
Eagle Update: March 22, 2024
Barton Hills Elementary
Hello BHE Families:
Happy Friday. I hope everyone had a lovely Spring Break and had a great return to school. We had a busy week with a Mad Science presentation on Tuesday and our Pride Week activities. We were sorry that the Ninja course was canceled for today - the company canceled, we did not! As a reminder, Friday, March 29th is a student and staff holiday.
This week I want to highlight our amazing PTA Executive Board and Committee Chairs. The volunteers who serve in these positions do so much for our school like organizing fun events, ensuring all students receive a t-shirt, creating the school yearbook, organizing an amazing Carnival, providing staff luncheons and more! Spring is when we start organizing our Executive Board and Committee Chairs for the next year. We have several key positions that need to be filled and need your help! Please email pta@bheeagles.com to get connected! AND while we're on PTA, the Spring Fling is coming soon! Friday, April 12th is the Spring Fling and Silent Auction. PTA will send additional information about purchasing tickets and bidding on some fabulous items.
Here are the highlights of this week's newsletter:
- We are participating in the Schoolwide Plastic Bag Recycling Challenge. Collect all those plastic bags and bring them to BHE ..we want to win! Share with friends and neighbors too!
- The AISD Parent Climate Survey is open - please see the information and link below to complete the parent survey
- Early Learning Day (Incoming Kinder Orientation) is Wednesday, April 3rd - please share the flyer with anyone you know with an incoming (24-25 school year) Kindergartener
- Eclipse Day is April 8th - please see specific information below
- Our P2 focus will be Fairness: You approach situations with an unbiased mindset and treat everyone with respect.
Thank you, as always, for being a part of our Barton Hills Community!
Kati Achtermann
Our Goal Mosaic Progress
March 29 - Student and Staff Holiday (Good Friday/ Cesar Chavez & Dolores Huerta Day)
April 3 - Early Learning Day (Kindergarten Orientation)
April 8 - Solar Eclipse Day (we have plans :)
April 9 - Spring Individual and Class Picture Day - there are no make-ups for these pictures
April 10 - Eid al-Fitr and Student Holiday/ Staff Professional Development Day
April 11 -
- Showcase Night (more info to come, but plan on a 5:00 - 6:00ish window of time)
- 3:30 CAC meeting in Library
April 12 - PTA Spring Fling
April 16 - STAAR ELAR Grades 3 - 5
April 17 - STAAR Make-Up Day ELAR Grades 3 - 5
April 18 - STAAR Science Grade 5 only
April 19 - STAAR Science Make Up Day Grade 5 Only
April 24 - STAAR Math Grades 3 - 5
April 25 - STAAR Math Make Up Day Grades 3 - 5
April 26 - Field Day!
Coach's Corner
Notes from Coach Mueller
PE ‘s Focus for Next Week:
Monday: Marathon Kids, Focus Marathon Kids, Track Day (Weather Permitting, may move throughout week).
TUESDAY- Volley. . . Finishing Volley skills, Setting/Passing skills, Underhand/Underhand Serve, Practice games, and activities related. Introduction to Fitness Gram Testing (3rd-5th Grade Only).
Wednesday- Volley. . . Finishing Volley skills, Setting/Passing skills, Underhand/Underhand Serve, Practice games, and activities related.
Thursday- Fun Thursday, K-5th Grades Student Lead activities and games inside and outside. (Weather Permitting, may move throughout week)
Friday- NO SCHOOL
Quick note/reminders:
- Thank you for all of your support and understanding during my time away. I am glad to be back ready to tackle the rest of the year.
- Field Day is scheduled to be on Friday April 26th. Most of the activities and events will be just as exciting and fun as last year. We are looking for some parent volunteers to help supervise stations, if your available. There will be two different blocks for students. K-2 the first half of the day, and 3rd-5th the second half. So if you are only available for one, any help is appreciated. Next week please be on the lookout for a google form link (in this message) to sign up if you are interested in volunteering. Bring on the fun.
- With spring weather/temperatures now in the forecast, students are encouraged to dress accordingly for outside temperatures. Jackets/sweaters are encouraged to be worn. Students need to remember to take them after PE is over.
- If your student has a Doctors/parents note that requires them not to participate in PE. Please email to their classroom teacher, myself (philip.mueller.@austinisd.org) and cindy.reyes@austinisd.org (front office).
Plastic Bag Recycling Challenge
AISD Parent Survey
Dear Families,
Our district values your feedback! We are currently surveying Austin ISD families in order to gain insight into your perception of our school and district effectiveness. To ensure we continue to provide high-quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet the needs of our learners and prepare them for college and career, we need your feedback. We want to know what you think.
To administer these surveys, we have partnered with Panorama Education to conduct our 2022 Family Survey. Panorama safeguards your privacy, keeping your responses confidential. The survey shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to complete and will be a valuable source of information for us as we work to make our schools and district as good as they can be.
You may complete the survey online between March 21, 2022 and April 8, 2022 using a computer, tablet, or smartphone by visiting the website
surveys.panoramaed.com/austinisd/family
We thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact us
Early Learning Day (Incoming Kindergarten Orientation)
April 8th Solar Eclipse Information
*** PTA will have a limited supply of glasses available for visitors
Positivity Project
This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Fairness. Fairness means you believe that all people have value. You approach situations with an unbiased mindset and treat everyone with respect.
Fairness is the product of moral judgement — the process by which people determine what is morally right and what is morally wrong. Moral reasoning has been explored and analyzed in two main traditions: the justice reasoning approach and the care reasoning approach.
For individuals, cultivating the character strength of fairness is correlated with highly desirable developmental outcomes. It helps people to become trustworthy friends, responsible citizens, and generally moral people.
