At Summitt ES, we ensure high levels of learning for each student, engaging both heart & mind.

Summitt Community,

Thank you all for an amazing start back to the school year. Our entire community has been incredibly joyful and I am so grateful for all of the support as we have kicked off the year.

Our classrooms are filled with joyful learners, amazing teachers and staff and classroom environments that are already full of engagement.

Devices were distributed last week. Please see the policies regarding students' 1:1 devices for grades 2-5. Pre K and Kinder classrooms have a 1:8 ratio of Chromebooks. ALL devices will remain at SCHOOL for the duration of the school year.

MAP Growth:

One of the district benchmarks in the areas of Reading and Math is NWEA MAP Growth-a norm referenced test. These results compare your child in their grade level to other students across the nation at their same age and grade level. I have included some information links below.

Students in K-5 are taking Beginning of the Year assessments through MAP Growth/NWEA for Reading and Math beginning this week. Our testing window closes the week of September 20. These results will be shared at Parent Teacher Conferences in mid October. Students will take this assessment on their devices three times a year.

Stay tuned for a Principal Chat Date Coming soon. We will be discussing Why Attendance Matters.

For those of you new to Summitt, this is the Talon Talk, a monthly newsletter that is sent out to the campus and community sharing happenings for the upcoming month. Please feel free to join my Principal Greco Facebook Page at this LINK: HERE This where I like to post photos of what is happening on our amazing campus and other campus highlights.

Here are some items included in this month's Talon Talk:

• Back to School Night
• Save the Dates
• Gifted and Talented Program information and nomination timelines
• Koblenz Exchange Program Information
• MAP Growth Testing Information
• 4th and 5th grade Leadership Application
• Student Devices
• AISD Student Success Guide

Thank you for sharing our amazing students' with us! We are the lucky ones!

IF you are on Twitter, please follow us @SummittEagles to get a peek inside our classrooms and all of the amazing learning that is taking place!

TOGETHER WE ARE #SUMMITTSTRONG!

Your Proud Principal,

Ms. Greco

Beginning the week of September 2nd you may begin coming to campus on Wednesdays and Fridays to have lunch with your child.

• You will need to bring your driver's license and sign into the front office.
• You will wait for your child in the front office.
• You and your child will go out to the blue picnic tables towards our Blacktop/Playground and eat at "Eagle's Landing" under the trees. If it is raining then tables will be set up in the counselors hallways outside of the cafeteria.
• We will have tables set up inside until the hot temperatures decrease.

• You will need to come sign out of the office at the end of your child's lunch time. Students can meet their class outside of the front office and rejoin their class at the conclusion of their lunch time.

• Please do not walk your child back to class.

Do you want to learn about the Koblenz Exchange Program?

Our 4th and 5th grade students will be eligible to travel to Koblenz, Germany in June 2026 and we will be hosting German families this Spring 2025. Please join us Wednesday, September 11, 2024, in the Summitt library from 5:30 – 6:30 pm to learn more about the program.

All campuses in Austin ISD offer Gifted and Talented screening in grades K-12 based on referrals submitted at http://bit.ly/2024AISDGTStart. If you are interested in seeing whether your child demonstrates a need for Gifted and Talented Services, please follow the link above. When a referral is submitted for a child, their parent or caregiver will be prompted to complete a Parent/Caregiver GT Observation Form.

Referrals are received by the Campus GT Advocate, who facilitates the implementation of GT assessment and services at the campus level. For questions about the GT identification process or services at your campus, please reach out to Lucie Cantrell, our Campus GT Advocate. Lucie.cantrell@austinisd.org

Referral Window for SY2024-25: August 20-October 7

When: September 4, 2024

Back to School Night serves as a great avenue into our classrooms. Teachers have prepared engaging presentations, and they are anxious to share their expectations and goals for our Summitt students.

While we love our students dearly, we would like this evening to remain an “adult only” presentation. This will help ensure focus and minimal distractions for all who attend. Please do not leave children on the playground during the evening, as this area will not be supervised.

Teachers will begin scheduling individual parent conferences for mid October. More details to follow.

Back to School Night Times:

5:30-5:40: Optional Welcome with Ms. Greco in the cafeteria

All Grade Levels (PK-5th)

5:45- 6:15 p.m: Session 1 (option 1 )

6:20- 6:50 p.m.: Session 2 (option 2)

This year we will be offering two identical sessions for all grade levels to allow for families with multiple children and to accommodate work schedules to attend our Back to School Night. If you plan to attend the first session, please join Ms. Greco in the cafeteria for a brief welcome before heading to your child’s classroom.

