Hornet Herald
News and notes for the week of 4/18/2021
Principal's Message to Hornet Families for the week of April 11th, 2021
This weekend was a bit colder than last weekend so I can send the newsletter a little earlier :) We are looking forward to two big events this week, we have Pride Week and Earth Week this upcoming week. Here at Kealing Middle School and the Austin Independent School District we promote creating an inclusive environment for all of our students and communities. We have events planned district wide and campus wide. We will also deliver lessons during advisory to help educate our scholars and aid in creating an inclusive environment for their classmates. This past week we welcomed over 200 student 2 days this week and over 150 each day. Its beginning to feel a lot like the Spring semester again and we look forward to the STAAR Spring Administration in just 2 short weeks. Please take a moment to complete the testing survey if you have not done so already so we can properly prepare for a safe testing environment for our scholars. This past week we were able to see our scholars compete valiantly on the track and in the field but unfortunately due to the storm our tennis match was cancelled. Our next Track meet will be April 28th & 29th at Nelson Field. We are still awaiting the details for our next tennis match. The Fine Arts Department was also able to welcome families into the school on Saturday morning to select instruments for their scholars. On Saturday we had a chance to host our April Service Day. This week we focused on the front of the school and our gardens.
#BEGREATmentality
BTO/Stafffing Update as of 4/18/2021 - We are in the finalizing stages!
- We are just awaiting CAC signatures
- A recap/overview of the 2021-2022 BTO(Basic Table of Organization) will be sent to CAC members
- Members will be given the option to approve / decline the proposed BTO
- Then will finalize with AISD
- Our hope is to have this process completed by Wednesday 4/28/2021
May STAAR Information
Thank you to all of our families who completed the Kealing Middle School STAAR survey (Spanish Version). There is still time for those who have yet to complete the survey.
A few items to remember:
- All students must wear a face mask covering their nose, mouth and chin while in the building
- All STAAR assessments must be administered in person according to TEA requirements.
- Algebra I EOC will be administer online and in person on campus. We have additional devices for students who were not assigned a district device
- All other assessments will be administered by paper on-campus.
- Successfully passing STAAR for 8th grade students to be promoted to high school has been suspended for the 2020-21 school year
- Breakfast and Lunch is provided
- Students may return home at the conclusion of testing (approximately 12:30) to finish the day remote.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Estes (timothy.estes@austinisd.org) or Mrs. Romero (christina.romero@austinisd.org).
Upcoming Dates - A Week! Pride Week Virtual Events & Earth Week Events are listed below
Monday - April 19th A Day
All Are Welcome/Pride History
o 6:30 P.M. – Virtual Family Pride 101 - “Don’t Wait to Become an Ally!”
Earth Week Event - Move it Monday
- Use people-powered transportation that is emissions free and cost-free!
Tuesday -April 20th - B Day
Local Pride/Spirit Day
o 6:30 P.M. – Virtual Community Pride Circle
Earth Week Event -
- Take it outside Tuesday
Activate those schoolyards by heading outside for some hands on learning! Sit under a tree, hike a trail, splash in a creek, plant a seed and discover as nature comes alive!
Wednesday -April 21st - A Day
Know Your Rights
o 12:30 P.M. – Virtual Staff Pride Circle
Earth Week Event -
- Wasteless Wednesday
Make your waste magically disappear by reusing, refusing single use items, and reinventing so that old becomes new!
Thursday - April 22nd- B Day
Pride and You - Creative Expression
Earth Week Event -
- Turn-it-off Thursday
Turn out the lights and watch the Thirst for Power documentary to teach your students about the energy and water nexus and bring them to the LIVE Q&A at 1:30 on Earth Day!
Hornet Tennis vs Lama Middle School at McCallum High school @ 5:30p
Friday - April 23rd - A Day
Reflection Day
o GLSEN’s Student-Led Day of Silence https://www.glsen.org/day-of-silence
Earth Week Event -
- Veggie Viernes
Savor the flavors of plant-forward foods!
Saturday - April 24th
Connect and Celebrate
o 9 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. - Virtual Pride Conference: “Celebrate, Inform and Inspire”
Earth Week Event -
- Environmental & Social Justice Saturday
Advocate for change so everyone has a fair chance of living the healthiest life possible!
***Zoom Links will be available at austinisd.org/pride this week.
KMS Track Tuesday - Join us on April 28th & 29th at Nelson Field for our final track meet of the Spring semester!
