NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS This page includes announcements that are posted on the Kealing homepage. Click here to view the complete weekly announcements as shown in Advisory. |
Announcements
COVID-19 Notification
Notification of Positive COVID-19 Case January 9, 2021 Dear Kealing Middle School Community, We are writing to notify you that 6 individuals reported testing positive for COVID-19 over the Winter Break. Our number one priority is the health and well-being of our students, staff, partners, and families. Contact tracing was completed for each case, and all individuals who may have been in close contact were notified to quarantine. We are actively implementing and following all health measures, which include asking everyone to continue to do the following: stay home if you or someone in your household is sick, wear a face mask whenever you are around others that are not in your household/when accessing AISD grounds, wash/sanitize hands frequently, routinely disinfect commonly used areas/surfaces, and social distance when feasible. Thank you for all of your hard work to support the district during this time. Your dedication and service mean a lot to the students and families that we serve. We will continue to support you through this and keep you informed. If you have additional questions regarding this letter, please utilize our Let’s Talk platform. Respectfully, Tim Estes Academy Director |
PTA - Teacher and Staff Appreciation
The Kealing PTA Teacher and Staff Appreciation Committee has put together an effort to send GrubHub eGift cards for the holidays to the teachers and staff. Please use the sign up below to sign up to send a GrubHub gift card (or sign up for as many as you would like). You will be assigned and emailed one (or more) teacher emails so that you can then go to the Grub Hub site to set it up. Please specify delivery for 12/12! |
Kealing Middle School Principal Profile Survey
Hello Hornet Families, Austin ISD is in the process of selecting a permanent principal for Kealing Middle School. Our community's feedback in this process is very important in determining Kealing's next leader. The Middle School's Office extended the original deadline to complete the Principal Profile survey. If you have not done so, please take a moment to submit your responses to the survey by Thursday, November 12th. You may also email your input to venus.dever@austinisd.org. We invite you to Kealing's CAC meeting, Thursday, November 12, 2020 at 3:15 to Kealing's monthly CAC meeting. The Executive Director for Middle Schools, Mrs. Coburn, will be present to answer questions you may have regarding the selection process. We will post the CAC meeting zoom link on our website prior to the meeting starting. Your support and feedback is valued and greatly appreciated. Respectfully, Mr. Estes |
Open for Learning - Phase III
Kealing Hornet Families, Yesterday you received Austin ISD communication asking you to commit to either remote or on-campus learning for Phase III starting on November 2, 2020. In anticipation of Austin ISDs Open for Learning Phase III reopening, I want to share with you specific information about what you can expect for your child if you choose our on-campus learning model. The deadline to complete the Austin ISD reopening survey is Wednesday, October 28th. However, for planning purposes, I am asking that you please submit your family’s response to the survey by MONDAY, October 26th, indicating your student’s preferred learning method whether it be to remain at home for remote learning or returning back to on campus instruction. The choice you make on the survey will go into effect on November 2, but that decision can be changed with a 5-day advanced notice by contacting the Kealing main office at 512-414-3214. Those choosing the remote learning option will continue accessing the curriculum with their current teachers via BLEND and Zoom from home. Beginning November 2nd, we will no longer offer Asynchronous Fridays and we will also adjust our bell schedule back to 90 minute blocks.
With the implementation of Phase III the safety protocols will be fully employed. Before entering the building, students will need to:
Teaching and Learning in Phase III As COVID-19 has presented specific challenges for schools, we at Kealing are mindful of our mission which provides the lens through which we see and act to meet the needs of ALL of our students. Our Mission: “Kealing Middle School welcomes all students to a safe and inclusive environment. Our unique campus offers multiple opportunities for all students to learn and grow. Using the latest technology and guided by best practices in teaching, students will explore and discover their interests and abilities in academic, artistic and physical arenas so they are prepared to pursue those talents in high school and beyond. Through creative, cooperative and compassionate teaching and learning, our students will leave Kealing with the ability to think critically as productive and ethical citizens.”
