Hornet Herald

I hope this week's newsletter finds you all well. I am excited to bring you all the updates of the final full week of October.

Start of a New Grading Period: Just a reminder that the second grading period has officially began. This is a fresh opportunity for our students to set goals, work hard and make the most of their learning opportunities. Please make sure your student stays engaged with their learning and reach out to our wonderful teachers or administrators if you have any questions or concerns.

Soccer and Basketball Seasons: We welcome the arrival of Girls Basketball and Boys Soccer seasons. Our girls will tip-off this week vs. Small Middle School. Come out and cheer on our Hornets. Boy's soccer tryouts are this week, Wednesday - Friday. Good luck to all of those who tryout.

Red Ribbon Week: In addition to our academics and athletic activities, we will also celebrate Red Ribbon Week as a campus. Red Ribbon Week raises awareness of the dangers of drug use and encourages our students to make healthy choices. We will have different educational lessons delivered through Advisory in addition to dress up days this week. More information is below.

Welcome Ms. Sage: It has been a long time coming, but we officially welcomed our new Assistant Principal, Ms. Sage to campus this week. Ms. Sage will serve as our 6th grade assistant principal and comes to us with experience from Webb and Gorzycki Middle Schools in Austin ISD.

Have a great week!

Mr. Estes

• October 21 - Science Olympiad @ Kealing
• October 23 - 27 - Red Ribbon Week
• October 23 - NJHS Student Forms Due Date
• October 23 - McCallum High School visit Kealing
• October 26 - Girl's Basketball vs. Small
• October 26 - Austin High School visit Kealing
• November 2 - Girl's Basketball vs Murchison
• November 4 - Soccer vs. Paredes @ Paredes
• November 9 - PTA Membership Meeting
• November 9 - Kealing Showcase
• November 11 - Soccer vs. Murchison @ Murchison
• November 13 - NO SCHOOL/Staff Development

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. Tenorio: Danny Rodriguez, thank you for saving the day last Thursday, October 12th! Because of your quick actions and fearlessness, you helped a student get on the bus and make it home on time.

From Ms. Randolph: Beck Leyva has shown true dedication to his studies in the Social Studies classroom. He is organized and always on top of his work. Go Beck!

From Ms. Randolph: Grey Sykes is a model student in the Social Studies classroom. She is excellent with discussion and overall analysis and has demonstrated mastery with the curriculum thus far. Great work Grey!

From Ms. Payan: Zoe Abramowitz, Charles Smith, Oliver Cisneros, Mahri Hill, Sara Thomas, Oliver DeGraff, and Ian Block showed kindness and went out of their way to help Ms. Payan decorated her classroom for fall. They created a wonderful classroom ambience for their fellow classmates to enjoy.

From Ms. Sheeran: Nathan Murrillo and Allon Scott show kindness to their peers and to me. They stay focused, help answer questions, and almost always have smiles on their faces.

From Ms. Garcia: Emi Toro is rocking daily participation and applying correct digraphs into spelling with beautiful handwriting!!

From Ms. Morgan: Oren Baker shares insight and thoughtful insights in our ELA class.

From Ms. Morgan: Hagan Hall is a great participant in our ELA class. He listens well and shares his ideas with enthusiasm.

From Ms. Krumrey: Henry Boam shows kindness by always offering to help me in class whether it be handing out papers or picking up journals. I appreciate his eagerness to pitch in and make the day run more smoothly!

CONGRATULATIONS to this week's Stinger Salute recipients!!! (A few of them are pictured below)

Want to recognize a Kealing teacher or staff member who has made an impact on your student's educational success or personal achievements, click on the button below and fill out the Google form with a few words of appreciation.

Food for Thought students have researched and learned about World Food Day and hunger. World Food Day is an international day celebrated every year worldwide on October 16 to commemorate the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945. The day is celebrated widely by many other organizations concerned with hunger and food security. We are collecting nonperishable food items for our Kealing Food Pantry from OCTOBER 23 until NOVEMBER 3. Please drop off donations to room 515. Thank you!

The week of Oct 23-27th Austin ISD is recognizing Red Ribbon Week. We will have activities in advisory to remind the students the importance of being drug free. Please join us in the spirit dress up days.

Monday - Sock it to Drugs: Wear crazy socks.
Tuesday - Drugs are a flop! Wear flip flops.
Wednesday - Don't get tied up in Drugs: Wear neckties, hair ties, tie-dye shirts or just tie your shoes.
Thursday - Put a lid on Drugs: Wear a hat
Friday - Wear RED in support of the pledge to be drug free.

Last week, three Kealing SciOly teams (15 students per team) drove to Sugarland TX for their first invitational of the season hosted by Dulles high school. Each team represented Kealing well, making us all proud. In total, they received 10 medals (four 1st place, one 2nd place, and five 3rd place finishes). Our Kealing Red team earned 3rd place.

Great job to all of our Science Olympiad students and their sponsors.

Each Thursday, our Bike Club students and sponsors take rides throughout Austin. Students have fun while learning proper bicycle safety techniques.

Our Hornets are not only growing academically in their core content classes, but some of them are also learning valuable skills they will use the rest of their lives. Chef Gloria guides her Culinary Arts students various recipes and safety in the kitchen. Each week they make tasty homemade items ranging from, tamales, tortillas, cookies, etc. The students' delicious cuisines are starting to be recognized throughout Austin as they were featured in Edible Austin. Check out their article below.

