Eagle Express

Happy Thursday again! I am sending this out today with a couple of reminders.

• Tonight is our Vertical Team Night at House Park - I hope to be running the field with some of our students tonight! There is free parking in the ACC Parking garage adjacent to House Park. Wear your school t-shirt and remember parents need to purchase a ticket to enter with your student. We will enter the stadium as a group at 6:30 to head to our waiting area. If you arrive after 6:30 you'll need to enter at the south entrance and make your way to the north end zone.
• No school for students or staff on Friday, October 9th
• No school for students on Monday, October 9th for Caregiver/Teacher Conferences.
• Weekend Two of ACL starts tomorrow (Friday, October 9). Continue to expect some additional road closures and limited access (Barton Springs through Zilker Park, Mopac frontage, etc. ) and additional traffic challenges in our neighborhood. Please allow yourself some extra time to navigate getting to Barton Hills and any other places you need to go this weekend.
• Wednesday, October 14th is Bring your Teddy Bear to School Day!

As always, thank you for being a part of this amazing community!

Kati Achtermann, Principal

October 9 - Student and Staff Holiday (Bad Weather Make-Up Day)

October 12 - Student Holiday/ Parent Teacher Conference Day

October 13 - 7:40 Assembly (Mendez's class leading Pledges)

October 14 - Bring your Teddy Bear to Work (School) Day

October 22 - Fall Individual Picture Day

October 30 - CARNIVAL/BHE Spirt Day (Orange and Black Day)

November 2 - Student and Staff Holiday

November 3 - Student Holiday/Professional Development Day

November 12 - Health and Wellness Fair (5 - 6:30 PM)

We keep a stock of clothes in our health room if students need a change of clothing while at school for whatever reason (lunch spills, accidents, mud encounters on the playground, etc). If you are doing some drawer cleaning out, we could use donations of the following:

• Boys pants and shorts - mostly smaller sizes- like 6 and 8
• Girls size 10/12 shorts/pants (medium/large)

Show your BHE pride outside and join us for "It's My Park Day" at Barton Hills Elementary Park! We'll meet at the picnic tables at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 7th, and get to work shortly thereafter. It’s going to be a fun morning of community and giving back.

We'll provide the tools and gloves, so all you need to bring is a water bottle and comfortable clothing. As a special thank you, all registered volunteers will receive an awesome t-shirt designed by local artists, plus access to some great deals at local businesses!

Register now at the link below to reserve your spot! Simply click on the link below and fill in the blanks. We can also confirm volunteer hours, if needed.

BHE It's My Park Day Registration

We are once again honored to be an official Austin Parks Foundation Project, and your support is invaluable. Please sign up and join us in showing our park some love!

With gratitude,

BHE Greenworks Crew

Kevin Francis, Sean Kane, Chris Hewitt, TJ Powell

Please contact TJ Powell (powell.aw@gmail.com or 512.924.8022) if you have any questions. We hope to see you all there!

Future Maroon Night! Join our vertical team at House Park on Thursday, October 8th for Future Maroon Night. Students are encouraged to wear their school t-shirt. We will gather outside House Park and then enter the stadium when they open the gates at 6:30. Students and very brave Principals/Staff :) will then go to the north end of the field and run through the tunnel before the football players (around 7:15/7:20). Then we will line the field and cheer on our Austin High Maroons before Kick-off. Parents - you will need to purchase tickets to enter House Park. You will need to meet us at the south end of the stadium field after we run. Then we encourage you to stay for the game. There is no school for students the following day :)

Please mark your calendars for our upcoming Fall Parent/Caregiver-Teacher Conferences on Monday, October 12th (student holiday).

Conferences are a valuable opportunity to sit down with your child’s teacher to celebrate their academic strengths, discuss areas for growth, and collaborate on their learning goals for the year. During your meeting, teachers will also review your child’s Beginning-of-Year MAP Growth results in reading and math (if they haven't already).

Our campus goal is 100% participation—strong partnerships between home and school make all the difference in our students' success! Please be on the lookout for sign-up information directly from your child's teacher in the next few weeks.

We look forward to connecting with you!

School breakfast and lunch are available at Barton Hills and are a delicious and nutritious way to fuel our students for learning! All families are encouraged to apply for free or reduced meals and to take advantage of our cafeteria offerings! Please see below for more information:

How families apply for free or reduced-price meals:

• Online applications are preferred. Families may create an account and apply at www.SchoolCafe.com/AustinISD.

• How to create a SchoolCafe account: English / Spanish

• New for this school year, we may now accept PDF applications in English or Spanish completed by families with a digital signature and returned to foodservicebusinesssupport@austinisd.org.

• Families may also complete a paper application and return to your front office.

• Please share completed applications with your cafe manager upon receipt.

Families may apply for state funded benefits, such as SNAP, at www.yourtexasbenefits.com.

