Hello Smallville! 

I hope you had a great week! Fall is just around the corner, and we have some fun events coming up on campus. Planning and preparing for the annual Fall Festival is already underway. We’re also gearing up for the upcoming Noche Latina Dance on Sept. 26th, which is always a memorable evening celebrating Hispanic Heritage month for our Cougars. 

Our Cougar pride is shining bright as all of our football, cross-country, and volleyball teams are thriving this early part of the fall season. Congrats to our football and volleyball teams that have brought home wins at the start of their season, and our cross country team, which participated in the AISD Middle School Invitational. They brought home a second-place overall win in the girls' division and an impressive fourth-place overall finish in the boys' division.  I’ve been enjoying watching our Cougars compete with such energy, focus, and pride. 

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who pours so much into our community. Your support ensures our Cougars feel encouraged, valued, and connected, and your support does not go unnoticed.

I'm proud of all that’s happening across campus and grateful to be part of such a community that brings a smile to my face on a daily basis. 

We’re looking forward to another great week ahead!

Have an amazing weekend!

Stay Present,
Bedford

🍎 Apply Now for Free or Reduced-Price Meals

Families, we encourage you to complete a meal application for the 2024–25 school year if your student attends one of the eligible schools.

✅ Only one application is needed per household
✅ A new application must be submitted every school year
✅ Eligibility is based on household size and income—please list all household members for accuracy

Important: Students can continue receiving last year’s benefits only until October 1, 2024 (or until a new application is processed).

How to Apply:

• 💻 Online (fastest & preferred): Create an account and apply at www.SchoolCafe.com/AustinISD

• 📩 Email: Download and complete an English or Spanish application, then send to foodservicebusinesssupport@austinisd.org

• 📝 Paper Applications: Available in your school’s front office

For more information, please call 512-414-0251.

Completing an application ensures every student has access to healthy meals and also helps bring valuable resources to our campus.

Online: Create an account and apply at www.SchoolCafe.com/AustinISD. 

• Paper Application: Available from the school office.  Fully complete, sign, and return to the school. 

• PDF: English or Spanish. Complete and email to foodservicebusinesssupport@austinisd.org.

Please remember the following when completing a meal application: 

• Complete only ONE application per family/household.

• Be sure to include ALL members of your household.

• An adult signature is required. 

• Please include the last four digits of your social security number.  If you do not have a social security number, please check the box stating, “Check if no SSN”. 

Teacher Tutoring Schedules

🍂🎃 We Need Your Help to Make Fall Fest Amazing! 🎃🍂

As many of you know, the current district budget deficit has affected our school in a lot of small (but important!) ways. Things the district used to cover are no longer funded—so if we want to keep them, we have to raise the money ourselves.

That’s where Fall Fest comes in! 💛

This fundraiser directly supports every department that participates—Math, Science, Language Arts, Life Skills, Art, Library, Green, and more. The more successful the event, the more money goes right back into classrooms and programs that support your kids. 🙌

✨ How you can help:

• 🎃 Join us Oct. 4 | 10–2 → Buy pumpkins, play games, enjoy food & fun! Tell your friends this is a community event. Presales will be available soon.

• 💪 Volunteer → Help run booths, games, or activities. Sign-up Here

• 🛒 Shop our Amazon Wishlist → Donate prizes & supplies to keep our costs low. https://a.co/5YBeYaP

• 🌟 Be a Big Sponsor → Cover the cost of pumpkins, an inflatable, or other big-ticket items to make the event a success. https://clint-small-fall-fest-saturday-oct-4th-10-am-2-pm-c.cheddarup.com

Every bit of support—big or small—makes a huge difference. Together, we can make this the best Fall Fest yet and give our kids the resources they deserve.

👉 Want to sponsor or learn more? Click the links above, or Email us at president@clintsmallmspta.org.

Let’s do this, Small families! 💚

Emails and robo calls are going out to families we do not yet have consent forms from for Mental Health, Physical Health, or Clubs.

We must have 100% of these forms completed by the end of September. Without parental consent, we cannot provide these important services and supports for your student.

If you receive a call, Please fill out the missing Google forms TODAY.

If you are still receiving calls after completing the forms, it may be because:

• The Student ID number was entered incorrectly, OR

• The form was submitted for the wrong school.

If you need your child’s correct Student ID, please email jennifer.newell@austinisd.org.

Be sure to use the links provided in Ms. Bedford’s letter to complete the forms If you use any other links, we will not have access to see your consent. Do not enter any students that DO NOT go to Small on these forms.

Thank you for helping us take care of this quickly!

Welcome to a new school year! As your school counselors, we’re here to support students in three key areas:  Academic success, social-emotional development, and college/career readiness. We work with students through:

• Individual and small group counseling to help with emotions, friendships, and challenges

• Classroom lessons that teach skills like conflict resolution, emotional regulation, and goal setting

• Collaboration with families and staff to ensure every child feels supported and understood

• Crisis support and referrals when students need more intensive care

We are here for all students. Whether your child is navigating a tough moment, exploring future goals, or just needs someone to talk to, we’re a safe and supportive resource. Keep in mind we can ONLY support your child if you have completed and consented on the AISD mental health consent form (English, Spanish )  .

