Kiker Comments: May 21, 2024

May

Thank you, Kiker families, for your generous donations of water bottles for Allison Elementary! We met our goal - and then some! An extra special thank you goes out to YETI and the Elkins family for coordinating the donation of a new YETI water bottle for every Allison student. The Allison community is so grateful for the support!

Ms. Rosita Luna received the award for Southwest Area Guard of the Year.

Her award showcases that she continues to go above and beyond for students and our community. She brought lights to make students more visible when it was still dark. She has learned student names and offers stickers and other rewards for crossing the street safely.

For these reasons, she was chosen as the guard of the year for the Southwest Area. Thank you for keeping our Kiker Community safe!

The PTA Nomination Committee’s 2024-2025 Slate was approved at the General Membership Meeting on May 20, 2024. Thank you to all who were able to attend the meeting, and congratulations to next year’s PTA Board!

The Kiker staff and community would like to recognize the outgoing PTA board. This group of volunteers poured hours and hours of work in to special events and programs to make Kiker a great place for students to grow and learn. Highlights this year include spirit days, TCBY and Torchy's Nights, Monster Mash, Art Night, 'Love, Kiker,' staff luncheons and other staff treats, maintenance of the Comet Creek, spirit sales, bulletin board decorations, Reflections art program, staff coffee lounge, Maker's Lab, Kiker Clean Up days, and of course, APEX Fun Run. We couldn't do it without you and organizing all the volunteers to make everything run smoothly on campus.

Thank you for a great 2023-2024.

Click Here to view GT projects from across AISD that were selected for the GT Showcase.

GT students were invited to submit a virtual student project (individual, partner, or group) that connected with the 2024 theme: Faster, Higher, Stronger-Together. We received hundreds of student submissions from across the district, and we are excited to share the chosen GT student projects with you. While not every campus is represented below, every campus supports GT students and their accomplishments throughout the year.

Make sure your child is reading every day this summer! The public library is a great place to take your child in the summertime. There is so much to see and do to get your child inspired. They even have a summer reading challenge HERE.

The 5 Book Dive program encourages students to read any five books that they choose during the summer. The website provides lists of books which have been curated by AISD librarians to engage and encourage students to read; the new lists for Summer 2024 are now available on the website. (These lists are not presented as nor intended to be “required” reading; the selection of summer reading material is up to individual students and their parents/guardians.)

Program information and resources are available at https://sites.google.com/austinisd.org/5-book-dive/. The website provides:

• Lists of recommended books for summer reading by level: PK-2 English, PK-2 Spanish, 3-5 English, 3-5 Spanish, Middle School, and High School.

• Printable bookmarks which can serve as reading logs.

• Campuses may choose to recognize students who bring their summer reading logs to school in the fall; some simple and low/no-cost suggestions for doing this are available on the website.

• Some local bookstores are also offering incentives; see the website for details.

• Additional resources for students, parents, and educators.

Buford’s Summer 2024 schedule is shown below; these locations are summer school sites, but ALL students are welcome to come and get books from Buford; it is not limited to summer school students or students enrolled at that campus. Books for all ages from babies to teens are available.

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI). This month honors and celebrates the rich history of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the US. If you are interested in learning more we encourage you to complete activities with your kiddo by visiting this website. Additionally, while this month’s books do not cover this topic, it is still important to note the harmful role that the “model minority myth” plays in AAPI lives. To learn more about the “model minority myth” with your child, you can visit website.

The books listed below can be found at the Kiker Library, Austin Public Library, and online through AISD MackinVIA audio app. Read Alouds can also be found on YouTube or at the Austin Public Library. Books for Grades 3-5 can also be found in Ms. Amanda’s Counseling office.

Kindergarten - Second Grade Book List

Friends are Friends, Forever:Dane Liu (Author), Lynn Scurfield (Illustrator)

I am Golden: Eva Chen (Author), Sophie Diao (Illustrator)

Ohana Means Family: Ilima Loomis (Author), Kenard Pak (illustrator)

Namaste is a Greeting: Suma Subramaniam (Author), Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)

Reflection Questions:

1. Talk with your grownup about one thing you each learned in your book. Ask your grownup to help you find the country on the map that was represented in your book.

2. Culture is the traditions and beliefs that a group of people practice in their daily lives. Culture can consist of many things: food, religion, art, clothing, literature, etc.. What is one aspect of your culture? What is one aspect of your book character's culture? How are they the same/different?

3. In Friends are Friends Forever, Dandan moves from China to America. What are some feeling words that describe how Dandan felt before she left China and when she came to America? What helped Dandan feel more welcome in America? How can we be more welcoming to others who may be new to our community/country?

Third - Fifth Grade Book List

Kapaemahu: Hianoleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, and Joe Wilson (Authors), Daniel Sousa (Illustrator)

Chef Roy Choi: June Jo Lee (Author), Jacqueline Briggs Martin (Illustrator)

Finding Papa: Angela Pham Krans (Author), Thi Bui (Illustrator)

My Bindi: Gita Varadarajan (Author), Archana Sreenivasan (Illustrator)

Reflection Questions:

1. Identify 5 countries on the map that are inclusive of AAPI heritage month. Which country was represented in the book you read?

