Stay In-the-Know: This Week’s Top News You Can’t Miss
- Fall Prospective Parent Tour is tomorrow November 19th 9-10am
- Sign up below to be a Coffee Fairy for Specials, Enrichment, Assistants, and SPED Teachers this week
- The Casis Food Drive ends this Wednesday November 20th
- Middle School Information Session this Thursday November 21st at 10am. Learn more below
- HSR Parent Orientation this Friday November 22nd 8-9am. More information below
Cougar PRIDE Families,
It’s going to be another great week at Casis! ‘Book Fair Week’ was a rousing success and so well-supported. Special thanks to our parent volunteers who helped Ms. Ewing throughout the week. And our annual Veterans Day Program was so very special for our school and community. Events like these truly do help to ensure that our school community remains unified, strong, and thriving. And this week, we look forward to our first ‘Prospective Parent Tour’. I hope that everyone enjoys the upcoming Fall Break and spends time with family, recognizing how grateful we all should be. As we close out the month of November, December promises to be a month of continued fall semester activities that will 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
NEWS FROM THE PRINCIPAL
TEACHING STAFF NEWS
- Jordan Kurth, Third Grade Teacher, resigned at the beginning of this month to pursue another professional career path. During this time, Heather Chesney, Substitute Teacher, has been filling in until a suitable candidate could be secured to lead the class. We can’t thank Ms. Chesney enough for filling in during this time of transition. We love Heather Chesney!
- We’re excited to introduce Christi Berenz, as our new Third Grade Teacher, effective Tuesday, December 3. Ms. Berenz is a Texas Certified Teacher, who recently returned from teaching abroad (Australia) and has 5 years of teaching experience in the Houston area (Conroe & Aldine ISDs) and abroad (China, Peru, Spain, Australia). Administration and the Third Grade Team feel so fortunate to have found Ms. Berenz at this time of the school year and have great expectations, as she comes in to lead her class. We know that everyone in our Learning Community will make Ms. Berenz feel as welcomed as can be here in Casis Cougar PRIDE Country!
FALL PROSPECTIVE PARENT TOUR
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 first tour of this school year will take place on Tuesday, November 19 at 9am – 10am. Can’t wait to show these potential new families our amazing school community!
HUMAN SEXUALITY & RESPONSIBILITY (HSR) CURRICULUM
In accordance with Austin ISD Board Policy EHAA, the Human Sexuality and Responsibility (HSR) curriculum will be taught this fall semester during science class for K – 4 students (5th Grade lessons will be taught in the Spring). There are 3 – 5 available lessons at each grade level. This curriculum has been established to provide information and skill development for students, so that they may reach their highest potential for physical, emotional, mental and social health. All information regarding the HSR policy, grade level lesson overviews, family resources, and more can be found on the HSR website: https://www.austinisd.org/pe-health/health-education/hsr. Note: Permission letters will be provided to parents to Opt-In/Opt-Out of any and/or all of these lessons, prior to the instruction. Mr. Tinnon will also host a HSR Orientation Session for parents on Friday, November 22, 2024 at 8am – 9am in the Casis Community Room. All families are invited to attend this HSR overview presentation.
CASIS HEALTH ROOM CORNER
How to handle those dreaded and unwanted guests that no one wants to speak about…. Lice. Checkout the following links for the latest public health advice about lice: NPR Health Talk, AISD Public Health Corner, and Texas Health And Human Services . If you have any questions about health guidelines in school, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Health Room Staff, Natasha Gosek (School Nurse) and Alicia Henry (Clinical Assistant).
2025 – 2026 ENROLLMENT IS OPEN
Austin ISD Priority Registration for Kinder-12th grade for the 2025–26 school year is Nov. 6, 2024 – Feb. 4, 2025. [Pre-K Registration will open in the Spring.] Students interested in admissions- and campus-based programs must complete their enrollment and any campus-specific application requirements on or before February 4, 2025. If families have questions, they can go to the enrollment website or call the Enroll Austin Help Line at 512-414-SEAT (7328). Want to learn more? Please explore these Enroll Austin FAQs.
FAMILY LEARNING & ENGAGING SESSIONS
AISD’s Special Education, Section 504, and Dyslexia Departments are sponsoring Family Empower Hour Sessions throughout the 2024 – 2025 school year. These one-hour sessions are designed to provide valuable information, resources, and support to families on various topics. These sessions will be recorded and accessible on the AISD Special Education website. We hope that families will avail themselves of these community learning and engagement opportunities throughout this school year.
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 November/December is Friend. A friend is a person you like and enjoy spending time with. You can be a good friend by listening with attention, having empathy, showing compassion, and considering your friend’s perspective.
The Equity word for the month of November/December is Ally. One way to be a good friend is to be an ally. The word ally means to unite. When people unite against a wrong they see in their community, they become allies. There are lots of different ways to be an ally. When an ally sees or hears something unjust, they can: speak up in the moment, get help from a caring adult, talk to the person in private or sometimes walk away.
Following is a resources sheet for the months of November/December that will help support these two important concepts, both at school and at home. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER RESOURCES SHEET.
IMPORTANT DATES
November – Native American Heritage Month
Tues., Nov. 19 – Fall Prospective Parent Tour at 9am – 10am
Fri., Nov. 22 – HSR Family Orientation Session at 8am – 9am (Community Room)
Mon., Nov. 25 – Fri., Nov. 29 – School Holiday (Fall Semester Break)
Mon., Dec. 2 – Fri., Dec. 6 – Inclusive Schools Week
Tues., Dec. 3 – CAC Meeting at 3:30pm (Community Room)
Tues., Dec. 10 – Casis Science Fair Day
Thurs., Dec. 12 – Fall Picture Make-Up Day
Mon., Dec. 23 – Fri., Jan. 3 – Winter Break (School Holiday)
January – School Board Appreciation Month
Mon., Jan. 6 – Staff Development Day / Student Holiday
Tues., Jan. 7 – School Resumes
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 are available 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.