WELCOME TO AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL

HOME OF THE BULLDOGS!

Welcome to Austin High School's Community Newsletter where we share all of the important information, amazing activities, and events occuring on our campus with our BULLDOG Family and community! To our new Freshman Bulldogs and to our returning Sophmores, Juniors and graduating Seniors.... WE WELCOME YOU to the DAWGHOUSE! We are excited about the 2023-2024 school year!

Students are assigned a Principal based on last name for each school year to support their needs. Please review the 2023-2024 Principal assignments below.

Students are assigned a Counselor based on last name for each school year to support their needs. Please review the 2022-2023 Counselor assignments below.

September: https://www.smore.com/yr5pd

October: https://www.smore.com/gmfhy

November: https://www.smore.com/wzehcj

January: https://www.smore.com/0uwv2

**Please note that this email only applies to students who are enrolled in and planning to take the Spring 2024 AP Exam

OR

AP students who previously registered for an AP Exam and wish to cancel **

Spring Course

Spring AP exam payment and registration are now open for students enrolled in Spring AP courses (Semester 2 ONLY).

Students must obtain the join code from your Spring AP course instructor, then make your payment using the Spring Semester AP Exam Course payment link in RevTrak.

Note, each exam is at the standard price $98, or $21 for students who qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch.

**Exams must be paid by 11:59 PM on February 23rd.**

No exam changes will be accepted after that date.

Late Exam Orders

Also, if a student missed the regular registration and payment window in the fall, they may still request to take an AP exam. The Late AP Exam payment must first be made via the AHS Late AP Exam Payment Link.

Complete the AHS AP Exam Change/Cancellation Request Link for your request

Remember, there is a $40 late fee applied for each late exam order.

**Exams must be paid by 11:59 PM on February 23rd.**

No exam changes will be accepted after that date.

AP Exam Cancellations

If you wish to cancel your exam, please complete the AHS AP Exam Change/Cancellation Request Link no later than February 23, 2024, at 12 NOON.

No exam changes will be accepted after that date.

For any questions regarding AP Exams or procedures, please contact the AHS AP Coordinator, Irvin Casely-Hayford, Irvin.caselyhayford@fortbendisd.com.

Are you interested in taking a Credit by Exam? Please visit the FBISD website for more information. https://www.fortbendisd.com/Page/296.

Session 2 CBE registration window is January 5-12, 2024. See your counselor for more information.

Topic: Gifted and Talented Parent Newsletter – January

From: Gifted and Talented, Laurie.Westphal@fortbendisd.com

Due Date: January 12, 2024

Description: The January Edition of the Gifted and Talented newsletter is now available.

Links: https://www.smore.com/8pjwf

January 23- 9th Grade Parent Night/Course Selection @6pm

February 27- Spring Open House

May 4- Prom @ House of Blues: 7-11pm

May 7-Senior Awards @6pm

May 10-Pro Grad & Senior Sunset

May 25- Graduation @11am

Monday, August 21st, AHS started counting tardies for exemption purposes. Please take note of the following important points below for ALL students:

• No more than 8 absences for EACH semester
• 3 tardies equals 1 absence for exemption purposes
• Must have a semester average of 80% or above for the semester in the course
• No removals to DAEP/JJAEP during the current school year
• No outstanding fines or fees
• Must have met the minimum standard on the EOC exam for the course eligible

All other criteria are grade level specific, please review the document below or you can refer to the 23-24 Student Parent handbook on page 66. The link is embedded below for your reference.

https://www.fortbendisd.com/cms/lib/TX01917858/Centricity//Domain/91/2023-2024%20Student%20Parent%20Handbook%208.10.23.pdf

Dear FBISD parents and guardians,

On September 1, 2023, House Bill 114 (HB 114), will go into effect to address the serious issue of vaping/e-cigarette use among students. Under this law, any student found in possession of any kind of vaping/e-cigarette device on a campus or at a school-related activity including bus transportation, will face disciplinary consequences including a placement in a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP)*.

FBISD assures you that the district is committed to providing a supportive climate and safe learning environment that promotes students in accepting responsibility for their learning and behavior.

To be proactive, here are the ways your student might be impacted by the new law:

• If your student possesses an e-cigarette (even if it contains nothing) or any component, part or accessory for any vaping device while on school grounds or at a school-related event, they will be recommended for a mandatory placement in DAEP.

• When receiving disciplinary consequences for this offense, your student is not able to participate in any school activities. Furthermore, they may face removal from specific student clubs or organizations as stipulated by each organization's rules and regulations.

• Students with offenses that qualify for DAEP placement are not eligible for final exam exemptions for that school year.

Please speak with your student about the dangers of vaping and the new law. If your student is struggling with substance abuse, including vaping addiction or peer pressure to engage in these activities, FBISD counseling services are available to provide supports and resources to address such challenges.

