Happy February!

We are asking everyone to set aside time to register for the 2025-26 school year if you have not already done so. This is important for our planning purposes and for district allocations of staff and we appreciate your help and support! Enrollment for the 25-26 School Year is open through February 4th! Right now we have less than 50% of our students re-enrolled for next year. If you have not already re-enrolled please Please register your students with your personal email.

https://www.austinisd.org/enroll

Now that we're headed into a new month it's time to review some arrival and dismissal reminders.

• If your' child's dismissal plans change, you need to let the teacher know early in the day - an email 15 minutes before dismissal will likely not be read.
• We do not call students out of class before parents arrive for an early dismissal. We will not do early dismissals after 2:40.
• Always cross the front drive at the crosswalk! Do not cross between cars in the arrival/dismissal line.
• Leave dogs and other fur friends at home.
• Have students enter exit cars on the school side and not into the drive or street if you pickup on Briarcrest Drive.
• The front and back parking lots are not a drop off location. Do not enter parking lots to drop off students.
• Stay in your cars and off phones during arrival and dismissal.
• Do not park in the No Parking Zones. We try to cone these off everyday for a visual reminder but even without the cones, the school side of Homedale Drive between Barton Hills Drive and the back service drive is a signed "No Parking Zone." We really need parents to not park here so cars can safely exit the front circle drive.

And Finally a few newsletter highlights:

• We are holding a Sock Drive this month. We are seeking donations of NEW socks for both children and adults. The sock drive will be February 3 - 14th.
• We are also excited about the annual BHE Bash happening on Friday, February 7th. This is an annual 5th Grade sponsored fundraiser which is also so much fun. Make sure to check out the flyer below for all the important details.

Have a fabulous weekend - the weather looks amazing!

Kati Achtermann, Principal

February 1 - 14 Sock Drive

February 7 - Barton Hills Bash

February 10 - 100th Day of School

February 17 - Student Holiday/Parent Teacher Conference

March 7 - Book Character Day and Parade (see Save the Date info below)

March 14 - Student and Staff Holiday

March 17 - 21 - Spring Break

March 27 - PTA Spring Fundraiser "Denim and Diamonds"

The Barton Hills Bash is sponsored by our Fifth Grade. This fundraiser supports their trip to the Outdoor School. Tickets will be available starting January 27th through the Barton Hills webstore and sold out last year. Tickets will also be available before school on February 5th and 6th in the front of the building.

A ticket is required for all attendees and all students must be accompanied by an adult (no drop-offs).

Date: Friday, March 7th

Time: 8:30 am (tentatively)

Where: the outdoor track at Barton Hills Elementary School

What: Students dress up as a character from a book! Students carry the book with them along the track to show off their BHE spirit and book character pride!

Important Notes for Caregivers/Parents:

1. Parents are welcome to join in observing the parade - parents line the track by about 8:25 - parents are observers, and do not walk in the parade with students.

2. Leave dogs and all furry friends at home (we love them, but it is against regulations to have dogs on campus while students are present).

3. Books need to come with the student the morning of the parade (books cannot be checked out from the BHE library the morning of the event).

The BHE Library needs your help for the required annual inventory!

Date: the week of February 10-14

Time: any 30 minutes you have available during that week - from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm

What: Annual scanning of every book in the library! Just bring yourself, your earbuds to plug into a podcast/music, and 30 minutes to 1 hour of your time!

More information will be sent soon! Check in to the office before you come, and a volunteer background check is required.

This week we will be doing a review of our strengths:

• Optimism: You think the future is bright
• Prudence: You plan ahead and make careful choices
• Social Intelligence: You think about other people
• OPM - Supporting Others: You do your best to help others
• Kindness: You say and do nice things. You are helpful.

To learn more, click on the grade level link(s) below:

• Pre-K–K
• Grades 1–2
• Grades 3–5

Does your child talk about digraphs, trigraphs, CVC words? Does this sound like a strange language to you? Check out the Early Literacy Newsletters for specific skills students are learning to support their early reading and writing.

