ALA Community Update

February 14th Student Holiday

As a reminder, Friday, February 14th is a district-wide student holiday for all students. This student holiday provides teachers an opportunity to host parent conferences with students. The overview of all of our school holidays can always be found on our 2024-2025 Instructional Calendar for ALA Euclid and ALA Tech.

ALA-PTSA

ALA-PTSA has partnered with Neighborhood Forest to provide free trees for kids (0-18yr). Register for your free tree here by Mar 15th and your tree will be distributed to the student in April, just in time for Earth Day! There is no obligation to donate to Neighborhood Forest or to make a purchase; ALA-PTSA is not responsible for any purchased items. Questions can be directed to president@alaptsa.org

ALA-PTSA currently has several corporate sponsorship opportunities available to end the year. If you own a company or work for a company that would be interested in sponsoring a meal for teacher appreciation week, raffle item for annual fundraiser in April, or would like to donate a gift towards upcoming events and programs, please contact fundraising@alaptsa.org. There are no gifts that are too big or too small.

K-5th grade parents and guardians, polling for Ready, Tech, Go! will close this week. Please fill out the survey here to help us determine the best day to host this program

SAISD Family Survey

ALA is excited to invite you to participate in this year’s Family Survey! This survey gives you the opportunity to tell us about your child’s school experiences and your experiences with the school as a parent. All survey responses are confidential and will not be linked back to you. Please visit www.saisd.net/familysurvey to complete the survey from February 3 - March 21.

Feedback on SAISD Math Instructional Materials

Parents and community members are invited to provide feedback on the SAISD instructional materials being considered for K-5 and Algebra at a meeting on February 12th from 5:00 pm-8:00pm. Additional information can be found on this invitation.

K-3rd Grade Village Field Trips

Thank you to all who signed up to volunteer for our PBL village-wide field trips this week! Your support makes these hands-on learning experiences even more of a success. To ensure the safety of all students, only individuals who have completed the volunteer approval process are able to attend the trips. An email was sent on Friday to all approved volunteers ahead of the upcoming field trips; we appreciate your understanding and commitment to keeping our students safe.

Volunteers, please sign in at ALA Euclid to receive your volunteer tag before heading to the park. This helps us ensure a smooth and organized experience for everyone. If you have any questions about your volunteer status, please reach out to Ms. Cenese. We look forward to a great week of learning and exploration!

Miles of Smiles

Miles for Smiles will be February 19th and consent forms were sent home last week. If you would like your child to participate in the free oral health screening please sign and return the form to your child’s teacher. Miles for Smiles would like the form to be returned even if you decline; nurse Jacqui has extra consent forms in the health clinic in case you need another. Forms are due Feb 13, 2025.

Family Conferences

We value our partnership with you in supporting your child’s growth! Our Family Conference Day is on February 14th and our teachers have reached out to families to schedule conferences as needed. This is a great opportunity to discuss progress and set goals together. If you have any questions, please reach out to your student’s teacher.

Family Conferences on February 14th

Family Conferences, an important step in building connections between the home and school, will be held on Friday, February 14th. Teachers will reaching out to families to schedule conferences as needed. If you have any questions about family conferences, please reach out to your child’s teacher.

SLC Make-Up Day on Thursday, February 13th

On Thursday, February 13th, we will host an SLC Make-Up day to provide families with another opportunity to hear their students and for outside volunteers to come hear students as well. If you would like to volunteer for this event (escorting families & volunteers, listening to students present, etc), we would love to have your support! Complete the form linked HERE if you would like to volunteer! Email Ms. Eryn Bell, our ALA Tech Instructional Coach, at ebell3@saisd.net if you have any questions.

7th Grade HEB Camp Pre-Trip Meeting

The 7th grade team will be holding a required pre-trip parent/guardian meeting on Wednesday, Feb 12th at 5:30 pm in the cafeteria for students who are attending the upcoming trip to HEB Camp (Feb 26-28). The team will be sharing an overview of the agenda for the trip, reviewing medication procedures, explaining the packing list and answering questions. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please email Eddie Rios, at erios5@saisd.net to set up an alternate time to review the meeting material.

Rising 6th-8th Grade Studios Choice Slips

This week, our current 5th-7th grade students will fill out a Studios (Electives) Course Selection Form. Their selections on this form will inform their placement in studios (electives) courses for the 2025-2026 school year. All Course Selection Forms are due by Friday, February 14th and will be completed during class. If you have any questions about 6th-8th grade studios courses, please reach out to Nico Champion at nchampion1@saisd.net.

Current 8th Graders: Looking for Future Swimmers!

Any 8th Grade students who would like to join the Tech High School Swim Team or Water Polo Team in the 25/26 school year should contact Coach Willing @ lwillling1@saisd.net

Yearbook News

The ALA Fox Tech Yearbook is in development. If your child uses a different first name than what is listed in Frontline, please complete this form to indicate the preferred name for the yearbook. Don't forget to order a copy at this link! Order before April to get two extra customizable pages! Be sure to change the year to 24-25 if you have ordered in the past. If you have questions about the yearbook, reach out to Laura Sisson at lsisson@saisd.net.

Nest Curriculum

ALA Counselors will be implementing the Nest Child Safety Basics/SB9 Curriculum for grades 4-12. This program is designed to educate students about personal safety, boundaries, and how to seek help from trusted adults. These lessons are developmentally appropriate and aim to empower students with skills to protect themselves in various situations. This program aligns with Texas Senate Bill 9, which requires schools to offer education on child safety and prevention of abuse, family violence, and human trafficking. To see the curriculum overview, please click the link. Curriculum Overview

If you prefer for your child not to participate, you may opt them out of the lessons. To opt your child out of the Nest Child Safety Basics/SB9 Curriculum, please fill out the google form linked here or complete the Opt-out Letter linked HERE and return it to the front office by February 24, 2025. Students who do not participate will be provided with an alternative educational activity during the lesson time.

