Hornet Herald

News and notes for the week of 9/27/2021

Custodians Appreciation Day is Tuesday! Our scholars are off to a strong start already!

Principal's Message to Hornet Families for the week of September 27th, 2021

Principal's Message to Hornet Families for the week of September 27th, 2021

Great evening fantastic families,

We are now in week 7 and only 2 weeks away from ending our first term of the 2021-2022 school year. Our instructional focus this week is student engagement and student centered learning. One of the best bragging points of Kealing Middle School is our amazing teachers. On average our teachers have been on our campus for 10.5 years, that's unheard of in today’s educational system. So every other week, we as an instructional leadership team walk our campus looking for great strategies to share with our staff to strengthen our faculty as a whole.

We have an amazing week ahead of us. We start by wishing A Happy Birthday to our Science teacher Mr. Slapak today! Monday is Custodian Appreciation Day and our scholars are already off to a great start with posters we have placed around the school. We have Hornet football vs Webb Middle school Tuesday night at Burger Stadium, so far we are undefeated and hoping to keep that trend going. Let’s also wish our magnificent Magnet Director Mrs. Patel A happy birthday on Wednesday. We have Hornet Volleyball vs Bedichek, Guitar Sectionals and Ultimate Frisbee Practice starting on Thursday. Friday will be open and Saturday morning we will have another opportunity to see our awesome cross country teams compete in Leander. Thank you all for choosing Kealing and Austin ISD. #BEGREATmentality

#ProgressNotPerfection

Principal's Message to Hornet Families for the week of September 27th, 2021
Interested in joining the KMS campus LPAC Committee

WHAT IS A LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE (LPAC)? WHAT IS ITS ROLE? Each school district that is required to offer a bilingual education and special language program shall establish a language proficiency assessment committee.

2021-2022 Initiatives and Goals

2021-2022 Initiatives and Goals

Instructional Initiatives

1.) Daily Formative Assessment

2.) Literacy in Every Classroom

3.) Standards Aligned Instruction

4.) Progress Monitoring


Academic Goal

Utilizing an array of assessments (MAP- Measure of Academic Progress, SCA - AISD Short Course Assessment, and STAAR - State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness), the percentage of each demographic/special group of students performing at the meets level in Math & English will increase by at least 5% - 10% from August 17th, 2021 to May 27th,2022.


Social Goal

- TBA (we are still working on this but planning to look at the types of counseling visits our students are requesting)

2021-2022 Initiatives and Goals
KMS Safety Protocols as of 9/27/2021

KMS Safety Protocols as of 9/27/2021

All Day

Mask wearing is mandatory

Before School

All staff, students, and visitors are encouraged to self screen for COVID 19 symptoms before entering into a campus or other Austin ISD Facilities each day

Arrival

- We will maintain outdoor markers to social distance

Transition

- we will encourage moving halls where students are encourage to not stop while transitioning to classes

Classrooms

- We are space seating/desks at least 3 feet apart when feasible

- Each classroom will have a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration unit

- Personal Protective Equipment will be available in each room

- Plexiglass dividers available

Breakfast & Lunch

- students are allowed to eat lunch both inside the cafeteria and outside in the courtyard

- Plexiglass accordian dividers.

Dismissal

- we will have staggered dismissal where scholars will be dismissed by areas of the building to reduce traffic.

KMS Safety Protocols as of 9/27/2021
Upcoming Dates

Upcoming Dates

Monday - September 27th - A Day


Tuesday - September 28th - B Day

Hornet Football vs Webb @ Burger Stadium 7:30pm

Custodian Appreciation Day!


Wednesday - September 29th - A Day


Thursday - September 30th - B Day

Guitar Sectionals

Ultimate Frisbee Practice

Lady Hornet Volleyball vs Burnet M.S. @6p, 8th grade will be at Burnet, 7th grade will be at Kealing Middle School


Friday - October 1st- A Day

PSS FOOD PANTRY FRIDAY Distribution Day. Please contact Ms. Perez directly if your family is in need of pantry supplements.


Saturday - October 2nd

Founder's Classic 5th Annual CC Invitational

1807 Waterfall Ave, Leander, TX (Approximately 25-30 minutes north of Austin)

Upcoming Dates
Please click here to submit Hornet Herald entries

Entries must be submitted by Thursdays weekly to be included in the upcoming week's communication.

Responses to Virtual Back to School Night Questions

Please click here to view responses

Announcements!

Angel Network

Healing Kealing Families,

We are very excited to announce our new Angel Network! This group's mission is to help Kealing students and their families in situations facing unforeseen challenges with safety or shelter. For example, a family may need space heaters if their central heat goes out or modest assistance with rent, etc. for a month. We will be working in conjunction with our parent support specialist on campus.


If you would like to be a part of this very important and impactful network, or are interested in donating funds as the needs arise, please email us at angel@kealingpta.org. Thank you, we look forward to helping each other.