It was a pleasure meeting this family and watching her compete!
Coach Brynie was all over the place helping out!
The Joneses were hard to keep up with but stopped to allow a picture!
KMS Track & Field
Even in the before times, there are no tryouts. Just come out to practice 🙃
Physical Form- https://www.austinisd.org/sites/default/files/dept/athletics/2020%20Physical%20Form%20English.pdf
Covid waiver- https://www.austinisd.org/sites/default/files/dept/openforlearning/docs/Athletics-COVID-Waiver-8-2020-Rev.pdf
We have created a blend tile for participating athletes and families and your emails will be added by the end of the week. If you have other questions please feel free to contact Coach Gardner.
Let’s get ready to meet, defeat, repeat 💪🏽 Go Hornets!
April Service Day - We focused on the front of our school this week!
Father sons combination helping with trees in the front
We had volunteers show up at 10am and 12pm!
Look at all these random stones and trees!
Here's our first planted Mexican Buckeye Tree
We still found time for gardening!
These scholars helped clean our garden area!
talented scholars pruned our trees!
Father son combination helping with compost!
We had a chance to see our second planted tree growing!
Announcements!
April 23rd will be an instructional A day
Transition With Kindness
Kealing Yearbook Wins the National Pacemaker Award
Our yearbook was one of a handful of middle schools in the country to earn the Pacemaker this year.
These recognitions are important in the world of student journalism. Please take a moment to recognize the following students who contributed to last year's award winning book:
2019-20 Yearbook Staff: Lily Tisdale, Sophia Porter, Clara Kreeger, Citlaly Navarro, Peyton Phan, Emily Alpuche, Amalia Coleman, Allison Bergh, Adele Tversky, Mayumi Cardenas
Buy your YEARBOOK TODAY!
LBJ ECHS Cheer Try-Outs
When: May 19, 2021-May 23, 2021
Where: LBJ ECHS Gym
Time: 4:30pm-6:00pm everyday of that week!
Contact: Coach Jackson @courtney.jackson@austinisd.org or 512 841-4026
Kealing PTA Elections Coming Up!
Please join us on Thursday, April 22 at 7pm
We will be electing the new Kealing PTA Executive Board for 2021-22.
You may nominate yourself or nominate someone else.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Questions? Email President@kealingpta.org
Join by Clicking This link : Kealing PTA Meeting Link
Summer School & Enrichment at Kealing Middle School
Dates: 6/14 - 6/30
Hours: 9:00a - 1:00p
Educational Delivery: Hybrid( Face to face & Virtual)
Location: Blackshear Elementary School (We are having our HVAC Systems repaired at KMS )
Transportation will be provided
The calendar for Summer Enrichment Programs is still being developed, more information is coming. So far we have:
6th Grade Summer reading - June and 1st week of August
Summer Band - Date: TBD
Orchestra Camp - 8/2/2021 - 8/6/2021
6th Grade Orientation - Dates TBD
7th grade orientation - Dates TBD
Pre Algebra Camp- 7/5 - 7/30
STARBASE Camp - 6/28 - 8/2
Young Scientists Reading Camp - 7/5 - 7/30
Guidance for Attendance at Athletics & Fine Arts Events
As Austin Public Health eases restrictions to Stage 3, and we have more of our community
vaccinated, we are given more flexibility, while still being safe, to carry out *non-UIL events.
To provide caregivers with an opportunity to view their students' activities, we are allowing
Athletics and Visual & Performing Arts events in a healthy and safe environment, as follows:
● All audience members will be masked and socially distanced.
● Audience members will be allowed up to 25% of venue capacity.
● Audience members will be screened and temperature checked before entry.
● The support staff will be available to help enforce physical distancing requirements and
mask usage.
*AISD follows UIL recommendations for music and theatre; only student performers are allowed
(no audiences).
These guidelines are subject to change based on public health and safety conditions.
Start a REAL business this summer!
PE Waivers - deadline for Fall
LASA Girls Lacrosse
Email skylermj5@gmail.com if you have any questions or if you're interested in receiving direct information regarding next season.
Free Minds application is open!
If you’ve been thinking about returning to school, Free Minds is calling your name! A program of Foundation Communities’ College Hub, Free Minds offers a free two-semester college course in the humanities for adults looking to start a new chapter.
