Winter Weather
We hope all our families and friends remained safe over this winter weather event. Stay warm this weekend and we look forward to seeing you back on campus on Monday.
MAP Assessments Continue
Austin International School uses the Northwest Education Association's (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessment to track individual student growth during their time at AIS. Students in Kindergarten and up complete assessments three times per year, after which student growth data is shared with teachers and families. MAP Growth data points are important in identifying areas of strength and areas of focus for each student. As such, MAP forms an important part of the work that we do to support individualized student learning at AIS. This session of MAP assessments began this week and will continue over the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more details regarding testing dates by class and review this video here for more information. Remember to pack healthy snacks and for students to get a good night's sleep on testing days to perform their best.
Virtual Open House - Sat., 2/5 10:00 - 11:30 am
AIS will host a Virtual Open House tomorrow on Saturday, February 5th to introduce prospective new families to our school. Join us in welcoming others to our school community.
Re-Enrollment is Here!
Enrollment information will be in your inboxes soon as we begin enrollment for current AIS families on Monday, February 7th. Because several of our grades are at capacity, we will be opening up continuous enrollment for returning AIS families first in February before inviting new families to register in March. So, stay tuned and be prepared to act fast to secure your spot(s) for the 22-23 school year.
Gala Wine Collection - 2/7 thru 2/11
As part of our gala each year, we ask our families who would like to participate to donate 1 bottle of wine for each AIS student to bundle in classroom wine packages. These amazing wine cellars will be auctioned off in our silent auction during our 11th annual event on April 2, 2022. We will begin collecting at morning drive-through this week, February 7th - February 11th.
- Pick your favorite bottle of wine or bubbly
- Sign the bottle with a sharpie to include your family name, class, and if you would like, a dedication. Ex: "Cheers! From the Johnson Family-4e"
- Pass the bottle off at morning drop-off the week of 2/7-2/11
- Bid away on remarkable wine cellars during our gala!
- Winners will be able to pick up the wine from campus after the event.
February Spirit Night (& Day) - Mon., 2/7 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
We are excited for our upcoming Spirit Night at Modern Market on Monday, February 7th. Families may dine-in, order via phone or web, and place take-out orders all day from 11 am to 9pm. Modern Market will generously donate 30% of sales back to AIS! So, order lunch for the office, skip cooking dinner, and help support our school with this easy fundraiser. To participate, make sure to follow the instructions for sales to be counted towards AIS.
- Book a soft rsvp here (no commitment) in order to secure our event.
- Dine-in or walk-up for take-out orders at 9828 Great Hills Trail, Ste. 110 Austin, TX 78759 and mention AIS at the register.
- For phone orders, call 512-400-3677 and mention you are with Austin International School before placing your order.
- Order online at www.modernmarket.com and enter promo code: "giveback019" in order to track sales to AIS.
Valentine's parties-Mon., 2/14
Valentine's celebrations will take place on Monday, February 14th with students and their classmates. Be on the lookout for more information next week from your teachers and room parents.
- Students may wear Valentine's Day colors (red, white, pink) clothing to school as part of the celebration.
- Celebrations will start at 2:50 pm with a regular dismissal at 3:30 pm.
Bourse Deadline Extended - Fri., 2/18
For French families applying for the Bourse scolaire, please be advised that the deadline to submit all material to the school's Admissions Office is now Friday, February 18. Please be sure to submit your complete packet by that date, as the French Consulate General will not accept any applications received after the deadline. If you need any support with the completion of this documentation, please reach out to Jacques.
New Literature for Black History Month 2022
Each Friday during Black History Month Mr. Jacques will donate 5 worlds in French that touch on different aspects of Black history stories and experiences of the African and Black diaspora. The 2022 books that are added each week can be found on this website. This week’s titles include:
- Angela Davis: Non à l’oppression
- Joséphine Baker
- Toi aussi, tu comptes
- Ruby: Tête haute
- The Black Kids
To learn more about the resources available in our library, you may also wish to consult the list of titles that were donated during 2021 Black History Month, as well as other JEDI literature (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) that was donated last school year.
Updates to PCR and Antigen Testing
Please be sure to review Jacques’ January 29th update to our pooled PCR and rapid antigen testing programs at school. Please remember that in order to participate in our school’s testing programs, parents and guardians must first complete an on-line consent form:
- For pooled PCR testing, complete this online consent form using the access code AUSTINIS. Online consent forms must be received by 8am on Monday morning in order to be included in the latest batch of weekly pooled testing.
- For rapid antigen testing, signup using this form in order to receive the consent form via email. A digitally signed form must be on file before a student is permitted to be tested.
To learn more about these testing programs, please consult the pooled PCR testing and the rapid antigen testing pages of our website.
The DELF A2 Test is Back for CE2 through CM2 Students
We are excited to announce that AIS is once again offering the DELF A2 language qualification for our students! The DELF (Diplôme d'études en langue française) is an official and internationally recognized qualification of linguistic proficiency in French. Students in CE2, CM1, and CM2 will be invited to qualify for this examination that will take place in March 2022. The registration fee of $145 covers the cost of exam materials, administration, supervision, and correction. Students will receive an official diploma issued through the French Ministry of Education and France Education International. Families in CE2, CM1, and CM2 should stay tuned for more info coming to your mailboxes soon! In the meanwhile, feel free to learn more about DELF on the France Education International website.
Attendance & Health Notifications
If your student absences, tardies, for mid-day arrivals, or early pick-ups, thank you for emailing attendance@austinis.org, reception@austinis.org AND your teaching team email so they are aware of any attendance related issues.
Medical records or updates may be sent to healthalert@austinis.org and any relevant staff. Vaccine records should be sent to records@austinis.org so that their children can be exempted from any quarantines in the event of close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual.
February Student Birthdays
Happy Birthday, bon anniversaire, and feliz cumpleanos to the following students with February birthdays: Chloé C., Nikko S., Noura K., Claudia G., William N., Eleanor M., Alison N., Sara H., Lorelai C., Rhône S., Lola C., Quinn J., & Miryam M.
Save the dates
Mark these important upcoming dates on your calendars.
- 2/5 New Year Open House
- 2/7 Spirit Night @ Modern Market
- 2/7 - 2/11 Gala Wine Collection
- 2/8 100th Day of School
- 2/14 Class Valentine's Celebrations
- 2/18 Bourse Applications Due
- 3/3 HoS Virtual Coffee
- 3/4 Spirit Night at Playland Skate Center
- 3/11 Staff In-Service/No School
- 3/14-3/25 Spring Break
- 3/21-3/25 Spring Break Camp
- 3/31 March Board Meeting
- 4/2 11th Annual Gala
