November 14th Friday - Parent/Teacher Social 5:00pm - 7:00pm Kirby Ice House (Purchase tickets now)
November 18th Tuesday - Parlez with the Principal 8:45am - 9:45am (Sign up today)
November 19th Wednesday - Lanier Dance Fall Show
November 24th - 28th Recess No Classes
December 3rd Wednesday - Orchestra and Piano Picture Day (during class)
December 4th Thursday - Orchestra and Piano Picture Day (during class)
December 4th Thursday - Piano Winter Recital 6:00pm Lanier Auditorium
Lanier Fun Fact
Music has always been a part of Lanier's history. Students have enjoyed playing instruments and entertaining for years and here is a little look into a piece of Lanier's history. Pictured is an original program from 1957!!! Lanier students brought An Evening of Music to the crowd. Inside you will find the song titles along with student names. Today Lanier continues to make music a wonderful option to students' curriculum.
Lanier Spotlight
Mr. Graham
When someone mentions positive, a zest for education, supportive, a smiling friendly face, who do you think of? Mr. Graham comes to mind first. He is Lanier's Great 8 Administrator and IB Coordinator, but honestly, he is much more. Mr. Graham moves through his day with purpose. His daily tasks are many, starting in the morning welcoming students to school. He sets the tone for the day in the auditorium where he lets students know what is expected of them. He reminds students of the theme of the day, be it Mindful Monday, Transformation Tuesday, World Changing Wednesday, Thankful Thursday or Fantastic Friday. In addition, you can hear his voice during the daily announcements continuing the reminders of IB traits, self-reflection, actions on campus, and the list goes on.
Mr. Graham is responsible for looking at and analyzing all kinds of fun data. Mostly to see where Lanier students may need improvements and where teachers many need assistance. A lot of his time goes into conferences to support teachers and students.
Mr. Graham is definitely not sitting at his desk all day. He is very active on campus. Be it monitoring the halls during passing periods, in a classroom co-teaching, or stepping in to teach a class when a teacher is out. He is there to support all areas.
He handles discipline as well. He goes by Reflect, Repair and Restore. Students are to reflect on their choices, repair the damages done, and know that they are restored to good graces. Tomorrow is another day to make better choices. And Mr. Graham has seen first-hand how students can turn a corner and learn from their mistakes.
Mr. Graham chose education as a career simply because he wants to make a difference; in students, in the world, in the future we leave behind. He lives his life by the 3 "C's". Commit to Excellence, Culture of Achievement, and Collaboration. And that is evident in the work he puts in as IB Coordinator. Students working together to achieve a goal, especially in their 8th grade year. To strive for excellence in their IB projects, to make a difference in the Lanier community. One of the most fulfilling parts of his job is during the IB Awards. Each 6 weeks students and teachers receive IB Trait Awards showing their strengths. It shows how wonderfully diverse Lanier is. Each student having different strengths, attributes and interest. Students come together cheering each other on in the most positive atmosphere.
Mr. Graham has been with Lanier for 8 years. Four years teaching and four years in administration. He was born and raised in Atlanta Georgia. Later he headed to Texas where he started his teaching career in the Rio Grande Valley with Teach for America. In his spare time Mr. Graham loves to wake up early, read his daily devotional and workout. He loves all things science and spending time with friends. He also has 2 dogs, Tyson a boxer and Hanz a chihuahua.
Mr. Graham is such an important part of Lanier. How students respect him and have a friendship with him is obvious. The support he provides to students and teachers is unmeasurable. Thank you, Mr. Graham, for your dedication to Lanier. Next time you see him please let him know how much he is appreciated.
Don't Forget to Buy Your Ticket Now!!!!
This is a great event to socialize with Lanier teachers and staff in a fun atmosphere. Scan the QR code or go to www.lanierpto.org Login to your account, go to My Account, Forms and Sign Ups.
What's Going on in the Halls?
Good Luck Line Designs by 7th grade Art
October Teacher Appreciation Lunch
This month's teacher appreciation lunch was a fun affair to say the least. The teachers' lounge was decorated with Halloween decor and lots of candy covered the tables. Teachers and staff enjoyed a taco and nacho buffet from Torchy's Tacos. Desserts were donated by two Lanier parents. Sharan Gahunia brought Indian candy and pastry from her restaurant, Raja Sweets & Restaurant. Raja Sweets – We Bring India To You
Virginia Hrncir brought homemade oatmeal, chocolate chip and gingerbread cookies.
Each teacher and staff member was also gifted a free outerwear sweater from the PTO store as a thank you for all they do for Lanier students.
Annual Hauntcert
Concert Orchestra, Sinfonia Orchestra and Honors Band put on a tremendous concert last week. Students were allowed to dress in costume along with their conductors Ms. Cole, Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Hernandez. In addition to the fabulous music there was the traditional costume contest.
A Message from Mr. Swann and the Lanier Choir
Lanier Choir is thrilled to share that 32 choir students participate in the HISD Solo and Ensemble contest this weekend at Pershing Middle School. Every single student received a Superior 1st Division Rating!!
In addition, Lanier Choir had 8 students selected out of 2000 applicants to be members of the Southwest American Choral Directors Association Honor Choir!! These students will have a chance to grow musically, work with top-tier clinicians, and connect with other passionate students from around the country in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the spring!
