage of sales to MIMS PTO.

This offer applies to all dine in and carry out meals.

Drop your receipt in the MIMS container up front or tell wait staff your are with MIMS when they bring food to your car.

The more you dine, the more we benefit.

Delivery excluded.

Lemongrass Cafe – 5107 Bellaire Blvd Suite#120 – https://www.lemongrass-cafe.com/menu

Week of Oct 19: Updates

  • October 20, 2020

MIMS U: Sign up to teach a class today

Do you or someone you know have skills you can share? We are looking for parent, staff, and teacher volunteers to host online classes for our new MIMS U fundraiser. Cooking, gardening, sewing, mahjong, coding, building, yoga, winemaking are just a few ideas. Be creative! If you can do it, please teach it. Classes can last a single session or continue over multiple sessions. You design your course.

Join us for MIMS U. Create classes through Nov. 13. Classes can start as early as the first week of November.

MIMS Movie Night: Buy tickets or a sponsorship

MIMS Drive-In Movie Night, showing Monster House on Friday, October 30. Park at 6:30 p.m.; Movie begins at 7 pm. $20 per car. First come – first served up to 50 cars. Sponsorships available for $50.

PTO Meeting: Minutes & Next meeting

Minutes are now available from the October 16 PTO meeting.

Next PTO meeting is set for November 13 – save the date!

Teacher Service Days

No class for students on October 21 or November 3.

MIMS Family Directory

Please sign up today for the MIMS family directory! We’ll try to have the directory ready by the end of the month, but we can only include the people we have – so join today!

MIMS Yard Sign

MIMS yard signs are still for sale! We’ll be selling and delivering on Thursday & Friday, October 22 & 23, both before and after school. Buy online today to support your students!

MIMS Drive-in Movie Night: Monster House

  • October 20, 2020

Join us for the MIMS Drive-In Movie Night, showing Monster House! Socially distanced fun plus fundraising for our school!

About the movie

No adults believe three youths’ assertion that a neighboring residence is a living creature that means them harm. With Halloween approaching, the trio must find a way to destroy the structure before innocent trick-or-treaters meet ghastly ends.

Movie details

Join us on Friday, October 30. Park at 6:30 p.m.; Movie begins at 7.

Cost is $20 per car.

First come – first served up to 50 cars. You should get a receipt when you purchase – bring your receipt to show at the gate.

Sponsor the movie

You can also sponsor the movie night! For a $50 sponsorship, we’ll put your company or organization’s name, logo, and flyer up on the big screen.

PTO Meeting on Friday, Oct. 9

  • October 16, 2020

PTO meeting minutes

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Reminder that our PTO meeting is at noon, Friday, Oct. 9

Topic: PTO general meeting – October
Time: Oct 16, 2020 12:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89909218658?pwd=VlV2b29pdGp6L2dEbnZTLzE5aENhZz09

Meeting ID: 899 0921 8658
Passcode: 5524
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,89909218658# US (Houston)

Agenda is here:

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Minutes from previous meeting are at About -> PTO Executive Board -> Meeting Minutes

MIMS ROLL N GO SPIRIT NIGHT

  • October 5, 2020


MIMS ROLL N GO SPIRIT NIGHT AT DREAM DINNERS
Buy 3 easy-to-make prepped meals for 3 people at a cost of $50. For every order, MIMS’ PTO will get $10.
Use the link to order your dinners between now and midnight, Sunday, October 11.

(Families who want larger meals email Nhi Le directly: nhi.phan@dreamdinners.com.)

Contactless pick up is Friday, October 16 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Drop off a container with your name and your orders will be ready to go. List your preferred pick up time in the comments section.
Thank you for supporting our PTO!

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival

  • October 1, 2020

As you read in our PTO email (sent by Mr. Ying), we are working to have a virtual Mid-Autumn fest on our MIMS PTO YouTube Channel!

Our presentation is brought to you with support from Mr. Ying and 6th grader Evan Graham.

What is Mid-Autumn Festival and how do we celebrate?

We’ve attached activities and where to find Mooncakes in Houston. You can also read up on other stories that are sometimes told around the Mid-Autumn Festival.

