March Boone Newsletter
Thursday, February 29th
Spring Break is March 11th - March 15th
Do you want to recognize our awesome staff?
Submit a RAVE through the district to recognize a staff member on our campus!
From the Administrators
Thank you for everything you are doing to keep us going through the school year. We are moving through a busy time and are very excited for March. We have a lot of great events and are excited to get more parents into the building for these events. There is more information and opportunities for Track and Field day in the PE section of the newsletter as well as more on the calendar!
An upcoming event that we will be participating in as a school is the Total Eclipse that will occur on April 8th. Parents will be welcome to join their child and glasses will be provided to each student. Be on the lookout for more information.
The district continues our attendance campaign to encourage students to come to school everyday and to spread kindness while on campus. Everyone matters. Calling all students to share their kindness and creativity in encouraging fellow students to attend school every day with a #Be The Change Challenge#
https://www.austinisd.org/attendance/campaign
The Austin Ed Fund is excited to participate in Amplify Austin - the most impactful day of giving in Central Texas. Since 2015, Austin Ed Fund has provided $2.1 million to innovative projects and engaging opportunities in classrooms across the district, including 70 awards totaling $400,000 for projects through its Inspire the Future Grant Program in 2023. We invite you to participate at a personally meaningful level!
WHAT: Amplify the Austin Ed Fund
GOAL: Raise $65,000 in donations to support Austin ISD teachers and students. Donate today!
WHEN: Now through March 7. Your gift will be doubled thanks to a matching gift!
WHY: Your contribution supports teachers who inspire greatness in their students
March:
3/1 - Black History Month Musical Encore @ 8:30 AM
3/1 - PTA Movie Night @ 6:15 PM
3/8 - Field Day: See PE section for more detail
3/11 - 3/15 - Spring Break
3/18 - 3/30 Silent Auction
3/25 - CAC Meeting @ 3:30 PM in Library
3/21 - PTA General Meeting with Voting
3/29 - No School - Good Friday
April:
4/4 - Ocean's of Fun First Grade Musical @ 5:00 PM
4/5 - Ocean's of Fun First Grade Musical Encore @ 8:30 AM
4/8 - Total Eclipse - More Information to Come
4/9 - Reading STAAR 3-5 Grades
4/10 - Staff Development / No School
4/11 Reading STAAR Make-Ups
4/15 - CAC Meeting @ 3:30 PM in Library
4/16 - Science STAAR 5th Grade
4/17 - Science STAAR Make-Ups
4/23 - Math STAAR 3-5 Grades
4/24 - Math STAAR Make-Ups
4/26 - Principal Coffee Chat @ 8:00 AM in the library
Donating and Volunteering
Thank you so much for the wonderful, daily treats for staff appreciation week. We appreciate this community so much for always showing up and taking care of our staff.
If you would like to donate snacks, here is our amazon wishlist. You are so appreciated!
Lunch Volunteering is available to sign up for using this link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0849AFAB22A2FFC34-lunch#/
As a reminder: If you volunteer on Tuesday or Thursday, you can eat lunch with your child before or after your shift. You MUST be APIE approved to volunteer. Visit Austin Partners In Education (APIE) to register.
2024-2025 School Year Registration
Students can still register for the current year, 2023-24. For the 2024-25 school year, Austin ISD's new enrollment system makes registration easier with a more accessible, equitable, and transparent process. Students can enroll early to gain a seat in special programs with more program options. Enroll now to "Find Your Seat" the 2024-25 school year! For assistance, call 512-414-SEAT (7328) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Click THIS LINK for more information and the direct AISD website.
5th Grade Camp Champions
Another reminder about Camp Champions as well!
Although we are almost half-way to having all of the fees paid for camp, we need to collect $50 per student in order to pay the entire amount. Please use this Cash Online link to pay the fee.
We are also asking parents to consider donating extra and/or reaching out to businesses for donations in order to assist in covering the cost for students who are unable to pay the fee. Please use the same link to donate. Businesses can make the check payable to Boone Elementary School with “5th grade camp donation” in the memo line.