As partners, FBISD and parents can work together to ensure student success. Thank you for your cooperation and support. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your campus directly.

* Based on DAEP program capacity, students may be placed in a campus-based discipline program.

Please help us with congratulating the following DAWGS who have been recognized by their peers, teachers or staff for demonstrating the DAWG qualities. We look forward to recognizing many DAWGS this year.

Congratulations to Ms. Sheikh and her Art students for their success at the Rodeo! Great job!!

From Ms. Sheikh:

I am thrilled to share the incredible success our students achieved on the Preliminary 3D Rodeo judging online. We submitted 7 outstanding pieces of 3D sculpture representing AHS, and I am pleased to announce that 5 of our entries secured a place among the top 10 finalists in the high school division!

In addition, we are excited to announce that two of our students have also earned spots in the Rodeo's Quick Draw contest. Only 25 students are selected from the Houston and surrounding areas for this competition, where they have 50 minutes to draw a still life placed in front of them. They will be competing next Sunday, Jan 21. Quick Draw Contest Participants: Leo Gu & Jessica Smith

Please join me in congratulating our students on their weeks of hard work and dedication to their pieces. Let's wish those continuing on to the HLSR judging the best of luck! I could not be more proud of our Bulldog artists.

Our students exhibited exceptional talent, receiving the following awards:

Jayden Stephen - "Dead Route" - Blue Ribbon

Emma Xu - "Osedax" - Blue Ribbon

These finalists will advance to the judging at NRG on Friday, Jan 19:

Jessica Smith - "A Mad Dash”

Fnu Usaydullah- “ The Final Ride”

Jennah Hooda - “Boundless Freedom”

Naina Dhanashetty -“Cavorting Companions”

Leo Gu- “The Wind on the Cows Back" -

Congratulations to our AMAZING Bulldogs who made Academic All-State! Please help us with shouting them out!! Great work DAWGS!!

Kudos to our Amazing Band who were named as Fan Favorite during their most recent performance. Great job to the Band directors, students, parents and dance teachers for all of their hard work!

https://www.fortbendstar.com/culture/the-reid-feed-vote-austin-high-school-s-bulldog-band-as-fan-favorite-in-metallica/article_65b5408a-9dc3-11ee-95f8-e70503592ab0.html

Order your yearbook today at myhjyearbook.com !

We will sell out and the deadline is approaching.

Don’t miss out.

Congratulations to all of the new National Honor Society Members! We would love to see you at the ceremony on January 11th at 7pm.

Our AHS Choir is raising funds for their program. Please click the link below to support in anyway you can!

Austin High School Choir is raising funds.

Please take a moment to view their fundraising page and consider supporting!

https://instaraise.com/austinhschoir/tumblers?a=17

Also check out the upcoming choir events. Please come out and support our Choir students as they perform.

January 6th - Area Auditions at Deer Park HS South Campus—Last round for TMEA All-State Choir. 8AM-4PM

Are you interested and willing to host a Foreign Exchange student? Please scan the QR Code below for more information.

Mark your calendars: We are excited to share the date and location of our 3rd Bookapalooza Book Conference for Pre-K – 12th grade students on Saturday, April 13 at Dulles Middle School from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Students will have opportunities to meet authors, illustrators, participate in a cosplay contest, play interactive games, hear featured speakers, and walk through our vendor fair. Among the various events we have planned, students will be able to buy books from the Scholastic book fair and create projects within our makerspace..

*Students under 14 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

Please share this information and the links provided below with your community, faculty, and student body. Don't miss the fun! We are looking for PTA/PTOs to sponsor Bookaplooza. Be sure to ask your PTA or PTO president if they are interested in purchasing a sponsorship. See the sponsorship link below for more details. Last year Baines PTO and Colony Meadows Elementary PTO sponsored this event to bring authentic reading experiences to our students and their families.

Happy Tuesday!

The Salon at Reese is looking for a student intern eager to learn and get work experience. Please share this PAID opportunity with your students. The requirements are:

• Must have their own transportation and valid ID
• Must be 16 years or older and a former /current Fort Bend CTE student
• Must upload transcripts

Students may apply here: https://aa210.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=230002F3&tz=GMT-05%3A00&tzname=America%2FChicago

We are excited to begin the 23-24 athletic events for the spring semester! We invite all parents and community members to come and support our Bulldogs in elevating our school pride! Please see the schedules below for dates and locations. We look forward to seeing you there!

Students and Parents,

We officially started recording tardies for the 23-24 school year on Monday, August 21st. Please note: All students' tardies will result in the following consequences, so please encourage your child to arrive to all classes on time.

Dear AHS Parents,

Welcome back to another Exciting Year at Austin High School, Home of The Bulldogs!!

We would like to share some information with you regarding Morning Student Drop-Off.

