Hornet Herald

What a great first week of school. It was so amazing witnessing the excitement and smiling faces of our Hornets as they entered the building this week. In speaking with students in the hallways this week, I heard wonderful stories of the first day of school, how they are enjoying their classes and seeing their friends, as well as those that are adjusting to having to wake up to come to school. All in all, it's has been a good start to the school year.

This week, students will continue engaging in lessons centered around school-wide expectations and building community in their Advisory classes. Please have conversations with your students about our school-wide expectations and remind them to show kindness, respect, loyalty and safety in all of their interactions.

Students will receive agenda books (special thanks to PTA for funding these) in Advisory this week. Teachers will spend some time assisting students learn how to use the agenda book as an academic resource. Speaking of academic resources, we are also hopeful that we can begin distributing chromebooks by Friday, August 25th or early next week.

There is a ton of information below on getting involved, picture day, student highlights, etc.

Happy Reading,

Mr. Estes

• August 24 - Volleyball vs. Small
• August 30 - Back to School Night - 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
• August 30 - Picture Day
• August 31 - Volleyball vs. Murchison
• August 31 - Picture Day
• September 4 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
• September 6 - Football vs. Small

Some changes have been made to our bell schedule for the 2023-24 school year. No changes have been made to the start of the school day. School will still begin at 7:30, meaning teachers will begin teaching at 7:30. THE SCHOOL DAY WILL NOW END AT 2:50pm. This will allow transportation to take our Hornets home and make it to their other campuses before they release for dismissal.

Our school counselors have been hard at work ensuring students' schedules were complete and all conflicts were fixed. This week we will move into Priority Three of schedule changes.

Priority Three | Second Week of School

• Electives that were NOT in your TOP 10: You can REQUEST a schedule change but only a lateral move (ex. B7 to another B7)
• HOW TO REQUEST A CHANGE: During the second week of school, beginning on Tuesday, August 22nd students will complete an Elective Change Google Form (available in the Counselor's BLEND Course) by Friday, August 25th. The form will close at 3pm on 8/25.
• Elective course changes can only be lateral, ex: B7 to B7 and subject to availability.

Changes will only be considered for those NOT in your top 10 choices from your choice sheet.

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 Mr. Natenberg: A Stinger Salute to……Emery Gardner for showing and exemplifying the campus value of RESPECT in how she is an attentive listener in class.

From Ms. Davis-Ray: Margo McAlister deserves a Stinger Salute for kindness. Not only has she been showing kindness to me as a new teacher, she has also been showing kindness and respect to her peers in advisory, Fantasy & Science, and science class.

CONGRATULATIONS Margo and Emery!!!

Hi Hornet Families!

In order to better support you and our learners, we're asking families to please fill out the following survey for your student's grade level. (If you have students in multiple grades, please fill out one survey for each student.) Your responses will be shared with all of your students' teachers and will help us better support your students' learning!

• 6th grade student Family Survey

• 7th grade student Family Survey

• 8th grade student Family Survey

We invite all of our families to our Back to School Night on Wednesday, August 30 from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm. This is a great opportunity for you to meet your student's teachers and hear about the fun, engaging, and academically enriching activities your students will participate in this school year.

No registration is required.

LPAC parent needed: Attention parents of English Language Learners

• We need parent volunteers to be willing to be on a committee where we will determine the best educational choices for our students

• You can participate via Zoom or over the phone.

Please reach out to Ms. Ronda Jones for more information, ronda.jones@austinisd.org

Culinary Arts

This past Friday, students made a “soft run” of making buttermilk biscuits and flour tortillas as they are also learning new norms in a culinary kitchen. This upcoming Monday and Tuesday, students will make Gordon Ramsey scrambled eggs with mushrooms and vinegar tomatoes and with sourdough bread.

We are excited to see and taste all the menu items Chef Gloria and her students cook up this school year.

Students did well with transitioning to middle school this year. See the article linked for information on how you can continue to support your student's transition to middle school.

Supporting Your Child's Transition to Middle School | K-12 Schools | U.S. News (usnews.com)

This week at lunch we interviewed a few students; Students shared what they enjoyed the most about the first week of school.

6th Grade:

• I am enjoying art and music production.
• Classroom decorations are awesome.
  
• The courtyard is perfect for lunch.
  
• The cafe is so clean.
  

7th Grade:

• I am enjoying Rockestra.
  
• Lunch time is great because I get to sit with my friends.
  
• The courtyard seems less crowded and we are able to enjoy it.
  
• I’m excited to try out for sports and take a language class.
  

8th Grade:

• The teachers are so nice.
  
• I enjoy meeting new 6th graders.
  
• I am happy to see my friends from a long summer.
  
• The English teachers are nice.
  

Fall pictures will take place on August 30 & 31. More information on which day your student's picture will be taken is to come. This year, we will have a green screen that allows you to choose the background for your student. Please make sure your student does not wear green as it will disappear in the background.

You can preview, personalize, and pay by visiting jostenspix.com

Kealing Connects is a community engagement initiative, created by teachers, administrators, and the PTA to provide positive support for Kealing students. The goal is to continue to promote a culture of respect and increase well-being on campus. We are seeking volunteers to care, connect and have a consistent and positive presence at Kealing Middle School.

Some of the ways you can support the school community, as a volunteer, are:

• Greeting and getting to know students in the hall
• Encouraging students to arrive to class on time
• Monitoring the courtyard and cafeteria during lunches
• Tutoring in small groups
• Engaging in one-on-one mentoring
• Playing games/sports together and participating in other positive relationship-building interactions

After we gather interest, we will match your availability and coordinate shifts. Volunteers are also required to complete a background check through Austin Partners in Education and attend a one-hour orientation session with Kealing staff (offered monthly).

