Casis Weekly (3/18/24 – 3/22/24)

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Cougar PRIDE Families,

It’s going to be another great week at Casis! I hope that everyone enjoyed relaxing time with family over the break and are ready to ‘spring back’ into the rest of the school year. This week we are excited and look forward to our 3rd Grade Choir Concert. And as we continue our work together this second semester, there is still much to learn, to do, and to look forward to. We will also continue to focus on student learning growth and enrichment opportunities, as well as on safe and secure practices. Please see important information for the week below.

Mr. Tinnon

LATEST SCHOOL NEWS


CASIS STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN AISD ART SHOWCASE

In honor of National Youth Art Month (YAM), the AISD Visual Arts Department invites the community to view selected student art pieces from across the district this month. The theme for this year’s event is “Art Saves the Day!” and the following 5th Grade Casis Students are participating: Blakely Bowen, Hailey Duesing, Paige Edmonds, Liesl Pitre, Simone Said, and Naomi Wang. All art pieces will be on display at the AISD Performing Arts Center (PAC) located at 1500 Barbara Jordan Boulevard, beginning March 1 – 30, 2024. Please see the 2024 YAM Student Exhibition Schedule here. There will also be a special reception at the end of the month to celebrate all of the student participants and their art work. We’re so proud of these Casis Student Artists!


Staff Recognition (AISD RAVE Award)

The following Casis staff member received an AISD RAVE Award: Myan Nelson (Math Interventionist). A fellow staff member of Ms. Nelson reports that she goes above and beyond, supporting both teachers and students. Kids love going to her classroom for math support and Ms. Nelson is always so very energetic and positive with everyone. She also provides valuable resources to teachers that help to support all students in the classroom. We all agree that Ms. Nelson truly deserves this district-level recognition and are so glad that she joined our learning community this year. Congratulations and kudos to our mathematically marvelous Ms. Myan Nelson!

NEWS FROM THE PRINCIPAL


AISD PRIDE WEEK

The week of Monday, March 18 – Saturday, March 23 will be ‘Pride Week’ in AISD. The District is committed to providing all individuals a positive learning environmentthat enhances personal safety, promotes respect, dignity, and equality. Each AISD school is tasked with creating systems that teach and support positive adult/student behaviors that respect the rights of all individuals and challenges all levels of bias, prejudice, and bigotry. We strive to ensure a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment in all schools. As a ‘No Place for Hate’ school district, we appreciate the lived experiences of all and foster harmony among different groups of people. AISD Pride Week empowers schools to promote respect for individual and group differences.In Elementary schools, Pride Week means that (1) All are welcome, (2) Everyone should be able to be who they are, (3) Differences are awesome, and (4) Love makes a family. At Casis, we’re excited to participate in this district-recognized week and will engage our students in various learning activities with our teachers and staff. Campuses will use district-provided resources from the following BLEND Course: AISD Pride Week Community Course. Please contact your classroom teacher about their specific Grade Level Team plans for this special week. You may also get more district-level information about Pride Week here: AISD Pride Website. We’re ‘Casis Cougar Proud’ to celebrate AISD’s Pride Week!


SCHOOL PLASTIC BAG RECYCLING CHALLENGE

Casis Elementary is partnering with our local Lake Austin H.E.B. store and will be collecting plastic bags, beginning Monday, March 25 – Friday, April 5, 2024. This program is meant to teach our youngest leaders about the importance of taking care of our Lone Star State now. The goal is also to encourage both children and adults to help our environment by bringing in plastic bags. During the above collection dates, there will be a Recyclable Collection Box at the front entrance of our school. International Earth Day is Monday, April 22 and Earth Week in AISD will be Sunday, April 21 – Saturday, April 27, 2024. We’re so proud to partner with our Lake Austin H.E.B. in this worthy effort!


PROSPECTIVE PARENT TOURS

Prospective Parent Tours are great opportunities for families to get to learn about our school culture and programming, as well as take a tour of our new facility and amazing outdoor learning spaces. School Administration and PTA Leadership will lead these adult only tours. We look forward to sharing and showing all of the things that make Casis Elementary such a stellar educational choice for their children. The next tour of this school year will take place on Wednesday, March 27 at 9am – 10am. Can’t wait to show these potential new families our amazing school community!


REPORT CARDS

Report Cards for the 3rd 9-Weeks will be available to families in their Parent Portals, beginning Wednesday, April 3, 2024.