Last week, Mr. Slapak led his Animal Studies students through a fetal pig dissection. This lab not only encourage scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and provide hands on experience to increase students' understanding of biology, Mr. Slapak also taught students proper techniques of handling dissection tools.

Students in Conspiracy Theories have been researching different conspiracy theories over the past month and this week they presented their projects. Students enthusiastically showed off what they learned and if they believe the conspiracy.

Do you have a 5th grade student or know of a family interested in attending Kealing? Come out to our Kealing Showcase to learn about the various classes and opportunities available to our students. The Kealing Showcase will take place on Thursday, November 9th from 5:30-7:30 and is open to ALL students and families.

Kealing's Girls Basketball will kick off the season this Thursday, October 26th against Small Middle School. Our 8th grade teams will be home and 7th grade will be away. Games start at 6:00 pm.

If you would like to check out some cool Kealing spirit gear please visit our Girls Basketball fundraiser. https://fancloth.shop/8exx8

Final sales must be made by Oct. 24th. Our program gets a portion of sales and there are some really cool designs. Might be some great Holiday gift ideas.

If you have questions, please email jaime.brynie@austinisd.org.

Boy's Soccer will take place this Wednesday - Friday from 3:00 - 5:00pm. Students must be present all three days and have a sports physical on file to participate. Reach out to Coach Gardner if you have any questions.

Hello Parents! Thanks to Mr. Estes' hard work, we were able to obtain student GPAs earlier than expected. This means we will be able to induct new NJHS members this semester instead of in the spring. All 7th and 8th graders that are eligible will be added to a blend course called "Kealing NJHS CANDIDATES" on Monday, October 9th. A banner will appear at the top of their screen and they will need to click "accept" in order to join the course.

To be eligible to join NJHS, students need a grade average of 85 or higher in all core classes and world language (if applicable) for the previous semester. Once the course invite is accepted, students can access all parts of the candidate form on blend. Candidate forms must be fully completed and turned in by October 23rd. Please encourage your student to complete all parts by the deadline if they are interested in NJHS; extensions are limited to individuals with multiple absences between 10/9-10/23.

If your student accidentally declines the course, or was not added to the blend course but are eligible, please email Chambers at rhiannon.chambers@austinisd.org. In order to add your students to the course, I'll need your student's name, ID #, and a screenshot of their grades from last year (the screenshot will need to include the class subjects along with the grades).

See what has been happening in our classrooms by checking out this week's Instructional Coach's Newsletter

Kealing's News Network is officially back for the 2023-24 school year. KNN provides information to our Kealing community and develops news stories about the wonderful things happening around campus. Oh, did we mention, it is RUN BY STUDENTS!

You can check out our videos on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube by using the QR codes below.

Get Involved Through Kealing Connects! Huge thanks to the 10 new and 8 returning volunteers who started supporting the campus this week. MEN! Dads, grandpas, uncles, we need you, too! Complete the form below and plan to attend our next orientation session

HORNETS, there is a week and a half remaining in our No Hassle Fundraiser. Thank you to those who have already donated. Our families who are still considering, please know that your donation goes directly to supporting our students and teachers, purchasing equipment, supplies and programing, and fund educational experiences for our student that our district budget does not cover. Remember, EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS towards supporting ALL Kealing students and staff.

Donate today: PTA No-Fuss Fundraiser & Membership Form (jotform.com)

Questions? Reach out to vpfundraising@kealingpta.org

If you have not already done so, please consider joining Kealing's PTA today.

Some of the ways the PTA has helped Kealing students, staff, and administration get the year started include:

- Partnered with Kealing administration to support New Student Orientation.

- Purchased “Thrive in the Hive” staff shirts.

- Hosted two Teacher Appreciation luncheons.

- Hosted Welcome Back Sunset Cruise for teachers.

- Partnered with administration to support Back to School Night.

- Kicked off the Secret Pals Program

- Purchased Spanish software subscriptions.

- Purchased classroom supplies for teachers.

- Purchased tools and novels for ELA classrooms

Your membership empowers us to continue these efforts. Join us today and help make a difference in your child's education.

We are excited to extend a special invitation! The African American Youth Harvest Foundation’s Youth Summit, featuring special guest speaker Martin Luther King III, is coming to the Austin ISD Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Oct. 28, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Your students and staff will have the incredible opportunity to hear Martin Luther King III share his insights and experiences on youth empowerment, social justice, and leadership. The summit aims to inspire and motivate young people to make a positive impact in their community.

FREE tickets may be secured through Eventbrite. Mark your calendars and get ready for an unforgettable experience at the AAYHF - Statewide Youth Summit. Registration is free, but space is limited.

The event includes panel discussions and networking opportunities. Participants will have the chance to connect with like-minded individuals, learn from Black leaders, and gain valuable skills to create change.

The Austin Area Heritage Council invites student to participate in the 19th Annual MLK Oratory Competition! We would be so very delighted to offer this opportunity to continue the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and most importantly, for the students who are the future of this country.

The competition is opened to individual 4th, 5th and 6th grade students on your school campus. (Unfortunately, previous winners of this competition are not allowed to participate in this year's event).

Any student who is interested in participating should notify Mr. Estes. The deadline for our school to accept the invitation will be on Thursday, November 2, 2023.

The topic for the 2024 MLK Oratory Competition is: “We Are the DREAMERS: Continuing the Legacy Through the Pursuit of Equality for All - If Dr. King were alive today, what would you talk to him about for the future of this country and the world? What changes would you personally make to achieve his dream and how would you make it a reality?”