
Hornet Herald
News and notes for the week of 10/4/2021
Custodians Appreciation Day is Monday and Our scholars are off to a strong start already!
Principal's Message to Hornet Families for the week of October 4th, 2021
Great evening fantastic families,
We are now in week 8 and just one week away from ending our first term and first quarter of the school year. Our instructional focus on campus remains the same, we are seeking student engagement and student centered learning in our classrooms. We are also excited about homecoming week and the big game Tuesday Night vs Burnet Middle School at Nelson Field. We hope to pack the house while we sink the sailors and protect the nest! Students can look forward to a fun filled spirit week and an amazing virtual pep rally on game day! Spirit details are below in our upcoming events section.
We made an announcement Friday morning about the October Tik Tok challenge. Of all things, the challenge is to actually slap a staff member. We know our scholars are better than this and encouraged them to not be influenced by this trend as it can have very real consequences. More important reasons are because actions like this are not indicative of the Hornet Way or model those of productive citizens. Consequences will not be just at the school level but also at the law enforcement level as well. We encourage all parents to monitor your scholar’s social media as digital citizenship is becoming more important than ever. Thank you to the parents who emailed us this information and Austin ISD leadership who shared this information with us to assure we were prepared. We are planning to discuss the importance of digital citizenship with our scholars in the near future and thank you in advance for your support by reinforcing our expectations at home.
#BEGREATmentality
#ProgressNotPerfection
Each school district that is required to offer a bilingual education and special language program shall establish a language proficiency assessment committee.
2021-2022 Initiatives and Goals
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)
KMS Safety Protocols as of 10/4/2021
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
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.
Upcoming Dates
Monday - OCTOBER 4- B Day
Custodian and Groundskeeping Appreciation Day
Tuesday - OCTOBER 5 - A Day
Principal COFFEE- 8am in the library
Hornet Football vs Burnet @ NELSON FIELD 6pm
Custodian Appreciation Day!
Wednesday - OCTOBER 6- B Day
KEALING COVID CLINIC in the cafeteria. This is open to the public. Children must be 12 years of age.
Thursday - OCTOBER 7- A Day
Guitar Sectionals
Ultimate Frisbee Practice
Lady Hornet Volleyball vs TBA- ( A TEAM ONLY)
Friday - OCT- BDay
PSS FOOD PANTRY FRIDAY Distribution Day. Please contact Ms. Perez directly if your family is in need of pantry supplements.
Announcements!
KEALING HOMECOMING WEEK
Homecoming 2021 | v. Burnet Sailors
Sink the Sailors, Protect the Nest
Tuesday, vs. Burnet Nelson Field 6:00 pm for football
Spirit Week
Monday: Crazy Sock Day
Tuesday: Kealing Colors | Wear your Kealing gear! Or red and black
Wednesday: Pajama Day (still school appropriate)
Thursday: Throwback/Era Day 6th grade, 60s, 7th, 70s, 8th grade, 80s/90s
Friday: Twin Day
Wheelie Good Snack Delivery
With the support of St. David's Foundation, Ghisallo will be delivering weekly Snack Packs by bike to families in the 78702 and 78721 area in October and November. Your Wheelie Good Snack Pack will include treats such as an apple, orange, granola bars, as well as helpful information related to bicycling, walking, bussing, and driving in Austin and possibly some fun activities. Snack Packs are free!
We will be biking the Snack Packs to your doorstep as part of a no-contact drop-off between 12pm and 2pm on Fridays. We ask that you please be home during this time, although if you are not home we can leave the packs at your doorstep. Deliveries will begin Friday, October 8th and will be on a weekly basis until Friday, November 19th.
Would you like your household to be included on our delivery route? Please respond by filling out the google form below by Sunday, October 3rd. We will confirm your pack supply and household location by Wednesday, October 6th.
*Wheelie Good Snack Pack will involve contactless delivery. We encourage you to wave to us from a distance as we drop off your snacks! If you have any feedback or ways to improve our process, please let us know!
Sign-up form:
BOYS SOCCER IS BEGINNING
Interested? Complete the Google Form linked below! Got questions? Email Ms. Kinsman or stop by Room 512
Austin ISD Online Family Resources Guide 2021-2022
The Parent Engagement Support Office within the Student Enrollment and Advocacy Department created an online resource guide to support AISD families, students, educators, or partners looking for resources for their student, family, or school.
Our community can use this online guide to find and explore community and AISD resources: food, housing, legal, financial, transportation, after-school programs, community centers, and learning resources including ESL and GED services, computer literacy, cultural enrichment, and family literacy.
We ask for your support in promoting it within your community and consider adding a link on your school’s website page.
For additional information, please contact the AISD Parent Engagement Support Office at
512-414-0726.
New Kealing Business Sponsor
CommUnity Health Centers believes in Strengthening the health and well-being of the communities we serve.