The best time to drop your student off at AHS with little to no traffic is usually between 7:00 AM and 7:15 AM. After 7:15 AM the traffic flow becomes heavy and students risk being late to 1st period.

Areas for Drop-Off: Front Circle and Student Parking Lot Area (Northside of the Building)

Please Do Not Attempt To Drop Your Student Off on The Bus Ramp Side of the Building, That is Not Allowed, this area is for School Vehicles and School Personnel Only!

Please Drive Safe and Have A Great Bulldog Day!!

• • Seniors & Juniors:
    

    As we return for the 2023-24 School Year, Senior students will have the opportunity to purchase Preferred Parking for $75; all other student parking (for both Seniors & Juniors) will cost $50.

    To purchase parking, all seniors and juniors must have:

    • Completed the online application
    • A Valid Texas Driver's License
    • Valid Insurance showing the student's name as an insured driver
    • No outstanding fines on the AHS Fine List
    • Must be on record as a Junior/Senior by August 2023

    Seniors who have purchased their parking permits for the 2023-24 school year can come and pick them up on August 3 and August 4, 2023 in office 108 between 1:00 PM and 3:30 PM.

    Juniors can pick up their parking permits on August 7, 2023 in office 108 between 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM and between 1:00 PM and 3:30 PM. Students who don't pick up their permits before school starts should not drive to school until they have their permit!

    To pick your permit up, you must bring:

    • a copy of the 2023-24 Student Parking Rules & Regulations (signed by a parent or guardian); and
    • a photocopy of your receipt.

Textbook Request:

Most textbooks are available online including resources and some accommodations to support learning. We highly encourage ALL students to utilize online textbooks. For students who want to request textbooks, please use the following link for the 23-24 school year.

If you have any questions, please see Ms. Masters or Ms. Udechukwu in suite 201.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=QWJ9SRo5d0KRrL3SqZ9wVPL0G1567AFEiBrkbgXp_QNUODJJTjQzSDNVWUNZQjdMUU45VFA5WkkwMi4u

Please use the link below to request a locker for the 2023-2024 school year. Lockers will be given as requested starting the week of August 14th.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=QWJ9SRo5d0KRrL3SqZ9wVPL0G1567AFEiBrkbgXp_QNUN1pDTE9aSVJLTjRQRVY0N0M2QVRTM0pMRi4u

Students and parents that might qualify for Free/reduced lunch please apply for free/reduced lunch. This will provide them with access to AP Test reduction, SAT/ACT fee waivers, reduced admissions applications for colleges etc.

https://www.fortbendisd.com/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&ModuleInstanceID=290642&ViewID=DEDCCD34-7C24-4AF2-812A-33C0075398BC&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=185301&PageID=334&Tag=&Comments=true

Attention Students with Existing Documented Accommodations!

If you don’t already have College Board accommodations, and you want your 504/Special Education accommodations for AP, SAT, PSAT exams in the Spring semester, then please complete the attached consent form to request the accommodations from College Board. Send the completed form to Irvin Casely-Hayford, AP & SSD Coordinator, at Irvin.caselyhayford@fortbendisd.com.

Use this form

For additional information, you may visit

https://accommodations.collegeboard.org/support/advice-students-families

Parents,

Please review the information below. It provides important dates and times for transportation and Open House for the Reece Center.

The University of Texas at Austin Automatic Admission Policy

taa-2023-10-26-university-of-texas-at-austin-automatic-admission-policy.pdf146.89 KB

Subject:The University of Texas at Austin Automatic Admission Policy

Category:Automatic Admission

Next Steps: Share with high school junior-level students and their parents

Senate Bill 175, passed by the 81st Texas Legislature, allows The University of Texas at Austin to limit automatic admission to 75 percent of the university’s enrollment capacity designated for first-time resident undergraduate students.

The University has determined that it will automatically admit all eligible summer/fall 2025 and spring 2026 freshman applicants who rank within the top 6% of their high school graduating classes. A letter from University President Jay C. Hartzell is attached to this correspondence.

This information should be shared with all high school junior-level students and their parents. If you have questions regarding this policy, please contact Miguel Wasielewski, Vice Provost of Admissions at The University of Texas at Austin at (512) 475-6210..

All clubs and organizations that have been approved for the 23-24 fall semester are listed below in alpha order with basic club information. We encourage all students to join a club/organization that aligns with your interest or join to learn something new. If your club was unable to locate a sponsor or not approved, please see the list of clubs that may align with your interest for the 23-24 fall semester. There will be another opportunity to join or create more at the start of 2nd semester.

Questions? Email Ms. Udechukwu -adaun.udechukwu@fortbendisd.com

Email: adaun.udechukwu@fortbendisd.com
Website: https://www.fortbendisd.com/ahs
Location: 3434 Pheasant Creek Drive, Sugar Land, TX, USA
Phone: 281-634-2000
Twitter: @AHSBulldogs