Great evening fantastic families,

We will be out of school this upcoming week. Please take this time to connect with your scholars and enjoy the family time we've all desperately needed these past 2 years. I look forward to having time to spend with my family and friends since this semester has been a blur and filled with unpredictable challenges. We will be in the 6th week of the current term when we return. Families please be on the lookout for progress reports as we enter our last 3 week stretch of the first semester. We will spend the remaining 3 weeks assuring we have built strong relationships schoolwide, implemented sustainable systems, and focusing on necessary interventions and opportunities to grow academically. Thank you for choosing Kealing Middle School and Austin ISD as your child’s primary educator. It is truly my honor to serve the Kealing Community.

#BEGREATmentality

#ProgressNotPerfection

This year the Kealing PTA has been busy making positive changes throughout our Kealing campus. So far this year, Kealing PTA, using funds from the KMAG merger, has been funding many school-wide teacher requests, Including:

• Equipment for music production,
• Microscopes for science classrooms,
• New furniture for band and theatre,
• Learning enrichment software
• Books

We are just getting started! Kealing PTA is responsible for many positive changes happening on our campus, and by joining the Kealing PTA, YOU are part of the positive changes.

More than ever, Your membership & voice matter, if you haven't joined, now is the time!

Click the link below to join:

https://form.jotform.com/KealingPTA/join-donate

**For more info about what the PTA is funding, upcoming projects, volunteer opportunities please join us at our next Kelaing PTA meeting on Dec 7th immediately following Principal’s Coffee.

Beth Reyburn

Kealing PTA President

Instructional Initiatives

1.) Daily Formative Assessment

2.) Literacy in Every Classroom

3.) Standards Aligned Instruction

4.) Progress Monitoring

Academic Goal

Utilizing an array of assessments (MAP- Measure of Academic Progress, SCA - AISD Short Course Assessment, and STAAR - State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness), the percentage of each demographic/special group of students performing at the meets level in Math & English will increase by at least 5% - 10% from August 17th, 2021 to May 27th,2022.

Social Goal

- TBA (we are still working on this but planning to look at the types of counseling visits our students are requesting)

All Day

Mask wearing is mandatory

Before School

All staff, students, and visitors are encouraged to self screen for COVID 19 symptoms before entering into a campus or other Austin ISD Facilities each day

Arrival

- We will maintain outdoor markers to social distance

Transition

- we will encourage moving halls where students are encourage to not stop while transitioning to classes

Classrooms

- We are space seating/desks at least 3 feet apart when feasible

- Each classroom will have a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration unit

- Personal Protective Equipment will be available in each room

- Plexiglass dividers available

- Additional outdoor seating

-Volunteer lunch monitors

Breakfast & Lunch

- Assigned seating

- Students are allowed to eat lunch both inside the cafeteria and outside in the courtyard

- Plexiglass accordian dividers.

Dismissal

- we will have staggered dismissal where scholars will be dismissed by areas of the building to reduce traffic.

Our Kealing Hornets who are enrolled in a high school credit class (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, World Languages, and CTE courses) will participate in semester exams the week of December 6-10. This week, the entire campus will operate on Semester Exams Bell Schedule. You can find the schedule by clicking the button below.

It is important that our Hornets participating in high school credit classes, perform well on their semester exams, as they will count towards a percentage of their semester grades. To help prepare, please have your student attend teachers' Office Hours. Reach out to you student's teachers or Program Directors if you have any questions.

Monday - November 22

Thanksgiving Break

Tuesday - November 23

Thanksgiving Break

Wednesday - November 24

Thanksgiving Break

Thursday - November 25

Thanksgiving Break

Friday - November 26

Thanksgiving Break

Saturday - November 27

Thanksgiving Break

Kealing PTA has 448 members(including 3 community members and 14 student members); We need 195 members(643members )in November, to receive a three-year all-time high award from Texas PTA!!

If you haven't joined the KealingPTA, now is the time. Kealing PTA is responsible for many positive changes happening on our campus, and by joining the Kealing PTA, YOU are part of the positive changes.

Your membership matters, Click the link below to join:

https://form.jotform.com/KealingPTA/join-donate

Please contact Kealing membership VP, Shannan Riemer, vpmembership@kealingpta.org, with any membership questions, comments, or concerns.

Thank you for all your generous contributions to our campus! We appreciate you and all the many ways you show up for our Kealing Community. We have started a Community Donates spreadsheet in order to repurpose household items to our campus. There are two ways to contribute--1. Drop off the requested item to the front office labeled with the requesting teacher's name. 2. If you have item(s) to offer that might have a second life on our campus, please add a description to the spreadsheet. Teachers can then go in and claim the item. HERE is a link to the spreadsheet. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IOK7cMk99UZtIQcClIWNQ8Wgc3_nBQ0tBrj7amKXLro/edit?usp=sharing

Inspirit AI is a 25-hour enrichment program that introduces young students to fundamental artificial intelligence concepts in order to work through socially impactful projects in areas including art, healthcare, education, and more. Developed and taught by our team of graduate students from Stanford and MIT, students receive a personalized, interdisciplinary learning experience with a student-instructor ratio of 5:1, and custom curriculum appropriate for complete beginners to more advanced students. Applications for our Winter 2021 programs are now open– due December 4th. Please contact Program Manager, Aidan Goltra at arg2198@columbia.edu or call our team at +1 (240) 226-1366 with any questions. Thank you!