You do not need to attend both sessions for the same teacher.

We look forward to having you join us for Back to School Night to learn more about your Eagle’s year ahead!

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Absences and tardiness impact the whole classroom. Parents: Making sure your student is in school and on time every day is the law.

AFamilyGuidetoMAPGrowthTesting-English

AFamilyGuidetoMAPGrowthTesting-Vietnamese

AFamilyGuidetoMAPGrowthTesting-Spanish

4th & 5th graders are invited to apply for campus leadership positions. Positions include a variety of days and times for participation. Please help your student select opportunities that meet your family’s schedule. Students should be responsible for completing the application.

Applications are available on blend or through this link. Applications are due by Sept 9th 3:00 PM.

The H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards are accepting nominations until October 7th!

• Let’s lift up and recognize Austin ISD for the exceptional work being done to serve students!

• Nomination categories include:

• Teachers

• Principals

• School Counselors

• School District

• Early Childhood Facility

Please share this recognition opportunity with your students, families, staff, and community members. https://heblovesteachers.com/

Labor Day Holiday

No School, September 2nd

Back to School Night

Wednesday, September 4th

Koblenz Exchange Interest Meeting

September 11-5:30pm

Mid Autumn Festival

Friday, September 20th

CAC Meeting

September 30 at 3:30pm in library

Student Holiday

No School for students, October 3rd and 4th

Parent/Teacher Conference Day

Monday, Oct 14th (No school for students)

Student /Staff Holiday

No school for students or staff, November 1st

Student Holiday

November 5th-Election Day

Fall Break

November 25-29th

Winter Break

December 23-January 6 (Students Return on January 7th)

Through the Everyone:1 initiative all AISD students in grades 1-5 are able to receive an assigned device for use at school and home from Austin ISD.

• Students in grades PK-k grades will receive class sets of Chromebooks and chargers that will be individually assigned, but kept in classrooms.
• 1st-5th students will receive Chromebooks and chargers. This is a change from last year. All students will use Chromebooks and not Ipads.

More information, including a handbook about AISD’s Acceptable Use Policies, device care and tips, and replacement fees can be found at https://www.austinisd.org/technology/everyone

Each campus has a campus student device manager. Summitt’s device manager (DM) is Denise G. Richey. She can be reached at denise.richey@austinisd.org. Teachers and other campus staff can also support and know how to direct students when assistance is needed.

Please note that AISD has updated the guidelines for replacement of lost chargers and accidental damaged/lost devices for consistency across all campuses. An overview of the updates can be found below, and more information is available in the Everyone:1 handbook and website.

• First lost charger is replaced from campus stock.

• Second and beyond are charged $15/per charger (subject to updates) OR student replaces it.

• First incidental damage or lost device is replaced from campus stock.

• Second and beyond are charged $50/per device (subject to updates).

Additionally, students and families can check out AISD’s Family Technology Resources website for additional tips, including Technology Use Tutorials for Students. https://www.austinisd.org/technology/digital-resources/devices

• Front doors open at 7:15 am.

• Students will enter through the front doors of the campus if they are a walker, bike rider or parent drop off

• PK and Kinder students will enter through the left front door (follow the sign above the door)

• 1st and 2nd grade students will enter through the middle front door (follow the sign above the door)

• 3rd-5th grade students will enter through the right front door (follow the sign above the door)

• Students can have Breakfast in the cafeteria from 7:15-7:45am

• Morning Assembly will begin at 7:30 am.

• Morning Assembly will end by 7:40am

• Any student that arrives after 7:40am will walk straight to class or after the conclusion of Morning Assembly

• Parents will give a confident hug goodbye to their child at the front doors of the school-like the previous years.

• Our school hours are from 7:40-3:10pm.

• Dismissal will begin at 3:10pm
• Your child will either be classified as a parent walk up (PK-2nd), an independent walker (3rd-5th), bike rider, bus rider, After School Care, or Car Rider

We have made some minor changes to our dismissal locations for Parent Walk Up locations.

Your Family will receive a Family Number. Family Numbers may have changed since last school year. You must have this Family Number visible on a sign provided by your child's teacher for Parent Walk Up or Parent Pick Up/Car Rider. Please do not add your child's name to the template due to safety.

Please note-If you are a Parent Walk Up (parking. your car, walking up to the school to pick up your child) and have multiple Eagles to pick up, you may want to designate your oldest Eagle as a walker and have your child meet you and your youngest Eagle at the younger Eagle's Parent Walk Up Location.

