Mathews Messenger, 20

Hello, Wonderful Mathews Community! It was wonderful to see so many of you at Peace Through Pie on Saturday! Our choir students did an outstanding job and I'm so proud of them for their contribution. Many thanks to their director, Micaela Campos, and the families for making this celebration so meaningful! Additionally, I'd like to shout out Sarah Martinez, our art teacher, for facilitating the colorful and fun decorations for the pie social - our students' art truly brightened the space!

I also want to thank everyone who donated food for our MLK Day Food Drive and/or who was planning on joining us for the MLK march on Monday! Unfortunately, the march has been cancelled and the festival at Huston Tillotson has been postponed until February1st. Because we wanted to make sure our donations were available to families in need as soon as possible, we delivered the food to the Central Texas Food Bank on Friday. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Brrr...it's cold outside! Will there be a late start or ice day next week? As of this moment in time, the biggest potential for wintry precipitation that may impact our schedule is on Tuesday. The district is monitoring the situation and will send out information if a decision is made about a late start or school cancellation. Please make sure you watch social media, the news, the AISD website, and any calls/texts from AISD for any changes in the school schedule. As the temperatures continue to fluctuate with bouts of cold, like, now, I want to give another friendly reminder to please make sure your child’s coats, jackets, and sweaters are clearly labeled with his/her name. This will help us return lost items promptly.

As always, please do take the time to read through the Messenger - there's lots of new information, including an invitation to join in on the conversation about the modernization of O.Henry, our vertical team middle school. Here's to another happy week of teaching and learning at Mathews! Stay safe and warm out there!

Monday, January 20:

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday - No School for Students or Staff
• MLK Parade Cancelled due to Inclement Weather

Friday, January 24:

• School-wide Assembly at 8:00 am in the gym
• Kinder Field Trip at 9:00 am to Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center
• Choir at the Austin Spurs Game at 7:00 am at the HEB Center

• January 28: CAC Meeting
• January 28: 5th Grade Family Folk Dance Night
• January 29: Staff Development Day/Student Holiday
• January 30: PTA Meeting
• February 11: 3rd-6th Grades Interim Assessment II for Reading
• February 12: 3rd-6th Grades Interim Assessment II for Math
• February 13: PLTW Showcase
• February 17: Parent Teacher Conference Day/Student Holiday
• February 20: 1st Grade Musical Performance
• February 22: City of Austin Science Fair
• February 25: CAC Meeting
• February 27: PTA Meeting

This week, our school community will focus on the character strength of Perseverance. Perseverance means completing what you start despite obstacles. It means never giving up.

People who show perseverance keep trying, even when they face challenges. They stay focused on their goals and work hard, even when things don't go as planned. Those who persevere often achieve great things because they don't quit. They also learn a lot and get better at what they do.

Perseverance can also inspire others. When one person in a group keeps going despite setbacks, it can motivate the whole team to keep trying and reach their goals.

To practice and encourage the character strength of perseverance at home, please visit The Positivity Project’s mobile-friendly P2 for Families (available in English and Spanish), where you will watch a video together and discuss a quote and three questions. Below are links to this week’s P2 for Families lessons. Click on the grade level that best meets your child’s needs.

• Pre-K–K
• Grades 1–2
• Grades 3–5
• Grades 6–8
• Grades 9–12

This is a friendly reminder that it takes all of us to have a safe and efficient arrival each morning. We've seen some not-safe driving behaviors in the last week. Please remember:

• There is NO parking in the front drive between 7:00 - 8:00 am. If you would like to walk your child/children to the front door, please park in the neighborhood and walk together.
• There are NO u-turns in front of the school. West Lynn is a narrow street and it is dangerous. Please take the extra 60 seconds to drive around the block.
• Please use the crosswalk when crossing West Lynn - it's for everyone's safety.
• Please be aware of your surroundings, wait your turn, and be patient.

Thank you! Let's work together for a safe arrival!

It's already time to register for the 2025-26 School Year! Did you know that you have to register your students for each school year? Join us for a fun day and cross registration off your to-do list! We'll be hosting our 2nd Annual Registration-Rama on Thursday, January 23rd with a goal of 100% of our current students registered for the next year.

