Community Connection

No School Monday, 1/20

A reminder that students will not attend classes on January 20, 2025 for the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This federal holiday marks the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King led the charge for nonviolent activism during the Civil Rights Movement. This movement protested racial discrimination in state and federal laws. Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemorates the life and work of Dr. King. Coretta Scott King explains, "The holiday must be substantive as well as symbolic. It must be more than a day of celebration . . . Let this holiday be a day of reflection, a day of teaching nonviolent philosophy and strategy, a day of getting involved in nonviolent action for social and economic progress."

It's time to enroll for the 2025-2026 school year!

EVERYONE enrolls, every year! Enrolling now helps ensure we are staffed appropriately for next year.

Enroll Here: https://austinisd.my.site.com/Enroll/SiteLanding

Applying for DL Kinder - your application needs to be done by February 4; ensure you select Zilker Dual Language in the application.

Pre-K enrollment will open during our general registration on April 1st.

Our goal is to have 90% of our students registered by April!

Please reach out to Annalisa in the front office for registration questions (Zilker@austinisd.org or call 512-414-2327) and for system issues call 512-414-SEAT (7328)

New Soccer Goals!

We not only have 4 new collapsible goals for various activities but we now have two new 12x6.5 goals built and installed on the field!

Some quick reminders about the goals:
- DO NOT climb on the goals or nets.
- DO NOT try to drag/move the goals around as it can tear up the grass.
- Please do not use cleats on the field until the spring as the grass is dormant (sleeping) and is not growing so it will struggle to recover from being ripped up!

Holocaust Remembrance Week at Zilker Elementary

From January 27-31, 2025, Zilker Elementary will join Austin ISD in observing Holocaust Remembrance Week, as mandated by SB 1828. This important week aims to educate students about the Holocaust, promote the values of community, tolerance, and responsible citizenship, and inspire them to be upstanders who prevent future atrocities. While age-appropriate content for elementary students focuses on broader themes such as understanding community and embracing diversity, our school will incorporate read-alouds and activities that align with these themes.

Students in grades K-5 will engage with resources like Splash Dance (grades K-2) and Stars of the Night: the Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport (grades 3-5) to explore these values in a meaningful way during library time. We welcome families to learn more about our activities and support our efforts in creating an informed and empathetic school community.

Winter Book Fair

The Book Fair is coming up in February! BookPeople will be doing this year's Winter Book Fair. Mrs. Green is in need of volunteers for set up, tear down, and running this year's Book Fair. Please sign up here.

Zilker Coffeehouse

Zilker Coffeehouse will take place this year in February in conjunction with our winter book fair. Please sign your student up here if they would like to participate in this year's coffeehouse on Thursday, February 6 from 5-6:30 PM.

Save the Date - Zilker's 75th Anniversary Party: March 7

Flyer for Zilker's 75th Anniversary Party

PBS Writing Contest

Austin PBS Writers Showcase is for writers/illustrators in grades K to 5, and entries can be written in English or in Spanish. An independent panel of judges will select a few stories from each grade level for special recognition, but all of the entries are posted on the website, so ALL students who submit will get to see their work "published" online and will receive a certificate. You can find more info and see entries from last year here: https://austinpbswriterscontest.org/

The deadline to submit entries is March 31, 2025.

Parent Book Club

We’d love for you to join us in reading Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be by Dr. Becky Kennedy, alongside other Zilker parents and caregivers (books provided)! This will be a wonderful opportunity to connect, share insights, and learn together. We’ll also have special guest appearances by Ms. Green (our librarian), Ms. Shaw (school counselor), and Ms. Vreeland (school counselor), who will add their perspectives to the conversation.

Our book chat will kick off in February from 1:00–2:00 PM. If you’d like to be a part of this group, please take a moment to fill out this short form (dates included on form). https://forms.gle/boEgZewrTVsaVoMD8

Additionally, if you're unable to attend the daytime meetings, we will have an evening chat in March where we'll highlight the key takeaways from the book and share our insights after reading. Date TBD. We can’t wait to chat with you!

The Recognizing All Valuable Employees or RAVE Program was created to honor those who take the extra steps to provide equitable and exceptional experiences. If you had an exceptional experience interacting with an Austin ISD employee, please nominate that staff member by completing this form.

AISD Family Empower Hour Sessions

AISD is Austin's home for inclusive learning: high expectations for all children and high outcomes for every student. We prepare every student with the knowledge and skills to thrive in college, career, and life.

AISD is providing sessions over various topics which provide valuable information and support regarding Special Education and 504 services. Click here to learn more!

Campus Architectural Team for O. Henry Middle

Austin ISD has so much to be proud of! With your help, Austin voters passed the largest and most equitable bond Austin ISD has ever seen in November 2022. We got here with the hard work of the community, teachers, staff, trustees and you by keeping our students at the center of the vision. This work and engagement will continue as we implement the Bond. We’re excited to share the full schedule for the modernization projects.

We are getting ready to hit the ground running on these projects, including the modernization of O. Henry Middle School! The first step in the process is the formation of Campus Architectural Teams (CATs). You might already be familiar with these, but they are a team of teachers, staff, parents and community members that meet with your campus’s architects to guide the design and make decisions for your school’s project.

CATs will work with the campus design team through every step of the process, from preliminary designs to move-in and grand openings. If you are interested in joining a CAT, please complete this form by Friday, January 31, 2025.

Once again, thank you for your tireless efforts on behalf of our students to make this vision a reality! We could not do any of this without your support.

Sincerely,
Marlo Malott
O. Henry Middle School Principal

Upcoming Events!

January 20 - Student/Staff Holiday
January 23 - PTA Meeting
January 29 - Student Holiday
February 3-7 - Book Fair
February 4 - Priority Registration Closes
February 6 - Zilker Coffee House
February 13 - CAC Meeting
February 17 - Student Holiday
February 21 - PTA Meeting
February 27 - Service Night