Panda Parent Newsletter
Back To School Welcome Anita Uphaus ECC Vol. 3 #1 Sept 2025
Welcome Panda Families!
We are off to a great start for our 25-26 School Year. It has been extraordinary to see new and familiar faces in our hallways. We hope you had a chance to relax, rejuvenate and spend time with your friends and family this summer. We look forward to a wonderful school year filled with learning, growing, laughter, and smiles. Our staff has worked diligently to prepare for our scholars. We look forward to seeing you at this year's events, celebrations, and milestones. Here is to a fabulous new school year! Our parent newsletter will go out at the beginning of every month. We hope you can see all of the great things happening at Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Center. Go Pandas!
Warm regards,
Mrs. Dimas
Parent Support Specialist
My name is Linda Perez, and I am your Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Center Parent Support Specialist.
The faculty and staff at Anita Uphaus ECC would like to welcome everyone back to school and extend a special Welcome to all of our new students and their families. We are excited and are looking forward to another exciting year of learning at Anita Uphaus.
I would also like to extend a welcome to our newest staff members:
Ms. Jousie Rodriguez (ECSE Teacher), Mr. Lazaro Camarillo (ECSE Teacher), Ms. Elizabeth Lujan (PK 4 Teacher), Candice Bryne (CDC Teacher), and Melissa Perez (CDC Teacher).
You can expect periodic newsletters from myself, and several of the classroom teachers to keep you up to date as to what is happening here at Anita Uphaus and in the classrooms.
A good way of staying up to date on school information is to visit our website at www.uphaus.austinschools.org . From there, you can find several sources of information that will keep you informed of all the happenings at Anita Uphaus. We are excited to begin the 2025-2026 school year. If at any time during the school year you feel the need to contact me, please feel free to call me, Linda C. Perez, Parent Support Specialist at (512) 414-5538 or by email at linda.c.perez@austinisd.org
We hope to partner and collaborate with you to have a successful school year. Your involvement and partnership are important. There is no one like you!
As your Parent Support Specialist, I can assist you in several ways. In working together, I can:
- Find resources you may need- I can help find assistance when needed.
Learn new things about school and how to help your child succeed. Look for workshops for parents throughout the year!
- Become leaders in our school! Your input and participation in the Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) and other school committees such as Campus Advisory Council (CAC)
- Become a Parent Volunteer! Volunteers are welcomed and needed!
Everyone who volunteers will need to attend a volunteer orientation and complete a successful background check.
Arrival & Dismissal
As the school year begins, here are a few reminders that will assist with our arrival/dismissal procedures. Attached you will find our map for Arrival & Dismissal. Please assist us in following traffic rules. We thank you in advance for helping to keep our staff, scholars, and parents safe.
During morning drop off, parents and parent guardians will be allowed to:
- walk their child(ren) up to the designated campus entrances at the school.
- If you are walking them to the designated drop off areas, please make sure you cross at the student crosswalk for your safety. Parents must park in a designated parking spot and walk your child across.
- Go through the designated drive-thru entrances at the school
During after school pick up, parents and parent guardians will be allowed to:
- pick up their child(ren) at the designated campus pick-up areas at the school
- Go through the designated drive-thru exits at the school
Please do not:
Block the flow of traffic in and out of school premises.
Speed in a school zone.
Use cell phone in school zone.
Due to safety reasons, parents and parent guardians will NOT be allowed to walk children to their classrooms.
REMINDERS: Please be mindful of your speed during pick up & drop off. Speed limit should not exceed 10 mph.
NO CELL PHONE use in an active school zone. Please put your cell phones down.
2025-2026 Bus information
We recommend families whose students are eligible for General Education transportation to check their bus information by checking the district’s “Bus Stop Finder''. Families whose students have special needs will receive their information in person from their bus teams. *Please keep in mind routes and stops may change periodically.
“Where's TheBus” 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. Please promote the app to your school communities.
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.
Breakfast In the Classroom
Parent Coffee Chat
Back To School Night
1st Session: 5:00-6:00 pm
2nd Session: 6:00-7:00 pm
Families only have to attend 1 session.
Our Assistant Principal is Mrs. Diaz-Eskew!
📖 Every class visits the library weekly for storytime and a lesson.
🎒 Families are always welcome! Come check out books and enjoy stories together.
🕒 Family Library Checkout Hours:
Monday–Friday, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Stop by after school and discover something magical to read!
📚 Cada clase visita la biblioteca una vez por semana para una hora del cuento y una lección.
👨👩👧👦 ¡Las familias siempre son bienvenidas! Pueden venir a sacar libros y disfrutar cuentos juntos.
🕒 Horario para familias:
Lunes a viernes, de 2:45 p.m. a 3:30 p.m.
¡Visítenos después de clases y descubran nuevas aventuras para leer en familia!
Counselor News
Hello families, my name is Ileanna Mercado and I am the proud School Counselor at Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Center. My role as the school counselor is to provide social and emotional support for our students. I provide weekly counseling lessons, crisis intervention, small group counseling, and short term individual counseling. I also work closely with our district Licensed Mental Health Professional to connect families with resources as well as ongoing counseling for students who require higher level of support. I am honored to be a part of your child’s educational journey and look forward to an AMAZING school year!
Monday is Uphaus T-shirt day (if your scholar has one).
Friday is Colleget T-shirt day (if your scholar has one).
Our campus participates in Monthly Safety Drills.
- We are required to do 1-2 safety drills every month to help us all be prepared in case of various emergencies. These drills are very calm and are announced as practice drills.
- The first step is to register here: https://austinisd.voly.org/
Please note: if you are planning to volunteer for any event at school you must go through a
background check.
- You can also contact our Parent Support Specialist, Ms. Linda Pérez, at 512-414-5520, Ext. 58514 or linda.c.perez@austinisd.org
Please support the Uphaus PTA
PTA is an organization of parents and teachers coming together to advocate for our children and students. Your membership alone will give us a BIGGER voice in our school and community!
Membership is for the year $10.00. This money goes towards student events, teacher appreciation and much more. PTA membership flyer going out soon!