The district uses these registration numbers to allocate teaching positions and we use them to plan for the number of classes at each grade level. The more accurate our numbers, the better! See flyer below for more information:

Enrollment during this period is open to all new and returning Austin ISD students. Students interested in admissions- and campus-based programs must complete their enrollment and any campus-specific application requirements on or before February 4, 2025

Please click the button below for more information and to begin the process!

Austin ISD has so much to be proud of! With your help, Austin voters passed the largest and most equitable bond Austin ISD has ever seen in November 2022. We got here with the hard work of the community, teachers, staff, trustees and you by keeping our students at the center of the vision. This work and engagement will continue as we implement the Bond. We’re excited to share the full schedule for the modernization projects.

We are getting ready to hit the ground running on these projects, including the modernization of O. Henry Middle School! The first step in the process is the formation of Campus Architectural Teams (CATs). You might already be familiar with these, but they are a team of teachers, staff, parents and community members that meet with your campus’s architects to guide the design and make decisions for your school’s project.

CATs will work with the campus design team through every step of the process, from preliminary designs to move-in and grand openings. If you are interested in joining a CAT, please complete this form by Friday, January 31, 2025.

Once again, thank you for your tireless efforts on behalf of our students to make this vision a reality! We could not do any of this without your support.

Sincerely,

Marlo Malott

O. Henry Middle School Principal

January is School Board Appreciation Month. The theme for 2025 is “Leadership for Tomorrow’s Texas”. We thank and celebrate all of our AISD Board Members for their work and commitment to public school education. These elected officials play a vital role in our communities and schools. Our District 5 Trustee, Lynn Boswell, has strong Barton Hills community ties and is a valued partner with our school, as our area representative. Please join me in recognizing Ms. Boswell and the entire Board in the role that they fulfill in our school district!

This resource will provide families with insights into the comprehension and foundational skills their children are learning in kinder, 1st, and 2nd grades, as well as strategies for support at home.

Dear Future Mustang Families,

We are excited to share some helpful and important information in our O. Henry Transition Newsletter which includes flyers for these events, copies of choice sheets, and other helpful information.

Please mark your calendars with these upcoming dates:

• Wednesday, January 15th: O. Henry Course Fair and Choice Sheet Night
• January: Counselors visiting elementary schools in person to help students finalize their choice sheets for the 2025-2026 school year
• In-Person Tours: Available through March

We look forward to welcoming all our Future Mustangs at these events.

AISD changed the system for volunteer registration and background checks so it has taken us a little longer than usual to get the information out to you. All Mathews volunteers who will be in contact with children must complete a background check. Background checks are good for one year. If you’re a new volunteer or haven’t done a background check in the current school year, please click the link and follow the directions below. It’s quick and easy!

To begin the volunteer approval process, please click on the link below.

• Austin ISD Volunteers

Our PTA is an amazing group who support our whole school. Join today and become of a part of this dynamic, welcoming, and supportive group - you'll make a difference while having fun and getting to know new people!

The Responsible Use Policy is now in place. Acknowledgement and adherence to the RUP is applicable each time anyone uses an AISD device, logs into our network and/or accesses the AISD portal and related applications. Please take time to review the K-5 Responsible Use Policy

AISD is invested in using technology to enhance student learning and improve learning outcomes. Using your device, the AISD network, and systems is a privilege and any privilege comes with responsibility. Signing this Responsible Use Policy (RUP) will serve as an acknowledgement of this information for students and families.

• Student Responsible Use Policy (PreK-5th)
  
• Student Responsible Use Policy (6th - 12th)

Please see information below on the AISD Student Success Guide for the 24-25 School Year:

Education in this community represents a significant commitment of financial and human resources. The benefits a student derives from this investment depend very much on the student's attitude toward learning and the student's adherence to high standards of behavior.

The Student Code of Conduct that follows is the district's specific response to requirements of Chapter 37: Discipline; Law And Order of the Texas Education Code. The law requires the district to define misconduct that may or must result in a range of specific disciplinary consequences.

This code is an outgrowth of collaboration among district and campus staff, parents, and other community members and was adopted by the AISD Board of Trustees. It provides information and direction to students and parents regarding standards of behavior as well as consequences of misconduct. In the case of conflict between the Student Code of Conduct and board policy, the Student Code of Conduct will prevail.