Volunteer lunch monitors needed

Volunteer lunch monitors needed

The school has need of parents to volunteer to supervise lunch. With some classes eating outside and more outdoor seating on the way, the school’s staff is stretched thin. If you can volunteer for part or all of lunch on any day of the week, please fill out our google form stating when you are available. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfx0Jhp2IeCl_bnyfplJxlDqiQN_miSmyPY_UGuhUvkeG1A0w/viewform


All volunteers will also need to fill out AISD’s volunteer form: https://austinpartners.org/volunteer/?fbclid=IwAR0M9qZ7M5hvTDQTjON2rVSThx018U2P_Pp_Cu_5KLjJrcwlXs0ziNfINM0

Volunteer lunch monitors needed
Great showing in our first district cross country meet this year

Great showing in our first district cross country meet this year

  • 1st Place Finishes | Colby Huntress- 7th/8th Grade Boys, Keelan Christman-7th/8th Grade Girls, Elijah Ekwurzel-6th Grade Boys
  • 2nd Place Finishes | Sabine Rodemacher- 7th/8th Grade Girls
  • 3rd Place Finishes | Alexis Abramowitz- 7th/8th Grade Girls, Anish Sharma- 6th Grade Boys, Robin Jolliffe- 6th Grade Girls
  • Our 7th and 8th Grade Girls DOMINATED with 8 girls in the Top 10 | Keelan Christman-1st, Sabine Rodemacher-2nd, Alexis Abramowitz-3rd, Jean Jolliffe-4th, Kate Linville-5th, Skylar Jones-6th, Lily Wilcox-7th, Frances Brosnan-8th. AND, very new to our team Kaisa Thomas almost overtook 10th place at the very end. Well done 7th and 8th Grade girls!!
  • Three first-time 6th grade racers finished in the top 20 of our 6th Grade Boys | Juan Diego Reina (4th place), Samarth Subramanya (11th place), and Baylor Huh (17th)
Great showing in our first district cross country meet this year

Supply Drive

Thank you, Kealing families, for all the donations so far. Students and teachers are all getting what they need! We are continuing to update the Amazon list as needs arise. Some items have been requested by specific teachers and others are for community supplies. Students know they can easily ask when they need notebooks, paper, pencils, etc., and it's so lovely! Check out the updated list here:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/B7BQHNMLAOP/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2?_encoding=UTF8&type=wishlist

Ultimate Frisbee!!

Ultimate Frisbee!!

WHAT?
Fun Ultimate scrimmages and practices!
WHO?
All grades, all genders, all programs!
WHEN?
Thursdays, 3:00-4:45pm, September 30th - October 28th
*Limited to 40 players each week in the fall
HOW?
First, view this document and fill out our online waiver linked inside! [Parent/Guardian required!] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QUkPMw17BwK51QCUjuI0jt9MKLd7Zj8l/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117244494751661991340&rtpof=true&sd=true

Second, sign up outside Room 235 (Mr. Natenberg’s Room) each week -- the list will be posted on Monday mornings.
WHY?
Ultimate is like soccer, football, and basketball combined...with frisbees! Join us!
QUESTIONS?
Contact any of the coaches:
Cara Crouch -- cara.crouch@austinisd.org
Colleen Kepner -- colleen.kepner@austinisd.org
Michael Natenberg -- michael.natenberg@austinisd.org
NOTE:
Our official season is in the spring. We’ll have a full informational meeting in January / February to share more information.
Ultimate Frisbee!!

KEALING Clothes Closet Needs

As the weather begins to turn cooler, more and more students are in need of warm clothing. If you are clearing out your closets in preparation of those cool days coming, Kealing clothes closet can benefit from gently used long sleeved shirts, sweat pants or blue jeans and light jackets. Please feel free to contact Ms. Dianna Perez @ 512-414-6700 with any questions.

PTA No-HASSLE Fundraiser

The Kealing PTA No-Hassle Fundraiser is happening now!

What does a no-hassle fundraiser mean? Rather than spending time and money raising PTA funds through food and goods sales, galas, walkathons, other -athons, etc., this is a quick, no-stress fundraiser.

"I do not want to bake. It’s too hot and I don’t need any more cookies around here. Here is the money I would have spent on ingredients and on baked goods at the sale."

"I still have rolls and rolls of gift wrap. Who uses gift wrap anymore when there are gift bags? No, I don’t want to sell it or buy anymore. Here’s my money to save the trees!"

"Volunteer? I want to but I just don’t have the time. I don’t want to feel guilty anymore. Please take my money."

Simply donate and you're done. Your dollars help provide and purchase high priority teacher wish-list items, ELA books, food for community building and teacher appreciation events, microscopes for science, outdoor eating areas, and more.

For more info and to donate visit:

No Hassle Fundraiser Link

And if joining PTA is still on your to-do list, that can be done on your donation form too.

Questions? Email vpfundraising@kealingpta.org.

SHOW YOUR KEALING SPIRT with SPIRIT WEAR

National Hispanic Heritage Family Event

National Hispanic Heritage Family Event

Latin America Market

Dozens of Latino entrepreneurs will gather at Centennial Plaza in Round Rock to showcase gifts, jewelry, home decor, accessories, services and more. The Latin America Market will be from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 3.

National Hispanic Heritage Family Event
Follow Us on Social Media

Follow Us on Social Media

Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/KealingMS/

Hornet Herald - http://www.kealingmiddleschool.org/parents/hornet-herald

Twitter - @KTXHornets

Webpage - https://kealing.austinschools.org/

Follow Us on Social Media