Cougar News
The Special Summer Newsletter of Small, Middle School
Summer Newsletter
Letter from Principal Nelson
Howdy Cougars!
Greetings from the Summer us to the Summer you! It has now been 10 days without students and we already miss them. So much so, we are sending out a few factoids in an effort to keep ourselves in their minds as much as they are in ours.
Construction: The school is going to be under construction this summer up until the first day of classes in August. The brunt of the work entails replacing our existing air-conditioning units, which unfortunately means the majority of our common areas will be out of commision. STEAM, weightlifting/conditioning, basketball, volleyball, and transition camps will all be held at the same time, but with different rooms and routes. Your specific camp coordinator will make sure you are aware prior if there is a change in regards to drop off and pick up. If you need to visit the office over the break, we’ll leave a number to call so I can meet you at the door, as our offices will be without AC all summer and I shall hole up in the coldest room available...which may or may not be the Starbucks on WM Cannon and MoPac.
Backpacks: On the docket for all of our respective meeting groups (CAC, School Leadership Team, Cabinet, Faculty, PLCs, 6th Grade Rhetoric Assignment, School Board, etc..) since October has been the issue of lockers. Next year we are projected to have almost 1,300 students gracing us each day and only have a little over 1,000 lockers to distribute. Thus the conundrum. We sought input from all stakeholders to devise a plan of action, and were gifted with numerous ideas and systems, however with all things being equal, we decided to go with the plan with the least amount of variables; students will use backpacks instead of lockers for the 2017-2018 school year. Students are already using backpacks daily; the only difference is they will now carry them from class to class versus depositing them to their lockers before first period. Teachers will have systems in place in the classrooms for storage and make sure there is plenty of room for backpacks and lunch boxes. In regards to what style and type of backpack to purchase, a good rule of thumb is “less is more,” and keep in mind textbooks and PE/Athletic clothes will not be necessary to transport.
We’ll be sure to send y’all more details about the upcoming school year as they become available. Until then, spend as much quality time as you can with your student and encourage them to read a bit every day. Remember, when it comes to reading, anything is better than nothing, so allow them to sink their teeth into magazines, graphic novels, comic books, fiction, the newspaper...anything and everything their curious little minds care to absorb.
Matthew Nelson
Principal
Small Middle School
(512) 841-6505
@smallprincipal www.smallmiddleschool.org
School Supplies
This is a little frustrating for those parents that want to get a jump on the good deals that go on during summer and not wait until everything is sold out.
So we have put together a basic list to get you started.
Thank you,
Tait Olufsen-Morgan
DCMC/AISD Student Health Services
Small Middle School & Joslin Elementary
Read, Read, Read...
Check out these summer reading ideas...
Summer Office Hours
The main office opens back up on August 1st. 2017.
Don't Forget to register your student for next year... See the details below. Don't forget the final Submit button at the end.
2017-2018 Registration
Online registration for school year 2017-18 is open!
All CURRENT\NEW to AISD students need to register for the upcoming school year. Please don't wait!
Please click here for step by step instructions.
Any questions? Call Diane Ewing 512-841-6710
Clint Small, Jr. Middle School
Email: jennifer.newell@austinisd.org
Website: http://www.smallmiddleschool.org/
Location: 4801 Monterey Oaks Boulevard, Austin, TX, United States
Phone: (512) 841-6700