Kiker Comments March 8, 2022

• Upcoming Events
• Attendance Notes and Early Pick Up Reminders
• Registration for 22-23
• Pre-K and Kinder Registration Events
• Counselors' Corner
• Kiker Keynotes
• Safety Patrol
• Library Update
• Gorzycki Information for Current 5th Graders
• Updated After School Programs
• Summer Camps
• PTA News - Pavers, Graduating Senior Scholarship, Lost and Found
• March Staff Birthdays
• AISD News: Student Survey (3rd-5th and how to opt out), Family Survey, Recruiting Substitutes
• Repeated Information (from previous newsletters)
• Culture Celebrations
• Covid Testing Hub Information
• Lunch Menu
• All the Links to Everything You Need

March

7-11 - 3rd, 4th, 5th Grade Short Cycle Assessments

14-18 Spring Break

April

1- No School for Students - District of Innovation Day - Teacher PD

4-8 -Kinder Map Growth Reading Fluency

6 - Early Learning Day - Registration Day and Tours for Rising Pre-K4 and Kindergarten Students

8 - Book Fair Set Up

11 - Book Fair Preview Day

12-14 - Book Fair

15 - Student holiday - Staff Development

May

10 - 3-5 STAAR Math

11 - 3-5 STAAR Reading

12 - 5th STAAR Science and Make ups for 3rd/ 4th (either test)

13 - STAAR Make up day

17 - 2nd Grade Market Day

19 - Field Day

19 - Evening Kiker Keynotes Show

20 - 8:30am Kiker Keynotes Show for Students

Please send all attendance notes to the front office or email to amy.mcgovern@austinisd.org.

If you are picking your kid(s) up for an appointment it is helpful to notify the teacher in advance, including the approximate time you will be arriving. It helps things go smoother if students are ready to go and prepared with belongings if they are at recess or essential areas. We don't pull students out of class until the parent/guardian arrives, but we are happy to help get backpacks ready in advance.

Thank you.

ALL returning families should register their students for the 2022-2023 school year by logging in to their AISD Portal account under the student registration icon. The online registration system is available only through the AISD Portal at portal.austinisd.org. Please update any information that has changed.

To increase Pre-K and kindergarten enrollment and support families with registration, elementary campuses will host a districtwide Early Learning Day on April 6. Please save this date and share it with your neighbors that may not receive the Kiker Comments.

On this day, families will have the opportunity to:

• Take a campus tour that highlights culture and customer service

• Complete the Pre-K Screener

• Register for kindergarten

• Meet the principal and/or other administrative staff and teachers

Campuses will open for tours in shifts to allow for families to come before and after school.

• 7 to 9 a.m.

• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• 4 to 6 p.m.

The counselors' role is to help students practice self regulation, navigate peer relationships, and/or support a big change going on at home. We do not provide therapy, but we are always happy to support our students in any ways your family might need. Please reach out if you'd like us to meet with your student(s).

4th and 5th Grade Kiker Keynotes Sign-Up

I am excited to start our Spring 2022 edition of Kiker Keynotes. If your child is interested in signing up for our choir, please fill out the Google Form at the following link or scan the QR code. This is only for 4th and 5th graders. Practices are scheduled to start the week of March 22.

The deadline to sign up is Thursday, March 10 at 3:15 pm.

https://tinyurl.com/Keynotes-Spring-2022

If you have any questions, feel free to call the Music Office (512-841-3576) or reach me by e-mail at tiffany.cortez-machado@austinisd.org.

Thank you for your interest in The Kiker Keynotes!

Tiffany Cortez-Machado

Kiker Keynotes Director

This year we are encouraging 4th and 5th grade students to sign up to support safety patrol for a two week block of time during the school year. Thank you for being a campus leader!

Students will drop your backpack off in the front foyer/vestibule, sign in, grab a vest, and head out front. We need help waving cars to the front of the line, opening doors, and welcoming each child with a warm greeting or sending students off for the day.

SIgn Up Genius Link

How To Video - This is the Training Video for Safety Patrol

Have a child that loves to draw? Have a child that loves to read? You can enter them into the BookPeople 2022 Bookmark Contest HERE. I've talked about the contest in classes the last couple of weeks and have extra applications in the library, but there's still time to participate. All applications will be due to me in the library, by March 11th. Questions? Reach out to me.

Happy designing!

