Consuelo Mendez MS STEM Academy
Campus, Parent/Family & Community Engagement November 2020
Newsletter Overview
Message from Director Rowley
Parent ESF Survey
Mendez STEM Academy Bell Schedule
Austin ISD Updated 2020-2021 Calendar
Austin ISD APP
Communities In Schools Staff
Opening for Learning Plan-version 4
Parent Self-Serve checking grades
Bus Riding Protocols
COVID-19 Dashboard
AISD Meals Curbside Pick-up
About the Administrator
Important Contacts
AISD Middle School Office Newsletter
Community Resource Assistance
October 16, 2020
Dear Consuelo Mendez MS STEM Academy Families,
On behalf of the staff at Consuelo Mendez MS STEM Academy, AISD, we are excited that we have completed the first two weeks of on campus learning. I am thankful that we have had an opportunity to phase students back in safely. Phasing students in slowly has allowed us to make adjustments along the way to improve our processes and systems. Our entire school community at Mendez has worked hard to ensure safety, health, wellbeing and robust learning.
Although we continue to provide remote learning, whether on campus or from home, rest assured we will continue to provide meaningful opportunities for students to interact simultaneously with the teacher and work at their own pace. We will also continue to emphasize the social, emotional and physical needs of your child and family. If your family is in need of support, please do not hesitate to contact us at the campus or you can reach out to any of your child’s teachers or counselors.
If you wish to change to “on campus learning”, please complete the form linked here Remote Change Form
This form will put your child on a list for the next level of phase in.
We will have a holiday on November 3, 2020 (Election Day). As a result, please make note that our A/B calendar has changed. Please find a copy of the A/B schedule here Mendez Campus A/B Schedule
We recognize that clear communication is more important now than ever, so we want to make sure you are as connected as possible to all of our channels of communication.
Please make sure that your contact information is up to date on the AISD Cloud, at my.austinisd.org (if you need instructions on using the cloud, please find them here). Please follow us on the following platforms:
Website: https://mendez.austinschools.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MendezMiddleSch
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MendezMavericks
S’more Newsletter:
Please contact us with any questions or concerns 512-414-3284.
Joanna Carrillo-Rowley
Director, Mendez Middle School #Impact
Families like yours are what makes us #AISDProud.
Parent ESF Survey
Dear Parents:
The Center for Effective Schools will begin administering feedback surveys to families across the state. Your views on matters like the safety of your child at school, the way students at school are taught and your child’s connection to school are crucial. These surveys will give you a unique opportunity to provide anonymous feedback about your experiences in these areas and others.
The survey window will be open from October 12th to November 6th.
Please complete this survey and help our leadership at Mendez MS make improvements.
Starting on October 12th, you will be able to access our school’s brief, 10-minute survey by clicking the link below.
The deadline for completing the survey is November 6th.
English: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/esf/2020family/surveys?language=en
Spanish: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/esf/2020staff/surveys?language=es
Once again, anything you share will be completely anonymous and can never be tied back to you.
Thank you
Joanna Rowley
Director, Mendez MS
CMMS Parent/Family Engagement Fall 2020
Visit the following site for Parent/Family Engagement Fall 2020:
https://sites.google.com/austinisd.org/parent-engagement-cmms/eventsConsuelo Mendez MS STEM Academy AISD APP COVID-19 Screening
Download the Austin ISD APP
Austin ISD is happy to announce the launch of our mobile app—a new way to stay connected on your Android device or IPhone. The app will allow all AISD students, staff and families to receive notifications from the district and campuses for which they wish to subscribe. COVID-19 self-screening for users to complete before coming into contact with others or before leaving home for work or school.
The app allows for quick access to: see the calendar for the current school year,
links to the following:
●Parent Cloud
●Parent Self Serve
●"Where's The Bus" (AISD Transportation)
●School Café,
●the School Directory, and the latest news.
Locate the free Austin ISD Mobile App in the digital store for your mobile device by searching for Austin ISD. For questions concerning the new app, call 512–414–9187.
Open for Learning Plan- version 4
As we prepare to welcome students in a phased-in approach to our campuses, our Open for Learning Plan Version 4 was released on Sept. 24. This updated version includes expanded sections on early childhood, transportation, and more.
Parent Self Serve: Schedules, Grades, Attendance
As the school year progresses, it is important for families to know how to access student grades and other key information. Parent Self-Serve is the portal that allows parents to view their child's schedule, attendance, grades and more. In addition, parents can email teachers and set notification alerts if they want to receive emails when their child has been marked absent or has a missing assignment. To get started, visit my.austinisd.org. For more information, see our information sheets below in a variety of languages.
Bus Riding Protocols
Austin ISD is committed to providing safe, reliable transportation to our students. We are implementing protocols that all families who qualify for bus transportation should know if they plan on using this service. The full plan for our bus-riding families can be found on the Open for Learning Plan Version 4. Below are highlights of this communication.
Families, please make sure to update your contact information in Parent Cloud.
We encourage every family to take their child’s temperature each morning.
Please do not send students to school if they are sick, have symptoms or have a temperature at 100.0 or greater.
Please make every effort to accompany students to and from the bus stop and school in the event your child registers a temperature greater than 100.0.
Masks are required on all AISD buses.
Prior to boarding the bus, a transportation staff member will check every student’s temperature with a touchless thermometer.
