Are you the parent of a Kindergartner? Do you have questions? Humble ISD schools have the answers. The district has scheduled Kindergarten Roundups for parents at all their elementary schools. The open houses provide information about registration, the program and more.
Young Balmoral students are zoned to one of three elementary schools — Groves Elementary, Ridge Creek Elementary and Centennial Elementary. We’ve provided the dates for each Roundup below. We’ve also included some tips for preparing your child for their very first day!
To qualify for Kindergarten, students must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2023. Don’t forget, the first day of school for the 2023-2024 school year is Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023.
5 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 13
Groves Elementary Gymnasium
5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13.
Ridge Creek Gymnasium
5 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 18
Centennial Gymnasium
Tips for a Great First Day!
Purchase School Supplies
Shopping for school supplies is exciting. Your school will provide a list of things your child needs. In addition to the basics, purchase a lunch bag, water bottle and backpack. Take your child to the store and let them help fill up the cart.
Back-to-School Shopping
Nothing gets kids more excited about school than new clothes. Let your child pick out their own clothes (within reason). Be sure to purchase a special outfit for first-day-of-school pictures.
Visit the Classroom
If possible, take your child to see their new classroom ahead of time. It will quell any first-day jitters. If you can’t do that, see if you can do a video call with your child’s teacher. Many schools post pictures of teachers and classrooms on Facebook.
Set Up a Routine
If your child goes to preschool, they may already have a school routine. If not, it’s time to create one. Teach them how to set out their clothes for the next day and check their backpack. Wake them up early, feed them breakfast and let them help you pack a lunch.
Use the Summer Months Wisely
The summer months are a great time to help your kids brush up on the skills they will need for academic and social success. Your child should already know how to print their name, hold a pencil and count up to 10. To help with learning social skills, sign them up for a summer day camp. Your child should also be able to dress themselves, go to the bathroom by themselves and wipe their runny noses.
Talk It Out
Your child might be nervous about going to school. Talk to them about what to expect on their first day. Tell them about your own first day of school. Let them ask questions and give them thoughtful answers that take their feelings into account.
Consider Helping Out
Schools always need help. Volunteer at the school library, lunchroom, PTA/PTO or help teachers. That way your child knows you will be around. It might also help you with your own first-day jitters.
Closets are a catch-all. When we don’t know what to do with something — your old laptop, wrapping paper, comforters that don’t fit in the linen cabinet — we throw it in the closet. Then we wonder why we can never find anything. If you’re ready to tackle that black hole, we have some tips that will clean it up in no time.
Purge. Purge. Purge.
Before you organize, you must purge. Devote a day to pulling everything out of your closet. Designate three piles — “keep,” “donate” and “toss.” If you find big items such as camping gear, an ironing board or large suitcases, see if you have room for them in the garage, attic or spare room. Subdivide your “keep” pile by season and how often you wear them.
Regarding Storage
If your “keep” pile is huge, start thinking where else you can store things. Can you hang out-of-season clothes in a spare room or put them bin under the bed? Do you have unused pantry space? Store memorabilia you don’t want to donate there. Get creative.
Install Shelves and Drawers
If you can’t walk into your walk-in closet because there’s too much stuff on the floor, invest in shelves and drawers. You can find ones designed specifically for closets at home improvement stores or on Amazon. Most are easy to install. Alternatively, put an old dresser in your walk-in closet. The drawers can hold everything from socks to sweaters. Put bins on the top of the dresser to hold shoes, purses and other accessories.
Double Up on Rods
A simple way to make more space in your closet is to add closet rods. Not sure how? Walk into the clothing department of any store and look at the wall. For your closet, take out the existing rod. Install two or three rods of different lengths at different heights depending on your needs. A short rod placed toward the top of the closet can be used for long dresses. Rods in the middle and toward the bottom can be used for shirts and pants.
