BW Parent Newsletter

Today marks the 100th day of school! It’s incredible to think about how much our students have learned and grown since the start of the year.

Looking ahead, this Thursday, February 13, our 3rd-5th grade students will take the Math STAAR Interim assessment. This is an important opportunity for them to demonstrate their progress and prepare for the STAAR test in the spring. Please help them get a good night’s rest and arrive on time.

On Monday, February 17, there will be no school for students as we hold parent-teacher conferences. Teachers will reach out regarding scheduling, and we appreciate your partnership in supporting your child’s learning.

We also want to celebrate the success of our 2nd annual Multicultural Heritage Night! Thank you to the families who shared their cultural backgrounds by hosting a Country/Region Stand. It was a wonderful evening of learning and connection, with Ukraine, Italy, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Mexico, Canada, Switzerland, and Pakistan beautifully represented.

We appreciate your continued support of our school community!

Austin ISD trustees approved the calendars for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years during its Regular Voting Meeting Dec. 19.

The final calendar version for both school years were developed by the Calendar Task Force and include faith based and cultural observances and staff development days:

• This includes Spring Break aligning with the University of Texas calendar (the third week of March).

• For the 2025-26 school year, the first day of class for students will be Aug. 19 and the last day of class will be May 28, 2026.

• For the 2026-27 school year, the first day of class for students will be Aug. 18 and the last day of class will be May 27, 2027.

• The total number of student instructional days is 169.

We need your help in ensuring that students arrive at school on time each morning. Our tardy bell rings at 7:40 a.m., and students are considered tardy if they are not with their homeroom teacher when the bell rings.

Lately, we’ve seen an uptick in tardies, and even a few minutes late can mean missing out on important parts of the school day—classroom community-building, academic learning, and key morning routines that help set students up for success.

Please plan for extra time in the mornings to help your child arrive on time and ready to start the day. Thank you for your support!

January 21-Feb 19: Circle PM - CLI (MOY) Pre-K

January 27: CAC Meeting

February 13: Math STAAR Interim (grades 3-5)

February 17: Parent Teacher Conference Day/Student Holiday

February 17-Mar 21: TELPAS Testing

February 20 :Science STAAR Interim (5th grade only)

February 21-Local Police Act. & Fire Drills

February 24: CAC

March 4-Spring Pictures

March 6-Career Fair

March 14 - Student and Staff Holiday

March 17 - 21 - Spring Break

STAAR Testing Dates

April 9: Reading (3rd-5th)

April 17: Science (5th)

April 22: Math (3rd-5th)

Austin ISD has so much to be proud of! With your help, Austin voters passed the largest and most equitable bond Austin ISD has ever seen in November 2022. We got here with the hard work of the community, teachers, staff, trustees and you by keeping our students at the center of the vision. This work and engagement will continue as we implement the Bond. We’re excited to share the full schedule for the modernization projects.

We are getting ready to hit the ground running on these projects, including the modernization of O. Henry Middle School! The first step in the process is the formation of Campus Architectural Teams (CATs). You might already be familiar with these, but they are a team of teachers, staff, parents and community members that meet with your campus’s architects to guide the design and make decisions for your school’s project.

CATs will work with the campus design team through every step of the process, from preliminary designs to move-in and grand openings. If you are interested in joining a CAT, please complete this form by Friday, January 31, 2025.

Once again, thank you for your tireless efforts on behalf of our students to make this vision a reality! We could not do any of this without your support.

Sincerely,

Marlo Malott

O. Henry Middle School Principal

The 2023–24 Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR) for all Texas schools and districts are now available on the TEA’s public TAPR website. The TAPR Glossary and TAPR Guidelines are also available. This initial TAPR is published without A–F ratings, Distinction Designations, or Special Education Determination Status. The issuance of the A–F ratings under the 2024 rule is pending and subject to change.

• Link to TEA website that provides access to campus and district TAPRs.

Federal Report Cards for SY 2023-24 can be accessed online. These report cards provide information about student performance on the STAAR test, enrollment, class size averages, and financial expenditures.

• Link to TEA website that provides access to the federal report cards.

Pre-K students who are not attending their neighborhood school and not in a Dual Language class, will be prompted to enroll in their zoned campus for kindergarten. Parents have the option to rank programs (request transfer) to any other programs, including a request to remain at their current school. The Enroll Austin priority structure and seat capacity set by principals will be used to determine what seat will be offered, the same as any other student.

All Bryker Woods volunteers who will be in contact with children must complete a background check. Background checks are good for one year. If you’re a new volunteer or haven’t done a background check in the current school year, please click the link and follow the directions below. It’s quick and easy!

To begin the volunteer approval process, please click on the link below.

Austin ISD Volunteers

Please see information below on the AISD Student Success Guide for the 24-25 School Year:

Education in this community represents a significant commitment of financial and human resources. The benefits a student derives from this investment depend very much on the student's attitude toward learning and the student's adherence to high standards of behavior.

The Student Code of Conduct that follows is the district's specific response to requirements of Chapter 37: Discipline; Law And Order of the Texas Education Code. The law requires the district to define misconduct that may or must result in a range of specific disciplinary consequences.

This code is an outgrowth of collaboration among district and campus staff, parents, and other community members and was adopted by the AISD Board of Trustees. It provides information and direction to students and parents regarding standards of behavior as well as consequences of misconduct. In the case of conflict between the Student Code of Conduct and board policy, the Student Code of Conduct will prevail.

Use this button to access the attendance reporting form

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.