Eagle Update

Happy Friday! We had a fast and short week! Thank you all for meeting with teachers and letting us share all the fabulous things happening in the classrooms. On Monday, February 23, all parents will be receiving an email with agoogle form from your homeroom teacher regarding Opting in or Out for our required Human Sexuality and Responsibility lessons that will be taught later this spring. The HSR curriculum content will be delivered in a developmentally and age-appropriate manner and will include the most current and scientifically accurate information. The content of the curriculum is based on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Health Education, with supplemental content established by the National Sex Education Standards that have been approved by the Board. Parents/guardians will have the option to opt-in to all lessons, opt-in to individual lessons, or opt-out of all lessons. We ask that all permission forms be completed regardless of the selected option.

I will be hosting a Principal/Parent/Caregiver information meeting on Friday February 27th at 8:00 a.m. to provide background information and answer any questions. Parents can view all content/lessons/handouts from Kindergarten through 12th Grade on the AISD website here: HSR curriculum content. Please be watching for that email from your child's teacher.

Have a great weekend and as always, thank you for your support of our fabulous school.

Kati Achtermann

March 16 -20 Spring Break

March 26 - BHE Field Day

March 27 - Spring Individual and Class Picture Day

March 31 - Student and Staff Holiday/ Cesar Chavez & Dolores Huerta Day

April 6 - Student Holiday/Staff Development Day

April 8 - STAAR ELA 3rd - 5th

April 9 - STAAR ELA 3rd - 5th Make Up Day

April 15 - STAAR Science 5th

April 16 - STAAR Science 5th Make Up Day

April 22 - STAAR Math 3rd - 5th

April 23 - STAAR Math 3rd -5th Make Up Day

April 24 - Health and Wellness Fair

Net Smartz lessons are coming to the counselor class the first two weeks of March! The Center for Child Protection in Austin partners with AISD to bring Cyber Safety lessons to students in AISD Schools. They will only cover the topics of cyberbullying, social media, online enticement and generative AI.

All lessons will be grade-appropriate.

Here is the website for more information:

https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/resources?utm_source=google&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=responsive-google-display-ads-resource&gad_source=1

Let me know if you have questions. stephanie.l.white@austinisd.org

Join us in Celebrating Read Across America week March 2nd-6th.

BHE is joining schools across the country as we celebrate all things reading. The week will be filled with fun activities culminating in our annual Book Character Parade. Check out the schedule below to participate in daily spirit activities throughout the week. On Friday, students are invited to dress up as their favorite book character and carry their book to share with the campus. Parents are invited to join us around the inside of the track at 8:15 am to watch our parade and cheer the kids on.

It may have been a short week, but it was filled with enrichment and productivity. We learned about the Lunar New Year in all classes and some were inspired to create lanterns using paint sticks, markers, and paper. Some other highlights this week include Kindergarteners really enjoyed making dragon puppets. First graders learned about the life and art of African American artist and art educator Alma Thomas and created mixed media work after learning about the color wheel. 5th graders finalized their buddy’s stuffies and worked on projects for the bash this evening. Ms. Willow, our Ready, Set, Teach! Intern takes advanced ceramics classes at Austin High, so she was creating clay samples, such as cupcakes and cups, to use as examples for when we begin our ceramic projects. Selections have been made for the Youth Art Month exhibit at the Performing Arts Center. Participating artists will be announced and receive a certificate at our assembly on Monday morning.

Join Austin ISD in celebrating Black History Month! Every February, to honor the multifaceted experiences our Black students, staff and families Austin ISD celebrates Black History Month, a time to highlight the district's commitment to creating a safe, supportive and inclusive environment.

Get this Spring started off right by joining us for "It's My Park Day" at Barton Hills Elementary Park! We'll meet at the picnic tables at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 7th, and get to work shortly thereafter. It’s going to be a fun morning of community and giving back.

We'll provide the tools and gloves, so all you need to bring is a water bottle and comfortable clothing. As a special thank you, all registered volunteers will receive an awesome t-shirt designed by local artists, plus access to some great deals at local businesses!

Ready to help make a difference? Register now at the link below to reserve your spot and receive your t-shirt!

Simply click on the link below and fill in the blanks. We can also confirm volunteer hours, if needed.

BHE It's My Park Day Registration

We are once again honored to be an official Austin Parks Foundation Project, and your support is invaluable. Please sign up and join us in showing our park some love!

Please contact TJ Powell (powell.aw@gmail.com or 512.924.8022) if you have any questions. We hope to see you all there!

