Stay In-the-Know: This Week’s Top News You Can’t Miss
- There are some rules to follow for lunch visits and checking your child(ren) in and out of school during the day – read more below
- Vision and Hearing Screenings will take place throughout September and October. More details below
- Pay your enrichment fee and PTA dues below and make sure to join us on September 12th for our first General PTA Meeting at 9am in the Community Room
- All volunteers need to complete a background check to be able to volunteer this year! Link below
- Join us Thursday, September 25th at 9am on Zoom for a Parent Education Event: How to Talk to Children About Grief, Loss, and Difficult Emotions
Cougar PRIDE Families,
It’s going to be another great week at Casis! As we move further into the month of September, we are all falling into our school routines. And as we continue to refine our new school year processes, please know how much we appreciate the cooperation and understanding of everyone. Our Learning Community must work as a unit to ensure that safe practices are natural and everyday occurrences at Casis Elementary. Please see important information for the week below.
Mr. Tinnon
NEWS FROM THE PRINCIPAL
AISD RAVE AWARD RECOGNITION
The AISD Recognizing All Valuable Employees (RAVE) Program was created to honor those who take the extra steps to provide equitable and exceptional experiences for schools in our district. The following Casis Staff Member received an AISD RAVE Award from an AISD parent or staff member: Veronica Colegio, School Counselor, has supported students, staff, and families at Casis Elementary for the past thirteen years. Ms. Colegio has shown compassion and kindness to all who have sought and needed her support through various situations and circumstances. As we began this 25-26 school year, she has provided critical support to us all, as we faced one of the most challenging happenings in our school history, the Kerr County Floods. Words can’t express our gratitude for having such an exemplar education professional to help us all with our mental and emotional support needs. We could not have started this year without the presence, support, and guidance of Veronica Colegio. As we continue to process our feelings and emotions around the summer’s tragedies, we are so blessed to have Ms. Colegio there to offer such sound guidance. And while we are grateful for the AISD Mental Health Team, as a whole, we particularly recognize our own School Counselor. We are so deeply appreciative of you, Ms. Veronica Colegio!
VISION AND HEARING SCREENINGS
The Texas Department of State Health Services requires that all children enrolled in public school have a vision and hearing screening. During the months of September and October, Casis Elementary Health Staff will be screening the following grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Grades 1, 3, 5, and any new students to AISD. Here’s the Casis Health Screening Letter with additional information and the specific screening dates for our campus. If you have any additional questions, please contact Angela Evington, School Nurse, at (512) 414-7169.
We need volunteers to assist the nurse with the vision and hearing screenings happening in the Health Office (next to the main office) throughout September. We appreciate your help making sure all our kids are properly screened and their needs identified. Click HERE to sign up. If you have questions, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Rachel Rehwinkel.
GIFTED & TALENTED INFORMATION SESSION
Wednesday, September 10 at 8:30am – 9:30am in the Casis Community Room, there will be an Information Session for parents who are interested in learning more about Gifted and Talented (GT) services provided at Casis Elementary, as well as the AISD Nomination/Identification process. All interested parents should plan to attend, as this will be the only scheduled session for this school year. The Gifted & Talented referral window is now open and will remain open until October 17. To learn more about GT services in AISD and to submit a referral, click here for the English link. Additional languages can be found here. Thanks in advance to our campus GT Advocates and presenters, Lauren Vienne (K) and Vickie Price (3rd) for leading this information session.
CHECKING STUDENTS IN & OUT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
We certainly understand that students will have occasional appointments during the school day. For the safety of your child(ren) and for accountable documentation purposes, please know and adhere to the following campus protocols:
- Students will not be sent to the office prior to parent arrival.
- Plan accordingly and arrive early enough to anticipate some delay in your child(ren) coming to the office.
- When bringing your child(ren) back to school, please accompany them to the main office to check them back into school.
- A note documenting the reason why the student missed part of the instructional day should be submitted to the Attendance Clerk (hard copy delivered or emailed to casis@austinisd.org ). You may also use this link to: Report An Absence Note.
