Pony Express

We also had many exciting end-of-year events happening this week, including the Band Concert, Orchestra Concert, and the Boys’ and Girls’ Tennis Zone Championships. It has been wonderful seeing our Mustangs showcase their talents on the court and in the classroom.

There are many exciting events ahead next week as well, including the Athletics Award Ceremony and Spring Sports Pep Rally on Tuesday, along with the 8th Grade Dance on Friday, May 15. If you are interested in serving as a parent chaperone for the 8th grade-only dance, please sign up using this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4BAEA92CA0F94-63913420-ohms#/

Save the Dates
May 9 – Saturday School-for Attendance Credit Recovery, 8:30-11:30

May 12 – Athletics Award Ceremony, 8:20-9:05
May 12 – Mustang Pep Rally 3:10-3:40
May 14 – 7th Grade NJHS Field Trip to Texas State Capitol

May 14 – Yearbook Distribution, Lunches

May 15 – 8th Grade Dance, 7:00-9:00 PM
May 16 – Fine Arts Field Trip: Six Flags Arlington
May 20 – NJHS Induction Ceremony
May 27 – End-of-Year Grade Level Field Trips
May 28 – 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony (10:30 am) and Mustang Day

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. It truly is a great time to be an O. Henry Mustang.

Giddy Up!
Camie Fillpot
Principal, O. Henry Middle School

LAPTOP COLLECTION is set to start with 6th grade on Friday, May 15th. Older grades will be later in the next week to give time to complete finals.

If you know you will be absent on the specific date of your final, please contact your teacher ASAP in order to develop a plan for taking and getting credit.

Girls Athletics is in need of donations for gently used shorts, leggings, joggers, and sports bras.

Please take donations to the front office. Thank you!

Thank you so much to all of our families who supported Mustang Club this fall! The Mustang Club supports all athletics at O. Henry by providing funds for coach stipends, new equipment, and equipment maintenance, as well as promoting school spirit and organizing volunteers. It isn't too late to donate for the school year if you haven't already, or if you would like to give additional funds for a spring sport. Please consider a $100 donation/student/sport and/or a scholarship donation that would help support another student. Please see the attached flyer for more information. You can also make your contribution directly HERE!

2025 -2026 Mustang Club

Thank you for supporting O. Henry Athletics!

PTA APPRECIATION-

Cornhole Mixer

Natalie Kelly, Jessie Worrel and Ashley Koenings. Exceeding our fundraising goal and for all their hard work getting event sponsors and putting on successful fundraiser.

8th Grade Graduation

Leslie Newberry, Elisabeth Anderson and Stephanie Oneill and committee for leading the charge for the 8th grade dance.

Ann Cardenas for helping with the 8th grade graduation ceremony.

Mustangs Care

Thanks Jillian Barksdale for heading this up!

• 25 target gift cards to families in need for $75 each in December

• 10 yearbooks donated

• 1 cheerleading uniform (about $400)

Secret Pals

Thanks Whitney Fraser for getting all spots filled this year!

Teacher Breakfasts (formerly Breakfast Bites) - Thanks Leslie Newberry and Lindsay Hadlock for delivering Taco Deli on April 30.

Honor Roll Assemblies

Thanks Anne Marie Gonin and Amanda Thompson for all of the coordinating!

STAFF SECRET PAL REMINDER

If you signed up in the fall, now is a great time to bring your Staff Secret Pal a gift to wrap up the year or celebrate spring and summer birthdays.

NEW VOLUNTEERS

This year the district requires that all volunteers go through the new Voly system for background checks. The system is very quick and usually does not take more than 24 hours. Please use the link below to complete your application.

https://austinisd.voly.org/

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

The PTA provides a free online directory and mobile app for O. Henry Middle School, hosted by DirectorySpot. The directory is accessible to OHMS parents and staff only, and your information will never be shared or sold. If your family would like to be included please fill out the information found at this link.

The O. Henry PTA is sponsoring the O. Henry Alumni Scholarship for graduating Austin HS Seniors. Please see the button above or this link below in order to view the scholarship application. Winning applicants will be notified in May.

If you have any questions regarding the scholarship that are not answered from the flyer or at the link, you can reach out to our PTA contact at ann.b.cardenas@gmail.com

8th Grade Families: Please bookmark our dedicated HS Advancement Newsletter! It will continue to be updated with relevant information throughout the spring.

Transfers:

General enrollment and general transfers such as to Austin HS opens on Feb 16th. Applications for admissions-based and magnet programs opened on January 12th.

https://www.austinisd.org/enroll

Future Mustang Families: Please bookmark our dedicated advancement newsletter! It will continue to be updated with relevant information throughout the spring.

This newsletter contains examples of student choice sheets for all grades, videos, and presentations about how to choose classes, and more.

A Summer Typing Camp - hosted by our teacher Dell Mann, is available for any students age 3rd grade and up. Call 737-235-6962 to register.
Demo developed by Ms. Mann

Calling all rising 3rd–8th grade Future Maroons! Join Austin High football coaches and players for a fun, non-contact camp focused on building fundamentals, confidence, and a love for the game. Open to all skill levels, the camp will be held June 18–19 from 9:00 AM–12:00 PM on the Austin High turf field.

