We had such an amazing Carnival this past Sunday. Thank you to our fabulous Carnival Chairs, Sean Kane and Ann Stauffer for providing their leadership. Make sure to check out the latest PTA newsletter to see all the sponsors who supported this event.

We have several upcoming events that we are excited about:

• We know that Halloween is on Thursday this week. However, please leave those precious costumes at home on October 31st. Students are welcome to wear orange and black, or a non-scary Halloween t-shirt/clothing, but no costumes or face make-up on Thursday.
• Our fifth graders have designed and planned a mock election for our campus this upcoming week as they learn more about the voting and electoral process. All students will have the opportunity to participate and "vote" if they would like to .
• Saturday, November 2nd is I's My Park Day - we projects planned like trimming plants and spreading mulch.
• We will have a special Veteran's Day Assembly on Monday, November 11th. Please see the additional information below.
• We will have our annual Thanksgiving Day Lunch on Thursday, November 14th. There will be a special menu; tickets will need to be purchased in advance, changes in the schedule, and an RSVP so we can print out visitor badges and be efficient. Please see the section below for all the delicious details.

And a reminder that there is no school for students or staff on Friday, November 1st. As always, thank you for your support of our school and community.

Kati Achtermann, Principal

October 31- BHE Spirit Day - Orange and Black Day

November 1 - Student and Staff Holiday

November 2 - It's my Park Day

November 5- Student Holiday/Election Day/ Staff Development Day

November 8 - BHE Spirit Day - Silly Hat Day

November 11 - Special Veterans' Day Assembly

November 14 - Turkey Day Lunch! (more info coming)

November 21 - STEAM Day and Day of Drumming during PE Times for students

November 25 - 29 Fall Break

The wait is almost over! The winners of our annual art contest will be announced at Monday morning’s assembly! Grades K-5 created designs and there were so many amazing ones to choose from. RSVP at the link in the newsletter if you would like to attend Monday’s assembly.

1st place: T-Shirt design. 2nd place: Front and back cover of our yearbook. 3rd place: sticker design. Each grade gets a “best of grade” as well. Congratulations to all our Eagle artists! Stay tuned for shoutouts to our winners in next week’s newsletter.

The next time you visit, please enjoy viewing artwork hanging up in the hallways. Our team of Austin High School students from the Ready, Set, Teach Internship program has been hard at work installing our Eagle artists’ work. Featured artworks are celebrations of Dot Day with 3rd graders Australian Aboriginal Art, 2nd graders Yayoi Kusama inspired pumpkins, Native American Heritage month folktale raven and horse drawings by 2nd and Kindergarten, and 5th grade oil pastel fall related drawings. All grades also created butterflies which symbolize migration in honor of Hispanic Heritage month. Stay tuned for watercolor paintings by 4th grade on display and more!

Parents – your school park and campus need you! Let’s work together to beautify Barton Hills Elementary Park! The PTA Greenworks Committee will be gathering on Saturday, November 2nd from 8AM – 12PM to work on various projects to beautify the school grounds and we need your help.

We are again honored to be an official Austin Parks Foundation Project, so please sign up to record your support and you will receive a free t-shirt! We can also confirm volunteer hours via the site! https://givepul.se/v0m1qo

Show up with work gloves, a smile, and a wheelbarrow (if you happen to have one). Other tools will be provided. Please contact Keith Hegner (keith.hegner@gmail.com) if you have any questions or want to volunteer any special skills or tools. We hope to see you all there!

We would like to honor any BHE connected Veterans on Monday, November 11th, 2024. Please plan to arrive between 7:30 and 8:15 to check in at the office and enjoy some refreshments. Students will connect with their Veteran guests at 8:20 and the assembly will begin at 8:30.

Remember to wear red, white, and blue!

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.

The Austin High Orchestra is having a Festival of Orchestras November 2, 2024. For more information please see their website at:

https://austinhighorchestra.com/concerts-uil/fall-concerts/dia-de-los-muertos-festival-of-orchestras/

We are happy to share the new and updated process to be a volunteer with Barton Hills. 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 BHE 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

Questions? Contact our Administrative Assistant, Kathy Carr, at mary.k.carr@austinisd.org.

