Kiker Comments: March 21, 2023

March

1-31 GT Showcase Submissions

20 - 24 Career Week

20 - 24 - AISD Pride Week

20 - 31 Map Growth testing window for Reading and Math K-5

24 - International Night

31 - Cesar Chavez/Dolores Huerta Day - No School

April

3 - CAC Meeting, Library 3:30

3 - 14 - Window for Kindergarten Map Growth Fluency Screeners

5 - Early Learning Registration Day (for rising PreK4 and rising Kindergarten families)

7 - No School Day

14 - Field Day

15 - AISD Career Fair - Help Recruit Future Kiker Teachers and Staff

18 - STAAR Testing - Language Arts - 3rd, 4th, 5th

19 - STAAR Testing - Language Arts make up day

20 - PTA STEAM / Art Night

21 - Student Council Movie Night (not a drop off event)

25 - STAAR Testing - Science - 5th grade only

26 - STAAR Testing - Science - make up day

May

1 - CAC Meeting, Library 3:30

2 - STAAR Testing - Math - 3rd, 4th, 5th

3 - STAAR Testing - Math - make up day

23 - PTA Meeting and Principal Coffee Talk

24- Senior Walk afternoon time TBD

25 - Last Day for Students

In the event that your child will be missing school, please follow these steps:

1) Email both your child's teacher and Ms. Amy McGovern, our registrar. Amy.mcgovern@austinisd.org

2) Please include your child's first and last name

3) Please provide the reason for the absence so we can code it correctly in our attendance system.

We are so excited for our International Night this Friday! We do this event once every two years, and it is a special celebration of the diversity of cultures and traditions represented across the Kiker Community. Bring a dish from your own culture and join us in the cafegymatorium from 5:30-730pm for:

- Food (international food trucks + Potluck dishes representing various cultures).

- Booths with displays and information about a variety of countries represented on our campus.

- Performances and entertainment with talent ranging from Kiker students and parents to local performers, showcasing their cultures.

- A silent disco featuring a multicultural musical menagerie!

Admission to this event is free. Please be mindful of food allergies if you're bringing a potluck dish. We're looking forward to coming together to celebrate our multiculturalism!

https://sites.google.com/view/kiker-international-night/home?fbclid=IwAR0cczz7qWugNUbm8SUrphRc2v9th-GYG9KzJN3RqnfzEBlS1vlkQz4-4pE

Here’s the link for both ordering food and signing up to bring dishes. Signing up is encouraged but of course all last minute additions will be welcomed to the sampling potluck.

https://sites.google.com/view/kiker-international-night/food

Everything you want to know about International Night

Families from Kiker, Clayton, and Bear Creek ES have created a Circle C SpEd support group. There is a casual playdate/meetup this Sunday 3/26 at Wildflower Park from 10 - 12 PM to get to know each other and to kick off the project.

The 2023 GT Student Showcase Theme is "Find the Good" which comes from a Jesse Owens quote:

"Find the good. It's all around you. Find it, showcase it and you'll start believing in it."

Please share this information with your teachers and families to ensure GT and TE students have an opportunity to participate if they choose to do so. While we encourage the projects are completed at school a student may also submit a project they complete at home.

Note: We will only accept ONE link for each project submission. If students have multiple links, they need to find a way to organize/collect them into one link... for example they can create a Google Slide Deck or website and include all their links.

Austin ISD GT Student Showcase Website

AISD Student, Staff, and Family climate surveys will go live on Monday, March 20th. The survey window will remain open through Friday, April 14th. Surveys will be available online and can easily be accessed by computer, phone, and screen readers.

Survey note:

The questions have a range of 5 choices. Please be aware, the two 'positive' scores are joined together to create the 'positive' percentage. The middle as well as the three 'negative' scores are all joined together to create the 'negative' percentage. All neutral responses will count in the 'negative' score category for our campus.

ALL CURRENT STUDENTS RETURNING TO AISD FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR MUST COMPLETE ONLINE REGISTRATION.