If you see these students, please congratulate them!!
SWACDA Honor Choir Members:
Murat Ceyhan
Delilah Greene
Josiah Kemere
Levi LeFevre
Colette Lemaire
Kennedy Mcdonald-Williams
Alyssa Williams
Neo Ye
Solo and Ensemble Participants:
Emma Abraham
Rithvikaa Arvind
Viola Brietzke
Andrea Camacho
Genevieve Cardeau
Murat Ceyhan
Aidan Garcia
Camila Gonzalez
Delilah Greene
Maggie James
Taya Jordan
Josiah Kemere
Colette Lemaire
Erin Lopez
Elena Maghrabi
Melanie Mago
Elani McCardell
Kennedy Mcdonald-Williams
Daisy McPherson
Joselyn Mejia
Calista Morales
Mia Ramirez
Ana Rodriguez
Olivia Rodriguez
Susana Torres
Bradley Vu
William Wang
Alyssa Williams
Jade Williams
RJ Wright
Neo Ye
Sophia Zisman
Lanier Students Perform at Alley Theater
Kick off your holiday season watching Lanier Middle School students - AJ Dada (6th) and Levi LeFevre (7th) - in Alley Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol. Use promo code COMMUNITY to receive up to a 20% discount on tickets. Purchase at alleytheatre.org/carol.
A Christmas Carol November 16 - December 28, 2025 Rediscover the timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge's transformation as he encounters the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Be transported into Victorian England with dazzling costumes and stunning sets. Join us for a Dickensian celebration of love, redemption, and the true spirit of Christmas!
This winter, Rice University is excited to introduce something brand new to the neighborhood: the first-ever "Ice Village at Rice Village", a festive outdoor ice-skating rink experience created to bring holiday cheer and community spirit to Houston.
To celebrate this special inaugural year and strengthen connection with local schools, Rice University would love to invite Lanier students, families and staff to join in the fun by offering an exclusive 10% discount on skating admission. Just use the code ICELANIER when purchasing tickets online.
Exclusive Discount Code: ICELANIER (10% off all tickets)
Whether it's a school outing, student activity, or family day on the ice, Rice University would love to see Lanier families making memories and helping kick off this exciting new tradition in the heart of Rice Village.
Houston Food Bank
HISD Families in need of food assistance, the Houston Food Bank is holding a distribution this Saturday at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center.
Please remind students to always use their Chromebook carrying bag. Each student received a black carrying bag the first few days of school. There has been an increase in damaged devices due to drops in the halls or outside. When changing classes or leaving campus, please secure devices in the carrying bag.
Lanier MS Student and Family Handbook
Family Handbook
We are pleased to share the 2025-2026 Lanier MS student and family handbook. This handbook serves to provide a normed resource for all Lanier MS stakeholders to reference for answers and information about some of the most common, but essential questions and areas of interest. While this is not an exhaustive document nor does it supersede HISD board policy, state, and federal education laws we hope you find it helpful and informative as you navigate your journey as a Purple Pup.
Make sure your Purple Pups have some long sleeve outerwear! Order before Sunday at 7:00pm and pick up Monday from 4:00pm - 4:30pm. Students can pick up so it’s easy. Please do not forget your students name on the order!
Lanier now has its very own textile recycling bin!
Green City Recycler is dedicated to keeping textiles out of landfills and giving them a second life.
Here’s how it works: For every pound of textiles donated by the Lanier community, the school earns 10 cents. That may not sound like much, but those small amounts really add up!
So, if you have any textiles (clothes, shoes, linens, etc.) that aren’t in good enough condition to donate elsewhere, don’t toss them, recycle them in the bin! Every item helps the environment and supports our school.
Bin location: Next to the bus entrance on Harold Street.
The safety of our students is very important to Lanier Middle School. Please review the drop-off and pick-up map carefully to assist us in assuring that this process runs smoothly. Please be patient, considerate, and careful. Your child’s safety and the safety of all of our children are at stake. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Please click the above button to view detailed information on Drop Off and Pick Up.
Please consider donating something from our wonderful teachers Amazon wishlists.
As always tissues and pencils are greatly appreciated too. You can drop them off at the front desk with the cluster and/or teacher you are giving them to.
Please note that the cutoff time for dropping off lunch to your students is 10:00am.
No Uber eats orders (or other food delivery services) will be accepted for students.
Please also note that the cutoff time for early pick up of students is 3:30pm. If you arrive past this time you will need to wait until official dismissal at 4:00pm to collect your student.
Scan or Click for Lanier's Box Top's for Education
We have kicked off the 2025/26 Raise Your Paws for a Cause Annual Fund Campaign
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, Lanier continues to reach new heights. We’re proud to recognize the following corporate sponsors for their outstanding commitment to our school.
Ready to make a difference? Join our growing network of sponsors and help shape the future at Lanier.
The Lanier Middle School PTO publishes this weekly newsletter (The Purple Page) during the school year. Deadline for submission in the Purple Page is Wednesday at 5:00pm.
It is the responsibility of the coaches, sponsors, teachers, parents or team members of an event or activity to submit information to the Purple Page editor.
With so many competitions, performances, club happenings and sports events we rely on submissions.
We want to showcase Lanier students, teachers and staff in all they do.