We are excited to share the details of our upcoming Family Empower Hour sessions which provide valuable information and support to our students' families. The Family Empower Hour schedule is also available on the external AISD Special Education website. Families can also access recordings from previous offerings, as well.

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

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 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 “bartonhills@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 Barton Hills to pick up your student, please be prepared with your photo I.D. Your student will 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. Leaving for any part of the day will result in an unexcused tardy. 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.

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

Maintaining a safe and positive learning environment for our students is our top priority. It is important to us that our safety protocols are in place AND that our students, families, and staff continue to feel a positive and welcoming environment each day. Please help us keep everyone safe.

Arrival:

• We will continue to have a secure morning arrival with families/caregivers saying goodbye before students enter the building. Parents/Caregivers may walk students to the front walkway during car drop off/walking drop off. Staff members will be outside and inside ready to greet, welcome, and support our students as they enter the building at 7:30. Parents will not be allowed to walk students to the classrooms and portables.
• The front doors will open for breakfast at 7:15 am. At 7:30 am, all students will enter the building.
• The first week our Kinder students will meet their teachers in the cafeteria before going to class. The teachers will be there to meet them and then walk together to the classroom.
• IMPORTANT: There is NO parking in the drive in front of the school between 7:00 - 8:00 am. This lane is reserved for drop off only. If you'd like to walk your child to the front door, please park in the neighborhood and walk to school together. Thank you!
• If you need to bring something to your child after they have entered the building, please leave it on the labeled cart outside the front doors with a clearly marked label. Please call the front office to let us know you are leaving an item (lunch, water bottle, device, etc.) and we will get it to your child.

Exterior Doors:

• All exterior doors will remain locked at all times during the school day. Portable classroom doors will also remain fully locked all day.
• Staff will check each exterior door weekly to ensure they close and lock as intended.

Dismissal:

• All kindergarten students will be dismissed with their homeroom teacher at 3:05pm.

• 1st- 5th grade car riders, walkers, and bikers will be dismissed from specific outdoor locations with their homeroom teacher at 3:10pm.

• Older siblings may join younger siblings at the younger sibling location.

• Third Base After School Care students will go to the cafeteria.

• *See map below for dismissal locations by grade level.

• Students must leave by 3:20 at the latest.

• Please see map below and note that areas in RED are NO Parking Zones - even for drop off and pick up.

Visitors:

• Visitors are welcome at Barton Hills for the purposes of student support. This may include scheduled parent teacher conferences and meetings, registration, pre-arranged volunteer opportunities, and other scheduled events.
• Lunch Visitors: You may come have lunch with your child. You must sign in at the office prior to going to the cafeteria. Please note that if you plan to have lunch with your students, you will need to plan to eat outside or at a separate designated table. Provide lunch only for your child. Do not arrange to purchase lunch for a group of students and then have your child pass it out. You may only have lunch with your own child - please do not invite other students to join you. *No lunch visitors for the first three weeks of school so we can work on routines and expectations.
• The main front doors are the only entry doors to the campus for visitors. The door buzzer/office communicator is on the right 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. We will be using the 360 system to scan licenses and print out Visitor tags.
• IMPORTANT: Families, please do not ask a staff member to hold a side or back door open 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 continue to 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.
• Barton Hills 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.

Phew! I know that's a lot to digest, but wanted everyone to know we're prepared for a strong, safe, and productive year.

AISD Weather Guidelines

• 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

• BHE Eagle Ultimate Frisbee Team
• Thursday, 3:15pm-4:30pm
• September 26-November 14 (8 weeks)
• Barton Hills Sports Field
• Sliding Scale Registration Options
• More information and registration at www.tusculti.com

Website: bartonhills.austinschools.org/schoool
Location: 2108 Barton Hills Drive, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-414-2013
Facebook: facebook.com/BartonhillsPTA
Twitter: @bheeagles

Instagram: bheeagles