O. Henry Middle School

AISD Open for Learning Newsletter: First Week, Afterschool Care and More!

Oct
15
2020
Subject:AISD Open for Learning Newsletter: First Week, Afterschool Care and More!
 

Successful First Week

We want to thank the families, children, teachers, administrators, support staff and everyone who made the first week of transitioning to on-campus learninga success. As we move forward, here are four reminders that will help the process continue according to plan:

  • Please take your child’s temperature before heading out the door to the bus stop or to campus. If they have a temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher, please keep them home for the day.
  • If your child qualifies to ride the bus, please accompany them to the stop. Bus drivers will be conducting temperature screenings and if your child has a temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher, we ask that you take them home.
  • Make sure your children have their masks, as wearing one is required at all AISD campuses and on all buses. Students should also bring their fully charged iPads and Chromebooks to engage in blended learning.
  • If you prefer to continue with remote instruction and keep your child home, we are here to support your choice. Austin ISD will offer a 100 percent remote, off-campus learning option to all families for the school year.

Transitioning Between Remote and On-Campus

Austin ISD is proud to offer a choice between remote learning and face-to-face instruction for the 2020-21 school year. See below for the timelines regarding switching from one instructional model to another.

  • Transitioning from on-campus learning to remote off-campus learning will occur when a student/parent or guardian chooses to do so.
  • Transitioning from remote off-campus learning to on-campus learning:
    • The first request will occur as soon as possible, but not to exceed five school days.
    • The second request will occur at the beginning of the next grading period.

After-School Learning Opportunities

Austin ISD knows the value of high-quality after-school learning opportunities. After-School programs provide students with safe, enriching and structured learning environments. To support Austin families and staff, a variety of afterschool programs are available. Please note this list is not comprehensive and some programs may only accept students from certain schools.

For more information on the various after-school offerings and enrollment requirements, please visit the following website or reach out to your campus.

Programs

Oct. 12

This is a reminder to ensure that your child is in attendance (whether in person or remote) on Oct. 12, and to keep your child home Nov. 3. The Austin ISD Board of Trustees has updated the 2020-21 school year calendarto change the Oct. 12 student holiday to Election Day, Nov. 3. The student holiday will decrease the number of people on campuses being used as polling sites to allow for greater social distancing for voters to assist in limiting the spread of COVID-19. This change will not affect the number of instructional days or the daily instructional time for your child.

Transportation Information

Austin ISD is committed to providing safe, reliable transportation to our students. As we transition back to in-person learning, we wanted to outline a few things all families can do to make our buses operate as smoothly as possible. Watchour videoand see our flyerto learn more about our new procedures!

More Information

Additional links and important information from our website and social media that you may have missed:

This year's Summitt Elementary Mid-Autumn Festival, or Tết Trung Thu in Vietnamese, went virtual! The Zoom Summitt Mid-Autumn Festival included a student talent show, videos of past lion/dragon dance performances from the Summitt Lion/Dragon Dance Team and festival craft lantern lighting! See photos from the event!

If you missed Austin Ed Fund's #InspiretheFuture this week, you can still catch it online.

This week, we celebrated National Custodian and Groundskeeper Appreciation Week. Thank you to the hardworking custodians and groundskeepers who take care of our campuses.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the Austin ISD Police Department is dedicated to joining the fight to help spread awareness. This year, during October, AISD PD officers will be wearing a commemorative pink shoulder patch to help start the conversation about awareness.

Sadler Means Young Women’s Leadership Academy celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with award-winning broadcast journalist Olga Campos Benz.

Friendly Reminders