| A Note from the PTO President We are officially in September! Back-to-school routines are settling in, fall sports and activities are getting underway, and maybe—just maybe—some cooler days are on the horizon! A huge thank-you to the parents who helped serve popsicles on Friday, August 21, as we celebrated Twain’s A rating! We are also incredibly grateful to everyone who has volunteered their time to organize the cottages behind the school and help get our library in order. Your hard work is making a tremendous difference! |
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It’s an exciting week at Twain as we kick off our month-long fall fundraiser —the Twain Friends & Family Campaign! On Friday, our Tigers will enjoy a mini pep rally during lunch, followed by a dance party after school. Stick around for a little while at dismissal and let the kiddos dance their way into the holiday weekend! On Friday, Ms. Rawson and the administrative team will host a Q&A in the cafeteria at 7:45am. I invite you to grab a cup of coffee and learn more about beginning-of-year testing and other important topics. Then, head over to Betsy’s at 9:00 a.m. for our first Friday Twain Family Coffee—and perhaps a second cup! Come enjoy coffee, conversation, and time with other Twain families. I have loved meeting so many of our new families this year, and I’m excited to help you find your place in our community. If you’re ready to get involved, please fill out our “Join the Road Crew” Volunteer Interest Form. Whether you have a little time or a lot, we’ll help connect you with one of our many fabulous volunteer opportunities! Thank you for helping us make Twain such a special place. Let’s keep this ROCK STAR year rolling! Mallory Rissmiller
PTO President |
FRIDAY — 7:45am — Q & A Coffee with Ms. Rawson & Admin FRIDAY — 9:00am — First Friday Twain Family Coffee • Betsy's
FRIDAY — FRIENDS & FAMILY FUNDRAISER KICK OFF! Join us Friday after school in front of the school for a little kick off dance party! — Help us celebrate Twain’s A-Rated Campus! |
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FIND YOUR PLACE AT TWAIN!Ready to get involved? We'd love to have you! Whether you have an hour to give, want to help in your child's classroom, or are ready to join an event committee, there's a place for you at Twain. Happening now: Sign up for our International Potluck and Friends & Family Fun Run, or lend a hand on campus by joining our Lunch Crew or becoming a Library Helper. Visit our Volunteer Hub to find your spot and get involved! |
GET VIPS READY!Planning to volunteer at Twain this year? Whether you're helping in the classroom, chaperoning a field trip, attending a class party, or lending a hand at an event, all volunteers must be VIPS approved each school year. VIPS registration is now open for 2026–2027! ⭐ Visit houstonisd.org/vips
⭐ Complete the brief training video
⭐ Complete the background check located below the completion certificate
⭐ Watch for an email from HISD confirming your approval Important: VIPS must be renewed every school year. If you completed the process before August 10, you'll need to submit it again for the 2026–2027 school year. |
STAY CONNECTED WITH TWAIN!Did you know you can access our website through the Membership Toolkit App? Download the app, sign in to your account, and stay connected on the go — catch up on the latest news, update your account information, sign up to volunteer, and more! We’ll begin using text messaging for important PTO announcements, event reminders, volunteer needs, and other timely updates. TWAIN AT YOUR FINGERTIPS! Don’t miss an important PTO update! Log in to your Membership Toolkit account, visit Communication Settings, and make sure you’ve opted in to text messages. OPT IN • DOWNLOAD THE APP • STAY CONNECTED |
ONGOING FUNDRAISERS1. Mabel's Labels - Go to Mabel's Labels, select Mark Twain and start shopping! 2. Minted - 20% off your entire order! Use Code: FUNDRAISEMARKTWAIN 3. Box Tops - Your normal grocery shopping can help support Twain. Download the app to see hundreds of different products (not just cereal!) that can help out: Box Tops for Education |
Friends and Family Fundraiser Give. Share. Cheer on our Tigers! Our Friends & Family Fundraiser is a fun and easy way for families, friends, and our community to support the Mark Twain PTO and the programs that enrich our students' experience at Twain. Using the GetMovin FundHub platform, students can collect tax-deductible donations online, track their progress, and work toward exciting rewards at the individual, family, classroom, grade, and school-wide levels! And the best part? We'll celebrate together with a school-wide Fun Run for ALL students—because every Tiger is part of the fun, regardless of fundraising! MARK YOUR CALENDARFundraiser: September 4 – October 4
Fun Run: September 25 Get ready to RUN, Tigers! |
International Potluck NEXT STOP ON THE TWAIN TIGERS WORLD TOUR! 🌎 Pack your appetite and join us for one of Twain's favorite com munity traditions! Our International Potluck is an evening to celebrate the cultures, flavors, and families that make our Twain community so special. Bring a favorite dish to share and enjoy an evening of food, friends, and flavors from around the globe! MARK YOUR CALENDAR Wednesday, September 23
