Bearcat Blast

The Aledo Growth Committee - a community committee that’s studying data to potentially recommend an upcoming bond program to Aledo ISD Trustees - is hosting two community meetings next week, and you are invited!

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 6 and Thursday, Dec. 8 at the Aledo ISD Administration Building, the community is invited to learn more about Aledo ISD’s facility needs, demographics, finances, planning for growth and more. Community members will receive an update from community co-chairs Dan Reilley and Kelli Stumbo and then will work in small groups to provide feedback and ask questions to AGC members.

We very strongly encourage you to attend one of these meetings! They will be identical, so it is not necessary to attend both nights.

After a brief break, the Aledo Growth Committee was back at bond planning Monday night, and we've got a recap from community co-chairs Dan and Kelli on Episode 9 of the AGC Minute!

Turn it up for this important update, and visit aledoisd.org/AGC for Monday night's presentation and more!

The end of the year and colder weather often means illnesses going around and, with that, busy doctors offices and clinics. Please remember that the Aledo ISD is proud to offer Bearcat Care Clinics at each campus to our students and employees as a convenient option when getting into your primary care doctor or going to a stand alone clinic isn’t an option for your family. We know Bearcat Care Clinics do not replace our local pediatricians, and we are so grateful for them! Bearcat Care instead is a partnership with the Parker County Hospital District where each school nurse’s clinic is set up with a medical cart similar to what you would find in a hospital setting. This Bearcat Care setup essentially turns our school nurse offices into minor care clinics able to facilitate telemedicine visits with family doctors or nurse practitioners as well as making flu, strep, and COVID testing available (all with parent consent, of course) right at school.

Parents are even able to join the telemedicine visit with the nurse and doctor from the convenience of home or work or elsewhere. If a Bearcat Care visit determines that kids or staff may need to go home or get some prescription medicine, the prescription can be called in to your chosen pharmacy to be picked up as soon as possible and eliminate additional stops or appointments when not feeling well!

Access to Bearcat Care is for any student or staff member. Registration is necessary before a visit can take place and we encourage all parents to register your students right away to avoid any delays in having to register in a pinch when your child may be sick and needing a quick telemedicine visit. Registration also must occur each year, so if you registered last year, you will need to update your registration this year. AISD staff are also encouraged to register now to be ready later. It only takes a few minutes!

Registration for Bearcat Care can be done quickly and easily here; simply scroll down and click ENROLL NOW!

The Aledo ISD is continuing the longstanding tradition of a Holiday Come-and-Go for our entire staff just before the winter break. As a part of the Come-and-Go, we will be drawing for door prizes! We are seeking prizes with a $50 value or higher (gift cards are a great option!) for this all-staff holiday celebration. Last year, we had donations from local businesses, parents and families, and community members!

Want to donate a prize? Fill out this form: https://bit.ly/2022HolidayGiveaway

Questions? Contact Mercedes at mmayer@aledoisd.org. Please fill out the form and drop off donations to the Aledo ISD Administration Building by close of business (4:30 p.m.) on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022!

You're invited to attend the next FREE Aledo ISD Parenting University: Building a Culture of Connectedness, Part 3 with Danny Ross, M.Ed., CSC, LPC-S, NCC.

Aledo ISD is excited to welcome back Danny Ross for the third time as we continue to explore building a sense of belonging through dignity for all members of the school community.

• 6 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022
• Aeldo Learning Center Traning Rooms
• Pizza provided by Aledo PTO
• AHS National Honor Society Studetns will provide childcare (and pizza)

Students all over the district throughout November participated in activities and learned more about Native American Heritage Month! The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people.

At McCall Elementary (pictured right), students could pick books in the library or in a display case outside the library to read for Native American Heritage Month, and librarian Debbie Bennett taught Native American Heritage Month lessons to students.

Annetta Elementary students spent some of their library time with librarian Jessica Vonder Haar reading about and watching videos on Native American dances and totem poles.