Please fill out the survey below so we can take the next steps to prepare you for your time at Kealing Middle School. Our first orientation session is scheduled for Tuesday, August 29th at 8am.

If you are a returning volunteer, please let us know your availability for this year! You will not need to attend the orientation again.

A SHAC is a school board appointed advisory group of individuals who represent different segments of the community. By law, a majority of the members must be persons who are parents of students enrolled in the district and who are not employed by the district.

The AISD SHAC is made up of parents, community members, students, and school staff working together to improve the health of all students and families through coordinated school health programs. Texas law requires all school districts to have a SHAC. Learn more about SHAC Bylaws.

The AISD School Health Advisory Council meets on a Wednesday of every month, with the exception of July and August, from 6:00–7:30 p.m. The next meeting will be held on September 20, 2023, and the focus will be on Food Services & Nutrition.

Thank you to our families and students who submitted their back-to-school photos with us. We want to continue celebrating our students as they "Thrive in the Hive". Share your back-to-school joy with us by sharing your students first day of school photos. Photos will also be shared with our Yearbook sponsor.

Add your student's back-to-school photo here.

The Austin ISD Student Success Guide (Student Code of Conduct) is now available on the Austin ISD District website for students, parents, and guardians to review. One important legislative update is that ALL e-cigarettes (THC and Tobacco) are prohibited. House Bill 114 requires a student to be placed in the District Alternative Education Program (DAEP) if the student possesses, uses, is under the influence, sells, gives, or delivers marijuana, THC, or an e-cigarette (new) while on campus, within 300 feet of school property, or at a school-related event. Under Austin ISD guidelines, this is a 20-day DAEP placement. Parents and guardians are strongly urged to talk to their students about this new policy and review the Student Success Guide to help keep our schools safe for students and staff. For resources to use when talking with your student about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes visit https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/.

Just a reminder that all students, new and returning, must complete their immunization requirements for school. Our campus nurse, Nurse Navarro, will contact families of students who are missing immunizations.

More information on immunizations requirements and/or exemption forms can be found by visiting AISD's Health Services and Nursing website.

All 7th and 8th grade students interested in participating in an UIL sport (football, volleyball, cheerleading, basketball, tennis, track, cross country, and soccer) must have a sports physical on file for the 2023-24 school year. More information and requirements can be found here.

Congratulations to all of our 7th and 8th grade student-athletes who made the Hornet volleyball team. We cannot wait to see you all represent Kealing on the volleyball courts this year. Come cheer them on as they take on Small Middle School this week.

From August 1 to September 1, we have a fantastic opportunity to show appreciation for our Kealing educators! The Holdsworth Center is accepting nominations for 120 teachers to attend a weekend retreat at its beautiful Campus on Lake Austin, from October 27 to 29. Help us celebrate our exceptional teachers and recognize their dedication!

To nominate one of our outstanding teachers or learn more about this exciting opportunity, please visit the Holdsworth Center website.

Austin ISD Advanced Academics Department is offering free family virtual workshop next week, on Raising Critical Thinkers. Soon you will have the opportunity to nominate your student for the GT program.

I am your GT Coordinator so please let me know if you have any questions or concerns, RoLanda Williams, rolanda.williams@austinisd.org.

August 29, 6:00 PM: Virtual Family Workshop – Raising Critical Thinkers, hosted by ThinkLaw and AustinISD Advanced Academics (Option 1)

August 30, 12:00 PM: Virtual Family Workshop – Raising Critical Thinkers, hosted by ThinkLaw and AustinISD Advanced Academics (Option 2)

This workshop is recommended for ALL families, not just families of GT learners.

Each week, we would like to highlight our Hornets who are excelling in and out of the classroom. If you would like us to spotlight your student, please complete this Google Form informing us of what your student has done along with a picture.

Meet Anshu. Anshu is a sixth-grade student who has been playing racquetball for 3 years now. This past June, he represented Texas at the Junior National Racquetball tournament held in Pleasanton California. Anshu placed 4th in his age group at the national tournament.

Anshu is a dedicated young man working hard to excel in academics and in the sports he loves.

Hello Kealing community! This is my fourth year at Kealing, and my ninth year in education. I've taught humanities, social studies, and ELAR at the middle and high school levels, and I'm thrilled now to be starting my new role as an Instructional Coach. I grew up and went to school on the east coast, but I have since lived and taught in Colorado, Chile, and now Texas. I work in public education because I want to empower our young people with all the tools, perspectives, and confidence they will need to succeed in the world today, while also creating the world in which they want to live tomorrow. When I’m not teaching, you can find me playing music, baking bread and making pizza, tending to my plants, or hiking with my partner, Francesca, and our dog, Luna.

I am originally from College Station, TX where I earned my bachelors and master's from Texas A&M University. I came to Kealing in 2020 and have six years of teaching experience in Math. My education passions include project-based learning, flipped classroom models, and using restorative practices. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my friends and my dog, Lilo, reading, travelling, and obsessing over Taylor Swift. I am excited to be on the coaching team and look forward to working with our community to support Kealing's amazing educators!

Online Kealing Sprit Wear orders HERE can be accepted starting as early as 1PM on August 3 for those parents that wish to order during/before/after the 3pm Zoom orientation.

Our first on-campus sales days will be the first Thursday and Friday of the month - September 7 & 8 in the cafeteria during all lunch periods. All online orders can be picked up by students at that time. We also offer delivery to door for $5 and free adult pickup for online orders. See the order form for details.