Dear Mustang Families and Caregivers,
We hope you are doing well and enjoying the spring season! Here's what's happening at O. Henry this week:
Celebrating Administrative Professionals Week
This week, we celebrate and honor the amazing team that keeps O. Henry running smoothly every day:
Angelica Tagle, Office Manager
Teresa Zardiackas, Bookkeeper
Lizbeth Rodriguez-Loza, Registrar
Their hard work, dedication, and care for our students, families, and staff makes a tremendous difference.
🌟 A kind note of thanks can go a long way — if you have a moment, we encourage students and families to send a quick email or handwritten note to show appreciation! 🌟
Highlights from the Pony Express:
Wednesday, April 24:
CAT Team Meeting #5 — Our Campus Architectural Team will meet Wednesday. These meetings are open to the public, and we welcome your voice as we continue our school redesign planning.
Caregiver Orientation: High School Health Curriculum — Parents of 8th-grade students are invited to attend this important session, which will cover the upcoming health education content, including topics related to sex education.
Thursday, April 25:
STAAR Math Testing — Students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Math, as well as students taking Algebra I, will participate in their STAAR and EOC exams.
EF Quebec Parent Information Meeting — Families interested in the Quebec trip are invited to learn more about this exciting opportunity to travel and explore a new culture!
STAAR Math and Algebra I Testing – Thursday, April 25
Students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Math and Algebra I EOC will take their STAAR exam on Thursday. Please help your Mustang be successful by:
Making sure their Chromebook is fully charged and they bring their charger to school
Encouraging a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast
Reminding them to bring a book to read if they finish early
Staying calm and positive – a confident mindset makes a big difference!
Thank you for supporting our Mustangs during testing season!
High School Credit Courses – Important Drop Deadline
If your student is enrolled in a high school credit course:
Our counselors have shared important information about how GPA is calculated and how high school credit courses affect academic records.
If you have any questions or are considering a course drop, please reach out to your grade-level counselor by Wednesday.
PTA Spring Events
Mark your calendars!
🎯 3rd Annual Cornhole & Social – May 2
A fun evening for families, staff, and friends — we hope to see you there!📱 PTA General Meeting – Special Guest Speaker Dawn Wible
Topic: “Tech Less, Talk More” — a timely conversation on helping teens thrive phone-free. You won't want to miss this important discussion!
Be sure to check out the PTA section of this week’s newsletter for:
Volunteer opportunities
Upcoming events
Ways to get involved and support O. Henry!
Enroll Austin – Why It Matters
If you have not completed your student's enrollment for next school year through Enroll Austin, please do so as soon as possible. Completing enrollment is critical because it determines:
How many teachers we are allotted for next year
Which courses and electives we can offer
Student access to their top course choices
Thank you for taking the time to complete your registration and helping us plan for a strong 2025–2026 school year!
As always, thank you for your partnership and Mustang pride!
Let’s make it a great week to be an O. Henry Mustang!
☮️, ❤️, and 🐴’s,
Marlo Malott
The National Junior Honor Society is a national organization which recognizes students in middle school for their achievements in academic scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
We are excited to announce that the NJHS chapter is now accepting applications for qualifying students currently in either 7th or 6th grade.
NEW NJHS Applicants-- check out the Link about NJHS and the application process OR Students can self-enroll in the Blend course Application at this URL: https://aisdblend.instructure.com/enroll/FJDFRT
SAVE THE DATE
NJHS induction ceremony will be Wednesday, May 21 at 6:00 pm
If you have any questions please contact Mrs. White - Becky.White@austinisd.org.
Save the Date- Thursday, April 24th- Quebec Trip Information Session
Mr. Coffey, our French teacher, will be leading a trip to Quebec, Canada in Summer 2026! We're excited to tell you more about the trip we’re planning with EF Tours. World travel is a fantastic way for students to build confidence and, for French students, use their language skills among native speakers! At the parent meeting, we’ll talk about what we’ll see and do on our trip, everything that’s included, how we’re keeping this safe and affordable, and how to enroll.
If you are interested, please RSVP for the parent info session on Thursday, April 24th at 6PM in the OHMS Library: https://rsvp.efexploreamerica.com/gw9hvwr You do not need to be a current or incoming French student to join! All are welcome. See you there!
O. Henry Scholarships for Graduating AISD Seniors!
Do you know a senior in high school who has fond memories of their years at O. Henry Middle School? In recognition of the outstanding students that O. Henry produces, the O. Henry PTA offers two college scholarships for graduating AISD seniors who attended O. Henry Middle School for at least two years.
The one-year scholarships are paid directly to the college that the two awardees will attend. Details on how to apply for the two $500 O. Henry PTA Scholarships can be found HERE. Applications are due by May 9, 2024.
Questions? Please contact Ann Cardenas at ann.b.cardenas@gmail.com. Thanks, and good luck!!
2025-26 PTA Officer Vote Notice
The O. Henry PTA Nominating Committee submitted the following slate for the 2025-2026 PTA Executive Board. This slate of officers has been shared with the current PTA Executive Board and will be voted on at the general PTA meeting on May 6.
2024-2025 SLATE OF PTA OFFICERS
President: Jessica Hershey
First Vice President/President-Elect: Allison Jackson
Second Vice President/VP Fundraising/Ways and Means: Sara Trantham
Third Vice President/VP Support/Services: Molly Jones
Fourth Vice President/VP Communications: Pam Roberts
Secretary: Holly Lanham
Treasurer: Andrew Birge
Treasurer-Elect: Hunter Norris
OFFICE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Office staff could especially use help on Tuesday, April 8th, in the afternoon. SIGN UP HERE TO VOLUNTEER IN THE OFFICE! or email brookesalman@gmail.com.
