The Weekly Update #4

Dear Buffalo Families,

Can you believe it’s already October? We’re thrilled to share the incredible progress your student has made over the past eight weeks during our Parent-Teacher Conferences this Monday.

October can be a challenging month for educators as we juggle deadlines, report cards, and conferences while continuing our twice-weekly collaboration in professional learning communities. This combination of demands often leads to lower teacher morale. We encourage you to take a moment to write a kind note to your teacher or submit a RAVE so we can celebrate their hard work at our next faculty meeting.

As the weather cools and your family enjoys more outdoor adventures, remember that our playgrounds are available for use after hours. CREW has a contract to utilize the playgrounds until 6 PM on weekdays, after which our custodian will unlock the back gate for community access. To keep our playgrounds open to the public, please help us by disposing of trash properly and cleaning up after your visits. We've noticed an increase in litter, and we want to maintain a safe and clean space for our children to play.

Additionally, we’ve observed that someone has been cutting the chains and locks off the back gate to access the pond. While we appreciate the appeal of connecting with nature, this poses safety risks for our students. Please share this information with your community members to help us ensure everyone’s safety.

We look forward to celebrating the learning and growth that has taken place this fall.

Your Partner,

Alex Hassett

Reminder: No School on October 14th, Indigenous Peoples Day

Student Holiday/Parent Teacher Conference Day

What is it?

Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honors indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in October, and is an official city and state holiday in various localities. It began as a counter-celebration held on the same day as the U.S. federal holiday of Columbus Day, which honors Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. U.S. President, Joe Biden, formally commemorated the holiday with a presidential proclamation in 2021.

How is it celebrated?

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is about reflection, recognition, celebration, and education.

If you would like to learn more, check out some resources below:

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.

Picture Day is coming on Friday, October 18!

You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVTQD7PTB. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping!

Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day.

Please see the attached document for the most recent monthly minutes.

Please read the Booster Newsletter HERE to find out where the proceeds will be allocated to this year!

Students will need to be present in the cafeteria during their lunch times October 21-29th for Booster character lessons. We will be closed to ALL visitors during this time.

Baranoff Elementary School is continuing the work of our Equity Empowerment Team from Spring 2024. We aim to continue to address challenges, identify opportunities for growth, and ensure that our school continues to be a place where everyone can thrive.

Why a Committee?

1. Enhance Understanding: Embrace diverse perspectives for a richer educational experience.

2. Foster Equity: Remove barriers and provide equal opportunities for success.

3. Promote Inclusion: Create a positive and supportive school culture.

4. Empowering Collaboration: The team will actively collaborate with parents, guardians, and staff to ensure that diverse voices are heard and that we collectively contribute to a more inclusive and equitable school community.

Join Us!

If you're passionate about diversity and inclusion, consider joining the team. If you are interested in participating, please complete the following application. Our first meeting will be held on October 16. Click here to apply!

Please see the 10th Annual Central Texas Dyslexia Conference flyers.

Podcast

What are your family routines or rituals? Why are they important?

Check out another great episode of Flusterclux for ideas to strengthen your family bonds.

Bully Prevention

As we enter October, we are proud to announce that this month is dedicated to Bullying Prevention. At Austin ISD, 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.

Family Letter

Please note that this coincides with picture day and is an optional event.

Parent/Caregiver Survey

We are looking forward to supporting your child's academic, career and social/emotional growth this year. We would like your input in order to create a curriculum that best meets the needs of the Baranoff community. Thank you for taking the time to complete the Fall Family Survey.

Character Pumpkin Decorating Contest

The library will be hosting a book character pumpkin decorating contest this year. If your student would like to participate, all pumpkins need to be completed and turned in by Monday, October 21st. Students will pick up his/her pumpkin by Monday, November 4th. All decorated pumpkins should be a book character and decorated using a Styrofoam pumpkin, no real pumpkins will be accepted. This is a fun project to highlight your student’s favorite book character.

Please see this link for examples: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f7asRL2e_48ngo1apgWhAlzaR3bcg_TDEp4ENXISbCg/edit?usp=sharing

Veterans Day Wall of Honor

Help us celebrate Veterans Day by honoring our Baranoff family members that have served in the military. We will be creating a Wall of Honor in the main hallway by the library and ask you to send in pictures of your loved ones that have served in any branch of the military. Please include the name of the veteran, name of the Baranoff student/faculty member, and relationship to the student/faculty member. We will start collecting pictures on Monday, October 28th and we will return the pictures Wednesday, November 18-20.

Baranoff Book Club

The Baranoff book club is a way to make a donation to the Baranoff library and allow your student to choose a book to add to our collection.The donated book will have a label with your student’s name and have a permanent place in our library. Payment will be made online at my school central. Papers went home in Thursday folders, or you can read more about the Baranoff book club at:

Library Book Club 24-25

Booster Fundraiser

Our biggest fundraiser of the fall is here! You can now sign up for our Baranoff Buffalo Stampede! Our goal is to raise $70,000 for school improvements, such as Kelly Kanbe's library clerk position, the salary for the STEAM lab and math interventionists for this year. Signing up is easy and free!

EACH STUDENT CAN REGISTER

⭐️ Sign Up Now On MYBOOSTER.COM ⭐️

Thank you for working with us to make our school stronger. We are grateful for your support!

Follow our social pages for updates on our fundraiser.

Key Dates to Remember:

💻 Sign up online OPEN at MyBooster.com – Start TODAY!

🎉 Fundraiser Kickoff in school – 10/21/2024

👟 Event Day – 10/29/2024

*Need help signing up? Video instructions HERE.

🎃 Trunk or Treat

Trunk or Treat is open for sign ups. Baranoff's event is on Friday, October 25th. Sign up here to host a trunk. We'll have a pizza truck (Carter Bros Pizza) available for food purchases. All are welcome even if you don't host a truck. See you there!

Science Fair

This year we're bringing back the science fair! This is an optional science fair open to grades 3-5. Sign up by Oct 18th to participate. The science fair will take place on November 14th. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places! For more info, visit the guide here.

Come out to enjoy a delicious meal while you are off on Monday!