DeBakey PTO Newsletter

October 16, 2022

• Important Upcoming Dates
• 50th Anniversary Celebration - Silent Auction Donations Needed
• Haunted House - Donations Needed
• Scientific Symposium - Oct 28 - Donations needed
• Uniform and Spirit Store Update
• Used Sunglasses Needed!
• HISD Community Town Halls
• Baylor College of Medicine Spotlight on DeBakey HSHP
• Alumni Corner - Dr. Judith Campbell
• Student Spotlight
• Birthday Greetings on School Screens
• Teacher K-Cup Drive - Donations Needed
• Odds and Ends - In case you missed it

• Oct 20 - Financial Aid Workshop for Seniors (at school) - 5-7PM
• Oct 22 - Volleyball Intramural
• Oct 22 - Senior Picture deadline for yearbook
• Oct 24-28 - Red Ribbon/Spirit Week
• Oct 28 -Scientific Symposium
• Oct 29 -50th Anniversary Celebration
• Oct 31 - Fall Festival

50th Anniversary Celebration Silent Auction

Less than 2 weeks away!

We are still seeking more donations for the 50th anniversary celebration silent auction!

Do you have a product, service, in-kind donation to help benefit the PTO's funding for school programming?

For ideas and questions, please email
debakeyhshp50th@debakeypto.org

The annual Scientific Symposium is special this year as it is part of the 50^th Anniversary celebration on Friday, October 28, 2022! We invited 50 alumni to present various healthcare, technology, and science topics. These opportunities are unique for our students and allows them to gain an understanding of possible career pathways. We are grateful for these alumni to return and spend their precious time with our students.

We are also honored to have many special guests. Mr. Herrera will greet and introduce:

• Mr. Millard House, HISD Superintendent
• Dr. Paul Klotman, Baylor College of Medicine, President and CEO
• Dr. Dennis DeBakey, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey’s son

Please consider volunteering and donating to plan for a successful educational event! The Signup Genius link is available below to sign up by Friday, October 21. Please drop off and mark “For Scientific Symposium” on the donated items at the front office by Tuesday, October 25.

Thank you very much for your generosity!

Please contact Ivy Luong, PTO Scientific Symposium Chair, at ivylluong@gmail.com for any questions.

New Opportunities to pick up merchandise this Thursday October 20 and on Thursday, November 3.

DeBakey's Interact Service Club is collecting used eyeglasses for donation to Houston’s Lions club. Eyeglasses can be placed in the donation box near the front desk.

Please join Max Moll, Superintendent House, our trustees, and district leaders for our final two community town halls to provide an overview of progress being made on the district’s five-year strategic plan.

We hope to speak with and hear feedback from parents, students, educators, and members of the community.

This week’s times and locations:

• Monday, Oct. 17 – 6-7:30 p.m., Lamar High School (3325 Westheimer)
• Tuesday, Oct. 18 – 6-7:30 p.m., Westside High School (14201 Briar Forest)
  Virtual Meeting Option https://zoom.us/j/91011784888

Spanish interpretation will be available at the Westside meeting.

Baylor College of Medicine recently wrote a piece about DeBakey HSHP and our 50th anniversary, spotlighting their relationship with the school over the years.

Join Dr. Judith Campbell, graduate of the class of 1977 and current senior of DeBakey High School Marthella Diaz on a tour of the DeBakey High School campus.

Thank you to our wonderful PTO parents who volunteered to chaperone our junior students during their field trip to SmileCon 2022 at the George R. Brown Convention Center on Oct 13 and 14. Without them, the trip would not have been possible! Our students had a wonderful time at the conference learning about the dental industry and advancements in dental technology from vendors, dentists, students and more.

*photo credit to DeBakey HSHP Facebook page

Do you know of a DeBakey student, teacher or administrator who should should be recognized for their recent achievement/s? Let the PTO know! We'd love to recognize their accomplishments in our weekly newsletter.

A friendly reminder: the DeBakey PTO is offering Birthday & Celebratory Greetings. These are messages that will be displayed on the monitors around the school. You can send your child a birthday message or tell your child congratulations for a major accomplishment.  The Birthday & Celebratory Greetings are only $20.

• The messages are posted the week of the event only, they are sent in the Friday before the event date.
• The messages MUST be received by the PTO one week prior to the event
• You may select a background for the message on the google form.
• Belated birthdays & ½ birthdays are acceptable.
• All messages must meet the approval of the administration.
• The message will be removed if the student asks the administration to remove the message.
• Please contact Andrea or Michelle at fundraising@debakeypto.org if you have any questions.

For October/November- the PTO will accept all kinds of KCup pods for our teachers and administrators. We realize not everyone drinks coffee so tea, cider, coffee, and hot cocoa will be accepted. A drop-off box will be in the main office. 

Your student can drop them off or you may use AmazonSmile (benefitting DeBakey High School) to have something delivered directly to the school.

• Yearbooks now on sale - Order Here
• October 22 - Senior picture deadline for the yearbook. Seniors must take pictures with Prestige Portraits to be included in the yearbook. A flyer with photographer contact information has been sent to your email. DeBakey H.S. 22-23 Prestige Flyer_Deadline Approaching.pdf
  
• Updated Debakey Attendance Policy [pdf]
• October Counselor's Corner [pdf]
• Class Dues for C/O 2023, 2024 and 2025 are due - SchoolPay
  • Breakdown of costs for class dues: 
    • Prom site including student ticket only, meal, photographer, DJ, decorations, souvenir
    • Senior week trip including site tickets, busing, possibly meal
    • Graduation practice breakfast
    • Graduation including cap/gown, stoles, diploma cover, decorations for graduation
    • Optional gift to school on behalf of graduating class, if funds are remaining after the above listed requirements are paid
    • Costs will vary based on returning to pre-pandemic norms with present inflation costs projected
• Please help ensure the safe arrivals and departures of all students. Follow the road rules. 
  • Avoid making U-turns in the middle of the street. Ask your child to walk on sidewalks and through crosswalks. 
  • J-walking puts  your child at risk for harm. Pull over to the curb to pick up or drop off your child. 
  • Tell your child to exit your car on the passenger side. remember, drive lanes are for vehicles.

DeBakey High School For Health Professions PTO

2545 Pressler St

Houston TX 77030