Please reference the Arrival/Dismissal Procedures/Locations/MAPS link below for specific pick up locations and procedures.

***IF you have an Eagle in PK-2nd grade and would like to be a parent walk up, and get to campus prior to 3:05 please wait at the front of the campus. You can go to your designated pick up location at 3:05pm for a 3:10pm. Due to the safety of our students and staff, visitors need to stay at the front of the building at all times.

^^We would like to encourage our families to use the car pick up line.

Also, cell phones are NOT permitted in a school zone. Please do not be on your cell phone while in the car pick up line.

Dogs are also not permitted on school property due to safety. Thank you for honoring this.

Please use this link to review our arrival and dismissal procedures and pick up locations.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1As30g6Tw9kwAFHUib3cmDOZKTf7aI8A_/view?usp=sharing

Campus Advisory Councils are committees of parents, students, business and community representatives, teachers, principals, and other campus staff. The formation of CACs is required by state law (Texas Education Code, §11.251). Specific functions of CACs include providing review and comment on:

• Campus Educational Program
• Campus Performance
• Campus Improvement Plan
• Campus Staff Development Plan
• Campus-Level Waiver Requests to the State
• Campus Budget

If you interested serving as a Parent Representative on our Campus Advisory Council please check out this link for more information. If you would like to apply to sit on our CAC please complete the application portion, linked in the same link.

https://www.austinisd.org/advisory-bodies/cac

• • All students will not automatically receive free breakfast and lunch.

    
    

  • Students may be determined eligible for free or reduced-price meals through a variety of ways.

  • Free Meal Eligibility:

    Students at your school may receive free meals by meeting one of the following criteria:

  • Directly certified through state-funded benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

  • Directly certified through foster care; migrant, homeless, or runaway programs; Head Start, or state-sponsored pre-K programs.

  • Determined eligible by completing a free or reduced-price meal benefits application.

  • School Cafe: https://www.schoolcafe.com/

  • Students may add funds to their account by bringing cash to the cafeteria or caregivers may make online payments through their SchoolCafé account. Online payments are subject to a processing fee.

  • If students exhaust their meal accounts, they may charge meals at any meal service as follows:

  • Students in elementary and middle school may charge up to three meals.

  
  

  Meal Prices
  

  • Breakfast:

    • Elementary School - Paid: $1.75
    • Middle & High School - Paid: $2.00
    • All Levels - Reduced-Price: FREE
    • Adult/Guest: $3.50

    Lunch:

  • Elementary School - Paid: $3.25
  • Middle & High School - Paid: $3.50
  • All Levels - Reduced-Price: $0.40
  • Adult/Guest: $5.00

  
  

  Food Allergies and Special Diets

  Our cafeteria can accommodate food allergies and special dietary needs with a completed Request for Dietary Accommodation Form. Food Service also offers reasonable accommodations within federal guidelines for dietary preference, i.e. milk alternatives, gluten free bread, and vegan accommodations. Caregivers may submit dietary preference requests in writing to our cafeteria manager, in advance, to allow time to review and order any alternative products.

  
  

  Help Your Family and Your School with SNAP

  Need help buying food for your family? Apply today for the state-funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at www.yourtexasbenefits.com. SNAP not only helps your family, but it also benefits your school. The more students who receive SNAP benefits, the more funds available to schools for education, meal programs, and more.

  Use this Protecting Immigrant Families guide, “What Should I Know When Enrolling My Children in Public Benefits?” to help answer commonly asked questions about how to make good decisions for your family and their health.

  
  

  School Meal Resources

  • SchoolCafé - One app for all your school meal needs.

  • View daily breakfast and lunch menus for our school.

  • View nutritional information, ingredients, and allergens for each menu item.

  • Make prepayments for additional servings of food or healthy a la carte snacks.

  • Set a la carte restrictions.

  • Apply for free or reduced-price meals.

  • AISD Meal Programs

  • AISD Food Service Initiatives

  • Request for Dietary Accommodation Form

  • AISD Wellness Policy FFA (Local) (Regulation)

  • Includes District guidelines surrounding food in the classroom, celebrations involving food, food fundraisers, and rewarding with food.

  • AISD Wellness Policy Overview & Celebrations, Rewards, Fundraising Alternatives: ENGLISH / SPANISH

  • AISD Food Service Employment Opportunities

  • Connect with Austin ISD Food Service on Social Media:

  • Facebook

  • Instagram

  • Twitter

  
  

  Questions? Contact AISD Food Service through Let’s Talk by sending a text to 512-229-9110 or submitting a message online.

