Boone Bear Facts
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Notes from the Principal
Happy Valentine’s Day to All of the Boone Family!!!
I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine’s Day. Enjoy the 4-day weekend!!! What a great time to recognize those special people in our lives that make getting through each day a little easier and a bit more fun. We are a family. We support each other. We care about each other. Let’s make we sure we show that every day of the year!!
Parent/Teacher Conferences:
This is the time of year for Spring conferences here at Boone. If you have not received information about setting up your Spring conference with your teacher, please contact them directly. Monday, February 17th, is a Parent/Teacher conference day for all AISD elementary grade students. It is also a student holiday, so the children will be at home on Monday.
Families In Nature (FIN) Programs Available to Boone Families:
This year Boone has teamed with Families in Nature to help develop our family camping program. FIN invites families from all of its 2019-20 school partners to attend other FIN events at no cost through the end of the school year. This open invitation is an essential way to encourage families to continue to spend time in nature outside of the campus campout program and helps to create healthier, more nature-connected families. This includes, of course, school staff and faculty and their families.
Attached to this newsletter is a description of some of the events that are currently planned for winter/spring 2020. There are already a fair number of Boone families who have joined FIN. In addition, there are two other events that are planned just for the school partners later this spring:
Saturday, May 30th - Celebrate the end of the school year with a day trip to Palmetto State Park with canoe/kayak lessons, guided hiking and mountain biking, geocaching, a barbecue and more.
Saturday, June 6th - Join FIN and Texas River School for a paddle on Lady Bird Lake to see the bats under the Congress Avenue Bridge. This is a special event just for school faculty and staff.
Crawford's Connections
Boone Family,
Happy Valentines! ❤️ I hope you all have a wonderful long weekend!
Spring Parent Conference day is Monday, February 17th, and we will be here to welcome you! Your child's teacher will have a lot to share with you at this time of the year. Please know this time is dedicated to you for you to gain insight in how your child is performing academically as well as how they are doing socially. You are an extremely important part of your child's support system as they navigate through their learning this spring. It is our goal we work as a team so all students have every opportunity to succeed. We continue to be in awe of the growth our students are making, and we will continue to strive for excellence everyday!
This week we took time again to celebrate our love of reading! We ask students a lot to read what we need them to read to meet the demands of our instruction, and that can dim the joy of reading for young readers. Giving students the freedom to choose what they read for enjoyment is a way to grow their love for authentic reading. To honor their choices this week, all students on Monday got to drop what they were doing and just read for fun! There was reading throughout the building that morning in all classrooms.....even in special areas! It was an awesome sight to see, and I loved hearing from students that they loved that time! My hope is to find more time to spread the joy of reading and model for students!
Our week of kindness has been amazing & we strive to lead by kindness everyday here at Boone Elementary. I try to always remember what Maya Angelou said: Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.
Take care!
Online Registration - Please Read
Registration is open for students within AISD’s boundaries and for out-of-district transfers of currently enrolled students who apply to attend schools with availability. You must register your child each year online.
Note: Use Google Chrome as your web browser.
STEP 1: Login to your AISD Parent account
♦ Log in to https://my.austinisd.org Can’t remember your password? Select the Try Our New Password Reset link to reset your password using email or mobile number.
- If you need to create an AISD Parent account, go to https://my.austinisd.org and select Click here to create your parent account. An email address is required to create a Parent Cloud account.
STEP 2: Update or Enter Student Data
♦ Upon a successful login, locate and select the Student Registration tile displayed on the home screen.
Want to Teach Your Kid to Ride a Bike?
Library Lines
Read-a-Thon
Thank you so much for showing our library so much love during our Read a Thon. Our Read a Thon officially ends on Friday, February 14. The link to add minutes or donate will stay active throughout the weekend so students can get in any last minute reading minutes/donations.
https://www.read-a-thon.com/school/Boone-Library_31259
Save the Date:
February 27 -- Final Deadline for all Waves of Pages Reading Logs
February 28 -- PreK-1st Grade Author Visit -- Emma Virjan http://emmavirjan.com/
March 5 -- 2nd-5th Author Visit -- Isaac Fitzgerald --
https://www.bookpeople.com/event/isaac-fitzgerald-how-be-pirate
April 3 -- Six Flags deadline to enter reading minutes online
May 4-8 -- Spring Book Fair
Clothes Needed
PTA News
IMPORTANT DATES:
- Feb 17, Color Fun Run Fundraiser Meeting
- Feb 25, Bush's Chicken Spirit Night
- Mar 4, PTA General Meeting + Election
- Mar 7, Garden Work Day
- Mar 12, Color Fun Run Fundraising Begins
- Apr 3, Spring Fling + Color Fun Run Celebration
- Apr 16, Multicultural Night
VOLUNTEER SIGN UP
The PTA frequently needs helping hands to make each event or effort a success! Please use the following form to indicate what days/times are best during your week. We will create a roster and tap that list to find the best volunteering opportunities for you. Thank you for getting involved!
https://forms.gle/eXW8eTjsW8wubCSp7
DATA ENTRY VOLUNTEER NEEDED
The Boone PTA Treasurer needs a helping hand with data entry to balance the books. Can anyone step up? Please email her at booneptatreasurer@gmail.com and janbloomer@gmail.com
ATTENTION 5TH GRADE PARENTS!
