Dolphin Splash

Dear Davis Families,

It's hard to believe we're already two weeks in to the 2023-2024 school year. It has been such a joy to have the presence and energy of all our Davis Dolphins and see them settling well in to the newness this school year brings.

In these initial weeks, teachers have spent a great deal of time getting to know their students, building classroom community, and establishing classroom expectations, routines and procedures. Our students have done a fantastic job with all of this. With such a great start to the year, I am confident that the weeks and months ahead will be filled with high levels of learning and memorable school experiences for all of our students.

In every Dolphin Splash newsletter this year, you'll see information about Davis happenings, activities for the week ahead, and important dates to know about in the upcoming weeks. There will also be important information from AISD for you to know about. This week, the newsletter is particularly long, with several AISD notifications included, so please make sure to read through to the end.

I'm looking forward to seeing you all on Thursday, 8/31, at Back to School Night. Thank you for sharing your children with us and thank you for being a part of Davis!

Warm regards,

Jenny Daniels Principal, Davis Elementary

jennifer.daniels@austinisd.org

512-414-2580, ext 55182

• Davis Details: Back to School Night, Davis Campus Advisory Council (CAC), Davis Family Handbook
• Looking Ahead: August 28-September 1
• Upcoming Dates to Remember
• Davis in Pictures: Morning Meeting
• AISD News: 2023-2024 Student Success Guide, School Breakfast and Lunch, School Safety and Security, Asbestos Management Plan Notification, Pest Control Notification, Raising Critical Thinkers Watch Party

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT: Please join us for Back to School Night for PreK–5th grades on Thursday, August 31st, 5:30–7:00pm, to learn more about what to expect this year at Davis. You’ll visit your child's classroom for a classroom information session with the teacher and will also have the opportunity to participate in sessions of your choice to learn more about Davis topics that interest you.This event is specifically for parents/guardians, so please make child care arrangements if possible.

Classroom Information Sessions: NEW this year, classroom teachers will offer two 30-minute information sessions (each exactly the same) to better accommodate schedules and families with multiple students. These information sessions will be offered at the following times:

• PK: 5:30–6:00pm & 6:00–6:30pm
• K: 6:00–6:30pm & 6:30–7:00pm
• 1st: 5:30–6:00pm & 6:00–6:30pm
• 2nd: 6:00–6:30pm & 6:30–7:00pm
• 3rd: 5:30–6:00pm & 6:00–6:30pm
• 4th: 6:00–6:30pm & 6:30–7:00pm
• 5th: 5:30–6:00pm & 6:00–6:30pm
• ECSE/Functional Life Skills: 5:30–6:00pm & 6:00–6:30pm

Choice Sessions: NEW this year, choice sessions will be offered so that parents/guardians have the flexibility to learn more about topics that are of interest to them. Each of the sessions below will last 20 minutes and will be offered at 5:30pm, 6:00pm and 6:30pm. The choice session topics are:

• The Davis Way: Our School Culture (hosted by Jenny Daniels, Principal)
• Davis Counseling Program & Coping Strategies for Children (hosted by Paige Crain, Counselor)
• Grade Level Assessments (PK–5th): From MAP Growth to STAAR (hosted by Katy Escandell, Assistant Principal)
• Davis Safety & Security (hosted by Kareen McCarter, Assistant Principal)
• Davis Library: Info & Updates (hosted by Lauren Meyer, Librarian)

DAVIS CAMPUS ADVISORY COUNCIL (CAC): Campus Advisory Council (CAC) membership is a great way to get involved at Davis, learn about our campus goals and priorities, and provide input as we make decisions that impact our campus. CAC membership is open to anyone and we currently need more parents/guardians and community members to join the Davis CAC. Meetings are held monthly, typically on the first Thursday of the month, 3:30-4:30pm. See below for more information about CAC.

Interested in joining Davis CAC? Use this link to submit your contact information and join us on Thursday, September 7, for our first CAC meeting of the year. See below for more CAC information from AISD.