If you ever have questions or want to learn more about how we can support your child, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your grade level counselors: 

• 6th grade counselor: Ms. Zahra Asadi  (Zahra.asadi@austinisd.org )

• 7th grade counselor: Ms. Sierra Moran (sierra.moran@austinisd.org )

• 8th grade Counselor: Mr. Richard Gonzalez (richard.gonzalez@austinisd.org )

6th graders will receive a visit from their counselor Ms. Asadi between September 17–19. During these sessions, students will learn about the support services available to them, how to access their counselor, and what confidentiality means in a school counseling setting. We’ll walk them through how to request a meeting, what kinds of concerns they can bring to us, and how we protect their privacy while keeping them safe.

7th graders will have visits from the counselor starting tomorrow in science classes. Ms. Moran will remind students how to access the counselor and share updates with consent forms. 

The 8th grade counselor Mr. Gonzalez will visit classrooms on September 24 and 25 to meet with students.

During these sessions, students will learn about the support services available to them and begin exploring key information about the transition to high school such as high school credits work and graduation requirements. Our goal is to help students feel informed, supported, and confident as they prepare for this exciting next step.

Tickets for Middle School Games Updated from last Newsletter

This year, AISD has introduced a new online ticketing system for all athletic events.

• If you’d like the convenience of buying in advance, you can purchase tickets online https://events.hometownticketing.com/. Be sure to download the Hometown Ticketing App.

• Online ticket sales go directly to the AISD Athletic Department. Prices are $5.00 per Adult, $3.00 per student plus fees.

We also know that many middle school families prefer cash at the door—especially for students being dropped off. Middle schools still have the option to accept cash at the gate.

• At Small, cash tickets are $3.00 per person, and this money goes straight into our Athletic Activity Fund to support Cougar sports.

You now have two easy ways to attend the games:
✅ Buy online for convenience
✅ Pay cash at the door to directly support our school

We’re excited to see you in the stands this season—Go Cougars! 🐾

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time dedicated to breaking stigma, spreading hope, and connecting people to life-saving resources. It’s not just about raising awareness—it’s about fostering real conversations and building a culture of compassion and support. For guidance on how to support your child around the topic of suicide, this link offers helpful insights and resources.

🌱 Help Our Green Classes Grow! 🌱
We’re collecting a few everyday items for projects and would love your help!

• 🥚 Empty egg cartons

• 🪣 Buckets or empty kitty litter containers

Donations can be dropped off on the shelves in the Vestibule (outside the main office).
If it’s after hours, just leave them on the bench outside.

Thank you for helping our Cougars stay green! 💚

🎃 Pumpkin Patch Fundraiser – Saturday, Oct. 4th | 10 AM – 2 PM 🎃

Why buy your Halloween pumpkins anywhere else when you can pick them up at our Pumpkin Patch Fundraiser AND enjoy a full day of fall fun? 🍂

🌟 What’s waiting for you:

• 🎃 Pumpkins for sale (find the perfect one for your jack-o’-lantern!)

• 👻 Haunted House Inflatable

• 🌽 Inflatable Corn Maze

• 🚜 Hayrides

• 🐐 Petting Zoo

• 🐔 Chicken Poop Bingo (yes, really!)

• 🎨 Pumpkin Painting & Face Painting

• 🎯 Fall Carnival Games

• 🎃 Pumpkin Launching (see how far yours can fly!)

• 🍔 Delicious Food, 🍧 Kona Ice & More!

✨ Every pumpkin you buy helps support Small Middle School — so stock up here and skip the grocery store!

📍 When: Saturday, Oct. 4th | 10 AM – 4 PM
📍 Where: Small Football field

Bring your family, bring your friends, and come celebrate fall with us. Help us spread the word🍁

If you are interested in being a sponsor for this event, Please email jennifer.newell@austinisd.org

AISD is asking all volunteers to get a background check and have hours logged for reporting purposes. Luckily, they have provided a new software program called "VOLY" that is easy and simple to use.

 If you plan on volunteering at Small in any aspect this year (workroom, cage, chaperone dances, splashfest, field trips, etc. ), please register to volunteer with Voly at https://austinisd.voly.org. Volunteer opportunities will be posted in our newsletters soon.

 Small Middle School PTA Needs YOU!

We are looking for a volunteer to serve as our Sponsorship/Fundraising Chair for this school year. This role is responsible for finding business sponsors, organizing fundraising events, and overseeing any other fundraising efforts for the PTA.

Interested in lending your voice and energy? Please email president@clintsmallmspta.org if you are interested.

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!

Cougar Cage

The Cougar Cage needs new stock to keep our shoppers happy! Please consider purchasing an item (or two!) from our wish list to help replenish the Cougar Cage. If volunteering doesn't fit into your schedule this is a great way to support the PTA financially. When you buy something from the wish list as a donation it's sold in the Cougar Cage for a 100% profit to the PTA.
https://a.co/iyVI84j

We also have lots of volunteer shifts to fill in the coming weeks. This a fun volunteer opportunity if you love to observe middle school students in the wild!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D45AFAF2FA4FAC07-50975400-cougar

Fall Fest Volunteer Sign Up

We need your help to make Fall Fest a success! Please take a look at the sign up and help out where you can.  

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D45AFAF2FA4FAC07-58513128-fall

ENROLLMENT IS NOW OPEN! 

 SOUTH KOREA Summer 2027 Enrollment: http://eftours.com/2955089XU

 PORTUGAL Spring Break 2027 enrollment: http://www.eftours.com/2969590SJ

Here is a brief version of our info meeting presentation with the amazing itineraries!

Enroll with only $95 (that goes towards the trip cost) and then decide how you'd like to pay - bi-weekly, monthly, lump sum, etc.

Current and graduating 6-7-8 graders and their families are all welcome to join us.