The Spear
October 25-29 | 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.
- Dress Code in Effect. Remember Hoodies/Sweaters/Sweatshirts worn inside the building MUST BE SOLID Grade-level COLOR (no emblems, logos, patterns, etc.)
- Bring your supplies, GISD Chromebook, Earbuds/Headphones, and a clear or mesh backpack.
- Snack Bar Open- https://www2.mypaymentsplus.com/welcome
October 25-29 @ AUSTIN
This week is only accessories with uniforms.
Monday, October 25
- RED RIBBON WEEK: see flyer below for details
- Too Bright for Drugs (Neon Accessories with school uniform)
- 7th Grade Volleyball at Austin 5 pm - 7 pm
- 8th Grade Volleyball at Texas City 5 pm - 7 pm
Tuesday, October 26
- From Head to Toe, I'm Drug Free (Crazy Hair and Crazy Socks with school uniform)
- A+ Courses 7:30-8:10am
- 7th Grade Football at Lake Jackson 5 pm - 7 pm
- 8th Grade Football at Courville 5 pm - 7 pm
Wednesday, October 27
- Team Up Against Drugs (Favorite Team Jersey or Shirt with khaki or black bottoms)
- Early Release (See Schedule Below)
- PSAT for 8th Grade Students
- ARTober 5:30-6:30 pm (See Flyer Below)
Thursday, October 28
- Stomp Out Drugs (Wear Boots or Mismatched Shoes with uniform)
- A+ Class 7:30-8:10 Tue/Thu
Friday, October 29
- PTO Free Dress Day (NO Halloween Costumes) $2 at the door, Presale $1
- Hats off to Drugs (Wear Favorite Hat)
Weekend
Rest & Relax
COMING UP IN NOVEMBER:
- November 15-18: Benchmark Testing
- November 17: Fall Into Reading Event 5:00-6:30 pm
- November 22-26: No School, Thanksgiving Holidays
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.
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.
1st nine-weeks- Golden Arrows
Valeria Alfaro Rodriguez
Shezal Arain
Axel Ayala
Sophie Blackburn
Landon Butler
Eliany Chevez Sanchez
Frida Cisneros
Grayson Daugherty
Alex Dodge
Tommy Drigger
Landon Duarte
Juan Flores
Emma Franklin
Nicolas Guzman
Logan Hensley
Jacob Holden
Castin Hopper
Reid Lepo
Stefano Lisinicchia
Gabriel Martinez
Miguel Mendoza
Lovella Narido
Daphne Russell
Muhammad Seye
Royce Tezeno
Jodi Williams
Matthew Williams
6th Grade
SIERRA ADAMS
FERNANDO ALMAZAN
JA'NIYAH BAUGH
AYDEN COHEN
ALATHEA DOWDY
GRACE DRZYMALA
AMSI FONSECA
KYLIE GARVIN
BRENNAN GERAN
ESMERALDA GONZALEZ
LAYLA GONZALES
ROY HOSTLER
JOHN HUANG
CATHRYN KARSTEN
LILY KERSHAW
ALEXIA KLUSACEK
JAVEN MATTHEWS
VILMA MATUTE MEJIA
GIANNA MEDINA
JAYLENNE MORALES
KAIDYNCE PAYSSE-CABALLERO
DAVID PENICHE-GALINDO
JULES RAMIREZ
SEPHIRA RITZ
ADRIAN SALINAS
GREVIL SOLORZANO LOPEZ
ALEXA SPRADLIN
JONATHAN VALLECILLO
LOGAN WALKER
REEGAN WALLEY
ADDISON APPLEGATE
KEIRA BROWN
REESE CATRON
ASHTON COOK
VICENT GARZA
TRYPP HILBURN
Colin Maldonado
DALLAS MCCLUNG
WYATT MIGUES
KATHERINE SCHMIDT
ZYHREE SHATTON
MATTHEW SOSA
JONAH STOVALL
RAFAEL VILLEGAS
ANYA YORK
8th Grade
RAQUEL ALVARADO
CORBIN BOREN
IAN BLYTHE
CAMRAN HARMAN
WILLIAM HERNANDEZ
PIPER HOLLOWAY
ADDISON HOPKINS
BROC HORNE
SILAS MIRE
DAMIEN ORTIZ
TANNER OSTERHOUT
EDWIN RODRIGUEZ
HALEN SWAFFORD
KAYLEE WOODS
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
- Writing: Dr. Cappiello
- PLTW: Mr. Burke
- 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
- Ms. Wallace
- Ms. Robare
- Ms. Boxley
- Mr. Bari
Athletics
Planning to Volunteer this year??
Please turn in completed forms to Mrs. Zavala in the front office of AMS. Thank you.
AMS PTO
Mario's cards are for sale and they are $10. You can purchase in the office with cash or check or through the website with a card. These cards are for the Seawall Mario's and get you a free large pizza with the purchase of a large pizza. Please purchase and support the PTO.
We have started our monthly snack carts for teachers. In the middle of the month, every month, PTO will provide snacks and drinks to our teachers for the entire year. They deserve it! In addition, we have also started birthday gifts for our teachers on their special days. All of this is made possible by donations and support from our parents.
Thanks!
PTO President
INTRODUCING OUR AUSTEM AMS FACULTY
Ms. Shanael Williams, 7th Grade Reading Teacher
I was born in Seoul, Korea, but I get to call two states home, North Carolina and Texas. I have one sister, a precious nephew and a brother, who is in the Air Force.
Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies- 4-8 Generalist with ESL Supplement from the University of Houston - Clear Lake
Mr. Stefan Ungurean, 7th Grade Pre-Algebra Teacher
I started teaching Math at the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year and have taught at Austin MS since 2018. I am originally from Romania but currently live in Dickinson, Galveston County with my wife, our 2 boys and a brand new puppy named Lola. Prior to teaching, I was a Project Controls Manager for an oil and gas engineering company. I love to travel worldwide and enjoy hobbies like photography, cycling, swimming, playing sports (soccer, golf, table tennis etc).
BBA in Finance - Florida Atlantic University
Ms. Sheila Ross, 7th Grade Social Studies
My name is Sheila Ross, and I am the 7th grade social studies teacher at Austin Middle School. I am excited for the new school year, I have been in the education field for many years. I started teaching in GISD in 1995, and I have been at Austin MS since 2008.
Degree-BA in History Certificate Secondary History 6-12
Teen Health Offers Vaccines
Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are in stock at all Teen Health Center Medical clinics.
In order to receive their vaccinations, minors (ages 12- 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.
Call (409) 761-3530 to schedule an appointment at the Teen Health clinic of your choice.
SEL at AMS!
Self Management
Self Discipline
Self-discipline is challenging for adolescents, as "the principal components of self-discipline -- persistence, patience, and restraint -- are often not well developed. Discouragement defeats persistence, impulsiveness defeats patience, and temptation defeats restraint."
Self-control has been shown to be a greater indicator of academic success than a student's IQ. Research shows that students who practice self-control do better at school and are happier.
School and homework are good opportunities for your child to practice self-discipline:
Provide motivation: 'If you can work 3 hours to finish your assignment, we can go to the movies.'
Check-in: Find out what task(s) your child needs to do. Help them manage their time. Check their progress until they've completed it.
Coach vs. instruct: If your child procrastinates, coach them on how to begin the work.
Praise effort: Doing things we don't want to do isn't fun.. 'Nice job finishing your assignment. Let's see if some of your friends want to go to the skatepark, too.'
Self-control isn't about deprivation but actually contributes to happiness. Practice Self-Discipline:
Avoid temptation. If your child doesn't have access to things that will distract them, they'll find it easier to maintain self-control.
Change your thinking. Being disciplined isn't about depriving yourself. It's a positive behavior that will bring reward through hard work and focus.
Practice self-care. Disciplined people know how to make healthy lifestyle choices around sleep, diet, and exercise.
Break goals down into smaller steps. Sometimes kids are overwhelmed when facing big challenges. They need help breaking the workload down into achievable goals.
Go for it! Disciplined people set goals, are confident that they can learn skills to help them achieve their goals, and are determined.
The Secrets of Self-Discipline (video, 10 min)
Sources:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/
https://parents.au.reachout.com/
Thank you so much!
Amy Argubright
Social Emotional Learning Specialist
Email: AmyArgubright@gisd.org
Principal's Corner
Homecoming week was a huge success! Students enjoyed dressing up and attending the Glow Party. It was a joy seeing students interacting and having fun.
I can't wait to see this week's accessories students show case during Red Ribbon Week.
Principal
Austin Middle School
RED RIBBON WEEK
Each year, on October 23-31, individuals, schools, and communities across the United States show their commitment to a healthy, drug-free lifestyle by wearing or displaying the red ribbon. Red Ribbon Week raises awareness of drug use and the problems related to drugs faced by individuals, families, and communities. This annual health observance encourages parents, educators, business owners, and other community organizations to promote drug-free lifestyles.
Red Ribbon Week started more than three decades ago, following the death of Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration who was killed by drug traffickers. Shortly after Special Agent Camarena’s death, citizens from his hometown of Calexico, California, began wearing red ribbons to remember him and commemorate his sacrifice.
The first official Red Ribbon Week celebration was created by the National Family Partnership (NFP) in 1988. NFP continues to coordinate the campaign for families, schools, and communities across the nation each year. Since then, the red ribbon has symbolized a continuing commitment to reducing the demand for illicit drugs in our nation’s communities.
Red Ribbon Week offers a great opportunity for parents, teachers, educators, and community organizations to raise awareness of the problem of drug misuse. DEA has created materials to help your school and community participate in Red Ribbon Week. The online toolkit includes a variety of helpful resources, including downloadable graphics, a fact card and student and parent pledges, and ways to promote Red Ribbon Week in your school or community. For more information, go to www.dea.gov/redribbon.
Counselor
Austin Middle School
Successful First Week of A+ Classes
What a joy to see the A+ Classes come to life this week! A huge thanks to the PTO and parent support for the funding, and to the teachers for dedicating the extra time and effort for A+ on top of their regular duties! None of this would work without all of you!
After we helped all the students find their classes the first day, I took a moment to stand in the empty hallway and listen... it was awesome to hear the excited voices (from the students AND teachers) and the happy chatter of engaged students drifting through the classroom doors. Even on the very first day, connections were made with teachers the students may not normally see during the day, and new relationships began as students found themselves with a whole new mix of other students that chose the same class. It's a great way to start off the day on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Community Connections is an added focus this year, and we already had our first speaker and supporter join us. Amy Ownes of Clay Cup Studios spoke about her entrepreneurship journey and how much she enjoys the opportunity to impact our Galveston community through her business. We certainly appreciate her support and involvement in our Pottery A+ this year! If you have referrals for community connections or would like to participate in our A+ Classes, please reach out!
Advanced Academic Specialist
Austin Middle School
Austin STEM Magnet Middle School
Principal
Kathy Aaron
Assistant Principal
Erika Puccetti
Counselor
Email: stephaniemendoza@gisd.org
Website: https://austin.gisd.org/
Location: 1514 Ave N 1/2, Galveston, TX, USA
Phone: 409-761-3500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/austinmiddleschoolgisd/