Kiker Comments: August 22, 2023

August

22 - AISD Special Education Parent Power Hour 6-7 - See section below

24 - Back to School Night for Kinder and 1st Grade 5:30

24 - PTA Membership Drive through Sept 8

27 - Spirit Wear Order Deadline - see below

28 - K-5 Map Growth window opens math and reading (through 9/15)

28 - PreK Circle PM CLI window opens (through 9/22)

28 - CAC meeting library 3:30

29 - AISD Advanced Academics event: Virtual Family Workshop – Raising Critical Thinkers, hosted by ThinkLaw and AustinISD Advanced Academics (Option 1) @ 6:00 PM

30 - AISD Advanced Academics event: Virtual Family Workshop – Raising Critical Thinkers, hosted by ThinkLaw and AustinISD Advanced Academics (Option 2) @ 12:00 PM

31 - Kiker Spirit Night, TCBY 3:15-8:00pm

September

1 - Kiker Spirit Day - WEAR BLUE

4 - No school, Labor Day

5 - 2nd and 3rd Back to School Night 5:30

7 - 4th and 5th Back to School Night 5:30

8 - Final day for PTA membership drive to count towards class prizes (you can always join!)

13 - PTA meet and greet/ volunteer expo 8:00 am

15 - K-5 Map Growth window closes

16 - Rosh Hashanah

18 - GT Nomination window opens for K-1, 3-5, ALL 2nd graders will be screened (through 10/6)

19 - District Virtual Family GT Information Session (Option 1) @ 6:00 PM

20 - District Virtual Family GT Information Session (Option 2) @ 12:00 PM

22 - PreK Circle PM CLI window closes

22 - Kinder TX KEA window opens (through 10/31)

23 - AISD Campus Showcase - Kiker will have a table at the event

25 - Conference day - no students (Yom Kippur)

28 - Kiker's GT Parent information session 5:00 pm via Zoom

Join the admin team in the cafeteria for a brief welcome and introduction. (15 minutes)

Then we will send you out to the classrooms to learn about the school year from your classroom teachers. (45 minutes)

We will use the intercom to ensure we wrap up at 6:30 so our staff can get home to their own families.

The event is geared for adults to learn about Kiker Elementary and your child's classroom. This is the only event we host in the evenings that is not designed for children. While most families attend without their children, we never want childcare to be a reason you don't participate.

We are SUPER excited to announce the start of our PTA Membership Drive! The Membership Drive will run from 8/24-9/8. The top three classes will earn a FUNTASTIC classroom experience and there may just be a few special guests joining in on the fun too. We know we can’t FLEX our strength without each of you! Be a SUPERHERO and join today!

https://kikerpta.membershiptoolkit.com/our_pta

CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK

Kiker 2023-2024 Spirit gear is here! We've loved seeing our new and returning students and staff in fresh blue shirts, and here's another chance for our community to show their Kiker pride. The second round of pre-orders for t-shirts and hats is OPEN through THIS SUNDAY, August 27th, 2023. All items will be available for pickup by PTA's Meet + Greet on September 13th at 8 am. This is your final chance to guarantee this year's Spirit items in your size, and we've added a few items to the online store as well, so be sure to check it out!

Note: We always want our Kiker students, parents, and staff to LOVE their spirit merch. Reach out to KikerSpiritStore@gmail.com if you need to connect.

Link: https://kikerpta.membershiptoolkit.com/store

Please RSVP for Learning and Engagement Opportunities here: RSVP form 2023-2024. Virtual and in-person sessions are available. Virtual sessions can be accessed by using this link: https://austinisd-org.zoom.us/j/88661610735 and will be recorded and posted on the Austin ISD external website. For more information or assistance with registration, please contact Lisa.Saldana-Vasquez@austinisd.org. Spanish interpretation will be provided for all sessions

Parent Power Hour: The ABC’s of IEPs for Families New to Special Education

This session welcomes new families to Special Education services and will cover the foundational components of a student's special education program - Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFPs), Goals, and Services. (Sessions repeat throughout the year)

• August 22: 12-1, 6-7pm - VIRTUAL: online LINK

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SAVE THE DATE! Thursday, August 31, is our first Kiker Spirit Night of the year! Visit our local TCBY (at Slaughter Lane) and mention you are there for Kiker Spirit Night. Our school will receive 20% of the proceeds from 3:15-8:00pm. Beat the heat and get a special TCBY treat!

Please RSVP for Learning and Engagement Opportunities here: RSVP form 2023-2024. Virtual and in-person sessions are available. Virtual sessions can be accessed by using this link: https://austinisd-org.zoom.us/j/88661610735 and will be recorded and posted on the Austin ISD external website. For more information or assistance with registration, please contact Lisa.Saldana-Vasquez@austinisd.org. Spanish interpretation will be provided for all sessions

Parent Power Hour: The ABC’s of IEPs for Families New to Special Education

This session welcomes new families to Special Education services and will cover the foundational components of a student's special education program - Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFPs), Goals, and Services. (Sessions repeat throughout the year)

• September 19: 6-7pm in person at Brentwood Elementary School - 6703 Yates Ave, Austin, TX 78757

Parent Power Hour: Child Find

This session will review district Child Find responsibilities - including referral, timelines, and process from evaluation to the determination of special education eligibility and services.

