Talon Talk

At Summitt ES, we ensure high levels of learning for each student, engaging both heart & mind.

Happy October to the Summitt Community!

It's hard to believe that October is already here and that we're nearing the end of the first nine weeks of school — the year is truly flying by! As we move into a busy month, we’d like to remind you of a few important dates coming up in October. Please note that students will have holidays on the following days: October 10th and 13th, and Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on October 20th. These conferences are a valuable opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher and gain insight into their progress so far this year. We strongly encourage all families to attend.

Looking ahead, we have an exciting fall season planned with several opportunities for parent and community involvement. Be sure to stay informed by checking out our campus updates, reviewing the weekly email from PTA, and don't forget to visit the Counselor’s Corner for additional resources and information.

We appreciate your partnership and look forward to a great month!

Here are some items included in this month's Talon Talk:

• 2022-2023 School Report Card
• Save the Dates
• Mid Autumn Festival
• Koblenz Movie Night
• Order your Yearbook!
• Counselor Corner Updates HERE
• Love Your Brain Week
• 1st Nine Week Report Card Date
• Parent Coffee Chat - Why Attendance Matters

Thank you for sharing your amazing students with us! We are the lucky ones!

With Gratitude,

Kim Placker

Summitt Interim Principal

We have some important news to share about Summitt Elementary School. Included in this message is a copy of our 2022-23 School Report Card, along with some helpful definitions to help make sense of the report.

This report is put together by the Texas Education Agency, and the state requires us to send it to every parent or guardian of a student in a Texas public school. It has a lot of information to help you see how our school is doing.

Inside, you'll find information on:

• How our students performed on the STAAR tests

• How ready our students are for college, careers, and the military

• Details about our student enrollment

• Average class sizes

• Information on our financial spending

• How our school compares to the rest of the district and the state.

• Data for different student groups, like race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status

• Results from at least the past two years.

The School Report Card for Summitt can be viewed HERE, and can be found online at TEA School Report Card. I'm also including School Report Card Definitions and SRCs information.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about this report card. Thank you for your continued support of our school.

October 3rd - Mid Autumn Fest @ 6-8 pm

October 6th - PTA Meeting (Zoom) @ 6-7 pm

October 8th - Fall Picture Day

October 10th and 13th - Student Holidays/No School

Tuesday, October 14th -

- Unity Day - Wear Orange

- Parent Coffee @ 8:15 am - Attendance Matters

Friday, October 17th

Kona Ice & Eagle Fest Ticket sale - after school

Koblenz Family Movie Night - Doors open 6:30, Movie begins at 7 pm

Saturday, October 18th - PTA Beautification Day @ 8-11 am

Monday, Oct 20th - Parent/Teacher Conference Day/No school for students

Saturday, October, 25th - Eagle Fest @ 3-6 pm

October 27th-October 31st - Love Your Brain Week

Monday, October 29th - CAC Meeting @ 3:30-4:30 pm

October 31st - Dress up as your favorite Story Book Character Day

Tuesday, November 4th - No school for students, Election Day

Tuesday, November 11th -

Veteran's Day Program @ 7:30 am in the cafeteria

Thursday, November 13th -

Murchison Middle School Parent Chat - 8:15 am

5th Grade Students Meet with Murchison staff regarding Middle School Choice Sheets

Thursday, November 6th - Track and Field Days for Kinder-2nd

Friday, November 7th - Track and Field Days for 3rd-5th

November 17th - 21st - PTA Sponsored Book Fair

November 19th - Grandparents Lunch

November 24th-28th - Fall Break

Monday, December 1st - PTA Meeting (Zoom) @ 6-7 pm

Friday, December 5th - Koblenz Holiday Market

Monday, December 8th - CAC meeting @ 3:30-4:30 pm

Friday, December 19th - PJ Day

December 22-January 5 (Students Return on January 6th)

All campuses in Austin ISD offer Gifted and Talented screening in grades K-12 based on referrals submitted at bit.ly/2025AISDGTStart. If you are interested in seeing whether your child demonstrates a need for Gifted and Talented Services, please follow the link above. When a referral is submitted for a child, their parent or caregiver will be prompted to complete a Parent/Caregiver GT Observation Form.