The providers and team members at CommUnityCare Health Centers are committed to providing quality care in a friendly, caring and efficient environment. We believe all patients have a right to have their cultural, psychological, spiritual, and personal values, beliefs and preferences respected. We are committed to service excellence. This means all staff receive customer service training and patient satisfaction is measured on an ongoing basis. Our Core Values are: Respect, Integrity, Dependability, Teamwork and Quality.
Services provided by CommUnityCare include: outpatient primary healthcare, dental, pediatric, specialty care, lab, radiology including mammography, a full service pharmacy, and behavior health services.
Learn more about CommUnityCare Health Centers:
www.communitycaretx.org
Angel Network
Healing Kealing Families,
We are very excited to announce our new Angel Network! This group's mission is to help Kealing students and their families in situations facing unforeseen challenges with safety or shelter. For example, a family may need space heaters if their central heat goes out or modest assistance with rent, etc. for a month. We will be working in conjunction with our parent support specialist on campus.
If you would like to be a part of this very important and impactful network, or are interested in donating funds as the needs arise, please email us at angel@kealingpta.org. Thank you, we look forward to helping each other.
Volunteer lunch monitors needed
The school has need of parents to volunteer to supervise lunch. With some classes eating outside and more outdoor seating on the way, the school’s staff is stretched thin. If you can volunteer for part or all of lunch on any day of the week, please fill out our google form stating when you are available. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfx0Jhp2IeCl_bnyfplJxlDqiQN_miSmyPY_UGuhUvkeG1A0w/viewform
All volunteers will also need to fill out AISD’s volunteer form: https://austinpartners.org/volunteer/?fbclid=IwAR0M9qZ7M5hvTDQTjON2rVSThx018U2P_Pp_Cu_5KLjJrcwlXs0ziNfINM0
Supply Drive
Thank you, Kealing families, for all the donations so far. Students and teachers are all getting what they need! We are continuing to update the Amazon list as needs arise. Some items have been requested by specific teachers and others are for community supplies. Students know they can easily ask when they need notebooks, paper, pencils, etc., and it's so lovely! Check out the updated list here:
Ultimate Frisbee!!
Fun Ultimate scrimmages and practices!
WHO?
All grades, all genders, all programs!
WHEN?
Thursdays, 3:00-4:45pm, September 30th - October 28th
*Limited to 40 players each week in the fall
HOW?
First, view this document and fill out our online waiver linked inside! [Parent/Guardian required!] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QUkPMw17BwK51QCUjuI0jt9MKLd7Zj8l/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117244494751661991340&rtpof=true&sd=true
Second, sign up outside Room 235 (Mr. Natenberg’s Room) each week -- the list will be posted on Monday mornings.
WHY?
Ultimate is like soccer, football, and basketball combined...with frisbees! Join us!
QUESTIONS?
Contact any of the coaches:
Cara Crouch -- cara.crouch@austinisd.org
Colleen Kepner -- colleen.kepner@austinisd.org
Michael Natenberg -- michael.natenberg@austinisd.org
NOTE:
Our official season is in the spring. We’ll have a full informational meeting in January / February to share more information.
PTA membership meeting Thursday morning
PTA No-HASSLE Fundraiser
What does a no-hassle fundraiser mean? Rather than spending time and money raising PTA funds through food and goods sales, galas, walkathons, other -athons, etc., this is a quick, no-stress fundraiser.
"I do not want to bake. It’s too hot and I don’t need any more cookies around here. Here is the money I would have spent on ingredients and on baked goods at the sale."
"I still have rolls and rolls of gift wrap. Who uses gift wrap anymore when there are gift bags? No, I don’t want to sell it or buy anymore. Here’s my money to save the trees!"
"Volunteer? I want to but I just don’t have the time. I don’t want to feel guilty anymore. Please take my money."
Simply donate and you're done. Your dollars help provide and purchase high priority teacher wish-list items, ELA books, food for community building and teacher appreciation events, microscopes for science, outdoor eating areas, and more.
For more info and to donate visit:
No Hassle Fundraiser Link
And if joining PTA is still on your to-do list, that can be done on your donation form too.
Questions? Email vpfundraising@kealingpta.org.
SPIRIT WEAR SALE
Thursday, Oct 7, 2021, 10:30 AM
Kealing Middle School, Pennsylvania Avenue, Austin, TX, USA
Kealing Hornet Stickers
Hornet Earrings
YARD SIGNS
Cool Hoodie
Red Cool Hoodie
Tee Shirt
Vaccine Clinics @ Kealing
Vaccine Clinics @ Kealing
KEALING FOOD PANTRY
Follow Us on Social Media
Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/KealingMS/
Hornet Herald - http://www.kealingmiddleschool.org/parents/hornet-herald
Twitter - @KTXHornets
Webpage - https://kealing.austinschools.org/
1st PRINCIPAL COFFEE
Tuesday, Oct 5, 2021, 08:00 AM
Kealing Middle School, Pennsylvania Avenue, Austin, TX, USA (library)
RSVPs are enabled for this event.