The Spear
March 7-11 | Austin Middle School
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- Doors open at 7:00 am. Breakfast is available until 7:25 am. Tardy Bell at 7:30 am.
- The school day ends at 3:10 pm.
- Early Dismissal Days end at 11:15 am.
- Bring your supplies, GISD Chromebook, Earbuds/Headphones, and a clear or mesh backpack.
- Snack Bar Open- https://www2.mypaymentsplus.com/welcome
- If your child would like to wear a mask during the school day, please provide one.
March 7-11 @ AUSTIN
Monday, March 7
- Benchmark Testing 5th- 8th grades
Tuesday, March 8
- Benchmark Testing 5th- 8th grades
Wednesday, March 9
- Benchmark Testing 5th & 8th grades only
- Math Escape Night 5:00-6:00 pm
Thursday, March 10
- Benchmark Testing 8th grade only
- Optional: SPRING PICTURES (see info posted below)
Friday, March 11
Spirit Dress Day
PTO Free Dress Day $2 (or $10 paid at the beginning of the year)
Spring Fling 1:30-3:00 pm ($5 entry fee)
Weekend
SPRING BREAK! NO SCHOOL March 14-18
Upcoming in March:
March 14-18: SPRING BREAK
March 21-25: International Adolescent Health Week
March 25-April 1: Scholastic Book Fair
March 30: Early Release Day at 11:15 am
March 30: Pre-ACT for 8th grade
March 30: Night at the Wax Museum 5:30-6:30
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
- Bring a Water Bottle!
- Austin will no longer accept lunch deliveries from restaurants, fast food, or delivery services. If lunch is forgotten, a parent/guardian may drop off lunch at the front office.
- If your child would like to wear a mask during school, please provide one.
Students must have their ID badges around their necks before entering the building. If students forget their ID, they can get a temporary one at the front office. The charge is $1 per day. Students that do not have the money will be charged. Students that need a new badge can purchase one for $5.
**All Device forms must be completed through Skyward before a device can be checked out to a student.
DRESS CODE
Students MUST be in dress code each day.
- Dress Code
- Remember Hoodies/Sweaters/Sweatshirts worn inside the building MUST BE Grade-level COLOR
UIL Choir Competition
SILVER SINGERS
SO proud of this tenor/bass choir! They started the year as an art overflow class (it literally said “art” on their schedules when they walked in my room haha) and I convinced them to stay and be a choir instead. And go to UIL at that! The judges were so glad to see another Galveston choir and said they look forward to the continued involvement from Galveston Fine Arts in the future. - Mrs. Shinn
Scores on stage: 1, 2, 2= a rating of Excellent
Sight reading: 2, 3, 3= a rating of Good/Average (with so many positive notes about their focus and ability to recover from any missteps.)
Austin Emeralds
The Austin Emeralds treble choir just finished their UIL competition and the scores are in!
Scores on stage: 1, 2, 2 for a rating of Excellent
Sight reading: 1, 1, 2 for a rating of Superior (yay!!)
They did a fabulous job in both performances and were especially incredible in the sight reading room, which earned us a plaque! - Mrs. Shinn
5th/6th Grade AMS STEM Fair
Science Fair at Austin is now in full swing for our 5th and 6th graders! We are excited to see our students challenge themselves and apply scientific processes outside of the classroom. The 5th/6th Grade AMS STEM Fair Date to April 14th. Below, you will find a broad schedule of what students have and will be doing at the AMS STEM Fair.
Feb 28-Mar 4
Complete Proposal and Registration: Students and parents register through the Scienteer website to begin the project. Students submit ideas for the project to a teacher for approval.
Mar 7-11
Background Research: Research into their topic area to see what has been done before and begin getting ideas for designing their experiments.
Mar 21-25
Experimental Design: Complete all forms and submit a Research Plan in Scienteer, reviewed by teachers and safety committees.
Mar 28-Apr 1
Approval and Feedback: Teachers and safety committees review projects (in Scienteer) and provide approval or feedback for revisions. Once a project has been approved, students may begin experimentation.
