UPDATE TRACKER

This newsletter was created in September.

10/4/2021: Update from Lamar & Kealing

10/11/2021: Email from Gorzycki

10/14/2021: Update from Gorzycki

10/14/2021: Email from Lively

10/14/2021: Email from Magnet Schools in reference to the October 21st event

10/18/2021: Email from Lively

10/18/2021: Flyer from Small MS

10/20/2021: Email from Covington

10/21/2021: Presentation Link from Magnet Schools

10/21/2021: Gus Garcia Swag!

10/22/2021: Only One Gorzycki Flyer (November 1)

11/03/2021: Have It All Webpage AND Middle School Fair Info! (At the Top of the Smore!)

11/03/2021: Small Green Tech Academy Visit

11/16/2021: Gus Garcia Fall Festival Email

11/29/2021: Gorzycki Principal Visit to Mills (January 21)

12/2/2021: Lively Evening of Wonder (December 7)

1/11/2022: Gorzycki Middle School Transition Timeline

1/12/2022: Bailey Middle School Transition Timeline

1/12/2022: Small Middle School Transition Timeline

1/13/2022: Gorzycki Fine Arts Brochure

1/13/2022: Small Music Department Presentation

1/24/2022: Gorzycki Upcoming Events

1/27/2022: Gorzycki Choice Sheet Night (February 7th)

3/07/2022: GMS Tiger Camp 2022

3/24/2022: Instrument Selection Events for Small Students

Hello Mills 5th Grade Families,

Welcome to the "From Mills to Middle School" smore. In order to streamline communication on all middle school events for you all, I've created this Smore. Please check this Smore regularly to learn about any additional events. I will be sure to note when this site has been last updated. All updates will be at the bottom with the DATE as its title. If you need to find a specific school, you can always use your computer's "FIND" tool to locate new information based on the school name.

Mills is an interesting elementary school in that part of our attendance zone is zoned to Gorzycki while another part is zoned to Small. Of course, if you have transferred to Mills, you may be zoned to a middle school other than Small or Gorzycki. If you'd like to know where your attendance zone is, simply go to Find Your School. Once there, you will click "Find Your School: School Finder." It looks like this!

This is a great place to start - knowing where your child is zoned. I get it - the middle school transition process can seem a little complicated, but I'm here to help guide each and every fifth grader to their new middle school. Essentially, it starts with your home address. Every student has a home middle school, and all students will be required to complete a choice sheet to their home middle school and submit the choice sheet to their middle school. A choice sheet is a sheet with choices of what classes a student takes in 6th grade. From there, your family will learn more about your home middle school opportunities.

If your family wants to learn about other middle schools, you can explore other middle schools as well. If your family decides you'd like for your child to attend a different middle school, you may apply for a transfer. You can visit Austin ISD's website about transfers to learn more about this process. Please note not all transfer applications are accepted, so learning about your home middle school is important as that may be where your child attends school.

If you decide you'd like to apply for a magnet program at a middle school, you can visit Austin ISD's website about magnet schools to learn more. This year they've streamlined the magnet program process to be one common application. Learn more about this below. Of course, once again, it's important to learn about your home middle school as well because not all magnet applications are accepted.

Please know I will add to this newsletter as I learn from middle school representatives! This will be the most comprehensive Smore possible. Of course, if you have questions, you're welcome to email me at kristina.kern@austinisd.org.

Thanks y'all,

Kristina Kern

The application process for academy and magnet programs is different this year. All magnet schools will be accepting one common application. The application window will open on Monday, October 4, 2021, and will close on January 7, 2022. See the timeline AISD provided to learn more about the Common Application process.

To learn more, the magnet programs will be providing a "virtual orientation" on October 21st at 9:00 am.

Are you interested in learning about your middle school choices? Check out the site below!

See below an informational newsletter about the Lamar Fine Arts Academy. If you are not familiar with the Smore newsletter, the viewer has the option to click the translate button and to pick the language of their choice.

Lamar Fine Arts Academy Application Info: https://www.smore.com/tb80x

Click here to see important information from Kealing. You can also click the flyer below!

The Gorzycki Counselor provided the following dates. She shared these are all estimates at this time.

Monday, November 1st: Only 1 Gorzycki from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. This will be an evening event where parents and students come to learn about our amazing campus. We will send flyers closer to the date.

Friday, January 28th: 5th Grade Campus Visit from 9:30 to 10:45 (sometime in that time frame depending on buses). GMS will bus the 5th graders over to tour the campus, have a choice sheet presentation, and a Fine Arts Presentation.

