Houston R-1 School District

⚾️ PLAY BALL! The 2026 High School Baseball Season is Almost Here!

The Houston High School Tigers are ready to hit the field!

🗓 Season Opener: March 20
The team kicks off the season at the Champs Fitness Wood Bat.

🗓 First Home Game: March 30
Come cheer on the Tigers as they take on Seymour at home!

📣 Please note: Game schedules may change due to weather. Be sure to follow the school’s Facebook page and website for the latest updates and any schedule changes.

Let’s pack the stands and support our Tigers this season! ❤️🖤

Spring sports practices 🐯⚾️🥎👟🎾⛳️ for all middle and high school teams begin Monday, March 2 after school. Athletes must have a current physical on file from last two years to participate. This year's teams, coaches and practice locations:
🔴 HS Baseball: Brent Hall - baseball field
🔴 HS Golf: Adam Vandiver - golf course
🔴 HS Softball: Conaley Aaron - softball field
🔴 HS Tennis: Josh McKinney - tennis courts
🔴 HS Track: Michael Tottingham - Hiett Gym
🔴 MS Baseball: Preston Wade - Big Red Building then bused to the fairgrounds
🔴 MS Softball: Madelyne Aaron - softball field
🔴 MS Track: Michael Tottingham - Hiett Gym

IT’S DISTRICT TIME, TIGER FANS!

The Houston Tigers are READY… and it’s time to bring the RED & BLACK energy on the road! Let’s fill the stands, be loud, and cheer our boys on as they battle for a district win!

🏀 Opponent: Licking
📅 Tuesday, Feb. 24
⏰ 5:30 p.m.
📍 Game location: Cabool

🎟 IMPORTANT — Digital tickets ONLY for boys district games. No cash sales.
Purchase online through the Missouri State High School Activities Association website:
1️⃣ Go to mshsaa.org
2️⃣ Click the ticket icon
3️⃣ Select Boys Show-Me Showdown
4️⃣ Click Class 3
5️⃣ Choose the Cabool date and select “Get Tickets”

📢 Please note: District boys basketball games will NOT be livestreamed — you’ll have to be there to catch the action!

Let’s pack the stands, wear your RED & BLACK, and show everyone how Tiger Nation shows up! 🐅🔥

📣 Cheer Senior Night ❤️🖤

Join us Friday, February 20, as we celebrate our 2026 Tiger Cheer seniors!

🗓 Friday, Feb. 20
⏰ Game starts at 6:00 PM
📍 Tigers vs. Ava

Stay after the game as we recognize and honor our senior cheerleaders for their spirit, leadership, and dedication to Tiger pride. Come help us cheer them on one more time!

🏀 Tiger Basketball Senior Night 🐅

Join us as we celebrate our 2026 Tiger Basketball seniors on Friday, February 20!

🗓 Friday, Feb. 20
⏰ Game starts at 6:00 PM
📍 Tigers vs. Ava

Stay after the game as we recognize and honor our 2026 seniors for their dedication and hard work. Let’s pack the stands and show them our Tiger pride!

❄️📚 Storybook Creations Night is coming!

4th grade families — join us for a frosty evening of fun on February 19 from 5:30–7:00 pm in the Houston Elementary cafeteria!
Enjoy a cozy winter story time, then get creative making super cool snowman slime with your student. We’ll have all the supplies ready — plus hot cocoa and sugar cookies to make the night extra sweet! ☕🍪

Be sure to RSVP by February 13 by returning the form to school or emailing dgulick@houston.k12.mo.us with:
• Student name
• Number of family members attending

We can’t wait for this snow-tastic evening with you! ❄️✨

🍫 Support the 2026 Prom! 💃🕺

The Houston High School Prom Committee is selling World's Finest© Chocolate bars for just $2 each to help raise funds for this year’s big night!

📅 Fundraiser runs February 13 – March 13
👉 See any Prom Committee member to purchase

Grab a sweet treat and help make Prom 2026 unforgettable! ✨

🦆🎉 Get ready for some halftime fun! 🎉🦆

The H Club Service Project is hosting a Chuck-A-Duck Fundraiser, and all proceeds will benefit Fostering By Faith!

