Panda Parent Newsletter

What's Going On at Anita Uphaus ECC? Vol. 1 #7 March 2023

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Parent Support Specialist

Greetings Panda Families,

Thank you families for a successful February. Our scholars continue to make so much progress as the months go on.


You can expect periodic newsletters from myself, and several of the classroom teachers to keep you up to date as to what is happening here at Anita Uphaus and in the classrooms.

A good way of staying up to date on school information is to visit our website at www.uphaus.austinschools.org . There, you can find several sources of information that will keep you informed of all the happenings at Anita Uphaus. We are excited to partner with you for the 2022-2023 school year. If at any time during the school year you feel the need to contact me, please feel free to call me, Linda C. Perez, Parent Support Specialist at (512) 414-5538 or by email at linda.c.perez@austinisd.org


Our partnership and collaboration with you will assist us in having a successful school year. Your involvement and partnership is important. There is no one like you!


As your Parent Support Specialist, I can assist you in several ways. In working together, I can:


Find resources you may need- I can help find assistance when needed.

Learn new things about school and how to help your child succeed. Look for workshops for parents throughout the year!


Become leaders in our school!

Your input and participation in the Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) and other school committees such as Campus Advisory Council (CAC).


Become a Parent Volunteer! Volunteers are welcomed and needed!

Everyone who volunteers will need to attend a volunteer orientation and complete a successful background check.

Celebrating Women’s History Month

Celebrando el Mes de la Historia de la Mujer

#AISDProud #OrgulloAISD

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Austin ISD Celebrates National Youth Art Month

Austin ISD celebra el Mes Nacional del Arte Juvenil

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REMINDERS: School Schedule


  • Doors open: 7:10 am
  • Arrival Time: 7:10 thru 7:40 am
  • Tardy Bell: Rings at 7:40 am
  • Dismissal Time: 3:10 pm


We are seeing an influx of students that are being dropped off late or picked up late after school. We understand emergencies and situations beyond our control. Please remember to drop off and/or pick up your child on time. Thank you.

REMINDERS: Arrival & Dismissal

Families,


Below are a few reminders that will assist with our arrival/dismissal procedures. Attached you will find our map for Arrival & Dismissal. Please assist us in following traffic rules. We thank you in advance for helping to keep our staff, scholars, and parents safe.


REMINDER:

We ask that you please be patient with the drop off/pick up line. We are moving as fast as we can and want to ensure all children get home and to school safely. Our campus only has one entry and one exit. We ask that you be kind to fellow families by NOT cutting in line, NOT using obscene gestures to others, NOT using a handheld devices (phones in a school zone) while driving, and NOT speeding in the parking lot. Our Anita Uphaus staff is to trying to keep ALL staff, families, and students safe.


During morning drop off, parents and parent guardians will be allowed to:

  • walk their child(ren) up to the designated campus entrances at the school.
  • If you are walking them to the designated drop off areas, please make sure you cross at the student crosswalk for your safety. Parents must park in a designated parking spot and walk your child across.
  • Go through the designated drive-thru entrances at the school


During after school pick up, parents and parent guardians will be allowed to:

  • pick up their child(ren) at the designated campus pick-up areas at the school
  • Go through the designated drive-thru exits at the school


Please do not:

Do NOT park in a NO Parking/Reserved area!

  • block the flow of traffic in and out of school premises.
  • block the bus lane in the front circle drive.
  • speed in a school zone.
  • use cell phone in school zone (Please put your phone down. This is an active school zone).


Due to safety reasons, parents and parent guardians will NOT be allowed to walk children to their classrooms.

REMINDERS: Please be mindful of your speed during pick up & drop off. Speed limit should not exceed 10 mph.

NO CELL PHONE use in an active school zone. Please put your cell phones down.

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Attendance Policy

Parent & Community Events

Austin ISD Superintendent Search Conversations will be held in English and Spanish Tuesday March 7 Districtwide In-person Town Hall, 6–7 pm Webb Early College Middle School 601 E St Johns Ave, Austin, TX 78752 Visit https://austinisd.org/board/superintendent-search… to learn more about the search process
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Austin ISD Budget Community Conversations Wednesday, Mar. 8 6-7 pm,

@AISDBowie

(4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749) -- Conversaciones comunitarias sobre el presupuesto del AISD Miércoles, Mar. 8 6-7 pm, Escuela Preparatoria Bowie (4103 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749)
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Learning Opportunities for Scholars

PEAS Spring Break Camp: Friends in Nature (Ages 7-12)

Registration is open for Spring Break and Summer Camps with PEAS at the PEAS Community Farm & Urban Orchard and Emeril Teaching Kitchen. Families can expect a variety of entertaining and educational activities, unique to each week of camp including cooking, tasting, gardening, experimenting, playing, crafting and more!

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FLU Clinic Information for parents & community members

Parents and other community members interested in getting a Flu shot can refer to this link for Flu shot resources: https://www.austinisd.org/student-health/flu-clinics - this link is also in the flyer.

Learning Opportunities for Families

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Where's The Bus App

Where's the Bus?

@AustinISD

AISD Transportation offers the WheresTheBus app to provide families with timely information about the location of each child’s bus, including when it will arrive at their stop. The app is free to AISD students who ride the bus: https://www.austinisd.org/transportation/wheres-the-bus


¿ Dónde está el autobús?

@AustinISD

El Austin ISD está ofreciendo la aplicación Wheres the Bus (Dónde está el autobús) para proporcionarles información oportuna de la ubicación del autobús de sus hijos, incluyendo cuándo llegará a su parada. Es gratis: https://www.austinisd.org/transportation/wheres-the-bus

What's happening at Anita Uphaus?

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Food Service Appreciation Week

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Read Across America Day!

