Eagle Update: February 10, 2023

Hello BHE Families,

And we're back to a full week of school! It's been great having students here and being back to our normal routines, and we finally got to celebrate the 100th Day of School and Be Kind Day!

We are excited to share with our community that Ms. Elert, our Art Teacher, had her baby this week, and they are doing great. Please welcome Ms. O'Grady, our long-term substitute for Ms. Elert.

Friday, February 17th is our second Early Release Day. This means the student school day ends at 1:30. Please look at the important details below. And in more calendar news, the AISD School Board changed the 23-24 School Year Calendar to add an Elementary Parent Teacher Conference Day each semester. I've included information and a link to the latest 23-24 school year calendar. Additionally, I've included information about how to apply to be on the future AISD Calendar Task Force.

Please check the calendar sections and Latest News for updates about our school. Thank you, as always, for your support and being a part of this community.

• What time does school start? We start at our regular time of 7:40.
• Will breakfast be available? Yes, breakfast will be available as usual.
• When does school release? The end of the day is 1:30. We will release Kinder a little earlier at 1:20.
• Where do I pick up my student? Pickup will be at the usual locations.
• What about Extend -A-Care and Earth Kids? EAC and Earth Kids will both start their programs at the earlier dismissal times and be open through their usual hours.
• What about lunch? All students will have a lunch time. Students may bring their lunch or buy from the cafeteria like any other day.
• What time should I pick up my student? No later than 1:35. Staff has a meeting starting at 1:45.
• What if I need to have someone else pick up my student or have made arrangements that are different than normal? If your child is going home with someone who they don’t usually go home with, or in a different way like walking instead of being picked up, please let their teacher know.

Join us Friday, February 24th at 6PM for a movie night in the BHE cafeteria.

We will be showing the Mitchells versus the Machines (PG)

Bring a pillow or blanket to cuddle up with all your friends. Chair seating will be limited

Tickets on sale for $5.00 via School Cash Online (linked here

Popcorn, drinks, and snacks will also be sold at the event. No outside food or drink.

All children must be accompanied by an adult, and everyone needs a ticket.

Get your tickets soon because we will sell out.

All proceeds go to defray the costs of our trip to the Outdoor School at Camp Champions!

We so appreciate your support.

Austin Ed Fund, AISD’s nonprofit education foundation, is participating in Amplify Austin Day on March 1-2. Early giving starts today.

The following changes have been approved by the Board of Trustees.

• Changed the Elementary Parent Conference Day / Secondary Professional Development Day / Student Holiday on Monday, September 25, 2023, in recognition of Yom Kippur

• Add a Staff Development / Student Holiday to Monday, November 13, 2023, in recognition of Diwali (Nov 12).

• Add an Elementary Parent Conference Evening to a single Elementary Parent Conference Day / Secondary Professional Development Day / Student Holiday on Friday, February 9, 2024

• Add a Staff Development / Student Holiday to Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in recognition of Eid al-Fitr.

These calendars maintain the necessary number of instructional minutes for students, and the number of required duty days (180) for teachers. The calendar would provide 84 instructional days in Fall, and 89 instructional days in Spring, for a total of 173 instructional days. The calendar adds one additional professional development day prior to previous years.

In August 2023, the District will convene a community task force to review feedback on previous calendars and discuss and propose calendars for future years starting with 2024-2025. The task force would also be asked to consider how to incorporate and recognize holidays important to students, staff, and the community. All interested parties need to apply using the Standard Membership Application, please mark AdHoc - Calendar Task Force.

Due to the weather last week, the GT Information Session was rescheduled.

Austin ISD Virtual Gifted & Talented Information Sessions

When: Thursday, February 16, 2023 from 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Friday, February 17, 2023 from 12:00-1:00 p.m.

Where: Virtual Zoom sessions

Click here to sign in or use the meeting ID below

Meeting ID: 844 0137 1474

What: The session will include information about:

• GT Services (grades K-12)
• Javits GT Grant - Austin ISD NAVIGATES
• Student and Family Resources
• Campus and District Contacts
• Virtual GT Student Showcase

Join Austin ISD in celebrating Black History Month throughout February! Every year, to honor our Black students, staff and families Austin ISD celebrates Black History Month, a time to highlight the district's commitment to creating a safe, supportive and inclusive environment. Here are two upcoming community experience opportunities:

• FREE screening of The Anderson Yellow Jackets documentary with Alumni Panel Discussion

• February 4, 2023 | 1:15 - 3:15 p.m.

• Location: Austin Film Society Cinemas, 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd., Austin, TX 78752

• Space is limited. Please reserve your ticket.

• African-American Heritage Celebration at the Austin ISD Performing Arts Center

• February 24, 2023 | 6:30 p.m.

• Location: Austin ISD Performing Arts Center, 1500 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin, TX 78723

• Featuring student performances and student hosts from Travis Early College High School

Because of technical issues that directly affect Austin ISD’s online registration and transfer systems, all district registration processes for the 2023-24 school year are being pushed back one week. Those new dates are:

• Priority transfer window: January 16–February 7.

• General transfer window opens February 8.

Families enrolling in the current school year will not have to complete paper registration packets. In addition, out of district families will be able to register online.

