Covington Counselors’ Corner Week of September 15, 2025
It has been a wonderful few weeks of school getting to know students! Counselors have been in classrooms for Meet the Counselor lessons, spoke with students about requested elective schedule changes, talked with students during lunchtimes, and helped students navigate their classes.
A huge “Thank You!” to the family of Dylan Castillo for their donation of Mini-Lens Care Kits. These have already been so helpful for counselors and the nurse as we assist students with their glasses.
Referral Process for Students to See a Counselor:
Students will have paper and electronic copies of the referral form to see their counselor. These forms can be found in an electronic version on the Covington Counselors’ BLEND course, as well as in paper copies in teachers’ classrooms. This form should be submitted during lunch, before school, or after school. A counselor will see them within one school day during COLT time (Advisory).
Counselors will not be available during scheduled class times unless it is an emergency. Students are not allowed to come to the counseling office without a pass or without a counselor picking them up. If it is an emergency, teachers will message a counselor so that a counselor can pick up the student without a referral being required.
Parents - You are able to refer your child to see the counselor if you feel they could benefit from speaking with one. Here is the link to do so (for emergencies, please call 9-1-1):
Covington Middle School Parent Referral Form for Counselor
Schedule Changes: Your child’s schedule might have changed during the first few weeks of school as we are tweaking academic and intervention classes for students. The reason for a schedule change in the past two weeks might be:
Best academic fit for core classes
Dual Language placement
Fine Arts instrument level placement
Dyslexia Reading Intervention placement
To balance out core class sizes
Moving students so they can be in lunch with peers (i.e. mixed grade level classes)
Gifted and Talented (GT) Referral Window
Families, teachers, or Covington staff may nominate students for the GT screening process. The referral window for the 2025-26 school year is August 19 - October 7, 2025. Contact Debra Austrum, GT Advocate, at (512) 414-3276 x59860 or debra.austrum@austinisd.org, if you have questions about the process.
At this time, the only way for a 6-12 student to be identified is to be referred. =
Austin ISD Gifted and Talented (GT) Referral Form 2025-26
Virtual Gifted & Talented Info Session - September 23 and 24
GT Referral Flyer
GT Referral Flyer Spanish
Important Dates
August 20 - October 7 - Gifted and Talented (GT) Referral window (see Mrs. Austrum, GT Advocate)
September 7 - Grandparents Day
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Deaf Awareness Month
September 7-13 - National Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) Week
Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15)
September 16-20 - Celebrate Freedom Week
September 21 - International Day of Peace
September 22: District Staff Development
September 23: Campus Staff Development
September 24 - National Women’s Health and Fitness Day
September 30 - Every Child Matters -Orange Shirt Day