📅 February 19 & 20
⏰ Halftime during Girls & Boys Senior Night games
Here’s how it works:
🦆 Buy your ducks in the lobby before halftime
💲 1 duck for $2 or 6 ducks for $10
🎯 Chuck them at halftime for a chance to win half the earnings!

Come support a great cause, have some fun, and see how your throwing skills stack up. Don’t miss it!

🏀 Join us for Lady Tiger Basketball Senior Night! 🐯

📅 Thursday, February 19
🕡 Game starts at 6:30 PM
📍 vs. Ava

Come cheer on the Lady Tigers and help us celebrate our Class of 2026 seniors, who will be recognized immediately following the game.

Let’s pack the stands and show our seniors how proud we are of them! ❤️🖤

❤️👑 Hoop Queen Spirit Week is almost here! 👑❤️
Get ready to show your school spirit February 17–20 with these fun themed days!

✨ Tuesday, Feb. 17 — Dreaming of Warmer Weather (PJ Day)
Break out the comfy pajamas and cozy vibes!

🎒 Wednesday, Feb. 18 — Anything But a Backpack
Get creative and carry your school supplies in something fun and unexpected!

🌺 Thursday, Feb. 19 — Hawaiian Christmas
Mix tropical and festive for a fun holiday mash-up!

🔴 Friday, Feb. 20 — Queen of Hearts (Red Out)
Wear red and show your Hoop Queen pride!

Let’s make it a week full of spirit, fun, and creativity! ❤️🖤

Join Houston Elementary February 17–20 as we celebrate kindness and encourage students to spread positivity all week long!

✨ Tuesday, Feb. 17 — Let Kindness Shine!
Wear sunglasses or bright colors.
Challenge: Hold a door open for someone.

🎩 Wednesday, Feb. 18 — Hats Off to Kindness!
Wear your favorite hat.
Challenge: Write a thank you note to someone.

🧦 Thursday, Feb. 19 — Crazy for Kindness!
Wear crazy socks.
Challenge: Visit with someone you don’t normally take time to talk with.

🏀 Friday, Feb. 20 — Team Up for Kindness!
Wear your favorite sports team or school colors.
Challenge: Help someone with a task and/or give sincere compliments to at least three different people.

Let’s make this week full of smiles, kindness, and positive actions!

💝 VALENTINE'S DAY 💝 is just around the corner. To ensure both safe and fun parties for our students and families, please be aware of the following expectations for our Elementary School:
🟥 Valentine’s Day parties will be from 1:30-2:15 p.m. on Feb. 13.
🟥 Parents/guardians only (limit 2 people) in classrooms. If a student has 2 households, both sets of parents will be able to attend.
🟥 If a parent/guardian is unable to attend, the parent/guardian may send someone in their place, but must notify the office and classroom teacher prior to the day of the party who will be attending.
🟥 All parents/guardians and visitors must check in at the office before attending parties. There will be several staff members assisting to expedite this process.
🟥 All students who leave early with parents/guardians must check out at the office. ECC students will be able to checkout at the ECC - they will not have to be checked out at the main campus.
Thank you for your help to make this a great celebration for everyone! If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Jody Jarrett, Elementary Principal, or Mr. Shane Pitts, Assistant Elementary Principal.

🎓 Attention Houston High School Sophomores!
Interested in joining a PRTC (Piney River Technical Center) program for hands-on career and technical training? Now’s the time to act! 💼✨

📌 What You Need to Do:
➡️ Stop by and meet with Ms. Volk to pick up your program application
➡️ Complete your ICAP immediately

🗓 Deadline: Applications are due March 6
📅 Interviews will be scheduled by the instructor

🔗 Learn more about the programs and application details:
👉 https://www.houston.k12.mo.us/page/prtc

Don’t miss your chance to gain real-world skills and career experience!

🌾🐄 Houston FFA Open House — Join Us! 🐓🌽

Houston Schools is excited to share that the Friends of the FFA will be hosting a Houston FFA Open House, and our community is invited to attend!