At Stuard Elementary (pictured below), the family of a Stuard student who is of Native American descent spent a day at the school speaking to students. This family brought clothing, hair plates, mirror boards and other items to show students and talked to them about their tribe, hunting, Native American dances, laws and more.

HARVEST OF THE MONTH: YOU CAN'T BEAT BEETS!

If you’re looking for something that’s low in calories but high in nutrients, look no further than the humble beet. Adding beets into your salads, soups and other daily meals can be a good way to enhance a balanced diet. Plus beets are an excellent source of antioxidants!

LOOK FOR SOME YUMMY BEETS IN THE CAFETERIA THIS MONTH!

This week's P2 Character Trait of the Week is Kindness!

Remember P2 has a site set up for families called P2 for Families. It is password protected, but the password is simply P2. This site has all of the Character Cards that we will share each week, plus related and inspiring videos as well as questions for families to discuss around each character strength for ALL 24 character strengths AND broken down by grade bands (PK-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12).

See the Kindness Character Card below, and consider using one of these Table Talk questions to start a conversation with your child about Kindness!

KINDNESS TABLE TALK for your FAMILY

Grades Pre-K-2: When was a time that someone showed kindness to you?

Grades 3-5: Share a time when you were kind to someone or someone was kind to you. How did it make you feel?

Grades 6-8: Why is kindness important in relationships?

Grades 9-12: Is it easier to be kind to someone you don’t know than to someone you may not always get along with?

CALLING ARTISTS OF ALL AGES: The library needs a logo! Please submit your original artwork that is creative, simple, and you feel best represents the East Parker County Library. EPCL is a non-profit library that serves the residents of Aledo, Willow Park, Hudson Oaks, the Annettas, and the surrounding ETJ areas of Ft. Worth within the AISD boundary.

Requirements:

● Should have the words “East Parker County Library” included in it.

● Must be original artwork. Any medium may be used.

● Anyone may participate!

● Format should be a jpeg, png, or pdf. 300 ppi max.

● Entries should be sent to epclibraryboard@gmail.com by December 12, 2022.

● Please include your name, email, and phone number with your submission.

● Once received, entries become and remain the property of the EPC Library.

Thank you for supporting your local library! Please share with others!

Adopt a Teacher: Help us reach our goal of adopting every classroom in Aledo ISD. Tax donation of $150 will help take the burden off our teachers! https://www.aledoef.org/achieving-excellence-fund

Aledo ISD and the Aledo Education Foundation are partnering once again for the Bearcat Backer program, and we'd love your support!

As our district is #GrowingGreatness through exceptional experiences that empower learners for life, we are committed to fostering relationships and partnerships with our outstanding businesses and organizations to help support our Bearcats. Your partnership provides a direct investment and benefit to our Bearcat students and staff.

If your business is interested in joining our Bearcat Backers program, please visit our Bearcat Backers webpage that includes sponsorship levels as well as a commitment form to fill out.

Thank you to our 2022-2023 Bearcat Backers!

Platinum Level

EECU

Harvest Senior Living Aledo

H-E-B

K&M Elevator

Myser Orthodontics

Texas Health Willow Park

UEA

Gold Level Sponsors

First Financial Bank
TWFG Insurance Services - Christi James

Silver Level Sponsors

Bigfoot Ink/Ecoimprint

SkinMD

Bronze Level Sponsors

Brandon Swain REALTOR
Brookshire's Grocery Company
Bryan Insurance Agency
Camp Fire First Texas
Khill Shot Photography by Keith Hill
Lynch Legacy Realty Group
Paradigm Wealth Management - Christopher Roberts
Reading Friends Aledo
Slade & Nash

The Bearcat Blast E-Newletter is managed by the Aledo ISD Communications Department. To submit news items, email communications@aledoisd.org.

Email: communications@aledoisd.org
Website: https://www.aledoisd.org/
Location: 1008 Bailey Ranch Road, Aledo, TX, USA
Phone: 817-441-8327
Facebook: facebook.com/AledoISD
Twitter: @AledoISD