6:00 PM • Twain Cafeteria More details and sign-ups coming soon! Questions? Contact our Cultural Exchange Directors:
Elizabeth Wagner • Farrah Najmuddin Lang • Danielle Ward-Griffin |
Spooky Season is Coming! SPOOKY SPECTACULAR T-SHIRT ART CONTEST!Calling all Twain artists! All students are invited to submit their original artwork for the 2026 Spooky Spectacular T-Shirt Art Contest! The Grand Prize Winner will have their artwork featured on the front of the official 2026 Spooky Spectacular T-shirt and receive a Spooky prize package including a festival wristband, meal ticket, T-shirt, and spooky gift bag! Grade-Level Winners will also be selected from each grade and receive a spooky gift bag full of goodies! ARTWORK DUE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 |
SAVE THE DATE! SPOOKY SPECTACULAR
Saturday, October 24 | 10:00 AM–2:00 PM Mark Twain’s annual Fall Community Event is coming! Stay tuned for more details. Questions? Contact our Spooky Chairs Connie Pei • Gavin Erie • Jennifer Floyd |
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU FOR COFFEE! SAVE THE DATE — FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4Q&A Coffee with Ms. Rawson & the Admin Team
After Drop-Off • Mark Twain 7:45 AM IN THE CAFETERIA Start your morning with coffee and conversation! Join Ms. Rawson and the Admin Team after drop-off for an informal Q&A—a great opportunity to ask questions, hear from our school leadership, and connect with other Twain families. Then, keep the coffee flowing! After the Q&A, head over to Betsy’s at 9:00 AM for our monthly First Friday Parent Coffee. Grab another cup, meet new parents, catch up with friends, and enjoy a casual morning with our Twain community. Little kiddos are always welcome! We hope you’ll join us for one—or both! NEXT FIRST FRIDAY TWAIN FAMILY COFFEE
Friday, September 4 • 9:00 AM
Betsy's |
FRIDAY DANCE PARTY AFTER SCHOOL FRIDAY AFTER SCHOOL • RIGHT IN FRONT OF TWAIN Stick around after dismissal and help us kick off our Friends & Family Fun Run Campaign! 🎉 🐯 A special visit from the Twain Tiger
📣 Performance by the SFL Cheerleaders
🎶 Music, dancing & plenty of fun! Let the kiddos join the dance party, burn off some energy, and help us start the holiday weekend — and our Friends & Family Campaign — with some serious Twain Tiger spirit! SEE YOU FRIDAY! |
Looking for Twain gear, spirit wear, personalized goodies, or a special way to celebrate your Tiger? We've got you covered! Visit the Twain Marketplace to explore all the ways to shop, show your Tiger Pride, and support our school. SCHOOL STORE
Stock up on Twain essentials, school gear, and more. SUGAR LAND INK SPIRIT STORE
Show your Tiger Pride with spirit wear for the whole family. LET JEN DO IT!
Shop personalized Twain favorites and custom goodies. BIRTHDAY GRAMS
Make your Tiger's birthday extra special with a birthday celebration at school! |
HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT TWAIN CLUBS? Did you know we're looking for parents to help bring new clubs to Twain? If you have an interest or talent you'd love to share with our Tigers, we want to hear from you! Service Club • Chess Club • Art Club • Drama Club • And more! Have another great idea? All ideas are welcome! Visit our Clubs page to explore current clubs and learn how you can help start something new at Twain. |
ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK & SAVE! Don't wait until the end of the year to order your 2026–2027 Twain Yearbook! Purchase your copy now to take advantage of early-bird pricing and guarantee you'll have all the memories from our Twain Tigers World Tour to look back on for years to come. |
GOT GOOD NEWS? WE WANT TO HEAR IT! Tiger Tracks – Good News Edition is all about celebrating the people, moments, milestones, and everyday wins that make our Twain community so special! Saw a kind moment on campus? Want to shout out a teacher or staff member? Have a student accomplishment, team victory, community achievement, or simply something that made you smile? Big wins, small victories, and everything in between—we want to celebrate it! |
Calendar NEVER MISS A BEAT! From school events and PTO meetings to parent gatherings and special Twain traditions, stay up to date with everything happening in our community. |
Upcoming Events | | Friday, September 4 | | | | | Monday, September 7 | | | Tuesday, September 8 | | | Friday, September 11 | | | Tuesday, September 15 | | | Friday, September 18 | | | Monday, September 21 | | | Tuesday, September 22 | | | Wednesday, September 23 | | | Friday, September 25 | |
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Thank You, Sponsors! We’re grateful for our 2026–2027 Twain Sponsors! Their generous support helps make so many of our programs and opportunities possible. Please support the businesses that support Twain—and let them know you’re a Twain Tiger! |
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HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE? Have news, an event, or an announcement for a future edition of Twain Times? Submit your content through our website and we'll help get the word out! |
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