Comet Connections

Kiker Families and Caretakers,

Thank you to everyone who helped out at the Fall Yard Day! The grounds look beautiful and Kiker staff are very appreciative of your time and dedication.

Recently I had the opportunity to watch some of our 5th grade students give their book reports and the maturity and creativity from our kids was something that was quite inspiring! I'm excited to watch all of the children grow in so many ways throughout this next month!

Thank you for your continued support,

Mrs. Abrams, M.Ed.

Principal

October 5: PTA Fall Clean Up Day

October 11: Kiker Spirit Day - Wear Blue!

October 14: Parent Conference Day/No School

October 15: PTA Fundraiser APEX Kick-Off

October 21: 5th Grade APEX Event

October 23: Spirit Night at Cabo Bobs* (NEW DATE)

October 25: APEX Fun Run

VOLY is the new parent volunteer system for AISD. Please be sure to create a VOLY account if you plan on volunteering at events throughout the school year.

LINK HERE

Our Kiker Life Skills class works on a variety of skills. One of their weekly activities includes recipe making! The kids (and teachers) have an awesome time making their recipes together. If you would like to contribute towards purchasing those ingredients and/or making a monetary donation, we have set up a system to make that easy for you to do!

LINK HERE

Be sure to order today!

Kiker Elementary collaborates with outside vendors to bring a variety of experiences to our after school program. They are all individual businesses. For that reason, specific questions about clubs, schedules, etc. should be directed towards them before contacting Kiker staff as they will have the most detailed information. You can click on the title or the graphic to the right to find out all of the details!

*A link to this document will also stay in "Popular Links" at the end of this newsletter throughout the year.

Please visit the Austin ISD website's Attendance FAQs or contact the Kiker front office if you have additional questions.

• You will need your student's first and last name, student ID#, date of absence(s), reason for absence and parent/guardian name to ensure proper documentation.
• If one note covers MULTIPLE DATES, please make sure documentation specifies date range. You're not required to fill out the form multiple times.
• This form can be used to submit documentation note or picture of a note with appropriate information, signature, etc.
• Please allow 72 hours (3 business days) for attendance to be corrected. Thank you!

Kiker Spirit Day & Shirt Sale Pop-Up

Break out your blue! Kiker Spirit Day is coming up again this Friday, Oct 11th. If you haven’t purchased this year’s shirt, we will have a table set up at the flagpole on Thursday Oct 10 at morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. As always, you can also purchase online and be contacted for an easy porch pick up. Questions- reach out to the spirit wear team at kikerspiritstore@gmail.com

THANK YOU to everyone who worked so hard at Fall Yard Day this weekend! We mowed the entire grounds, cleaned up the gardens, moved river rock, installed flagstone at the labyrinth (ground cover coming soon), and planted the lunch garden and sundial (phase two coming soon). A lot of progress was made at our second yard day toward our goal of grounds restoration this year! We couldn't have done it without the effort of the volunteers and the generous donations of Kiker families. Thank you for helping bring Kiker grounds back to life!

The Kiker DEI Committee is excited to announce our upcoming Fall Social! This is a wonderful opportunity to come together, foster connections, and strengthen our community in a spirit of solidarity. RSVPs are required to help us plan for babysitting needs.

RSVP HERE

Cabo Bob’s Spirit Night- DATE CHANGE!

The wait is over! Cabo Bob's is opening this week and we're thrilled to invite you to Kiker Spirit Night NEXT WEEK, on Wednesday, October 23rd, from 5:00 to 9:00 PM. To help Kiker earn 34% of your total purchase, make sure to save the Cabo Bob's graphic to your mobile device and show it to the cashier when you pay at the restaurant.

SPIRIT NIGHT IMPORTANT DETAILS: The drive-thru will be for online order pickups only. If you are ordering online and using the drive-thru to pick up your order, select "PAY AT RESTAURANT" when placing your order online and present the graphic to the cashier to ensure Kiker gets credit for your purchase. PLEASE NOTE: There is no way to link Kiker to your online order if you select “Pay Now” when placing an order online —it must be done manually in person when you pay at the store using the QR code on the front of the graphic.

We're excited to announce Kiker Elementary's Fall Festival will take place on Sunday, November 10, from 2-5pm! Join us for a fun afternoon of food, activities, and games - complete with prizes! Be on the look-out in the coming weeks for more details.

