Kiker Comments April 5, 2022
A Joint Newsletter from the Bernice Kiker Admin Team & PTA
In This Edition...
- Upcoming Events
- This Week's Top News: Gifts of Time, Pre-K and Kinder Registration, Book Fair
- Registration for 22-23 and optional Parent/Guardian Input
- Art Show
- Lifetouch Class Pictures
- Senior Walk
- PTA News - Art Night, Edumarkings, Pavers, Board Openings
- April Staff Birthdays
- AISD News: Budget Meetings, Student and Family Surveys
- Around the Community - LASA Kids Dance Clinic
- Summer Camps
- Repeated Information (from previous newsletters)
- Safety Patrol
- HSR Curriculum Information Night for the 22-23 School Year
- Culture Celebrations
- Covid Testing Hub Information
- Early Pick Up Reminders
- Gorzycki Information for Current 5th Graders
- Lunch Menu
- All the Links to Everything You Need
Upcoming Events
April
4-6 Virtual Fundraiser - Gifts of Time and Auction
4-8 -Kinder Map Growth Reading Fluency
6 - Early Learning Day - Registration Day and Tours for Rising Pre-K4 and Kindergarten Students
8 - Book Fair Set Up
11 - Book Fair Preview Day
12-14 - Book Fair
13 - Food Truck Night for the Book Fair 5-7 pm
15 - Student holiday - Staff Development
19 - Class Picture Day
20 - Information Session regarding Updates to AISD's Human Sexuality and Responsibility Curriculum
21- Art Night and PTA General Membership Meeting 5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
22- Student Council Sponsored Movie Night
26 - Taco Tuesday Bluesday - Spirit Day and Torchy's Night
May
6 - Kiker Family Dance 6:00 pm on the Blacktop
10 - 3-5 STAAR Math
11 - 3-5 STAAR Reading
12 - 5th STAAR Science and Make ups for 3rd/ 4th (Math/Reading tests)
13 - STAAR Make up day
17 - 2nd Grade Market Day
19 - Field Day
19 - Evening Kiker Keynotes Show
20 - 8:30 am Kiker Keynotes Show for Students
20 - 9:30 5th Grade End of Year Pool Party
24 - Taco Tuesday Bluesday - Spirit Day and Torchy's Night
27 - 5th Grade Commencement Ceremony
This Week's Top New
Gifts of Time, Pre-K and Kinder Registration, Book Fair
Gifts Of Time Auction
Pre-K and Kinder Early Learning Day 4/6
To increase Pre-K and kindergarten enrollment and support families with registration, elementary campuses will host a districtwide Early Learning Day on April 6. Please save this date and share it with your neighbors that may not receive the Kiker Comments.
On this day, families will have the opportunity to:
Take a campus tour that highlights culture and customer service
Complete the Pre-K Screener
Register for kindergarten
Meet the principal and/or other administrative staff and teachers
More information coming soon on times and tours.
Book Fair Flyer Coming Home Soon
Save The Date: April 11th - 14th. This spring's Kiker Book Fair has us partnering with BookPeople with a Keep Kiker Reading theme. We are so excited to support a favorite local bookstore with fresh book options and experiences, and Kiker will be receiving 20% of all sales at the fair! Parents can join their students after school M/T/W/Th, with a special Food Truck Night with book fair shopping and eats provided by P. Terry's and Jim Jim's Italian Ices on Wednesday, April 13th from 5-7pm. Interested in coming to Food Truck Night? Help us let P Terry's know an idea of how many meals to prepare and reserve your dinners here, or please join us last minute, too!
Want to volunteer at the fair? We are in need of book fair cashier volunteers for a fun and easy shopping experience - sign up here!
Thank you so much for supporting the Kiker Library. 🙂
Spring has Sprung! Let’s get that Registration Done!
Our goal is to have 80% or more of our families registered by April 29. We need your help!
ALL returning families, current grades PK through 5th grade, should register their students for the 2022-2023 school year by logging in to their AISD Portal account under the student registration icon. The online registration system is available only through the AISD Portal at portal.austinisd.org. Please update any information that has changed.
If you will not be returning to Bernice Kiker Elementary in 2022-2023 please contact Amy McGovern at amy.mcgovern@austinisd.org.
