Great evening fantastic families,

We have now completed our first term of the year which means we are a quarter of the way done with this school year. Our scholars have been challenged in many ways and have risen to the challenge in every circumstance. All of our scholars readjusted to school. From our 6th graders who had never been in the building to our 8th graders who hadn’t been in the school in a year and a half. This term was an adjustment for everyone, especially our teachers and administrators.

This past week we closed out an undefeated football season, our volleyball team played for a consolation prize & Won, our cross country team finished the season strong, we took our Short Cycle Assessments, Ms. Morgan hosted a World Food Day Potluck in our many outdoor classrooms, we hosted an income verification workshop on campus, and some of our scholars learned to save lives by performing CPR. It truly was a long week but well worth it to create a GREAT learning experience for our scholars.

Special thanks to our lunch volunteers who have signed up to assist with lunch supervision so more outdoor seating can be available for our scholars. Special thanks to our PTA President Beth Reyburn for coordinating the effort with our amazing PTA. We are still looking for more but for now special thank you to: Medha Fox, Angie Bealko(last year’s Volunteer of the year in AISD), Jennifer Graber, Sarah Colby, Brooke Boston, Prabhakar Gopalan, Cherrylynn Burris, Heather McLeod, Heather Hanson, Anne Waggoner, Caroline O’Meara, Stephanie Clayton. If you are interested in signing up, please click this link: KMS Lunch Monitor Volunteer Sign up form.

This upcoming week we look forward to our KMS Choir Fall Concert Thursday at 5:30p, October CAC meeting, Income Verification Workshop on Monday from 5:30p - 7p, celebrating our Food Service workers, Bowie & Travis High school will present to our 8th graders (virtually), continue the playoff season for Football and volleyball, and ultimate frisbee will continue. We are excited for all the amazing opportunities and hope a new term brings. We will look for growth from our scholars both academically and personally. Thank you all for choosing Kealing & Austin ISD. You are greatly appreciated.

#BEGREATmentality

#ProgressNotPerfection

Instructional Initiatives

1.) Daily Formative Assessment

2.) Literacy in Every Classroom

3.) Standards Aligned Instruction

4.) Progress Monitoring

Academic Goal

Utilizing an array of assessments (MAP- Measure of Academic Progress, SCA - AISD Short Course Assessment, and STAAR - State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness), the percentage of each demographic/special group of students performing at the meets level in Math & English will increase by at least 5% - 10% from August 17th, 2021 to May 27th,2022.

Social Goal

- TBA (we are still working on this but planning to look at the types of counseling visits our students are requesting)

All Day

Mask wearing is mandatory

Before School

All staff, students, and visitors are encouraged to self screen for COVID 19 symptoms before entering into a campus or other Austin ISD Facilities each day

Arrival

- We will maintain outdoor markers to social distance

Transition

- we will encourage moving halls where students are encourage to not stop while transitioning to classes

Classrooms

- We are space seating/desks at least 3 feet apart when feasible

- Each classroom will have a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration unit

- Personal Protective Equipment will be available in each room

- Plexiglass dividers available

- Additional outdoor seating

-Volunteer lunch monitors

Breakfast & Lunch

- Assigned seating

- Students are allowed to eat lunch both inside the cafeteria and outside in the courtyard

- Plexiglass accordian dividers.

Dismissal

- we will have staggered dismissal where scholars will be dismissed by areas of the building to reduce traffic.

Monday - OCTOBER 18- A DAY

18 – 22 America’s Safe Schools Week

http://www.schoolsafety.us/safe-schools-week

Income Verification Workshop at KMS , 5:30p - 7:00p

Tuesday - OCTOBER 19- B Day

KEALING WALKING GROUP- 7:30am Join Ms. Perez for laps around the track! All are welcome.

Wednesday - OCTOBER 20- A Day

KEALING WALKING GROUP Meets 7:30am

Thursday - OCTOBER 21- B Day

PSS off campus for Professional Development Day

CAC meeting 3:15p - 4:15p

Kealing Middle School Choir Concert 5:30p - 6:30p

Friday - OCT 22 A Day

PSS FOOD PANTRY FRIDAY Distribution Day. Please contact Ms. Perez directly if your family is in need of pantry supplements. 512-414-6700

The Virtual Talent Show "Proud to be Hispanic" has been extended to Sunday, October 17, 11 p.m.!

So far we have talent submitted from these schools:

Austin High School, Blanton, Blazier, Bedichek, Galindo, Govalle, Graham, Guerrero Thompson, Highland Park, International, Kocurek, Lamar, Langford, LASA, McBee, McCallum, Mendez, Mills, Perez, Sánchez, Summitt, Travis Heights and Zilker.

