Frequently asked questionsالأسئلة الشائعة

School runs 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM. Arrival begins at 7:00 AM; students who arrive after 7:30 AM are tardy. The front office is closed 7:00–8:00 AM and 1:30–3:15 PM.

Call (713) 556-8940 or visit 4001 Stanford St, Houston, TX 77006. Attendance, grades, transportation and anything about a specific student go to the school office; the PTO can’t see student records.

AIMS serves students from Pre-K 3 through 8th grade, with Arabic immersion in elementary and Arabic as a high-school-credit language (LOTE) in middle school.

Download the HISD yearly calendar (PDF) for holidays and early-release days. PTO events are listed on our Events page and Instagram.

From the HISD 2026–27 calendar (students):

• First day of school: August 10, 2026 · Last day: May 28, 2027
• Labor Day: September 7, 2026
• Thanksgiving break: November 23–27, 2026
• Winter break: December 21, 2026 – January 1, 2027
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 18, 2027
• Spring break: March 8–12, 2027
• Staff development days (no school for students): September 21, October 9 and November 6, 2026; January 4, February 15 and April 16, 2027
• Grading periods end: September 18, October 30, December 18, 2026; February 19, April 15, May 28, 2027

A new Texas law (HB 1481) limits student use of personal devices during the school day. See the school website for how AIMS applies it.

No. Arabic background isn’t required. Starting in Pre-K through 1st grade is encouraged so children build a strong foundation for learning math and science in Arabic.

Most assessments are in English, even though content is taught in Arabic. Students in K–8 also take the Avant STAMP Arabic proficiency test at the beginning and end of the year.

Instruction is in Modern Standard Arabic (fusha). Teachers may use colloquial Arabic for general directions, which exposes children to different dialects.

AIMS is a magnet school; apply through HISD School Choice (you can list up to 10 magnet programs). For 2026–27, Phase 1 ran Dec 9, 2025 – Feb 11, 2026 and Phase 2 opened Mar 19, 2026. HISD announces next year’s dates in the fall. Questions: magnet coordinator Hussein.Pacha@houstonisd.org.

Yes. Request a tour with the school’s online form.

Monday–Thursday: AIMS polo (embroidered logo) in dark green, white or black, with khaki, navy, gray or black pants, shorts, skorts, skirts or jumpers. No jeans.

Friday: AIMS polo or spirit shirt with jeans.

• No sagging pants, leggings as pants, sweatpants, pajama or fleece pants.
• Skirts and shorts no shorter than four fingers above the knee.
• Jeans without rips or holes.
• No open-toe shoes, slippers, Crocs, flip-flops or sandals.
• Solid-color jackets and hoodies only, no logos. No hats inside.

Spirit days: first Monday of the month is College Spirit Day; last Monday is House Spirit Day.

Use the uniform order form. Updated purchasing details are also shared in the school newsletter.

See the supply list, or order a ready-made AIMS kit from SchoolKits.

Yes. Complete a Student Assistance Form and Ms. Audi will reach out to help.

Yes, breakfast and lunch are provided. Students may also bring food from home. Menus and meal accounts are on SchoolCafe.

No. As a public school, AIMS does not provide halal food. Pork may appear on select items and is noted on the menu; the cafeteria manager avoids pork where possible.

HISD food contains no peanuts or tree nuts, but the building is not nut-free because families may send food from home. Some classrooms may be nut-free zones for students with severe allergies.

• Arriving after 7:30 AM is a tardy. Leaving before 9:30 AM counts as absent for the whole day.
• Send a parent or doctor’s note within 3 days of returning.
• Excused: illness, death in the family, hazardous roads, official school activities. Overseas travel and extended vacations are unexcused.
• Missing 10% of days (about 17, excused or not) means summer school to be promoted.
• Truancy letters go out after 3 or more unexcused absences in four weeks.

Attendance also affects school funding: the school has lost about $120,000 in a single year, nearly two teachers’ salaries.

Email parent or doctor’s notes to aimsattendance@houstonisd.onmicrosoft.com within 3 days of your child’s return. No need to copy office staff. For questions, call the front office.

On the 1st of each month. PK–4 families pay school fees through SchoolPay.

Rosters are shared in the campus newsletter the week before school starts. To keep things equitable, teacher requests aren’t accepted; rare exceptions for significant documented concerns need the principal’s approval.

PK3, PK4 and Kindergarten parents may enter the building on the first day. Give hugs at the door and keep goodbyes short. All other students use the car line, or parents park and walk them to the cafeteria doors.

• Set earlier bedtimes and wake-up times before school starts.
• Practice opening lunch containers, pouches, fruit and juice boxes alone.
• Practice buckling and unbuckling seatbelts; staff don’t help in the car line.
• Classrooms have no bathrooms: children should be potty-trained, manage buttons and zips (or wear elastic waists) and clean themselves. No wipes.
• PK and K students keep a labeled change of clothes in a zip bag in their backpack.

A required HISD form every family completes each year for new and returning students. It keeps contacts and student information current.

Students are dismissed as car riders unless they ride the bus or attend after-school. Walkers are allowed for families who sign up, but please stay consistent with your pickup method.

Section A is for PK–1st grade; Section B is for 2nd–8th grade. If you have children in both, pick them all up at the youngest child’s section (e.g. a kindergartner and a 6th grader both go to Section A).

Submit the HISD transportation request. Action is required each year to keep bus service. Route details are on the school site.

Yes. AIMS partners with After 3 for after-school care. Space is limited, so enroll early. The school also offers clubs and enrichment classes.

The AIMS PTO is a parent-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the school’s main outside fundraiser. We build community through events, support teachers and staff, and enrich the curriculum (e.g. Arabic apps like Alefbata, iReadArabic and Nahla wa Nahel, books and classroom supplies).

Membership is $10 per family (one per household) and gives you a vote on spending, board elections and new committees. Higher levels ($25 to $1,000) add perks like car decals, yard signs and VIP festival passes.

Give online through our donation page (Philantro) or with Zelle to “AIMS PTO”. You can also double your gift through employer matching. AIMS PTO is a 501(c)(3), EIN 39-3715198.

Many do, often doubling or tripling your gift; some also match spouses, retirees and volunteer hours. Ask HR for their form or portal. Houston companies with programs include ConocoPhillips, Phillips 66, BP, Chevron Phillips, Halliburton, Deloitte, PwC, Goldman Sachs and SLB.

Every HISD volunteer must (1) apply through VIPS, which includes a background check (3–5 days), and (2) complete the VIPS orientation training. Then tell the PTO how you’d like to help.

For $30 (includes PTO membership), your child gets a birthday song and shout-out at lunch in their birthday month, a birthday pin to wear all day, and a message on the school’s front TV.

A fundraiser you host around something you love (tea party, movie night, game night, cultural celebration). You cover the costs as your donation; the PTO promotes it and sells tickets.

Use the contact form and a board member will reply, usually within two school days. You can also message @AIMSPTO on Instagram.