From the Library Den
Our next stop is Historical Fiction. Every month in grades three through five, we will be focusing on different genres to expand the students' interests in books they may not be familiar with. We started with non-fiction and continued with the classics. This month we will spend time reading, discussing, and surveying novels in our historical fiction section. Creating stories with characters and situations reminiscent of historical events is a great way to learn. Each week I will read the first chapter of a different novel, and then introduce students to other novels we have in our collection.
Prekindergarten - Second Grade classes will explore the “everybody fiction” books. Our library is home to over 2,500 magical picture books showcasing stories that range in reading levels from prekindergarten to adult- hence the title “everybody fiction.” We will search through these visual masterpieces together to see what they offer, what we like, why we like what we like, and how we choose the books we like.
Ms. Sunny
Art Corner
Hello Boone Bear Families!
We are working hard in the art room finishing projects and getting ready for Spring Break. March is Youth Art Month for the state of Texas and there are some great opportunities for your artists to get involved with the art community. There will be a Youth Art Month show at the AISD performing art center March 30th. 6 of our awesome 5th graders were selected to represent Boone so feel free to come support and details will be sent home in Thursday folders. As always thank you for supporting our wonderful artists!
-Ms. McPherson
From the Gym
In PE students have begun their Volleyball unit. Students are learning skills such as the forearm pass, overhead set, and serving. The following are the TEKS students will be working on by grade level.
K: Volley a lightweight object to self.
1st: Volley a lightweight object to self and partner.
2nd: Volley a lightweight object with consecutive hits to self or partner
3rd: Demonstrate correct technique in volleying to a wall or partner and over and object or net.
4th: Demonstrate correct technique in underhand and overhead volleying to a wall, net, or partner.
5th: Demonstrate correct technique in volleying in dynamic activities and lead up games.
Track and Field Day will be March 8th. 3rd-5th grade will have their Track and Field Day in the morning from 8:15-10:55 and K-2nd will have theirs in the afternoon from 12:30-2:40.
Please send your student with comfortable clothing and tennis shoes. Students will also need a water bottle, snack, sunscreen, and they may want to wear a hat that day.
Parents are invited to come watch their students participate, but you MUST check in at the office when you arrive.
Please RSVP by 3/6 if you are planning on attending Field Day to participate with your child. This process will be similar to Thanksgiving where we will preprint the badges and provide them as you arrive. If your ID has not be scanned, you will need present that when you arrive. You may also come the day before to have your ID scanned to avoid the crowd. Here is the RSVP Link: https://forms.gle/wEF5osShoQqpGFgv9
If you would like to volunteer to work track and field, please use this link: https://www.smore.com/n/jaypk
Music Notes
4th Grade just performed “Gotta Be Jazz” in honor of Black History month on February 29th and March 1st. 1st Grade and Kindergarten are singing in class to prepare for their April and May performances! 1st Grade is performing “Go Fish” and they are already “hooked”. Kindergarten will do “The Little Red Hen” and learning a lot about helping friends and doing their fair share! 3rd Grade will start playing recorders after Spring Break. I purchased recorders for all the students with funds from concert donations! The Austin Jazz Workshop will hold a jazz education clinics for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade before their live performance on Thursday March 7th. The featured artist this spring is Louis Armstrong. Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grade will receive a treasure chest full of puppets and books from the Austin Opera and we will learn about Mozart’s “Magic Flute”. Our opera study will end with a live performance by a member of the Austin Opera on Friday May 22nd! 4th and 5th grades attended the Young People’s Concert at the Long Center and enjoyed the music while practicing good audience behavior.
Jan Peterson, Music Specialist jan.peterson@austinisd.org
512-414-2437 x 54907
Counselor's Corner
Hello, Boone Families!
I know I say this every month, but HOW is it already March? I hope y’all have great Spring Break plans! I know most parents will still have to work that week, so I’m wishing you good vibes in finding activities to keep your children occupied! As for me, I’ll be taking my Bowie Senior son skiing in Colorado as a final mom/son trip before he heads off to Texas A&M!