If a child registers a temperature at or above 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit, they will either be sent home with their parents. If a parent/guardian is not available, separate transportation to the campus will be provided.
To reduce virus exposure on buses, we encourage families to drop off or walk with their students to school.
Additional information
Bus drivers will wear personal protective equipment including masks, gloves and face shields to be used during temperature screenings.
All buses will have hand sanitizer and will be disinfected regularly.
Maximum allowable seating will be one student per seat with the seat behind the driver closed for social distancing.
We look forward to welcoming your child aboard!
Austin ISD COVID-19 Dashboard
Procedure for Absences
Please remember that attendance counts each and every day. In fact, part of our state accountability rests on maintaining high levels of attendance. We ask that you make sure to document any absences via email to erika.jaimesgonzalez@austinisd.org.
Austin ISD Food Service Notice:
Beginning the week of October 5, Austin ISD will transition from daily to weekly free curbside meal service. This change is in response to community feedback, providing a more efficient and convenient meal pick-up option for families.
Each Thursday, starting October 8, curbside meal sites will provide free 7 day meal packs at more than 40 locations throughout Austin. Meal sites at 38 schools will expand to a longer service time, serving 7 day meal packs each Thursdays from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
To provide more options for families, Blackshear Elementary, Crockett Early College High School, Garcia Young Men’s Leadership Academy, Oak Hill Elementary, Padron Elementary and Widen Elementary will serve 7 day meal packs Thursdays from 7-9 a.m.
Anderson High School, Covington Middle School, Dawson Elementary, Eastside Memorial Early College High School and Pecan Springs Elementary will serve 7 day meal packs on Thursdays from 3:30-5:30 p.m.
To prepare for this service change, families will receive additional meals on Friday, October 2. On this day, curbside meal sites will provide six meal packs for each child, to provide food access through the weekend and when sites are closed October 5-7, 2020.
About the Administrator
My name is Joanna Carrillo-Rowley. I was born in Alpine, Texas and raised in Alpine by my parents Andres and Juanita Carrillo and graduated from Midland High School in Midland, Texas and lived in Midland until my arrival to Mendez MS in 2018. I have a bachelor’s degree with a teaching certificate from University of Texas at the Permian Basin (UTPB). I gained my master’s degree in educational leadership also from UTPB. I spent 24 years working for the Midland Independent School District. I was a 5th and 6th grade teacher for six years, an assistant principal at elementary school, middle school and high school for a total of nine years, principal for a total of six years and an executive director for Bilingual/ESL for six years.
As I begin to look back on the total of 27 years I have spent as an educator, I can truly say that middle school children have been my favorite. The love I have for students at the middle school level is unexplainable, as I love all the twists and turns they give me each and every day.
My family is very supportive of my educational career and stand by me as I work with my extended family at Mendez.
I have five children: Zorena (two children, Jordan and Daelynn) works for an oil company in West Texas. Courtnee (husband Eric and two children, Jaxon and Kayson) is an elementary music director at Rankin ISD in West Texas. Aubree (husband Chris and baby on the way) is a construction engineer and works for David Weekly. Eric (our only son) is a college student attending Tarleton State University (working on a civil engineering degree) and Hailee is an 8th grade student at Mendez MS, will also attend Akins HS next year and hopes to go to college for some type of engineering degree.
I love the community of Dove Springs and all the culture and traditions they bring to Mendez MS. It brings me much joy to be able to work with the staff, students, families and community members at Mendez and I would love you all to join us at community and family events. Family is the heart and soul of a child; we could not do it without you.
Joanna Rowley, Director
Mendez Middle School
Consuelo Mendez Important Contacts:
Front Office: 512-414-3284
Attendance: Erika Jaimes Gonzalez- erika.jaimesgonzalez@austinisd.org
Registrar:Alex Molina- alex.molina@austinisd.org
Technology Questions: Melissa Stovall- melissa.stovall@austinisd.org
Counselors:
6th Grade and 8th Grade last name: M-Z: Lydia Aruajo- lydia.araujo@austinisd.org
8th Grade last name: A-L and 7th Grade: Barbara Goodin-Clark- barbara.goodin-clark@austinisd.org
SEL Counselor: Kaeli Helmink- kaeli.helmink@austinisd.org
Directors:
Director: Joanna Rowley-joanna.rowley@austinisd.org
6th Grade Assistant Director: Yolanda Rodriguez Pacheco- yolanda.pacheco@austinisd.org
7th Grade Assistant Director: Roxanne Walker- roxanne.walker@austinisd.org
8th Grade Assistant Director: Juan Haney - juan.haney@austinisd.org
Community Resource Assistance
COATS FOR KIDS 2020
COATS FOR KIDS 2020
The application for Coats for Kids is now open!
Here is the link for the English Google Registration Form:
https://forms.gle/tL9rmGAHphojLYXw8
Here is the link for the Spanish Google Registration Form:
Blue Santa Assitance
Operation Blue Santa 2020 Applications
Consuelo Mendez MS STEM Academy
Email: jesica.victoria@austinisd.org
Website: https://mendez.austinschools.org/
Location: 5106 Village Square Drive, Austin, TX 78744, USA
Phone: 512-414-3284
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MendezMavericks/
Twitter: @MendezMiddleSch