We've had a great first week and I wanted to highlight some arrival and dismissal procedure reminders:

• When dropping students off in the front circle drive (morning) or picking up in the afternoon, do not get out of your car. Please have students exit and enter on the passenger side of the car. We will have 5th grade Safety Patrol and staff to assist with car doors.
• Students should have everything they need when they exit the car.
• Please make sure students can buckle/ unbuckle their seatbelt and are ready to exit! We work hard to keep that car line moving so everyone makes it to class on time.
• Do not park in the staff parking lot at arrival or at dismissal.
• Keep all dogs/pets at home.
• Do not go around cars in the front drive.
• Do not use the front drive as a turn around zone! It is one way only.
• Do not use the back parking lot as a drop off zone. It is for staff parking only.
• Adhere to the NO PARKING zones - even when there are no orange cones to remind you.
• Stay off cell phones/devices in school zones (and yes, our front drive is included). No conversation/call is more important than our students safety.
• Always cross at crosswalks

In the event of inclement weather (significant rain, lightening, etc.) at dismissal time, we will implement our Rainy Day Dismissal procedures. Parents will receive a text alert and/or email (depending on the notification settings you selected for AISD notifications) as soon as the decision is made to alter our dismissal plans and locations. We try to make the decision by 2:00 pm. A rainy day dismissal means all students are dismissed through the front of the building - there is no dismissal from Briarcrest Drive. This includes walkers and bikers. All students come to the cafeteria and we will have staff in the front of the building to collect student names and then we call them from the cafeteria to go out for pickup. Earth Kids staff meets students in the cafeteria as well and then head to their bus/van. While it does take some extra time, we utilize these procedures to keep students and staff safe. We thank you in advance for your understanding and extra patience on those days.

AISD prioritizes campus safety by implementing The "I Love U Guys" Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP), which establishes clear, uniform language and actions across all schools. Through this framework, students and staff build crisis-response muscle memory by routinely practicing five core drill actions:

• Hold (keeping hallways clear for localized issues),
• Secure (locking all external doors for potential hazards outside the building),
• Lockdown (locks, lights, and out of sight for threats inside the building),
• Evacuate (moving safely to designated rally points), and
• Shelter (taking cover during severe weather or hazmat situations).

Drill schedules range from monthly evacuation exercises to per-semester Lockdown, Secure, and Hold drills, ensuring everyone on campus can react swiftly and calmly during a real emergency. We will have our first drill this week which will be a Lockdown Drill. For more information, please see the parent handout below:

Please click on the button below to access the AISD Student Success Guide (Previously known as the Student Code of Conduct.):

Please click on the button below to access the AISD Student Responsible Use Policy (Please note changes in consequences for deliberate damages.):

Welcome back! I'm Steve Nichols, your café manager here at (School Name). I’d like to share some updates about school meals this year at AISD.

Menus & Nutrition: Menus, as well as nutrition information, allergens, ingredients, and carb counts are available at SchoolCafe.com/AustinISD or via the SchoolCafe app. Meals are made daily in our school kitchen and meet or exceed federal nutrition standards. Our menu includes healthy versions of student favorites, scratch-prepared items, plant-based options, and global flavors, featuring local and sustainable ingredients.

Check out our new Introduction to School Lunch Video in English or Spanish to learn more!

Food Allergies & Special Diets: We can accommodate students with documented food allergies and dietary needs with a completed Dietary Accommodation Form (English / Spanish).

Meals for Elementary Students: Breakfast: $1.90 / Lunch: $3.40 - View full price list.
Families may apply at any time for free or reduced-price meals through their SchoolCafe account, by completing a PDF application (English / Spanish), or a paper application available in our front office. Thanks to state funding, all students who qualify for reduced-price meals this year will receive free breakfast and lunch.

Meals for Parents/Adult Guests: Breakfast: $3.50 / Lunch: $5.25
We’re happy to welcome parents to enjoy meals with us! Unfortunately, federal regulations prevent us from offering free or reduced meals for parents/adult guests.

Wellness Policy: AISD policies govern food served outside the cafeteria. Please review our Wellness Policy Overview for guidelines on classroom celebrations, food fundraisers, and food rewards. Celebrations of any kind may not interfere with a students’ regular meal times.

Please reach out with any questions. I look forward to seeing you in the cafeteria this year!

Hello Parents/Guardians,

Gifted and Talented Nominations will open on August 18, 2026.

If you are interested in referring your child, please click on this link for information:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VYKiglm4EJ0wTbdTL7s_MKnXIWJzT6fe/view?usp=sharing

Nominations will close on October 16, 2026.

Please note that all second graders will be pre-screened, and there is not a need to fill out this form for them.

I advise you to speak to your child's teacher about whether or not a referral would be appropriate for your child this year.

Kindly,

Stephanie K. White, M.A., MEd., LPC

Counselor and GT Advocate, Barton Hills Elementary School

In the past, many parents have asked me about the qualities seen in gifted learners vs high achievers. This chart is from "The Gifted and Talented Child" by Janet Szabos.

The H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards are currently accepting nominations through September 30th, offering a fantastic opportunity to lift up and recognize Austin ISD for its exceptional dedication to serving students. You can submit nominations across several categories—including Teachers, Principals, School Counselors, School Districts, and Early Childhood Facilities—to highlight the outstanding educators and programs making a difference every day. The H-E-B Excellence in Education program awards cash grants to finalists, winners, and their schools.

