Milo's Messenger

March 10- March 14

Staff Underground Spirit Week!

AISD Pride Week Themes, Reminders

Austin ISD Letter to Families

Mills Elementary & Austin ISD celebrates Pride March 24–28, 2025

Dear Mills Elementary families,

Every year, to highlight the district's commitment to creating a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for all, Austin ISD hosts its own Pride Week. We believe that when students feel safe and can show up as their full selves at school, they’re better able to engage in learning and achieve academically.

This year, pride-themed activities will take place outside instructional time such as before or after school, during morning meetings, lunch or advisory periods.

Our campus Pride Week committee has planned the following activities aligned with Austin ISD’s district wide theme “beYOUtiful”:

Monday - All are welcome! Post, share, or display student work, pictures, and items that represent your family, things you're proud of, and what makes you feel connected.
Tuesday - Differences are beYOUtiful! Wacky socks day! Wear something fun that expresses your unique and awesome self.
Wednesday - I am beYOUtiful! Wear something that makes you feel beautiful, confident, and proud of who you are.
Thursday - Our community is beYOUtiful! Mix It Up! Take the opportunity to sit with/play with new classmates and celebrate our diverse community.
Friday - All the colors! Wear colorful clothes or a Mills shirt. Don’t forget to snap a picture of all your beYOUtiful colors!

We understand that families have different perspectives, and we respect every parent’s right to make decisions for their child. If you prefer that your child not participate in Pride activities, we will work to make alternative arrangements.

Find out more by viewing our Pride 2025 FAQs. If you have any questions, please reach out to Principal Frageman

Thank you and we look forward to celebrating Austin ISD Pride Week with you!

Sincerely,

Angela Frageman

Principal

Mills Elementary School

Character Strong Reminders and Overview

March Character Strong Word: Cooperation

Character Strong Implementation- Campus wide PK-5; All Austin ISD elementary schools

Curriculum- Character Strong

Implementation- Morning Meeting; Closing Circles, Use of Character Strong Mentor Texts (Read Alouds)

Monthly Themes with a Word of the Month

The Character Strong Curriculum has has 3 main goals for students:

Be Kind
Be Strong
Be Well

There are 3 character traits for each goal. Each of these traits correspond to a monthly theme.

Be Kind

Respect- seeing the value in all people and things & treating them with care.
Empathy- understanding and connecting to other people’s feelings
Cooperation- working together to reach shared goals

Be Strong

Responsibility-taking action and understanding the impact of our choices
Perseverance- pushing yourself to work through challenges and obstacles
Courage- choosing what is right, helpful, and kind- even when it’s hard or scary

Be Well

Gratitude- choosing to appreciate the people and things in our lives
Honesty- being truthful in what you say and do
Creativity- using your imagination to create something new or solve a problem

March Maker Space Menu

Sign up here for your class' Maker Space experience: https://sarasanchez.my.canva.site/makerspacemenu

Big Art Day is Coming! April 3

March Youth Art Month- Mills Artists Kudos

March is Youth Art Month!

Youth Art Month is a nationally recognized program that emphasizes the value of art education for children, encourages support for high-quality school art programs, and promotes the importance of art appreciation for all! During March, student work from across all AISD elementary, middle, and high schools will be on display for public viewing at the AISD Performing Arts Center throughout March to celebrate Youth Art Month!

33 student artworks by Mills 4th and 5th graders will be displayed at the AISD Performing Arts Center during Youth Art Month representing our Mills Elementary Visual Arts Program!

Congratulations to all our students!

Viewing Hours at the AISD Performing Arts Center

Monday–Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM
Closed on Saturdays-Sundays, except for the Reception Day
Closed during spring break

This Week & Looking Ahead

Monday March 10

Morning Announcements: Ms. DiMarco's Class

RTI Interventions Ongoing

Kinder PLCs/ 4th Grade PLCs

Tuesday March 11

Staff Luncheon (Cypress Grill)

ARD/CST/504 Meeting Day

PK PLC

Wednesday March 12

2nd, 3rd, & 4th Grade PLCs

3rd Grade Field Trip

Thursday March 13

Kinder, 1st, 2nd, 5th Grade PLCs

3rd Grade Field Trip

Career Day on Wheels (PreK, Kindergarten, 1st Grade) 8:30am-10:00am

Friday March 14

PLED Day/No School

Upcoming Events-

March 17-21 Spring Break

March 24- March 28 Austin ISD Pride Week

March 28- PTA Spring Dance (PK - 2nd 5:30pm - 6:30pm, 3d - 5th 6:45pm - 7:45pm)

March 28- March Principal Coffee Spotlight: Anxiety in Children Workshop Part II, 8am Library

March 31- Eid al-Fitr

April 1- Registration Opens for SY 25-26! Our goal is 100% of returning families enrolled for the upcoming school year by May 1!

April 3- Big Art Day Schoolwide

April 4- Mills Bike Bus 'Bike to School' Event! 7:10am Dick Nichols Park

April 7- Assistant Principal and Librarian Appreciation Week

April 7- April CAC Meeting via Google Meets after school

April 11- PK Field Trip

April 13- PK Rodeo

April 16- Principal Coffee and PTA Meeting, 8am

4/17- 1st Grade Field Trip

4/21- Administrative Professionals Appreciation Week

4/23- Kindergarten Field Trip

4/24- 2nd Grade Field Trip

4/28-Spring Book Fair Kick-Off

4/30- 4th Grade Field Trip

Active Playground Supervision by Staff

We need your help with active playground supervision when you are outside with your students during recess and WOW time.

We understand that recess can be a time for teachers to quickly huddle and touch base on pressing concerns, however, teachers and other staff need to spread out during the 30 minute recess period.

If you have students playing on the blacktop area (basketball hoops, four square, maps) to the left of the playground, a staff member/teacher needs to be positioned near this area.

Staff also need to be stationed near the Gaga pit/woods area.

Thank you for your support with this.

Safety on Campus

In light of the recent tragic school shooting in Georgia, we must continue to be as vigilant as ever with safety on campus.

Continued reminders:

1. Doors are shut and locked at all times. No exceptions. No propped door ever.

2. NEVER allow students to open classroom doors for people they don't know.

3. Active supervision. Make sure every single child under your wing is accounted for. Walk behind the class or beside the class so you can keep watchful eyes.

4. Playground and recess- all adults spread out to ensure we have eyes on all play areas.

5. See something, say something! Report all suspicious activity to admin and to the office. Never allow an individual to roam hallways without a visitors sticker.