Referrals are received by the Campus GT Advocate, who facilitates the implementation of GT assessment and services at the campus level. For questions about the GT identification process or services at your campus, please reach out to Lucie Cantrell, our Campus GT Advocate. Lucie.cantrell@austinisd.org

Referral Window for SY2025-26: August 19-October 17

zoom_out_mapShow in original size

zoom_out_mapShow in original size

Report Cards will be available to be viewed and accessed on November 6th through the parent portal. You will receive an email on directions on how to access your child's report card.

Here is a link to the AISD website and Parent Portal directions: https://www.austinisd.org/technology/parent-portal/parent-self-serve

November 6

January 17

April 9

June 18

Save the Date

Summitt Movie Night

Friday, October 17th

Come join the fun at Summitt Movie Night! We will be showing A Minecraft Movie AND Lilo & Stitch! The movie will be inside Summitt Elementary in the cafeteria and Great Hall!! Bring a blanket or a chair if you would like. Buy tickets either online HERE, through the order form sent home in folders, or at the door. Doors open at 6:30 and the movies start at 7.

All students must be accompanied by an adult throughout the whole movie. Questions? Email summittkoblenz@gmail.com. Proceeds benefit the Summitt Koblenz Exchange.

Save the Date Eagle Fest Saturday, October 25th
Save the Date for Summitt's Annual Eagle Fest on Oct. 25th from 3:00 pm-6:00 pm. We can't wait to see all of you there! Sign-up to volunteer at this amazing event. We can't do it without your help! Please also consider supporting the event by purchasing an item from the Eagle Fest Amazon Wishlist.

Interested in joining the committee? There's still time! Email summitteaglefest@gmail.com with your interest!

Yearbooks are now on sale and seeking pictures!
Yearbooks are now on sale! We are also currently seeking baby photos for our graduating 5th-grade students, as well as pictures for all Summitt Events. And 5th-grade parents can purchase ads for their graduates. For more information on how to purchase your yearbook and how to upload your pictures, visit the new Summitt Yearbook webpage HERE.

Please join us for our fall Parent Coffee Chats on the various topics:

Tuesday, October 14th @ 8:15 am

Topic: Why Attendance Matters

Tuesday, November 13 @ 8:15 am

Attention 5th-grade parents: Murchison Middle School Choice Sheets

Tuesday, December 2 @ 12:10 pm

NetSmart - Parent Webinar - Join us online or in person to learn how to teach your child the importance of being safe while online.

Did you know, in the 2024-2025 school year, Summitt lost $349,042 due to absences! Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. It also ensures that we receive funding. Absences and tardiness impact the whole classroom. Parents: Making sure your student is in school and on time every day is the law.

Join us on Tuesday, October 14th @ 8:15 am for a discussion on "Why Attendance Matters". Learn about the importance of attendance and how attendance impacts our daily funding and daily operations. Help us reach out campus goal of 98% attendance rates by learning more about the financial impact and the importance that attendance has on your Eagle!

Xin chào mọi người, Hola a todos, Hello everyone!

My name is Mrs. Thora Gray, students call me Mrs. Thora. I’m thrilled to be teaching art this year, bringing with me over a decade of experience in environmental arts education. My background blends creativity with nature and sustainability, covering everything from understanding our environment and caring for the Earth, to crafting with natural materials, growing food, and even cooking with what we grow.

This year, I’m excited to weave some of these earth-centered ideas into our art curriculum. I often think of art through the lens of STEAM education Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. There’s so much more to explore in the art room beyond just painting and drawing! My goal is to help students tap into their creativity while developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

We kicked off the school year with some fun “getting to know each other” projects:

• Grades 3–5 started with “Nature Names”, which are currently displayed in the main hallway. Inspired by the Land Art movement of the 1960s and '70s, students ventured outside to explore our campus (or, as they say these days, to touch grass) and gather natural materials. They found seeds, leaves, sticks, stones, shells, dead bugs, even the jawbone of a small mammal! These treasures were used to construct their names in creative and meaningful ways.
  
  

• Grades K–2 worked collaboratively to create a school of fish, which now swims its way down the hallway toward the cafeteria and main office. It’s been a great opportunity to build community while learning about teamwork and creative expression.
  
  

• Kindergarten is focusing on building fine motor skills and following directions through a series of small, hands-on projects.
  
