Kiker Comments September 7, 2021

• Upcoming Events
• AISD Events
• PTA News
• Additional Announcements:
• Upcoming GT Nomination Window
• Crosswalk Safety
• Quarantine and Ill Person Requirements for Return
• September Staff Birthdays
  
• Get to Know the Staff
• Repeated Information (from previous newsletters)
• All the Links to Everything You Need

September

13 & 14 - Back to School Nights via Zoom - See Flyer Below

13-24 - GT Nomination Window for Grades 3 - 5 - More Information Below

13 - PTA Executive Board Meeting

14 - Principal Coffee Talk at 8:00 am

14 - Lockdown Drill - Afternoon

22 - GT Information Session for Parents/Guardians via Zoom, 5:00 pm

24 - Evacuation Drill - Morning

24 - GT Nominations for Grades 3 - 5 - FIRM DEADLINE

Help us envision our AISD future! The district’s draft facility assessment reports and Educational Specification updates are ready for your feedback!

Check out our school’s reports by visiting www.austinisdplanningtogether.com and fill out the feedback form no later than Sunday, Sept. 26

Visit https://bit.ly/3DntgJ2 to learn more about how these documents fit into the district’s long-range planning process—which will help determine which improvements and new facilities are included in our next bond!

Join us as we build the foundation for our 2022 Long-range Plan and our next bond! Featuring a community panel discussing their experiences with historic inequities in the district and how we can begin to rebuild trust.

Monday, Sept. 13 - 6–8 p.m. (English with Spanish interpretation)

Register: https://bit.ly/2WOCpd8

Tuesday, Sept. 14 6–8 p.m. (Spanish with English interpretation)

Register: https://bit.ly/3zHrvE7

Saturday, Sept. 18 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (English with Spanish interpretation)

Register: https://bit.ly/3gWc5on

All meetings will offer small group discussions facilitated in English and Spanish. Please email karla.rivera@austinisd.org or call (512) 414-9773 to request interpretation in other languages.

Please plan to pick up your spirit preorders either:

• Tuesday Morning, Sept. 7 during morning drop off (7:10-8:00 am) in front of the school

• Wednesday Afternoon, Sept. 8 between 5:00-6:00 pm in front of school

If you are not able to pick up your preorder during one of the above times, we will contact you with alternative pick-up options. Thank you for supporting Kiker PTA!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our PTA Meet and Greet to grab a taco and coffee, learn about volunteer opportunities and meet the board members.

Reflections has been a staple arts program in many schools for 50 years. Through the efforts of our local PTAs, millions of students have found a creative outlet in the areas of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts.

Read more here!

Save the date: Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 8:00 a.m.

More details coming soon.

We will begin accepting nominations for Gifted and Talented testing for two weeks, September 13 - Septermber 24, for our students in grades 3-5. The window for K-2 is October 15 - November 5.

The process includes the following steps: nomination, screening, and selection. Information considered in the decision includes parent/guardian observations, teacher input, collection of a portfolio of student work, and standardized assessments. Students who are already identified as GT do not need to be reevaluated. Students identified as Talent Explore may be re-nominated for GT identification.

• Please note that the nomination process is time sensitive. All nominations are due by September 24 at 4:00.
• To nominate your child, please check this section of the Kiker Comments during the window of Septermber 13 - September 24. A form will be attached at that time.
• An information session via Zoom will be available September 22 at 5:00. Zoom link will be posted closer to the event.

PLEASE be a role model for our students by only crossing at the crosswalks. We have two crosswalks. For the most part our families do a GREAT job at the La Crosse crosswalk. The area we need your help with is the crosswalk in the circle drive.

PLEASE DO NOT walk across the circle drive and in between cars at drop off and pick up. Our children are watching and learning from the adults they see. Please model safety by only crossing at the crosswalk that runs from the flagpoles towards the front doors.

Quarantine:

Day 0 is the last date of exposure.

Day 1 is the first day without exposure.

Day 5-7 the testing can occur.

Day 8 the student can return if a negative test result is provided.

At this time, for someone who is quarantined, we can accept a rapid test OR a PCR test from any testing facility that provides a paper document or email copy of the results. At home tests are not accepted.