Visit from Interim Superintendent- Matias Seguras

Parent Support Specialist & Social Workers Appreciation Week March 6-10

Black History Spirit Week

Spring Break Week

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No School for Staff & Students - March 31st

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Brighter Bites Is Here at Uphaus! Please sign up!

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Parents,

Anita Uphaus will be participating in the Brighter Bites program which provides healthy fruits and vegetables to families. We hope you can sign up to receive these delicious foods.

Our Brighter Bites Enrollment Forms are available online! I have attached both the printable pdf and the pdf with the clickable link to enroll. Here is the direct link to enroll:


SIGN UP HERE / REGISTRATE AQUí: http://brighterbites.org/enroll


One application per family. If you have multiple students enrolled, please only fill out 1 application. If you need assistance, please contact our Parent Support Specialist, Mrs. Linda Perez.


If you would like to volunteer to help with Brighter Bites....please sign up on the link below (APIE).

Brighter Bites Recipes

Library News with Mrs. Haywood!

Parents,

Every March we hold a “Battle of the Books” or “Lucha Libros” in the Library. We start off with 8 books that we have read for storytime during the year. Each week the students vote for their favorite titles in a tournament-style elimination until one book is left standing and declared the winner.


It’s a great way to review some of the great books we’ve read aloud, and a fun, school-wide, shared experience for the students. They are also learning about voting and come to realize that the book(s) they were hoping for may not always win.


Stay tuned to find out which book wins . . . and if you hear your student singing the “Mucha Lucha” theme song, we invite you to play these videos and sing along at home. Fair warning - it’s a catchy tune!


Short version:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/VWqCEa2hYeA?t


Longer version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk6Chd9gMwk&t

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Mask are Encouraged, Not Required

With the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, students, staff and visitors are not required to wear face masks when on school properties, unless they have tested positive for COVID-19. Note: Per CDC guidance, individuals with a positive COVID-19 result will be required to wear a mask for five days after returning from quarantine/isolation.



  • On February 25, 2022, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that masking be based on COVID-19 Community Levels

  • Austin ISD required masks throughout most of the last school year and saw a lower positivity rate inside its schools than in the community at large.

  • Austin ISD will continue to follow CDC guidance and keep track of the COVID-19 community level in Austin Travis County.

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Access, Attendance, and Grades: Please be mindful that in order to receive grades as prescribed in the Texas Education Code, Section 25.092 and Senate Bill (SB) 140 of the 82nd Legislative Session, a student must attend 90% of the given class. Students must also receive instruction in the subject matter for which the grade is given.

Safety Information

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School Lunch Time

Parents may eat with their child during the days of Monday thru Friday.


Please keep the following bullet points in mind as you decide whether you will occasionally visit your child at lunch.


*Please speak with your child and prepare them

* Is my child able to say good-bye if I go eat lunch with them?

*There is limited space and a designated area for parent lunches (1-2 visitors)

* There is 30 minutes for lunch

* Student lunches start & end at their designated time

* Parents are only allowed to eat with their child (no classmates)

* Students are not allowed to share food due to possible allergies, restrictions, or sensitivities

*Parents may pay for a lunch or bring their own.

* All students are provided a free lunch

* 30 minutes includes (getting lunch, eating, clean up, & line up)

* Visiting sibling (if applicable) must remain in the designated lunch area

*Parents who arrive late- Student's lunch will end at their designated time

*Parents who arrive early-Student's lunch will begin at their designated time

*Parents must park in the designated side parking lots

*Parents must check in at the front office, show ID, and have a visitor tag

* Please contact your child's teacher for the class designated lunch time

March Lunch Menu

Check out the March @AustinISD elementary school menu.

March 6-10 is School Breakfast Week! View daily, weekly, and monthly menus for all schools at http://SchoolCafe.com/AustinISD. Menus are subject to change. #AISDEats #SchoolMeals #SchoolLunch #SchoolBreakfast

Consulte el menú de la escuela primaria de Marzo de @AustinISD.

¡Del 6 al 10 de marzo es la semana del desayuno escolar! Vea los menús diarios, semanales y mensuales de todas las escuelas en http://SchoolCafe.com/AustinISD. Los menús están sujetos a cambio.

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Parent Tips & Information

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Do you know why schedules and routines are helpful for children?

@HeadStartgov shares why.

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Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Corner

Is your child getting frustrated or just needs some guidance to help get regulated? Below are some breathing strategies that we use at school to help them get focused and reset. Practice these at home!
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APIE

Please note: if you are planning to volunteer for any event at school you must go through a

back ground check. You can do that clicking this link: https://austinpartners.org/get-involved/austin-isd-school-based-volunteer/


More information to come.

We need you! Join our PTA!

Please support the Uphaus PTA

PTA is an organization of parents and teachers coming together to advocate for our children and students. Your membership alone will give us a BIGGER voice in our school and community!

Membership is $10 for the year. This money goes towards student events, teacher appreciation and much more. PTA membership flyer going out soon!

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Upcoming Events

March is Women's History Month - https://womenshistorymonth.gov/

March is National Youth Art Month


March 6-10 - Parent Support Specialist & Social Workers Appreciation Week

March 6-10 School Breakfast Week


March 8- Lead With Love Community Meeting with Trustee Zapata (Blazier Intermediate) 8:30 am


March 9- Brighter Bites Distribution


March 9 - PTA Friendship Dance 5-7 pm (See flyer attached)


March 13-17 Spring Break


March 17 - St. Patrick's Day


March 20 - 1st Day of Spring, AISD Pride Week


March 30 - Brighter Bites Distribution Day


March 30- CATCH/STEM/SEL Night (more info to come)


March 31 - No School for Students/Staff (Dolores Huerta/Cesar Chavez Day)

Did you miss our last smores? Click the links below.

Follow us on our social media platforms!

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