PRE-K4 Registration will open in April. More information to come.

Please follow the link below to sign into your Parent Portal to complete this process.

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 contact Let’s Talk https://www.austinisd.org/letstalk and click on “Student Services: Enrollment, Records, & Transfers."

Families, community members, and staff are invited to attend the upcoming Power Hour learning opportunities hosted by the Austin ISD Special Education Department.

Dan St. Romain, a national education consultant with roots in special education support and development, will be presenting virtually on goal setting and positive behavior supports. These are two different sessions in February and March, which are repeated with lunchtime and evening virtual offerings. Interpretation services will be provided. Please share information with families and with staff.

Date: March 30, 2023

Time: 12-1 pm, 6-7 pm

Zoom link: Zoom Link

Topic and Flyer: Avoiding Power Struggles

• English / Spanish Flyers

RSVP Link: RSVP Link

To increase Pre-K and kindergarten enrollment and support families with registration, elementary campuses will host a districtwide Early Learning Day on April 5. Please save this date and share with your families and spread the word in the community.

On this day, families of rising PreK4 students and rising Kindergarteners will have the opportunity to:

• Take campus and classroom tours that highlight culture and student experience

• Complete online registration

• Complete the Pre-K screener

• Meet the principal and/or other administrative staff and teachers

Pre-K families please complete online registration now at https://www.austinisd.org/enroll and sign up for Pre-K updates.

High School Graduation Class of 2023 Scholarship

Do you know a graduating senior who attended Kiker? Please share this information with anyone you know who might be eligible.

Kiker Elementary PTA’s Dr. Lori Schneider Scholarship for High School Graduates honors one of Kiker's former principals who valued education and left a legacy of kindness, dignity and respect (KDR) during her 14-year tenure as principal of the school. The scholarship also celebrates high school graduates who are committed to education and who embody KDR.

Applicants must have attended Kiker Elementary School. Application window opens March 1, 2023. Please see link for more details.

https://kikerpta.membershiptoolkit.com/dr_schneider_scholarship

There is a $10 fee to help cover the cost of snacks and a Gorzycki tee shirt for your camper. You will see the link after you click “submit” on the online registration form.

CLICK HERE to register.

If the link doesn’t work, cut and paste this address: https://forms.gle/VFMwmP11jfG3oJbC8

Questions? Please contact Emily Mazac - Tiger Camp Coordinator, 6th grade ELA teacher

Emily.Mazac@austinisd.org 512-841-8681

(best way to contact me!)

For questions about these meetings, please email us at budget@austinisd.org or visit https://www.austinisd.org/budget for more information.

LASA High School is hosting their annual Dance Clinic for students Kinder-11th April 1 from 8:00am-1:30pm. The kids that join will get to perform their dance at the Spring Show, April 15 at 7pm.

Registration information: https://tinyurl.com/vdtclinic23

Pooja Mulgaonker

Andrea Norman

Anmarie Bochey

Amy McGovern

Megan Escalante

Edward Swan

Zoey Franz

Alondra Rocha

Carolyn McKaskle

Amanda Prickett

Raven Jeffrey

Paige Hariharan

Nicole Kruszona

March

3- Kristi Samon

4 - Tiffany Cortez Machado

9 - Alondra Rocha

15 - Pooja Mulgaonker

16- Rhonda Vasquez

17- Abby Shoppa

18 - Abbey Raymond

24 - Elizabeth Billman

25 - Joanna Hamme

29 - Cory Matheny

We have been working with various businesses and clubs to get new sessions for the spring. Check out the new and updated options.

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.

SIgn Up Genius Link

How To Video - This is the Training Video for Safety Patrol

Here is the Camp CREW flyer! And here is the link to register!

https://thechilddevelopmentcenter.org/summer-camps/

Cory Matheny - Principal

Alma Chapa Moore - Assistant Principal

Kelly Zilem - 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