Traditionally LASA Showcase is an in-person event where families of prospective students can walk through the campus meeting current faculty and students and getting their questions answered. Because LASA is still under construction and because they want to still be mindful of people’s health and safety during the pandemic, it will be held virtually this year. Showcase will run Wednesday, November 17th from 6:00 – 8:00pm. The schedule of events will be posted tomorrow on the LASA website. Along with the chance to talk with staff and students, there will also be application information sessions in both English and Spanish.

Time to clean out your coat closet! National Junior Honor Society is hosting a School-Wide Winter Wear Drive from November 1st through December 3rd. If possible, please donate new or gently used coats, scarves, hats, jackets, or any other winter-wear. Socks are also identified as high need, but will need to be new and in original packaging to be accepted. Items can be any size- from toddlers to adults!

Donated items will first go to Kealing Community Members/Families, while the rest will be donated to SAFE Austin and the ARC. You can drop off your items in Ms. Chambers' room (116) at the beginning of the school day (no earlier than 7:20) or during advisory.

Kealing Science Olympiad team competed in two tournaments recently.

Team competed in UT Austin invitational on October’30th and finished 9th out of 26 teams and won three bronze medals in events- Crime Busters, Sounds of Music and Storm the Castle

Team competed in Cypress Falls High school invitational on November’13th and Finished 2nd out of 21 teams and medal winners were in following events:
• gold medals in events – Experimental Design, Meteorology and Rocks and Minerals
• Silver medals in Events – Bridge, Bio Process lab, Disease Detectives, Mission Possible,
Ornithology, Ping Pong Parachute, Road Scholar and Solar System
• Bronze medals in Events – Code busters, Crime Busters, Mouse Trap Vehicle and Botany

Please contact kealing.scioly@gmail for any questions on Science Olympiad

The Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at The University of Texas at Austin is conducting a research study about parental and family attitudes on topics in education. Parents and guardians are requested to complete the 8-minute online survey by December 10, 2021. Participation is completely voluntary, and all answers will be anonymous. If you are interested in participating, please click on the link for the survey and additional information: https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7WCiUjAuVOeVZoW

Research results will be shared during the 2022-23 school year. If you have any questions, please contact heather.vaughn@austin.utexas.edu.

Thank you for your participation.

HEATHER VAUGHN, Ed.S., Sr. Educational Outreach Coordinator, Lecturer

The Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life

Moody College of Communication | The University of Texas at Austin

El Instituto Annette Strauss para la Vida Cívica de la Universidad de Texas en Austin está llevando a cabo un estudio de investigación sobre las actitudes de los padres y la familia sobre temas de educación. Se solicita a los padres y tutores que completen la encuesta en línea de 8 minutos antes del 10 de diciembre de 2021. La participación es completamente voluntaria y todas las respuestas serán anónimas. Si está interesado en participar, haga clic en el enlace de la encuesta e información adicional: https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7WCiUjAuVOeVZoW

Los resultados de la investigación se compartirán durante el año escolar 2022-23. Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con heather.vaughn@austin.utexas.edu.

Gracias por su participación.

HEATHER VAUGHN, Ed.S., Sr. Educational Outreach Coordinator, Lecturer

The Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life

Moody College of Communication | The University of Texas at Austin

Greetings Nature Lovers!

This week we have a selection of job openings, volunteer opportunities, and upcoming summits/conferences to share. Read to the end for some fun family tips on having a more eco-friendly holiday season!

OPPORTUNITIES

2022 Growing School Gardens Summit Scholarships: scholarship applications are now open for the 2022 Growing School Gardens Summit in Denver. Starting at $450, awards vary based on registration, lodging, and meal needs. Applications due Nov 30th.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Center for Health & Nature Virtual Symposium: on December 8th Houston Methodist, Texan by Nature, and Texas A&M will be hosting a symposium with panel discussions focused on nature and personal health, business practices for healthier communities, and planning for healthier communities. Please register in advance for this virtual event.2021 Lead | Unite | Connect | Adapt | Share - Programs Conference: educational and enrichment session proposals are now open for the 2021 Programs Conference. Running from Dec 13-15, the Programs Conference is an opportunity to learn best practices within and outside the City of Austin's Department of Centralized Programs.

INSPIRATION

How to Have a Green Holiday Season: from our friends at the Office of Sustainability, learn how you and yours can have a more ecologically friendly holiday experience.

Have a beautiful weekend, everyone!

Julia Hill (she/her)

Program Coordinator – Cities Connecting Children to Nature

City of Austin | Parks & Recreation Department | Park Planning Division

+1 512-974-9466 | julia.hill@austintexas.gov

http://www.austintexas.gov/CCCN

Thank you, community, for your ongoing support via the Amazon Wishlist. Students are using the supplies for organization, collaboration, and creativity! Teachers continue to update the list as needs arise. "Thank you, community, for your ongoing support via the Amazon Wishlist. Students are using the supplies for organization, collaboration, and creativity! Teachers continue to update the list as needs arise. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/B7BQHNMLAOP/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2?_encoding=UTF8&type=wishlist

"

Operation Blue Santa 2021 Applications

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Applications are on-line only and will start on October 11, 2021 and end on November 24, 2021.

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Due to Covid-19 all applications will be online only.

https://www.bluesanta.org/apply-solicitar-2

Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/KealingMS/

Hornet Herald - https://kealing.austinschools.org/parents/archive

Twitter - @KTXHornets

Webpage - https://kealing.austinschools.org/