Kiker Comments March 1, 2022

• Upcoming Events
• Attendance Notes and Early Pick Up Reminders
• Registration for 22-23
• Pre-K and Kinder Registration Events
• 5th Grade Girls Health Screening
• Counselors' Corner
• Kiker Keynotes
• Library Update
• Covid Update
• 4th and 5th Grade Symphony Field Trip
• Updated After School Programs
• PTA News - Volunteers, Lost and Found, Love for Teachers, Graduating Senior Scholarship
• March Staff Birthdays
• AISD News: Amplify Austin, Recruiting Substitutes
• Repeated Information (from previous newsletters)
• Culture Celebrations
• Covid Testing Hub Information
• Lunch Menu
• All the Links to Everything You Need

March

1 - 4th and 5th Grade Symphony Field Trip

4 - No School for Staff or Students

14-18 Spring Break

April

1- No School for Students - District of Innovation Day - Teacher PD

6 - Early Learning Day - Registration Day and Tours for Rising Pre-K4 and Kindergarten Students

8 - Book Fair Set Up

11 - Book Fair Preview Day

12-14 - Book Fair

15 - Student holiday - Staff Development

Please send all attendance notes to the front office or email to amy.mcgovern@austinisd.org.

If you are picking your kid(s) up for an appointment it is helpful to notify the teacher in advance, including the approximate time you will be arriving. It helps things go smoother if students are ready to go and prepared with belongings if they are at recess or essential areas. We don't pull students out of class until the parent/guardian arrives, but we are happy to help get backpacks ready in advance.

Thank you.

ALL returning families should register their students for the 2022-2023 school year by logging in to their AISD Portal account under the student registration icon. The online registration system is available only through the AISD Portal at portal.austinisd.org. Please update any information that has changed.

To increase Pre-K and kindergarten enrollment and support families with registration, elementary campuses will host a districtwide Early Learning Day on April 6. Please save this date and share it with your neighbors that may not receive the Kiker Comments.

On this day, families will have the opportunity to:

• Take a campus tour that highlights culture and customer service

• Complete the Pre-K Screener

• Register for kindergarten

• Meet the principal and/or other administrative staff and teachers

Campuses will open for tours in shifts to allow for families to come before and after school.

• 7 to 9 a.m.

• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• 4 to 6 p.m.

The counselors' role is to help students practice self regulation, navigate peer relationships, and/or support a big change going on at home. We do not provide therapy, but we are always happy to support our students in any ways your family might need. Please reach out if you'd like us to meet with your student(s).

4th and 5th Grade Kiker Keynotes Sign-Up

I am excited to start our Spring 2022 edition of Kiker Keynotes. If your child is interested in signing up for our choir, please fill out the Google Form at the following link or scan the QR code. This is only for 4th and 5th graders. Practices and scheduled to start the week on March 22nd.

The deadline to sign up is Thursday, March 10th at 3:15 pm.

https://tinyurl.com/Keynotes-Spring-2022

If you have any questions, feel free to call the Music Office (512-841-3576) or reach me by e-mail at tiffany.cortez-machado@austinisd.org.

Thank you for your interest in The Kiker Keynotes!

Tiffany Cortez-Machado

Kiker Keynotes Director

Have a child that loves to draw? Have a child that loves to read? You can enter them into the BookPeople 2022 Bookmark Contest HERE. I've talked about the contest in classes the last couple of weeks and have extra applications in the library, but there's still time to participate. All applications will be due to me in the library, by March 11th. Questions? Reach out to me.

Happy designing!

We haven't sent out a positive notification letter for a few weeks for the best reason possible; we haven't had any reported cases since 2/7.

Thank you to everyone for your help and and support!

Kiker will do spinal screenings for 5th-grade girls before Spring Break.

State law states that schools must screen students for spinal problems. Girls are screened at 10 and 12 years old and boys are screened at 13 or 14 years old. Trained screeners will check your child for signs of spinal problems like scoliosis.

Catching a spinal problem early can make the treatment much easier. Not treating spinal problems can lead to serious health problems. The screening is simple. Screeners will look at your child's back while he or she stands and bends forward.

Important reminders:

*Students should bring shorts to school for the exam.

*Girls should wear a thin t-shirt or a sports bra or a two-piece swimsuit top underneath their shirt. It is recommended they remove their shirt for the screening.

*Boys and girls will be screened separately and one at a time.

The school will send you a letter if your child does not pass the screening. The letter will tell you how to follow up with a doctor.

This screening is not a medical exam. Your child still needs to see a doctor for checkups.

If you do not wish to have your child screened for religious reasons, you must submit an exemption to the school no later than 2/28/22.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Kiker's Health Room Team

512-414-5859

Kiker Elementary’s 4th and 5th graders went on a very special field trip to see: The Austin Symphony Orchestra today.

Students responded with these statements:

It was awesome!

The music was great.

I would love to go again.

I liked how they played.

The symphony was well played.

Teachers shared:

The kids were so well behaved and really enjoyed the music. They represented Kiker very well! The students were incredibly happy to clap along with the William Tell Overture that the music teachers had previewed with them.

Join the Front Office Club

Even if you only have a little time or can’t commit to a regular volunteer schedule, we need you! Help out by escorting students to class, answering the phone and door, greeting guests as they arrive and more.

Sign up here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4aa8ae2daafe3-front

There are options to sign up for a regular day and time or just fill in as a substitute when needed. Training is provided on the job.

The weather may be warming, but your jackets still miss you!