📍 Location: Houston PRTC
🏫 Address: 206 W. Spruce St.
📅 Date: February 7, 2026
⏰ Time: 11:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

Stop by to:
🌶️ Enjoy free chili and drinks
🤝 Meet the Friends of the FFA Officers and our Houston FFA Officers
📣 Attend the official meeting following the open house

This event supports efforts to provide funds and resources that strengthen our agricultural program and FFA chapter right here in the Houston area. We’re proud of the opportunities FFA provides our students, and we appreciate the community’s continued support.

We hope to see our students, families, alumni, and community members there! 🌱

🎥📚 Library Book Trailer Contest Winner! 📚🎥

Middle school and high school students have the opportunity to create book trailers for books in our school library! A book trailer is just like a movie trailer — its goal is to spark interest and make others want to read the book.

We’re excited to announce that Karlie Johnston (7th grade) is our January Book Trailer Contest Winner! 🏆👏

Great job, Karlie, on using creativity to bring a story to life and inspire others to read! We can’t wait to see more amazing trailers from our students.

Spring sports are right around the corner!

Make sure you’re ready to go before the first practice on Monday, March 2!

✅ Sports physicals must be up to date
✅ Physicals are valid for 2 years
✅ If yours is close to expiring, schedule an appointment now

Don’t wait until the last minute — get everything taken care of so you can hit the ground running!

Contact Brent Hall, athletic director, for questions.

📊 ASVAB Testing Update 📊

ASVAB test scores from the January testing session are now available and have been uploaded to the Assessment tab in Infinite Campus for students who participated.

Ms. Volk will meet with all students who tested in January during Club Day in March to review their results and discuss how their skills and strengths align with potential career paths. Each student will also receive a printed copy of their score report at that time.

👏 A big thank you to all of the students who tested! They came prepared, followed expectations, and represented our school extremely well—we are very proud of them.

📌 Juniors who were unable to test in January will have the opportunity to take the ASVAB in Fall 2026.

If you have questions about scores or upcoming meetings, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Tara Volk, High School Counselor.

Thank you for your continued support!

🌟 Houston High School Student of the Month – Keaton Hinkle 🌟

For January, we’re celebrating the “L” in our PROBLEM Solver vision — Lifelong Learners! A lifelong learner is someone who continually seeks opportunities to grow, both inside and outside the classroom. It’s about building knowledge, developing skills, and always striving to improve for both career success and personal fulfillment.

Sophomore Keaton Hinkle exemplifies what it means to be a lifelong learner through dedication, curiosity, and a commitment to doing his best each day. 📚✨

Congratulations, Keaton! We are proud of the example you set at HHS! 👏🎉

🚨 Positions Available at Houston Schools!

We’re excited to announce coaching opportunities for the 2026 season:
⚾ Anticipated Head Middle School Baseball Coach
🥎 Junior High Head Softball Coach

If you’re passionate about working with student-athletes and making a positive impact, we’d love to hear from you!

📩 Contact Brent Hall at bhall@houston.k12.mo.us
or 417-967-3024 for more information.

🖥️ Apply online here: https://houstonr1.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx

Help us continue building strong programs and great experiences for our Tiger athletes!

👏 Big Applause for Jack Sandberg! 👏

Please join us in congratulating Senior Jack Sandberg, who has been selected to represent Houston High School in an Honor Choir at the Southwest American Choral Directors Association (SWACDA) Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico this March!

This is an exceptional honor—choir students from 7 states audition, and only a select group is chosen from hundreds of talented singers. Those selected perform with peers from across the Southwest under a renowned conductor, working on high-quality choral literature at this prestigious, biannual conference.

Being chosen for the SWACDA Honor Choir is a huge accomplishment, and we are incredibly proud of Jack. If you see him, be sure to congratulate him!

As Jack prepares for this exciting opportunity, anyone who would like to help support him is welcome to reach out. Please contact the High School office if you are interested.

📅 Conference Dates: March 4–7