Kiker Comments March 29, 2022

• Upcoming Events
• Attendance Notes
• Registration for 22-23 and optional Parent/Guardian Input
• Plexiglass at Request
• Pre-K and Kinder Registration Events
• HSR Curriculum Information Night for the 22-23 School Year
• Virtual Fundraiser
• Library News
• Safety Patrol
• PTA News - Thank You, Save the Dates, Project Updates, Graduating Senior Scholarship, Lounge Remodel
• March and April Staff Birthdays
• AISD News: Budget Meetings, Student and Family Surveys
• Around the Community - Cowan Carnival
• Summer Camps
• Repeated Information (from previous newsletters)
• Culture Celebrations
• Covid Testing Hub Information
• Early Pick Up Reminders
  
• Gorzycki Information for Current 5th Graders
• Lunch Menu
• All the Links to Everything You Need

April

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

4-6 Virtual Fundraiser - Gifts of Time and Auction

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

13 - Food Truck Night for the Book Fair 5-7 pm

15 - Student holiday - Staff Development

19 - Class Picture Day

20 - Information Session regarding Updates to AISD's Human Sexuality and Responsibility Curriculum

21- Art Night and PTA General Membership Meeting 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm

22- Student Council Sponsored Movie Night

26 - Taco Tuesday Bluesday - Spirit Day and Torchy's Night

May

6 - Kiker Family Dance 6:00 pm on the Blacktop

10 - 3-5 STAAR Math

11 - 3-5 STAAR Reading

12 - 5th STAAR Science and Make ups for 3rd/ 4th (Math/Reading tests)

13 - STAAR Make up day

17 - 2nd Grade Market Day

19 - Field Day

19 - Evening Kiker Keynotes Show

20 - 8:30 am Kiker Keynotes Show for Students

20 - 9:30 5th Grade End of Year Pool Party

24 - Taco Tuesday Bluesday - Spirit Day and Torchy's Night

27 - 5th Grade Commencement Ceremony

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

Our goal is to have 80% or more of our families registered by April 29. We need your help!

ALL returning families, current grades PK through 5th grade, 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.

If you will not be returning to Bernice Kiker Elementary in 2022-2023 please contact Amy McGovern at amy.mcgovern@austinisd.org.

Please complete your registration as soon as possible as we will begin class placement soon.

It is time to begin the lengthy process of placing each student into classes for the 2022-23 school year. Balancing classes for 775+ students is a huge task that is not taken lightly. We strive to create the greatest mix of students for each classroom based on many factors, including, but not limited to the following: academic needs, social and emotional skills, required special services, and diversity. While parent input is a valued piece of the puzzle, creating balanced classes also requires input from teachers, administrators, and counselors.

If you would like to provide information to be considered during the placement process, please complete the following form by April 22.

CLICK HERE

If you choose to complete the form, please note the following:

• Completion of the form is optional—it is NOT required.
• Please do not request a specific teacher. Information should focus on your child and not on a specific teacher.
• These forms are valid for one year. Similar forms completed previously are not part of this year’s process.
• We respectfully request that you refrain from requesting placement with friends. Each child’s individual needs will be considered.
• Children are not placed with teachers based the teacher selected for an older sibling. Each child is unique and must be placed accordingly.
• Please do not ask any staff member to recommend a teacher or to arrange placement with a teacher.
• This form does not replace the registration process. You will still need to register your student. We cannot place children unless they are registered. If you have questions regarding this, please contact the Amy McGovern at 512-414-2584.
• Final placement will not be complete and classroom assignments will not go home until ­­­­­­­a few days prior to the start of classes due to students enrolling and withdrawing throughout the summer.

As always, let us know if you have any questions/concerns.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!

Starting tomorrow, the plexiglass shields will be by request in the cafeteria just as they are in the classroom. We will keep a stack of shields available at each table.

Please communicate your preferences with your child and your child's teacher to help us build this new routine for those students/families who still want a shield.

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

More information coming soon on times and tours.

Save The Date: April 11th - 14th. This spring's Kiker Book Fair has us partnering with BookPeople with a Keep Kiker Reading theme. We are so excited to support a favorite local bookstore with fresh book options and experiences, and Kiker will be receiving 20% of all sales at the fair! Parents can join their students after school M/T/W/Th, with a special Food Truck Night with book fair shopping and eats provided by P. Terry's and Jim Jim's Italian Ices on Wednesday, April 13th from 5-7pm. Interested in coming to Food Truck Night? Help us let P Terry's know an idea of how many meals to prepare and reserve your dinners here, or please join us last minute, too!

Want to volunteer at the fair? We are in need of book fair cashier volunteers for a fun and easy shopping experience - sign up here!

Thank you so much for supporting the Kiker Library. 🙂

Ashley Cross

ashley.cross@austinisd.org

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

Students will drop 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 at the end of the day.

SIgn Up Genius Link

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

Your Spirit Night sales totaled more than $1,500 and earned $236 for our school! Mark your calendars for April 26, the next Taco Tuesday and Wear Your Blues Day.

Congratulations to Ms. Bredl’s, Ms. Boone’s, and Ms. Davis’ classes! You had the most students who participated in Spirit Day.

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

You may have noticed a little more green on campus. We have three new trees thanks to a parent grant application for funds raised during our Apex Fun Run.

We hope all our staff members enjoyed the new lounge during our grand opening events. Everyone was treated to breakfast and Kristi Samon won a cute print (inset) during our art raffle.

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

April

8 - Eileen Vasquez

9 - Kelly Meyer

15 - Georgea Siow

27 - Cynthia Gilliland

28 - Barbara Schaefer

For family surveys, a single link has been created for all families: surveys.panoramaed.com/austinisd/family

Survey Administration Timeline:

• Staff & Family Survey Window - March 21- April 8

• Student Survey Window - March 21 - April 8

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

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 April or May:

Ramadan

Passover

Easter

Earth Day

Eid

Cinco de Mayo

Memorial 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.

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.

Learn about Tiger Camp

Register with this link

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