Pony Express

Next week, our school will be celebrating Celebrate Freedom Week! This is a special time for students to learn about our nation's founding, the importance of freedom, and the values that have shaped our country. Students will engage in lessons about the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and other key moments in American history. We encourage you to discuss these topics with your child and reflect together on what freedom means.

Additionally, from September 15 to October 15, we will be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. This is a wonderful opportunity to recognize and honor the contributions, culture, and history of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Through activities and discussions, we hope to inspire students to appreciate the rich diversity that strengthens our community and nation.

We also want to highlight the importance of STIR – Structured Independent Reading. Middle school is a key time for students to develop the habit of reading for enjoyment. Having a book on hand at all times helps foster a love of reading, improves comprehension, and broadens their knowledge. We encourage all students to make reading a daily habit, as it benefits them across all subjects.

To finish the week, we’ll have our first Pep Rally of the season! Our Fine Arts and Cheer Teams will perform, Student Athletes in current competitions will be recognized, and grade-level groups will compete in fun, spirited events. This will kick off our Spirit and Homecoming Week, which starts next week. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for Round Up on Friday, September 27th — it’s sure to be a highlight!

Let’s make it a great week to be an O. Henry Mustang!

☮️, ❤️, and 🐴’s,
Marlo Malott

Monday, 9/16 C Day

• 5th period STIR time- always have a book with you
• 6:30 Band at the High School Band Jamboree at Burger Stadium

Tuesday, 9/17 C Day

• 5th period-review Technology Responsible Use Policy (RUP) and take home form for signature
• 4:00 Mustang Campus Advisory Council
• 4:30 7A Volleyball Scrimmage vs. St. Andrews at OHMS
• 6:00 (7A) and 7:30 (8A) A Team Football vs Murchison at House Park

Wednesday,9/18 A Day

• Support AVID- Dress in your favorite college, career, or military t-shirt
• 4:30 7C volleyball vs. St. Andrews at OHMS
• 6:00 Football B Teams vs. Murchison; 7th at MMS, 8th at OHMS

Thursday, 9/19 B Day

• School Pictures through Social Studies Classes
• 8:55-- Relocation Practice Drill during 2nd period
• 6:00 and 7:00 Volleyball vs. Murchison; 7th at MMS, 8th at OHMS

Friday, 9/20 C Day

• School Pictures through Social Studies Classes
• Pep Rally today from 2:30-3:30** Parents can attend but must check in by 2:30

SAVE THE DATE: Next week is Spirit Week, Homecoming, and Round Up

Saturday, 9/21

Cross Country at McNeil Invitational

It’s tough adjusting after a summer of late nights & sleeping in, but sleepy kids can’t learn. Nudge students into a school-friendly sleep schedule for the school year. Set a time for phones and TVs to be turned off. Manage screens in their rooms so they can sleep easier. It’s okay to take away or turn off screens at night. Sleep is essential to a healthy immune system and makes learning easier.

ROUND UP NEEDS YOUR HELP!

WANTED: ROUND UP SPONSORS

We need YOU and EVERY dollar counts!

Click HERE to make a donation.

The O. Henry PTA depends on donations from families and community partners to make the Round Up fundraiser a success. The money raised will be used this school year to fund supplemental department budgets, staff stipends and the teacher wish list grants that enhance the learning experience for every student. The deadline for sign and banner recognition is Friday, September 20TH. Don’t let the levels make you think smaller donations don’t matter…whether it’s $5 or $5,000 or any amount in between, we welcome EVERY family to give ANY amount to show support for our amazing school!

Meet our Mustangs- You will have a chance each week to meet two members of our Mustang Family.

Hello families of visual art students (Art 1, Art 2, and Art 3)! In order for the O. Henry Visual Art Program to offer as many unique projects and mediums as possible to our students, the visual art department is asking for families to contribute a one-time payment of $15 to the art program. This fee will go toward supplies and materials. See the link below and click on the "Art Class Fee" to pay. Thank you!

https://ohenry.myschoolcentral.com

A special shot out goes to Jude Wilson - who placed 3rd, Peter Hadlock - who placed 4th, and Sully Hoge - who placed 15th.

The boys team placed 4th overall. Way to go runners!

C team Volleyball Announcement:

Red practice on Wednesday at 7:15 am

White practice on Thursday at 7:15 am

Scrimmages :

RED TEAM ONLY

Wednesday (9-18) at 4:30 vs St. Andrews-home game

Next week (9-24)

WHITE TEAM ONLY

at 5:30 pm vs Texas School for the Deaf -home game

Kristine Kobs

O. Henry MS

6-8 PE & Athletics

Everyone is invited to attend the 51st annual AISD Marching Band Jamboree at Burger Stadium. This event takes place on Monday, September 16. This is a great opportunity to watch all 13 Austin ISD high school marching bands perform.

The show begin at 7:00 PM. There will also be a special guest performance by the Texas State University Bobcat Marching Band.

All O. Henry band members wearing their band shirt to the event will be admitted free. Burger Stadium is located at 3200 Jones Road, Austin, TX 78745.

Your membership in the PTA helps support the many valuable programs and activities that occur throughout the year at OHMS. Help us beat our goal of 248 members and JOIN THE PTA TODAY! Membership is $12 - It's the best investment you'll make this year!