Monday, February 7th: Incoming 6th Grade Choice Sheet Night from 5:00 to 6:00 pm. Students come for an electives fair and counselors are available for questions.

Thursday, February 10th: Electronic Choice Sheets due.

CORRECTION: Previously, Gorzycki stated the Middle School tour would be on January 20th. They have changed the date to January 28th. The correction has been made.

Greetings from Lively Middle School,

We invite all interested students and parents to attend our fall events to learn about Lively’s amazing Law, Humanities and Global Studies Magnet and Spanish Dual Language Programs.

Please share this flyer with all of your families and join us at the following events:

• Tuesday, October 19th 6:00-7:00 pm: Virtual Prospective Parent Information Night
• Tuesday, November 9th 6:00-7:00 pm: In Person Prospective Parent Information Night
• Tuesday, December 7th: 5:30-7:30 pm: Lively’s Showcase: The Evening of Wonder (In-person)
• 
  

For students applying to our Law, Humanities and Global Studies Magnet Program, the application process can be found on our website. Please find a summary of the components below:

1. Parents apply through their AISD Parent Portal using the Intent to Apply tile
2. Parents also need to fill out our electronic application on our website
3. Students submit a 2 minute virtual interview. Prompts, assessment rubric and a sample interview are on our website.
4. Students attend an In-person Essay Session on one of the following dates:
• Saturday, December 4th
• Last Names A-L 9:00-10:00 a.m.
• Last Names M-Z 11:00-12:00 p.m.
• Saturday, December 11th
• Last Names A-L 9:00-10:00 a.m.
• Last Names M-Z 11:00-12:00 p.m.
• Saturday, January 8th
• Last Names A-L 9:00-10:00 a.m.
• Last Names M-Z 11:00-12:00 p.m.

THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS EARLY THIS YEAR! JANUARY 7TH, PLEASE START APPLYING NOW!

Below is information received from the Magnet Schools in an email dated 10/14/2021. 5th grade teachers will ensure Step 1 happens, but if you want to watch or rewatch the magnet videos at home, you may! Step 2 is to submit questions, and step 3 is attending the zoom!

It appears based on the information below that parents are now invited to attend. Corrections have been made in the previous announcement.

Step 1: Show Presentation Videos (PRIOR to LIVE session): Here is the document to access the videos: https://tinyurl.com/MSChoicevideos

Step 2: Students/parents/educators submit questions here on this Google Form (PRIOR to LIVE session): AFTER watching all 3 presentations, students can submit questions here and we’ll answer them during the LIVE Q&A session:

www.tinyurl.com/magnetquestion

Step 3: Zoom Webinar Link: https://austinisd-org.zoom.us/j/97918752942?pwd=a2pJS0M4QmZLT29KdE1SbHhSZDJyZz09

Webinar ID: 979 1875 2942

Passcode: 490237

Students, parents, counselors and teachers are invited to attend this live webinar to ask questions and hear responses from all 3 magnet programs.

When students are signing into the webinar:

· You will need to enter the following information: student first/last name /parent email / and elementary school campus

(if you do not have a parent email - please use a teacher email)

· You will be muted, and cameras will be disabled on entry.

· You can enter questions in the Q&A icon at the bottom of the zoom screen or Raise Hand if you would like to be unmuted and say your question aloud to whole group.

· Participate, ask questions, follow-up with your school counselor for more help on how to apply!

Greeting Lively Falcons,

Please join us for our Virtual Parent Information Session tomorrow night, Tuesday October 19Th on Zoom from 6:00-7:00 p.m. We will give an overview of our Law, Humanities, and Global Studies Magnet and Spanish Dual Language Programs. Please find the zoom link below.

Saludos Familia Halcones,

Por favor, únanse a nosotros para nuestra sesión informativa virtual para padres mañana martes el 19 de octubre de 6:00 a 7:00 p.m. Daremos una visión general de nuestros programas de Leyes, Humanidades y Estudios Globales Magnet y del Programa de Lenguaje Dual. Por favor, encuentre el enlace de zoom aquí.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://austinisd-org.zoom.us/j/82172571718

Meeting ID: 821 7257 1718

To register for a Zoom event go here: https://tinyurl.com/22-23SmallGTA

To learn more about Small Green Tech Academy go here: https://small.austinschools.org/our-programs/green-tech-academy

Covington Middle School is having a Program Information Night next week on Tuesday, October 26th. Check out the flyer to learn more details.

