Hello, Smallville!

I hope you had a great week! It was smooth sailing here on campus, and with spring right around the corner, it's a perfect time to reflect and renew.

This season brings a whirlwind of academic demands, spring events, and goal-setting for the year ahead. Some of our Cougars will be energized by the excitement, while others might need a little extra support adjusting. Middle school is a fast three years, full of mental, physical, and social changes. And as a middle school parent myself, just when I think I have my 7th grader figured out, then boom! A new personality trait emerges.

While there’s no perfect playbook, here are a few ways to help your Cougar navigate the next couple of months:

• Encourage a Growth Mindset – Middle school is full of challenges, from tougher academics to shifting friendships. Remind them that mistakes are part of learning and growth. Praise effort over outcomes, and help them see setbacks as opportunities to improve.

• Stay Involved, But Not Overbearing – Keep an eye on their academics, friendships, and online presence, but give them space to problem-solve and make decisions. Ask open-ended questions and create a judgment-free zone for discussions.

• Help Them Build Strong Routines – Structure is key! Encourage good study habits, consistent sleep schedules, and a balance of activities to set them up for success.

It looks like we’re in for some beautiful weather this weekend. Make sure to get outside and soak up the sun!

Have an amazing weekend!

Stay Present Cougars,

Bedford

We invite you to join us for an important conversation with Trustee Lynn Boswell, who represents our district.Trustee Boswell will be discussing student progress at our school and across the Austin High School vertical team campuses (the elementary and middle schools that feed into a neighborhood high school). This is a great opportunity to share your insights and collaborate in support of our students and schools.

Event Details:
📅 Date: Tuesday, March 4, 2025
📍 Location: O. Henry Middle School (2610 West 10th St., 78703) Cafeteria
⏰ Time: 5:30-7 p.m.
🎙️ Trustees in Attendance: Trustee Lynn Boswell and Trustee Fernando Lucas de Urioste

Your voice matters, and we value your partnership in shaping the future of our schools. We hope to see you there!

As part of Teen Mental Health Day on March 2nd, we’re encouraging our school community to wear green to raise awareness and show support for teen mental health. 

Green symbolizes hope, strength, and mental health awareness, and your participation would help make a powerful statement 💚

We’d love for you to join us by wearing green and encouraging others to do the same. To further spread awareness, we’re inviting staff and students to send us photos of themselves wearing green.

Join the PTA

Good news! It's not too late to join the PTA for this school year. Your membership support allows our PTA to host events, offer grants to teachers, and share appreciation with our amazing Small staff members.

(But, rest assured,, your membership does not require you to volunteer with PTA. Of course, we'd love to have you volunteer, but it's not required to be a PTA member.)

Join today by clicking HERE.

25-26 Officer Nominations

The window is now open for PTA officer nominations for next school year. We are seeking nominations for the following positions: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. If you would like to nominate someone or want more info, please email our Nomination Committee Chair Rebecca Forchione at secretary@clintsmallmspta.org.

Save the Date- PTA Meeting & Bingo/Loteria Night 4/16

On April 16 we'll hold our next PTA meeting which will include 25-26 officer elections.  Once we've adjourned the meeting we'll move on to the fun part- Bingo and Loteria!  It will be a fun night with the Small community you won't want to miss!

Cougar Cage

Students love shopping at the Cougar Cage! Help keep it running by signing up to work a shift or shopping from the wishlist. There are a few openings for the remainder of February and throughout March.

Sponsor Shout Out

ENROLLMENT is NOW OPEN! Enroll with $95 to reserve your spot!

**Enroll by Sept. 22nd for $200 off.

*Repeat travelers, as usual, add an extra $100 off.

🇬🇷🇮🇹 GREECE & ITALY WEBSITE & ENROLLMENT: https://www.eftours.com/tour-website/2817051TA

🇯🇵 JAPAN WEBSITE & ENROLLMENT: https://www.eftours.com/tour-website/2805919DV

• Affordable bi-weekly or monthly plans. 

• Want to save up and pay in lump sums as you go? You can choose to do that too. 

• Free personal fundraising page for your student!

• Earn $1,000 EF scholarship!

These two itineraries were picked with a lot of thought put into them. Students (and adults!) will get to see so many iconic places on tour, including a great number of World Heritage Sites. The hands-on experiences chosen are great as well, the landmarks we'll visit, and the sights you'll see are all world-class: From the Island of Capri "faraglione" to the Acropolis, to swimming on Heraklion beaches in Crete, to stepping on Kyoto's most amazing temple - a national treasure itself, to visiting technology museums in Tokyo and Japanese gardens in Osaka, walking in the steps of Gladiators in the Colosseum and Roman Forum, or learning about how Pompeii got buried in ashes with Mount Vesuvius in the background, or stepping into Delphi and learning about oracles in Greece, it's going to be amazing!

Reach out any time with any and all questions, or to schedule a chat!

Mariel Early 

mariel.early@austinisd.org 

512-841-6700 Ext. 70774 / Conference: 2:30-4:00 pm

This section is for anything outside of Small that you might be interested in.

Find items that I've picked out specifically for our team.

There is also Spirit Wear available for your family and friends.

Check out the shop details below.

Items will be shipped to the school and the coaches will be distributed when they arrive.

If your an incoming student Coach Miller will try to deliver to the middle school or set up a time for pick up at Bowie, please indicate what school you attend and name of the player and phone number when you order please.

OUR SHOP DETAILS

    - Shop Now: https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/kVD4DoVLTB

    - Store Open From: January 28 - February 21, 2025