Here are the important links for these two activities:

1. Enrollment landing page: https://www.austinisd.org/enroll

2. Important dates and deadlines: https://www.austinisd.org/transfer/dates-deadlines

3. For questions, please use the districts Let’s Talk https://www.austinisd.org/letstalk and click on “Student Services: Enrollment, Records, & Transfers”

As we prepare for the FY2024 Budget year, please join us in conversations about Austin ISD’s 2023-24 budget. There will be several occurrences between January and May to attend. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the district's priorities, plans for staffing and programming, and how you can get involved in the budgeting process with your campus.

An updated calendar is available at https://www.austinisd.org/budget

February 15 - 16 Parent Teacher Conference Week and Evenings

February 17 - 1:30 Early Release Day

February 20 - Student and Staff holiday - Bad Weather Make-Up day (to be confirmed)

February 24 - 6;00 PM Fifth Grade Movie Night Fundraiser
March 3 - Book Character Day

March 4 - GreenWorks and "It's My Parks Day" Work Day

March 13 - 17 - Spring Break

March 31- Student/Staff Holiday

April 11 - Spring Individual and Class Picture Day

As we head into the new semester of school, a few reminders about traffic and safety. It takes all of us to make arrival and dismissal a safe experience for our students. When you have 350 students arriving and leaving at the same time, it's always a good idea to pack your patience or leave earlier if time is a concern.

• The front circle drive is the place for drive-through drop off and pick up. If you need to get out with your child for any reason, please park in the neighborhood and walk up. Please do not use the front parking lot or the back parking lot.
• Do not use the right turn lane on Barton Hills Drive to drop off or pick up students. Parents have been dropping off students in the right turn lane to avoid waiting in line for the circle drive and then either pulling a U-Turn or pulling back out into the driving lane, causing several near-miss accidents. No one wants to start their morning or end their day with that!
• Crosswalks are to be used to cross the street for students and parents.
• When driving, please follow all stop signs and signals from our crossing guards.
• School Zones are hands free zones!
• School grounds are also dog -free zones - at drop off, pick up and during school events.

Together we can ensure our students start and end their day safely! Thank you!

We know parents are excited to support our school through volunteer opportunities - and we're excited to have you! ALL school volunteer opportunities will start with the classroom teacher or sponsoring staff member. For example, volunteer opportunities for the Library will be coordinated through Ms. Ewing; classroom gardening, field trips chaperones, classroom guest readers will be coordinated through the classroom teacher. Once teachers are ready for volunteers the following will happen:

1. We will set up the volunteer opportunity on the APIE website.
2. Teachers/Event Sponsor will email parents the name of the volunteer opportunity and directions for completing the background checks.
3. Mrs Ewing will let you know when the background check is complete
4. You will bring your driver's license to Kathy Carr in the office for verification
5. Once verification is complete, Mrs. Ewing will let you and the classroom teacher know you are cleared to volunteer.

If you have questions about the volunteer opportunities please contact your child's teacher.

If your child needs to leave early for an appointment, please notify your child's teacher and the front office. When you arrive at the school, you can come to the front door or call from your car and then we will call for your student. We will not call for students until you are here. With our new schedules (and a new phone number system) please leave PLENTY of time (at least 10 minutes) from the time you call us to the time your child is ready to leave. If you have an appointment right after school, it is best to pick up your student no later than 2:45 to avoid the dismissal crunch. **If you have not had your driver's license scanned into our Raptor System in the last year, we will ask you to bring in your driver's license to the office***

Masks:

With the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, students, staff and visitors are not required to wear face masks when on school properties, unless they have tested positive for COVID-19. Note: Per CDC guidance, individuals with a positive COVID-19 result will be required to wear a mask for five days after returning from quarantine/isolation.

• Masks are not required, but are encouraged at any time of the school day or in any school space.
• Masks are optional at all times.Face masks will continue to be provided for any student, staff, or visitor upon request.

• All students, staff, and visitors will be allowed to make their own choice.
  

Close Contact and Contact Tracing

• Campus administrators will notify all families of positive cases on the campus using a standard notification letter. Individual classroom letters will not be sent home.

• With masking now being optional, all students and staff at the campus may be considered close contacts when there is a positive case identified.

• Campus Administrators will not be required to track close contacts.

• Any asymptomatic individual (except those who have tested positive) may remain at school as long as they are asymptomatic.

Testing Availability

• Testing sites are located at specified district sites and can be found on the COVID-19 district webpage.

• All sites will accept insurance, medicaid, and self-pay.

• Site will be updated whenever vaccines are available.

Temperature Guidelines

• Temperature guidelines have been established in order to provide a safe and healthy environment for students participating in outdoor activities at Austin ISD.

• The listed temperatures, heat indexes, and wind-chill factors are designated figures for terminating and/or modifying outdoor activities including: Athletics, Fine Arts, PE, and recess.

• AISD_Temperature Weather Guidelines_2022-2023
  

Our PTA is the best! Please check out the link for the latest PTA Newsletter below and sign up to receive them directly:

http://bheeagles.com/eagle-news/

Website: https://bartonhills.austinschools.org/
Location: 2108 Barton Hills Drive, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-414-2013
Facebook: facebook.com/BartonhillsPTA
Twitter: @bheeagles