WatchDOGs and pizza tonight
Attention all Fathers & Father Figures of Summitt students! Want to be your child’s Hallway Hero for the day? Sign up for the WatchD.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students). Spend a day at Summitt – patrol the hallways, help out in the classrooms, visit the playground, and more!
Want to know more? Join us at the Annual Dads & Kids Pizza Night on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m in the cafeteria. Enjoy free pizza & lemonade with your child, learn more about the WatchDOGS, & sign up for your day!
Summitt Family Night tomorrow: Jason’s Deli
Our first Summitt Family Night will be at Jason’s Deli Arboretum on Thursday, Sept 14th from 5-10 p.m. Please tell them you’re with Summitt and 15 percent of the sales benefit the PTA. This applies to dine-in and take out orders.
Message from Superintendent Cruz
Supt. Paul Cruz sent out a letter regarding DACA. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2U9EyoinyBNbFQxc2hXdExqMkdFR1gtMDBzMnhNODJhcFRr/view?usp=sharing
Back to School Night next week
Back to School Night will be on Tuesday, Sept. 19 for Pre-K to 2nd grade and on Wednesday, Sept. 20 for grades 3-5. During both nights, a presentation will begin at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria. At 6:30 p.m., you’ll be released to go to your child’s classroom to hear from your student’s teacher about classroom policies and procedures. You’ll also have an opportunity to ask questions then. Thank you in advance for making plans for your student to remain at home since this is an evening for your uninterrupted learning.
Mid-Autumn Festival
Come celebrate Tet Trung Thu – the Mid-Autumn Festival – on Friday, September 29, at 6:30 pm, in the Summitt cafeteria. We will have a student talent show, games, art and crafts, lantern parade and lion dancing for entertainment. Cost for entry is $3 per person. Food is $5 per plate. Food, drinks, pizzas and concession items will be available for purchase starting at 6 pm. There will be a free lantern and treats for children with an entry ticket. Our Mid-Autumn Festival celebration benefits the AISD Vietnamese Dual Language Program. See you at the celebration!
Donation opportunities
Summitt Cares
In an effort to continue philanthropy within our school community, we have started Summitt Cares. We would like to help those that have evacuated to temporary shelters from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. To do this, we would like to collect essential items for hygiene. This collection continues until Friday, September 15th. There are baskets/boxes in the hallway for collection. All items will be donated to local shelters. We would like small items below:
Bar of soap
Comb/brush
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Shampoo/Conditioner
Baby wipes
Soaring Skyward
Soaring Skyward is fast approaching on Friday, September 29, and we are in need of a few items. We would love to borrow any of the following items:
Large bubble machines
Bubble solutions and accessories
pop-up shade shelters
penguin related items
If you have any of these items and would like to lend them to us, please bring them to the school no later than Wednesday, September 27. Please make sure they are clearly marked with your name if you need them back. They can be picked up at the end of the day on Friday, September 29.
Fifth grade needs graphic novels
If your child loves to read graphic novels they are not alone! Our 5th graders love to read them too! If you have purchased graphic novels that your child has read and is ready to part with please consider donating them to the 5th grade classroom library. Drop off donations at the office.
Counseling Corner
We are super excited to welcome a new part-time counselor this year. Kimberlee Guerrero will be serving grades PK, K, and 2. She will also be helping with various other counseling related projects at Summitt. She comes to us with many years of previous experience at various levels, a passion for working with kids, and an amazingly friendly and flexible personality. If you see her around the building, please give her a welcoming smile and wave.
We are beginning classroom lessons this week. Every class will meet with their counselor in the next two weeks. They will learn who we are, what we do to help students around the school, and how to see us when they need to. Mrs. Guerrero is sending home a welcome letter to her grade levels so they can get to know her a little better. Be on the lookout for that if your student is in PK, K, or 2nd.
We are currently accepting applications for this year’s 4th grade No Place for Hate Coalition. There are 6 senior members who have returned to help get the process started. They have visited each 4th grade classroom to explain what NPFH is, what the coalition does, and how to apply. Each class was left with applications and informed of the September 15 due date. These will be collected, names will be blacked out, and they will be reviewed and scored on a rubric by the 6 senior members. Letters will go home to notify applicants as soon as the decisions are made. The first 2 meetings will be with both the senior members and the newly selected coalition. The new coalition will take over on their own after that. They will be deciding on the 3 school wide projects for the year. This is a great leadership opportunity for our 4th graders. Please encourage your student to apply if they are interested.
Got the time?…
This section features volunteer opportunities with specific time estimates. Check here each week to see what’s needed. That way, if you “got the time,” you can help out regularly for 5 to 15 minutes, or for a couple hours on a one-time project.
—>If you can spare 15 minutes after the 7:45 bell, please stay to open the door for late students.
—>If you have 60 minutes (more or less) to spare each week, the front office could use your help with:
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filing
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answering the front door (especially between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm)
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counting flyers for Monday folders
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moving student folders into the appropriate grade level
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delivering items to students
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completing beginning-of-year items that we have just not gotten around to doing
—>If you have anywhere from 5 minutes to a couple hours, consider helping in the teacher workroom:
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filling copy machine with paper (5 minutes)
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photocopying, cutting, laminating, etc. (30 minutes to two hours—we’ll take anything!)
Contact Shana Pokorny ([email protected]) about the front office. Contact Heather Roell ([email protected]) about the teacher workroom.
