Director's Note
The Sounds of Joy: NESA Students Are Back!
I've been looking forward to this day for a while now, and it's with absolute joy that I can finally say it: NESA students are back!
The moment I walked into the PAC this morning, I was greeted by the wonderful sound of your voices. Watching students greet each other with hugs, high-fives, and squeals of delight made my morning. It's an energy that is uniquely NESA, and it's a feeling that I know is shared by many. As I’ve walked through all of the NESA classrooms, I've seen the same joy on the faces of our incredible directors, and it's a powerful reminder of how much we all love having you here.
While we're all celebrating this exciting start, I want to clarify a few things that have come up in some recent questions.
Schedules
We understand that schedules are an important part of the school year. Please know that we don't change schedules unless there is an academic or medical need. If you have a class that you simply don’t like (for example, underwater basket weaving—not a real class, but we can dream!), the counselors will put out schedule change forms two weeks into the school year. You can fill one out then.
However, if your schedule needs to be changed for a more pressing reason, the counselors need to know as soon as possible. This includes situations where:
- You already have credit for a class you are currently in.
- You have no class at all during a period (other than senior late arrival or early release).
- You have a medically documented reason.
- You have an academic reason.
When you contact them, please remember to be kind. Our counselors are incredibly busy, running around like crazy with a million things on their to-do list, so please give them a little grace on their response times.
Lockers
Many of you are wondering about lockers. NESA students do not get a locker unless they are in Visual Art, Film, or Dance.
- Visual Art and Film students can request a locker to store their supplies.
- Dance lockers are for dance equipment and are located in the dance locker room.
We're so excited for the year ahead and can't wait to see all the incredible things you'll accomplish. Welcome back, NESA!
pARTners News
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Join the NESA pARTners: Enhance Your NESA Journey! Becoming a NESA parent is an exciting adventure, but with a million hours of rehearsals and new routines, it can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming! That's where the NESA pARTners come in. They are a non-profit group made up entirely of NESA parents dedicated to making the NESA experience as wonderful as possible for everyone – students and families alike.
What do the pARTners do? They are here to help you navigate it all! From understanding the ins and outs of rehearsal schedules to connecting you with other families through our carpool interest form, they are a supportive community. They also run concessions at NESA events, organize the unforgettable year-end banquet, provide essential student scholarships, and fund valuable classroom grants.
Above all, the pARTners have a whole lot of fun while making NESA an even better place. We invite you to be a part of this vibrant community! Please consider joining the NESA pARTners for annual dues of just $20.
Ready to connect, contribute, and have fun? Click the link to join us today!
News and links
News
Keep an eye out... LEE parking passes are coming out soon. SENIORS will get the ability to sign up first, the if there are available parking passes, they will be opened up to Juniors.
Senior Portraits
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We’re excited to let you know that it’s time to schedule senior portraits for the Class of 2026!
You have two convenient options:
Schedule an Appointment at Prestige Studios: Senior portraits can be scheduled now directly with Prestige Studios. Booking early gives your student the most flexibility in choosing dates and times that work best for your schedule. Visit Prestige Portraits to book your session.
On-Campus Portrait Days: Prestige will also be on campus for senior portraits on October 14 and 15. This is a great option for students who are unable to travel to the studio. A sign up sheet for time slots will be sent to seniors later in the year.
If you have any questions or need assistance with scheduling, feel free to reach out to LEE AP Mr. Morris. We’re looking forward to celebrating this exciting milestone with your student!
NEISD Cell Policy
For those of you wondering about the new Cell Policy, this id the latest from the district: NEISD Cell phone policy | August 8, 2025 During the 89th Texas Legislative Session, House Bill 1481 was passed and mandates that public schools prohibit students from using personal electronic devices, including smartphones, tablets and smartwatches during the school day. The Texas Education Agency sent additional information stating that districts could individually define what the “school day” means to them.
Following these guidelines, North East ISD will require all students to turn off and store out of sight their cell phones, smartwatches and electronic devices during instructional class time. Consequences will be enforced for students who violate this policy, including confiscation of the device. These policies will be outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. Students may use phones during non-classroom time, such as passing periods and lunch, or before and after school.
This will be the overall minimum standard District policy beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. A school may decide to implement a more restrictive personal communication device policy if they feel it benefits their campus. Some campuses already had this in place during the 2024-2025 school year.
Additionally, the law does provide exceptions for students with documented medical needs or special education accommodations.
We look forward to working together to ensure a smooth transition and successful school year.
Testing Corner
Testing with Mr. Goodwin
Here you can find the answers to your questions about testing: Important Dates:
- Oct 8 - Nov 12 AP Payment Window for Fall Open (Significantly less of a price if you pay during this window over the spring window 😉)
- Oct 23 PSAT (9-11th Grade, Free😎)
- Nov 6 ACT (Seniors)
- Feb 4- March 4 AP Payment Window for Spring Opens
- Mar 5 SAT (Juniors, Free😎)
- May 4-8, and 11-15 AP Testing
Mr. Goodwin's testing and CCMR Smore link is below