To practice and encourage the character strength of fairness with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2) where together you will watch a video, read a quote and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
Cell Phone and Communication Devices at School
Many of our students have cell phones and smart watches at school. District policy allows our students to have these devices at school for safety reasons but all devices should be turned off during the school day so as not to be a distraction during learning. Please see the district policy on cell phones and electronic devices linked in our student success guide for more information.
New COVID-19 Guidelines
On Friday, March 1, 2024, the CDC updated their COVID-19 recommended guidelines for isolation to align with their overarching Respiratory Virus Guidance. Excerpt below:
Prior Guidance: The previous COVID-19 guidance recommended a minimum isolation period of 5 days plus a period of post-isolation precautions and was created during the public health emergency.
Updated Guidance: The updated Respiratory Virus Guidance recommends that people stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both their symptoms are getting better overall, and they have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).
In light of this update, Austin ISD will be changing the district policy for staff and students to align with the updated CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance. As such, effective Monday, March 18, 2024, AISD Health Services and Nursing will recommend (but not require) students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 to be out for 24 hours after the date of test positivity. Masking upon return to school will remain optional, but recommended for 5 days if symptomatic.
Nick Akery Scholarship for Graduating HS Seniors
We are calling all BHE alums who are graduating this spring!
Did you attend Barton Hills Elementary? Apply for the Nick Akery Scholarships - two scholarships of $1,000 and $500 in honor of a much-beloved former BHE Principal.
Qualifications to apply: - 3.0 GPA or higher - Attended BHE for at least two years - Plan to pursue higher education next year Applications are due by Friday, April 12, 2024. Please share if you know a BHE alum who is graduating this year!
Visit this link for application instructions:
2024 Barton Hills Elementary - Nick Akery Scholarship Application
AISD Calendar
AISD Student Success Guide
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/.
School Safety
Maintaining a safe and positive learning environment for our students is our top priority. This means that we'll continue with some of the practices we put in place last year. It is important to us that our safety protocols are in place AND that our students, families, and staff continue to feel a positive and welcoming environment each day.
Arrival:
- We will continue to have a secure morning arrival with families/caregivers saying goodbye before students enter the building. Parents/Caregivers may walk students to the front walkway during car drop off/walking drop off. Staff members will be outside and inside ready to greet, welcome, and support our students as they enter the building at 7:30. Parents will not be allowed to walk students to the classrooms and portables.
- The front doors will open for breakfast at 7:15 am. At 7:30 am, all students will enter the building.
- The first week our Kinder students will meet their teachers in the cafeteria before going to class. The teachers will be there to meet them and then walk together to the classroom.
- IMPORTANT: There is NO parking in the drive in front of the school between 7:00 - 8:00 am. This lane is reserved for drop off only. If you'd like to walk your child to the front door, please park in the neighborhood and walk to school together. Thank you!
- If you need to bring something to your child after they have entered the building, please leave it on the labeled cart outside the front doors with a clearly marked label. Please call the front office to let us know you are leaving an item (lunch, water bottle, device, etc.) and we will get it to your child.
Exterior Doors:
- All exterior doors will remain locked at all times during the school day. Portable classroom doors will also remain fully locked all day.
- Staff will check each exterior door weekly to ensure they close and lock as intended.
Dismissal:
All kindergarten students will be dismissed with their homeroom teacher at 3:05pm.
1st- 5th grade car riders, walkers, and bikers will be dismissed from specific outdoor locations with their homeroom teacher at 3:10pm.
Older siblings may join younger siblings at the younger sibling location.
Extend-A-Care/YMCA After School Care students will go to the cafeteria.
*See map below for dismissal locations by grade level.
Students must leave by 3:20 at the latest.
Please see map below and note that areas in RED are NO Parking Zones - even for drop off and pick up.
Visitors:
- Visitors are welcome at Barton Hills for the purposes of student support. This may include scheduled parent teacher conferences and meetings, registration, pre-arranged volunteer opportunities, and other scheduled events.
- Lunch Visitors: You may come have lunch with your child. You must sign in at the office prior to going to the cafeteria. Please note that if you plan to have lunch with your students, you will need to plan to eat outside or at a separate designated table. Provide lunch only for your child. Do not arrange to purchase lunch for a group of students and then have your child pass it out. You may only have lunch with your own child - please do not invite other students to join you. *No lunch visitors for the first two weeks of school so we can work on routines and expectations.
- The main front doors are the only entry doors to the campus for visitors. The door buzzer/office communicator is on the right side wall by the front doors. Please push the button to communicate with the office and, once verified, we will buzz you in to the building.
- All visitors MUST sign in at the front office upon arrival AND sign out at the front office when leaving. Please remember to bring your photo ID with you when visiting campus. We will be using the RAPTOR system to scan licenses and print out Visitor tags.
- IMPORTANT: Families, please do not ask a staff member to hold a side or back door open for you to enter the building. All students, parents, and visitors must enter through the front entry doors. Thank you!
Staff Training, Campus Drills, and Threat Assessment
- Our staff will be trained on safety prior to students entering the building.
- We will review safety plans and practices throughout the year.
- We will continue to hold all required safety drills with our students. Most of the drills will be announced drills so our students aren't surprised or alarmed by them.
- Barton Hills has an established threat assessment team comprised of administration, counseling and teaching staff. All members of the team have received Threat Assessment training from Texas State. Licensed Mental Health Providers and School Resource Officers are on call to assist when needed.
Phew! I know that's a lot to digest, but wanted everyone to know we're prepared for a strong, safe, and productive year.
About Us
Website: bartonhills.austinschools.org/schoool
Location: 2108 Barton Hills Drive, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-414-2013