Mills Elementary School

• Aug 24 PTA Spirit Night, Torchy's Tacos 5pm-8pm
• Aug 28 Principal Coffee, Library 7:45am-8:45am, Mills 101: From Operations, to Safety, and Academics
• September Character Strong Word of the Month: RESPECT
• September is National Hispanic Heritage Month
• Sept 2 Principal Coffee, 3:20pm Library, The Chicken Coop & Outdoor Learning
• Sept 3 Back to School Night for Adults PK-2 4:30-5:30/ 3rd-5th 5:30-6:30
• Sept 7 Labor Day No School
• Sept 11 Principal Coffee, Library 7:45am-8:45am, Gifted & Talented Program Information for Families
• Sept 14 Campus Advisory Council (CAC) Meeting- 3:30pm for CAC members
• Sept 21 Student Holiday/Staff PLED Day/Yom Kippur
• Sept 22 Teaching Assistants Appreciation Week
• Sept 28 Custodian Appreciation Week

Please review the AISD and campus policy on personal student devices: If a student decides to bring a personal device to school, including a cell phone or smart watch, the device must be powered off upon entering the school building each day. Devices will need to be stored in the child’s backpack during the school day. Students may access devices when exiting the building at the end of the school day. Devices may be collected by the teacher and/or administrator if it is taken out during the school day.

Reasons for our device policy:

• Reduce distractions for children, such as alerts, games, sounds, and messages

• Reduce distractions for others, such as pings from a neighbor’s device

• Reduce distractions for teachers, who are trying to teach your child

• Compliance with the State of Texas House Bill 1481

Caregivers may be wondering:

What if I need to change how my child is going home and the child doesn’t know about the change?

We have a process to take care of this need. Parents/guardians call the front office to notify our staff of the change. Our front office staff notifies your child’s teacher, who lets your child know. You may also notify your child's classroom teacher if you have advanced notice of a dismissal change.

What if my child is sick during the school day and I need to be notified?

We have a process to take care of this need. Children let their teacher know if they are not feeling well. Sick children see our nurse, who will assess your child’s symptoms and then alert the parent/caregivers.

What if there is an emergency at school?

Safety is our #1 priority at Mills. Our staff is trained to handle emergencies and follow required protocols set by the State of Texas and Austin ISD. In case of an emergency, a device making noise would actually make our school less safe. In the case of an emergency affecting our campus, school and/or district leadership send out information to families as soon as possible to let everyone know what is going on.

At our campus and throughout Austin ISD, maintaining a safe, secure, and supportive environment for every student and staff member is our highest priority. We are reaching out today to ask for your partnership in reinforcing an essential lesson at home regarding campus safety and the impact of our words.

Both Austin ISD and our school administration take all verbal threats with absolute seriousness. Words such as "kill," "gun," or any references/language to harm carry significant weight in a school setting. Even when spoken in jest, play, or casual conversation, these terms cannot be brushed off as jokes.

To ensure the physical and emotional safety of our entire community, our campus strictly follows Austin ISD Policy and the district Student Code of Conduct:

• Immediate Administrator Investigation: Every reported statement or threat is investigated immediately and thoroughly by campus administration.

• Parent & Caregiver Notification: Parents/caregivers of involved students will be notified promptly following any report.

• District & Law Enforcement Reporting: In accordance with Austin ISD protocol, safety incidents are reported to district officials, and law enforcement, including the Austin ISD Police Department. District police will follow up with parents/caregivers and school administration when necessary.

We ask that you sit down with your child to discuss the power and responsibility that come with their language. Please help them understand that violent terminology, regardless of intent, causes real fear, disrupts learning, and carries firm administrative consequences.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and shared commitment to keeping our school community safe and thriving. Please feel free to reach out to campus administration if you have any questions.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YAT5TdfCn14UoV8lSW2-KyeT9E87JgqqwvILvA2P9WA/edit?usp=sharing

Mills Elementary has once again demonstrated excellence by earning a TEA "A" rating! Most notably, we maintained all 6 Academic Distinction Designations, placing us among just two elementary schools in AISD to achieve this extraordinary milestone. Congratulations to our dedicated students, staff, and families!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BxsqgljdEdb3lfbAhuB7csV97nGRZDOvYv2d5SiEpGM/edit?usp=sharing

The GT referral window opens on August 18th and closes on October 16th. Please join Nic Ryan, one of our assistant principals and GT administrator, on September 11th at 7:40am for our parent coffee in the library to learn about all things GT, including the referral process, testing, and programming.

Presentation for New Incoming Families: New to Mills Presentation.

Arrival& Dismissal Spots on Campus: Campus Map

Front Office Team Contacts:

• Enrollment/Attendance/Doctors/Medical Notes: Courtney Cartlidge | courtney.cartlidge@austinisd.org

• After-School Clubs & Volunteering: Ara Doffing | ara.doffing@austinisd.org

• Health Room / School Nurse/Medication : Shannon Mickelson | shannon.mickelson@austinisd.org

• Donations to Mills, Fundraising, Finance: Daniela Kuhn | daniela.kuhn@austinisd.org

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hNIyppNSaA_8jPVc245n_zUjct_O_QUh/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104188077472205154841&rtpof=true&sd=true

Questions regarding our campus handbook? Please reach out to the Mills Administration Team.

https://www.austinisd.org/sites/default/files/dept/ctfc/docs/2026-2027_Calendar_Revised_0.pdf

Learn more about our amazing PTA here! MillsPTA.org

Join the Mills PTA today! Joining the PTA doesn't require any time commitment, but your membership directly funds classroom resources, fun school events, and staff appreciation throughout the year. Head to JoinPTA.org to sign up today!

It's always a GREAT day to be a Mountain Lion and we're extremely proud to be recognized as one of the top schools in the state by US News & World Report: https://austin.culturemap.com/news/city-life/best-elementary-middle-schools-list/

Aug 17- https://app.smore.com/n/f12sm-mills-elementary-school

Aug 10- https://app.smore.com/n/dq3ru-mills-elementary-school

Aug 7- https://app.smore.com/n/6quae-milo-s-messenger

July 28- https://app.smore.com/n/6yx8k-mills-elementary-school

July 7- https://app.smore.com/n/q3sy0-mills-elementary-school