Sunday, April 8, 2018

April 8, 2018 Community Update


Sunday, April 8, 2018

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

STAAR exams, the state accountability test, will be given this week to 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th grade ALA students. Please help by making sure your son or daughter gets a good night’s sleep and eats breakfast, so all are ready to put forth best efforts each morning.   Our teachers have been working hard with students to prepare them well, and we know they will do their best! Families may access an overview of the upcoming STAAR Testing schedule HERE.

These testing sessions will take up almost the entire day, with a lunch break mid-way through the exam. Testing regulations require us to collect all electronic devices (cell phones, iPods and other personal media devices) from students prior to testing. Students will not be able to use them during or after they finish testing in their testing room.  However, they do have access to a landline in the front office.

During testing, our number one priority is supporting the students who are testing.  Therefore, our ability to deliver items, check-out students, and process other paperwork is more limited than on a regular school day; please expect longer delays Tuesday thru Thursday should you need assistance from a faculty member or our support staff. While many of our students will be testing, students who are not testing will follow the regular bell schedule, attend their elective and core academic classes, and will not be dismissed early.

Looking ahead to the 3rd grade STAAR test in May, ALA at Euclid is hosting a Make and Take Math & Reading Night from 5:30-7:30pm for 3rd grade families on Thursday, April 12th. Families will learn more about how to support math and reading student learning at home, create resources to connect school-home, and build community with other 3rd grade families.  

The following morning, we will host a Community Coffee at Euclid at 9am.  We will finish out the week with 6th, 10th and 11th grade Saturday Schools from 9am-noon.

Finally, the coaching staff would like to ask for donations for the upcoming 1st Annual 7th & 8th Grade Athletic Banquet on Thursday, May 3rd at 6:30 pm in the ALA @ Fox Tech cafeteria. They are in need of paper plates, utensils, and napkins. Items can be dropped off at the main office or to Coach Myers. Tickets are now on sale for $10, and can be purchased from Coach Myers. We hope to see you there!


Have a great week!

Sincerely,
Kathy Bieser

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

On Monday, April 2nd  and Tuesday, April 3rd, our K-3 students will visit the wax museum as part of their Wax Museum PBL about influential figures.  Students will be creating their own wax museum to educate community members during a May exhibition. We wish our students a great learning experience!

Ms. Scharf, ALA at Fox Tech counselor, has begun working with students on selecting classes for next year, starting with the high school upperclassmen.  Please check with your 8th, 10th, or 11th grade student if they have a choice sheet with them for you to review, finalize, and sign. The forms are due as soon as possible. Also, Dual Credit Parent Consent Forms (linked) were sent home with rising 9th-12th graders who will be taking Spanish 2, 3, or 4 next year.  These students are eligible to earn concurrent high school and college Spanish credit through our partnership with San Antonio College.  Please return these dual credit forms to Ms. Scharf or an ALA Spanish teacher no later than Friday, April 6th. High school students interested in taking dual credit Spanish 2, 3, or 4 for next year have filled out their applyTexas document for college enrollment.  Additionally, they have been given a parent permission form that is due Wednesday, April 11th.

On Friday, Dina Toland will be traveling to Bedford, Texas with an ALA 5th grader, one of only five in city, for the Texas State Geography Bee! We are very proud to have a state finalist in only our 2nd year.  Many thanks to Dina Toland for sponsoring this club and competition for students!

Next Saturday, April 7th, is the 6th Annual San Antonio Book Festival at the Central Library from 9 am-5 pm.  Free parking will be available to ALA and all SAISD families at the Fox Tech Campus.  We hope to see many of you there as we build and strengthen a reading culture at our school and throughout our city!

Congratulations to two of our high school ALA theatre design crew members.  Their costume designs have advanced to state for the final round of competition.  Their art work and the awards ceremony will be held at the Raymond E. Hartfield Performing Arts Center on April 23rd -26th.  Not only will their work be part of the gallery event during the state meet, these students will attend the awards ceremony and also be able to participate in a master class/design workshop with career professional theatre designers.  The project designs by all of the ALA tech students are on display for one more week in the theatre building if you would like to come by and see their amazing art.