For All Learners (remote and on-campus)
On-campus students may receive the following supports:
As I am sure you are aware, there continue to be concerns about community transmission of COVID, particularly as we approach the holidays. However, there is also no doubt that some of our students typically fare better, both academically and socially, when they have those face-to-face interactions with their teachers and peers. Campus leaders are continuing to plan for Phase III to go into effect on November 2. I hope this document was able to provide clarity on what you and your students can expect during the Phase III reopening. Kealing’s Staff and Administration encourage you to make the best learning preference decision for your family. We are COMMITTED to supporting ALL students whether they choose on-campus or remote learning because that is the KEALING WAY. Warm Regards, Mr. Estes |
PTA No Fuss Fundraiser Update
Dear Kealing Families, Greetings on this Wednesday in our first week of reopening the Kealing campus! PTA would like to share a few mid-week announcements. First, a quick reminder about our ‘No Fuss’ fundraiser. We are so proud of the many families that have donated to date, but are still over $20,000 from our need. Luckily, we are in the midst of a ‘Match Challenge’! – a group of anonymous donors have pledged to match the donations raised from now through Friday Oct. 9th, $1 for $1, up to a total match of $7,000. We depend on these funds for a wide variety of traditional costs (books, training, materials) - plus so many unique challenges during the 2020 COVID pandemic. Please help us out if you are able – just hit the Easy No-Fuss Button Second, an announcement on magnet programs and the upcoming School Board elections. On Sunday, October 11th at 4:00-6:00pm, Austin magnet schools will host a virtual forum for magnet parents to learn about the candidates running in the contested School Board districts. Questions will focus on the candidates’ views surrounding magnet education. A strong showing by magnet parents sends a message about the importance of magnet schools in Austin. To RSVP (not required), submit a question in advance, or to watch the YouTube live streamed event go here 15 minutes prior to the event (3:45pm): https://aisdmagnetforum.weebly.com Go Hornets! Kealing PTA |
PTA No Fuss Fundraiser
Dear Friends,
Kealing Middle School is proud to offer our students an enriching and academically challenging public education. In order to ensure your child’s experience is successful, we reach out to our families once a year to request additional funding to supplement that which is already provided by AISD.
If you’ve fallen in love with our academic rigor and unique electives, please show your support by donating today by visiting the Kealing PTA No Fuss website -https://form.jotform.com/KealingPTA/join-donate
Our 2020-21 goal is $55,000. So far, we have raised just over $20,000 through 135 families. While this is a good start, we still have a way to go. Whether it is $20 or $2000, we simply encourage every family to help support our programming because EVERY dollar you can give makes a difference and EACH of your students will reap the benefits!
What happens to your charitable gift you ask? The PTA Executive board works with faculty and administration to determine the most important and impactful uses of your donations. Last year, your generous donations helped fund items such as special professional development opportunities for our teachers, premium grammar workbooks, emotional wellness theater performances for students, and power tool carts for student projects, just to name a few.
We’re excited to see what your donations can bring us this year! To date your dollars have already put interactive science tools into our Zoom classrooms and given all teachers access to a secure, versatile, online notice board called Padlet. And based on past requests from teachers, you can expect your donations to fund things like special equipment for elective classes, loaner books for our students in need, innovative classroom seating, teacher reference materials, teacher-use academic software, visiting authors, field trips (whether in person or virtual), technology, and more!
So again, we are dependent on this one time ‘No Fuss” donation drive but know that if we all pitch in, we can meet the need.
Thank you in advance for your generous support!
