Isaiah Quit Hurdle - Kealing's First Principal
Born in 1886 in Greenville, Texas, about 50 miles northeast of Dallas, Isaiah Quit (I.Q.) Hurdle would become instrumental to the establishment and growth of the African American education system in Austin during the first half of the 20th century.
The son of runaway slaves, Hurdle was among the early generations of African Americans to attend school in the United States, and he would go on to head the Northeast Texas Christian Theological and Industrial College in Palestine, Texas, and earn a graduate degree from The University of Colorado.
In 1920, Hurdle moved to Austin to teach at L.C. Anderson High School, also known as the Old Anderson High School, for five years. From 1927 to 1930, he served as principal of the Gregory Town School which was later renamed Blackshear Elementary, and in 1930, he then became principal of the newly-founded Kealing Junior High School, Austin’s first junior high school for African American students.
Irving "IQ" Hurdle - Grandson of IQ Hurdle
Irving “I.Q.” Hurdle, a businessman with a knack for community development and with roots in one of the most influential African-American families in Austin.
Hurdle, a businessman with backgrounds in nuclear chemistry and mathematics, was a “big man with a big heart” whose work in the East Austin community included spurring development in the East 11th and 12th street corridors and the installation of solar panels atop the Ebenezer Child Development Center. His grandfather was the first principal of the then-named Kealing Junior High School, serving until 1939. His maternal grandfather was local blues musician Erbie Bowser.
Hurdle House on 12th street
In 2016, after sitting in years of disrepair, the house was purchased by Dallas-based firm Eureka Holdings.
The graffiti and boarded up windows that once covered the home’s facade have been replaced with a fresh coat of paint and a new set of windows have replaced the plywood that once held out the light. Another noteworthy addition to the property is the large sign out front commemorating I.Q. Hurdle’s contributions to the community.
My visit to the Hurdle House
Principal's Message to Hornet Families for the week of February 7th, 2021
I hope you all have had a great weekend with your families. This past week we had a blast celebrating our amazing counselors on campus and are looking forward to two great days of Professional Learning as our teachers recharge and prepare for a strong finish to this year. This past week, we had to opportunity to collaborate with Peardeck and acquire free licenses for each teacher for the remainder of the school year. Pear Deck is an educational application that can make presentations more interactive. It will be just another tool to keep our scholars engaged and enhance the learning experience both on and off campus. Here's a link if you would like to learn more about this tool. This past week we also saw Mrs. Bergman take her gardening classes out to the Kealing Gardens to complete a few tasks. I wish we had experiences like this when I was in middle school. Each and everyday, I walk our campus and wish my middle school experience was filled with all of the options Kealing provides. This inspires me to continue the great tradition and look for ways to enhance the learning experiences for our scholars. As we look forward to another great week of teaching and learning, I just want to take a moment to say thank you for choosing Austin ISD and even more so for choosing Kealing Middle School as your child's primary education provider.
#BEGREATmentality
Lady Hornets Soccer Wins
Break Through for 6th Graders!
Breakthrough is looking for 6th graders who will be the first person tin their families to graduate from college, would like school support, and want something interesting to do during the summer time. We now have an online application. For English click here Ahora tiene una aplicación en línea. Para espanõl haga clic en
STEM Summer Opportunity for 8th Grade Students - GeoForce Texas!
This year we’re piloting a new GeoFORCE Austin cohort, taking students from schools in and around Austin. Applications are open to 8th grade students thru February. Please visit our website for more information and instructions on applying to the program. If you have any questions, feel free to email cara.collins@austin.utexas.edu.
Link to the GeoFORCE website: https://www.jsg.utexas.edu/geoforce/
UT Engineering Days for Girls - Feb. 20-March 1
Food Pantry Fridays!
Book Drive and PTA Service Project
We are asking for any gently used books that you do not want anymore. These books will be donated to Kealing students and students at our feeder schools!
Luckily, we have KMS community members around town who are willing to be drop off sites so that you don’t have to travel all around Kealing. So go through all your books you no longer need or want anymore, and drop them off at one of the designated locations below!