For those that missed the Magnet School presentation and would like more information, click here to see the presentation.

The Magnet Schools (Gus Garcia, Sadler Means, Ann Richards, Kealing, and Lively) also provided a recording of one of their recruiting visits here. Feel free to watch this to learn more if you were unable to make the October 21st presentation.

Gus Garcia sent limited swag to the Mills counselors. If your child is interested in attending Gus Garcia, please have him to stop by my office to receive informational flyers and such.

Only One Gorzycki will be happening on November 1st. There are specific times to attend based on Last Name. See flyer below!

Small Green Tech Academy will be visiting Mills at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, November 10th in the cafeteria. All students will be able to attend!

Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy will be hosting our Fall Festival this Wednesday from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. See the flyer below!

Dr. Mitchell will be meeting with the Mills Community on Friday, January 21st, at 1:30 pm via Zoom. She will be sharing a 5th grade parent presentation for all incoming 6th grade families. We hope you are able to attend!

Zoom information can be found below:

Topic: Gorzycki Principal Meeting with Mills Parents & Caregivers

Time: Jan 21, 2022 01:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://austinisd-org.zoom.us/j/87487361993?pwd=R2NiVEtod1pBRGNwN0I1eVZhQnU5dz09

Meeting ID: 874 8736 1993

Passcode: Gorzycki

Lively Middle School welcomes you to our annual showcase, The Evening of Wonder on Tuesday, December 7th from 5:30-7:30 pm. This is an in-person interactive showcase where families can learn about our signature Magnet and Spanish Dual Language programs as well as the other amazing things happening on our campus. We will have school tours, an elective showcase in the gym, many academic and program exhibits, and performances. We also will be having our Book Fair in the Historic Lively Library! The entire Lively staff and community are looking forward to seeing you!

Please follow all AISD masking protocols and contact Leigh Northcutt-Benson, the Lively Magnet Director with any questions at elizabeth.northcutt-benson@austinisd.org.

Click the flyer below to read about Gorzycki Choice Sheets more clearly and/or to print for your references. Questions can be directed to Patti Hodges at 512-841-8612 or patti.hodges@austinisd.org.

You can see an additional Zoom session will be offered if you are unable to attend the Gorzycki Principal Visit with Mills on January 21st.

Tuesday, January 18th 11:30-12:00pm

Topic: Incoming 6th Grade Information Session

Join Zoom Meeting

https://austinisd-org.zoom.us/j/81901867646?pwd=L3o4RnFQVjhKWXJqRTZaQlNBT1gyZz09

Meeting ID: 819 0186 7646

Passcode: GMS2022

Bailey Transition information can be found here.

Small Middle School transition information can be found here.

Click here or the picture below to learn about fine arts at GMS.

See Small's Music Department presentation here.

Thanks to all who attended the Gorzycki Principal Virtual Visit on Friday, January 21st. Below was one of the key takeaways from the presentation.

Invites current 5th, 6th and 7th graders and their parents to

CHOICE SHEET

NIGHT

Monday, February 7, 2022

The time will be split up by student’s last name

5:00 – 7:00 PM Current 5th, 6th and 7th grade parents and students may view a Choice Sheet presentation looping in the cafeteria and visit the Electives Showcase in the Commons.

Parking is limited. Please consider carpooling.

5:00-5:30- Last Name A-I

5:45-6:15- Last Name J-Q

6:30-7:00- Last Name R-Z

Parents and students can sign up for a 5-minute advising session in the cafeteria with a counselor to discuss individual needs and/or questions. Signups will be on a first come first served basis.

GMS Tiger Camp is coming this summer! The Tiger Camp flyer below with registration information was emailed to all incoming 6th grade parents this morning. The information can also be found on the GMS main website and the GMS counseling website. If you have any questions, please contact Emily Mazac, emily.mazac@austinisd.org.

See the flyer below, and click here to register.

You may also click the picture below to read the flyer and/or download the flyer.

Below is an announcement from Tonia Mathews, the Clint Small Middle School Director of Bands & Jazz Consultant

Our event is coming up soon! Students have three opportunities. Two opportunities are Sign Up Genius events at Small, and a 3rd is walk-ins at Oak Hill Elementary.

Please know that even if band or orchestra wasn't on their choice sheet, they can change their mind if they stop by to try an instrument. All information on our website.

Here is their website to learn more: http://clintsmallmsband.weebly.com/