Mar 28-Apr 4
Experimentation: Students are performing experiments, documenting progress, and preparing fair materials. Teachers are checking in on progress.
Apr 4-8
Submitting Final Project: Students submit all their finalized materials.
Apr 14
STEM Fair: Students present their projects to judges.
*** Please note that this schedule does not reflect all the required assignments or due dates associated with the AMS Science Fair. Please visit the science teachers Canvas class for those details.***
Optional SPRING PICTURES
A photographer from Strawbridge Studios will be at your school on 3/10/2022 to photograph your spring pictures.
Attached is a digital version of your order envelope/flyer.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Thank you,
Strawbridge Studios, Inc.
Billy Litteral | Territory Manager
5800 Corporate Drive Ste: B1-B
Houston, TX. 77036
1-866-624-6229| Customer Service
wlitteral@strawbridge.net
COVID
Please remember to report all COVID cases and exposures to the GISD website. Here are a few reminders
- We encourage you NOT to send your child to school if they have a pending COVID test results
- If your child is experiencing two or more COVID symptoms, we encourage you to have them tested
- Students in quarantine have all assignments on Canvas
- If a student is exposed/ close contact and is UNVACCINATED, they must quarantine for 10 days, or they may return to school on the 7th day with a negative test dated after the 5th day
- All positive cases are quarantined for 10 days
If you have any questions, feel free to contact the front office or the central administration building.
Has Your Child Been Absent?
The note should contain the following items:
- Student’s printed first and last name and GISD identification number
- Date of absence
- Reason for absence
Absentee notes must be received by the attendance clerk no later than three (3) days after the student’s return to school.
Austin Middle School's Academic Week At A Glance
ATTN: Parents/Guardians
RE: Canvas Observer Account Recommended
To view the Week At Glance Links below, you may need to set up your Parent Observer Account for Canvas. Many of you did this last year and will not need to set up a new account. If you need an account, please Click Here and go to the link under CANVAS OBSERVER GUIDE - TABLE OF CONTENTS for instructions.
- Math: Mrs. Mancil
- Science: Ms. Trevino
- Social Studies: Mr. Grasso
- Writing: Ms. Gonzales
- Reading: Ms. Salinas
- Tech Apps: Ms. Lee
- ELAR/MATH Co-Teach: Ms. Murphy
- Bilingual: Ms. Jones
6th Grade
- Math: Ms. Reyes
- Science: Ms. Diaz De Leon
- Social Studies: Ms. Terrell
- Reading: Ms. Root
- Writing: Mr. Murray
- Robotics: Ms. Marks
7th Grade
- Pre-Algebra: Mr. Ungurean
- Science: Ms. Costigan
- Social Studies: Ms. Ross
- Reading: Ms. Williams
- VEX Competition Robotics: Ms. Marks
8th Grade
- Algebra I: Ms. Cartmell
- Science: Ms. Carranza
- Social Studies: Mr. Williams
- ELAR: Mrs. Taras
- PLTW: Mr. Puccetti
Intervention
Electives
Athletics
Planning to Volunteer this year??
Please turn in completed forms to Mrs. Zavala in the front office of AMS. Thank you.
International Adolescent Health Week (IAHW) is an annual week-long designation to raise the profile of adolescent health. This international celebration consists of dynamic participatory events to inspire adolescents and their communities to advocate for a successful transition into adulthood. More details about IAHW at Austin MS to come!
Teen Health Offers Vaccines
Medical
Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are available at all Teen Health Center Medical clinics. In order to receive their vaccinations, minors ages 5- 17 must have a Teen Health Consent Form (GISD families completed during school registration) and a Covid-19 Vaccine Consent Form signed by a parent or guardian. The Covid-19 consent may also be completed in Skyward Family Access or at www.teenhealthcenter.org. Call (409) 761-3530 to schedule an appointment at the Teen Health medical clinic of your choice.
Mental Health
Teen Health Center Offers Mental Health Therapy!
Galveston youth ages 0-21 are welcome. Mental Health therapy is provided via a secure telehealth platform and in person. If you feel your mental health is not where it should be, you can contact one of our Teen Health Center Mental Health Clinics!