We’ll be celebrating Pride Week the week of March 18 - 23, 2024. That is the week immediately following Spring Break. The school will be sending out a letter next week. Keep an out for that letter, which will be full of information.
The last few weeks, I’ve been leading us into Pride Week by discussing and celebrating our differences. Perhaps your children have come home and told you about our classroom lessons. I’m a storyteller and I know that the students love to learn through the tales I share from my own life. I hope that by sharing my experiences with them, the concepts and ideas will stick in their brains in a positive and more memorable way.
Some examples;
I’ve shared with them photos of my blonde-haired, blue-eyed son, Maclain, and his best friend, Cole, who comes from a traditional Chinese family. I also showed photos of my best friend, Shanika, who is from Sri Lanka. We discussed the differences in our cultures, but also how we each would have missed out on the best relationships in our lives if we’d let the differences keep us from becoming friends. In addition, I showed them a photo of me wearing a traditional saree in Shanika’s wedding and we discussed the importance of accepting and being respectful of each other’s cultures.
I commonly mention my fiance, Chad, in our lessons because he’s in a wheelchair from a stroke he had at the age of 45. They all know he’s paralyzed. We took this time during our lesson to discuss how people treat him differently (both good and bad) and how we should treat others with any sort of disability. I mention Chad, regularly (and he’s come to school) with the hope of bringing normalcy to different ability levels.
I love your kids so much, I already anticipate missing them over the spring break! Please feel free to reach out to me anytime. I meet with students all day long and not just in the classroom.
Have a wonderful break!
Kelly Seiler
Boone Counselor
News from PTA
MARCH:
3/1 Family Movie Night (Boone blacktop) 6:15 p.m.
3/4 Spirit Night - Torchy's on Escarpment 4-8 p.m.
3/8 Field Day
3/11-15 SPRING BREAK
3/18 - 3/30 Silent Auction
3/21 PTA General Meeting with elections for 2024-2025 board at 5:00 p.m.
3/22 Principal Coffee 8-9 a.m.
3/26 Spirit Night - Bush's Chicken 5-8 p.m.
3/30 Garden Work Day 7-9 a.m., Plant Sale 8-11 a.m.
APRIL:
4/2 Sonic (Brodie Ln) 4-8 p.m.
4/2 Spring Door Decoration 3-6 p.m.
4/3 Spring Door Decoration 3-6 p.m.
4/8 Total eclipse - The total solar eclipse path crosses from Mexico, through the United States from Texas to Maine, and up through Canada.
Partial Begins 12:23 p.m. CDT | Totality Begins 1:40 p.m. CDT | Maximum 1:42 p.m. CDT | Totality Ends 1:44 p.m. CDT | Partial Ends 3:02 p.m. CDT
4/19 General PTA Meeting 5-6 p.m.
4/23 Bush's Chicken (Brodie Ln) 5-8 p.m.
4/26 Principal Coffee 8-9 a.m.
MAY:
5/6-5/10 Teacher Appreciation Week - Student-led
5/9 Multicultural Night
5/15 Spring Door Takedown 3:30-4:30 p.m.
5/17 Boone Bear Ball 5-8 p.m.
5/22 5th grade celebration
SUPER MARIO MOVIE NIGHT | MARCH 1, 6-8 p.m.
Make it a Super Mario Bros. movie night on March 1! For cheaper than the price at Alamo Drafthouse, you can have a fun night out for the whole family. Bring your own chair—free pizza and drinks. Concessions like candy and popcorn will be available for sale. All proceeds fund PTA initiatives like Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week and more.
PRE-ORDER YOUR 2023-24 BOONE YEARBOOK!
Order your yearbook for $35, so you and your child(ren) can cherish memories from the 23-24 year at Boone.
We only order a small amount of extras to sell in May, and we ALWAYS run out of them. Don't forget to purchase yours ahead of time!