First, learn the story of Hou-Yi and Chang’e: Hou-Yi-Short-Story-Chinese & Hou-Yi-Short-Story-English

Next, buy some mooncakes to celebrate. The whole family can share by slicing them into pieces: Where to buy Mooncakes in Houston

Then, build a paper paper lantern as a celebratory activity: Paper-Lantern

Finally, enjoy some fun with a Word-Search and Coloring-Pages.

During all this, join us when the pre-recorded video will go “live” Thursday, October 1 at 7 PM. You and your family will be able to go back and visit it any time.

This looks very different than how our school usually celebrates but we’re determined to do all we can, and we hope it gets your wheels turning on how we can create more online engagement opportunities and fundraising for our school together.

Thanks to our new PTO President (Kelly) and CNY Chair (Nick) for organizing!

School re-opening FAQ

  • September 27, 2020

Wanted to share some of the re-opening information we have gotten from admin and HISD. If you have additional questions or comments, Mr. Ying has requested that you contact him directly.

As you may know from Mr. Ying or HISD emails, you have until Monday, 9/28, to update your plans for the second six-week period that starts on October 19.

 

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations

  • September 22, 2020

We’re in the midst of Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 – October 15. The Hispanic Heritage Month Committee has been working hard to bring activities, links, and videos for all students and our entire MIMS community.

Interview with Karina Gonzalez

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, the MIMS committee  has a video interview with the Houston Ballet prima ballerina and soloist and Hispanic icon Ms. Karina Gonzalez. The interview will be aired this Thursday September 24th at 9 am on Microsoft Teams and will be hosted by Mr. Ying in order to facilitate communication to all MIMS students.

And while we don’t have the papel picado from a year ago, we do have a list of interesting links and videos to enjoy at home.

Hispanic Heritage Month: Links & Activities for elementary students

2nd to 5th grade

  • Special exhibition at Houston Museum of Fine Arts. It is free for kids 12 and under https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/glory-of-spain-treasures-hispanic-society-museum-library
  • How to dance salsa (kids class) https://youtu.be/F758q-jifJI
  • Hispanic countries, their geographic location and flag) https://youtu.be/tH49ap2d1d4 (please turn the music off, just watch the video)

Pre-k to 1st grade

Hispanic Heritage Month: Links & Activities for middle school students

The links below are appropriate for middle school students. They are short and  include aspects of history, social studies and literature. Below them, there will be some pdf files with crosswords that students can use to practice some Spanish words.

Hispanic Heritage Month: Links & Activities for MIMS community (students, parents, teachers, staff)

  • LATINO ICONS (interviews to 18 latino super stars)
    https://g.co/arts/C4caoQvAt6Yayeqb6
  • LATINO FOOD (chocolate and tamales from Argentina to Mexico-including link to recipes).
    https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/celebrating-our-latinidad/zQKSWNxtJTrTKQ

Thanks to the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee

With many thanks for these links and resources to MIMS Hispanic Heritage Month Committee members including Liliana Rueda, Sandra Lozano, Verónica Velázquez, Sophia Chacón, and Tatiana Ruiz.

Introducing your 2020-2021 PTO Board Members

  • September 21, 2020

We had 194 PTO Members vote for the MIMS 2020-2021 PTO Board.  Thanks so much to those who participated.

Presenting your new MIMS PTO Board

  • President:  Kelly Opot
  • Vice President Elementary:  Felicia Ziegler
  • Vice President Middle School:  Caroline Long
  • Parliamentarian:  Eboni Butler
  • Secretary:  Libby Ingrassia
  • Historian:  Janine McClenny
  • Treasurer:  Jose Gonzalez
  • Corporate Fundraising:  Shavaun Rose
  • Community Fundraising:  Kris O’Brien
  • Chinese New Year Chair:  Nick Palmer
  • SDMC Representative:  Matthew Yang

Congratulations to our new Board members!!!!!  We appreciate all of you who ran.  Volunteering doesn’t just stop here; many of you checked off committees that you’d like to be involved in.  You will be contacted soon by someone on the Board.  Also, remember that anyone can attend SDMC meetings and we encourage you to do so.  Our Reps are our Liaisons, but your voice makes a difference too!