Letter From Principal Bedford

Hello Smallville!

Even though the heat hasn’t quite let go, Fall is officially here, and with it, the first signs of change, leaves turning, days shortening, and new possibilities emerging. This season reminds us that change, while sometimes unexpected, is a natural part of growth.

Last Friday, AISD shared its initial ideas about how our district might evolve in the coming years. Understandably, this has stirred a mix of emotions in our community. But through it all, one thing remains steady, we are still Smallville! That spirit of connection, care, and pride lives in each of us. And no matter what shifts around us, those “good feels” we all know and love about us and our feeder pattern will continue to guide and ground us.

If you’d like to learn more, the district has set up a website with all the details about the proposal. Plus, our amazing PTA has invited AISD School Board President and District 5 Representative (that’s our district!), Lynn Boswell, to come to Small this Thursday at 6:00 p.m. to chat and answer questions. You can find more information in the English and Spanish flyers below.

And don’t forget, we’ve got a four-day weekend coming up! Be sure to get outside, enjoy the sunshine, and take a little time for yourself. You’ve earned it!

Stay Present,
Bedford

Thank You for an Amazing Fall Fest — Plus a Pumpkin Deal! 🎃

Dear Small Community,

Thank you to everyone who came out and participated in Fall Fest 2025! The booths looked amazing, our volunteers absolutely rocked it, and it was wonderful to see so many smiles throughout the day. The turnout was even better than last year, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

While the event was a huge success, we’re still a little short of our fundraising goal — and we still have lots of beautiful pumpkins left! To help close the gap, we’re offering them at 50% off. These are really nice pumpkins that will definitely last until Halloween and beyond.

You can pre-purchase your pumpkins online and pick them up Thursday, October 16th, from 4:30–5:30 PM in front of the school — right before the Parent Meeting with Board Member Lynn Boswell on school consolidation (See more info about that meeting below).

This will be the only pickup opportunity, and in-person payment will also be available during that time.

Thank you again for your incredible support and for helping make Fall Fest such a success. Let’s finish strong — and grab a great pumpkin deal while you’re at it! 🎃

Please help me in supporting our awesome sponsors that helped up pull off this event.

Lonestar Soccer Club

Jersey Mikes

Southern Steer Butcher Oak Hill

Kristen Lucas Doula + Sleep Consultants

Donn's BBQ

512 Tooth Family Dentistry
(Our amazing DJ)

Love & Cookies

Chuy's

Healthy Quest

Texas Party Rental

American Legion Post 4443

Important Update:

Pending District Consolidation Plan

Due to the district consolidation draft plan, we are temporarily pausing all transfer information, tours, and transition events until after the official school board vote on November 20.

Once the district’s plan is finalized, we will update our website with all the details you’re looking for — including open house dates, campus tours, and our traditional events such as Cougar Camp, the Scavenger Hunt, and our online Parent Camp.

We want to ensure that no family is left out of the process, especially since attendance zones may change depending on the final plan.

➡️ Stay tuned! Our updated website with all event and enrollment information will launch after the November 20 vote.

For the most current details about the district’s consolidation plan, please visit the District Consolidation Information Page.

🗓️ Upcoming Transition Timeline (as of today)

November 20, 2025 – AISD School Board Vote on Consolidation
We’ll solidify our plans after the district’s final decision.
TBD - Virtual Welcome Parent Meeting for newly zoned families to learn all about Small and to welcome them into the Smallville family.
TBD – Feeder School Student Tours
Elementary students zoned to Small (Patton, Oak Hill, Mills & Baldwin) visit campus during the school day.
TBD – Counselor Visits to Feeder Schools
Counselors introduce the 2026–2027 course selection process.
Mid-January – Smallville Discovery Fair
Feeder and prospective transfer families explore campus, classrooms and chat with elective teachers at Small.
TBD – Choice Sheets Due for Feeder Students
Mid-January–Mid-March – After-School Family Tours
For families zoned to Small or considering a transfer.
Early Spring – Application-Based Transfers Open
Limited spots in Dual Language and Green Tech Academy programs.
Feeder student application process TBA.
Late March – Transfer Choice Sheets Due
and General Transfer Requests Open in Enroll Austin (lottery-based).
🌞 Summer Events
- Cougar Camp – Two-day camp for new students.
- Scavenger Hunt – Families explore campus before school starts.
- Parent Camp – Virtual session to learn about policies and procedures.

Smalloween

Community Ofrenda

Library Bookfair is coming...

LASA Presentation, November 5

AustinISD Parent U

AustinISD Parent U - Advanced Opportunities Night

WEDNESDAY NOV 5 - Time: 6-7 p.m.Zoom Registration:bit.ly/AustinISDParentU

Learn about the advanced academic opportunities available to your student, including Dual Credit, CTE, Fine

Arts, MultilingualAP, OnRamps, and Early College programs. This session will help you understand how your teen can earn college credit while still in high school—and what you can do to support them along the way.

