Letter from Ms. Bedford
Hello Smallville,
This has been an amazing first week! I loved having all of our Cougars on campus and getting back into the swing of things. I am thrilled to welcome you all to our upcoming Back to School Night! It's always exciting to see our school community come together, and I look forward to meeting each of you. We will kick off the night with our first PTA meeting of the year!
During Back to School Night, you will have the opportunity to meet your child’s teachers and get a glimpse into their daily experience by running through their class schedule. This event is a great way to connect with the educators who will be guiding your students through the year and to learn more about the curriculum and expectations.
Please remember that this evening is not intended for individual parent-teacher conferences. If you have specific concerns or need to discuss your child’s progress in detail, I encourage you to email your child’s teacher directly to schedule a separate meeting time. We are also pleased to offer shuttle transportation from Austin Oaks to make it easier for everyone to attend.
Due to the number of people that will be on campus, we are asking that you leave your student at home if at all possible. With double the amount of people in our hallways and classrooms it will be a tight squeeze and this night is for the parents only.
Also, I want to remind you to download the AISD app if you haven't already. The app is a valuable resource for receiving the most up-to-date information, our weekly newsletter, including calendar events and important campus information.
Thank you for your continued support of our school community. I can’t wait to see you all at Back to School Night!
Stay Present Cougars,
Bedford
Important Update: New Way to Receive News from Small Middle School
For years, we have used this SMORE platform for our newsletters. However, we're transitioning to the new AISD app starting next week!
What’s Changing?
- Goodbye SMORE, Hello AISD App! The AISD app will now be our primary method for sharing information about Small Middle School.
- New Newsletter Format: Our weekly newsletters will be created in Thrillshare and sent directly to Parent/guardian email (only) AND the AISD app.
How to Stay Updated:
- Current Parents and Staff: Download the new AISD app and follow Small Middle School to get all updates.
- Other Community Members: If you're a step-parent, grandparent, future parent, or simply interested in Small Middle School, download the app and follow us to stay informed.
App Features:
- Follow Multiple Schools: Once you have the app, you can follow all the schools your children attend.
- Customize Your Feed: You can set your preferred school as the default in the app settings, so you see updates from Small Middle School without being distracted by other posts.
Action Steps:
- Download the AISD app today. Look for the AISD apple with the white background.
- Follow Small Middle School within the app.
- Set Small as your default school in settings
Thank you for your attention, and we look forward to keeping you updated through the new AISD app!
Back to School Night
Hello Parents,
Back to School night is this Wednesday, August 28th. You will be following your students schedule across campus starting with your students Pride Class (9th Period Advisory) at 6:00 pm. Here is the schedule for the evening.
Please plan to come to the PTA meeting\Ms. Bedford welcome at 5:30 in the cafeteria.
Parking: Please park at Austin Oaks church on the west side closest to the street. There will be a bus that will shuttle you back and forth. See the map. Bus shuttle start at 5:00 pm.
Schedules: Please have your students schedule with you when you come. You can write it down, or pull up the Parent Portal and use your phone to go from class to class. You will spend 7 minutes in each class where you will meet the teacher, learn what that class is about and hear about what to expect this year. See schedule here
Back to School Tips:
- Wear comfortable shoes
- Print a copy of your students schedule, or have it up on your phone from the portal
- Please leave your students at home if possible due to space
- Park in the shuttle parking - Austin Oaks Church 4220 Monterey Oaks Blvd, Austin, TX 78749
- Please don't ask questions that just pertain to your child. There are only 7 minutes per period so let the teacher talk, you can email them directly for more personal conversations.
- Be sure to stop by the Cougar Cage to buy some Cougar Swag and join the PTA!
Picture Day(s)
Save the Date!
September 4th & 5th
During Social Studies/History Classes
Dust off your finest duds for this year's Picture Day! Photos will be taken during your Social Studies or History class, so your scheduled day will depend on whether you have SS/History on A days or B days.
Don't miss out on capturing those school memories!
Volleyball and Footba1l Fans
Volleyball Games
Our Volleyball games start next week. If you and/or your student want to come to support our Volleyball teams see the schedule below. Games cost $2 per person cash only please.
Schedules
Football Games
Come cheer on our football players. If the games you want to see are at Small, they are free of charge. If you want to go to the games at burger center please pre purchase your tickets at go.fan.co
Schedule
Cougar Athlete Information
Excitement is in the air because football and volleyball season is almost here! Here’s everything you need to know to get your kids ready for the action-packed season ahead. Let’s dive in!
