The Austin Buzz October 2024

• Welcome to our new Principal, Mrs. Terry: Mrs. Terry comes to Austin with many years of experience ranging from 4th/5th grade teacher to Title 1 Facilitator and Assistant Principal. On top of her Administrative degree, she is also a National Board Certified Teacher in Reading/Language Arts. Welcome to MBA!

• End of First Quarter: We are close to the end of first quarter. Please ensure your child is at school daily and on time to complete all assignments and tests.

• Report Cards will be distributed on October 21st..

• Carpool: Thank you for having your carpool number displayed daily to speed up the carline. When you arrive early, please keep a car's length distance between your car and the stop sign to ensure the safety of pedestrians and other drivers at the 4-way stop. Thank you so much for your cooperation!

• Medications: Students are not allowed to have any medication including over-the-counter medication on them or with them at school without proper paperwork from their physician. This includes cough drops and ointments. Please call the nurse with any questions or to have the paperwork sent to you. Thank you!
  

• Congratulations! We are excited to share with you that our school counselor, Stephanie Bradford, recently earned the ASCA Certified School Counselor (ACSC) recognition, one of only 57 school counselors nationwide. The ACSC designation recognizes school counselors who are committed to the highest levels of professionalism, ethical practice and continuing professional development in their school counseling practice. Mrs. Bradford will be honored during a special ceremony at the American School Counselor Association’s Annual Conference on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 in Long Beach, California. Congratulations Mrs. Bradford!

• October 1st - October 4th: Book Fair Week
• October 8th: Title 1 Parent Meeting/Open House...See Flyer Above
• October 11th: 1st Quarter Ends
• Oct. 14th: Teacher Workday
• Oct. 15th: 2nd Quarter Begins
• Oct. 14th -18th: Bullying Prevention Week (BEE KIND)
• Oct. 21st - Parenting Day (See flyer above)
• Oct. 21st - 1st Quarter Walk of Fame
• Oct. 21st -25th: Red Ribbon Week
• Oct. 31st: Students may wear age-appropriate costumes as book characters or Halloween costumes. No masks or scary costumes are allowed. Students must be able to use the restroom independently and wear appropriate tennis shoes for PE. $1.00 donation for out of uniform.
  

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness and encourage communities to work together to stop bullying and create a culture of kindness and inclusion. It was initiated in 2006 to educate children, parents, and educators about how to recognize, address, and prevent bullying.

Bullying vs. Other Unkind Behavior
Understanding the difference between bullying and other unkind behaviors is essential for both parents and children:

• Bullying is repeated, intentional harm—whether physical, verbal, or emotional—targeted at someone who has less power (social, physical, etc.). Bullying often includes a pattern where the same person is picked on or targeted multiple times.

• Unkind Behavior may happen once, or every once in a while, and can still hurt someone’s feelings but doesn't involve the same repeated actions or power imbalance as bullying.

Teaching children the importance of kindness and how to respond to both unkind behavior and bullying is key to building a positive school environment.

During the month of October, Mrs. Bradford will teach counseling lessons to all students in grades K-5 on the topic of bullying prevention. Our 4th and 5th grade students will hear a special anti-bullying presentation from the Mobile County DA's office. During the week of October 14-18, we will join with other MCPSS schools in observing Bullying Prevention week, with a special Mary B. Austin emphasis on "BEE-ing" Kind!

Mary B. Austin will celebrate Red Ribbon Week during the week of October 21-25. We are excited to announce that Harper Kitsos has been chosen as Mary B. Austin’s 2024-2025 Red Ribbon Week Student Leader. Each year, outstanding students from Mobile and Baldwin County are selected based upon their demonstration of good character and their ability to serve as leaders on their school campus. As our Red Ribbon Student Leader, Harper will work closely with Mrs. Bradford to plan and lead Red Ribbon Week activities for Mary B. Austin. Harper will also have the opportunity to plan and execute a community service project to help Mary B. Austin students build a connection to the community and encourage healthy lifestyle choices. Congratulations to Harper Kitsos on this special honor! Stay tuned for more information on Red Ribbon Week.

The school counseling program at Mary B. Austin is centered on meeting the needs of ALL students in the areas of academic achievement, social and emotional development, and career exploration. Our comprehensive program is specifically designed to ensure Austin Innovators build the knowledge and skills they need to thrive as kind, caring, and successful individuals equipped for bright futures. Contact Stephanie Bradford, School Counselor, at 251-221-1015 or sbradford@mcpss.com.

https://content.schoolinsites.com/api/documents/5d01f050212b487fb62af4e7ae943150.pdf

Email: rterry@mcpss.com
Website: marybaustinelementary.com
Location: 150 Provident Lane, Mobile, AL, USA
Phone: 251-221-1015
Twitter: @MaryBAustin