BW Parent Newsletter

It was wonderful to see so many familiar and new faces at Meet the Teacher today. The excitement and energy in the building set the stage for a great year ahead.

Tomorrow marks the first day of school, and we are ready to welcome students back to campus. Our theme for the year, “Rooted Locally, Growing Globally,” reflects both the strong sense of belonging within our school and the ways we prepare students to think and act with a global perspective. As an IB PYP school, our students develop the skills and qualities that help them grow as curious, compassionate, and responsible learners.

One way we do this is through the IB Learner Profile Attributes. The IB Learner Profile describes the qualities we want our students to develop in order to grow as lifelong learners and global citizens. Each month, we will focus on one attribute as a school community. For August, our focus is on being Caring. This means we encourage students to show empathy, kindness, and respect toward others, qualities that will help them thrive in our community and beyond. Families can support this at home by talking about simple ways to show care, such as helping a neighbor, including someone new at play, taking care of the environment, or doing something kind without being asked.

Here is the full list of the IB Learner Profile Attributes in family-friendly language:

• Inquirers – curious and love to learn

• Knowledgeable – explore ideas and the world

• Thinkers – solve problems creatively and critically

• Communicators – share ideas and listen to others

• Principled – honest, fair, and responsible

• Open-Minded – respect different people and ideas

• Caring – show kindness and compassion

• Risk-Takers (Courageous) – try new things and face challenges

• Balanced – take care of body, mind, and feelings

• Reflective – think about learning and how to grow

Please take a moment to read through the newsletter for important information as we begin the year together.

We cannot wait to welcome everyone tomorrow morning for the start of another year of learning and growth!

Did you know that 9:45 a.m. is our official attendance time each day? This is earlier than last year when the official time was 10:30 am. According to the State of Texas Attendance Policy, students must be present at school at 9:45 a.m. to be counted for the day. Any student who is not on campus at that time will be marked absent, even if they arrive later.

Whenever possible, we kindly ask that you schedule medical or other appointments to ensure your child is in school at 9:45 am so your child is counted present and their learning time is maximized.

Attendance not only supports your child’s success in the classroom but also directly affects our school’s state funding. Thank you for your partnership in helping every student shine!

Although this summer has been relatively mild, the heat remains a concern. Our staff will carefully monitor weather conditions and follow district guidelines regarding outdoor activities. To help students stay healthy and comfortable, it is important that hydration begins at home. Please ensure your child drinks water before coming to school each morning and arrives with a refillable, labeled water bottle. Teachers will provide opportunities for students to refill their bottles and stay hydrated throug

The Bryker Woods cafeteria provides students with healthy and delicious breakfast and lunch options every day. We encourage all families to take advantage of the meals offered at school.

• View menus for our school at www.SchoolCafe.com/AustinISD, or download the SchoolCafé mobile app.

• Breakfast and lunch are prepared daily by staff in our school kitchen.

• The healthy meals we serve meet or exceed the federal breakfast and lunch nutrition guidelines that schools are required to follow.

• Our kitchen offers a balance of healthy versions of student favorites mixed with scratch-prepared recipes, plant-based dishes, and global flavors. Our menus feature local, sustainably-sourced, and clean label foods.

• Our cafeteria can accommodate food allergies and special dietary needs with a completed Request for Dietary Accommodation Form.

Breakfast:

• Full Price (All Levels): $1.90

• Reduced-Price: FREE

• Adult/Guest: $3.50

Lunch:

• Full Price - Elementary Schools: $3.40

• Reduced-Price: FREE

• Adult/Guest: $5.25

How do students and families pay for school meals?

Students dining with a reduced-price or paid status may purchase meals using cash or funds on their SchoolCafé account. No funds are needed for students with a free meal status, unless they would like to purchase a la carte items. Families may add funds online by creating an account at www.SchoolCafe.com/AustinISD. We accept cash, money orders, or cashier's checks in the cafeteria daily 7 a.m.-2 p.m..

How to 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

• We also have paper applications available in the front office.

• 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.

If you have any questions about school meals, you may call Food Service at 512-414-0251.

Families whose students are eligible for General Education transportation should confirm their bus details using the district’s Bus Stop Finder. Families of students receiving Special Education services will receive route information directly from their assigned bus teams. Please note that bus routes and stop locations may be adjusted periodically.