We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and compliance with the above safety and security standards.
LUNCH VISIT REMINDERS
Parents will be able to come and visit their children during lunchtime, beginning Tuesday, September 2. As we welcome parents back onto campus this school year, please be reminded of the following lunchroom visit guidelines:
- Children must remain in the cafeteria with their class during lunch.
- Due to space, bringing younger siblings is discouraged.
- Due to space and large class sizes, be aware that there are a limited amount of seats for adults.
- Parents may bring lunch for their child(ren) only.
- Parents may not just drop off lunches – must be present.
- Parents must check-out in the office immediately after their child’s lunch time.
- Parents may not stay with children during their outside recess time.
NEW PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICE POLICY
In accordance with Texas House Bill 1481, all school districts are required to adopt and implement a policy prohibiting the use of personal communication devices by students on school property during the school day (first bell to last bell). Please see the official AISD Personal Communication Device Policy One-Pager. And here’s an Away For The Day Flyer, which summarizes this new policy in a more simple graphic representation. The preference is that no devices are brought to school at all, but if they are, please know that students will not be allowed to wear them during the day and will be asked to either turn the device off or put it on silent, while at school. We appreciate the cooperation and compliance of everyone.
STUDENT HANDBOOK & STUDENT SUCCESS GUIDE
Please see the most updated editions of our campus Student-Parent Handbook and the district Student Success Guide for this school year. In alignment with AISD, both of these documents act as guidelines for our school community practices and policies. Please review and reference them throughout the 25 – 26 school year.
EMERGENCY DRILLS ON CAMPUS
Student and staff safety are a top priority in the district and at schools. At Casis Elementary, we will have monthly rotating drills that practice safety measures that are taken, in the event of campus emergencies. Here’s a visual poster that is in every classroom, explaining all of the drills that will take place during the school year: Safety Poster. If parents happen to be volunteering or visiting during any of our monthly drill exercises, they will be expected to participate and follow the group that they are closest to at the time. It’s important for students to be aware of our safety measures and to participate in these practice drills. Please know that staff members are expected to speak about the topic of safety, using child-friendly language and terms, so as not to cause undue anxiety or stress around these required drill activities. For more information about safety protocols in AISD, visit: AISD Emergency Management website.
CHARACTER STRONG IMPLEMENTATION & PRACTICES
This year, AISD and Casis Elementary are implementing a new Character Education and Behavioral Support program called Character Strong. This program is meant to provide students with the necessary skills and strategies to be the very best humans that they can be in the world. Students will hear morning messages and receive lessons from their teachers about topics like respect, gratitude, honesty, courage and more. Teachers will be providing weekly lessons and sending home monthly information to families about the different program topics learned each month. The lessons derive from a program called, “Purposefull People”. Here’s a Family Introductory Letter about Purposefull People. Each month we will cover a different Character Strong topic and resources will be shared to help families have meaningful conversations at home about the learned trait. Here’s an Overview of the monthly topics that will be taught. The Character Strong trait for the month of September is Respect. Here’s the Family Connection Newsletter – Respect for this first month’s theme. We are so excited to be ‘Character Strong’ at Casis Elementary!
IMPORTANT DATES
September – National Hispanic American Heritage Month 2025
Wed., Sept. 10 – GT Parent Information Meeting at 8:30am–9:30am (Community Room)
Fri., Sept. 12 – General PTA Meeting at 9:30am (Community Room)
Mon., Sept. 15 – Fri., Sept. 19 – Celebrate Freedom Week (Texas)
Mon., Sept. 15 – Fri., Sept. 19 – Coordinated School Health Week
Mon., Sept. 22 – Tues., Sept. 23 – AISD Teaching Assistant Appreciation Week
Mon., Sept. 22 – Staff Development Day & Student Holiday
Tues., Sept. 23 – Staff Development Day & Student Holiday (Rosh Hashanah)
Fri., Sept. 26 – Administrators Coffee Chat at 8:00am (Community Room)
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.