MONDAY

• CLI Assessment window opens (PK)

TUESDAY

• MAP Growth Assessments: Reading & Math (K-5th)
• 7:45-8:15am: PTA Room Parent Meeting, Davis STEM Lab
• 6-7pm: AISD Watch Party: Raising Critical Thinkers (Zoom, see info below)

WEDNESDAY

• MAP Growth Assessments: Reading & Math (K-5th)
  
• 12-1pm: AISD Watch Party: Raising Critical Thinkers (Zoom, see info below)

THURSDAY

• MAP Growth Assessments: Reading & Math (K-5th)
  
• 5:30-7:00pm: Back to School Night

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

September 4-8

9/4: Labor Day, Student & staff holiday

9/5, 3:30-4:30pm: Leadership Team Meeting

9/7, 3:30-4:30pm: CAC Meeting, Library

September 11-15

9/13: Number Sense Screener opens (1st, 2nd)

9/15, 9am-12pm: Keep Austin Beautiful classroom visits (3rd)

September 18-22

9/21: Dine with Davis @ Taco Flats

9/22: CLI Assessment Closes (PK)

9/22: TX-KEA Assessment Opens (K)

9/22, 9am-12pm: Keep Austin Beautiful Classroom Visits (3rd)

This week, we've got some Morning Meeting pictures to share. Every class at Davis starts the day with Morning Meeting to build community within the classroom.

2023-2024 STUDENT SUCCESS GUIDE: The Austin ISD Student Success Guide (Student Code of Conduct) is now available on the Austin ISD District website for students, parents, and guardians to review. One important legislative update is that ALL e-cigarettes (THC and Tobacco) are prohibited. House Bill 114 requires a student to be placed in the District Alternative Education Program (DAEP) if the student possesses, uses, is under the influence, sells, gives, or delivers marijuana, THC, or an e-cigarette (new) while on campus, within 300 feet of school property, or at a school-related event. Under Austin ISD guidelines, this is a 20-day DAEP placement. Parents and guardians are strongly urged to talk to their students about this new policy and review the Student Success Guide to help keep our schools safe for students and staff. For resources to use when talking with your student about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes visit https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/.

SCHOOL BREAKFAST & LUNCH: Free Breakfast for Students Receiving Reduced-Price Meals: New for the 2023-24 school year, students determined currently eligible for reduced-price meals will receive breakfast at no cost through funding allocated through the Texas legislature. Food Service will work to identify these students and notify families of this exciting program change. We encourage families who currently have reduced-price status to complete an AISD meal benefits application at www.SchoolCafe.com/AustinISD to ensure their eligibility through the entire school year. Meal Prices for SY24:

Breakfast:

• Full Price (All Levels): $1.75

• Reduced-Price (All Levels): FREE

• Adult/Guest: $3.25

Lunch:

• Full Price - Elementary Schools: $3.25

• Full Price - Middle & High Schools: $3.50

• Reduced-Price (All Levels): $0.40

• Adult/Guest: $5.00

Families may view daily menus, allergens, nutritional information, apply for free or reduced-price meals, and add funds to their student’s meal account at www.SchoolCafe.com/AustinISD.

We are happy to make accommodations for students with food allergies or special diets, learn more at: www.austinisd.org/nutrition-food-services/allergies-special-diet.

SCHOOL SAFETY & SECURITY: Last spring, the Texas Legislature passed a new law, HB 3, requiring all Texas school districts to have at least one armed security officer at every campus during school hours.

• Austin ISD is NOT considering arming teachers or other district employees outside of Austin ISD Police Department to comply with the law.

• We are planning to hire more than 70 new SRO’s to cover all 78 elementary campuses, plus associated support staff, to meet the new requirements.

• The board is required to approve the required number of SROs per campus. They are anticipated to adopt this plan at their August 31 voting meeting.

For more information on this topic, visit this AISD page.

To further our efforts to protect students from firearms, and as a courtesy to our families, Austin ISD is informing families of the legal obligations to protect minors from negligent gun storage.

• Texas State Law 46.13 indicates that a person commits an offense if a child gains access to a readily dischargeable firearm and the person with criminal negligence: failed to secure the firearm; or left the firearm in a place to which the person knew or should have known the child would gain access.

ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT NOTIFICATION: The District is mandated by the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) to provide written notification to all parents, teachers, and employee organizations regarding the availability of asbestos management plans for District facilities. This notification is required even if a facility does not have any asbestos-containing building materials.

PEST CONTROL NOTIFICATION: The District is mandated by the Texas Structural Pest Control Act that requires chief administrators of schools, educational institutions, and daycare centers, to provide written notifications of the types of pesticides used and their scheduled application to parents or guardians of children attending the facility. This information should is available, upon request, in the school office. It is furnished by the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Department prior to each application.