On Saturday, April 7th, the 8th, 9th and 10th/11th grade teams will be hosting a  Saturday School ahead of the upcoming STAAR and AP testing. All students are encouraged to attend.  Please see the ALA Community Calendar for times.

Sincerely,
Kathy Bieser



Sunday, March25, 2018

Dear Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

On Friday, March 23,  ALA sent home detailed instructions on how to complete the online registration process for the 2018-2019 school year. This year, families will be able to re-enroll students completely online, using a computer, smartphone or tablet. Should you need assistance or access to a computer for online registration, ALA will have computers available for returning families in the office at ALA @ Euclid and ALA @ Fox Tech. Families may also contact the SAISD Office of Access and Enrollment for assistance. Parents are invited to come in person to the Pickett Parent Center, located at 1931 E. Houston St., or contact the office by telephone at (210) 554-2660, by text message at (210) 309-3259, or by email at enroll@saisd.net. We ask that families complete the online registration no later than Friday, April 20.  If you can not locate the registration form sent home, you may pick up a copy in the ALA office.  

We have many ALA students to congratulate this week! First, all nine of our middle school UIL participants placed in the top three in their events bringing home medals.  In the high school competition, an ALA student won in social studies, and will be advancing to the 

regional competition at UTSA in April. Second, we learned this week that two  ALA students are State Qualifier for the UIL Theatrical Design Contest in Costume Design. (If you would like to see the costume and set design work of the 8th-11th grade ALA students, it is on exhibit in the theatre all week.) Many thanks to Nathan Dupont, Laura Sisson, Deana Schattel, Pete Kohrs, Galen McQuillen, Deana Beltran, and Amy Stengel for helping to prepare students and accompanying them to competitions.   

Beginning on Wednesday, March 28, ALA 6th and 7th grade is once again partnering with Gemini Ink to offer students the opportunity to work with a resident writer after school from 4:15-5:15pm. The poetry workshop runs weekly through May 16th, and a few seats are still available. Interested families may reach out to Dina Toland at dtoland1@saisd.net for more information.

As a reminder, Friday, March 30, is a student and staff holiday.  School will resume on Monday, April 2.

Sincerely,

Kathy Bieser



Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

On Thursday, March 22, we will  host a 4th-11th Report Card and Exhibition Night on our Fox Tech campus from 5pm-6:30pm to distribute report cards and celebrate student learning. A food truck will also be on site for any families wishing to purchase dinner. After picking up the report card and viewing the student exhibitions, the community is invited to attend a performance of Gathering Blue from 7:00-7:45pm in the ALA theatre.  All families are invited to attend! Report cards for our Euclid campus will be sent home with students.

On Friday, March 23,  ALA will also send home detailed instructions on how to complete the online registration process for the 2018-2019 school year. This year, families will be able to re-enroll students completely online, using a computer, smartphone or tablet. Should you need assistance or access to a computer for online registration, ALA will have computers available for returning families in the office at ALA @ Euclid and ALA @ Fox Tech. Families may also contact the SAISD Office of Access and Enrollment for assistance. Parents are invited to come in person to the Pickett Parent Center, located at 1931 E. Houston St., or contact the office by telephone at (210) 554-2660, by text message at (210) 309-3259, or by email at enroll@saisd.net. We ask that families complete the online registration no later than Friday, April 20.  

Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,
Kathy Bieser



Sunday, March 4, 2018

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

It is hard to believe that with the end of the 3rd nine-weeks this Friday, we will officially be three-fourths of the way through the 17-18 school year.  After our March 12th-16th spring break, we will host a 4th-11th Report Card and Exhibition Night on our Fox Tech campus from 5pm-6:30pm to distribute report cards and celebrate student learning.  Report cards for our Euclid campus will be sent home with students.

As we head into the last five days before spring break, we want to remind our Euclid families that parking along Euclid in the afternoons is not permitted. Please park in one of the parking lots or along Marshall making sure to leave the bus lane open. Parking along Euclid in the afternoon hinders the dismissal process and causes congestion for families who are picking up.