The Elementary Curriculum Parents’ Newsletters for Humanities and STEM are designed to keep families informed, engaged, and supported in their child’s learning. Please click on the button below to access the newsletters:

Did you know that 9:45 a.m. is our official attendance time each day? This is earlier than last year when the official time was 10:30 am. According to the State of Texas Attendance Policy, students must be present at school at 9:45 a.m. to be counted for the day. Any student who is not on campus at that time will be marked absent, even if they arrive later.

Whenever possible, we kindly ask that you schedule medical or other appointments to ensure your child is in school at 9:45 am so your child is counted present and their learning time is maximized.

Attendance not only supports your child’s success in the classroom but also directly affects our school’s state funding. Thank you for your partnership in helping every student shine!

If you have not completed the new required consent forms for Physical and Health Related Services, Mental Health Related Services, and School Sponsored Clubs, please see the links below. These are new forms required by SB12 and must be completed for each student.

Mental Health Services Consent Form: English Spanish

Physical Health Services Consent Form

Student Club Participation Consent Form

Want a smoother check-in when you come to school?

Download the Raptor App to save time at check-in and ensure your ID is in our system and ready to go!!

1. Download the app

2. Snap a picture of your ID

3. Creates your QR code

We are required to have monthly safety drills - an evacuation drill every month and then one other type of drill. We will have our first safety drill this week and it will be a lockdown drill. To learn more about our AISD drill procedures please see the link below.

We've had a great first week and I wanted to highlight some arrival and dismissal procedure reminders:

• When dropping students off in the front circle drive (morning) or picking up in the afternoon, do not get out of your car. Please have students exit and enter on the passenger side of the car. We will have 5th grade Safety Patrol and staff to assist with car doors.
• Students should have everything they need when they exit the car.
• Please make sure students can buckle/ unbuckle their seatbelt and are ready to exit! We work hard to keep that car line moving so everyone makes it to class on time.
• Do not park in the staff parking lot at arrival or at dismissal.
• Keep all dogs/pets at home.
• Do not go around cars in the front drive.
• Do not use the front drive as a turn around zone! It is one way only.
• Do not use the back parking lot as a drop off zone. It is for staff parking only.
• Adhere to the NO PARKING zones - even when there are no orange cones to remind you.
• Stay off cell phones/devices in school zones (and yes, our front drive is included). No conversation/call is more important than our students safety.
• Always cross at crosswalks

We love volunteers and have many volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Every volunteer must complete a volunteer application which much be renewed each year. To get started, volunteers must fill out the application. Once the application is processed and background check is completed (you will receive an email notification) you will present your photo ID.

Volunteer Requirements and Application Process

To ensure student safety and maintain a secure environment, all volunteers must meet the following requirements:

• Complete a Volunteer Application, which must be renewed each school year.
  • The application takes approximately five minutes to complete and should be submitted as early as possible.
  • Applications can take up to five business days to process.
• Pass a background check as part of the Volunteer Application process.
• Present your photo ID at the campus to be scanned into Raptor.
• Represent yourself and Austin ISD in a professional manner and treat students, staff, and other volunteers with respect.

Additional Information:

The Volunteer Application is separate from the campus Raptor check-in process, which ensures all names are screened for safety and security purposes. All campus visitors are required to sign in and print either a visitor or volunteer badge.

How to Become a Volunteer

1. Create an Account: Visit austinisd.voly.org to sign up.
2. Complete the Application: Fill out your profile, select the schools you’d like to volunteer with, and submit the required information, including:
   • Full name
   • Email address
   • Address
   • Confidentiality agreement
   • Volunteer guidelines acknowledgment
   • Background check consent form
3. Pass the Background Check: Background checks typically take 2 hours to 5 days to process.
   • You must wait until your background check is cleared before volunteering.
   • Once cleared, you will receive a notification email confirming your approval.
4. Find Opportunities: After receiving your clearance, explore and sign up for volunteer opportunities that match your interests.

AISD Weather Guidelines

• Temperature guidelines have been established in order to provide a safe and healthy environment for students participating in outdoor activities at Austin ISD.

• The listed temperatures, heat indexes, and wind-chill factors are designated figures for terminating and/or modifying outdoor activities including: Athletics, Fine Arts, PE, and recess.

• AISD_Temperature Weather Guidelines

Website: bartonhills.austinschools.org/school
Location: 2108 Barton Hills Drive, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-414-2013
Facebook: facebook.com/BartonhillsPTA
Twitter: @bheeagles

Instagram: bheeagles