Message from Ms. Bridget

This Friday, our school will recieve emotional news regarding our Turnaround Plan (TAP) and school closures and consolidations. The entire district will undergo some level of change but we know our community is facing uncertainty at a greater level than many. While the future of our school community is uncertain, what is without question is my committment to:

Provide a safe, joyous learning environment in every classroom
Follow a clear plan to help each child become stronger at reading and math, without sacrificing science and cultural studies
Communicate with you as often as possible
Acknowledge when I, or a member of our staff, does not live up to our high expectations

My current focus is classroom instruction, and I am spending 3-4 hours a day in classrooms. While this does limit my availability for non-urgent meetings, I will always make time to address any of your immediate concerns regarding your student. Please reach out to the front office to schedule a time to meet with me. I'm often more available for phone calls or meetings after students have left for the day.

I hope to see you at tonight's CAC meeting at 5:00pm to discuss the Turnaround Plan and Campus Improvement Plan, or this Friday's Breakfast with Ms. Bridget at 8:00 am where we will do the same.

Your Principal,

Bridget M. Farr

bridget.farr@austinisd.org

(512) 414-2390 ext. 59454

Student working with Montessori materials

Winn Montessori Turnaround Plan

Each year, the Texas Education Agency scores campuses using an A-F rating based on the STAAR exam and the TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment) exam. As Ms. Bridget has shared previously, our campus earned 3 F ratings for the 2022-2025 school years. We are not alone. Twelve campuses received a third unacceptable count and will need to develop a Turnaround Plan, also called a TAP. Each TAP must be submitted by November 14, approved by TEA, and implemented this school year.

District representatives presented TAP options to the community on Thursday, September 11. We will also discuss the TAP at the Tuesday, September 30 CAC meeting in the library from 5-6:30pm.

Turnaround Plan Survey: Starting with the 2026-27 school year, Winn may restart with a new management model or with a charter school partner. The district may also choose to close the school and reassign students to other schools in the district, so make sure the district knows what you’d like to see in a TAP for our school by completing the survey above. Learn more about school improvement on the district website.

Important Dates Regarding the Turnaround Plan

Oct. 6- Draft Turnaround Plans posted online at 6:00pm: https://go.boarddocs.com/tx/austinisd/Board.nsf/Public
Oct. 9 – Board Information Session
- Present Draft Turnaround Plans and Targeted Improvement Plans
Nov. 9 – Board information Session with Special Vote
- Board vote on TIPs and TAPs
Nov. 14
- TAPs and TIPs must be submitted to TEA

Winn Montessori Campus Expectations

Click here to learn all about our school expectations, including uniforms, absences, volunteer opportunities, and even birthdays (Montessori celebrations without snacks)!

P.S. Arrival ends at 7:40 am. Please be on-time!

Halloween Costumes

Yes, your student can wear a Halloween costume on Friday, October 31. Students must still wear tennis shoes or closed toe shoes. We ask that costumes not come with any masks that cover their faces, weapons, or fake blood. Thank you!

Caregiver Conferences

On October 20, guides will hold conferences with parents and caregivers to discuss their child's progress this school year. Families will be able to choose a time that works for them. If needed, families can schedule after school or during the guide's planning time if unable to attend on October 20. Conferences last between 20 and 30 minutes.

At this conference, parents and caregivers will learn:

Their child's strengths and areas of growth in academics and behavior
Their child's ability to complete age-appropriate work
Assessment results from beginning of the year assessments like mapGrowth Reading and Math
Attendance and tardy rate

Families are welcome to bring their own questions and concerns. We look forward to this time discussing your child!

Grades at Winn Montessori: What do they mean?

The end of the nine weeks is October 17, and families will then receive a report card for their student.

At Winn Montessori, we use standards-based grading to tell families if their child can complete age-level or grade-level tasks without help from the classroom guide.

We do not grade individual assignments or tests. Instead, the guide uses multiple measures, including observation, to determine the child's skills.

You can learn more about your student's grades here!

Hi, Winn Montessori! We're so happy to have y'all with us this school year. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster with the district working on the school's turnaround plan and school consolidations, but the PTA is more committed than ever to this special community. We are sending advocacy information out every week and a newsletter once a month via the PTA email list, so if you're not already on it, please subscribe!

It's so important to show support for our staff and students as we navigate uncertainty this school year. Can you donate to the Annual Fund to help us keep staff morale up in the form of snacks and treats AND support programs like Field Day and the Missoula Childrens Theatre Week? Consider a recurring donation to help out for the rest of the school year. 100% of what we raise goes right back to supporting students and staff at our school and EVERY PENNY COUNTS! Or consider sending a note to your student's favorite staff member OR a RAVE via the district website. Anything you can do would be great and is all so appreciated!

Has your student outgrown their Winn Montessori shirt or are you looking for one for yourself? You can buy one online (and maybe a sticker or two to go with it!) and we will deliver it to your student’s backpack. We’ll also have more for sale at Breakfast with Bridget this Friday and at other school events coming up if you’d rather purchase one in person. We take cash, card, or Apple/Google pay.

Upcoming events:

Sunday 10/5 9-11am: Garden Workday - meet at the veggie garden
Friday 10/17 4pm-close: St. Elmo Spirit Night
Friday 10/24 6pm: Movie Night

Check out (and subscribe to) the school calendar to see more details on upcoming events. And subscribe to our email list, follow our Facebook and Instagram accounts and join the Winn Families Facebook Group (not affiliated with the PTA, but we share info there) to keep in touch!

October Newsletter