Pony Express
Week of October 16-22, 2023
- Principal's Message
- Happening This Week at O. Henry
- Mustang News- Season 5, Episode 6
- Incident Report
- Athletics News-NEW- 8th Gr Basketball Tryouts, Boys Soccer Tryouts
- Fine Art News-Art In Action, Theatre Performance Save the Date
- Library News- NEW-Million Minute Challenge, Scare Fair, Author Visit
- Club Announcements
- PTA Updates:PTA Meeting this Week, Membership, Call for Volunteers, Secret Pals, Thank You's
- Previously Posted Logistical Resources: Bell Schedule, AISD Calendar, Absence Reporting, Transportation, AISD Health Services
Principal's Update
Mustang Families
Thank you for finishing out the first 9 weeks strong with taking care of academics! We are so proud of the efforts and perseverance our Mustang students did to do their best work.
What a week we had! Thanks to our Athletes, Band, Cheer, Cross Country,Dance, and Aces teams we had a great first Pep Rallies 🏐🏈👟🎽. We are also celebrating Mustang Volleyball Teams earning Zone Champions for 7th Grade and a great season for 8th Grade. In case you did not hear, we also welcomed our Goats🐐 to O. Henry (check out Mustang News) this past Monday.
We hope you will be able to join on Wednesday morning at our PTA Meeting to learn more about School Finance and join in the Webinar on Wednesday night to learn more about Teen Mental Health. Thursday our Guitar and Choir students will perform in their first fall concert.
8th grade students and families- Check out Camp O. Henry! Applications are now open for our 8th graders to attend this fun and engaging leadership and outdoor education experience.
Make it a great week to be an O. Henry Mustang!
☮❤️&🐴's
Marlo Malott
Happening This Week Around Campus
Monday, October 16- C Day
- AHS Pals on Campus
- 3:05 PM: 8th Grade Girls Basketball Tryouts
- 4:00 Jazz Club, HW Club
Tuesday, October 17- C Day
- UIL One Act Play Workshop
- 8th Grade Book Club at A Lunch
- 3:05: 8th Grade Girls Basketball Tryouts
- 4:00 Boys Soccer Tryouts
Wednesday, October 18-- A Day
- 8:30 PTA General Meeting-Guest Speaker on School Finance
- 7th Grade Book Club at B Lunch
- 4:00-- HW Club, Workout Club
- 6:00 PTSA Webinar-- Teen Neuroscience and Preventing High Risk Behaviors
Thursday, October 19-- B Day
- 7:30 FCA Huddle
- Orchestra Monster Concert Rehearsal
- 6th grade Book Club at C lunch
- Bomb Threat Drill
- 3:05 PM: 8th Grade Girls Basketball Tryouts
- 4:00 HW Club, DND Club, Boys Soccer Tryouts
- 6:00 PM: Choir and Guitar Fall Concert in the Cafe
Friday, October 20-- C Day
- No HW Club after school on Fridays
- 3:05: First Day of Girls Basketball Tryouts
- 4:00 Boys Soccer Tryouts
Saturday, October 21
- Saturday School at OHMS
- Orchestra Monster Concert at AHS
Attend Camp O. Henry-- 8th Graders application due October 20
Calling all 8th graders, we want YOU to go to Camp O.Henry!
Camp O. Henry provides an outdoor education experience that allows students to learn outside of the classroom. These hands-on learning experiences include leadership opportunities, logic, problem-solving, team-building, and more. At Camp O. Henry, students will focus on leadership and cooperation skills that will prepare them to be our campus leaders throughout the spring semester, and moving forward into high school.
This year camp will be held at Camp Buckner in Marble Falls from January 9th-January 12th.
Your students has already received a blue camp application form from their science teacher.
English: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Gfxt3Lz9z0CsPrJ-KFWxc2-XIbbI4M54nE9Y3E2LlU/edit
Spanish: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQ3K4g2Tt9W5cZ8X4Vc_T-mtaxfTLyoNvKoWDX_bJzs/edit
These are due this Friday, October 20th back to your science teacher! Please email Ms.Gaffney or Ms.Cohen with any questions.
ATHLETICS NEWS
8th Grade Girls Basketball Tryouts
Coach Wolfe B Team jerrod.wolfe@austinisd.org
Tryouts Schedule
Monday (10/16) 8th period athletics - 4:30pm
Tuesday (10/17) 8th period athletics - 4:30pm
Wednesday (10/18) No tryouts
Thursday (10/19) 8th period tryouts (3:50 dismissal) *A and B teams will be posted by 4:15 pm on 10/19 Friday (10/20) A/B practice
Please wear your gray OHMS athletics shirt to tryouts with your name on it. Wear basketball shoes if you have them, athletic shoes if you don’t. All athletes must be in the athletics period and have a cleared physical to try out.