The winners (those with the highest amount of positive reactions on Facebook per category) will take home more than $2,000! Voting ends on October 22. Virtual Awards Ceremony: October 27 at 6 p.m.

Our students are amazing! Please visit www.facebook.com/EducaAustin

Educa Austin - Home | Facebook

Educa Austin, Austin, Texas. 3,085 likes · 948 talking about this · 18 were here. Programa de TV con información y consejos para ayudar a sus hijos a lograr el éxito académico. Producido por AISD.TV

www.facebook.com

The cafeteria is selling bags of chips for $1.00.

Each October, National Principals Month recognizes the essential role that principals play in making a school great.

Principals are among the hardest working, yet often least recognized individuals in education. Principals set the academic tone for their schools, and it is their vision, dedication, and determination that provide the mobilizing force for achieving student success. Each October, NASSP, NAESP, and AFSA seek to honor these unsung heroes for their tireless efforts in pursuit of excellence in education.

National Principals Month is a widely recognized celebration of the principalship, marked by national and state resolutions supporting the event, as well as acknowledgements from U.S. Senators and Representatives, and top government officials. However, the most important National Principals Month celebrations are the ones that take place in schools and communities across the country.

Ghisallo Cycling Initiative is back with a second round of Wheelie Good Snack Pack Deliveries. Last Spring, we delivered healthy snack packs by bike to households in East Austin for 10 weeks.
With the support of St. David's Foundation, Ghisallo will be delivering weekly Snack Packs by bike to families in the 78702 and 78721 area in October and November. Your Wheelie Good Snack Pack will include treats such as an apple, orange, granola bars, as well as helpful information related to bicycling, walking, bussing, and driving in Austin and possibly some fun activities. Snack Packs are free!
We will be biking the Snack Packs to your doorstep as part of a no-contact drop-off between 12pm and 2pm on Fridays. We ask that you please be home during this time, although if you are not home we can leave the packs at your doorstep. Deliveries will begin Friday, October 8th and will be on a weekly basis until Friday, November 19th.
Would you like your household to be included on our delivery route? Please respond by filling out the google form below by Sunday, October 3rd. We will confirm your pack supply and household location by Wednesday, October 6th.
*Wheelie Good Snack Pack will involve contactless delivery. We encourage you to wave to us from a distance as we drop off your snacks! If you have any feedback or ways to improve our process, please let us know!
Sign-up form:

https://forms.gle/7X4im5rSyJe2ukSN8

The Food for Thought elective class is celebrating World Food Day by collecting nonperishable food to donate to the Central Texas Food Bank and the Kealing Food Pantry. World Food Day and Food for Thought are promoting awareness and action to help end hunger and food insecurity. Please donate to room 515 the entire month of October. Most requested items are peanut butter, canned chicken breast or tuna, canned low sodium vegetables, canned fruit in its own juices, dried pinto beans, brown rice, non-fat dry milk powder, and 100% whole grain cereal. But any nonperishable items will be appreciated. Thank you!

Please join our Parent Support Specialist, Ms. Dianna Perez, for our newly formed "Walk and Chat" Group. Everyone is welcome to join in on the fun. The group will start at 7:30am (weather permitting) at the track on various day that will be posted weekly. This is group is being formed to encourage and support family engagement for all families of KEALING Middle School.

The meetings will be held once a month on the FIRST Tuesday of the month. We will host in person AND virtually for those that cannot join us in the building. We will begin at 7:30 am and offer coffee and a light breakfast snack. Our next meeting is Nov. 2 and will focus on ATTENDANCE MATTERS. Please mark your calendars and join us.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE...To Order Your School Day Pictures! If you are interested in ordering, or re-ordering, your Hornet yearbook photo please visit www.picturereorders.com and login with the following code: 190197216621 to purchase!

Hey Hornets! Thank you for the amazing turnout for picture day! Portrait purchases will be delivered to your students beginning the week of October 18th! For any students or faculty members who missed photo day in the library we will be completing retakes in the cafeteria, during all lunches, on Thursday, October 28th. Retake packets can be picked up in the program office now. 1st Photo Texas will be accepting cash and check on location. Please email store@1stphototexas.com with any questions in the meantime.

Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/KealingMS/

Hornet Herald - http://www.kealingmiddleschool.org/parents/hornet-herald

Twitter - @KTXHornets

Webpage - https://kealing.austinschools.org/