Be a homeroom parent
Please consider being a homeroom parent—you do not have to do all the work yourself! As homeroom parent, you would assist with class parties and other special events; however, you do not have to be at these events in person. You would work with the teacher to find out what is needed for class parties and then coordinate volunteers to donate food, supplies, or their time. You would also be the liaison between the Eagle Fest and Spring Fling Committees and your class families so that Summitt has enough volunteers and donations for its two main fundraisers. A homeroom parent coordinator provides you with a packet of tips and recommendations, as well as example emails and flyers that you can use.
Please check with your child’s teacher to see if he or she is still looking for a homeroom parent. Or sign up in the classroom at next week’s Back to School Night on Tuesday, September 19 (Kinder-2nd) or Wednesday, September 20 (3rd-5th). Have questions? Email [email protected].
Spring Fling News
Spring Fling is still months away, but we are already working to make this year’s event a success. Right now we are currently looking for a new location, so if you have connections with an event space or restaurant, please let the Spring Fling committee know ASAP. We are also looking for a co-chair in training. This person would work closely with the co-chairs this year to learn how the event comes together and then will take over one of the co-chair positions for next year. No prior event experience is required. Please contact us at [email protected].
Become a Summitt Crossing Guard
Earn some extra cash and keep our school safe in the process. Summitt needs a Crossing Guard at Cassady and Brigadoon – near Milwood Baptist Church. Hourly Wage is $13.50/hr for 2.5 hours per day. Contact Beatrice Bailey, Supervisor at 512-289-7451. A criminal background check will be conducted.
PE News
We’re kicking off the new school year with cooperative games in Physical Education! Students will also learn all about nutrition and cardiovascular functions this 9-weeks. Summitt students will practice 2 movement skills and learn about 2 health topics every 9-weeks. We hope your kiddos are enjoying their time in PE so far this school year!
We will kick-off Marathon Kids on Friday, September 15th where each 1st-5th grade student will learn about the benefits of running, the program and the rewards system. Each student will also run their opening mile towards their goal of finishing FOUR marathons this school year. More information about this program will come soon!
Every other school year we hold a PE fundraiser… and this is the year we will be selling Y-ties. Y-ties are super cool, curly, colorful shoelaces that you don’t have to tie. The fundraiser will take place from September 11th-22nd. Keep an eye out for the brochure! These funds that we raise will help to buy equipment for classes, UT Volleyball Playday registration, Field Day station supplies, CATCH Night activities and rentals, Fuel up to Play 60 team activities and any other PE related activities for 2 years. Thanks for your support in advance! – Coach Comsudi and Coach Woodward
T-shirt orders update
We are currently sold out of Youth Small shirt sizes. We have YMs that we will send home for those who ordered YS since they ran a whole size small like last year. If the YM will not work, please send back the shirt and order form and we can issue a refund.
Girls on the Run update
The fall season of Girls on the Run begins NEXT MONDAY, September 18th. We are still in need of assistant coaches! Parents, if your daughter is interested, please consider signing up as an assistant coach. Girls on the Run Austin is able to offer a 25% discount to parents who volunteer as assistant coaches. Again, you do not have to be a runner to help coach. We have about 11 girls registered so far and can take about four or five more.
If you can volunteer even one day a week on a regular basis, that would help tremendously. Practice days will be Mondays and Thursdays, beginning after school and ending by 4:30 p.m. If you are interested in coaching be aware that the last new coach training will be held this Sunday, September 17 from 2-4 pm at the REI located downtown. Contact me at [email protected] if you have questions. For information about the program, visit gotraustin.org.
Girl Scouts at Summitt
Is your daughter interested in becoming a Girl Scout? The Girl Scouts are open for girls in Kindergarten to 12th grade. Please come out to our Membership Fair on Sat, Sept. 16, at 10 am to Noon in Huffman Hall at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church (8134 Mesa Dr, corner of Steck & Mesa). If you have any questions, contact us at [email protected].
PTA membership news
Welcome to all our new members! We currently have 207 members. Let’s try and make it to 250! All are welcome. Did you know that the computer lab time is brought to you by PTA? Grab an application from the PTA Bulletin board in the Great Hall OR go to Summitt’s Online store and purchase your membership today.
AISD and Community Events
Before and After-school care
Children’s Courtyard offers before and after- school care for students. More information about the program is here: https://www.childrenscourtyard.com/educational-programs/before-and-after-school-care/
Asian Contractor Association seminar
The Asian Contractor Association will present How to do Business with the City of Austin on Monday, Sept. 18 at 5 p.m. in the Summitt Library. More information is here.
Austin Child Guidance Center
Austin Child Guidance Center, 810 W. 45th St., provides walk-in counseling services on Tuesdays and Fridays. More info is here or more classes on their website – https://www.austinchildguidance.org/
Girls conference
Saturday, November 4th Anderson is hosting a “We are Girls” Conference sponsored by the Girls Empowerment Network for girls in grades 3-8. This year’s theme is “Become Unstoppable!” Refer to the website for further information: https://girlsempowermentnetwork.org/what-we-do/we-are-girls-conference-austin/about-the-event/
This appears to be a super event for girls and their parents. Featured speakers are Denise Hamilton, founder of Watch Her Work and IOLA and Lizzie Velasquez, motivational speaker, anti-bullying champion, and author.