We are looking for volunteers to be on the dance committee and the graduation committee. You’ll help organize and plan the graduation party and all are welcome, regardless of schedule. Please help! Email Susan Alexander/Wilson at suealex@gmail.com for more information.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
Join members of our Boone Elementary Community on Facebook. This is often the fastest way for us to get information out about our events if there are any last minute changes or call for volunteers. All of our events will be on Facebook as well to make it easier to find details and get reminded by FB. Connect with other parents, teachers, and community members for the betterment of our school and our kids. https://www.facebook.com/groups/boonepta/
THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING IN 'BE INTERNET AWESOME'!
Thanks to all who could come out last night for Be Internet Awesome. This (and delicious dinner) was paid for by a grant our PTA received from Google to provide resources for internet safety. If you missed it, check out this online kid's game by Google: https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/en_us/interland
COLOR FUN RUN FUNDRAISER MEETING, 2/17
The Fun Run Fundraiser committee will be meeting on Monday 2/17 at 4pm at Longview Park. Please come share ideas and help us make this a successful event! We will be planning the course, contacting local businesses for sponsorships, brainstorming prize structure, and creating ways to help promote and encourage participation.
We will be fundraising for the following big initiatives:
After school tutoring, Teacher reimbursement, and Boone Beautification Project
Please contact Claire if you have any questions. booneptafundraising@gmail.com
SPIRIT NIGHT AT BUSH'S CHICKEN 2/25
Make dinner a cinch and support Boone at Bush's Chicken on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 5:00 - 8:00 pm. All to-go, dine-in, and carryout orders will benefit our school. Try their fried okra!
PTA GENERAL MEETING + ELECTION, 3/4
The next PTA General Meeting will be a big one!! We will be voting on new board members, Wednesday March 4. Parent volunteers are what help run our school and make all the amazing programs and events possible. If you would like to learn more about any of these positions, please email president@boonepta.com
The following chair positions will need a motivated parent to step up:
- President
- VP Membership
- Secretary
- Parliamentarian
- Business Partners
- Fall Carnival
- Silent Auction
- Flyers
- Spirit Nights
- 5th Grade
- Volunteers
- Student Enrichment
- Technology
- Yearbook
- Watch DOGS
- Healthy Lifestyle
- Hospitality
- Reflections
- PTA Workshop
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS: GARDEN WORK DAY 3/7
Gather all of your family and friends for our LARGEST Garden Work Day event! On March 7, we will be working on a campus beautification project, including the Butterfly Garden. If we can get 75 volunteers (adults AND kids), we will win an award of Disney Park Passes for the Spring Fling Silent Auction and as raffle prizes for volunteers.
YEARBOOK ORDERS ARE LIVE - ORDER DEADLINE 3/29
Order your 2019-2020 Boone Yearbook today! $20 plus tax, includes 4 pages that you can customize with your own photos. Be sure to include your child/children's name(s) and grade. The deadline for orders is 3/29. There is also an option to buy a parent ad (special shoutout to your kiddos). https://tinyurl.com/wbosuhw
Email Maria with any questions: booneptayearbook@gmail.com
PHOTOS NEEDED FOR YEARBOOK
We need lots and lots of photos from any and all school activities that you've attended with your students throughout this semester. Carnival, field trips, school clubs, classroom projects, etc. - We need it all! Please email to booneptayearbook@gmail.com
SAVE THE DATE: SPRING FLING, 4/3
Boone PTA's free spring celebration is taking place Friday, April 3, in the evening. We'll kick off with the Color Fun Run (awards for top fundraisers will be handed out!). Games and activities are all FREE. On site will be food trucks and concessions for purchase. Inside the school will be items for the Silent Auction, which will take place online. Mark the date on your calendars!
MULTICULTURAL NIGHT AT BOONE! 4/16
Facts, Fun, and Food
Thursday, April 16, 2020; 5:30-7:00 p.m.
We are so excited to be planning our third annual Boone Multicultural Night! We hope that Boone families will join us as we learn about different cultures and countries represented at our school; wherever your family is from (Ireland? Guatemala? Taiwan?) and whatever your traditions are, we want to learn from you as we celebrate our diversity!
FACTS: We need families who are interested in representing their ethnic/cultural backgrounds and/or countries of origin and hosting one of the tables. Some ideas for a table are: a poster with some facts about your country or culture, a game or craft project representing your country, and/or items or photos from your country, such as traditional clothing or a flag. FUN: We need families (adults and/or children) who are interested in performing something traditional, alone or in a group! These will be short (3-4 minutes each) and there is no need for a lot of preparation! FOOD: We need families who are interested to bring food to share! Bring a dish that reflects your ethnic/cultural background or country of origin, or simply one of your family's favorites! Anything is welcome, from snacks to main courses, appetizers to desserts!
Coding for Kids
GAME DEVELOPMENT / BEGINNER-INTERMEDIATE
Grades 3 - 5
Thu, 3:05pm-4:05pm
Feb 27 - May 21 (no class on Mar 19, May 14) $229 / 11-week session
https://www.codingwithkids.com/#!/afterschool?region=region_austin&show=locations
This course introduces kids to computer programming through the fun and excitement of building video games. Working in Scratch, a drag-and-drop programming tool, students will create everything from animations to multi-level games. Beginner Students will learn the core concepts of programming a game, such as loops, conditionals, and variables. Intermediate Students will level-up to more complex concepts, like nested conditionals and functions with parameters. Projects are updated each session, so returning students will have new challenges to work through and advance their creativity and knowledge to the next level.