AustinISD Uni para Padres - Noche de oportunidades avanzadas Público meta: Familias de estudiantes de secundaria y preparatoria - Recomendado para familias de octavo grado que desean más información sobre oportunidades avanzadas en la escuela secundaria

Miércoles 5 de Nov. - Hora: 6-7 p. m. Inscripción en Zoom:bit.ly/AustinISDParentU

Infórmese sobre las oportunidades académicas avanzadas disponibles para su hijo, incluyendo Crédito

doble, CTE, Bellas Artes, AP multilingüe, OnRamps y programas de acceso a la universidad temprana. Esta

sesión le ayudará a comprender cómo su hijo adolescente puede obtener créditos universitarios mientras

aún está en la escuela preparatoria, y qué puede hacer usted para apoyarlo en el trayecto.

D&D Volunteers Needed

"Dungerons and Dragons Club is growing large. We are in need of 1-2 adults to volunteer to run games for newer players. If you are interested in helping our young adventurers, email Cameron.Russell@austinisd.org. Mr. Russell will provide details and help set up your clearance for our campus."

Girls Basketball tryouts are coming up!

7th grade tryouts will be Tuesday 10/14 at 6:45am.
8th grade tryouts will be Tuesday 10/14 and Wednesday 10/15 after school until 5:30

All physicals should be uploaded to Rank One, and all forms filled out, prior to tryouts. If your student has already participated in volleyball or cross country, your physical has already been received.

Soccer Tryouts

The boys' soccer season starts on Oct 21st. Tryouts will be held Oct 21-24, and we anticipate to have the squad finalized by Monday, Oct 27th. A completed physical is necessary to try out. New for this year is that the physical form needs to be uploaded by the parent to the Rank One portal -

Please contact coaches Ben Chiovaro or Tony Johansson for questions.

A Message from our Counselor's

Next week, Mr. Gonzalez, the 8th grade counselor, will be visiting classrooms to share important updates and guidance on the transition to high school.

Upcoming High School Visits to Small:

Austin High School will visit on October 29th to present high school information for incoming 9th graders.
LASA (Liberal Arts and Science Academy) will visit on November 5th to speak with students interested in applying.

Students who wish to attend the LASA presentation must sign up with their counselor in advance.

Connected and Protected: Supporting Your Teen in the Social Media Age
Helping teens navigate social media in a healthy and appropriate way is one of the most important and sometimes challenging parts of modern parenting. Here are some key points on how to help your teen navigate social media safely:

Talk early and often: Discuss social media before problems arise. Ask what platforms they use and why.

Be curious, not judgmental: Show interest in their online world without immediately criticizing it.

Discuss values: Talk about kindness, respect, privacy, and how those apply online.

Create a family tech agreement: Outline rules like screen time limits, no phones at dinner, and appropriate content.

Use parental controls wisely: These can help, but shouldn’t replace trust and communication.

Model good behavior: Teens notice how parents use their phones so lead by example.

Privacy settings: Help them set up strong privacy controls on their accounts.

Stranger danger still applies: Teach them not to share personal info or talk to unknown people online.

Recognize red flags: Help them spot cyberbullying, inappropriate content, or manipulative behavior.

Think before posting: Remind them that what goes online can stay online.

Avoid drama: Talk about how online arguments can escalate and affect real-life relationships.

Build empathy: Encourage them to consider how their posts might affect others.

Watch for signs of stress: Social media can impact self-esteem and mood.

Promote balance: Encourage offline hobbies, exercise, and face-to-face friendships.

Be a safe space: Let them know they can come to you if something online makes them uncomfortable.

PTA News

Cougar Cage Trainers Needed!

We have quite a few days coming up that only have a volunteer without experience signed up and we would love to get all these new volunteers trained and helping in the cage!

Even if you can only volunteer during sixth grade lunch (11:15- 12:00), that would be a great way to still show new volunteers the whole process and get them trained.

If you are already signed up with a buddy but would be willing to add another slot for a trainee, please let our Volunteer Coordinator Lauren know and she can add space for another person: renhagg@gmail.com.

The dates we are looking for help are: 10/9, 10/14, 10/17

Connect with the PTA

Our PTA Facebook, Instagram and Linktree pages are a great way to stay up to date and make sure you never miss volunteer opportunities, event details, meeting info and more! Be sure to like us on your social platforms so you see everything we're sharing that's PTA related.

https://www.facebook.com/smallmspta

https://www.instagram.com/smallmspta

https://linktr.ee/smallmspta

Join the PTA!

Become a member of our amazing CSMS PTA today!

Cougars Traveling the World

Educational Travel Programs at Small

At Clint Small Middle School, we are proud to have multiple teachers who sponsor Educational Travel Programs each year. These programs are structured group trips for students, organized in partnership with professional travel providers. The providers take care of the big details—like flights, hotels, meals, guides, and safety—while our teachers lead the learning side of the experience.

What is an Educational Travel Program?
An Educational Travel Program is more than just a trip. It’s an opportunity for students to step outside the classroom and experience history, culture, and language firsthand. Whether exploring another U.S. city or traveling abroad, students gain independence, confidence, and a deeper understanding of the world.

Why might families be interested?

Students experience hands-on learning tied to classroom topics.
Travel builds maturity, problem-solving, and independence.
Professional travel companies provide safety, structure, and support 24/7.
Payment plans and group arrangements make these experiences more accessible than traveling on your own.

👉 With multiple teachers sponsoring programs, families can choose from a variety of destinations and opportunities that best fit their student’s interests.

Here is a list of upcoming opportunities

Trips in 2026

Trips in 2027