Kiker Comments March 22, 2022

• Upcoming Events
• Attendance Notes
• Registration for 22-23
• Pre-K and Kinder Registration Events
• Pride Week
• Virtual Fundraiser
• Library News
• Safety Patrol
• Gorzycki Information for Current 5th Graders
• Updated After School Programs
• Summer Camps
• PTA News - Lounge Remodel, Taco Tuesday, Pavers, Graduating Senior Scholarship
• March Staff Birthdays
• AISD News: Pride Event, Student and Family Survey
• Repeated Information (from previous newsletters)
• Culture Celebrations
• Covid Testing Hub Information
• Early Pick Up Reminders
  
• Lunch Menu
• All the Links to Everything You Need

March

21-25 AISD Pride Week

22 - Kiker Spirit Day

April

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

4-6 Virtual Fundraiser - Gifts of Time and Auction

4-8 -Kinder Map Growth Reading Fluency

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

May

10 - 3-5 STAAR Math

11 - 3-5 STAAR Reading

12 - 5th STAAR Science and Make ups for 3rd/ 4th (either test)

13 - STAAR Make up day

17 - 2nd Grade Market Day

19 - Field Day

19 - Evening Kiker Keynotes Show

20 - 8:30am Kiker Keynotes Show for Students

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

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

More information coming soon on times and tours.

Save The Date: April 11th - 14th. This spring's Kiker Book Fair has us partnering with BookPeople with a Keep Kiker READING theme. We are so excited to support a favorite local bookstore with fresh book options and experiences, and Kiker will be receiving 20% of all sales at the fair! Parents can join their students after school M/T/W/Th, with a special Food Truck Night with book fair shopping and eats provided by P. Terry's and Jim Jim's Italian ices on Wednesday, April 13th from 5-7pm. Interested in coming to Food Truck Night? Help us let P Terry's know an idea of how many meals to prepare and reserve your dinners here, or please join us last minute, too!

We are in need of book fair cashier volunteers for a fun and easy shopping experience - sign up here!

Thank you so much for supporting the Kiker Library. 🙂

Ashley Cross

ashley.cross@austinisd.org

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

Learn about Tiger Camp

Register with this link

Please print the PDF below and send it in to the front office to register.

Complete Lounge Makeover - PTA Edition!

We are so excited to reveal the new Kiker staff lounge! Not only does the renovated lounge give our teachers and staff a more functional space to eat lunch, collaborate, and plan, it also has ice and cold water, something the old one did not. (In Texas y’all!)

Major updates include:

• Two refrigerators with water and ice dispensers

• New plumbing to accommodate the water and ice dispensers

• New cabinets and countertops to complete kitchen area

• Table seating for 16

• Six work spaces with chargers

• Floor to ceiling subway tile, floating shelves, and fresh decor

The children (and their families!) should be so proud of their hard work and generous contributions during our APEX Fun Run event. The new lounge is an investment that will benefit our teachers and staff for many school years to come.

It was so great to see everyone in their Kiker blues today. Our spirit day continues tonight when you can eat tacos to raise money for our school. Visit Torchy's Tacos this evening and mention you are there for Kiker Spirit Night. Our school will receive 15% of the proceeds. Dine in or take out. Bonus: No kitchen to clean after dinner!

Kiker PTA is selling custom brick pavers. This is a wonderful way to celebrate a student, honor a teacher or staff member, or give a gift to a graduating 5th grader! For $35, you can design a paver and have it installed around the granite star at the entrance to Kiker. Purchase through the online Spirit Store now through May 15!

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

For family surveys, a single link has been created for all families: surveys.panoramaed.com/austinisd/family

Survey Administration Timeline:

• Staff & Family Survey Window - March 21- April 8

• Student Survey Window - March 21 - April 8

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.

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.

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