Hornet Herald

I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable long weekend! Whether your family took a mini-vacation, attended Austin City Limits, or simply relaxed around town, I hope it was a chance for students to rest and recharge.

While students enjoyed Thursday and Friday off, our teachers and staff were hard at work participating in district-led professional development on Thursday. The training focused on enhancing skills, strategies, and providing tools to positively impact both the academic and behavioral success of all students. I’m excited to see our teachers bring these new strategies into their classrooms.

Speaking of academic achievement, one of our goals this year is to provide project-based learning opportunities for all students, in each of their classes. Project-based learning (PBL) allows students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges, encouraging critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. Our teachers have been collaborating within their departments to design engaging PBL projects for the fall semester. In the coming weeks, students will dive into these hands-on projects—some classes have already begun! We will also organize showcases, for students to display/present their project to families,

In addition, starting this week, we’re kicking off a fun and friendly attendance competition by grade level! The grade with the highest average daily attendance will earn a special celebration. As of now, the current standings are:

• 1st place: 6th grade (97.1%)
• 2nd place: 7th grade (96.7%)
• 3rd place: 8th grade (96.3%)

There’s still plenty of time for 7th and 8th grade to catch up! We know that when students attend school every day, their academic achievement soars. Please ensure your student is present each day unless they are sick.

Thank you for your continued support in making this a successful school year!

Mr. Estes

• October 8 - Football vs. Murchison
• October 8 - Orchestra Concert
• October 9 - PSAT (8th grade only)
• October 9 - Band Concert
• October 10 - PTA Meeting
• October 10 - Volleyball vs TBD
• October 10 - AISD Cross Country Meet
• October 14 - No School
• October 15 - 18 - Homecoming Week
• October 16 - Football vs. O.Henry
• October 17 - MacCallum Visits Kealing (8th grade only)
• October 17 - Guitar Concert
• October 17 - CAC Meeting
• October 18 - Homecoming Dance

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 Ms. Bruch: Robert De Vere was picking up trash from the playground during his outside activity day. He was beautifying the playground because he saw a problem that needed to be fixed. Thank you for being a great HORNET. You showed amazing respect for our campus.

From Ms. Randolph: Beckett Hoffman has been a star student in the Social Studies classroom. He is on top of his work, tracks his progress, stays organized, and comes to class engaged and prepared.

From Ms. Randolph: Zam Haui has gone above and beyond to give full effort in each Social Studies class. Zam’s insight to history is truly commendable and proves to be a valuable member of the class.

From Ms. Morgan: Parth Kanna showed great respect for cultural learning when he shared details of how he and his family will celebrate an Indian holiday this weekend.

From Ms. Morgan: Jezebelle Rangel has shown remarkable persistence in completing her work, and she has shown off her excellent writing skills.

Congratulations to this week's Stinger Salute recipients!

For the month of October, we are focusing on Bullying Prevention. In Austin ISD and at Kealing, we believe that every student has the right to feel safe and supported in their school environment. This month, our schools will focus on raising awareness about bullying, educating students on its various forms, and promoting kindness and inclusion within our community. Each week, we will focus on a specific theme.

This week's this is Understanding the Difference: Bullying vs. Conflict It's important for families to understand the difference between bullying and conflict. Bullying is intentional, repeated behavior that aims to harm, intimidate, or control another person. It often involves a power imbalance, where the bully seeks to assert dominance over the victim. Conflict, on the other hand, is a normal part of relationships and can occur when two or more individuals have a disagreement or differing opinions. While conflicts can sometimes be hurtful, they can often be resolved through communication and mutual understanding.

Please remind your students the importance of reporting anytime they experience or witness bullying or conflict to an administrator, counselor, teacher, or staff member.

As we approach the October 25, 2024 deadline for the submission of Income Verification Forms (IVF), we encourage all families to complete the Parent Survey (English, Spanish). Results from the IVF could result in additional funding for our campus. All Economic Income Verification Forms/Parent Survey must be submitted on or before October 25, 2024.

Your student will take the PSAT 8/9 October 9, 2024. This coming week students will be provided with the PSAT 8/9 Student Guide link and a few hard copies will be available in their science classes. Also happening this week, 8th grade students will complete the Readiness Check in their science classes.

The Readiness check will consist of the following:

• Sign-into Bluebook, the system that College Board uses

• Run a quick device check

• Complete exam setup

• Try out a test preview questions

On the night of October 8th please make sure students are well rested and have a healthy breakfast so they will be ready for the PSAT 8/9 the next day.

For those who applied for accommodations most of them have been approved. I will reach out to families via email and speak with students to let them know what to expect on the day of the exam.

Thank you for being a part of your child’s educational success as they begin their journey into setting their personal goals for high school through taking the PSAT 8/9. If you have any questions or concerns then please let me know, rolanda.williams@austinisd.org.

Good luck to our cross country team as they compete in this week's district meet! Each race leading up to this moment has prepared them for success, and we know they will perform their best. We're proud of their hard work and determination—go team!

It was a tough week for Kealing volleyball. Each team fought hard and played with resilience but ended up falling to Murchison Middle School.

This week, we are wishing our volleyball team the best of luck as they kick off the district tournament! Their dedication and effort throughout the season have led them to this exciting moment.

Our 7th grade Hornets will take on Parades Middle School while the 8th grade Hornets will battle it out with Bailey Middle School. Both games will take place at Kealing on Wednesday, October 9th starting at 6:00 pm.

As always, it takes a village to host successful home games. Your support means the world to our players, so if you’re able, please sign up to help with our upcoming events.

Kealing football battled it out with Bailey Middle School this past week. The 7th grade team won 24-0 and 8th grade found themselves on the losing end.