Please click on the button below to see the Mathews Parent and Student Handbook. We ask that you take the time to review the information in the handbook for the 24-25 school year. Thank you!

We follow the Standard Response Protocol from the i love you guys organization. Below you will find a handy two-page document that explains each of the five types of drills we run along with a guide for parents explaining what to do in the event of a true emergency.

• Please send in documentation of student absences using the School Absence Form on the AISD website or complete a paper form (pick up in Front Office).
• We, DO NOT accept phone calls or voicemail messages as documentation for a student's absence.
• Please have medical offices submit documentation of your student’s visit to mathews@austinisd.org
• Please allow up to 72 hours (3 business days) for attendance to be corrected.
• Set up notifications for your student’s attendance and grades via Parent Self Serve.
• Students attending family trips during scheduled school days will remain coded as an unexcused absence. Car problems, traffic, or oversleeping will not be considered as an excused absence or excused tardy.

A student is tardy if he/she is not with their homeroom teacher when the 7:40 bell rings. If you arrive late to school, your student will be required to come to the office for a tardy slip before going to class.

What to do if your student must leave school early:

• When you arrive to Mathews to pick up your student, please be prepared with your photo I.D. Your student will then be called to the attendance office to leave campus.

• Please do not plan to pick up your student from school 30 minutes prior to dismissal (ie 2:40 PM).

• You must sign the student out in the office. Students leaving for a medical appointment must bring a note from the doctor to excuse the absence/tardy.

For more information visit the district's attendance page.

2024-25 Bus information for eligible students

• We recommend families whose students are eligible for General Education transportation to check their bus information by checking the district’s “Bus Stop Finder''. The System will be back live on our website at the end of July.

• Families whose students have special needs will receive their information in person from their bus teams. *Please keep in mind routes and stops may change periodically. So, please visit the website periodically.

“Where's The Bus” App for Families

• AISD’s transportation team offers families the “WheresTheBus” app, which provides timely information about the location of their student’s assigned bus only, including when it will arrive at their stop.

• The free app is available on any device with internet access (smartphone, tablet, personal computer, iPad)—and takes less than five minutes to install. Instructions are available at https://www.austinisd.org/transportation.

Exterior Doors:

• All exterior doors will remain locked at all times during the school day, including doors that lead to the playground areas. Portable classroom doors will also remain fully locked all day.
  
• Staff will check each exterior door every evening and morning to ensure they are locked and secure.

Interior Doors:

• All classroom doors will remain locked throughout the day.

Visitors:

• Visitors are welcome at Mathews!
• The main front doors are the only entry doors to the campus for visitors. The door buzzer/office communicator is on the left side wall by the front doors. Please push the button to communicate with the office and, once verified, we will buzz you in to the building.
• All visitors MUST sign in at the front office upon arrival AND sign out at the front office when leaving. Please remember to bring your photo ID with you when visiting campus.
• IMPORTANT: Families, there are no lunch visitor allowed during the first two weeks of school as we help our students learn lunchtime routines and procedures. Thank you!
• IMPORTANT: Families, please do not ask a staff member to hold a side or back door for you to enter the building. All students, parents, and visitors must enter through the front entry doors. Thank you!

Staff Training, Campus Drills, and Threat Assessment

• Our staff will be trained on safety prior to students entering the building.
• We will review safety plans and practices throughout the year.
• We will hold all required safety drills with our students. Most of the drills will be announced drills so our students aren't surprised or alarmed by them.
• Mathews has an established threat assessment team comprised of administration, counseling and teaching staff. All members of the team have received Threat Assessment training from Texas State. Licensed Mental Health Providers and School Resource Officers are on call to assist when needed.

• Temperature guidelines have been established in order to provide a safe and healthy environment for students participating in outdoor activities at Austin ISD.

• The listed temperatures, heat indexes, and wind-chill factors are designated figures for terminating and/or modifying outdoor activities including: Athletics, Fine Arts, PE, and recess.

• AISD_Temperature Weather Guidelines

AISD is launching a new App. Please see the flyer below for the QR Code: