Maddox's Message

Hello Covington Families,

Happy New Year, Covington families! I hope you all had a wonderful Winter Break and enjoyed some quality time with family and friends over the holidays.

As we step into 2025, a quick reminder that there is no school on Monday, January 6th but we are excited to welcome students back to campus on Tuesday, January 7th.

This week marks the beginning of the third quarter, and it’s the perfect time for students to refocus on their academic goals as we work together toward a successful year. We’re also beginning to gear up for the STAAR Test at the end of the year. Your support and involvement are key to ensuring students perform their best.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing a countdown to the 2025 STAAR Assessment along with suggestions for meaningful conversations you can have with your child to help them stay motivated and focused. Your engagement and those conversations made a significant difference during the Winter MAP Assessment, not only in student focus and expectations but also in their results. Let’s keep that momentum going strong!

Additionally, we have a number of exciting events coming up in the next few weeks, so please be on the lookout for updates and information to stay informed.

Thank you for your continued partnership, and we look forward to seeing everyone back on Tuesday!

Finally, parental involvement continues to play a key role in our school’s success. Whether it’s volunteering for events, helping in the front office, or simply being a visible presence on campus, your support matters! If you’re interested in volunteering, click the links below to sign up.

Front Office Support

Afternoon Pick Up Monitor

Drop Off Monitor

Lunch Room Monitor

Friday Lunch Room Monitor

Thank you for being such an important part of our Covington community!

Your proud principal,

Cedric Maddox

Important Upcoming Dates!

Jan. 6th - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS / PD DAY FOR STAFF
Jan. 7th - First day back to school for students!
Jan. 8th, 9th & 10th - Girls Soccer Tryouts! Must have a physical and pass 2nd 9 weeks.
Jan. 8th - PTA Meeting - Virtual through Zoom @ 5:30pm join with link below!
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76767283069?pwd=xrWCwmbbaQasa6k27omRU23G6waaV6.1
Jan. 20th - NO SCHOOL - MLK Student and Staff Holiday
Jan. 23rd - Passport to Culture! See flyer below!

Please Fill Out this Google Form if you would like to participate in our Passport to Culture. We are in need of countries to be represented and students or family members to perform a song or dance that represents your culture.

This is a community event, all are welcome. Click Here to Sign Up for Passport to Culture!

Important Emails:

Principal: Cedric Maddox

cedric.maddox@austinisd.org

Assistant Principal: Rachel Gregory & Jason Summerville

rachel.gregory@austinisd.org

jason.summerville@austinisd.org

Counselors: Debra Austrum & Rabecca Mc Donald

debra.austrum@austinisd.org

rabecca.mcdonald@austinisd.org

Parent Support Specialist: Esther Garcia

esther.garcia@austinisd.org

Click HERE to learn about our F.O.W.A.R.D. - Restorative Practices here at Covington

Haga clic AQUÍ para aprender sobre nuestro F.O.W.A.R.D. - Prácticas Restaurativas Aquí en Covington

Students! Nominate a student of the month and staff member of the month!

Click Here to Vote for Student of the Month!

Click Here to Vote for Staff of the Month!

We will post the results here on the newsletter!

Thank you for participating.

R.E.A.L

Routines: Daily attendance routines can reduce stress, increase your child’s self-confidence and lay a foundation for good attendance in later grades.
Engagement: Participation in school helps your child connect with other children and adults and get excited about learning.
Access to Resources: Schools can give you access to meals, physical and mental health care and other supports, and fun enrichment activities (sports, clubs, music, afterschool and summer programs, etc.).
Learning: Children learn best from hand-on activities and through meaningful interactions with their teacher and other students.

Students and Staff of the month for November!

6th Grade: Henry Baggett: Henry follows instruction well and has a cheerful attitude in class.

7th Grade: Jude Gil: He’s so Jude, is too cool for school. He’s very smart, respectful, and the best, and he needs to win it again. Also, he’s good in band. THE BEST.

8th Grade: Joshua Xie: Despite having a language barrier, working so hard to understand his work and clearly excelling in his classes, especially Algebra.

Staff of the Month:

Mrs. Galli: She has built great relationships with her students. She engages them with rigorous and shares her enthusiasm of history with her students. She's doing 4 preps and is rocking it. Couldn't ask for a better team member!

Hello Covington Colts! We have outlined campus consequences for student devices / Chromebooks. Here is a one-page document that describes the process of device replacement for parents.

Please email jenigh.burrus@austinisd.org if you have any questions.

Covington Políticas de dispositivos

Covington Middle School Device Policies

Covington Counselors Corner Week of January 7th, 2025

December Classroom Guidance Lessons - Transition from Middle School to Highschool

Welcome to the second semester of the 2024-25 school year! January will be a busy month with counselors supporting students in choosing courses and completing choice sheets for the 2025-26 school year.

Counselors will be in class guidance lessons during January reviewing core and elective choices for next year, supporting students both with paper choice sheets and electronic self-serve (for current 6th and 7th grade students). Students will initially complete the paper choice sheet (with required student and parent signatures) and then, in late January/early February, current 6th and 7th grade students will enter elective choices into the computer (electronic self-serve) with counselor guidance. Core classes for students will rely heavily on teacher input from the 2024-25 school year.

2025-26 choice sheets will be in different colors depending on student grade level: 6th grade - green; 7th grade - yellow; and 8th grade - blue. These paper choice sheets will serve as the baseline for students’ choice of courses for the 2025-26 school year with copies being stored in the counselors’ offices.

