Kiker Comments: September 20, 2022

September

12 - 10/14 Kindergarten TX KEA Assessment Window

19 - Gifted and Talented Nomination Window Opens (closes October 7)

22- Gifted and Talented Information Session via Zoom at 5:30 pm

27 - Spirit Night At TCBY - Spirit Day/ Tuesday Blues Day

28 -29 Evening Times Available for Parent Teacher Conferences

30 - 2nd and 3rd Grade Field Trip - Author Visit at the Long Center

October

4 - Kindergarten & 3rd Oral Health Screening

4- 4th and 5th Grade Author Visit with Julie C Dao

7 - Early Release Day - 1:30 Dismissal

7 - GT Nomination Window Closes at 4:00 pm

10 - PTA Apex Fun Run Kickoff - Runs through 10/21

11 - School Wide Assembly 1:45-2:45* for APEX Fun Run

12 - Fall Picture Day

14 - Staff Development / Student Holiday - No School

21 - PTA Apex Fun Run during Each Student's PE Time

We are beginning the gifted and talented identification process at Kiker Elementary School. There is only one nomination window this year for all grades. The process includes several steps: nomination, screening, and selection. Information considered in the decision includes parent/guardian and teacher input, collection of a portfolio of student work, and standardized assessments. The standardized assessments are all online. The GT nomination window will run through October 7 with a firm deadline of 4:00 pm on October 7.

Please note that the nomination process is time sensitive for this fall only. For more information, you are invited to attend an information session via Zoom on September 22 at 5:30 pm. Thank you!

Zoom link

* K-2 will take the NNAT assessment online

* 3-5 will take the CogAT assessment online

*Kiker will provide Saturday testing. If unable to attend Saturday testing, students will be pulled from class to complete the testing.

Click here to nominate a student in Kinder, First, or Second Grade

Click here to nominate a student in Third, Fourth, or Fifth Grade

Please make note of this assembly. We ask that any family who might need an early pick up on October 11 come before the assembly. Thank you for your cooperation.

Check out our new system!

1) No need to drop off any forgotten technology (Chromebooks, iPads, or chargers). We have enough to check out to students who forget them at home. Save yourself the trip; we've got you covered.

2) Lunches, water bottles, umbrellas, jackets, etc. can all be left on the shelf by the front door. Labels and pens are available for you to write your child's and teacher's names. Once complete, adhere label to your item.

3) For items that need to arrive to your child immediately - such as eyeglasses or hearing aids, please ring the bell and someone will let you in.

We will deliver all items beginning at 9:00 am and will do a second run at 11:00 am.

Why the big change? Other schools in the area have been doing this and report that is easier for parents to drop off and hop back in the car without having to enter the building. We also believe it increases our safety by minimizing the number of times each day that we open the exterior doors. We have a camera directly on the shelf and can monitor items.

The Entire Drop off and Pick Up Staff

Ashley Cross

Alondra Rocha

Anmarie Bochey

Edward Swan

Amanda Prickett

Christine Johnson

Carolyn McKaskle

Denise Tharp

We are seeing a significant number of interruptions to daily learning due to the presence of these devices.

We are asking for your support as our teachers direct students to place their personal devices in their backpacks during the instructional day. Students can access them again at dismissal time.

Thank you for your cooperation.

The 2nd and 3rd grade students will be going to the Long Center on September 30 to see Camila Alves McConaughey talk about her new picture book, Just Try One Bite. Each student will get a free copy of the book. The event is sponsored by the HEB Read 3 program, so look out for a new HEB Read 3 t-shirt coming home with your 2nd and 3rd graders in the coming weeks. We're super excited for this event!

We also have an author visit on October 4 for our 4th and 5th grade students. Julie C. Dao will visit us to discuss her new middle-grade book, Team Chu: Battle of Blackwood Arena. We're super excited to host her through Book People. Info is on the way for how to purchase a book to get signed at the event, so keep your eyes peeled on the Kiker Instagram @kikerlibrary and next week's Kiker Comments.

Support Kiker NEXT Tuesday, Sept 27, by wearing blue to school and visiting TCBY!

RULES : https://www.txpta.org/reflections

ENTRY FORM: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1LIHUrw2i1UvWMr6Wf7-l3C5KwPYiUKMwfVgzvipTjcs/viewform?edit_requested=true

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 with their belongings if they happen to be 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.

Please arrive before 2:30 for an early pickup. The front office staff is preparing for dismissal beginning at 2:30, and it is very challenging to get students out of class between 2:30 and 3:00.

Be sure to bring your Drivers License with you to the front office for an early pickup.

Thank you.

In the event that your child will be missing school, please follow these steps:

1) Email both your child's teacher and Ms. Amy McGovern, our registrar. Amy.mcgovern@austinisd.org

2) Please include your child's first and last name

3) Please provide the reason for the absence so we can code it correctly in our attendance system.

Yes, we are still dealing with the virus and we still need to be vigilant to help our community.

If district protocols change, I will inform you through the Kiker Comments. Here are the district plans as of today.

Precautions on campus:

-Air purifiers in all classrooms

-Masks available for any student or staff member who would like one

-Sanitizer and wipes are available for all staff to clean heavy traffic areas in their classrooms

What we are not doing:

-Individually screen/temperature check each person entering the building.

-Mandate masks for students or staff

-Contact tracing

What to do if your student tests positive: Please email cory.matheny@austinisd.org with your child’s name, ID number, date of positive test and test type. Although not required, we encourage you to reach out to the families/students with whom your child was with most regularly in contact just prior to testing positive.

What happens next: Your student may return to campus and begin participating in extracurricular events five days after testing positive if they are feeling well and symptoms have subsided. The day of the test is day 0. So, for example, if your student isn’t feeling well Wednesday after school, and you give them a home test Thursday morning AND the test is positive, then Thursday becomes day 0. Your student is required to stay home for five days. In this example, your student may return to school on Wednesday of the following week. Please note that it is the day of the positive test, not the day symptoms started that counts as day 0.

What to expect from us when we have a positive case on campus:

Everyone will receive a district provided form letter via email letting you know we had a positive case (or the quantity if multiple cases) on campus. It isn’t meant to give you details, just a general heads-up. Classrooms/grade levels are not identified in the letter.

September

8- Zoey Franz

22 - Amanda Prickett

23- Marian Martin

23 - Niki Muller

25- Christina Haschke

This year we are encouraging 4th and 5th grade students to sign up for safety patrol for a two week block of time during the school year. Thank you for being a campus leader!

Students will drop backpack off in the front foyer/vestibule, sign in, grab a vest, and head out front. We need help waving cars to the front of the line, opening doors, and welcoming each child with a warm greeting or sending students off at the end of the day.

SIgn Up Genius Link

How To Video - This is the Training Video for Safety Patrol

Cory Matheny - Principal

Alma Chapa Moore - Assistant Principal

Kelly Zilem - 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