
Hornet Herald
January 14, 2024
Hello Hornet Families!!!
I hope this message finds you warm and well during our first freeze of the winter. Although we knew it was coming, the cold air took me be surprise as I left the house this morning. Let's all hope this isn't another icy winter.
As we embrace for cooler air this evening and tomorrow, with a chance of rain, please be prepared for icy roads and bad weather. Austin ISD will communicate any updates on a bad weather day or delayed start Tuesday morning. If there are any changes to our schedule, you can expect a message from Kealing as well.
I am excited to share that our first week back from break has been strong, thanks to the dedication of our students and staff. I was able to visit some classrooms and was thrilled to see the wonderful learning taking place in all of our classes. Additionally, our teachers took some time this week going over common lessons with students on classroom and Kealing expectations. Our main focus has been reminding students about our cell phone policy. Please talk to your student about keeping their cell phones and Airpods/earbuds away from 7:30-2:50. We are all focused on learning during that time and should refrain from being distracted by our phones. Thank you in advance for your help.
Stay cozy and warm,
Mr. Estes
Campus Information
Upcoming Dates
- January 15 - NO SCHOOL
- January 17 - Navarro ECHS Showcase Night
- January 18 - PTA Meeting
- January 18 - Boys' Basketball vs. Parades
- January 18 - CAC Meeting
- January 20 - Girls' Soccer @ Small
- January 25 - Boys' Basketball vs. Lively
- January 26-28 - High School Musical Jr. the Musical
- January 27 - Girls' Soccer @ Murchison
- January 31 - McCallum Elective Fair @ 5:30pm
- February 6 - Kealing Magnet & High School Application Deadline
- February 9 - NO SCHOOL
STINGER SALUTES
Each week, we will recognize our fellow Hornets who exemplify our campus-wide values and who have been MEETING and EXCEEDING our campus-wide expectations. We are ALL working hard each day to show each other and our school community kindness, respect, loyalty and safety. Here are this week's salutes.
From Ms. Randolph: Owen Sutter deserves a Stinger Salute for his constant engagement, inquiry, and input in class discussions. Owen thrives in any discussion or debate and gives incredible insight and reflection on class lectures.
From Ms. Randolph: Yessica Santander Martinez deserves a Stinger Salute for always giving 100% effort in the Social Studies classroom. She takes excellent notes, asks questions, and helps her peers understand the material.
From Ms. Tasneem: Analena Veliz Girton comes to science class ready to learn each day. She respects our shared space, her peers, and me by always using kind language, being on time, and mastering her assignments. Thank you for exceeding our Kealing values and our classroom expectations Analena!
DELAYED START BELL SCHEDULE
Depending on the weather Monday and Tuesday, it is possible we may have a delayed start to school Tuesday morning. Here is a copy of our Two Hour Delay Bell Schedule just in case. Please share with your student so they are aware of the adjustments to the order of the periods.
A/B CALENDAR
Here is our Spring A/B Calendar to help you plan ahead. Looking forward to a fantastic semester of learning.
BOYS' BASKETBALL
Congratulations to newest members of Kealing basketball. We want to thank all the students who came out for tryouts this past week as it was one of the largest tryouts in recent memory, with almost 50 students participating in both 7th & 8th grade. Although we wish we could keep everyone, we can only keep 10-12 students per team.
Our first game will take place Thursday, January 18th against Parades Middle School. The 7th grade team is away and games begin at 6:00.
GIRLS' SOCCER
SHOUT OUT to our new Kealing Soccer team members. Practices have been exciting and we cannot wait to see you all on the soccer fields this season.
This week we are in action on Saturday, January 20th against Small Middle School. The games will begin at 9:00 at Small.
KEALING MAGNET
We are offering another essay writing session for students who missed one of our previous sessions. Students' final opportunity to complete the magnet program essay will be Saturday, January 20th at Kealing. We will offer a session at 9:00am and 11:00am. Please complete this sign-up form to register.
MORNING DROP OFF
Safety is our top priority, and we want to remind everyone to drive carefully during morning drop-offs. As we navigate winter conditions and settling in to the new semester, please take extra precaution to ensure a safe arrival for all of our students.
- Allow extra time for your commute
- Watch for students and other vehicles
- Be courteous to your fellow drivers
Your cooperation ensures the well-being of our school community.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
A reminder that students will not attend classes on January 15, 2024 for the observance of Martin Luther King Day. This federal holiday marks the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King led the charge for nonviolent activism during the Civil Rights Movement. This movement protested racial discrimination in state and federal laws. Martin Luther King Day commemorates the life and work of Dr. King. Coretta Scott King explains, "The holiday must be substantive as well as symbolic. It must be more than a day of celebration . . . Let this holiday be a day of reflection, a day of teaching nonviolent philosophy and strategy, a day of getting involved in nonviolent action for social and economic progress."
If you would like to learn more about this important holiday, please review these resources:
Resources for Martin Luther King Day- This article from Edutopia contains 6 resources for MLK Day and a link to an article about how to honor the legacy of Dr. King throughout the year. The resources and activities can be used for K-12.
Listenwise- This resource hosts a collection of National Public Radio podcasts about the civil rights movement as well as contemporary stories about contemporary civil rights activism. The podcasts include discussion questions to promote conversation.
Search MLKDay.gov. This AmeriCorps site allows you to search Martin Luther King Day virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities in your community.
PBS Learning Media- This collection of curated resources, including videos, is an excellent resource for teachers and families to use for students in grades PK-12.
ENROLL AUSTIN
Friendly reminder that the enrollment application is fast approaching on February 6th. For students applying to Kealing Magnet or application-based high school programs (LASA, Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, and McCallum Fine Arts) ensure all requirements are submitted by this date. You can access Austin ISD's Enroll Austin Application here.
If you have questions regarding Kealing's Magnet Program, please contact Ms. Williams at rolanda.williams@austinisd.org.
KEALING PTA
JANUARY PTA MEETING
Join us at our next PTA meeting on Thursday, January 18th at 7:45 am. This meeting will be hybrid, so whether in person or virtual, your presence is welcomed. Access the Zoom link here.
KEALING'S PTA
Some of the ways the PTA has helped Kealing students, staff, and administration get the year started include:
- Partnered with Kealing administration to support New Student Orientation.
- Purchased “Thrive in the Hive” staff shirts.
- Hosted two Teacher Appreciation luncheons.
- Hosted Welcome Back Sunset Cruise for teachers.
- Partnered with administration to support Back to School Night.
- Kicked off the Secret Pals Program
- Purchased Spanish software subscriptions.
- Purchased classroom supplies for teachers.
- Purchased tools and novels for ELA classrooms
Your membership empowers us to continue these efforts. Join us today and help make a difference in your child's education.