1. VOLUNTEERS - WE NEED YOU!

   Ways you can help:

   1. Volunteer in the front office! We are especially in need of help tomorrow, Monday, for the 10:15am and 11:40am shifts. SIGN UP HERE TO VOLUNTEER IN THE OFFICE

   2. Sign up to fill openings on the PTA! Fill out this VOLUNTEER FORM to let us know what areas you are interested in volunteering and we will contact you with volunteer needs!! We are most in need of a Staff Appreciation Coordinator whose responsibilities include providing a gift or small treat with PTA funds for our wonderful staff during designated appreciation days throughout the year (email Pam Roberts if interested: pamelahaleroberts@gmail.com).

Many Thanks to Jennifer Pac for stepping up to be Volunteer Coordinator!

Thank you to Glenn Chase for updating our PTA website and so much more!

We appreciate Adrienne Williams, Samara Hull, Tara Heavner, Brooke Salman, Lee Kinser, Becky Hatcher and Jennifer Pac for helping in the office last week!

September 27 - ROUND UP CARNIVAL 3:30 - 6:30pm

October 3-4 - STUDENT HOLIDAY

October 10 - PTA Coffee 8:30am

October 14- STUDENT HOLIDAY

THANK YOU to our generous sponsors as of Thursday, September 5th:

Stallion

HORIZON BANK

Kelly Legal Group

Lindsey and Will Majors

Rigby Slack Laurence Pepper + Commerford

The Harper Family

The Person Family

The Schlegel Family

The Shirk Family

Appaloosa

Anna and Ben Smith

Cameron and Anne Campbell

Heritage Tree Care

Jennifer and Jimmy Murchison

Kelley and Joe Newberry

Kindred Realty Group

The Edmonds Family

The Hadlock Family

The Maloney Family

The Matetich Family

The Skloss Family

Clydesdale

The Barksdale Family

The DiRe Family

The Jester Family

The Krieg Family

Quarterhorse

Martha and Matt Mangum

Mary Emma Partain - COMPASS

Meredith and Alan Marks

The Hargis Family

The Hartmann Family

The Lanham Family

• Need to report an absence? Please do so within 2 days. All student absences are to be emailed to ohenry@austinisd.org
• Need to check out your student early from school? Please bring your ID to the office for check out. You may call ahead (512-414-3229) for us to send a pass, however an in-person check out is still required. NOTE: No early check outs will be accepted after 3:30 p.m.

At O. Henry Middle School, we believe that regular school attendance is crucial for your child's academic success and overall development. Consistent attendance not only helps students stay on top of their coursework but also fosters a sense of responsibility and discipline that will benefit them throughout their lives. Encouraging your child to attend school every day helps them stay connected with their peers and teachers, creating a more cohesive and supportive learning environment.

We kindly ask that you review the attached attendance slide deck, which outlines both Austin ISD and Texas attendance policies and laws. Thank you for your continued support in fostering a positive and productive school experience for all our students at O. Henry Middle School.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nrhCEXu_cJckkuIw3ss9tlNISB-3TlvNjQlhdioX-gE/edit?usp=sharing

How to Stay Updated:

• Current Parents and Staff: Download the new AISD app and follow O. Henry Middle School to get all updates.

• Other Community Members: If you're a step-parent, grandparent, future parent, or simply interested in O. Henry 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 O. Henry Middle School without being distracted by other posts.

Action Steps:

1. Download the AISD app today. Look for the AISD apple with the white background.

2. Follow O. Henry Middle School within the app.

3. Set O. Henry as your default school in settings

Thank you for your attention, and we look forward to keeping you updated through the new AISD app!

The nomination window for GT identification is now open and will remain open until October 6th. This will be the only nomination window for this school year. To learn more about GT services in AISD and to submit a referral, click here. Please note that signing the form gives permission for your child to be tested and screened for the Austin ISD Gifted and Talented Program. Questions? Reach out to: Casi Cook (casi.cook@austinisd.org)

GT Family Information Session

1. In order to streamline the GT referral process for families, the GT Referral Window opened on the first day of school. The window will close on October 7 for campuses and Advanced Academics to move forward with GT assessment and screening.

2. Advanced Academics will host 2 virtual information sessions: one on Tuesday, September 24 at 6 PM and one on Wednesday, September 25 at 12 PM via this zoom link. Information can also be found on the Advanced Academics website.

Car Riders: To keep traffic flowing, follow the arrows on the map below. Be patient, student safety is our most important priority. To keep our Mustangs safe, do not drop off in back bus lot. If pickup is altered due to bad weather, a Schoolmessenger alert will go out from the Principal.

Bus Riders: Bus riders may only ride their assigned bus. Use the Bus Finder page to check which route you are assigned. Buses leave promptly at 3:57 PM each day - information about late buses will be available in coming weeks. Buses drop off and pick up on the east side of campus. For additional questions about transportation see AISD's website here.

Walkers/Bike Riders: If walking or biking to school please be safe and use crosswalks to get across streets. Bike racks are available for student use.

Here are the clubs we offer for middle school aged students:

Strong Girls Athletic Training | Tuesdays 4:20-5:20pm | 6th-8th grade

10K Race Training Group | Tuesdays 6-7pm | 3rd-8th grade

Middle School Biking Club | Wednesdays 4:30-6pm | 6th-8th grade

Kids Run Wild Trail Running Club | Saturdays 9-10:15am | 3rd-8th grade