Please complete your registration as soon as possible as we will begin class placement soon.
Announcements
Attendance Notes
2022-2023 Optional Parent/Guardian Input Form
It is time to begin the lengthy process of placing each student into classes for the 2022-23 school year. Balancing classes for 775+ students is a huge task that is not taken lightly. We strive to create the greatest mix of students for each classroom based on many factors, including, but not limited to the following: academic needs, social and emotional skills, required special services, and diversity. While parent input is a valued piece of the puzzle, creating balanced classes also requires input from teachers, administrators, and counselors.
If you would like to provide information to be considered during the placement process, please complete the following form by April 22. The Googleform will no longer accept responses at 4:00 on 4/22.
If you choose to complete the form, please note the following:
- Completion of the form is optional—it is NOT required.
- Please do not request a specific teacher. Information should focus on your child and not on a specific teacher.
- These forms are valid for one year. Similar forms completed previously are not part of this year’s process.
- We respectfully request that you refrain from requesting placement with friends. Each child’s individual needs will be considered.
- Children are not placed with teachers based the teacher selected for an older sibling. Each child is unique and must be placed accordingly.
- Please do not ask any staff member to recommend a teacher or to arrange placement with a teacher.
- This form does not replace the registration process. You will still need to register your student. We cannot place children unless they are registered. If you have questions regarding this, please contact the Amy McGovern at 512-414-2584.
- Final placement will not be complete and classroom assignments will not go home until a few days prior to the start of classes due to students enrolling and withdrawing throughout the summer.
As always, let us know if you have any questions/concerns.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!
Art Show
The Kiker Art Department is excited to announce that a school-wide student art show is coming soon! The art show will be available for the public to view during PTA's Art Night event on April 21 from 5:45 - 7:45 pm. Please join the fun and enjoy the student artwork!
PTA News
Art Night
The Edumarkings are in!
Executive Board for 22-23
Brick Paver Sale
April Birthdays
April
8 - Eileen Vasquez
9 - Kelly Meyer
15 - Georgea Siow
27 - Cynthia Gilliland
28 - Barbara Schaefer
AISD News
AISD Surveys for Students and Families
For family surveys, a single link has been created for all families: surveys.panoramaed.com/austinisd/family
Survey Administration Timeline:
Staff & Family Survey Window - March 21- April 8
Student Survey Window - March 21 - April 8
Around The Community LASA Dance Camp
Summer Camp Information
Registration is Open for Summer Camps
After School Childcare for the 22-23 School Year
Register Here for Voyager for Fall 2022
Repeated Information
Safety Patrol for 4th and 5th Graders
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.
How To Video - This is the Training Video for Safety Patrol
How do you celebrate in your home?
Is there a special event for your culture coming up in the next month or two? Would you be willing to share how your family celebrates?
Please reach out to Cory Matheny if your family would be interested in putting together a 1-3 minute video to talk about any of these events (or others that we may have accidentally missed- list source: Nationaltoday.com) coming up in April or May:
Ramadan
Passover
Easter
Earth Day
Eid
Cinco de Mayo
Memorial Day
Free Covid Testing for Staff and Students - 8:00-2:00 Daily With Completed Consent
Kiker is a testing hub on site in Portable 6B daily. (FYI - there is no classroom on the 6A side of the portable.). The direct line is 512-841-7857, appointments are not accepted. This is a first come, first served process or, until they run out of tests for the day.
Why it matters: Research shows that the more people get tested, the safer everyone is from the spread of COVID-19. You’ll be able to access rapid antigen or PCR tests (when available) at 11 sites across Austin.
- Students and staff can get a test at will for any reason, whether you’ve been exposed or are just looking for peace of mind.
- Sites include: Travis, Northeast Akins, Norman-Sims, Pillow, Kiker, Eastside, Cunningham, Navarro, Blazier, McCallum .
- Testing will run 8 a.m. -2 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Early Pick Up Reminders
Thank you.
5th Graders Heading to GMS Next Year
Register with this link
Printable Lunch Menu - April
A Message From the Cafeteria
Bernice Kiker Elementary Administration Team
Alma Chapa Moore - Assistant Principal
Kelly Meyer - 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