Deadline for signed choice sheets for the 2025-26 school year is Thursday, January 30, 2025. Please contact either Mrs. Austrum or Ms. McDonald with any choice sheet or course questions.

Enroll Austin - Opens November 6th

Family Support Manual - English

Manual de Apoyo a las Familias Para el Proceso de Matriculación

Fine Arts Application Timeline for the 2025-26 School Year:

January 28, 2025- Deadline for submitting applications for 2025-2026 school year Completed applications include: essay, teacher recommendations, report cards, and standardized test results.

Week of February 3, 2025 – CMSFAA will notify qualified applicants their advancement letter indicating advancement to Audition Phase. Students will be contacted with an assigned audition time.

February 8, 2025 – FAA Auditions/Interviews at Covington 9am-3pm.

March 1, 2025– CMSFAA Decisions Emailed

March 14, 2025 – Enroll Austin Round One results

March 25, 2025 – Deadline for Students to Accept Seat at CMSFAA

Advanced Opportunities AISD 24-25

Crockett Early College High School Choice Selection:

https://sites.google.com/austinisd.org/crockettcourses/home

AISD counselors administer lessons that support secondary outcomes in December, 2024. In these lessons, we will ensure that students understand high school requirements, 4 year plans, endorsements, and programs of study. These lessons will be provided for 7th and 8th grade students.

One-on-One Mini Meetings

Counselors are working diligently to meet with each individual student one-on-one during Mini Meetings. These meetings are designed to create a relationship with the student and his/her counselor, as well as to see if there are any needs/supports counselors can provide or help facilitate to help students be more successful in their school and home lives.

Important Dates

January 7 - GT/Talent Explore services begin for newly identified students

January 15-16 - Crockett High School Visit to Covington - Choice Sheets

for incoming 9th grade students (currently 8th grade

students)

January 21-23 - Ms. Austrum visiting elementary feeder schools for

2025-26 choice sheet presentations for current 5th

grade students

January 24 - Deadline for 7th/8th grade students to drop Algebra I

January 27 - Bowie High School Visit to Covington - Choice Sheets for

incoming 9th grade students who are zoned to Bowie High

School (current 8th grade students)

January 27 - Akins High School Visit to Covington - Choice Sheets

for incoming 9th grade students who are zoned to Akins

High School (current 8th grade students)

January 30 - Deadline for Covington Middle School FAA choice sheets to

be turned in (with required student and parent signatures).

Mrs. Debra Austrum

7th Grade & 7th Grade A-L

debra.austrum@austinisd.org

Ms. Rabecca McDonald

7th Grade M-Z & 8th

rabecca.mcdonald@austinisd.org

Tools for Success is a great series of Zooms that are informative sessions for parents of AISD. They have sessions in English and Spanish. Please join them if you have time@ If you would like more information, or have a watch party of the sessions you are interested in, please contact Esther Garcia, your parent support specialist. I would be glad to host one in my room here on campus. (512)414-3276 ext: 54748 or esther.garcia@austinisd.org

Find resources you may need:

Your Parent Support Specialist can help find assistance when needed. Learn new things about school and how to help your child succeed. Look for parent workshops throughout the year!

Esther Garcia, Parent Support Specialist 512-414-3276 ext:54748

esther.garcia@austinisd.org

Submit your request here: https://forms.gle/H3WXDRyYz7rCckYw5

Become leaders in our school!

Your input and participation in the Parent/Teacher Association (PTA)

joinpta.org and other school committees such as Campus Advisory Council (CAC)

Become a Parent Volunteer!

Volunteers are welcomed and needed! We could use parent volunteers in our West office, Mon-Tues-Thurs-Friday's.

Everyone who volunteers will need to attend a volunteer orientation:

https://austinisd.voly.org/

Click the link below to find great resources for Special Education and 504!

Special Education & 504 Information for Parents

We are looking for VOLUNTEERS! One per week on Wednesday night's from 5:15 - 7:30 pm.

Help our English Language Learner parents. They are investing in their future and need help with childcare. We have a wonderful CIS intern and need one more volunteer per week. If you are able to just take one Wednesday, that would help immensely. Please click the link below to volunteer:

Click here to Volunteer with Maestro En Casa

Want to take part in FREE CLASSES? Open to Parents and Staff through Integral Care. See Flyer below for more information.

Parent Interest Form - English

Parent Interest Form - Spanish

Staff Interest Form

Hello Covington Families,

My name is Fatima Lozano and I am a Program Coordinator for Con Mi MADRE. Con Mi MADRE is a non-profit organization serving both AISD and DVISD campuses where we work to deliver a social-emotional learning and college readiness curriculum to students from 6th grade through their undergraduate college years. We implement a dual-generational program that includes the parents; meaning out-of-school events like college trips, conferences, and fairs. We currently have open enrollment for our cohorts at Covington Middle School for our 6th-8th grade students. We have attached our link for our application.

Please feel free to contact me at fatima@conmimadre.org or (512) 222-6645 for any questions!

Volunteer for the COLT Cart!

We’re looking for help with the COLT Cart, a weekly pick-me-up for our staff! The cart is filled with snacks, coffee, tea, and small treats to brighten their day and show our appreciation. Volunteers will help take the cart around to staff while checking in on their well-being. Thank you for supporting our Covington staff!

Click Here to Volunteer for Our Colt Cart