Closet Dividers
Create or purchase closet dividers. Label them in whatever way makes sense for you. For example, you could label a section “work blouses.” Keep like items together. That way you don’t have to search the entire rack for your favorite pair of pants.
Storing Shoes
Throwing shoes on the floor of your closet is a recipe for disaster. Your shoes get dirty, and you’ll probably spend a good thirty minutes searching for the mate to the shoe you have in your hand. Use shoe racks on the back of the closet door, shelves or stackable shoe bins.
Undershelf Lighting
Just because your closet has a light doesn’t mean it’s the best or only option. Install LCD lights under your shelves. That way you don’t have to turn on the overhead light. It also makes it easy to find exactly what you want.
Learn to Fold and Hang
A lot of organization problems can be solved just by learning how to properly fold and hang your clothes. When it comes to folding, try the Marie Kondo method. Special hangers for pants keep them neat as well as creating more space in your closet. Dedicate a rack just for scarves, ties and belts.
Add a Donation Bin
Once your closet is organized, you want to make sure it stays that way. If you have room, put a box in a corner to hold items you don’t wear much. This is your donation box. Periodically go through your closet and fill it up. Another trick is to get rid of something old every time you buy something new.
Buy a Home in Balmoral
If you are thinking of buying a new home, come see us! Our builders craft great closets. You can also talk to them about installing a beautiful closet organization system. That way when you move in, everything in your old closet will have a new home.
Moving day is a busy, busy time — and something that has to happen before you move into your lovely new home in Balmoral. We have a few tips to keep the day as stress-free as possible.
Create a Plan
Before you buy your first box, set aside time to create a moving plan. There should be a section for important documents, including contracts, loan documents, moving company estimates and receipts. Create another for upcoming deadlines such as your walk-through and closing dates, transferring utilities and enrolling the kids in their new school. Use these to create checklists so you aren’t overwhelmed.
Do You Need Movers?
Whether or not you hire a professional moving company depends on many factors. If you are trying to move the contents of your four-bedroom home to another state, professional movers are the way to go. If you are moving from a studio apartment to your first house, a couple of friends and a box of pizza are all you’ll probably need.
Book Early
If you know you will need professional movers, book early because dates fill up.
Get recommendations from friends and family or check out these Moving.com reviews. Get at least three estimates before deciding. Even if you decide to move yourself, you will need to reserve a moving truck. Do that as early as possible to ensure you can get the right size truck for your needs.
Declutter and Organize
Moving is a great time to get rid of things you don’t need. Start as soon as you’ve signed your contract. Sort items into three categories: keep, donate and toss. You don’t need to do everything in one weekend. Tackle one room a week. Get family members to help.
Make Sure You Have What You Need
Everyone knows you need moving boxes but what about other supplies? Did you buy bubble wrap for your breakables? What about packing tape (always buy more of this than you think you will need). Make sure you have markers in good working order so you can label the boxes. Check Amazon for some really unique moving day items.
You Don’t Always Need Boxes
If you are going to be moving your suitcases, you might as well pack them. If you aren’t moving far, pull out your dresser drawers, wrap them in plastic and stick them on the truck. You can use trash bags for bedding. The more creative you are, the fewer boxes you will need to buy.
Take Your Time
Packing is overwhelming. Our advice — take your time. Start with a spare room. Pack it up, then use the free space as a staging area for other items. Pack up closets, the garage and cupboards. As you get closer to your move date, pack out-of-season clothes, books, kitchen appliances and DVDs.
Two Weeks Away
Two weeks out from your moving date you need to, well, get moving. Start with the kitchen because it’s usually the hardest. Leave the essentials, pack everything else. Move on to the game room, study and family room. Pack bedrooms last.
What’s In the Box
You don’t want to play “what’s in the box” after moving day. Make a list of what is in each box. Assign each box a letter or number and write down the contents. You can also take a picture of the contents and tape a copy to the box.
