Pony Express

O. HENRY ROUND UP 2026

Friday, September 25

3:30–6:30pm

Round Up is a fun, family-friendly carnival at O. Henry that’s open to our entire community. Join us for games, a bungee jump, inflatables, food trucks, and a middle school dance!

While Round Up is a fun community tradition, it is also the O. Henry PTA’s largest annual fundraiser. This year, with significant budget challenges across AISD, the support of our entire community is more than appreciated, it is essential.

Our 2026 fundraising goal is $150,000. Every dollar raised goes directly back to our students, teachers, and school, to provide resources and opportunities that support the O. Henry experience, including:

• New library furniture and books

• Updated cafeteria and classroom technology

• Outdoor water fountains and shade sails

• Drama and chess programs

• Mustang Cares, ensuring every student can participate in activities and field trips

• Feed and supplies for our unique agriculture program

• New art supplies and science lab supplies

• Teacher appreciation and classroom wish lists

• And more needs across the school

We hope you’ll join us for Round Up and help the PTA reach our $150,000 goal! Together, we can show our students how much our community believes in them and help ensure they continue to have the resources and opportunities to thrive.

For information on sponsorship, wristbands, and volunteer opportunities visit https://ohenrypta.org/round-up/

The list of books for this year's Battle of the Books has been selected! Last year was the first time O. Henry competed, and it was so much fun.

Battle of the Books is a quiz-show-style competition between AISD middle schools (plus a few surrounding districts) where teams answer questions about books from many different genres.

This year we'll be reading:

• Nonfiction: Free Lunch by Rex Ogle

• Realistic/Sports: Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up by Jenn Bishop

• Mystery/Adventure: I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall

• Realistic/Romance: Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

• Manga: Mashle: Magic and Muscles (Volume 1) by Hajime Komoto

• Fantasy: Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

• Realistic: Restart by Gordon Korman

• Historical: War Games by Alan Gratz

• Graphic Novel: When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

We have these in the library, and they're also widely available at any bookstore. All students are encouraged to participate! Ms. Horvath and her library team will continue to publicize one-off and continuing events throughout the school year for interested students, and students are welcome to visit the library every morning starting at 8 AM.

• You must have a CURRENT AISD physical (signed/dated after April 15th, 2026) in order to try out. PHYSICAL FORMS (click me) or are in the front office, and they must be filled out in their entirety (e.g., students and parents must sign the Participation Form; explain any “yes” marked questions in medical history; complete Emergency Card). Upon completion, please upload physical and complete online forms. (QR CODE at the bottom right of physical form.)

• You must complete all Rank One UIL Online Forms and be GREEN in the Rank One system before participation. Rank One Instructions (click me)

NO COMPLETED FORMS = NO EQUIPMENT

Click the link above in order to view detailed information re: physicals, rosters, tickets, and parent communication.

Coaches:

• ryan.richter@austinisd.org
• patrick.mcnally@austinisd.org
• ethan.pappas@austinisd.org

Click the link above in order to view detailed information re: physicals, rosters, tickets, and parent communication.

A-Team Coaches:

• jerrod.wolfe@austinisd.org
• tyler.brouillard@austinisd.org

B-Team Coaches:

• elliott.hilliard@austinisd.org
• kevin.gaffney@austinisd.org

Coach Kristine Kobs (A team) kristine.kobs@austinisd.org

Coach Crystal Gaffney (B team) crystal.gaffney@austinisd.org

Volleyball Tryout Information

-You must have a completed physical in order to try out for volleyball. Rank One: https://www.austinisd.org/athletics/forms

-7th grade tryouts will be held Wednesday and Thursday, Aug 19th and 20th.

-Tryouts will begin at 7:15 am and go through 1st per athletics.

-There may be an additional tryout for girls who make the first cut at 7:15 am on Friday, Aug 21st.

-Please wear athletic clothes and knee pads.