Registration Link:
https://ahsfootballboosterclub.org/youthcamp

2026 AHS Summer Speed & Strength Camp: For 7th - 9th Grade Athletes

The Austin High summer strength and conditioning program will run June 8th through July 30th. Camp will be Monday-Thursday weekly with the exception of Thursday, June 18th, for our Future Maroons Football Camp, and the week of July 4th. Camp will be $250.00 and the link for registration and payment is below. Choose Maroons Summer Speed & Strength Camp and choose the appropriate group from the drop down menu. See attached flyer as well.

https://austin.myschoolcentral.com/(S(hjv0g24vypafwnrz4bxsmfjc))/Index.aspx

*If the link does not show up correctly click the Start Again button and you should be redirected to the correct page."

Bond Project Website - Modernization and Construction FAQs

We know that some of our Mustang families may be struggling to get the food they need right now. If you are a family in need of help getting food and other necessities, please email ivy.claflin@austinisd.org. Need extra food support outside of school? These community partners can help you find assistance in your area. Please let us know if you would like help finding a food pantry in your area.

- Central Texas Food Bank

- Travis County Food Pantry

- United Way for Greater Austin

- Sustainable Food Center

- Texas Health and Human Services - Call 2-1-1 or (877) 541-7905 to speak to a live operator.

Without signed consent, your child will not be able to receive these services or participate in any clubs.

1. Mental Health-Related Services
   The district must notify parents of staff services related to school counseling and give parents the opportunity to opt out before those services are provided to their child. Mental Health Services Consent Form: English/Spanish
   
   

2. Physical Health-Related Services
   Certain school-based health services, such as non-emergency medical screenings or treatments, now require your written permission.
   Physical Health Services Consent Form
   
   

3. Participation in school-sponsored Student Clubs
   If your child wishes to participate in school or district-sponsored clubs or organizations, parental approval is required. (You may have already received and completed this form if it was previously sent by your school.)
   Student Club Participation Consent Form

In addition to support in class, each teacher holds an hour of before school, after school, or lunch tutorials for students to get help on a concept, make up assessments, or connect in a smaller teacher to student ratio.

Expert tips for successful tutorial visits include

• Ensure your teacher knows you are coming - ideally confirm the date with them beforehand and the specific assessment or grade you need help with so they are prepared for you.
• Spend time figuring out "what you know" and "what you know you don't know." Teachers will be better equipped to help you master a learning concept if we can identify gaps.
• Come prepared with all materials - if you have a specific paper assignment, bring it. Your Chromebook should always be fully charged at the start of every school day.
• Be respectful of other students in tutorials, consider collaboration. Before and after an important assessment, there will likely be many students who need help with the same concepts. Understand that your teacher will offer as much individual assistance as they can but may work with you and your peers in a group on a concept if needed.

Please make use of our Bell Schedules for planning doctor's visits, other pickups from school. These times reflect bell transitions on C Days (Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays,) and A/B Days (Wednesdays/Thursdays.)

House Bill 1481 - Student Device Rules: What Parents and Students Need to Know

Grades and Attendance: Parents will find their student's grades, schedules, and other key information in the Frontline Parent Portal (access instructions linked.) While students may access content on the BLEND or Google Classroom platforms (see instructors' syllabi for more detail,) Frontline is the only official record for grades in Austin ISD.

Lunch Money in AISD: Guardians are able to deposit money into a student's account for school purchases. Guardians must make an account at https://www.schoolcafe.com/AUSTINISD

Bus Transportation: Students who take AISD buses will be picked up and dropped off on Wayside Dr on the east side of the property. The map to the side shows our bus lane. Families use the Where's the Bus through the AISD Portal or the phone app to track bus arrival times. Students pick up and drop off in the same place on Wayside Drive. Link to AISD's Bus Transportation Department homepage with contact information. Families seeking a "bus pass" to ride a route that they are not zoned to cannot be placed on routes for the first two weeks of school until space for zoned riders is confirmed. More information is available 7:45 am to 4:45 pm Monday though Friday at 512-414-0238.

Car Riders, Walkers, and Map: We understand that car dropoff can be a stressful time for families, especially at the beginning of the year for unfamiliar drivers and passengers. The map to the side shows the main drop off areas as well as the bus lane. While we do not close the street to eastbound traffic, having cars travel westbound on 10th Street is the safest option so that students do not have to cross in front of traffic or risk opening doors into traffic.

Staying on Campus Once Dropped Off: A reminder to all students, whether walkers, car riders, or bus riders, that once your mode of transportation has brought you to campus, you may not leave the campus to visit HEB, 7/11, or other locations. Students may not leave the property without being checked out by their guardian.

Additionally, the office has had a large amount of lost jewelry turned in that belongs to students. We do not leave these in the lost and found with regular items. Many times jewelry is lost and never found and we know how important jewelry is to its owner and how each piece may have a sentimental value.

School Accounts

Facebook: facebook.com/ohenryms

Instagram: @ohenryms

X/Twitter: @ohenryms

Clubs and Organizations

Band on Instagram: @ohms_mustangband

Library on Instagram: @ohenryreads

Yearbook on Instagram:@o.henryyearbook