Please note that there will be a soft opening (no music or lights) from 2-3pm for our sensory sensitive friends, but all are welcome to join!

Monarch Butterfly Book Series: Discover, Learn, Soar

September 15 - October 15th is National Hispanic Heritage month. This month celebrates the contribution and achievement of Hispanic American individuals, authors, and illustrators who have influenced and enriched our society. These stories allow us all to take a journey into a different culture, language, and experience.

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.

Kindergarten - Second Grade Book List

Only A Trenza Away By: Nadine Fonseca (author) Camila Carrosine (illustrator)

Isabel and Her Colores Go to School By: Alexandra Alessandri (author) Courtney Dawson (illustrator)

Colorful Mondays By: Nelson Rodríguez (Author) Leonardo Agustín Montes (Author) Rosana Faría (Illustrator), Carla Tabora (Illustrator), Lawrence Schimel (Translator)

Reflection Questions:

1. The time we spend together with our loved ones can help us feel connected and confident to explore the world around us. In “Only a Trenza Away” Xiomara enjoys her nightly routine of having her hair braided by her dad while he tells her colorful stories. What are some routines or traditions that your family does that helps you feel closer together?

2. In “Isabel and Her Colores Go To School”, Isabel is new to her school and only speaks Spanish while everyone else speaks English. How would you feel if you were in a new place and didn’t understand the kids around you? With your grown up, think of ways that you could be a good friend to someone new to your class. What would you do if they didn’t speak your language?

3. Hispanic Heritage can be found throughout North and South America, and many other places in the world. What is one thing you learned about Hispanic Culture from your books?

Third - Fifth Grade Book List

Planting Stories: The Life of Pura Belpré By: Anika Aldamuy Denise (Author), Paola Escobar (Illustrator)

The Wrestling Cholitas of Bolivia (Against all Odds) By: Claudia Bellante (Author), Anna Carbone (Illustrator)

Jovita Wore Pants By: Aida Salazar (Author), Molly Mendoza (Illustrator)

Reflection Questions:

1. Stories can be powerful tools for helping us remember the people and places that we come from. In “Planting Stories”, Pura Belpré used her gift of storytelling to share her love of Puerto Rico with others. What are some of the stories in your family that help you know more about the people and places that you come from?

2. Social expectations are societies “rules” about how one “should” behave/act. In “Jovita Wore Pants” and “The Wrestling Cholitas of Bolivia”, Jovita and the Cholitas made decisions to help their people that went against social expectations. In what ways can social expectations be limiting? What limitations did the characters of your books face? Are there any barriers you experience in your life?

3. Individuals who consistently work hard to overcome challenges (barriers) are known to have perseverance. When was the last time that you showed perseverance? How did the character of your book demonstrate perseverance?

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:

River of Mariposas By:Mirelle Ortega (Author)

A Crown For Corina By: Laekan Zea Kemp (Author), Elisa Chavarri (Illustrator)

A Gift From Abuela By: Cecilia Ruiz (Author, Illustrator)

Danza!: Amalia Hernández and El Ballet Folklórico de México By Duncan Tonatiuh (Author)

The 2024-2025 Reflections program is now open for submissions. The theme this year is “Accepting Imperfection.” Please scan the QR code on the flyer, or visit the link below for more information about rules, accessible arts, and how to submit. Email us at kikerptaarts@gmail.com with any questions!

More Info Here!

Kiker PTA thanks Circle C Orthodontics for sponsoring the Staff Coffee Lounge for October 2024. Dr. Jonathon Kimes and Circle C Orthodontics have created beautiful smiles for a successful future since 2010.

Is there a staff member that you'd like to give a shout-out to? This is your chance! Simply CLICK HERE and share why they are amazing. These shout-outs will be shared in the staff newsletter each week and your words are sure to put a smile on their face.

September 1 = Erin Thomas

September 8 = Zoey Franz

September 22 = Amanda Prickett

October 1= Ginny Nabers

October 4 = Raven Jeffrey

October 5 = Ashley Cross

October 11 = Veronica Taylor

October 19 = Nicole Kruszona

October 20 = Anmarie Bochey

October 23 = Patrick Kasch

October 26 = Paige Hariharan

October 31 - Kim Reiman

Kiker Elementary Website

After School Programs @ Kiker

AISD 2024-2025 School Calendar

AISD Parent & Family Learning Opportunities

AISD Student Success Guide

SchoolCafe - AustinISD (Lunch Menus and Accounts)