We wanted to let you know of a medication policy that AISD has implemented. Prescriptions AND over-the-counter medications will require BOTH a written parent authorization form AND a written order from a U.S./Texas Licensed practitioner (a doctor).

The order must include:

• The patient name
• medication name
• strength
• dose
• delivery route
• frequency
• date from June 2022 or later
• signature by practitioner

The only medications students may carry and self treat are for anaphylaxis, asthma or diabetes-and these all require the full packet from the physician and be provided to the health room as well.

We will not be able to accept any medications on campus until all required paperwork is received. We apologize for the late notice, but this policy was recently finalized and shared with us this week. Please call the health room at 512-414-4246 if you have any questions or concerns.

Summitt Health Team

Students will be participating in PE 3 days a week and attend Music and Art 2 times a week. Please make sure your child wears tennis shoes on PE days. It is also highly recommended for them to wear closed toe shoes for Recess as well.

Students will go to recess daily and have a thirty minute lunch time.

SMART PHONES/SMART WATCHES

If a student brings a cell phone or a smart watch/device to school, it must remain in the students’ backpack and be turned off during the school day. If a student needs to make a personal phone call home or contact a guardian, students can use the school phone upon request.

Smart Watches ARE NOT to be worn when at school.

For the safety of our students and entire campus community please do not bring you dogs onto our campus grounds, especially during arrival and pick up. Thank you.

Each morning our school day will begin with a school wide Morning Assembly in the cafeteria and gym. Our campus leadership team, counselors, librarian, teacher and student leaders take turns facilitating Morning Assembly each day.

Students will sit by grade level during Morning Assembly.

Every Assembly includes a morning message, the Pledge of Allegiance, the Texas Pledge, a Moment of Silence, and our Eagle Pledge. On Friday's we sing our school song and recognize our Summitt Strong Award Winners beginning our third week of school.

Bus information

Families whose students are eligible for transportation will receive their bus information by email or letter. The district’s “Bus Stop Finder'' can be used to identify the nearest bus stop to your home. Families whose students have special services will receive their information in person from their bus teams.

“Where'sTheBus” App for Families

AISD’s transportation team offers families the “WheresTheBus” app, which provides timely information about the location of their student’s assigned bus only, including when it will arrive at their stop.

The free app is available on any device with internet access (smartphone, tablet, personal computer, iPad)—and takes less than five minutes to install. Instructions are available at https://www.austinisd.org/transportation.

Ways for you to get involved:

• Join our Summitt PTA! Visit https://summitteagles.org/ for more information! (serve on committees, write grants, volunteer in the work room, support campus fundraisers, etc..)

• Summitt WATCH DOGS Attention all Fathers/Father-figures of Summitt students: Are you interested in spending a day at school, interacting with the students, being a positive role model, and providing an extra set of eyes & ears on campus? Sign up with the Watch D.O.G.S. Program & be your student’s “Hallway Hero” for the day!

contact: summittwatchdogs@gmail.com for more information

• Become a Room Parent

• CAC (Campus Advisory Council)-meets the last Monday of each month at 3:30 pm

• Parent Advisory Council with our counselors

Summitt Houses were created for all students and staff to feel a sense of connection, collaboration and care.

CONNECTION: At Summitt Elementary we have five houses. All students in grades Pre-K through 5th grade, are vertically assigned to a house at the beginning of the school year. Each school year begins with students learning the qualities and characteristics of each house’s trait which then leads to a school wide house reveal.

COLLABORATION: Each Tuesday students participate in a House Meeting with their fellow house members. Students get to collaborate by participating in various activities and energizers. Students recite their motto and build connections during this time. Your child is encouraged to wear their house color on Tuesdays.

CARING: A house system helps to build a caring, supportive environment. Each student will be a valued member of a smaller group within the whole school. The purpose is to create an enjoyable atmosphere in which deep learning and effective teaching can flourish; a school with rigor and relevance.

Summitt Houses:

The House of Kindness (red, heart)

The House of Courageous (gold, lion)

The House of Collaboration (blue, wolf)

The House of Innovation (purple, racoon)

The House of Tenacity (green, turtle)

Summitt House System allows for:

• Inclusive community of staff and students

• Buddy class pairings

• Reading buddies

• Multi age grouping opportunities

• Vertical teaming and alignment

• Student leadership/ownership