Principal's Message
Dear Covington Middle School Parents / Guardians,
What a fantastic Back to School Night we had! It was wonderful to see the smiles on our students' faces as they proudly escorted you to their classrooms. Your enthusiastic participation made the evening a huge success, and we truly appreciate your support and engagement.
Next week, students will be taking the MAP tests. These assessments are crucial as they help us understand each student’s academic progress and tailor our instruction to meet their needs. Please ensure that your child comes to school with their laptop and charger, as these are essential for the test.
In addition, we will be leveling classes next week, which may affect some students' schedules. We will make every effort to minimize the impact on students and will notify you via email, letter, or phone call if your child is affected. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we transition through this yearly process.
Please note that there will be no school on Monday in observance of Labor Day. When we return on Tuesday, it will be a B Day.
Enjoy the holiday weekend as we welcome September and look forward to the Fall season.
Proud Principal,
Cedric Maddox
⚾ Meet Our Attendance Clerk! 🏈
Hello Covington family..
My name is Alexis (Lexi) Garza,II'm the Attendance Specialist at Covington MS.
I've been with the school for a little over a year.
I have two amazing kids within AISD and a frenchie named Chewy.
I am always on the go chasing my dog and supporting my kids at their sports events.
Feel free to reach out should you have any attendance questions.
COUNSELORS CORNER
Counselors Corner Week of September 3, 2024
September is Suicide Awareness Month. On average, one person dies by suicide every 3 hours in the state of Texas. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for ages 10-14. We invite you to join in a prevention effort and “SAVE A NUMBER to SAVE A LIFE"! The number to save is 988!
Call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or Text HOME to 741741 to receive free 24/7 help.
This can be a difficult conversation for families to have with their children. Here are some resources that may help with talking about suicide and mental health:
Student Self-Care Weekly Planner
Referral Process for Students to See a Counselor:
Students will have paper and electronic copies of the referral form to see their counselor. This form should be submitted during lunch, before school, or after school. A counselor will see them within one school day during COLT time. Counselors will not be available during scheduled class times unless it is an emergency. Students are not allowed to come to the counseling office without a pass or without a counselor picking them up. If it is an emergency, teachers will message a counselor so that a counselor can pick up the student without a referral being required. The referral is also located here:
Covington Middle School Student Referral to See A Counselor
Parents - You are able to refer your child to see the counselor if you feel they could benefit from speaking with one. Here is the link to do so (for emergencies, please call 9-1-1):
Covington Middle School Parent Referral for Student to See a Counselor
What do school counselors do?: If you ever wanted to know what we do here is nice little video to get you started!
https://www.youtubeeducation.com/watch?v=YFnZmv_dbiU
Student Requested Schedule Change Window:
Student Schedule Change Request forms (paper only) will be available at 8:00 am on Tuesday, September 3rd, at the front office. Student Schedule Change Request forms require a parent signature and need to be returned to guidance counselors by 12:00 noon on Thursday, September 5th, to be considered for a schedule change. If the parent signature is missing, the form is not completed, or the writing on the form is not legible, the request will not be considered. If a schedule change is granted, the new schedule will begin on Monday, September 9th. A new schedule will be printed for these students.
Gifted and Talented (GT) Referral Window
Families, teachers, or staff may nominate students for the GT screening process. The referral window for the 2024-25 school year is August 20 - October 7, 2024. Contact Debra Austrum, GT Advocate, if you have questions about the process at (512) 414-3276 or debra.austrum@austinisd.org.
GIfted and Talented (GT) Services
Servicios Para Dotados Y Talentosos (GT)
AISD Gifted & Talented (GT) Referral Form
Important Dates
August 20th - October 7th - Gifted and Talented (GT) Referral window
September - Suicide Awareness Month
September 3rd-5th - Student Schedule Change Request Window (Forms due 12:00 noon on 9/5/24.)
September 15 - October 15, 2024 - HIspanic Heritage Month
Mrs. Debra Austrum
6th Grade & 7th Grade A-L
Ms. Rabecca McDonald
7th Grade M-Z & 8th Grade
Find resources you may need:
Your Parent Support Specialist can help find assistance when needed. Learn new things about school and how to help your child succeed. Look for parent workshops throughout the year!
Esther Garcia, Parent Support Specialist 512-414-3276 ext:54748
Submit your request here: https://forms.gle/H3WXDRyYz7rCckYw5
Become leaders in our school!
Your input and participation in the Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) joinpta.org and other school committees such as Campus Advisory Council (CAC)
Become a Parent Volunteer!
Volunteers are welcomed and needed! We could use parent volunteers in our West office, Mon-Tues-Thurs-Friday's.
Everyone who volunteers will need to attend a volunteer orientation: https://austinisd.voly.org
🔧 Tools for Success 🔨
Tools for Success is a great series of Zooms that are informative sessions for parents in AISD. They have sessions in English and Spanish. Please join them if you have time! If you would like more information, or would like to come and have a watch party on campus, please contact Esther Garcia, the parent support specialist. 512-414-3276 ext: 54748 or esther.garcia@austinisd.org
PTA is focused on making every child's potential a reality by strengthening education and taking a comprehensive approach to community success. And we know there is no community without YOU – our members, our business leaders, our decision-makers.
Thank you for supporting PTA in your Community! Please select the school district* and name of the PTA you would like join. During checkout you can easily add multiple members to the same PTA.
Go to: https://www.joinpta.org/
Choose the district: Austin ISD
Choose the School: Covington Middle School
Follow us on Facebook: Covington Middle School PTA - Austin | Facebook
Covington PTA: https://covingtoncoltspta.weebly.com/
La PTA se centra en hacer realidad el potencial de cada niño reforzando la educación y adoptando un enfoque integral para el éxito de la comunidad. Y sabemos que no hay comunidad sin USTED - nuestros miembros, nuestros líderes empresariales, nuestros tomadores de decisiones.
Gracias por apoyar a la PTA en su Comunidad! Por favor, seleccione el distrito escolar* y el nombre de la PTA a la que desea unirse. Durante el proceso de compra puede añadir fácilmente varios miembros a la misma PTA.
Vaya a: https://www.joinpta.org/
Elija el distrito: Austin ISD
Elija la escuela: Covington Middle School
Síganos en Facebook: Covington Middle School PTA - Austin | Facebook
PTA de Covington: https://covingtoncoltspta.weebly.com/