Learn about Tiger Camp

Register with this link

Please print the PDF below and send it in to the front office to register.

Kiker PTA is selling custom brick pavers. This is a wonderful way to celebrate a student, honor a teacher or staff member, or give a gift to a graduating 5th grader! For $35, you can design a paver and have it installed around the granite star at the entrance to Kiker. Purchase through the online Spirit Store now through May 15!

Do you know a graduating senior who attended Kiker? Please share this information with anyone you know who might be eligible.

Kiker Elementary PTA’s Dr. Lori Schneider Scholarship for High School Graduates honors one of Kiker's former principals who valued education and left a legacy of kindness, dignity and respect (KDR) during her 14-year tenure as principal of the school. The scholarship also celebrates high school graduates who are committed to education and who embody KDR.

Applicants must have attended Kiker Elementary School. Application window opens March 1, 2022. Please see link for more details.

https://kikerpta.membershiptoolkit.com/dr_schneider_scholarship

Last Call…

Please ask your students to stop by the lost and found this week to check for any missing (or forgotten!) items. We’ll be clearing the rack and shelves during spring break. The lost and found is located next to the cafeteria. Please remember to LABEL all items so we can try and reunite items with their owners.

3 - Kristi Samon

4 - Tiffany Cortez-Machado

8 - Claire Purcell

15 - Pooja Mulgaonker

16 Rhonda Vasquez

17 - Abby Shoppa

18 - Abbey Raymond

25 - Joanna Hamme

29 - Cory Matheny

Next Steps:

• The district will send information/instructions to parents on how to opt-out their child.

• Student Opt-Out Window February 28th - March 11th

Survey Administration Timeline:

• Staff & Family Survey Window - March 7th- April 1st

• Student Survey Window - March 21st - April 1st

All across the country schools are experiencing a shortage of substitutes. This is true for the schools in AISD, including Kiker. If you have the time and inclination, we encourage parents/guardians/grandparents to sign up with AISD to be a substitute. You can work every day or you can choose the days that work best for you. You can go to many different campuses or you can only work when assignments come up at particular campuses. You can even decide the content areas/grade level where you are willing to pick up jobs. If you or someone you know is interested you can apply at https://www.austinisd.org/hc/careers/substitutes

Did you know that our campus announcements and videos highlight significant cultural events around the world? As a campus that celebrates the cultural diversity we have in our community, we love to feature how our Comets celebrate and what these events look like in real life.

Is there a special event for your culture coming up in the next month or two? Would you be willing to share how your family celebrates?

Please reach out to Cory Matheny if your family would be interested in putting together a 1-3 minute video to talk about any of these events (or others that we may have accidentally missed- list source: Nationaltoday.com) coming up in March and April:

Mardi Gras

Pie Day 3.14

St. Patrick's Day

April Fools' Day

Autism Awareness Day

Ramadan

Passover

Easter

Earth Day

Kiker is a testing hub on site in Portable 6B daily. (FYI - there is no classroom on the 6A side of the portable.). The direct line is 512-841-7857, appointments are not accepted. This is a first come, first served process or, until they run out of tests for the day.

Why it matters: Research shows that the more people get tested, the safer everyone is from the spread of COVID-19. You’ll be able to access rapid antigen or PCR tests (when available) at 11 sites across Austin.

• Students and staff can get a test at will for any reason, whether you’ve been exposed or are just looking for peace of mind.
• Sites include: Travis, Northeast Akins, Norman-Sims, Pillow, Kiker, Eastside, Cunningham, Navarro, Blazier, McCallum .

• Testing will run 8 a.m. -2 p.m. Monday-Friday.

At AISD Food Service, our top priority is to ensure all students have access to healthy, tasty meals. The country is dealing with a nationwide food service worker shortage, directly impacting AISD; we currently have over 100 open positions, in addition to managing COVID-19 protocols. Because of this, changes in school meal operations and menus may occur. Please note, any menu changes will not be reflected on www.SchoolCafe.com or on printed menus.

Cory Matheny - Principal

Alma Chapa Moore - Assistant Principal

Kelly Meyer - Assistant Principal

Email: cory.matheny@austinisd.org
Website: https://kikerelementary.org/
Location: 5913 La Crosse Avenue, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-414-2584
Facebook: facebook.com/CMathenyPrincipal
Twitter: @KikerComets