Free Minds offers a supportive environment for adult students. Classes will be two evenings a week between August and May. Tuition, books, childcare, and support services are provided at no cost to students. Faculty from UT and ACC lead students through classes in literature, philosophy, history, art, and writing. Students who complete the course earn six credit hours from ACC.
If you’re ready to make a fresh start in the classroom, please consider applying.
You are eligible if you:
1. Are at least 18 years old
2. Have a high school diploma or GED
3. Don’t have a college degree and haven’t been enrolled in a degree program in the past two years
4. Have demonstrated financial need
5. Possess the ability to read challenging books in English
6. Are ready to commit to attending class regularly and complete all assignments
Prospective students can apply online by July 9, 2021 by visiting FreeMindsAustin.org. For any questions, please email freeminds@foundcom.org or call 512-610-7961.
Virtual Volunteer for Junior Achievement at Kealing
AISD Mental Wellness for Families Smores
We are excited to announce that our third 2-sided flyer with mental health resources/strategies
will be distributed to parents/families during Austin ISD food distributions next week. We plan
to create a new Mental Wellness flyer/Smore every two weeks. These
resources are part of a collaboration between Child Study Systems, Social and Emotional
Learning, Health Services, Family and Community Engagement, and Austin ISD Communications.
Bike & School Day - May 5th
Join Bike and School Day on May 5. AISD’s transportation and sustainability teams have partnered with Ghisallo Cycling Initiative for students to learn about biking, engage in physical activity and celebrate sustainable transportation in Austin.
Students can participate by using the Bicycle Skills Challenge at Home program, a guided lesson plan for students to learn and practice bicycle safety and riding skills. The program is a modified version of the advanced bike rodeo clinic that the Ghisallo Cycling Initiative provides through AISD physical education programs. The dual-language, 30-minute program in English and Spanish can support both synchronous and asynchronous instruction.
SIgn up for the KMS Bike & School Program here!
Benefits
Schools will be selected by receive free bikes and helmets to raffle to participating students.
Students learn bike safety and riding skills so they can safely bike to and from school, for fun and recreation, or to get wherever they want to go.
The fun, interactive lessons are aligned with TEKS and can help youth engage in physical activity and improve their health!
How to participate
Contact cycleacademy@ghisallo.org to confirm participation and receive the materials. Ghisallo Cycling Initiative team members will drop off bikes and helmets to selected schools.
Ensure the students complete the knowledge quiz through BLEND or preferred learning platform or collect answers in the classroom.
Questions? Contact cycleacademy@ghisallo.org.
Around our school this past week!
Mrs. Chambers students working collaboratively in the halls
Teachers partaking in our community garden
Mr. Martinez continues to disinfect our school through out the day
Our Languages Other Than English Teachers welcome students at the door!
Mrs. Chambers has created her National Junior Honor Society Board Outside of her classroom
Our Instrument Selection went well Saturday
Edu Displays are up and running in our classrooms!
We welcomed 221 students Tuesday morning, our most this year!
Mr. Jones is utilizing the edudisplay to deliver high quality instruction!
Everybody's locked in to the lesson
Mr. Ramirez has a new tool to help our floors clean!
Mr. Bergman takes her class outside for a lesson!
iReady testing opens 1/25.
AISD Curbside Meal Site
AISD to Continue Free Meals through the 2020-21 School Year
The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) recently announced an extension of current school meal programs through the 2020-21 school year. Through the federally-funded program, all Austin ISD students will receive free school meals through June 3, the last day of school.
For students participating in remote, off-campus learning, free 7 day meal packs will be available each Thursday at more than 40 curbside locations throughout Austin. While Austin ISD plans to continue curbside service as long as needed, meal sites are subject to change as more students transition to on-campus learning.
Curbside meal sites and more information can be found here
Austin ISD COVID-19 Dashboard
Austin ISD is committed to putting health and safety protocols in place that will prevent the occurrence and/or spread of COVID-19. However, we must be prepared to quickly and effectively respond to and communicate a lab-confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 at a school or other Austin ISD facility.
The Austin ISD COVID-19 Dashboard will be updated by noon each Tuesday, starting the week of Sept. 21. All lab-confirmed positive cases on campuses will be communicated directly to the campus community. Individuals who may have been exposed will be contacted directly and provided information on the next steps, including a quarantine timeline if needed.
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