Pony Express
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER OF O. HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Happy Friday, Mustangs!
This week, our 8th graders successfully completed their Social Studies and Science STAAR tests, thank you to our students and staff for their focus and preparation. Next week, all students will take the Math STAAR on Thursday, April 23rd. Please remind students to charge their Chromebooks and bring their chargers to school. Wednesday, April 22 will be a C Day.
Please join me in welcoming Kristi Wilson to O. Henry. She will be supporting students with last names A–L for the remainder of the semester. Ms. Wilson is a middle school expert, most recently serving as a counselor at Murchison Middle School in AISD. We are grateful to have her supporting our Mustangs. Stay tuned for a feature next week getting to know Ms. Wilson!
We hope to see everyone at our first annual campus-wide Gardening and Beautification Event tomorrow morning. Bring your gardening gloves and elbow grease to help clean up, spread mulch, and plant native flowers in the beds at the front of the campus. The event will take place from 8:30 AM–12:00 PM, and we will meet near the front doors along 10th Street. There is a chance of rain in the forecast, so please watch for a message via email if we need to postpone due to inclement weather.
A big thank you to the Henderson family for donating two microwaves to our café. This will help students warm their lunches more efficiently and maximize their lunch time.
Please join us for our spring fundraiser, the Mustang Mixer, happening next week. We are incredibly grateful for the support of the O. Henry PTA, especially as AISD prepares for budget reductions in the 2026–2027 school year. PTA support allows us to continue providing resources and opportunities that enhance the student experience beyond what district and state funding can provide. Thank you, families, for your continued partnership.
Mustang Mixer Appreciation
Thank you to our Mustang Mixer Diamond–Bronze Sponsors:
Lisa & Stephen Yoch, TK Injury Lawyers, The Fox Family, The Rafferty Family, Allison and Trey Jackson, The Combs Family, The Trantham Family, Anna & Ben Smith, The Birge Family, Hillary Deck, Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty, Hunter and Robert Norris, The Ip Family, Lady Bird Soda, The Majors Family, The Schlegel Family, Misty and Robert McCarthy, Tarrytown Dance Studio, The Casitas at Las Tortugas, The Hershey Family, The Decareau Family, The Bair Family, Phoenix Semiconductor Corporation.
Thank you as well to The Hartman Family, The Fraser Family, The Creasy Family, The Talbert Family, and The Swogger Family for sponsoring teacher teams in the Cornhole Tournament—we now have all teacher teams sponsored!
With the Mustang Mixer just ONE WEEK AWAY, we would love your help making it a success. Please sign up here: Mustang Mixer Volunteer Sign-up
In Pursuit of Excellence Awards
This week, we celebrated our students through the In Pursuit of Excellence Awards, recognizing Mustangs who exemplify Respect, Responsibility, Perseverance, and Integrity.
We are incredibly proud of these students and grateful for the partnership we share with our families in supporting their growth and the positive impact they make on our campus each day.
Application and Service Hours Deadline: May 6
The first deadline for NJHS is May 6 - students need to have submitted service hours as well as submit the Google Form application. Please read the PDF below or follow this live link in order to see all the details for the upcoming school year. Current members are required to reapply for membership each year and maintain all membership requirements.
Sponsors and Contact Information
michael.jurkovic@austinisd.org and kevin.gaffney@austinisd.org
Students, please email the sponsors directly in order to be added to the BLEND course for updates if you missed last week's meeting.
The O. Henry PTA is sponsoring the O. Henry Alumni Scholarship for graduating Austin HS Seniors. Please see the button above or this link below in order to view the scholarship application. Winning applicants will be notified in May.
If you have any questions regarding the scholarship that are not answered from the flyer or at the link, you can reach out to our PTA contact at ann.b.cardenas@gmail.com
8th Grade Families: Please bookmark our dedicated HS Advancement Newsletter! It will continue to be updated with relevant information throughout the spring.
Transfers:
General enrollment and general transfers such as to Austin HS opens on Feb 16th. Applications for admissions-based and magnet programs opened on January 12th.
Run Club at the Cap 10K
Run Club at the Cap 10K
Run Club at the Cap 10K
Calling all rising 3rd–8th grade Future Maroons! Join Austin High football coaches and players for a fun, non-contact camp focused on building fundamentals, confidence, and a love for the game. Open to all skill levels, the camp will be held June 18–19 from 9:00 AM–12:00 PM on the Austin High turf field.
Registration Link:
https://ahsfootballboosterclub.org/youthcamp
Car, Bus, Bike, and Walking Transportation
Bus Transportation: Students who take AISD buses will be picked up and dropped off on Wayside Dr on the east side of the property. The map to the side shows our bus lane. Families use the Where's the Bus through the AISD Portal or the phone app to track bus arrival times. Students pick up and drop off in the same place on Wayside Drive. Link to AISD's Bus Transportation Department homepage with contact information. Families seeking a "bus pass" to ride a route that they are not zoned to cannot be placed on routes for the first two weeks of school until space for zoned riders is confirmed. More information is available 7:45 am to 4:45 pm Monday though Friday at 512-414-0238.
Car Riders, Walkers, and Map: We understand that car dropoff can be a stressful time for families, especially at the beginning of the year for unfamiliar drivers and passengers. The map to the side shows the main drop off areas as well as the bus lane. While we do not close the street to eastbound traffic, having cars travel westbound on 10th Street is the safest option so that students do not have to cross in front of traffic or risk opening doors into traffic.
Staying on Campus Once Dropped Off: A reminder to all students, whether walkers, car riders, or bus riders, that once your mode of transportation has brought you to campus, you may not leave the campus to visit HEB, 7/11, or other locations. Students may not leave the property without being checked out by their guardian.