This program honors outstanding Texas educators with significant cash grants for both individuals and their schools. Two of our very own Austin ISD educators took home top honors last year. Megan Vasquez from Becker Elementary, who won the Leadership Award, received $10,000 for herself and a $10,000 grant for her school. Alasin DeVeny from Joslin Elementary, who earned the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, received $25,000 for herself and a $25,000 grant for her campus.

Please help spread the word by sharing this recognition opportunity with your students, families, staff, and community members, and submit your nominations directly at https://heblovesteachers.com/.

Maintaining a safe and positive learning environment for our students is our top priority. It is important to us that our safety protocols are in place AND that our students, families, and staff continue to feel a positive and welcoming environment each day. Please help us keep everyone safe.

Arrival:

• We will continue to have a secure morning arrival with families/caregivers saying goodbye before students enter the building. Parents/Caregivers may walk students to the front walkway during car drop off/walking drop off. Staff members will be outside and inside ready to greet, welcome, and support our students as they enter the building at 7:30. Parents will not be allowed to walk students to the classrooms and portables.
• The front doors will open for breakfast at 7:15 am. At 7:30 am, all students will enter the building.
• The first week our Kinder students will meet their teachers in the cafeteria before going to class. The teachers will be there to meet them and then walk together to the classroom.
• IMPORTANT: There is NO parking in the drive in front of the school between 7:00 - 8:00 am. This lane is reserved for drop off only. If you'd like to walk your child to the front door, please park in the neighborhood and walk to school together. Thank you!
• If you need to bring something to your child after they have entered the building, please leave it in the secure vestibule cubby with a clearly marked label. Please call the front office to let us know you are leaving an item (lunch, water bottle, device, etc.) and we will get it to your child.

Exterior Doors and Gates:

• All exterior doors will remain locked at all times during the school day. Portable classroom doors will also remain fully locked all day.
• Staff will check each exterior door weekly to ensure they close and lock as intended.
• The playground access and back parking lot gates will be locked at the start of each school day. We will unlock gates after the completion of dismissal The playground and grounds are closed to visitors during the school day.

Dismissal:

• All kindergarten students will be dismissed with their homeroom teacher at 3:05pm.

• 1st- 5th grade car riders, walkers, and bikers will be dismissed from specific outdoor locations with their homeroom teacher at 3:10pm.

• Older siblings may join younger siblings at the younger sibling location.

• *See map below for dismissal locations by grade level.

• Students must leave by 3:20 at the latest.

• Please see map below and note that areas in RED are NO Parking Zones - even for drop off and pick up.

Visitors:

• Visitors are welcome at Barton Hills for the purposes of student support. This may include scheduled parent teacher conferences and meetings, registration, pre-arranged volunteer opportunities, and other scheduled events.
• Lunch Visitors: You may come have lunch with your child. You must sign in at the office prior to going to the cafeteria. Please note that if you plan to have lunch with your students, you will need to plan to eat outside or at a separate designated table. Provide lunch only for your child. Do not arrange to purchase lunch for a group of students and then have your child pass it out. You may only have lunch with your own child - please do not invite other students to join you. *No lunch visitors for the first three weeks of school so we can work on routines and expectations.
• The main front doors are the only entry doors to the campus for visitors. The door buzzer/office communicator is on the right side wall by the front doors. Please push the button to communicate with the office and, once verified, we will buzz you in to the secure vestibule and then into the office.
• All visitors MUST sign in at the front office upon arrival AND sign out at the front office when leaving. Please remember to bring your photo ID with you when visiting campus.
• IMPORTANT: Families, please do not ask a staff member to hold a side or back door open for you to enter the building. All students, parents, and visitors must enter through the front entry doors. Thank you!

Staff Training, Campus Drills, and Threat Assessment

• Our staff will be trained on safety prior to students entering the building.
• We will review safety plans and practices throughout the year.
• We will continue to hold all required safety drills with our students. Most of the drills will be announced drills so our students aren't surprised or alarmed by them.
• Barton Hills has an established threat assessment team comprised of administration, counseling and teaching staff. All members of the team have received Threat Assessment training from Texas State. Licensed Mental Health Providers and School Resource Officers are on call to assist when needed.

Phew! I know that's a lot to digest, but wanted everyone to know we're prepared for a strong, safe, and productive year.

We love volunteers and have many volunteer opportunities throughout the year.

All volunteers—new and current—are required to complete an annual, no-cost background check.

How to Get Started:
-Sign Up through VOLY
-Complete Your Application
-Start Volunteering!

Join the Austin ISD Volunteer Program! http://austinisd.voly.org

AISD Weather Guidelines

• Temperature guidelines have been established in order to provide a safe and healthy environment for students participating in outdoor activities at Austin ISD.

• The listed temperatures, heat indexes, and wind-chill factors are designated figures for terminating and/or modifying outdoor activities including: Athletics, Fine Arts, PE, and recess.

• AISD_Temperature Weather Guidelines

Website: bartonhills.austinschools.org/school
Location: 2108 Barton Hills Drive, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-414-2013
Facebook: facebook.com/BartonhillsPTA
Twitter: @bheeagles

Instagram: bheeagles