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Pony Express
Week of November 27-December 3
In this Issue
- Principal's Update
- Happening This Week at O. Henry
- Mustang News
- School Tours- current and prospective families
- Counselor Corner-
- Athletic and PE News-7th Grade Boys Basketball Tryouts, 8th Grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
- Fine Art News-Art in Action
- Library News
- National Junior Honors Society
- PTA Updates- Randall's Good Neighboor Program, Thank You Notes
- Other Campus and AISD News: Absence Reporting, Bell Schedule, AISD Calendar, Transportation, AISD Health Services
Principal's Update
Principal's Update
11/26/23
Mustang Families,
Welcome back from Thanksgiving week break Mustangs. We hope that everyone had that chance to enjoy some rest and relaxation as well as quality time with family and friends.
As we fold into December this week, it will be a chance for our Mustang Students to finish the semester strong. Athletic and PE Students will be assessed with the FitnessGram during class. Starting this week in Math and next week in English, students will be taking the MAP Mid-Year assessments. This assessment, designed to be completed in one block period, will allow teachers to continue to design instruction to meet your student’s advancements and enrichments. It will also allow our students to see their academic growth so far this year. While it does not count as a grade, we do want our students to do their best so we can design interventions should your student need additional academic support during the spring semester. We expect teachers to be sharing reports with their students before the end of the semester.
If your students are taking a High School Credit course, teachers will be sharing with their students the final exam schedule and due dates for projects. We know our Mustang scholars will be managing their time to balance out studying, extracurricular activities, concerts, and time with friends and family. Final grades for this semester will be due on December 19th.
Teachers have tutorials each week should your student need additional time to finish an assessment or get extra help. You can find the tutorial schedule here and listed on the teacher’s Blend page.
We are excited to welcome Ms. Reagan Francis as our new Dyslexia Interventionist, Mr. Ethan Pappas as our new AVID teacher, and Ms. Oksana Vasko as our new SCORES TA.
Make it a great week to be an O. Henry Mustang!
☮❤️&🐴's,
Marlo Malott
Happening This Week Around Campus
Monday, November 27--C Day
7:00- Cheer Practice
11:40- AHS Palys
4:00 HW Club, Jazz Club
Tuesday, November 28 - C Day
- 7:00 6th Girls Wts. and Conditioning Club
- 8th Grade Book Club at A Lunch
- 4:00-- Mustang Council-Campus CAC Meeting in Library
- 4:00 PM - HW Club, Soccer Practice, Girls BB Practice
Wednesday, November 29 - A Day
- 7:00 7th grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
- 7th Grade Book Club at B Lunch
- 3:50- 8th grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
- 4:00-- HW Club, Workout Club, Boys Soccer
Thursday, November 30- B Day
- 7:00 7th grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
- 7:30 FCA Huddle
- 6th grade Book Club at C lunch
- 3:50- 8th grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
- 4:00 HW Club, DND Club, Boys Soccer
- 6:00/7:30 Girls Basketball vs Murchison. 7th@MMS, 8th@OHMS
- 7:00 7th grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
- No HW Club after school on Fridays
Saturday, December 4
No Saturday School this week
9:00 Boys Soccer vs. Parades @OHMS
Counseling Corner
Native Plants and Animals
NPA enjoying the nice weather in our outdoor classroom, goats, decorating the goat hotel and making some pesto with the basil from our garden!
Athletics News
7th Grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
7TH GRADE BOYS' BASKETBALL TRYOUTS
Early morning tryouts will be held: W(11/29); TH(11/30); F(12/1).
All sessions start @ 7am in the Big Gym.
Additional tryout sessions may be added for the week of 12/4 (TBD).
Interested players must:
have a CURRENT AISD physical (dated after April 15th, 2023).
complete all Rank One UIL Online Forms
attend all three sessions.
be dressed and on the court @ 7am.
dress in athletic wear (basketball shoes recommended).
bring school clothes, towel, and toiletries.