At both the Euclid and Fox Tech campus, this is the last week to check the lost and found for jackets, coats, and any other items that you might be missing. Any items still remaining on Friday, March 9th will be donated. We ask that you write your child’s name on coats, jackets, sweaters, water bottles and lunch boxes so that we may return items to them in the event the item is misplaced.

Finally, we want to share these resources from Region 20 including free workshops and summer programs for students.

Please look for the next update on Sunday, March 19th.

Sincerely,

Kathy Bieser

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Community Update: February 25, 2018

Sunday, February 25, 2018


Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,


Our Elementary UIL Team (2nd-6th) competed in the district meet this past Saturday at Highlands High School. Not only did the students work hard and represent ALA well, we earned fourteen medals including first place winners in art, chess puzzle, creative writing, listening, and number sense events, and we had many finishers in the top six as well. Congratulations all of our students and to our teacher sponsors!


February 26-March 2nd is Celebrate Reading 2018: Dr. Seuss Week! All of our students are invited to dress up in celebration.  We will end the week with celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday on our Fox Tech campus as we also launch an additional weekly dedicated reading time during homegroup for our 6th-11th grade students.


On Wednesday, February 28th, all ALA families are invited to our sixth Platica de Padres: Love & Libros (sponsored by Google Fiber and the DoSeum). It will be a night where we celebrate family time, reading, and STEM. You and your family are invited to read together in a celebration of reading at the event. Bring your favorite books and check out all the other amazing activities we will have. You can see the flyer for the event here and you can RSVP here . We hope to see you there!


Our Euclid campus is hosting an ALA Bike Rodeo on Friday, March 2 from 9:00am to 11:30am.  Bike rodeo, sponsored by the San Antonio Police Department, is a combination event that scores participants for both bicycle safety and bicycle skills. All Kinder through 3rd grade students are invited to participate or cheer on their village peers. Families may find more information on the ALA Community Calendar event and   contact Jeremiah Birmingham at jbirmingham@saisd.net with any questions.


Also on Friday, March 2, our 4th/5th students will be presenting Reader Theater Performances as a culminating activity of the Stones, Ice and Stars PBL.  All families are invited to attend.  More information and times are listed on the linked flyer above.


On Friday, March 2, our high school theatre students will be presenting their UIL One Act Play at the Zone I competition at Highland High School in a contest with other area high schools.  Break-a-leg  to the actors and technicians working on this project!  All families are invited to attend, and the ALA performance time is @2:30pm at Highlands HS theatre.  


In an ongoing effort to provide families with the most relevant, accurate, and timely information possible, ALA will be one of a few schools piloting a new text messaging feature that is part of SchoolMessenger, the notification service we use to send emails and phone messages.  All families with valid text messaging numbers on file with the school will receive an initial opt-in message on Monday, March 5th at 5:30pm. The message you will receive will come from the short code 67587 and will read “SAISD would like to send messages. Reply Y to subscribe or STOP to cancel. Msg & data rates may apply.” In the future, I will text a link to my weekly update and other important information via text message to families.


Finally, we will end the week with a 7th-11th grade  Saturday School and a practice SAT for our 11th graders on March 3. Please see the ALA Community Calendar for times.


Have a wonderful week!


Kathy Bieser




Sunday, February 11, 2018


Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,


It was wonderful to see the many families at our Second Annual  K-5 Family Dance last Friday at our Euclid campus.  Many thanks to the faculty and the many PTSA volunteers who gave of their time and resources to continue this ALA tradition.


Dustin Nieto, College Bound Advisor, asked me to share information about the Prefreshman Engineering Program (PREP), an academically rigorous mathematics-based summer enrichment program for middle and high school students with an interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Online applications are due  by 5:00 PM (CST), February 14, 2018.