Austin ISD trustees approved the calendars for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years during its Regular Voting Meeting Dec. 19.

The final calendar version for both school years were developed by the Calendar Task Force and include faith based and cultural observances and staff development days:

• This includes Spring Break aligning with the University of Texas calendar (the third week of March).

• For the 2025-26 school year, the first day of class for students will be Aug. 19 and the last day of class will be May 28, 2026.

• For the 2026-27 school year, the first day of class for students will be Aug. 18 and the last day of class will be May 27, 2027.

• The total number of student instructional days is 169.

Enrollment during this period is open to all new and returning Austin ISD students. Students interested in admissions- and campus-based programs must complete their enrollment and any campus-specific application requirements on or before February 4, 2025

https://www.austinisd.org/enroll

We are happy to share the new and updated process to be a volunteer with Barton Hills. AISD changed the system for volunteer registration and background checks so it has taken us a little longer than usual to get the information out to you. All BHE volunteers who will be in contact with children must complete a background check. Background checks are good for one year. If you’re a new volunteer or haven’t done a background check in the current school year, please click the link and follow the directions below. It’s quick and easy!

To begin the volunteer approval process, please click on the link below.

Austin ISD Volunteers

Questions? Contact our Administrative Assistant, Kathy Carr, at mary.k.carr@austinisd.org.

The Responsible Use Policy is now in place. Acknowledgement and adherence to the RUP is applicable each time anyone uses an AISD device, logs into our network and/or accesses the AISD portal and related applications. Please take time to review the K-5 Responsible Use Policy

Please see information below on the AISD Student Success Guide for the 24-25 School Year:

Education in this community represents a significant commitment of financial and human resources. The benefits a student derives from this investment depend very much on the student's attitude toward learning and the student's adherence to high standards of behavior.

The Student Code of Conduct that follows is the district's specific response to requirements of Chapter 37: Discipline; Law And Order of the Texas Education Code. The law requires the district to define misconduct that may or must result in a range of specific disciplinary consequences.

This code is an outgrowth of collaboration among district and campus staff, parents, and other community members and was adopted by the AISD Board of Trustees. It provides information and direction to students and parents regarding standards of behavior as well as consequences of misconduct. In the case of conflict between the Student Code of Conduct and board policy, the Student Code of Conduct will prevail.

• Please send in documentation of student absences using the School Absence Form on the AISD website or complete a paper form (pick up in Front Office).
• We, DO NOT accept phone calls or voicemail messages as documentation for a student's absence.
• Please have medical offices submit documentation of your student’s visit to “bartonhills@austinisd.org”.
• Please allow up to 72 hours (3 business days) for attendance to be corrected.
• Set up notifications for your student’s attendance and grades via Parent Self Serve.
• Students attending family trips during scheduled school days will remain coded as an unexcused absence. Car problems, traffic, or oversleeping will not be considered as an excused absence or excused tardy.

A student is tardy if he/she is not with their homeroom teacher when the 7:40 bell rings. If you arrive late to school, your student will be required to come to the office for a tardy slip before going to class.

What to do if your student must leave school early:

• When you arrive to Barton Hills to pick up your student, please be prepared with your photo I.D. Your student will be called to the attendance office to leave campus.

• Please do not plan to pick up your student from school 30 minutes prior to dismissal (ie 2:40 PM).

• You must sign the student out in the office. Leaving for any part of the day will result in an unexcused tardy. Students leaving for a medical appointment must bring a note from the doctor to excuse the absence/tardy.

For more information visit the district's attendance page.

AISD is launching a new App. Please see the flyer for QR Code

Maintaining a safe and positive learning environment for our students is our top priority. It is important to us that our safety protocols are in place AND that our students, families, and staff continue to feel a positive and welcoming environment each day. Please help us keep everyone safe.

