Mills Elementary School

We are thrilled to kick off this school year with you and your Mountain Lion! It was great seeing everyone at Meet the Teacher today. Our dedicated teachers and staff have been diligently preparing by engaging in professional learning and creating magical, engaging classroom spaces. We hope you caught a glimpse of that as you walked through campus today!

This fall, our campus turns 26 years old. At this stage, we are ensuring all areas are in top shape for students and staff. The front office and front door security updates have been completed. The next phase of security updates will focus on replacing the existing exterior fencing with new ones. You will see the new fencing around the perimeter of the school. Additionally, the City of Austin sidewalk updates are done, so we hope to see a steady stream of bikers and walkers in the mornings and afternoons!

If you are new to Mills Elementary, I've included some fun facts below about our beloved school. Mills is truly a gem in the heart of southwest Austin, with phenomenal educators, caring families, and talented and kind students.

Interesting Facts About Mills:

Namesake: Joe Dan Mills, Jr.- Teacher, Austin ISD principal, school board member

Colors: Purple & Teal

Mascot: Milo the Mountain Lion

Motto: Be Kind, Be Responsible, Be the Best You Can Be!

This Year's Theme: Joy in the Journey

Year Open: 1998

Students on Campus: 706 (PreK-5th Grade)

Staff on Campus: 102

Home Languages Spoken: 24 different languages

Academic Distinctions: A Campus (Texas Education Agency)

We'll see you tomorrow to kick off the first day of the 2024-2025 school year! Doors open at 7:30am on the first day of school, and 7:15am thereafter. We'll have school staff stationed around campus to help your child(ren) get to the right place. You can find a trusted Mils staff member by looking for us in our light blue school shirts!

High temps are here to stay this week in the Austin area. The school leadership team will be closely monitoring temperatures and following district protocol for students playing outside during recess and engaging in physical activities during PE class. Students may be brought indoors for activities and/or be given more frequent breaks to hydrate, given the high temps. Please make sure your child comes to school daily with a refillable water bottle that has the child's name clearly labeled on the container. Teachers and staff will be frequently reminding students to hydrate.

https://austinisd.voly.org/

Welcome to Austin ISD's new volunteer management platform! All Mills Elementary Volunteers must complete the application through the link above.

Thank you for your interest in supporting our students and schools.

-Austin ISD

Allergy aware letters were shared with all Mills families. We have students on campus who have severe food allergies that can be very serious and potentially fatal. Thank you for your care and consideration of students on our campus who experience food allergies! Please reach out to your child's teacher or the Mills health room nurses with questions regarding food allergies.

A new mobile app for Austin ISD is now available for download!

Users can stay up-to-date with events, documents, news from administrators, student stories and emergency notifications.

8/20- First Day of School for 2024-2025 School Year: Doors Open at 7:30am

8/30- National College Colors Day- Wear your college colors to school!

9/2- No School; Labor Day Holiday

9/3- MAP Growth Fall Assessment Window Opens

9/4- Principal Zoom- Questions & Answers/Back to School Updates with Principal Frageman 9:30am & 4:30pm https://austinisd-org.zoom.us/j/86000587537

9/5- Back to School Night for Families 5:30pm-6:30pm Kinder-2nd Grade; 6:45pm-7:45pm 3rd-5th Grade

9/9- Campus Advisory Council (CAC) September Meeting 3:30pm

9/12-Principal Coffee & PTA General Meeting 7:50am, Library

10/2- 4th Grade Field Trip

10/3- Student Holiday/Staff Professional Learning Day

Please make sure to review the Mills 2024-2025 Family/Student Handbook for guidelines, reminders, and protocols. This handbook was adopted for this calendar year and contents align to the Austin ISD Student Success Guide.

Contact Principal Frageman, Assistant Principals Cartlidge and Balthazar, and/or the front office team with questions!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qMjuu-Fgltqt7vgLbP8lOTyZrWe0euH3/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104188077472205154841&rtpof=true&sd=true

https://www.austinisd.org/sites/default/files/dept/ctfc/docs/Calendar_2024_2025_4.pdf