To support families, AISD’s Transportation Department provides access to the free WheresTheBus app. This tool offers real-time updates on the location of a student’s assigned bus and its expected arrival time at the stop. The app can be installed on any internet-enabled device, including smartphones, tablets, personal computers, and iPads, and the setup takes less than five minutes.

Step-by-step instructions for downloading and using the app are available at: https://www.austinisd.org/transportation.

The Recognizing All Valuable Employees, or "RAVE" Program, was created to honor those who take the extra steps to provide equitable and exceptional experiences. If you had an exceptional experience interacting with a Bryker Woods teacher or staff member, please nominate that individual by completing the form below.

During the most recent legislative session, Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 1481, which was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott. This legislation requires all Texas school districts to prohibit the use of personal wireless communication devices during school hours.

Effective this school year, students are not permitted to use personal devices on Austin ISD campuses from during school hours. A “personal wireless communication device” is defined as any wireless electronic communication device—other than one issued by the school for instructional purposes—that is capable of transmitting or receiving data.

The following items must be turned off and stored out of sight during the school day:

• Cell phones

• Tablets

• Gaming devices

• Smart watches

• Bluetooth headphones or earbuds

• Fitness trackers with messaging capability

• Personal (non-district-issued) computers such as laptops or Chromebooks

• Two-way radios

• Pagers

• Any other device capable of digital communication

Exceptions will be made for documented medical needs and special education accommodations. Any violation of this policy will result in the confiscation of the device.

This law is intended to strengthen student learning, reduce distractions, and minimize risks such as cyberbullying. We believe this change will be most effective when schools and families work together. Conversations at home about the importance of being device-free during the school day will help students make a smooth adjustment. Families may also find it helpful to encourage device-free routines at home to help them adjust to this change with ease.

Austin ISD is excited to participate in College Colors Day, scheduled for Friday, August 29th, 2025. Across the United States, students, parents, family, faculty, fans, and alumni celebrate College Colors Day every year on the Friday before Labor Day. This year, it takes place on August 29th. You show spirit and school pride by rocking your college colors and apparel.

ARRIVAL:

In the morning:

• NOTE: School starts at 7:40.

• We will open our doors at 7:15 am for breakfast.

• if your child is being dropped off by car, you will enter into the front circle drive. Please pull up along the front drive and allow safety patrol or staff to open the car doors and welcome your student inside.

IMPORTANT: There is NO parking in the circle drive in front of the school. This lane is reserved for drop off and pick up only. If you would like to walk your child to the front door, please park in the neighborhood and walk to school together. Thank you!

• There may be tears and that is ok! We promise that your student will be loved and well taken care of and will come home with lots of fun and exciting stories from the day!

• We do ask that as parents, if your child is upset, to understand that sometimes it is harder for the student if parents linger. We respectfully ask that you say your goodbye, then allow our teachers and staff to assist to make sure your student has an amazing day!

K Arrival:

• Since parents will not be allowed inside the building, staff members will be outside and inside ready to greet, welcome, and support our students as they enter the building.

DISMISSAL:

• Our Pre-K and Kindergarten students will be dismissed at 3:00 and 1st grade will dismiss at 3:05. Students in grades 2nd-5th will be dismissed at 3:10. If you are will be walking up for afternoon pick-up, please see the dismissal location for each grade level

Pre-K & Kinder

Front porch, right outside front doors
1st Grade
Picnic tables by circle drive
2nd Grade
Outside portables towards the end of our circle drive
3rd Grade
Outside bottom door on 34th Street
4th Grade
Outside bottom door on 34th Street
5th Grade
Front of school

We ask for grace and patience as we navigate through the first week or two. In all interactions, staff and parents alike, we are modeling valuable life skills for our students and children. We are always happy to help and assist and we appreciate your understanding and support as well.

Pre-ordered school supplies have been delivered to our school! Parent volunteers will sort the school supply boxes and deliver them to your child's classroom.

If you were unable to pre-order supplies, please see the grade level school supply lists provided in the link below.

To ensure student safety and maintain a secure environment, all volunteers must meet the following requirements:

• Complete a Volunteer Application, which must be renewed each school year.
  • The application takes approximately five minutes to complete and should be submitted as early as possible.
  • Applications can take up to five business days to process.
• Pass a background check as part of the Volunteer Application process.
• Present your photo ID at the campus to be scanned into Navigate 360.
• Represent yourself and Austin ISD in a professional manner and treat students, staff, and other volunteers with respect.