Black History Month Celebrations for 4th-12th Grade

The ALA Black Student Union is excited to celebrate Black History Month throughout February! The students have organized a variety of events that highlight Black history, culture, and provide opportunities for community building across our campus. Our ALA Tech students have dedicated significant time and effort to curating this month-long celebration.

Here is the calendar that outlines all of our events for February. On February 25, we will be hosting our biggest event of the month—a celebration that will highlight the creativity, talent, and hard work of our students! More details will be sent out in the coming weeks.

We look forward to seeing all students participate in these exciting and meaningful events!

Junior/Senior Corner

Check out our new Junior/Senior corner here! This will be the weekly communication hub for all upcoming events and notifications for our 11th and 12th grade families. Reach out to Ryan Maney (rmaney1@saisd.net) with any questions.

• HS Soccer

• The Varsity Girls Soccer team won against Sam Houston. This was a “hat trick” 3-1 win!

• The Varsity Boys Soccer team won against Sam Houston 7-1.

• HS Basketball

• Varsity Boys won 81-77 against Sam Houston HS at the LAC.

• JV Girls Won against Sam Houston for their last game of the season. Congratulations ladies!

• Tech Archery

• Middle School and High School Archery Teams advanced to State Competition.

• The following archers are Top 100 Archers in their age groups for the NASP State Qualifying Tournament:

• Silas W (6th) Top 10

• Jamari D (5th) Top 50

• Ciaralyn D (5th) Top 50

• Archer B (5th) Top 100

• Charles S (11th) Top 100

• Angelina C (12th) Top 100

• MS Cross Country

• 8th Grade Boys, 2nd place Team with two “Top 10” finishers.

• 8th Grade Girls, 2nd placeTeam with three “Top 10” finishers.

• Saturday, Feb. 15 @ 8:00 am; MS Cross Country Zone Meet: Conception Park 600 Theo Pkwy SATX 78210

• Contact Coach Proscelle @ bproscelle1@saisd.net

• Monday, February, 10th @ 7:48 am @ Mission Del Lago (Boys).

• Contact Coach Morgan @ kmorgan1@saisd.net

• Monday, Feb. 10th vs Lanier @ Lanier- Gym 2, 5:00(F); 6:15(JV); 5:00(V) @ ACC

• Contact Interim Coach Maldonado @ imaldonado@saisd.net

• JV:
• Wednesday, Feb. 12th vs. Lanier @ Lanier @ 7:30
• Saturday, Feb. 15th vs Jefferson @ Champions #1 @ 10:00
• Varsity:
• Tuesday, Feb. 11th vs.Lanier @ Alamo Stadium @ 7:30
• Friday, Feb. 14th vs Jefferson @ Spring SPorts Complex #2 @ 8:15
• Contact Coach Gonzalez @ jgonzalez9@saisd.net

• JV:
• Wednesday, Feb. 12th vs. Lanier @ Lanier @ 5:30
• Saturday, Feb. 15th vs Jefferson @ Champions #1 @ 11:30
• Varsity:
• Tuesday, Feb. 11th vs.Lanier @ Alamo Stadium @ 5:30
• Friday, Feb. 14th vs Jefferson @ Spring SPorts Complex #2 @ 6:30
• Contact Coach Sanchez @ ssanchez5@saisd.net

• The Tech JV & Varsity track team competed in their first meet of the season. It was the first time in 5 years that Tech has fielded a track team! With over 50 athletes competing, each athlete was able to establish a strong foundation for the remainder of the season.
• Thursday, Feb. 13th; Holy Cross HS Meet @ 4:30

• Contact Coach Maney @ rmaney1@saisd.net

Tech Archery Team:

• State Qualifier Archers practice continues 2/11 & 2/13, 4:00-5:30

• Join the Tech Archery Team SportsYou HERE.

• Contact Coach Birmingham @ jbirmingham@saisd.net

Tech Dance

• Here is information about joining dance, pep, and pom squads for the 25-26 School Year.
• Contact Stephanie Trevino @ strevino9@saisd.net

Our middle school theatre students won 1st place in UIL one-act play this weekend for their performance of Salt & Pepper by José Cruz González. Additionally, we had one All-Star Cast award winner, one All-Star Crew award winner, and both Best Performer winners for the contest. Come see this award-winning show, alongside our in-progress high school UIL OAP, Antigone, at our theatre Paste & a Play event on Thursday, March 6th at 7:00pm in the ALA Theater!

STAAR Interim Testing This Week

Interim testing will continue this week for our 3rd-8th graders and all students who will be taking the US History and Biology STAAR End-of-Course Exam (EOC). The interim tests will give students a chance to experience a STAAR test and will provide teachers with data to help support students on their path towards success. Please support the campus by ensuring your child’s attendance on these testing days.

Tuesday, February 11th: US History EOC Interim Testing

Wednesday, February 12th: Biology EOC Interim Testing

Thursday, February 13th: Makeup Interim Testing

Each link below has a drop down at the top to select the menu view (either breakfast or lunch). Dinner is offered but not pictured in either menu.

ECE = PreK menu

Academy = Kinder - 8th grade menu

Special Campus = High School menu (9th-12th grade only)

If an ALA family is not receiving the Community Update, please ensure they have not unsubscribed to School Messenger (the SAISD communication platform used to send out messages and emails) and also check their junk email. Families are also welcome to email their campus Operations Clerk for additional assistance, Brenda Cantu (bcantu2@saisd.net) at ALA Tech or Ce’nese Wooten (cwooten1@saisd.net) at ALA Euclid.