Mills Elementary School
January 29, 2024 - February 2, 2024
100th Day of School is Wednesday, Jan 31!
Prepare yourself, as the 100th day of school approaches on January 31! We encourage you to capture a picture of your Mountain Lion next to the 100th day of school yard sign before or after school! This yard sign will be placed near the bike racks (by the butterfly garden) at the front of the campus. We take great pride in celebrating the incredible learning journey our students have undertaken over these hundred days!
Here is a great family activity or dinner discussion on how to complete 100 acts of kindness in the community: https://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/100-acts-kindness-kids/
Interim Assessment Information for 3rd-5th Grade
Austin ISD students in 3rd - 5th grade will be taking STAAR interim assessments in February. Interim assessments provide teachers with valuable data in order to prepare students for the STAAR state assessments coming in April.
Mills 3rd-5th graders will take the Reading, Math, and Science interim assessments on Feb 6-8.
The students' regular school day will be largely unaffected. They will continue to attend PE, Essential Areas, lunch, and recess at their normal times. The campus will stay open for lunch visitors and volunteers during interim testing days.
Please reach out to your child's teacher or the Mills leadership team with questions about the STAAR Interim assessments.
Congratulations to Ms. Austin, Teacher of the Year for 2023-2024!
Every school year, teachers and staff make their selection for Teacher of the Year. We are so proud to name Ms. Sarah Austin as Mills Teacher of the Year for SY 23-24!
Ms. Austin will go on to represent Mills Elementary at the district Salute Awards in the spring. Please send your well wishes and kudos to Ms. Austin. We are lucky to have her!
School Fundraiser Coming
School Fundraiser: Love Your School
Our Mills Love Your School fundraiser is kicking off soon! Mark your calendar for February 12-23. Register beginning January 29th at Mybooster.com
We are partnering with Boosterthon and You Tube star Dude Perfect for this fundraiser. We will accept donations online or by check or cash in the office. Incentives will be based on individual and class funds raised.
Why invest in this school fundraiser? These funds are critical to help pay for our Maker Space & Spanish/Cultural studies teachers and lunchroom monitors, along with additional school enrichment and interventions for students and teachers. These positions and extras we enjoy at Mills are not funded by the district.
More information will be shared in the coming weeks! An optional parent information session will be held at 3:45pm on February 6th via Zoom. https://austinisd-org.zoom.us/j/83700104564
Bluebonnet Book Season is Here
Every year students in 3rd through 5th grades all across the state vote on their favorite Bluebonnet Book. Any student who has read 5 or more Bluebonnet Books may vote. The book that receives the most student votes will be named the 2023-2024 Bluebonnet Award winner.!
Mills 3rd-5th students are invited to read 10 books, write summaries for each book read, and turn the form in to Ms. Rasmussen by Feb. 2nd for the opportunity to attend the coveted and hugely popular Bluebonnet breakfast in the library!
Interested in learning more about Bluebonnet books? Visit the link here: https://secure.txla.org/secure/TBA/tbaBookList.asp
Interested in volunteering in the library? Contact Ms. Rasmussen at sarah.rasmussen@austinisd.org. Happy reading!
Dates to Remember
1/31- 100th Day of School
February Spring Parent Conference Month
2/2- Wear RED in honor of Heart Health
2/3- Mills Around the World, 1pm-4pm, Cafeteria
2/4- Dirt Club and Landscaping Work Day on Campus 1pm-4pm
2/6- STAAR Interim Reading Assessment for 3rd-5th
2/7- STAAR Interim Science Assessment for 5th
2/7- 2nd Grade Art Showcase, 3:30pm Cafeteria
2/8- STAAR Interim Math Assessment for 3rd-5th
2/9- Elementary Parent Conference Day, Student Holiday -NO SCHOOL-
2/12- School Fundraiser Kickoff
2/19- Student/Staff Holiday
2/21- PTA General Meeting 5:15pm, Cafeteria
2/23- Spring Picture Day
3/4- March CAC Meeting, via Zoom 3:30pm
3/6- 4th Grade NAEP Testing
3/11-3/15 Spring Break
Recognize a Mills Staff Member for a District Salute!
Salute is AISD’s annual celebration to recognize some of the district’s outstanding team members for their continued dedication to student excellence and achievement in our schools.
Nominations for the 2024 Salute Awards are now open! District staff, families, and the community are invited to submit a nomination for a campus staff member they believe represents the very best of AISD.
Submit using this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe3eA4CCLmYkIwPFJIiVdlcajPturq1izNOLHrHao1zvtsLEA/viewform or through the QR code below.
Thank you for taking the time to recognize Mills teachers and staff!
Mills Dirt Club Announcement
The Mills Dirt Club is comprised of Mills family members dedicated to campus landscaping and beautification efforts!
Our next work day is coming up on Sunday, February 4th from 1 - 4 pm. As we're at the end of oak trimming season, we'll concentrate on trimming up low hanging branches on playground and around the back of the school. The goal is to make it so people can safely walk under the trees without branches hitting them in the face.
Even if you don't have items like saws and ladders, we always need plenty of people to help us clean up the mess!