Locations:
Address Part of Town
5310 Musket Ridge 78759 (183/360/MoPac- Great Hills)
2410 Bridle Path, Austin, TX 78703 (Central)
3101 Beverly Rd, 78703 (Central-Mopac and 35th)
1516 West 29th Street 78703 (Central /Mopac)
1702 Linscomb Ave, 78704 (Central/Zilker)
11617 Georgian Oaks Drive, 78739 (Circle C)
1607 Pennsylvania Ave (EAST)
4518 Sidereal Drive, Austin, TX 78727 (Milwood /Mo Pac and Parmer)
3102 Rexford Dr., 78723 (Mueller/Windsor Park)
5200 Magdelena Dr/78735. (Southwest)
4610 Copano Court, 78749 (Southwest)
5708 Trelawney ln, 78739 (Southwest)
3818 Arrow Dr., Austin TX 78749 (Southwest)
7304 Journeyville Drive, 78735 (Southwest /Lantana/Oak Hill)
5323 Western Hills Drive, 78731 (Central/2222& Mopac)
812 W Gibson St, Austin, TX 78704 (Central/Lamar/Zilker)
6801 Tree Fern Ln, Austin, TX 78750 (North/ Jester Estates)
Thank you to all for helping us promote literacy through Austin!
Kealing Yearbook Scholarships
The Kealing Yearbook Staff is committed to documenting the Kealing middle school experience each year through our award winning yearbook. We are also committed to ensuring that every student who might not be able to afford a yearbook has access to one through our scholarship program. This year's yearbook theme is "We're Kealing It", in other words we want to highlight the various way students and staff are persevering and even thriving during this challenging academic year.
Your generosity will be noted in each of the 650 copies that we produce. Further, as a nationally recognized publication, our book is often seen across the country at conventions and as a publisher’s sample, which may further its reach.
Can you help me raise money for Kealing Middle School Yearbook 2021Scholarship Fund? Together we can keep Kealing It!
https://www.snap-raise.com/v2/fundraisers/kealing-middle-school-yearbook-2021?fbclid=IwAR0_JTgWhwm4dsBpxDbkFFAoZcN45Z1_cuqhsh_B_mWIKMEGUDP8xjwWHdo&share_type=clipboard_sharewizard_v2#/
Austin ISD COVID-19 Dashboard
Austin ISD is committed to putting health and safety protocols in place that will prevent the occurrence and/or spread of COVID-19. However, we must be prepared to quickly and effectively respond to and communicate a lab-confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 at a school or other Austin ISD facility.
The Austin ISD COVID-19 Dashboard will be updated by noon each Tuesday, starting the week of Sept. 21. All lab-confirmed positive cases on campuses will be communicated directly to the campus community. Individuals who may have been exposed will be contacted directly and provided information on the next steps, including a quarantine timeline if needed.
Counselor Spotlight - Ms. Stephen
How long have you been a school counselor?
This is my first year as a school counselor! 😁
What drew you to this profession? What is your "why" for doing what you do?
My first few years as a teacher, I really bonded and connected with my students and even became a mentor for some so I could make sure they graduated (I was a high school teacher). I do what I do because I'm a big advocate for mental health and I want to reach out to any child who may be hurting, alone, frustrated, sad, etc., and let them know there's always someone there to help them.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of the job is seeing my students on campus and being able to talk to them. Because this has been a "different" year, it's great to see my students whenever I can.
Given the chance, what is one piece of advice you wish you could give every single student at Kealing?
I wish I could tell every student self-care is so important, especially during this time. Tough times never last, but in the meantime, make sure you're taking care of yourself as well!
What's your favorite feel-good/uplifting movie?
Mulan (the Disney animated one) 🙂
Do you have any "power songs" you listen to that boost you up, give you confidence or are simply to feel good?
"Canned Heat"-Jamiroquai,
"Jump Around" -House of Pain
"Everybody" -Backstreet Boys
What's your ultimate vacation destination? (Been to or want to travel to)
I went to Switzerland a long time ago, and I loved it! The air was so fresh, and the scenery was so vibrant and beautiful! It really looked like it does in the movies.
What's your favorite thing about being a Kealing counselor?
Everything! Our campus is so welcoming, diverse, and progressive!
What's one thing you wish everyone knew about mental health and/or the profession of counseling?
It's okay to reach out for help if you're struggling. There's nothing wrong with that and you shouldn't feel embarrassed either. We are all here to help and support you!
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