Best, Kealing PTA |
Campus Reopening & Phase-In Plan
Hello Kealing Parents and Families, Beginning on Oct. 5 and continuing through Oct. 30, Austin ISD will begin welcoming students back for on-campus learning. This will be accomplished through a phase-in approach for all students who choose to return to campus. During the four-week phase-in process (Oct. 5 - Oct. 30), the intentional phase-in of more students to on-campus learning will occur if health conditions continue to indicate that we can do so in a safe and healthy way for staff and students. To help inform your decision making regarding the recent family survey that you received, we are providing information about what the phase-in process will entail and what you can expect with regard to teaching and learning on campus. Phase-In ProcessThe phase-in process during weeks five through eight is designed to align with the Austin Public Health (APH) Interim Guidance on Reopening for Austin-Travis County Schools and with the district’s commitment to the health and safety of all students, staff, and families in mind. The four week transition is planned so that, to the greatest degree possible, each facility remains at the same percentage of facility capacity for two weeks before increasing to the next allowable level based on guidance from APH. Facility capacity refers to the number of people (staff and students) that a facility can hold. In Austin ISD, we will phase in as follows:
For our campus, the above percentage represent the following:
We will plan for the return of students who choose on-campus learning following the facility guidance outlined above. In addition, students who have chosen on-campus learning will be welcomed back to campus in small groups over the course of the four weeks. Consideration for which groups of students to bring back each week will be based on factors such as support services being received, grade level, newcomer and refugee status, and status as a child of an Austin ISD staff member. For all staff and students that return to campus, we are committed to strong implementation of hand hygiene, masking, and social distancing. Per CDC guidance, our goal is 6 feet social distance whenever feasible. On-Campus Learning Beginning October 5 and BeyondThe information gathered from the September Family Pulse Survey will allow us to appropriately plan for both on- and off-campus instruction. As we begin the intentional phase-in of more students to on-campus learning, BLEND will remain the common platform and access point for students who are continuing with remote instruction and will also be used by those who attend school on campus. At Kealing Middle School, students will be grouped into learning groups. Learning groups are groups of students that work to complete the same content lesson objectives as those students working remotely off-campus, in a designated learning space with safety measures in place while being monitored by a Kealing staff member. Kealing students, whether learning on-campus or off, will have the same virtual learning experience. We will continue to monitor updates from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and local health authorities to inform our decisions to keep students, families, and staff safe. Please know that the plans shared in this letter may change in the coming weeks. For the most updated information, please refer to our Open for Learning webpage. Thank you for your continued support, Tim Estes |
AISD's Reopening Plan & Key Dates
Please view the attached document detailing AISD's Reopening Plan and key dates for the upcoming school year. |
Kealing EOY Grade Level Meetings
Kealing 8th Grade Promotion - CLICK HERE! Click here to check out the 7th grade reflection and awards from Mr. Chavez. Click here to view the 6th grade reflection from Ms. Jones and the 6th grade awards. |
Kealing Coronavirus Updates
Please note: this is an ongoing situation. Please refer to www.austinisd.org/coronavirus for daily updates and the most current information. May 25, 2020 - Click here for Kealing updates. May 18, 2020 - Click here for Kealing updates. May 12, 2020 - Kealing updates are located here. May 1, 2020 - Click here to access copies of the slides from the principal chat about final grading practices. The full presentation is available (English, Spanish). April 29, 2020 - Kealing update communication sent to families. April 21, 2020 - Click here to view today's KMS parent update webinar. Click here to access the slides that accompanied the session. April 20, 2020 - Kealing update communication sent to families. April 3, 2020 - Dr. Cruz sent a communication preparing the Austin ISD community for an indefinite closure. April 3, 2020 - Live KMS Principal update held and responses to FAQs provided. Website is posted on the home page and will be updated further. April 2, 2020 - Austin ISD Middle School Associate Superintendent sent letter to families. March 31, 2020 - Student device need updates from Kealing Middle School. March 27, 2020 - Kealing update communication sent to families. March 20, 2020 - Click here for the most recent information from Kealing. Austin ISD released a new learning at home website to support students with grade-level specific materials for the next few weeks. Check it out by visiting here. March 19, 2020 - Austin ISD released new FAQs. March 16, 2020 - The Texas Education Agency announces that Spring 2020 STAAR testing is cancelled. Dr. Cruz announces that Austin ISD schools will be closed through April 3, 2020. Staff will continue to be paid during the closure and can expect to return with modified work assignments starting on Monday, 3/23/2020. March 13, 2020 - Kealing will post Kealing-specific information here, on Facebook, and via Twitter as needed so stay tuned. Kealing Magnet Admissions Decisions will still go out today and more Kealing-specific information is to come! March 12, 2020 - Austin ISD sent this communication to all families and community members. Click here to visit the Austin ISD coronavirus website for the most up to date information. |