Arrival:

• We will continue to have a secure morning arrival with families/caregivers saying goodbye before students enter the building. Parents/Caregivers may walk students to the front walkway during car drop off/walking drop off. Staff members will be outside and inside ready to greet, welcome, and support our students as they enter the building at 7:30. Parents will not be allowed to walk students to the classrooms and portables.
• The front doors will open for breakfast at 7:15 am. At 7:30 am, all students will enter the building.
• The first week our Kinder students will meet their teachers in the cafeteria before going to class. The teachers will be there to meet them and then walk together to the classroom.
• IMPORTANT: There is NO parking in the drive in front of the school between 7:00 - 8:00 am. This lane is reserved for drop off only. If you'd like to walk your child to the front door, please park in the neighborhood and walk to school together. Thank you!
• If you need to bring something to your child after they have entered the building, please leave it on the labeled cart outside the front doors with a clearly marked label. Please call the front office to let us know you are leaving an item (lunch, water bottle, device, etc.) and we will get it to your child.

Exterior Doors:

• All exterior doors will remain locked at all times during the school day. Portable classroom doors will also remain fully locked all day.
• Staff will check each exterior door weekly to ensure they close and lock as intended.

Dismissal:

• All kindergarten students will be dismissed with their homeroom teacher at 3:05pm.

• 1st- 5th grade car riders, walkers, and bikers will be dismissed from specific outdoor locations with their homeroom teacher at 3:10pm.

• Older siblings may join younger siblings at the younger sibling location.

• Third Base After School Care students will go to the cafeteria.

• *See map below for dismissal locations by grade level.

• Students must leave by 3:20 at the latest.

• Please see map below and note that areas in RED are NO Parking Zones - even for drop off and pick up.

Visitors:

• Visitors are welcome at Barton Hills for the purposes of student support. This may include scheduled parent teacher conferences and meetings, registration, pre-arranged volunteer opportunities, and other scheduled events.
• Lunch Visitors: You may come have lunch with your child. You must sign in at the office prior to going to the cafeteria. Please note that if you plan to have lunch with your students, you will need to plan to eat outside or at a separate designated table. Provide lunch only for your child. Do not arrange to purchase lunch for a group of students and then have your child pass it out. You may only have lunch with your own child - please do not invite other students to join you. *No lunch visitors for the first three weeks of school so we can work on routines and expectations.
• The main front doors are the only entry doors to the campus for visitors. The door buzzer/office communicator is on the right side wall by the front doors. Please push the button to communicate with the office and, once verified, we will buzz you in to the building.
• All visitors MUST sign in at the front office upon arrival AND sign out at the front office when leaving. Please remember to bring your photo ID with you when visiting campus. We will be using the 360 system to scan licenses and print out Visitor tags.
• IMPORTANT: Families, please do not ask a staff member to hold a side or back door open for you to enter the building. All students, parents, and visitors must enter through the front entry doors. Thank you!

Staff Training, Campus Drills, and Threat Assessment

• Our staff will be trained on safety prior to students entering the building.
• We will review safety plans and practices throughout the year.
• We will continue to hold all required safety drills with our students. Most of the drills will be announced drills so our students aren't surprised or alarmed by them.
• Barton Hills has an established threat assessment team comprised of administration, counseling and teaching staff. All members of the team have received Threat Assessment training from Texas State. Licensed Mental Health Providers and School Resource Officers are on call to assist when needed.

Phew! I know that's a lot to digest, but wanted everyone to know we're prepared for a strong, safe, and productive year.

AISD Weather Guidelines

• Temperature guidelines have been established in order to provide a safe and healthy environment for students participating in outdoor activities at Austin ISD.

• The listed temperatures, heat indexes, and wind-chill factors are designated figures for terminating and/or modifying outdoor activities including: Athletics, Fine Arts, PE, and recess.

• AISD_Temperature Weather Guidelines

• BHE Eagle Ultimate Frisbee Team
• Thursday, 3:15pm-4:30pm
• September 26-November 14 (8 weeks)
• Barton Hills Sports Field
• Sliding Scale Registration Options
• More information and registration at www.tusculti.com

Website: bartonhills.austinschools.org/schoool
Location: 2108 Barton Hills Drive, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-414-2013
Facebook: facebook.com/BartonhillsPTA
Twitter: @bheeagles

Instagram: bheeagles