Stay In-the-Know: This Week’s Top News You Can’t Miss
- Celebrate Casis is coming up on April 18th and tickets are on sale now! Link below
- The health office is looking for clothing donations. Details below
- 26-27 Enrollment is open. Make sure to enroll your child(ren) for school next year
- Spring Break is next week! Enjoy the time off
Cougar PRIDE Families,
It’s going to be another great week at Casis! Last week, Picture Day went very well. All classes looked so great. And what a time we had, as we celebrated our 75th Anniversary (aka Birthday) for Casis Elementary! The daytime event was such a special time for our current school community. Our kids did an amazing job dancing and we were so honored to have our Superintendent and Trustee to join us. And the evening event with Casis Alumni, Community Members, and our own Mayor, will never be forgotten. Every happening that day and evening was done with heart and was a true labor of love. I want to thank our amazing Steering Committee, our supportive PTA, our talented students and Dance Coordinator (Coach D), and all other volunteers who played a hand in making this 75th celebration one of the best in Casis’ history. I’m so overwhelmed with Cougar PRIDE to be able to lead this special Learning Community. We really are a family, and it showed all last week, as we marked a monumental happening in the history of our school. We are truly ‘Tied Together Through Time’. Well done y’all! During our upcoming Spring Break holiday, I hope that everyone will spend more quality time with family and get some well-deserved rest time for yourselves. 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
NEWS FROM THE PRINCIPAL
CLOTHES DONATIONS FOR THE CASIS HEALTH OFFICE
The Casis Health Office is in need of clean and gently used clothing items for students. The following items/sizes are needed: Boys: Shorts, Pants, & Underwear (4/5 – 10/12), Girls: Shorts & Pants (6/7 – 12/14), and All: Medium T-shirts. Feel free to send in these items with your child with a note attached stating that they are for the Health Office. Any and all donated items are greatly appreciated.
AISD PRIDE WEEK 2026
The week of Monday, March 23 – Friday, March 27, will be ‘Pride Week’ in AISD. Every year, to highlight the district’s commitment to creating a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for all, Austin ISD hosts its own Pride Week. We believe that when students feel safe and can show up as their full selves at school, they’re better able to engage in learning and achieve academically. All pride-themed activities will take place outside of instructional time, such as before or after school, during morning meetings, lunch, or advisory periods (secondary). All Pride Week activities will be voluntary for both students and staff. Pride Week district-wide themes will be (1) Monday – All are welcome, (2) Tuesday – Differences are beYOUtiful, (3) Wednesday – I am beYOUtiful, (4) Thursday – Our community is beYOUtiful, and (4) Friday – All the colors [School Spirit Day]. At Casis, we’re excited to participate in this district-recognized week and each grade level team will be sharing their plans for how Pride Week will be celebrated at their grade level. If parents prefer that their child(ren) not participate in the planned activities, please let your teacher know. You may also get more district-level information about AISD Pride Week here: AISD Pride Week 2026 Website and AISD Pride Week 2026 FAQs. We’re ‘Casis Cougar Proud’ to celebrate AISD’s Pride Week!
REPORT CARDS
Report Cards for the 3rd 9-Weeks will be available to families in their Parent Portals, beginning Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
25-26 STAAR TESTING DATES
The following dates will be designated for STAAR Training and Testing:
- Wed., Apr. 8 – STAAR Testing (3rd – 5th Reading/Lang. Arts)
- Thurs., Apr. 9 – Make-Up Day
- Tues., Apr. 14 – STAAR Testing (5th Science)
- Wed., Apr. 15 – Make-Up Day
- Tues., Apr. 21 – STAAR Testing (3rd – 5th Math)
- Wed., Apr. 22 – Make-Up Day
Please mark your calendars for these dates. The campus will be closed on Testing Dates.
AISD GIFTED & TALENTED SHOWCASE
Gifted & Talented and Talent Explore Students are encouraged to submit a project for the AISD GT Virtual Showcase. This year’s 2026 theme is “Better Together”. Students are able to share their outstanding work in this optional project opportunity. All projects are to be done from home. The submission window is Now – April 10. See details about this district happening here: AISD 2026 GT Virtual Showcase Information. We hope that many Casis students will choose to participate.
AISD ONLINE TRAINING SESSIONS FOR FAMILIES
Austin ISD is once again offering families a refreshed format of Spring Tools for Success. These empowering online sessions for families will cover topics including: Austin ISD Parent Portal, a family guide to STAAR and MAP testing, and Digital Safety 101. Please see the Tools for Success Website, as well as a flyer with the schedule of February – April sessions HERE.
AISD VIRTUAL & IN-PERSON FAMILY ENROLLMENT SESSIONS
AISD is hosting both virtual and in-person sessions to support families interested in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten in the 2026-2027 school year. These sessions will provide families with essential program information and enrollment guidance to support informed application decisions. To register for the virtual sessions, which will take place on March 12 & 30, please see the following flyer here: PK & Kinder Enrollment Information Flyer. There will also be two in-person sessions for PK Enrollment and Eligibility ONLY on April 11 (9am – 1pm @ TA Brown Elementary) and May 2 (9am – 1pm @ St. Elmo Elementary).
2026 – 2027 ENROLLMENT DATES & DEADLINES
Enrollment for the 2026 – 2027 school year is about to begin. Austin ISD’s goal is to re-register all 64,000+ PK-11th grade students who are currently enrolled students, as well as to register all new students by the end of May, 2026. Please see the following enrollment windows, by rounds/programs:
- Round 1 (Special Programs Enrollment): 1/12/26 – 2/6/26
- Round 2 (General Registration & Transfers): 2/16/26 – 4/10/26
- PK3 & PK4 (Pre-Kinder Registration): 4/1/26 – 5/22/26
- Round 3 (General Registration): 4/13/26 – 5/27/26
Following are some other enrollment support resources that families might find helpful: (1) Enroll Austin Family Support Manual and (2) Enrollment 101 Slide Deck. If families have additional questions, you may also go to the enrollment website (Enroll Austin 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 March is Cooperation. Here’s the Family Connection Newsletter – Cooperation for this month’s theme. We are so excited to be ‘Character Strong’ at Casis Elementary!
IMPORTANT DATES
March – Women’s History Month
Mon., Mar. 16 – Fri., Mar. 20 – School Holiday (Spring Break)
Fri., Mar. 20 – Eid-al-Fitr
Mon., Mar. 23 – Fri., Mar. 27 – AISD Pride Week
Tues., Mar. 24 – Prospective Parent Tour at 9am – 10am
Tues., Mar. 31 – School Holiday (Cesar Chavez & Dolores Huerta Day)
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.