Stay In-the-Know: This Week’s Top News You Can’t Miss
- Smile! Picture day is this Thursday!
- This Friday is the last day to pay field trip dues. Links by grade level below
- Get excited for Carnival on October 23rd! Links below to sponsor, volunteer, buy wristbands, and join the parade
Casis Weekly (10/13/26-10/16/26)
- News from The Principal — My Thanks and Gratitude, Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences, Fall Individual Picture Day, Field Trip Information, Gifted & Talented Referral Window, Bullying Prevention Month Recognition, Character Strong Implementation & Practices, Important Dates, Traffic Safety Procedures
- PTA News — Casis Carnival, Casis Garden, Forest Club, Last Year’s Yearbook, Thank You Volunteers
- Vertical Team News – Austin High Future Maroons Cheer Clinic
Have something you want to include in the Casis Weekly? Please send information to PTA VP of Communications Emily Peavey by Wednesday to be included in the following Monday issue.
Cougar PRIDE Families,
It’s going to be another great week at Casis! It was just awesome to see so many Casis families participating in ‘National Walk, Bike, & Roll To School Day’ last week. And we’re so happy to share that our annual ‘Vision and Hearing Screening’ activities went very well, with the help of our wonderful parent volunteers and School Nurse. Lastly, it was just awesome to see so many Casis families (former, current, and future) this past Thursday night at House Park Stadium for the Austin High Vertical Team ‘Future Maroon Night’ event. Casis was represented very well, both in number and in school spirit. Way to go! This week will be ‘Elementary Conference Day’ and ‘Picture Day’. And the planning for our ‘Cosmic Casis’ extravaganza is in full swing. You won’t want to miss it, so everyone should mark their calendars for Friday, October 23. It will be out of this world! While learning certainly remains our top focus, we’re going to have a lot of fun this month. Please see other important information for the week below.
Mr. Tinnon
NEWS FROM THE PRINCIPAL
MY THANKS AND GRATITUDE
I want to personally thank Casis staff, students, and families for all of the wonderful gestures that were done for me during ‘AISD Principal Appreciation Week’ last week. During the month of National Principals Month, the fact of how fortunate I am does not elude me. I feel so blessed to be able to lead such an exceptionally generous and supportive learning community like Casis Elementary. I don’t take my position as the Casis Principal lightly and it is an honor to work beside such dedicated and talented people like each of you every day. The many kind messages, food, gifts, cards, booklets, and other items of appreciation were simply amazing. Each act of kindness showed me just how much you care and definitely helped to affirm that my daily work with each of you, while not always easy, is absolutely worth it. Each of you makes me a better leader, person, and professional. Please know that your kindness and thoughtfulness was truly appreciated. It’s just an honor to serve. You have all made me so ‘Cougar Proud’!
FALL PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
Elementary Parent Fall Conference Day is scheduled on the AISD School Calendar for Monday, October 12. At Casis Elementary, these important meetings will be scheduled within a ‘window of days’ during the month of October. Teachers will be scheduling times during the day and/or after school. During these meetings, Teachers will share information about your child(ren)’s academic and emotional well-being, with a specific focus on individual learning growth, as well as discussing any factors that might hinder that growth this year (learning needs, attendance, behavior, etc.). Parents can then expect ‘1st 9-Weeks Report Cards’ to be available in their AISD Parent Portal by October 22.
FALL INDIVIDUAL PICTURE DAY
Thursday, October 15 will be Fall Individual Picture Day at Casis Elementary. All students will have their individual pictures taken and families will have the opportunity to purchase picture packages. Families may pre-order pictures by visiting www.mylifetouch.com (use either your Student ID or Picture Day ID: EVT2MD2RX). For more information and questions, visit www.lifetouch.com/support-us. Note: This information does not apply to any families who have indicated, during enrollment, that their child is not to be photographed.
FIELD TRIP INFORMATION
Field trips are wonderful extension experiences for students outside of the classroom learning environment. At Casis Elementary, we will offer a few field trip opportunities for each grade level throughout the school year. Parents will be asked to pay a bulk one-time ‘Field Trip Fee’ to cover the costs of these planned educational outings. Please see the following letters from each grade level, sharing the planned field trips and their associated fees: Pre-K, Kinder, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, & 5th Grade. Additionally, here’s a flyer that gives guidance on how to process payment: Fee Payment Flyer. All families will be asked to pay this fee by Friday, October 16 We are hopeful to get full participation from all of our families, but regardless, please know that no student will be excluded from any of the year’s field trip events.
GIFTED & TALENTED REFERRAL WINDOW
The Gifted & Talented referral window is now open and will remain open until Friday, October 16. 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. Prior to submitting a referral, it is recommended that parents notify their child’s classroom teacher. For additional information, you may reach out to our campus GT Advocates and presenters, Jonathan Padgett (2nd) and Vickie Price (3rd).
BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH RECOGNITION
October is Bullying Prevention Month and Wednesday, October 21, Austin ISD will celebrate UNITY DAY to show support for bullying prevention and to unite for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Everyone is asked to wear the color ‘Orange’ to represent safety, visibility, and protection across our school community. We encourage everyone to wear orange, as a display of our collective efforts to show that we care and to stand united together against bullying in schools and the world.
CHARACTER STRONG IMPLEMENTATION & PRACTICES
AISD and Casis Elementary will continue implementing Character Strong, the district Character Education and Behavioral Support program. 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 October is Responsibility. Here’s the Family Connection Newsletter – Responsibility for this month’s theme, as well as a list of recommended books for both school and home: Responsibility Book List. We are so excited to be ‘Character Strong’ at Casis Elementary!
IMPORTANT DATES
Tues., Sept. 15 – Thurs., Oct. 15 – National Hispanic American Heritage Month
Mon., Oct. 12 – Fall Parent Conference Day / Student Holiday (Indigenous Peoples Day)
Thurs., Oct. 15 – Fall Individual Picture Day
Mon., Oct. 19 – Fri., Oct. 23 – AISD Transportation Employee Appreciation Week
Thurs., Oct. 22 – Casis Carnival Parade at 8:10am (Front Circle Drive)
Fri., Oct. 23 – ‘Cosmic Casis’ Carnival Event at 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Fri., Oct. 30 – Annual School-Wide Crazy Hat Day
Fri., Oct. 30 – 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.
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.