2. Hawaii, currently a US state, is a Polynesian Island with Native Hawaiians as the indigenous population. What is the lesson learned in Kapaemahu? Why is it important to continue to understand the history of a people by sharing the language, traditions, knowledge and spiritual healing/gifts of their ancestors? Discuss with your grown up where your ancestors originate from and how that is similar/different to other loved ones in your life.

3. Asian American and Pacific Islanders have contributed to our nation’s history in so many profound ways. From civil rights to infrastructure, like the trans-continental railroad, food, culture, and sports, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are an integral part of our American culture. With your grown up, look up some examples of AAPI history and discuss.

Track Progress: Students who read every month will be acknowledged and celebrated at the end of the semester and year. To track your student’s progress please complete this form.

Want more?! Here are some additional books to read:

We are Here: Noami Hirahara (Author), Illianette Fernandez (Illustrator)

Alone Like Me: Rebecca Evans (Author/Illustrator)

Thao: Thao Lam (Author)

Dim Sum Palace: X.Fang

My Name: Supriya Kelkar (Author), Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)

Spicy Spicy, Hot!: Lenny Went (Author)

Last Flight: Kristen Mai Giang (Author), Dow Phymiruk (Illustrator)

Dim Sum, Here we Come!: Maple Lam (Author)

My Grandfather’s Song: Phung Nguyen Quang ( Author), Huynh Kim Lien (Illustrator)

Kiker does not tolerate racism, hate speech, or acts of discrimination. It takes all of us working together to eradicate hate, and we thank you for helping us work to ensure that ALL students and staff are safe to showcase and celebrate their identities without fear of discrimination.

Please send all absence notes to Amy McGovern at amy.mcgovern@austinisd.org Reminder: All notes must contain student's first name, last name, teacher name and student ID.

If you have a change in pickup plans, please notify both the teacher and Ms. Amy McGovern so we can ensure that we have the communication in the front office as well as with the teacher.

Thank you

Join us for a collective learning experience! The SEL and CP&I Symposium brings educators, community leaders, and families together to share their creativity, experiences and promising practices around social and emotional learning and cultural proficiency and inclusiveness.

Reserve a Spot / Tickets @: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-sel-and-cpi-symposium-collective-growth-rooted-in-sharing-brilliance-tickets-867744024737

2 - Emily Moranski

3 - Jennifer Jones

9 - Andrea Norman

13 - Laura Davis

13 - Denise Tharp

14 - Tracy Cardenas

14 - Carolyn McKaskle

30 - Emilee Coleman

June

3 - Carol Markwalter

7 - Christine Johnson

7 - Amanda Kerley

26 - Jennifer Blake

28 - Maria Cuchillo

28 - Jackie Mylius

30 - Emmy Hunt

July

8 - Lisa Youngblood

12 - Dani Dinderman

13 - Stephanie Toman

17 - Camille Hudson

25 - Julie Bown -Anderson

26 - Ginny Monger

28 - Shawn Whitehouse

Did someone at Kiker do something awesome? Why not send them a RAVE?

Look Who Got A RAVE in April or May

Emmy Hunt X 2

Amanda Prickett

Lauren Ribelin

Edward Swan

Alondra Rocha

Veronica Taylor

Tracy Cardenas

Abby Shoppa

Raven Jeffrey

Cory Matheny

https://www.austinisd.org/hc/aisd-employee-experience/rave

AISD Summer Open Feeding (Community) Sites - Dates and Times Vary by Campus

• The schools listed below are open feeding sites, meaning they must welcome any children younger than 19 or enrolled students with disabilities up to 21 years old during designated meal service times.
  
  

• Elementary Schools: Allison, Andrews, Blazier Primary, Blanton, Campbell, Casey, Dawson, Govalle, Guerrero-Thompson, Hart, Houston, Joslin, Kocurek, McBee, Menchaca, Norman-Sims, Ortega, Overton, Padron, Pecan Springs, Pickle, Pillow, Sanchez, Uphaus ECC, Widen, Wooldridge

• Middle Schools: Bedichek, Burnet, Dobie, Lively, Mendez, Webb

• High Schools: Akins ECHS, Crockett ECHS, LBJ ECHS, Navarro ECHS, Northeast ECHS, Travis ECHS

Other Campuses: Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders

How community feeding works: Children in the community enjoy free summer meals regardless of household income and without any registration or identification. Children do not have to be enrolled in AISD to receive free summer meals. Summer meals are served in the cafeteria and must be enjoyed on campus during the designated service times.

KSAC Registration 2024 - Google Forms

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mItTaUDx1uNroVpWi_SxAeDYxeArXZV4A_BjKrc6Iq4/edit?usp=sharing

or

Kiker Summer Art Classes

Watch this video all about Kiker Art Camp: https://youtu.be/Y2RXmgKU4Bs

Thank you for supporting Kiker Summer Art Classes!

CLICK HERE FOR ALL Bowie High School Summer Camps

ATX Ballers: https://www.atxballers.com/holidaycamps

Community Arts: Power of Me Summer Camp: https://www.communityarttherapy.com/items

https://bit.ly/aisdtechexpectations (Updated 8.10.2023)

Device Care and Tips: https://bit.ly/AISDdevicecare

Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful.

Alma Chapa Moore - Assistant Principal

Kelly Zilem - Assistant Principal

Email: cory.matheny@austinisd.org
Website: https://kikerelementary.org/
Location: 5913 La Crosse Avenue, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-414-2584
Twitter: @KikerComets