During the recent cold snap, the lost and found filled up with forgotten jackets! Please remind your child to stop by and check for lost items. The rack is located next to the cafeteria.

We will clear out the rack before spring break! Please remember to LABEL all items so we can try and reunite items with their owners.

We love and appreciate our teachers and staff and with your help we told them so. From pies to supplies, we’ve used PTA funds to brighten their day and share some of their load. And we’re not done yet! Read more about how our PTA benefits teachers below and stay tuned for details about upcoming appreciation projects.

Do you know a graduating senior who attended Kiker? Please share this information with anyone you know who might be eligible.

Kiker Elementary PTA’s Dr. Lori Schneider Scholarship for High School Graduates honors one of Kiker's former principals who valued education and left a legacy of kindness, dignity and respect (KDR) during her 14-year tenure as principal of the school. The scholarship also celebrates high school graduates who are committed to education and who embody KDR.

Applicants must have attended Kiker Elementary School. Application window opens March 1, 2022. Please see link for more details.

https://kikerpta.membershiptoolkit.com/dr_schneider_scholarship

3 - Kristi Samon

4 - Tiffany Cortez-Machado

8 - Claire Purcell

15 - Pooja Mulgaonker

16 Rhonda Vasquez

17 - Abby Shoppa

18 - Abbey Raymond

25 - Joanna Hamme

29 - Cory Matheny

Austin Ed Fund will participate in Amplify Austin Day 2022 – the most impactful day of giving in Central Texas. All gifts will directly impact Austin ISD students and teachers by supporting Austin Ed Fund’s teacher grant programs, as well as strategic district-wide initiatives.

Amplify Austin Day: Wednesday, March 2 at 6:00 pm to Thursday, March 3 at 6:00 pm

Campaign URL: bit.ly/AmplifyAustinEdFund2022

Fundraising Goal: $65,000

How can you get involved and impact Austin ISD?

1. Donate to Austin Ed Fund – Make a donation today by clicking the “Donate” button on Austin Ed Fund’s Amplify Campaign . Please enter the name of your campus or department in the donation message box.

2. Become a Fundraising Champion – Create a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) fundraising page on behalf of Austin Ed Fund. This will help you appeal to donors within your own network and share your personal story. All donations made to P2P pages will support Austin Ed Fund’s mission. Here’s how to get started.

• Go to Austin Ed Fund’s Amplify Campaign and click the “Fundraise” button to create and customize a fundraising page with your story. Learn more about Peer to Peer Fundraising here. We encourage colleagues to team up to create one page and then work collaboratively to promote it within your networks.

• Check out Austin Ed Fund’s Amplify Toolkit for tips on promoting your page.

• P2P fundraisers that raise at least $100 will receive an Austin Ed Fund t-shirt! See additional prizes below.

Spread the word – Share Austin Ed Fund’s Amplify Campaign and Toolkit with family, friends, colleagues, and social networks.

All across the country schools are experiencing a shortage of substitutes. This is true for the schools in AISD, including Kiker. If you have the time and inclination, we encourage parents/guardians/grandparents to sign up with AISD to be a substitute. You can work every day or you can choose the days that work best for you. You can go to many different campuses or you can only work when assignments come up at particular campuses. You can even decide the content areas/grade level where you are willing to pick up jobs. If you or someone you know is interested you can apply at https://www.austinisd.org/hc/careers/substitutes

Did you know that our campus announcements and videos highlight significant cultural events around the world? As a campus that celebrates the cultural diversity we have in our community, we love to feature how our Comets celebrate and what these events look like in real life.

Is there a special event for your culture coming up in the next month or two? Would you be willing to share how your family celebrates?

Please reach out to Cory Matheny if your family would be interested in putting together a 1-3 minute video to talk about any of these events (or others that we may have accidentally missed- list source: Nationaltoday.com) coming up in March and April:

Mardi Gras

Pie Day 3.14

St. Patrick's Day

April Fools' Day

Autism Awareness Day

Ramadan

Passover

Easter

Earth Day

Kiker is a testing hub on site in Portable 6B daily. (FYI - there is no classroom on the 6A side of the portable.). The direct line is 512-841-7857, appointments are not accepted. This is a first come, first served process or, until they run out of tests for the day.

Why it matters: Research shows that the more people get tested, the safer everyone is from the spread of COVID-19. You’ll be able to access rapid antigen or PCR tests (when available) at 11 sites across Austin.

• Students and staff can get a test at will for any reason, whether you’ve been exposed or are just looking for peace of mind.
• Sites include: Travis, Northeast Akins, Norman-Sims, Pillow, Kiker, Eastside, Cunningham, Navarro, Blazier, McCallum .

• Testing will run 8 a.m. -2 p.m. Monday-Friday.

At AISD Food Service, our top priority is to ensure all students have access to healthy, tasty meals. The country is dealing with a nationwide food service worker shortage, directly impacting AISD; we currently have over 100 open positions, in addition to managing COVID-19 protocols. Because of this, changes in school meal operations and menus may occur. Please note, any menu changes will not be reflected on www.SchoolCafe.com or on printed menus.

Cory Matheny - Principal

Alma Chapa Moore - Assistant Principal

Kelly Meyer - Assistant Principal

Email: cory.matheny@austinisd.org
Website: https://kikerelementary.org/
Location: 5913 La Crosse Avenue, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-414-2584
Facebook: facebook.com/CMathenyPrincipal
Twitter: @KikerComets