Cougar News
The Weekly Newsletter of Clint Small, Jr. Middle School
Newsletter for September 12th - September 16th
Letter from Principal Nelson
Howdy Cougars!
We want to thank everybody who attended Back to School Night on Tuesday and trust you found it to be a worthwhile experience. Even though we have teacher websites, emails, newsletters, and phone calls, there is no substitute for good old fashioned face-to-face communication. Oftentimes what we write can be misinterpreted, or shortened due to time constraints, so it’s always best to communicate at the most basic, personal level whenever possible. To me, the two biggest cons about Back to School Night are that it is two weeks after school starts (we’d love to put a name with a face much sooner), and that it only happens once a year. As we continue to grow as a community, we will meet with as many stakeholders as necessary to improve upon what we are already doing and to explore more ways to create valuable face-to-face connections between teachers and parents.
Volunteer Opportunities: On Thursday morning we met with a group of parents and guardians who wanted to learn more about how to contribute to the Small community. We had a list of ideas and opportunities the teachers and staff created, but were thrilled to hear the group’s input. This is exactly what we want; community stakeholders discussing ways to ensure student success! If you have any thought or ideas on ways to help out, please email them to me: matthew.m.nelson@austinisd.org or our awesome office manager jennifer.newell@austinisd.org
No idea is too big or too small!
Social Media: Just as we try to impress upon our students the responsibility that comes with social media, we ask our stakeholders to help deliver the same message. The majority of the time administrators and counselors have to intervene or mediate a situation, it can easily be traced back to posts or conversations that occurred online. We always explain to our students that if there is someone you have a beef with, or if somebody says or does something you disagree with, the best way to handle the situation is by always communicating directly with the source. Poking fun of the person online, or rallying others to be against this person, goes against the AISD code of conduct. Also, we need to be mindful of other people’s right to privacy and be careful not to share personal conversations with the public. Let’s make sure our students are being safe and responsible digital citizens by informing them of correct conduct and by modeling it as well. When we’re all on the same page, good things are bound to happen.
BoneShaker Run Club: We are so excited to be able to host the BoneShaker Running Club this year at Small Middle School! We love for kids to be active and exercise regularly, and this club offers just that! What makes this program unique is that it’s open to all students, grade 6-8, and will be coached by our very own teachers. Join Kevin Mullen and Cynthia Diaz on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7:00 am (starting September 20th) if you want to be a part of this exciting opportunity. There is a fee associated with it, but it’s certainly worth the money as it is a 12 week program and your entry fee for the Trail of Lights Run is included. See attached flyer for more info.
Twitter Feed: If you’re curious as to what your kids are creating or learning during the day, be sure to follow me on Twitter @smallprincipal I try to update it daily with what is going on a school and share pictures from the various events I am lucky enough to attend.
Matthew Nelson
Principal
Small Middle School
(512) 841-6505
@smallprincipal www.smallmiddleschool.org
Community Engagement Opportunity - AISD Facilities & Bond Planning
How many of you have heard of the FABPAC (Facilities and Bond Public Advisory Committee)? If you haven’t, please watch the following video to give you an overview of what has been happening at AISD in conjunction with the FABPAC:
Amber Elenz, our AISD District 5 Board Trustee, has appointed Cherylann Campbell and Rick Potter to serve on this committee and they have been doing so since last November. They live in District 5 and are parents of students at O. Henry MS and Austin High. Cherylann & Rick have been working hard all summer with their fellow committee members as this is a pressing issue for the district. The goal is to produce a strategic facility master plan and the first in a series of bonds to address the many facility needs across the district’s 130 schools. They will be presenting information throughout the school year to our community to keep us up to date on the decisions being made and how they will impact the Austin community and the entire Austin High vertical team. The public is welcome to attend the monthly FABPAC meetings and representatives are available to speak at school functions, neighborhood association meetings and other community gatherings if your group wants to learn more. You can reach Cherylann at cherylann@c2hrsolutions.com or Rick at rick@pottercompany.com.
You can follow all the FABPAC activities by checking out their website at www.austinisd.org/advisory-bodies/fabpac.
Back to School Information - ATTENTION Response required
If you haven't done this already, Please fill out this form today!
It is imperative that we have a record that YOU, the parent(s)/guardian(s), are aware of, and agree to our policies and procedures here at Small MS.
We have created this Fabulous Signature form to make it easy! You will get the info you need, and we will know you read it by signing the form. It's a win, win for us all!
DEADLINE to complete the signature form is September 2, 2016 - If you are as excited as we are to not have all that paper get lost in your student's backpack, please fill out this form ASAP to show us your support!
If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Newell at 512-841-6701 or jennifer.newell@austinisd.org.
Yearbooks!
You can order online Here or Click here to print an order form.
Order forms can also be found in the front office.
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