To make a mental health therapy appointment, call: (409) 761-3530, ext. 7
SEL at AMS!
Relationship Skills:
Building Relationships
“The need for closeness with a parent does not disintegrate when the bridge to adolescence is crossed.” Many adults fear being overbearing or “helicopter” guardians during their student’s secondary years.
“A secure attachment does not mean “over parenting” but rather involves being available to where a child can safely express thoughts and emotions and receive empathy and support, and where he or she can feel a sense of belonging, acceptance, and unconditional love.”
10 Tips For a Partnership with your Teen:
Take Interest. Learn their hobbies, skills, and passions. Make connections by showing care in their personal values, relationships, and achievements.
Choose Your Battles. Let go of little things that don’t have a long term impact. If you constantly dictate what they can/can’t do, you weaken your overall authority and their respect for you.
Emphasize Little Victories. Celebrate good decision making, trustworthiness, and meeting small goals with praise and recognition of their independent success.
Set Boundaries. Be clear and specific in your expectations and trust them to be met.
Let them Fail. Don’t coddle them either. Give them freedom to make and learn from their mistakes. It creates resilience, responsibility, and adaptability.
Show Grace. Everyone makes mistakes. Pardon imperfection when the behavior is not habitual and omit the usual consequence once in a while.
Never Demean your Teen. Don’t shame them for their mistakes. Lording authority (privately or publicly) and overusing sarcasm can destroy trust and lead to rebellious rather than changed behaviors.
Be There. Prioritize the relationship by carving out quality time together. Keep the line of communication open for them to feel safe and comfortable talking to you about their feelings.
Practice Self Care. Prioritize your own well being to be at your best for them.
Don’t Give Up.
Parent-Student Partnership (TedTalk)
SOURCES:
https://www.creativechild.com/articles/view/building-great-relationships-in-adolescence
https://www.sunshineandhurricanes.com/building-a-relationship-with-your-teen/
https://centerforadolescentstudies.com/6-tips-for-building-authentic-relationships-with-adolescents/
Amy Argubright
Email: AmyArgubright@gisd.org
Principal's Corner
This week we have benchmark testing which will help us determine areas of need for each student before the STAAR in May. We ask for students to take their time and use their testing strategies.
This is also the last week of the 3rd nine weeks grading period. Please check Skyward and communicate with teachers for any missing or failing grades.
Principal
Austin Middle School
Perseverance
Our theme for this month is Perseverance! Perseverance is that drive that helps you keep working even when you want to quit.
Example: You’re doing school work and it’s your hardest subject. Maybe it is a hard math problem, or a long essay, or maybe you have to stand up in front of the class and present. Whatever it is for you, it’s tough. You are struggling. Maybe you even want to give up but you know the work needs to get done and you know you have to do your best work. So you try harder. You stick with it and after some frustration and focus, you do it!! You got it done and did it to the best of your ability.
Email: ErikaPuccetti@gisd.org
CONTEST OPPORTUNITY
The Galveston Noon Optimist Club is again conducting our Annual Oratorical Contest.
This year's Contest will be held on March 26, 2022, at Texas A&M University on Pelican Island. The topic for this year's Contest is "Staying Optimistic in Challenging Times."
The first-place winner will receive a $250.00 award; the second-place winner
will receive a $150.00 award; and the third-place winner will receive a $100.00 award. The top three finishers will also be awarded Olympic-style medallions. The top two finishers are eligible to compete in this area's Optimist Zone or Regional Contest, and the top two finishers at that Contest will compete at the South Texas District Contest where the first-place winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship, the second-place winner will receive a $1,500 scholarship, and the third- place winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship. The first-place District Winner will be eligible to represent the District at the Optimist International Regional Contest, where the winner will receive a $5,000 scholarship, and the Regional winner will be eligible to compete at the Optimist Oratorical World Championship, where the first-place winner will receive a $15,000 scholarship, the second-place winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship, and the third-place winner will receive a $5,000 scholarship.
All students born on or after October 2, 2002 (and not enrolled as a degree-seeking student at a post-secondary institution) are eligible to compete in the Contest.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to call Robert Bastien at 409-763-2454 x10.