🏈 Football Fun Facts:
Equipment Distribution: Pick up football gear in the Small Gym using the back stairs by the Dance Portable/Tennis Courts on these dates:
- Monday, 8/19: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
- Monday, 8/19: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Tryouts: The big day is the first day of school! Meet in the locker room right after school.
Stay in the Loop: Download the Sports You App to get all the latest football updates and schedules. Note that the schedule might change, so keep an eye on the newsletter!
Important: Please bring your child’s physical and Rank One forms to the coach on the first day of tryouts. Avoid dropping them off at the main office.
🏐 Volleyball Vibes:
8th Grade Tryouts: After school on August 21st until 5:30 PM. First practice kicks off on 8/22/24 after school.
7th Grade Tryouts: Bright and early at 6:45 AM on August 21st and 22nd. Meet the coaches in front of the school.
Practice starts on Friday, 8/23/24.
Important: Please bring your child’s physical and Rank One forms to the coach on the first day of tryouts. Avoid dropping them off at the main office.
7th Grade Volleyball Game Schedule - 8th Grade Volleyball Game Schedule
We can’t wait to see your kids out there giving it their all! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
Here’s to an incredible season of sports and fun!
Best,
Small Athletic Team
Calling all CSMS Volunteers!
AISD is asking all volunteers to get a background check and have hours logged for reporting purposes. Luckily, they have provided a new software program called "VOLY" that is easy and simple to use.
If you plan on volunteering at Small in any aspect this year (workroom, cage, chaperone dances, splashfest, field trips, etc. ), please register to volunteer with Voly at https://austinisd.voly.org. Volunteer opportunities will be posted in our newsletters soon.
Important message from the Nurse
Welcome back Cougar Families,
We are quickly approaching the first day of school. Now is a great time to bring in medical forms, talk about your child’s medical needs, and ask questions. Here are some reminders.
To attend school, Texas law requires all students to be immunized or have a valid exemption on file. If your child is not up-to-date:
Bring an updated immunization record after receiving necessary vaccines
Attached is a list of FREE vaccine clinics if needed
Texas minimum vaccine requirements are found here Texas Vaccine Requirements
If your child will be in 7th grade:
Tdap and MCV4 vaccines are required starting at 7th grade
Bring an updated immunization record after receiving these vaccines
For more information go to Immunizations | Austin ISD
If your child has a medical condition that requires care at school such as (but not limited to) Seizures, Asthma, Anaphylaxis/Severe Allergic Reactions, Diabetes:
Schedule an appointment with me to go over provider orders and meds
Bring a recent copy of the doctor’s order, school time instructions, or action plan
Bring a completed Provider/Parent Medication Permission Form (physician and parent signature)
Forms are here Medical Forms | Austin ISD
If your child has a medication that needs to be administered at school:
Bring a completed Provider/Parent Medication Permission Form (physician and parent signatures required)
All medications on campus must have a doctor’s order- a signature on the AISD medication authorization form or a signed order on office letterhead for the current school year.
Forms are here Medical Forms | Austin ISD
Please check expiration dates on all medication, expired medications cannot be accepted.
Please provide the labeled prescription bottle (you can request that your pharmacy print an extra one when you pick-up your prescription).
Students are not permitted to self-carry medication on campus with the exception of epi-pens, diabetic supplies, and asthma inhalers with signed parent and doctor permission on file with the school nurse.
Upcoming Health Screenings Fall 2024:
7th grade girls will have vision and hearing screening, spinal screening, and acanthosis nigricans screening
7th grade boys will have vision and hearing screening, and acanthosis nigricans screening
8th grade boys will have spinal screening
For more information go to https://www.austinisd.org/health-services/screenings
This school year I am requesting that you bring in your student's medications to be administered on campus no later than August 16th. Remember to bring the medication authorization form with the doctor’s signature to ensure there is no delay in your child’s care. We cannot accept medication on campus without a parent authorization AND signed doctor’s order.
You can find all the forms you need here: https://www.austinisd.org/health-services/forms, I can also mail them to your home upon request.
Carpool
If you live outside of our attendance zone, the odds are there are other cougars nearby. If you would like to connecting with other families that want to form carpools. Please fill out this form. I will email the results to anyone who signs up so you can work amongst yourselves to form carpools.
Carpool Sign up: https://forms.gle/CMeZHBZgYRLmcPhr7
Clint Small Middle School
Email: jennifer.newell@austinisd.org
Website: https://small.austinschools.org/
Location: 4801 Monterey Oaks Boulevard, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-841-6700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057069836221