SOLAR ECLIPSE VIEWING AT CASIS

The Austin area will be in the path of the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8 and all AISD Schools, including Casis Elementary, plan to participate in a ‘Viewing Party’. All campuses have been provided with eclipse viewing glasses for every student and staff member. Additionally, every school has also been provided with (1) an Eclipse Information Guide, (2) Safety Slides, and (3) Elementary Learning Activities, to help prepare all schools for this very special event, prior to April 8. Here is a Solar Eclipse Flyer and some Eclipse Activities for Caregivers, provided by AISD, to share with students at home as well. The entire school will gather on the turf outside the cafeteria (designated sections by grade level) during our optimum viewing time (1:34pm – 1:40pm). Please know that this event will not allow for parents to gather with us on the turf. And if any families choose for their child(ren) not to participate, we will honor those requests. We’re so excited to experience this once-in-a-generation scientific event together on our school campus!


NEW ENROLLMENT SYSTEM NOW OPEN

AISD has moved to a new unified enrollment system for families interested in their neighborhood school, transfer schools, application-based programs, or Pre-Kindergarten. The move to this new “Enroll Austin” system is meant to make enrollment more accessible and equitable by providing a more streamlined platform all in one place. Registration will be split into two periods: (1) Priority Registration Period (Nov. 8, 2023 – Feb. 6, 2024) and (2) General Registration Period (April, 2024 – Summer, 2024). Visit www.austinisd.org/enroll to access the enrollment application or go to portal.austinisd.org and find the “Enroll Austin” tile. If families have questions, please go to the Find Your Seat Call Center at (512) 414-SEAT (7328) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the weekday. Want to learn more? Please explore the Enroll Austin FAQs.


FAMILY LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS

AISD’s Special Education, Section 504, and Dyslexia Departments are sponsoring Empower Hour Sessions for families throughout the 2023 – 2024 school year. These one-hour sessions are designed to provide valuable information, resources, and support to families on various topics. Both virtual and in-person sessions are available. We hope that families will avail themselves of these community learning and engagement opportunities.


SEL & EQUITY PRACTICES 

In Austin ISD and at Casis Elementary, we believe that Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is at the heart of equity-centered systems and structures. Our goal is to use and grow our social and emotional skills, while creating brave, respectful, collaborative spaces that support all students, staff, families and communities throughout our district and in our learning community. Throughout the school year, we will teach specific skills-building strategies to our students, in order to develop important character traits, like respect, empathy, compassion, and friendships. Mindfulness strategies and principles will also be a common core of this instruction as well. Administration, Teachers, and Support Staff will all be working with students throughout the school year to develop a strong social/emotional foundation, that includes building a lens of fairness and equity for all, no matter the differences among us.

The SEL word for the month of March is Accountability. Accountability means you are responsible for your own actions. When you make a mistake, it means being honest with yourself and others. You can own your mistake by naming it, apologizing, and making a plan to do better next time. Taking accountability is an important part of living in a community.

The Equity word for the month of March is Belonging. Belonging means you belong to a family, group, neighborhood or school. At Casis, we work hard to make sure everyone feels a sense of belonging. You can help others feel like they belong by honoring their unique identities, welcoming them to your space each morning, and including them during games. How do you feel when you belong? How do you create belonging for others in your community?

Following is a resources sheet for the month of March that will help support these two important concepts, both at school and at home. MARCH RESOURCES SHEET

IMPORTANT DATES

 

TRAFFIC SAFETY PROCEDURES

Please adhere to the guidelines in your particular arrival/dismissal area (Front Circle Drive or North Parking Lot). See Arrival & Dismissal Plan here. We continually ask for your patience and cooperation in exercising safe practices in your area.

Additionally, please see the following reminders/updates:

  • Walkers should use crosswalks at all times.
  • Bikers should park bikes at bike racks and walk bikes through crosswalks.
  • Drivers should ALWAYS be aware of our foot and bike traffic.
  • Drivers should consider TURNING OFF ENGINES when not moving forward.
  • Avoid Parking in the Casis Village, if conducting school business.
    • Front Circle Drive & Hillview areavailable for parent parking during the day.
    • The North Parking Lot is designated for staff parking only.
  • Vehicles using the North Parking Lot during arrival and dismissal (3rd – 5th) should be aware of all walkers who are using the parking lot crosswalks.
  • Vehicles cued on Northwood for Circle Drive afternoon pick-up should remain in one moving line to avoid double-parking.
  • Vehicles who need to enter the North Parking Lot for morning/afternoon drop-offs/pick-ups of 3rd – 5th graders may safely by-pass the ‘Circle Drive’ vehicles to enter the parking lot.

We ask that everyone exercise extra caution and patience. Adherence will help to maintain safety for all. We truly appreciate everyone’s compliance with the above requests.

PTA NEWS

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