The Fox Tech campus Go Center is available throughout the week before and after school to assist students write essays for summer enrichment programs like the one above and much more. For instance, students may visit the Go Center for SAT Practice on Khan Academy, a FREE resource for students to use to improve their PSAT and SAT scores. College Board has partnered with Khan Academy in order to provide personalized practice for students. If students have connected their College Board account to their Khan Academy account, the questions will be catered to where the student needs more practice. According to a study conducted by College Board, “using Official SAT Practice for 20 hours is associated with a 115-point score gain in student scores from the PSAT to the SAT.”  This Go Center Flyer outlines assistance that is available from Dustin Nieto, College Bound Advisor, Mariana Sigala, College Advisor, and Susan Spain, Financial Aid Advisor. We highly encourage our 8th-11th grade students to take advanced of the PSAT/SAT practice, especially our juniors who will be taking the SAT during the school day on March 21, 2018.


We also want to invite 8th-11th grade students and their families to join us for a Fall In Love With College event on Tuesday, February 20th from 6-7:45pm. There will be an informational session on PSAT scores and college readiness, and  families will receive results from the October test.

Have a wonderful week!


Sunday, February 4, 2018

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

Our 7th/8th grade boys soccer team won ALA’s first ever district championship after two wins in tournament play on Saturday as family, friends, and staff cheered them on.  Congratulations to the team and Coach Sarah Merschat! In two weeks, we will be cheering again as our girls and boys cross country teams compete at the district meet.

If you are visiting our Euclid campus this week, we encourage you to view new informational posters about important African Americans that our PreK-3 classes have been learning about.

Advanced Learning Academy PTSA will hold its quarterly meeting on Wednesday, February 7 at 6:30PM in the Fox Tech cafeteria.  All families are invited to attend.

On Thursday February 8th, thirty-seven 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th graders will travel to the state Capitol in Austin, Texas, to participate in the state round of the Speak Up! Speak Out! Civics Fair competition.  Students worked in teams to craft long-term solutions to community problems, and they will be presenting their work to a panel of judges in Austin.  1st. 2nd, and 3rd place teams will earn money to put towards the implementation of their solution.  More details can be found HERE.

We are looking forward to ALA’s Second Annual K-5 Family Dance  on Friday, February 9th from 6-8pm, at our Euclid campus.  There is no cost for the dance. We hope to see many of you on Friday the 9th!

Ms. Sisson, ALA at Fox Tech campus librarian, asked me to share this 4th & 5th grade UIL information with families.  Students and families may reach out to Ms. Sisson for more information.

Finally, we will end the week with a 4tt-11th grade Saturday School on February 10th from 9am to noon.  We welcome the donation of snacks or other breakfast foods for these important academic events!

Sincerely,
Kathy Bieser








Sunday, February 4, 2018

Community Update: January -February 4, 2018

Sunday, February 4, 2017


Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,


Our 7th/8th grade boys soccer team won ALA’s first ever district championship after
two wins in tournament play on Saturday as family, friends, and staff cheered them on.  
Congratulations to the team and Coach Sarah Merschat! In two weeks, we will be cheering
again as our girls and boys cross country teams compete at the district meet.


If you are visiting our Euclid campus this week, we encourage you to view new informational
posters about important African Americans that our PreK-3 classes have been learning about.


Advanced Learning Academy PTSA will hold its quarterly meeting on Wednesday, February 7
at 6:30PM in the Fox Tech cafeteria.  All families are invited to attend.

On Thursday February 8th, thirty-seven 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th graders will travel to the state
Capitol in Austin, Texas, to participate in the state round of the Speak Up! Speak Out! Civics
Fair competition.  Students worked in teams to craft long-term solutions to community
problems, and they will be presenting their work to a panel of judges in Austin.  1st. 2nd,
and 3rd place teams will earn money to put towards the implementation of their solution.  
More details can be found HERE.


We are looking forward to ALA’s Second Annual K-5 Family Dance  on Friday, February 9th
from 6-8pm, at our Euclid campus.  There is no cost for the dance. We hope to see many of
you on Friday the 9th!


Ms. Sisson, ALA at Fox Tech campus librarian, asked me to share this
4th & 5th grade UIL information with families.  Students and families may reach out to
Ms. Sisson for more information.


Finally, we will end the week with a 4tt-11th grade Saturday School on February 10th from
9am to noon.  We welcome the donation of snacks or other breakfast foods for these
important academic events!


