
Hornet Herald
March 17, 2024
Hello Hornet Families!!!
Welcome Back!!! I hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable spring break filled with laughter and fun. Whether you stayed in Austin or traveled, I hope all of our students were able to unwind, rest, and enjoy some days off from school.
Our return to campus tomorrow morning, marks the start of the final grading period for the 2023-24 school year. It may seem like the last day of school is so far away, but with testing season starting and end-of-the-year projects, May will be here before we know it. I want to encourage each of our students to finish off the school year strong. Let's approach this grading period with the same energy and desire to do well as the other grading periods. I believe in each of you and want you to do your absolute best to finish out the school year. Remember to take advantage of your teachers' Office Hours.
Let's make these upcoming weeks a time of growth and achievement.
See you all tomorrow,
Mr. Estes
Campus Information
Upcoming Dates
- March 18 - Return from Spring Break
- March 18 - 23 - AISD Pride Week
- March 21 - PTA Membership Meeting
- March 21 - CAC Meeting
- March 27 - Tennis @ Small
- March 28 - Track @ Murchison
- March 29 - NO SCHOOL
- April 3 - Track @ Ann Richards
- April 3 - Tennis @ Anderson HS
- April 8 - Total Solar Eclipse
- April 11 - Tennis @ Bailey
- April 18 - Track @ Paredes
- April 18 - Tennis @ Austin HS
- April 25 - Track @ Gorzycki
- April 29 - Boys Track Championship @ Burger
- April 30 - Girls Track Championship @ Burger
STINGER SALUTES
Each week, we will recognize our fellow Hornets who exemplify our campus-wide values and who have been MEETING and EXCEEDING our campus-wide expectations. We are ALL working hard each day to show each other and our school community kindness, respect, loyalty and safety. Here are this week's salutes.
From Ms. Garcia: Connor Abell consistently puts forth quality work, participation & commitment with respect for all. Thank you, Connor!
Congratulations to this week's Stinger Salute recipients!!!
ROBOTICS LEGO LEAGUE COMPETITION
The First Lego League Competition goes beyond just Robotics. The teams get graded on Robot Games, Robot Design, an Innovation Project & Core Values. This team put together an Innovation project that wowed the judges. They won awards for their Robot Design and Robot Games in the Qualifiers & Regionals. This Championship award at State was well deserved.
2024-25 CHEER TRYOUTS
Cheer Tryouts for the 2024-25 school year will be held April 2-4. This is open to current 7th graders only. You must have an application, teacher recommendations, and a current physical on file to tryout. Visit http://tinyurl.com/kmscheer24-25 for more information
Seeking Volunteers for Spring Dance!
Our next school-wide dance is coming up on Friday, March 22nd, and we need lots of adult support to make the event fun and safe for all! Please sign up HERE to help with set up, supervision, and clean up. In addition, we need concession donations of soda, chips, and candy. These can be purchased on your own and dropped off at the main office (label 'FOR DANCE') or you can place an order to be shipped directly to the school HERE. Thank you to the community for helping us make middle school memories for the kids!
CONGRATULATIONS MR. GILBERT
Congratulations to Mr. Gilbert who was presented with his gifts and recognition from Dr. Robinett and AISD for being Kealing's Teacher of the Year. We wish Mr. Gilbert the best of luck as he competes for AISD's Teacher of the Year.
KEALING PTA
PTA MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Join us for our PTA general membership meeting on March 21 at 7:45 am in the Kealing Library and on Zoom. We hope to see you all there.
COMMUNITY INFORMATION
LATINO ACHEIVEMENT AWARDS CEREMONY
The 2024 Latino Academic Achievement Awards ceremony will be held in person at the AISD Performing Arts Center. Please save the date for April 19, 2024 6 p.m. This event recognizes latino student accomplishments and community members who have supported AISD’s Latino students, schools or district programs while promoting Latino culture.
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
Vela is a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering parents to become their child's greatest advocates. Through an AISD & VELA partnership, we are offering a 3-part interactive virtual series for parents to gain knowledge, identify strategies, and find resources to support their child's special education services and individual education program (IEP). This opportunity is available in English or in Spanish! Parents, staff, and community members can REGISTER to participate in one, two, or all three sessions.
AISD COVID-19 PROTOCOL
On Friday, March 1, 2024, the CDC updated their COVID-19 recommended guidelines for isolation to align with their overarching Respiratory Virus Guidance. Excerpt below:
Prior Guidance: The previous COVID-19 guidance recommended a minimum isolation period of 5 days plus a period of post-isolation precautions and was created during the public health emergency.
Updated Guidance: The updated Respiratory Virus Guidance recommends that people stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both their symptoms are getting better overall, and they have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).
In light of this update, Austin ISD will be changing the district policy for staff and students to align with the updated CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance. As such, effective Monday, March 18, 2024, AISD Health Services and Nursing will recommend (but not require) students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 to be out for 24 hours after the date of test positivity. Masking upon return to school will remain optional, but recommended for 5 days if symptomatic.
The Texas Department of State Health Services has released their 2024 Notifiable Conditions and COVID-19 remains a reportable disease. AISD will have to continue collecting minimum information on positive staff and student cases. As such, the AISD COVID-19 Incident Response Form will remain in effect.
AISD MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWCOMER SUMMER PROGRAM
We are pleased to announce our Middle School Newcomer Summer School program for current 6, 7, and 8 grade newcomer students (coded ESL or Dual Language). The criteria to participate in this program is the following:
Students enrolled in a U.S. school for 3 years or less, and;
TELPAS reading rating of beginning or intermediate
The goal of the Middle School Newcomer Summer Program is to accelerate students’ English and literacy skills through Science, Math, and Reading project-based learning activities. The program will be held at Bedichek MS and Webb MS. Classes will run Monday through Thursday each week from June 3 - June 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eligible students will be offered transportation, breakfast, and lunch.
Summer School registration will begin on Monday, March 4, 2024 and forms will be due by Friday, April 5th, 2024.