This week both teams will be in action against Murchison Middle School at Nelson Field. The games take place on Tuesday, October 8th starting at 6pm.

A reminder that students will not attend classes on October 14, 2024 for the observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. If you would like to learn more about this observance, please review these resources:

Five Ideas for Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This Smithsonian magazine article explains the importance of Indigenous People’s Day and provides thoughtful suggestions for how to celebrate this holiday.

This New York Times article provides the history of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and speaks to current issues facing indigenous people.

This NPR story explains what Indigenous Peoples’ Day means to Native Americans.

We will be holding our October CAC Meeting on 10/17 at 4 pm over Google Meet. Superintendent Matias Segura is our invited guest. He will be speaking about topics related to our school facilities, the upcoming election, and budget. If you would like to submit another topic or have a specific question that you would like to see addressed, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/Z1LqQZNuunWRppVL9.

We are having our fall dance the week of homecoming this year. It will be on October 18th from 6-8! In order for this to be an amazing night for all students we need some help and support from you!

1. Donations for concessions to make the night extra special for the students. We have a wish list here that will directly deliver these snacks to Kealing where student council students will sort them.
2. Help chaperone the dance. There is a sign up link here!
   
3. If anyone has a red carpet they have used in the past for any party or event we would be so grateful to you if we could borrow it as it will be the star of the decorations.

Thank you for supporting such core memories for our students!

Ze'Nylah Saucedo attended a fashion show modeling Quinceañera dresses. This is from earlier this September, We are sharing for Mexican Heritage month. The Quinceañera is both a religious and a social event that emphasizes the importance of family and society in the life of a young woman. It is celebrated in Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean, as well as in Latino communities in the United States and elsewhere.

Great job Ze'Nylah!!! Thanks for sharing.

The PTA general membership meeting will be held on October 10 at 7:45 am in the Kealing Library and online.

If you can't attend in person, here is the link to join via Google meet.

We hope you can attend.

We've updated our website with the new designs and link to the order form. Please
note that the "NEW 2024-2025 Items" are still in a "preorder" phase for $0. You'll be
contacted once we have the definitive pricing and asked to officially order and pay. We
also have existing stock items that are for sale and distribution immediately. We'll let
you know as soon as the new items are available to officially purchase! Thank you for
your patience! Any questions, please email spiritwear@kealingpta.org

Our No-Hassle Fundraiser officially kicks off on Tuesday, October 1st and will run the entire month of October.

Generous contributions from our Kealing families supplement our school budget and provide much-needed funds for teachers, programs, and classrooms. It’s no secret that our state education funding is inadequate to support our district’s current needs. Many of our teachers spend their own funds to provide enriching activities as well as basic equipment for our students. Our PTA strives to provide funding to meet their needs so our teachers and administrators have the resources to ensure our students succeed. Please help us with that effort by donating to our HORNET NO HASSLE!

You can find out more information by visiting PTA's NO HASSLE website.

Start the holiday spirit of giving early and sign up for the Secret PALS Program. Click on the sign-up link to adopt a staff member, drop off gifts/treats at the front office on the specified dates in November/February/April, and show our Kealing staff some much needed love and appreciation this school year!

Thank you for your support!

Leah Hall

secretpals@kealingpta.org

Ms. Aleman has prepared a calendar of Family Engagement events for October to keep our families informed and engaged. Please check it out for upcoming opportunities to connect and get involved.

Spanish Version

Each year, the Junior League of Austin (JLA) leads a community project called Coats for Kids (CFK). Through the CFK project the JLA collects more than 30,000 warm winter coats and distributes them to eligible children in Central Texas.

Austin ISD is a recipient of this wonderful program that helps keep many of our students warm during the cold winter months. If you are interested in signing up your student, click on this COATS FOR KIDS link.

Virtual: October 10-31, 2024

Austin ISD’s 10th annual dyslexia conference brings together researchers, parents, dyslexia therapists, teachers, related service providers, advocates, and other professionals to build understanding and application of improved support and services for students with dyslexia. This year’s conference will be virtual, on demand, and as always free for educators, families, and professionals starting Wednesday, October 10.

Keynote Speaker

Shauna Cotte, Keys to Literacy Vice President

• Keys to Literacy, The Key Vocabulary Routine, incorporates a combination of direct and indirect instructional practices that have been identified consistently in the research as most effective for growing student vocabulary in any subject area.

The Salvation Army Austin Area Command provides Christmas Assistance to more than 7,000 children through the Angel Tree Program. Parents/Guardians apply for your child to become an "angel" and get adopted by the community. Angel Tree - Austin Area Command (salvationarmyaustin.org)

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to recognize, honor and celebrate Hispanic Americans’ contributions to our history and culture. At Austin ISD, we’re taking time to embrace the vibrant and rich Hispanic culture. This year’s theme is Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.

Here is a list of upcoming events/series:

• Sept 27, 11:30 am - Room 440: Enriching the Language: Sayings and Proverbs in Spanish/Dichos y Refranes en Español: Enriqueciendo el Lenguaje.
• Oct. 4, 11:30 am - Board Room: Celebración de las Danzas Folklóricas Hispanas/Celebration of Hispanic Folk Dances.
• Oct. 11, 11:30 am - 7th Floor: Viva Style: Exhibición de Atuendos y Colores Tradicionales/Viva Style: Traditional Attire and Colors Showcase.
• Saturday Oct. 12: ¡Únete a la Fiesta! Join the Fiesta Talent Show Award Ceremony & Community Event, 11 a.m., Austin ISD Performing Arts Center, 1500 Barbara Jordan Blvd.