Symptomatic / Ill students or staff:

For a student/staff member who was symptomatic (sent home from school sick or self-reported sick), a negative PCR or a doctor's note is required to return.

Staff or students who are symptomatic may request a rapid test on campus. However, rapid tests are not available for asymptomatic individuals at this time. With 760 students and almost 100 staff members, our one nurse is not able to provide peace of mind testing while still meeting the safety needs of those currently on campus daily. Our priority is to have our nurse available for those staff and students with an immediate need in the building.

18 Nadra Collins

22 Amanda Prickett

23 Marian Martin

25 Christina Haschke

Each week we will feature a few staff members. This week, meet more of our Essential Areas Team.

Giving the Beginning Of Year (BOY) test this early is a direct result of House Bill 4545 (TEA FAQ on HB4545). All Austin ISD schools are using the MAP Growth assessment for our BOY for all students K-5, but it is incredibly important to get this data for our 4th and 5th grade students who did not take a STAAR test during the 2020-2021 school year.

Students who either didn't pass the STAAR last year, or didn't take the STAAR, could be identified for 30 hours of targeted intervention based on this HB4545. For those students who didn't take the STAAR, we can use their BOY score to determine the need for the required intervention. For many of our students, their BOY score will 'test them out' of this additional tutoring.

If you have questions about HB4545 or the required interventions, please reach out to Principal Cory Matheny.

The MAP Growth Assessment is used for tracking data and growth in all grade levels K-5 but is tied to HB4545 for our 4th and 5th graders.

Students are invited to submit artwork for Austin Ed Fund’s Creative Expression Project. Any student is eligible to submit 1 piece.

• Mixed Media - Entries in which two or more 2-D media are combined in a single two-dimensional entry; includes collage. Materials may extend up to one inch from the surface.

• ​Photography - Includes original, traditional or digital photographs taken by the student, in color or black and white.

• Digital - Includes compositions rendered on a computer from a blank workspace, as well as compositions that begin with the student’s original photograph, drawing, or illustration that is scanned in and completed with digital processes.

• Performing Arts - Dance, choral, instrumental, theatre, spoken word, debate, speech, film, etc.

• Written Word - Poetry, essay, storybook, etc.

• Drawing - Colored or graphite pencil, ink, pastel, crayon, chalk, marker, or charcoal. Pastels and charcoal must be protected with a fixative spray.

• Painting - Acrylic, watercolor, oil, tempera, and other plastic paints.

• Printmaking - Block print, monoprint, collagraph, serigraph, lithograph, + other forms.

Timeline:

• September 17 - Deadline to submit artwork digitally. Use THIS LINK TO SUBMIT

• October 4 - Austin Ed Fund contacts student artists to announce their involvement at the event.

• October 8 - Deadline to deliver original artwork to location provided by Austin Ed Fund to be prepped for display at the event.

October 19 - Inspire the Future Day!

For questions, reach out to Mrs. Matheny at cory.matheny@austinisd.org

Please watch our arrival video and our dismissal video. We will be using the QR codes to help families spread out at dismissal.

We have already seen huge improvements with our efficiency at dismissal. Thank you all for your patience and support. As a reminder, visitors are not allowed in the building. Thank you for saying your goodbyes outside!

After School Enrichment

Did you know our Comets have a variety of after school activities to participate in? This fall, after school activities will include coding, art, cooking, Spanish, piano, and maybe more. Additional details will be shared in the next few weeks. For a full listing, please visit the after school enrichment page on our website to learn more and see the wonderful variety of classes and programs offered!

https://kikerpta.membershiptoolkit.com/afterschoolenrichment

Ceiba Espanol

Coding with Kids

Sticky Fingers Cooking Program

Wicked Workshop Architecture Program

Capital Music Piano Program

Kiker Voyager is currently full.

At AISD Food Service, our top priority is to ensure all students have access to healthy, tasty meals. The country is dealing with a nationwide food service worker shortage, directly impacting AISD; we currently have over 100 open positions, in addition to managing COVID-19 protocols. Because of this, changes in school meal operations and menus may occur. Please note, any menu changes will not be reflected on www.SchoolCafe.com or on printed menus.

Cory Matheny - Principal

Alma Chapa Moore - Assistant Principal

Kelly Meyer - Assistant Principal

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