The Day Of
Moving always takes twice as long as you think it should. Plan for delays. If you have pets, get someone to watch them so they will be out of the way. Designate someone to liaison with movers if you are using them. If you aren’t, give everyone a specific job. Your friend that loves Tetris should oversee organizing the truck. Kids and teens can stage boxes for adults to carry out to the truck.
Do You Know Your New Neighborhood?
Make sure you know where grocery stores, restaurants, medical clinics and home improvement stores are before you move. Knowing where they are in advance can save you time if you need any of them as you are unpacking.
High energy bills got you down? Check into buying a new home in Balmoral. Balmoral builders use the latest building technology and materials to craft energy-efficient homes that help lower heating and cooling bills. How do they do it? We break it down.
Start With the Roof
Radiant heat pours through the roof of older homes into the attic, then disperses that heat throughout your home. Builders like Colina Homes shield your attic from that heat by installing durable aluminum overlays. Doing so can reduce attic temperatures by up to 30º F and lower monthly air conditioning costs by up to 17 percent.
Reduce Leaks and Drafts
Older homes leak. Heat seeps out the cracks in the winter. Cold air escapes in the summer. Your response is to turn up the heat or crank up the air conditioning. Ashton Woods uses special framing techniques that reduce leaks and drafts so your home stays at a steady and comfortable temperature no matter what the season.
What About Windows?
Windows can suck the energy out of your home in two ways. Small windows let in less light, tempting you to turn on lamps even during the day. Westin Homes is known for their walls of floor-to-ceiling bay windows. In addition to being gorgeous, they flood your home with natural light, so you keep the lights off. Gehan Homes uses low E3 glazed windows that block heat during the summer and help retain heat in the winter.
Look for the Energy Star Label
Most new home builders like Lennar and Chesmar Homes, choose ENERGY STAR® appliances. Appliances with the ENERGY STAR® label utilize up to 50 percent less energy, saving you money even if you leave the toaster plugged in.
Insulation is Everything
Over the years, insulation materials have improved exponentially. All Balmoral builders use high quality insulation to help maintain internal temperature and improve your HVAC performance. If you really want to get into the nitty-gritty, ask your builder’s sales representative about the R-value of the insulation they use. The larger the number, the better.
Ask About HERS
The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) scores homes based on how energy efficient they are. The lower the HERS score, the more efficiently your home uses energy. The average home score is 100. Balmoral homes usually score in the low 60s.
Trust Third-party Inspectors
Trustworthy builders like Gehan Homes ask third-party inspectors to test that their homes are up to state and national energy standards. These outside inspection firms are neutral parties. They will certify a builder’s home so you know your home will save you money for years to come.
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples. There are many fun-filled family celebrations happening around the Houston area. Here are a few to get you started:
The Woodlands Mall
12:30-9 p.m. Saturdays & 12:30-7 p.m. Sundays
$20 per hour
Float down The Woodlands Waterway in a beautiful swan boat after a day of shopping with your loved ones.
Play Street Museum
6-7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10
$25 per person
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with cookie decorating and fun.
Igneous Brewing Company
Noon- 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11
Free admission
Kick off Valentine’s Day and pick up gifts for loved ones at this special market featuring 30 vendors, raffle drawings and food by GastroCraft.
Houston Botanic Garden
1-3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11
$30
All ages can learn the art of paper-making. Dried flowers and wildflower seeds will be provided to make your valentines bloom. Class fee includes admission to the garden.
Valentine’s Celebration with Queen Elsa
The Learning Zoo
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12
Free
Schedule time to visit with Snow Queen Elsa and her friendly water horse then enjoy the tortoise feeding garden, petting zoo, reptile encounters, a card craft and more.
Boogie Bash-Valentine Songs and Games
The Woodlands Children’s Museum
11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14
$8
Bring your little one out to the museum for a Valentine’s Day celebration featuring themed songs, games and dances.
Discovery Green
6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14
Free
Enjoy Valentine’s Day-themed music and a spectacular fire show by Will Brandon of America’s Got Talent.