Pre-order Link: https://link.entourageyearbooks.com/my/23-24BooneYearbook
Our annual silent auction event is coming up! We are so grateful to see the generosity of our local business partners! So far, we have partnered with 36 businesses providing amazing experiences, services, and gift certificates for the community to bid on! This event will benefit Student Enrichment, Teacher Appreciation, and Community events!
Do you have a business or know someone with a business that would like to provide a donation for our event? Please reach out to silentauction@boonepta.org or message the Boone PTA Facebook page!
GARDEN WORK DAY AND PLANT SALE | March 30, 7-9 a.m.(Work Day), 8-11 a.m. (Plant Sale)
We have a wonderful campus at Boone Elementary, and it takes many hands to make that a reality. Join us on March 30 for our next work day and help us keep our grounds looking beautiful. We also have plants for sale to help your grounds at home look beautiful. Come by and see what we've got. We are still accepting donations of plants and anything garden-related. Contact Luci Zavala at lucilu512@gmail.com for donations and any questions.
UPCOMING SPIRIT NIGHTS
Join us for our Boone Spirit Nights! We partner with local businesses to fund PTA activities throughout the year, such as supporting teachers, fun nights, Trunk or Treat, Boone Bear Ball, and more. Boone PTA receives a portion of the proceeds on the specified date. Here's a list of upcoming events:
3/26/24 - Bush's Chicken (Brodie Ln) 5-8 pm
4/2/24 - Sonic (Brodie Ln) 4-8 pm
4/23/24 - Bush's Chicken (Brodie Ln) 5-8pmFor questions about Boone Spirit Nights, contact Jennifer at spiritnightcoordinator@boonepta.org
PTA GENERAL MEETING W/ELECTIONS | MARCH 21, 5-6 p.m.
Join us for this critical PTA meeting. This is the meeting where PTA members get to vote on their new board for the upcoming school year. Many of our wonderful PTA volunteers have served their turn on the board, so numerous chairs are open, including the President and a couple of VPs. If you're a member, please mark this on your calendar to join us. To learn more about the open positions, keep reading.
PTA BOARD POSITIONS NOW OPEN!
Make a difference in your child's school by serving on the Boone PTA Board! By serving on the board, you'll get to provide input and insight into some of Boone's most popular events, like Trunk or Treat and the Boone Bear Ball. You'll also get to know and work with a fantastic group! Interested? We have filled two very important chairs already--Megan Hinojosa as the 5th grade chair and Elissa Sexton as the student enrichment chair.
Here are the other chairs open for our upcoming year:
- President
- VP Programs
- VP Communications
- Treasurer
- Technology chair
- Room Parent Coordinator
- Yearbook chair
- Hospitality chair
- Advocacy chair
- Spring carnival chair
A NOTE FROM THE PTA NOMINATING COMMITTEE
If you’ve considered getting involved with the Boone PTA, now is a great time to step up! We’re recruiting volunteers for several positions on the Boone PTA Executive Board. The PTA believes that diversity is a strength and representation is essential, and our goal is to create an inclusive, welcoming and involved PTA that represents our student body. We need your help to make that goal a reality!
Email your recommendations to Crystal Brothwell Hernandez at Parliamentarian@boonepta.org or Holley Simons at secretary@boonepta.org. Please nominate yourself and/or any other individual you believe is qualified to serve, and feel free to include any relevant information that would assist the Nominating Committee. Also, don't be afraid to reach out if you have any questions regarding job descriptions and time commitments of any board positions. Thank you for participating in this vital process!
Thank you and warm regards,
Nominating Committee (Holley, Megan, and Crystal)
BECOME A PTA MEMBER!
Membership has its privileges! Become a Boone PTA member and help support events, programs, teachers, and more. Contact Angela at membership@boonepta.org.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS!
We love to partner with businesses and people around the community. Thank you to all of our business partners who provide us with such fantastic support to do some amazing things for our Boone community. Here's a list of early donors for our silent auction. Be sure to visit them and thank them with your business.