Sincerely,
Kathy Bieser


Sunday, January 28, 2017


Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,


Student Led Conferences (SLCs) for our 6th-11th grade students begin Tuesday, January 30th,
and last thru Wednesday, January 31st, on our Fox Tech campus. Families may still sign-up
for a conference time using this LINK or at http://tinyurl.com/alaslc.  Please note:  you are
guaranteed the time slot that you select on the form above, and no confirmation email is sent
when the form is submitted. We look forward to celebrating with students and families as we ask students to reflect on their learning during the first semester.


Dustin Nieto, College Bound Advisor, asked me to share the directions for logging into
Naviance Family Connection, a comprehensive website that can be used to plan for college
and career. While all  high school families are encouraged to log into Naviance on a weekly
basis for updates posted on various pre-college and scholarship opportunities, this is
especially important for our 11th grade students as we start to prepare for the upcoming
college admission process.


There are many events going on at our Euclid campus. All K-3 students have now visited
Covel Gardens Landfill and have been exploring ways our community collects, uses, and
wastes various natural resources. Students will begin planning their Seeds Project to answer
the driving question: How can we help our community conserve natural resources?


Also, Village A is partnering with the The Briscoe Museum to spread the love this Valentine
season through the Pony Express Love Letters program. Students will write letters to a
community member who has contributed to the campus, and then the Briscoe Museum
modern-day Pony Express riders (bicyclists from SATX Social Ride) will deliver the letters on
February 14th. All ALA students and their families are invited to visit to the Briscoe Museum
between February 1st and 11th to participate. The entire program, including admission to the
writing stations, is FREE!
On Wednesday, January 31st, we are hosting several parent events at our Euclid campus.
First, beginning at 5:45 pm in the library, the Annual Title 1 Parent Meeting occurs.  
Second, beginning at 6:00 pm, we will host a K-5 MAP Informational Meeting from
6-7 pm in the gymnasium. We will discuss the MAP assessment and provide you with your
student’s data; this is similar to our presentation in December at our Fox Tech campus.


We are looking forward to ALA’s Second Annual K-5 Family Dance  on Friday, February
9th from 6-8pm, at our Euclid campus.  There is no cost for the dance. We hope to see
many of you on Friday the 9th!


Finally, this Euclid Academic UIL flyer includes information for students and families about
UIL opportunities.


Have a wonderful week!


Sincerely,
Kathy Bieser


Sunday, January 21, 2018

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,


Over the weekend, ALA students were proudly representing their schools at a variety of events.
Congratulations to our girls basketball, boys soccer, and cross country teams for their
achievements and dedication to their sports. Just recently in cross county, we had 1st place
team and individual winners.  The ALA high school Academic Decathlon team also competed
this weekend, bringing home several individual medals.  Many thanks to the sponsors and
coaches who helped to bring these enrichment opportunities to our students.  


Several other academic competitions will be taking place in the spring, including UIL
Academic competitions. This flyer includes information for our middle and high school
students. Additional information regarding our elementary program is coming soon!


Our Euclid and Fox Tech campus will both be taking field trips this week. On Tuesday, our
2nd graders will visit the Covel Gardens Landfill as part of their recycling studies.  The
following morning, our 7th grade students depart for H-E-B Foundation Free Camps. If you
were unable to attend the pre-trip meeting last week, please email David Nungaray, at
dnungaray1@saisd.net to set up an alternate time to review the material.


On Tuesday, January 30th and Wednesday, January 31st, we will hold Student Led
Conferences (SLCs) for all students in grades 6th -11th.  Students are currently selecting
work from their most important individual learning experiences and are eager to share and
celebrate with families. Students’ winter MAP data will also be available. Information was
sent home on Friday with students.  We invite families to sign up for a conference time on the
evening of January 30th or during the morning of the 31st using this LINK or at
http://tinyurl.com/alaslc  


Wednesday, January 31st, we are hosting several parent events at our Euclid campus. First,
beginning at 5:45 pm in the library, is the Annual Title 1 Parent Meeting.  Second,
beginning at 6:00 pm, we will host a K-5 MAP Informational Meeting from 6-7 pm in
the gymnasium. We will discuss the MAP assessment and provide you with your student’s
data similar to our presentation in December at our Fox Tech campus.