8th Grade Boys Basketball
8th Grade Boys Basketball
2023-24
Tryouts:
First Session:
Wednesday, November 29th - Friday, December 1st
3:50 - 5:00pm
First Cut made after Thursday, November 30th.
Second Session:
Wednesday, December 6th & Thursday, December 7th
3:50 - 5:00pm
Final Cut posted on Friday, December 8th.
Girls Basketball
Fine Arts News
Art in Action
Yearbook Pre-Orders Starting Now at Balfour.com!
O.Henry Middle School peeps! 🎉 Guess what? The 23-24 Yearbook is packed with all our crazy moments, and awesome memories. Grab yours now for just $35! But heads up, if you snooze and wait till after December 1st, it's gonna cost ya $40. So, why pay more later when you can snag it for less today? Let's make this year unforgettable! Don't miss out! Go to balfour.com and click the "Shop My School" tab or go directly to this O. Henry hyperlink to pre-order your copy.
Library News
National Junior Honors Society
Coats For Kids
NJHS Coat for Kids drive has begun.
Help our comunity and NJHS make a difference.
Our goal this year is 150 coats.
Please help and donate online or on campus a gently use coat, hoddie or jacket.
Just $20 = one coat, donate online @ Coats for Kids and note that it is for O.Henry MS.
https://members.jlaustin.org/?nd=donate_detail&donation_id=14492
Thank you for your support and giving.
ACES Classes to Support Central Texas Food Bank - Now until December 8th
It’s that time of year again, time to show our community that O.Henry students care! Student Council is challenging each ACES to raise $23 to donate to Central Texas Food Bank. Teachers are accepting donations, and families can donate online too. We raised nearly $800 last year, and we’d love to raise more in 2023. We will accept donations until December 8th. Thank you.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/amber-bass-patterson-1699275238835?checkoutMode=Headless
PTA Updates
*Randall's Good Neighbor Program gives 1% back to O.Henry!
As we enter the holidays, please take a moment to link your Randall's Rewards card to help earn money for O.Henry. It is as simple as emailing good.neighbor@randalls.com and requesting a link between your phone number to O.Henry Middle School #713. See attached flyer for more details - every trip to Randall's adds up!
PTA Thank yous!
We can't do it without you! Thank you to Heather Chesney, Marjann Cooper and Jennifer Pac for helping with our first Prospective Parent Tours of the year.
To Karen Harrell for organizing refreshments for the November PTA/Admin Coffee.
To Anne Henderson and Sara Trantham for providing Breakfast Bites for staff.
To Amber Reed for installing all of the Round Up Sponsorship signs on Exposition.
And last but not least to every Mustang parent who provided a dessert for the 7th Annual Sur-Pies!
Other Campus and AISD News
Weather Guidelines for PE and Athletics
Please plan on dressing for the ever changing Texas weather. We expect students to be prepared to be outside. We encourage sweatpants, hoodies, coats, beanies, etc whatever else is needed to feel comfortable.
Attendance and Absence Reporting
News In Review - Previously Published, Reposted For Your Reference
Regular Bell Schedule 2023-2024
AISD School Calendar
Transportation and Traffic
Car Riders: To keep traffic flowing, follow the arrows on the map below. Be patient, student safety is our most important priority. To keep our Mustangs safe, do not drop off in back bus lot. If pickup is altered due to bad weather, a Schoolmessenger alert will go out from the Principal.
Bus Riders: Bus riders may only ride their assigned bus. Use the Bus Finder page to check which route you are assigned. Buses leave promptly at 3:57 PM each day - information about late buses will be available in coming weeks. Buses drop off and pick up on the east side of campus. For additional questions about transportation see AISD's website here.
Walkers/Bike Riders: If walking or biking to school please be safe and use crosswalks to get across streets. Bike racks are available for student use.
AISD Health Services
O. Henry Middle School
Website: https://ohenry.austinschools.org/
Location: 2610 West 10th Street, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-414-3229
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohenryms
Twitter: @Ohenryms