Cougar News

Hello Smallville,

It was such a great week! The counseling team has been hard at work making sure that our Cougars are aware of all the amazing courses they can take next week. Mr. Garcia and I had the opportunity this week to virtually meet with some of our future Cougar parents as we discussed the 6th grade choice sheets. They are super excited about the variety of course tracks their students will be able to take.

As a reminder, if you have any questions about choice sheets please contact our counseling team.

• 8th Grade ('24-'25) - Ms. Zahra Asadi
• 7th Grade ('24-'25) - Mr. Richard Gonzalez
• 6th Grade ('24-'25) - Mr. Joel Garcia, our lead counselor

With our increased campus enrollment it is vital that your students take the necessary time to select the courses that they desire. We want to ensure that students are placed in the classes they want, but we will be limited on course change requests once schedules are finalized in August. Making sure that your Cougar completes the choice sheet appropriately will ensure that we get them in the right class, right from the beginning.

I want to send a special thank you to all of you that have written RAVE awards and Honor stories for our amazing staff! Today, I was able to highlight some of our amazing teachers who received RAVE awards on the announcements and I look forward to highlighting even more next week. Smallville wouldn't be Smallville without our staff’s dedication to our students and campus.

If you would like to submit a RAVE award or Honor Story for one of your student’s teachers, here is the link: https://www.austinisd.org/hc/aisd-employee-experience/rave

Have an amazing, restful, and beautiful weekend!

Stay Present Cougars,

Bedford

If you need another copy of the choice sheet, or would like to see course descriptions, you can find it on the counseling page. Click the button above. 6th Grade due January 30th, 7th & 8th Due February 1st.

January 26, 2024

Dear Small Middle School Parents/Guardians:

The Texas Education Agency has launched the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness Interim Assessment as a tool to help educators tailor instructional practice to address students’ needs. This is made possible because the student’s relative strength or weakness in each reporting category will be available for teachers to analyze.

This interim test aims to help improve student scores on the actual STAAR exams in April. The assessments include some former STAAR items as well as questions with the new types of interactions (inline choice, drag and drop, graphing, etc) and gives the students the ability to practice with the online STAAR interface before the April administration. For more information about the new types of questions, CLICK HERE.

The district has chosen to participate in administering the exams districtwide. Interim assessments will be administered on campuses in the month of February for all tested subjects (6-8 Math and Reading; 8th Science and Social Studies).

Week of February 5-9

• 8th grade Science - Tuesday, February 6
• 8th grade Social Studies - Wednesday, February 7
• MAKEUP TESTING - Thursday, February 8

Week of February 12-16

• ALL grades Math - Tuesday, February 13
• ALL grades Reading - Wednesday, February 14
• MAKEUP TESTING - Thursday, February 15

ALL SCHOLARS MUST BRING THEIR CHARGED DEVICES AS TESTING WILL TAKE PLACE ONLINE.

STAAR TESTING CANNOT TAKE PLACE ON PERSONAL DEVICES - STUDENTS MUST USE AISD CHROMEBOOKS FOR ALL ASSESSMENTS! If students do not have a working device, they need to let their PRIDE teacher know by Friday, February 2, 2024.

All STAAR testing will take place in PRIDE classrooms - this means your child will be taking these assessments in a room they are comfortable in, with peers they know well, and with a teacher with whom they have in class every day. Students with accommodations will receive their accommodations within the PRIDE testing environment.

Parents are asked to encourage their child to treat this interim assessment as if it were the real STAAR test. By using the test taking strategies they normally would on test day, students can best prepare themselves for success on STAAR and can help to foster a positive testing environment for their PRIDE class.

Testing Tips:

1. Plan an early bedtime the night before the test to ensure that your child has a restful night's sleep.

2. Arrive to school before the first bell rings at 8:15 AM.

3. A healthy breakfast is crucial for optimal performance. Make sure your child eats breakfast before dropping them off.

4. Motivate with positive words! Speak to your child about doing his/her best on the test.

5. Remind your child to take his/her time during the test. Rushing leads to careless mistakes!

6. For those students with accommodations, encourage your child to practice using these features on the assessment so that they become comfortable with the integrated systems.

Best Regards,

Rebecca Smootz

Campus Testing Coordinator - Small MS

National Junior Honor Society applications for current 6th and 7th graders will become available on February 1st. The applications will be due by March 1st. More information will become available next week when applications open! Please email Ms. Hargrove with any questions: lindsey.hargrove@austinisd.org

Congratulations to the 50 members of the Clint Small Choir that competed at this weekend's Region 18 Choir Competition!!! 37 of those singers now have the honor of being called an All-Region Choir Member! Small MS had the second highest number qualify from a single school (38 was the highest). We had two singers make 1st Chair and three more make 2nd Chair of their section!

We have some extra Green Academy shirts to sell $15 each. Youth Large is the dark green and multiple adult sizes in the light green. If you our your student is interested, have your student bring $15 cash or check to Mr. Jeansonne or Mr. Rosenberg in room 212 or 200.

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, our mission is dedicated to provide players with on and off the court development, exposure, and life building characteristics through the game of basketball.

• Tryouts Registration Link: https://www.hoopgeneration.org/spring-2024-tryouts
  
• Reduced Fees Application for Underprivileged Students: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5cb6d8b89d414962d009ecd7/t/656ea6c38f22c247cd7a6be2/1701750467868/HG+reduced+fee+program+application+-+2.pdf

It's a new semester we have lots of clubs for kids to join after school. If your student is looking for something fun to do after school. Have them check out our list, or create a new club!

The deadline is fast approaching to apply for our Green Tech Academy. Be sure to get your application into Enroll Austin before February 6th. Please contact Ms. Newell with any questions.

SMALL IS GOING TO the GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, THAILAND, and AUSTRALIA and YOU are invited!

Open to all current, incoming, and graduating 6-7-8th graders and their families!

CLICK ON LINK to sign up for GALAPAGOS (Jun/2024): https://www.eftours.com/tour-website/2620470WW

CLICK ON LINK to sign up for THAILAND (Jul/2024): https://www.eftours.com/tour-website/2670625SM

CLICK ON LINK to sign up for AUSTRALIA (Jun/2025): https://www.eftours.com/tour-website/2684159RA

*Reserve with just $95 and then decide how to pay. Every two weeks (most common), monthly, or in lump sums at your convenience!

*QUESTIONS? Email Mrs. Early mariel.early@austinisd.org

*MORE INFORMATION? Visit our "GLOBAL COUGARS FLY" website! https://sites.google.com/view/global-cougars-fly

If you are planning to attend Austin High School as a 9th grader next year, it is time to complete the Academy Preference Survey so your academy can be selected through the lottery process. Please complete this google form by February 6, 2024.

You can read more about the academy model at Austin High by visiting their website and exploring Academy Overview Information.

All future Maroons who live in the AHS attendance zone must complete the google form to rank your academy choices: Academy Preference Survey.

We work very hard to honor student choice and place students in their 1st or 2nd choice academy, but you DO have to submit your Academy Preference Survey by the Feb. 6 deadline.

If you live outside the Austin High attendance area, please have your parents/guardians complete the Enroll Austin tile in the parent portal, rank Austin High as your top choice, and then complete the Academy Preference Survey/Curriculum Transfer Application. Students who do not complete this application will not be considered eligible for a curriculum transfer to Austin High School.

Home of the Cougars and the Green Tech Academy!

Email: jennifer.newell@austinisd.org
Website: https://small.austinschools.org/
Location: 4801 Monterey Oaks Boulevard, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-841-6700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057069836221