Cunningham Messenger

January 5, 2022

What's Inside

New Year, New Look - Including Special Update regarding what we are doing to safely Re-open during this Covid Wave
Take Action: Add important spring dates to your calendar!
Around the Halls: Coming Soon!
Counselor's Corner: Anxiety and The New Year
Bookmarks

New Year, New Look!

Here's to 2022! We are excited to welcome our students back to school this week. As part of that effort, the newsletter will have a new look. Here’s what you can expect:

What’s Inside previews the newsletter content.

Take Action! provides info about essential activities that require family participation.

Around the Halls features rotating content about different areas of the school, including bulletin boards and classroom happenings.

Counselor’s Corner shares current lessons, tips, etc.

Bookmarks lists handy links to parent and student resources.

Cobra Connect includes the contact information for Cunningham.

We will also feature a monthly video, the Principal's Perspective, to give insight on student and staff accomplishments, upcoming events, and more!

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Special Re-opening Update

Now for the question on everyone's mind: What will school look like tomorrow as we re-open during this wave?

Masks are required on all AISD facilities - please help us keep our staff and students safe - wear your mask at all times on campus.

During Drop Off
During Pick Up

Please stay in your car during drop-off and pick-up - it helps keep everyone safe - from traffic and from spreading germs. Students should exit to the passenger's side of the car and our staff is here to help.
Return to one-way clockwise traffic in hallways during the day (clockwise with the staff lounge being 12 o’clock, 300 wing being 6 o’clock)
Classrooms have air purifiers in them
Recess will resume to zoned area rotations with classes not mixing

Zone A: Inside the Track
Zone B: Playground
Zone C: Under the BB court (when Coach Maines isn’t using it)
Zone D: Little Playground (when Pk3 & Pk4 aren’t using it)

All plexiglass dividers in the classrooms must be placed back-up - no exceptions
Assigned seating in cafeteria, with plexiglass dividers, and students sitting every other seat
Students will have the option to eat outside daily when weather appropriate - >65 degrees
52 kids can eat outside at any given time - with our lunchroom rotation, this is manageable for us. This allows for 4 students per table.
If a student doesn't want to or can't eat outside (allergies/temperature), indoor dining is still an option - including plexiglass and socially distant dining.

Remember - Cunningham is a Covid Testing Hub for Austin ISD Staff & Students. If you would like for your student to be tested, please fill out this form. The passcode is AISDTEST.

We hope you like our new format! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at heather.petruzzini@austinisd.org.

Happy New Year,

Heather Petruzzini

Take Action!

Save the dates*! More info for these events will be provided in the coming weeks.

No School:

January 17

February 21

March 14–18

April 1

April 14

May 28 – First day of summer!

Student Events

🎬January 20: Movie night! (6 to 8)

📚March 3: Academic showcase (5:30 to 7:30)

📝April 11–13: 5th-grade STAAR tests

🎈April 23: 45 Fest

📝May 17–18: 3rd- and 4th-grade STAAR tests

🏃‍♀️May 25: Field Day

🎓May 26: Kindergarten and 5th-grade promotion ceremonies

Parent Events:

January 27: 7:45 a.m. Principal's Coffee Chat, 3:30 Campus Advisory Council, 6:00 PTA General Meeting

February 17: 3:30 Campus Advisory Council, 6:00 PTA General Meeting

February 21: Parent-Teacher Conferences

March 3: 7:45 Principal's Coffee Chat, 5:30 to 7:30 Academic Showcase

March 31: 7:45 Principal's Coffee Chat, 3:30 Campus Advisory Council, 6:00 PTA General Meeting

April 28: 7:45 Principal's Coffee Chat, 3:30 Campus Advisory Council, 6:00 PTA General Meeting

Review the full AISD calendar as well.
*Dates subject to change.

Coming Soon! Around the Halls

Counselor's Corner

These next few weeks we will be talking about anxiety, worry and mindfulness. The start of 2022 may have you feeling a range of emotions. It may be hard to find the “Happy” in “Happy New Year.” Right now, instead, I invite you to think about creating moments of safety, acceptance and calm.

Remember that your child’s deepest need is to feel seen and heard. Listen to their worries without judgement and put aside the urge to “fix it”. After all, ALL feelings are valid. Share a time you felt uncomfortable emotions too. Remind them that together, you will get through this.

Wishing you a Gentle, Safe, and Stable New Year.

With peace, love, and gratitude,

Ms. O’Connor