Smallville-

Thank you to all!

Firstly, thank you for being flexible and timely in waiting to send your student to campus yesterday. We always err on the side of caution, and based upon the guidance we received from AISD Police, delaying entrance into campus was the safest option. The police acted fast in communicating with us and with AISD transportation, so we hopefully could get the word out in time to all parties. Once they gave the “all clear,” students and staff made their way back into our hallowed halls, and everything was back to normal (or as normal as a middle school can be) by 8:25 a.m. We hope we never have to go through another event like this, but it is nice to know that our staff, students, the police, and y’all are ready to contribute and make sure all are safe.

Secondly, we appreciate you speaking to your student about being respectful to campus. Here in Smallville, we respect each other, ourselves, and the building in which we all come together. We know that our kids love our school and our staff, so knowing that these malicious Tik Tok challenges harm both should be enough to curb the want. Make sure they know that when our security guards, custodians, and assistant principals are busy cleaning the messes, monitoring the restrooms, or trying to find the culprits, it keeps them away from their actual jobs. The monetary loss is secondary to the loss of time from these busy professionals. Please make sure your student remembers that.

And now something from the lighter side of Middle School. Tuesday, we hosted call-back auditions for the year’s new announcement crew. We had the panel ready, and we’re all set to hear these eager broadcasters share their talent with us that afternoon. However, before the big event, I received an email the morning of from a 7th-grade student, Andeline Foxhoven, stating that she was out sick for the day and would not be able to attend the in-person auditions. She asked if there was any way she could either Zoom in during the time or send in a video instead. I immediately wanted to assist as I was so impressed that she had the wherewithal and maturity to reach out from home. I sent her the script we were using for the auditions, and then she recorded her piece and sent it to me that afternoon. We shared her submission with the voting panel, and they were as impressed with her performance as I was with her grit. She made the squad and is now one of our four announcers for the year.

Think what you will about technology and how, for the last 18 months our students were forced into learning differently, but do appreciate the fact that now our kids are experts in this medium and can utilize technology so effectively that even by being absent, they can still be present. Andelin Foxhoven used the skills she developed over the last two years to ensure she still had access to learning. She had the opportunity to participate in something significant to her. The technology matched her drive, and her want to be successful, and now the entire student body will benefit from her efforts each A-day and every other C-day.

Thank you for reading, and have a great weekend!

Matthew Nelson

Principal

Clint Small Middle School

(512) 841-6705

www.smallmiddleschool.org

matthew.m.nelson@austinisd.org

If you did not receive all 3 messages, we may not have the most up to date information for you in our system. Please take a moment and go to the Parent Portal and do a search for the My Messages tile to see if your information is correct. Make sure the check marks are check under Campus Messages for phone, text and email.

If you need to update your contact information, Please see page 4 of this helpful Parent Portal guide. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pOrwuvQYsKQERwB_hmMmW-8NigyAOy3z/view?usp=sharing

IMPORTANT: When we do send out information, Please check your voicemail, email and text BEFORE calling the school. If we are in a true emergency we need to focus on keeping the children safe and the lines open.

The Band is having a mattress sale! This is a great opportunity to save money on a mattress and support our amazing CSMS Band. Sept 18 at the Convention Center. Please make sure to tell them our school name at check out. Flyer: https://clintsmallmsband.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/1/1/11110971/referral_flyer_-_small_ms_2021.pdf

The Family newsletter that was sent out last week has some good information.

You might also want to look at the AISD Covid-19 Information Page

And the CDC recommendations for quarantine

Hi Parents! Welcome to Clint Small Middle School.

Our Teachers and Staff have been working hard getting the school, classrooms, campus, and animals ready for the school year. Here are some items that will keep them Recharged and Refreshed. Thank you for your donations in advance!

• Bottled Water
• Sparkling Water
• Variety of Sodas
• Coffee Pods for their Keurig
• Individually wrapped tea bags
• Single use Creamers and Sugar
• Individually Wrapped Snacks: Trail Mix, Granola Bars, Chips, Crackers, A Variety of Candy, etc.….
• You can also do an Amazon delivery of random snack boxes to Small Middle School, 4801 Monterey Oaks Blvd. Austin Tx 78749
• Please drop off any donations at the front door, preferably at non-pick up times 😊