Community Connection

No School Thursday (10/3) and Friday (10/4)!

Students will not attend classes on October 4, 2024 for the observance of Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah is the celebration of the Jewish New Year. The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is blowing the shofar (ram’s horn) on both mornings of the holiday. This normally takes place in the synagogue as part of the day’s services. Families enjoy traditional food such as round challah bread, apples dipped in honey, and other foods that symbolize hopes for a sweet year. It is also customary to light candles, attend synagogue, and have meals with family and friends.

Custodian Appreciation Week is Sept 30-Oct 4th! We are committed to showing Robert, Margaret and Irma how much we appreciate their hard work and dedication to keeping Zilker a comfortable, safe and beautiful place for all. If you would like to participate in honoring the Custodian Appreciation week at Zilker Elementary, please feel free to join us in expressing your gratitude to them.

Zilker Safety and Security Parent Meeting

We have scheduled a parent informational meeting for Wednesday, October 2 at 10:00am.  This meeting will include information about recent threat assessments that were conducted at Zilker Elementary and general safety and security questions.  It will be led by campus admin as well as an Austin ISD SRO (School Resource Officer).  Please use this form to RSVP and record any questions that you may have.  

Lynn Boswell, AISD Trustee for our district (District 5), is excited to meet with the Zilker community on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 7:45am. She will be sharing information on Proposition A, a ballot initiative to increase funding for schools, and answering any questions. 

Can't make Oct 8? A similar session will be held Tuesday, Oct. 1 from 5:15 - 6:15 in the cafeteria of Barton Hills Elementary.

Thank you Zilker Elem PTA and Austin ISD!!

After many hours of hard work, lots of setbacks, and so much more, we finally have an amazing grass field that can be enjoyed by our students and a shining spot on our campus.  To our students this grass is a simple play area, but what I think it represents even more is the dedication, perseverance, and teamwork of our campus, our PTA, our community, and our dedicated school district who all came together to make it happen. 

Even though the grass looks great and we are all desperate to enjoy it, we do want to ensure it lasts through our harsh Texas weather for MANY years to come.  So we will be giving the grass about 5 weeks to root and mature before opening it up for play. During this time, we will also be creating guidelines for use to ensure it is preserved and well maintained.   

Thank you to everyone who was a part of making this happen! 

All Rhythms Assembly

Here are some more images from last Fridays CLI/Arts in Ed funded All Rhythms Afro Cuban assemblies.  Pre K - 5th engaged in dancing, singing, learning upbeat rhythms and taking turns on the drums during the vibrant concert! They also discussed Hispanic Heritage month and how Hispanic origin includes people of Cuban, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Central and South American, Dominican and other or unknown Latin American or Spanish origin. For those kiddos who are interested, All Rhythms Ensemble hosts donation-based workshops on Saturdays.

MONSTER MASH DANCE - PRE-K - 5TH GRADE
We have begun rehearsing for our annual Monster Mash event on Thursday, October 31st. All students will dance to 3 songs on the blacktop. Here is a page to view tutorials and practice at home! 

ZILKER PANTHER CHOIR BEGINS THIS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1ST - 4th & 5th GRADE
Audition results will be uploaded to students' Music Blend Course Homepage and an e-mail will be sent to parents in the afternoon of Monday, September 30th. Weekly rehearsals begin at 7:00 AM, Tuesday, October 1st in Music Room 202. If a student does not make the choir this first round of auditions, there will be 2 more opportunities in January and March 2025. I will send more information home with choir members after Tuesday's rehearsal. 

5TH GRADE HONOR CHOIR 
Every year, Zilker is allotted a small number of 5th grade students to participate in the All-City Honor Choir. Students will learn a program of songs to rehearse and perform at the AISD Performing Arts Center with other 5th and 6th graders in the district on Saturday, November 9th from 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM. Please fill out this form if your child is interested no later than Friday, October 4th.

CAP10K UPDATES & FEE SCHEDULE:
We now have almost 70 members on our school team, Zilker Panthers! Here is a current roster to check for your names. Thanks to all for committing to this event. The registration price is now $40. See the fee schedule below for future rates. You can click here to join! 

Dyslexia and SPED Parent Group!

Let’s come together as parents and caregivers to support each other and our students with any conditions that impact learning. Including but not limited to dyslexia and our kiddos receiving special education support through IEPs and 504 plans.

Each one of us has shared a unique experience & while we may not have all the answers, together we can find them while listening, learning, and encouraging each other. Outside of meeting as parents/caregivers, some ideas are to invite occasional speakers to join us for various questions we may have outside of Zilker and/or with our school support team who work directly with our children.

This group will be an ever-changing resource as we learn more along the way and with each other’s contributions, questions & feedback!

Click here to learn more and to join!

We are excited to announce that our school is now using Voly, a new volunteer management system! If you are interested in volunteering on campus, please visit austinisd.voly.org to complete a quick background check.

This process is required for all volunteers, field trip chaperones, etc. and will help us ensure a safe and secure environment for our students. Thank you for your support and participation!

Join Austin Youth Fitness for biking club @ Little Zilker Park! 

Zilker Elementary students have the option of being picked up by coaches at school dismissal and guided to the park for the club start at 3:30pm.

AYF has been making “fitness fun” for 15 years! Our play-based running, biking, and yoga programs help kids develop strong bodies, minds, and spirits. And we hope your child will join us for some “Fitness Fun & Friendship” this fall!