Weekly 7th Grade Practice Schedule:

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 7:15 am - 1st period athletics

• Thursday - practice only during 1st period, Game Day

• Friday - practice only during 1st period

**7th C Team practices scheduled Mondays and Wednesdays after school through 5 pm in the small gym.

Coach Hinojosa (B Team): victoria.hinojosa@austinisd.org

Volleyball Tryout Information

-You must have a completed physical in order to try out for volleyball. Rank One: https://www.austinisd.org/athletics/forms

-Tryouts will begin during 8th period athletics and will end after school at 5:00pm.

- Please wear athletic clothes and knee pads.

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 8th period athletics - 5:00pm

• Thursday - practice only during 8th period, Game Day

• Friday - practice only during 8th period

Attention all 7th and 8th grade C team Volleyball players. The first practice will be Monday Aug 24th after school until 5 pm. We will meet in the small gym.

Further practices will be Mondays and Wednesdays after school through 5 pm, also planned for the small gym.

Hope to see you there! - Coach Elliott Hilliard

Come out and join the Cross Country team! Cross Country is open to all 7th and 8th graders. Practice begins on Wednesday, August 19, at 6:55 AM at the OH track. Come dressed out and ready to run. Practices are every M W F at 6:55 until early October. Most races are on Saturdays. Be sure to upload your physical to Rank One before the first practice. Email Coach Parker if you have any questions at jenny.parker@austinisd.org

The Mustang Club supports all athletics at O. Henry Middle School by providing funds for coach stipends, new equipment, and equipment maintenance, as well as promoting school spirit and organizing volunteers. AISD does not provide funding for all of O. Henry’s athletic needs, and we appreciate the support of parents and the community to help fund the financial gap and maintain our high level of athletic offerings to students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.

MUSTANG MALL

Parents, we need your help at the Mustang Mall! The Mustang Mall lives in the OHMS cafeteria and supplies students with anything they may need throughout the day: lipbalm, PE shirts, OHMS spiritwear, gym locks, fidgets, pencils, paper, etc.! Shifts are one hour during lunch and a fun way to support our amazing student body! Sign up here

PTA is looking for volunteers to assist campus office staff in sorting and organizing lost and found items so our students can find them, and bringing labeled items to the office so school staff can deliver them. This is an invaluable job, especially whenever the weather changes.

Sign up to help reunite students and their possessions here!

Questions? Contact Tegra Swogger - (512) 922-0988 or tegralillie@gmail.com

Daily attendance time will remain the same as last year, 9:45 AM. If your student was absent for illness or any other issue, we request you use the AISD absence reporting link. No need to pick up the phone and call the office - you can click the picture below to go directly to our form!

- Westbound dropoff/pickup is fastest and safest for students

- For pickups during the day, feel free to park on 10th Street, otherwise keep clear

- Be mindful of bikers and walkers during peak times

- Bike racks located by front entrance

Help fuel a love for reading at O. Henry! During our campus-wide STIR (Strategies to Improve Reading) time in ACES, every single student will "drop everything and read."

To make this time as engaging as possible, our teachers are building small classroom libraries—and we need your help!

We are hosting a Middle School Book Drive to collect gently used books looking for a new home. If you have age-appropriate books your family has outgrown, please consider donating them.

• What we need: Gently used middle school-level books

• Where to drop off: O. Henry Main Office

Thank you for supporting our students and helping us build a vibrant culture of reading!

Early registration for AUSMUN 2026 is closing soon! Hosted by the Austin High School Model United Nations Program, AUSMUN is the largest Model UN Conference in AISD, featuring engaging crisis committees, keynote speakers, and community engagement.

• Event Date: September 26, 2026

• Early Registration Rate: $40 per delegate ($5 from each registration supports the Save Our Springs charity). Standard registration increases to $45.

• Why Register Early? Save $5 per delegate and get the highest priority for first-choice committee rooms.

For details, committee topics, and registration links, please visit the AUSMUN Website or complete the AUSMUN 2026 Early Individual Registration Form / Group Registration Form. Questions can be sent directly to austinhighschool.modelun@gmail.com.

School Accounts

Facebook: facebook.com/ohenryms

Instagram: @ohenryms

X/Twitter: @ohenryms

Clubs and Organizations

Band on Instagram: @ohms_mustangband

Library on Instagram: @ohenryreads

Yearbook on Instagram:@o.henryyearbook