  

• Grades 1–5 are currently wrapping up their first major piece: a symbolic art project that starts with a list of 10 personal facts, drawn within a traced hand and forearm. These forms then evolve into trees with roots, interconnected by mycelium, just like the natural networks formed by mycorrhizal fungi (I can’t help but sneak in a little science, it’s who I am!). These powerful, beautiful pieces will be on display soon.
  
  

Looking ahead, I’m hoping to take over our campus garden space to grow materials we can use in future art projects. I'm always open to donations of items like:

• Toilet paper rolls
  
  

• Washed-out cans
  
  

• Plastic bottle caps
  
  

Thank you so much for taking the time to read! If you have any questions, ideas, or want to get involved, please don’t hesitate to reach out:
thora.gray@austinisd.org

Warmly,
Mrs. Thora

Summitt will celebrate Love Your Brain Week, October 27th - 31st. Our goal is to promote healthy choices, positive activities, and encourage students to avoid drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. Each day will have a content area focus and a coordinated dress-up activity. Please be on the lookout for more information.

It is time for health screenings to begin at Summitt! The following screenings will be conducted:

• Vision and Hearing: Pre K, Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th
• Spinal Screenings: 5th grade girls only
• Acanthosis Nigricans (AN): 1st, 3rd, 5th

AN is a light brown to black velvety, rough, or thickened area on the surface of the skin, usually found around the neck. AN can signal high insulin levels which can lead to insulin resistance and then to Type 2 Diabetes. The Texas Risk Assessment for Type 2 Diabetes in Children is a legislatively mandated program developed, coordinated, and administered by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Border Health Office. The program assesses children who may be at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes.

If you wish to decline any of the state-mandated health screenings, a letter is required stating you are declining school-based screening and that the required screening will be performed by a qualified professional outside of the school. The screening results must be provided to the school nurse, Amy Owen, RN. Please submit the required letter by October 15th if you are planning on opting out of school-based screenings. For further information, please visit the AISD website under Health Screenings.

If you have not completed the Consent for Physical Health-Related Services, please do so at your earliest convenience.

Also, October 8th is the deadline for submitting updated immunization records. Parents of the students who have missing records have been notified. Please take care of this so that your child can continue attending school.

Summitt Health Team

SMART PHONES/SMART WATCHES

If a student brings a cell phone or a smart watch/device to school, it must remain in the students’ backpack and be turned off during the school day. If a student needs to make a personal phone call home or contact a guardian, students can use the school phone upon request.

Smart Watches ARE NOT to be worn when at school.

Ways for you to get involved:

• Join our Summitt PTA! Visit https://summitteagles.org/ for more information! (serve on committees, write grants, volunteer in the work room, support campus fundraisers, etc..)

• Summitt WATCH DOGS Attention all Fathers/Father-figures of Summitt students: Are you interested in spending a day at school, interacting with the students, being a positive role model, and providing an extra set of eyes & ears on campus? Sign up with the Watch D.O.G.S. Program & be your student’s “Hallway Hero” for the day! contact: summittwatchdogs@gmail.com for more information

• Become a Room Parent

• Parent Advisory Council with our counselors

Summitt Houses were created for all students and staff to feel a sense of connection, collaboration and care.

CONNECTION: At Summitt Elementary we have five houses. All students in grades Pre-K through 5th grade, are vertically assigned to a house at the beginning of the school year. Each school year begins with students learning the qualities and characteristics of each house’s trait which then leads to a school wide house reveal.

COLLABORATION: Each Tuesday students participate in a House Meeting with their fellow house members. Students get to collaborate by participating in various activities and energizers. Students recite their motto and build connections during this time. Your child is encouraged to wear their house color on Tuesdays.

CARING: A house system helps to build a caring, supportive environment. Each student will be a valued member of a smaller group within the whole school. The purpose is to create an enjoyable atmosphere in which deep learning and effective teaching can flourish; a school with rigor and relevance.

Summitt Houses:

The House of Kindness (red, koala)

The House of Courageous (gold, lion)

The House of Collaboration (blue, wolf)

The House of Innovation (purple, raccoon)

The House of Tenacity (green, turtle)

Summitt House System allows for:

• Inclusive community of staff and students

• Buddy class pairings

• Reading buddies

• Multi age grouping opportunities

• Vertical teaming and alignment

• Student leadership/ownership