Mathews Weekly
Week of January 22, 2018
From Grace
Hello, Wonderful Mathews Community! I hope you're enjoying the warmer weather this weekend. What a strange short week we just had - it's been a few years since the weather has interfered with our school schedule and the good news is that, since the last time this happened, we've changed how we calculate required school time and have built in enough minutes to have a two-day cushion for bad weather. This means that we will not need to make up the two bad weather days we've had this year. Phew!
Due to the short week, all benchmark assessments for our 3rd-6th grade students have been rescheduled to this week. While these testing days can feel different, the advice we give students for these assessments is the same advice we give them for each and every day of school - get enough sleep and eat a healthy breakfast so you're prepared to learn. We got this! This week also includes field trips, the Opera on Thursday evening, and a Mathews Meeting at 7:45 am on Friday. It's going to be another great week at Mathews!
On Friday, we announced our participation in this year's BOOKSPRING Read-a-Thon and children were given information on how to register and participate - check the backpack if your child didn't give you the flyer. The funds raised during this event support literacy and put books in the hands of students all over Austin who don't have access to their own books which we know is so important to building strong readers. BOOKSPRING runs from Monday, January 22nd - Sunday, February 4th. Please see Ms. Velazquez if you have any questions. Happy reading!
It's time for Spring GT Nominations for K-2nd grade students only. The nomination window for the gifted talented program opens on January 23rd and runs through February 2nd. To nominate your child, please pick up the nomination form and parent survey from the office. Completed forms can be turned in to the office. For questions, please contact Bradford Hardie at bradford.hardie@austinisd.org.
It's also parent survey time! Each year we ask for feedback from you and review that information as we plan for continuous improvement. Within the next few weeks, please complete the survey electronically on the district’s website: https://www.austinisd.org/announcements/2017-18-parent-family-survey-now-available. As an alternative, a paper survey will be available from the front office by request. Please call 512-414-4406 or email susan.mccleary@austinisd.org if you would prefer a paper survey.
Here's to a full week of teaching learning! Enjoy the rest of your weekend and we'll see everyone tomorrow morning.
*If you happen to know of a family who isn't getting these weekly email messages, please let them know they can opt in to messages in the parent cloud at: my.austinsid.org
Important Information
On-line Registration
You can access online registration using the parent portal at: my.austinisd.org The first class to reach 100% registration will earn a pizza party and a few classes are only one or two students away!! :) If you have any questions about registration, please contact Julie Salazar, our fantastic registrar. Also, please continue to keep in touch with me about transfer needs and requests. Thank you!
Ariande auf Naxos Opera Connection
We have partnered with The Austin Lyric Opera and they have gifted us with 40 free tickets for the dress rehearsal of Ariande auf Naxos - description below - on January 25, 2018. This is, unfortunately, a school night but it is a lovely opportunity for our students and families to see the opera without charge. Please keep in mind that some operas are intended for more mature audiences and keep that in mind, along with the late evening, when thinking about attending.
Tickets will be given on a first come, first served basis - simply let the office know how many you'd like (limit 4). Enjoy!
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Ariadne comes to Texas! Come see this playful and passionate tale, complete with dazzling vocal pyrotechnics. Set in a Central Texas barn, opera and pop culture collide to bring hijinks, hilarity, and glorious music to Austin Opera!
Richard Strauss’s tour de force, Ariadne auf Naxos, tells the story of a ranch owner who has assembled two groups of performers in his home – opera singers preparing for a serious opera, and a troupe of comedians scheduled to perform an Italian comedy. As time grows short, the ranch owner demands that the opera and the comedy be performed at the same time, leading to an array of unexpected – and ultimately very satisfying – results.
This production by celebrated director Francesca Zambello debuted at the prestigious Glimmerglass Festival. Glorious music and vocal fireworks from an ensemble cast led by soprano Alexandra LoBianco, tenor Jonathan Burton, soprano Jeni Houser, and mezzo-soprano Aleks Romano bring this romantic tale of backstage shenanigans to life.
Total run time: approximately 2.5 hours
All performances and pre-show events are held at:
The Long Center for the Performing Arts
701 West Riverside Drive
Austin, Texas 78704
Easy Ways to Support our School
Did you know that you can support Mathews while you shop for groceries, supplies, and goods?
Mathews participates in the Box Tops for Education program which gives us $0.10 for each Box Top collected and turned in. Many of the items you already purchase have Box Tops on them; simply cut out the Box Tops and drop them off in the pink boxes on the window sills by the cafeteria. In November, we made almost $25.00. While that may not seem like a lot, it can add up quickly and we appreciate all the help. If you'd like to learn more about this program, this link has helpful information: https://www.boxtops4education.com/about
Girl Day at UT
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day and the Girl Day STEM Festival
Saturday, February 24, 2018
12-5 p.m.
UT Austin Campus
For more information, and to register a girl (or boy) to attend, please visit: http://www.girlday.utexas.edu
Arrival Update and Dismissal
Dismissal: We have more buses/vans picking up our kiddos this year. Please do not park in the front between 2:00 and 3:15 pm, even if waiting for dismissal. It is important that we leave the front lane open for buses and childcare vans. Thank you!!
Wednesday Folders
The Week at a Glance
- CAC Meeting in the Library - 3:15 pm
Tuesday, January 23, 2018 - A Day - Mr. Hardie at Doss
- Happy Birthday, Alma Gutierrez!
- GT Nominations Begin - K-2nd Grade Only
- 5th Grade Science MOY - 8:00 am
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 - B Day - Mr. Hardie at Mathews
- 3rd - 6th Grades Math MOY - 8:00 am
Thursday, January 25, 2018
- 3rd - 6th Grades Reading MOY - 8:00 am
- Kinder Field Trip to Blanton Museum - 10:00 am
- Opera at the Long Center - Ticketed Folks (still some available!) - 7:00 pm
Friday, January 26, 2018 - A Day - Mr. Hardie Mathews/Doss
- Assembly - 7:50 am - Gym - All
- Mathews Meeting in Library - 7:45 am
Upcoming Events:
- February 9 - African American Heritage Assembly
- February 9 - Shelter in Place Drill
- February 12 - School Tour
- February 14 - Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast
- February 16 - Lunar New Year Assembly
- February 16 - Fire Drill
- February 19 - Student Holiday - Parent/Teacher Conference Day
- February 23 - Most Magnificent Day of STEAM
- February 23 - Mathews Meeting
- February 26 - CAC Meeting
- March 2 - Track and Field Day!
About Us
Website: mathews360.com
Location: 906 West Lynn Street, Austin, TX, United States
Phone: 512-414-4406
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mathews360/
Twitter: @mathews360