8th Grade Practice Schedule (beginning on 10/23):
● Monday - 8th period athletics - 4:30pm
● Tuesday - 8th period athletics - 4:30pm
● Wednesday - no practice (we may add practices come playoff time in December)
● Thursday - game day
● Friday - 8th period athletics
Boys Soccer 2023 Information - Tryouts October 19th and 20th
Coach Gray coaches the A Team scott.gray@austinisd.org
Coach Hibbard coaches the B Team leslie.hibbard@austinisd.org
If your 7th or 8th grade boy is interested in playing soccer this fall, please fill out the following survey -HERE
Soccer Tryout Information
-You must have a completed AISD physical in order to try out for Soccer. The entire physical packet must be completed, with signatures, in order to be valid. The physical must be turned in by the first day of tryouts.
-Pre-Tryout Practice will be held after school from 4:00 to 5:15 on the following dates: October 10th, 12th, 13th, 17th.
-Tryouts will be 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm on October 19th and 20th.
-Please wear cleats and shin-guards to every practice.
Regular Practice Schedule (subject to change)
- Monday, 4:00 - 5:15
- Wednesday, 4:00 - 5:15
- Thursday- 4:00 - 5:15
- Saturday - 9:00am A Team Game - 10:30am B Team Game
Our Game schedule is shown in the survey above. If your child participates in club soccer and has game/practice conflicts, please reach out to me. We can work out a plan to make sure they can still participate.
Library News: Scare Fair from October 23-27
Additionally, please consider donating to our "Scare Buck" fund so that all students can come home with a book! You can donate to a designated eWallet here: https://shop.scholastic.com/ewallet/fund?lang=en_US&walletId=8b3a2184-7bab-4eef-8632-d047224a6098
Fine Arts News
Mustang Theater - Save the Date November 3rd + How You Can Help!
Art in Action
Yearbook Pre-Orders Starting Now at Balfour.com!
O.Henry Middle School peeps! 🎉 Guess what? The 23-24 Yearbook is packed with all our crazy moments, and awesome memories. Grab yours now for just $35! But heads up, if you snooze and wait till after December 1st, it's gonna cost ya $40. So, why pay more later when you can snag it for less today? Let's make this year unforgettable! Don't miss out! Go to balfour.com and click the "Shop My School" tab or go directly to this O. Henry hyperlink to pre-order your copy.
General PTA Meeting, Wednesday, October 18th at 8:30 a.m.
Hear updates on all things PTA and O. Henry!
Shannon Grethel, fellow parent and member of the AISD Advocacy Advisory Committee, will provide an update on legislative advocacy in the District and a deeper dive on school funding. All are invited to attend - you do not need to be a member of the PTA board or a PTA committee to participate!
PTA 2023-24 Membership Drive
Calling all parents and caregivers! The O. Henry PTA Membership Drive for 2023-24 is still underway. Remember that membership is good for one school year so if you joined last year, please renew. Unsure of your membership status? Please reach out to Christy Merritt or Kelley Newberry Please help us reach our membership goal by joining today!
We need PTA Volunteers!
Parent involvement is what makes a school GREAT!
Please consider giving your time and talent to the Mustang Family. We have volunteer opportunities that accommodate a wide variety of interests and availability from front office staff, Mustang Mall, library, Honor Roll assemblies and more! Please sign up for volunteer opportunities HERE
October PTA Events And News - Austin HS Partnership on Brain Based Parenting
Wed, October 18: Parent Ed Webinar: Know your NeuroWhereabouts: Brain-Based Parenting for Preventing High Risk Behaviors, 6-7:30 p.m.
All O.Henry parents and caregivers are invited to attend a Zoom meeting on understanding teen brain development and executive functioning. This webinar is hosted by the AHS PTSA, all are welcome!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://austinisd-org.zoom.us/j/83653397501?pwd=R1RWazFESEdIK0EwdmFxTDhpQ1Badz09
Meeting ID: 836 5339 7501
Passcode: AHSPTSA
Community Opportunity: Junior Maroons - Austin Youth Lacrosse Fall 2023 Registration
Austin Youth Lacrosse (AYL) is a nonprofit youth lacrosse organization supporting the growth and development of lacrosse in the Austin High School community. The Junior Maroons program aims to provide youth players in 3rd-8th grades with the opportunity to play on a lacrosse team outside of the traditional spring season. Teams will be coached by Austin High School and Austin Youth lacrosse coaches. This will help build a strong connection between our youth and high school programs. Registration and information for the Fall 2023 season can be found HERE Practices begin on October 17th.
News In Review - Previously Published, Reposted For Your Reference
ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCE REPORTING
Regular Bell Schedule 2023-2024
Transportation and Traffic
Car Riders: To keep traffic flowing, follow the arrows on the map below. Be patient, student safety is our most important priority. To keep our Mustangs safe, do not drop off in back bus lot. If pickup is altered due to bad weather, a Schoolmessenger alert will go out from the Principal.
Bus Riders: Bus riders may only ride their assigned bus. Use the Bus Finder page to check which route you are assigned. Buses leave promptly at 3:57 PM each day - information about late buses will be available in coming weeks. Buses drop off and pick up on the east side of campus. For additional questions about transportation see AISD's website here.
Walkers/Bike Riders: If walking or biking to school please be safe and use crosswalks to get across streets. Bike racks are available for student use.
O. Henry Middle School
Website: https://ohenry.austinschools.org/
Location: 2610 West 10th Street, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-414-3229
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohenryms
Twitter: @Ohenryms