September 12: 12-1, 6-7pm - VIRTUAL: online LINK

Power Hour: Executive Functioning, Organizational Strategies and Study Skills to Help Your Child at Home & School

This session will provide support and resources to families regarding routines and healthy habits to build study skills and organizational routines.

September 26: 12-1, 6-7pm - VIRTUAL: online LINK

Full list linked HERE and in the PDF below. The Kiker Comments will feature those within a 4-6 week range for your planning convenience.

BOWIE'S LARGEST COMMUNITY EVENT SUPPORTING SPORTS, ACADEMIC & ARTS BOOSTER CLUBS

Bowie PTSA is proud to present BULLDOGS & HOTDOGS, our annual back-to-school extravaganza for Bowie clubs, teams, and organizations.

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​FREE admission but bring cash & checkbooks to purchase food and spirit items.

​This fundraiser supports all of the dynamic booster clubs at Bowie from theater to football to cheer, JROTC, and Project Graduation. These clubs and organizations are supported by staff and parents and run by students - providing a place for everyone! Sponsored by PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association).

Our evening of activities features

• Pep rally with Bowie Football Players, Cheerleaders, Band, and the Silver Stars Dance Team

• Food & Drinks for purchase

• Activities for all

• Take a picture with our Bowie Mascots

• Spirit Items for Sale

Kiker's Book of the Month Club

Purchase a book from our special collection of new books. Be the first to read it and donate it to the Bernice Kiker Library!

Formerly known as Birthday Books, our librarian, Ashley Cross, will present your child with the book they’ve selected, and your child will have time to enjoy the book before sending it back for everyone else to check out.

Each book is $15. A special name plate will be placed in the book showing your child’s donation to the Kiker Library. In addition, your child’s picture with their chosen book will be displayed in the hallway. You can sign your child up for as many months as you’d like (each month is an additional $15).

Ready to join?

To join the Book of the Month Club, please fill out THIS GOOGLE FORM and pay by check or austinisd.schoolcashonline.com. Your child will be called from class to choose a book and parents will be notified when this takes place. Your child will be recognized on the bulletin board outside of the library for the month.

Thank you for participating!

Ashley Cross, Bernice Kiker Librarian

Send an email with your student(s) name, date of absence, and reason for the absence to amy.mcgovern@austinisd.org. Please attach or forward any notes from medical providers if you have them.

Per AISD protocol, your child should be kept home from school if they have a fever at or above 100.0F, any vomiting, or 2 episodes of diarrhea. Students should be fever free for 24 hrs. without the use of fever reducing medications before returning to school.

Please report positive COVID cases to Cory Matheny at cory.matheny@austinisd.org with the answers to these questions:

- symptoms

- date symptoms started

- date of positive test

- vaccination status

- date student/staff/guest was last on campus

*Admin completes a form to submit to AISD Health Services

*AISD protocols do not allow us to notify families if a positive case is in their child's classroom or grade. We no longer send letters/campus counts.

*Admin notifies the custodial staff of the locations that require deep cleaning as soon as it is reported.

*We know there are still many unique scenarios, so for any questions, please reach out to Cory Matheny.

The policy is still 5 days at home from the date of the test. Test day = day 0, the next day is day 1, and so on. Students and staff may return on day 6.

Proper hand washing and hygiene are encouraged through out the day at school.

Masks are available at the front doors for anyone who would like one.

All are welcome to join the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Please see the PDF below for more details.

The District is mandated by the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) to provide written notification to all parents, teachers, and employee organizations regarding the availability of asbestos management plans for District facilities. This notification is required even if your facility does not have any asbestos-containing building materials.

The District is mandated by the Texas Structural Pest Control Act that requires chief administrators of schools, educational institutions, and daycare centers, to provide written notifications of the types of pesticides used and their scheduled application to parents or guardians of children attending the facility.

August

6 - Isabelle Martin

7 - Nicole Dean

12 - Jenny Bock

31 - Genna Reed

September

1 - Erin Thomas

8 - Zoey Franz

22 - Amanda Prickett

Check out our new and returning after-school enrichment programs at Kiker. Enrolling now!

https://kiker.austinschools.org/after-school-programs

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

The Austin ISD Student Success Guide (Student Code of Conduct) is now available on the Austin ISD District website for students, parents, and guardians to review. One important legislative update is that ALL e-cigarettes (THC and Tobacco) are prohibited. House Bill 114 requires a student to be placed in the District Alternative Education Program (DAEP) if the student possesses, uses, is under the influence, sells, gives, or delivers marijuana, THC, or an e-cigarette (new) while on campus, within 300 feet of school property, or at a school-related event. Under Austin ISD guidelines, this is a 20-day DAEP placement. Parents and guardians are strongly urged to talk to their students about this new policy and review the Student Success Guide to help keep our schools safe for students and staff. For resources to use when talking with your student about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes visit https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/.

Cory Matheny - Principal

Alma Chapa Moore - Assistant Principal

Kelly Zilem - 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