Earlier in the semester, ALA art teacher, Sonya Castro, and her students were awarded the
Spurs Team Up Challenge $7500 grant  to expand visual arts programming especially for
economically disadvantaged families and our own community's homeless population.
The ALA community can read more about the project and how to get involved with the
schools  Team Up Challenge website.


As a reminder, the online ALA application for admission for the 2018-2019 school year
remains opens until the January 31st deadline.  This SAISD Enrollment Guide has additional
information for families. Current ALA students DO NOT need to complete an application at
this time to guarantee a seat for next year.


The ALA PTSA asked me to inform families that they are collecting Box Tops in the front
offices at Euclid and Fox Tech.  The ALA Girl Scout trip is also registering new members.
More information can be found HERE.


Finally, on Tuesday, January 23rd, there is a free “Parenting in the Digital Age”
workshop from 9am-12pm at Region 20.  Families can find more information on this


Have a great week!


Sincerely,
Kathy Bieser




Monday, January 15, 2017


Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,


We have just a few reminders for this short week.


First, the online ALA application for admission for the 2018-2019 school year remains opens
until the January 31st deadline.  At this time, the  online application has been updated to
accommodate applications for all grade levels PK-8.  Families no longer have to call the Office of Access and Enrollment Services in order to apply for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, or 8th grade.  The district plans to notify families of acceptances or wait-listed status the week of February 20th.


Second, we are holding required pre-trip parent/guardian meeting on Wednesday,
January 17th at 6 pm in the cafeteria for the families of our 7th grade students,
who will be traveling to H-E-B Foundation Free Camps in Leakey, Texas, from January
24th-26th. Our 7th grade team will share an overview of the agenda, review medication
procedures, explain the packing list, and answer questions.  If you are unable to attend the
meeting, please email David Nungaray, at dnungaray1@saisd.net to set up an alternate time
to review the meeting material.


Have a great week!


Best,
Kathy Bieser

Sunday, January 7th, 2018


Happy New Year!


Although Monday is a student holiday, over forty 8th-11th grade students are electing to to

participate in the Model United Nations San Antonio conference on Monday and Tuesday,
after having spent the semester preparing and researching their assigned country. We are
excited to send students to the event again this year, and we thank teacher and sponsor
Meghan Harrington for her efforts.


Thursday at 4am, 28 of our 6th - 11th grade theatre students and family members will be
traveling to NYC.   During their trip, they will see two Broadway plays, attend a discussion
with the cast of Come From Away and a theatre workshop with actors from Aladdin . The
students  will  return late Monday evening.   It is a trip full of New York historical sightseeing
and the world of theatre.  We wish them safe travels.


On Friday, our PK-3 classrooms will take class photos during the school day. Students may
wear free dress for their photos. Please look on SeeSaw for additional information and you
may contact the office with questions.


As we head into the second semester, we are sharing our Uniform Information and Free Dress
Dates again for review as we head back to school after the break. We do ask that all students
bide by our guidelines and recognize that free dress is only on specified days: school photo days
and the first Friday of the month: January 12th (due to holidays), February 9th, March 2nd,
April 6th, May 4th. Additionally, jeans (with no tears or holes) can be worn on Fridays only.
Thank you for helping us out with this.


Looking ahead, Monday, January 15, 2017 is a student and staff holiday in observance of
Martin Luther King Day.  


Finally, on Wednesday, January 17, we are holding a required pre-trip parent/guardian
meeting at 6 pm in the cafeteria for the families of our 7th grade students, who will be
traveling to H-E-B Foundation Free Camps in Leakey, Texas, from January 24-26. While at
the camp, students will participate in outdoor adventure activities such as kayaking, hiking,
high ropes, archery, and much more! Our 7th grade team will share an overview of the agenda,
review medication procedures, explain the packing list, and answer questions.  If you are
unable to attend the meeting, please email David Nungaray, at dnungaray1@saisd.net to set up
an alternate time to review the meeting material.


Have a wonderful week!


Sincerely,
Kathy Bieser