Community Update: Sunday, December 4, 2016

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

We have a few reminders and updates regarding arrival and dismissal procedures at ALA on Euclid and ALA at Fox Tech. Students may be dropped off beginning at 7:30 a.m. on both campuses. Prior to 7:30 a.m., there is no adult supervision for students.  If your K-5 family arrives after 8:30 a.m., we ask that you park and walk your child to the front office to check-in.  We ask that students be picked up promptly after dismissal: 3:45 p.m. at ALA on Euclid and 4:00 p.m. at ALA at Fox Tech. As a reminder, after school care is available at both campuses and families may still enroll their children. The after school care extends to grade 8 at ALA at Fox Tech. If middle school students need to stay at school later than the 4-4:15 dismissal period for pick-up, we ask that families enroll them in after school care with our YMCA partners.  Families may contact the main office for more information.

Our 7th/8th grade boys soccer and 7th/8th girls basketball seasons are under way. Our soccer team plays Monday, December 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the SAISD Sports Complex while our girls basketball team takes the court on Saturday, December 10 at 10:00 a.m. at MLK Academy. Best of luck to both teams and Coaches Sarah Merschat (3rd grade teacher) and Rachel McDonald (4th/5th grade teacher)!  

ALA on Euclid will travel to the Lila Cockrell Theater on Monday, December 5 to see the Holiday Laser Light Show. Students studied light last week in their classes and even created their own rainbows using plastic cups, straws, mirrors, and sunlight. Students will get a lunch from the cafeteria when they return and will eat in their classrooms. Our 4th/5th grade students will also be attending the show on Tuesday, December 5 and information is posted on the 4th/5th grade blog: The Commons.

ALA students were awarded a Spurs Team Up Challenge grant to help find ways to support the homeless in San Antonio. They are holding a winter clothing drive at the Fox Tech campus. Congratulations to sponsor Rachel McDonald and our community- oriented students!

Dr. Linda Vargas, ALA guidance counselor at the Fox Tech campus, asked me to share these Class of 2020 Upcoming Pre-College Events for students and parents/guardians.

Finally, progress reports were sent home on Friday to our K-3 families and will go home this week on the Fox Tech campus for students in grades 4-7.

Stay warm this week!

Kathy Bieser

Community Update: November 27, 2016

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

During this time of thanksgiving we are reminded that our new school and all we have been able to accomplish in our first three months rely on the tremendous support of families and community partners. In the last thirteen weeks, we have launched and executed interdisciplinary projects leading to our Fall Festival at Euclid, the Cardboard Arcade Night at our Fox Tech campus, student presentations on how to make our school more energy efficient, and student awards at the Speak Up! Speak Out! Civics Fair in the State Capitol, where our 4th & 5th grade students won three of the eight awards while competing against 6th grade students. We have also participated in field trips to the San Antonio Museum of Art, the Institute of Texan Cultures, San Anto Cultural Arts, San Antonio Zoo, Trinity University’s Center for the Sciences and Innovation, Mission San Jose, San Antonio Public Library, to Trinity University to view Fancy Nancy’s Madame Butterfly ballet, and traveled to H-E-B Foundation Free Camp in Leakey, Texas for our very first overnight field trip. Our fine arts team organized a fall musical and dance showcase, Open Studio Art Night, and our middle and high school theater students will be leaving on Wednesday for the Texas Theatre Conference in Dallas. To the families, parents, and guardians who share the gift of time, ideas, and resources we thank you for your generosity and commitment to our school and our students.

We are looking forward to an even better spring semester!

Sincerely,

Kathy Bieser

Community Update: Sunday, November 13, 2016

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

Last Friday,  ALA on Euclid hosted a Fall Festival designed, organized and run by our K-3 students. The carnival displayed cardboard carnival games that were colorful and interactive for the whole community.  There were colorful and creative games like a stuffed animal photo booth, sack races, a confetti water dunking booth, and much more.  Over the course of the unit leading up to the event, students explored the driving question: How do we create an event that brings our community together? Congratulations to all of the students on their hard work and creativity to bring our community together!

A reminder that Wednesday, November 16th will be the fourth of six early release days this year.  Our K-3 students will  be dismissed at 1:15 PM while our 4th-10th grade students will be dismissed at 1:30 PM.  All magnet buses will run immediately after dismissal at 1:15 PM or 1:30 PM. The after school programs on both campuses will begin at their regularly scheduled time. Students attending the after school programs will be supervised by campus faculty until the programs begin at the normal time.

On Friday, November 18th, our 4th and 5th grade Speak Up! Speak Out! Finalists will travel to Austin and the Texas State Capitol to compete.  Congratulations to all of the students on a successful first round.  Best of luck to our advancing students and our dedicated teachers!

Finally, we have created a new tradition at ALA: Turkey Day! It is a way to celebrate the last day before the break. You may review the Google presentation linked above for all Turkey Day guidelines. We return from Thanksgiving Break on Monday, November 28.  We wish all our ALA families a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Kathy Bieser

Community Update: November 6, 2016

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

The 2017-2018 Application for SAISD Magnet and Specialized Schools, including the Advanced Learning Academy, was launched last week on the SAISD homepage.  Families may learn more about the many options available HERE and access the application for enrollment for the 17-18 school year HERE.

Students will be accepted to ALA through a lottery system. In order to be eligible for the ALA Lottery, a potential student only needs to fully complete an application and submit it by the January 31, 2017, deadline.  Next year, we will welcome an additional 60 Pre-Kindergarten and 60 Kindergarten families to ALA on Euclid. Additionally, we will be taking a small number of students in grades 1-11 based on available seats.  Pre-Kindergarten seats at ALA will be provided on a tuition basis to students who do not meet the Texas Education Agency eligibility requirements to attend Pre-Kindergarten for free. For enrollment in the 17-18 school year, siblings of current Advanced Learning Academy students will be given automatic admission if seats in the grade are available after controlling for in-district and out-of-district ratios. Although siblings of current students may be granted automatic admission if seats are available, they must submit an application by the deadline in order to be eligible. We are in the process of finalizing informational sessions for prospective students and families that we will share on our website and through my blog. Current students do not need to apply to secure a seat for the 17-18 school year.  

Monday, November 6th, ALA at Euclid will host a ceremony honoring veterans in our community. Families are invited to attend the 10:00 a.m. ceremony and encouraged to arrive no later than 9:40 a.m. to give ample time to park, check-in and get settled in the gymnasium.

On Tuesday, our 8th-10th grade students depart for a three-day travel experience

to H-E-B Foundation Free Camps in Leakey, Texas. I will be traveling with our students and will have very limited access to email and the internet at the camp. In my absence, families may contact ALA at Euclid Assistant Principal Beth Koennecke (FMORROWKOENNECKE1@saisd.net) or ALA at Fox Tech Assistant Principal David Nungaray(dnungaray1@saisd.net) for anything that requires immediate assistance. Although the internet at the top of camp may be limited, I will try to post short updates for our 8th-10th grade families on Ms. Bieser’s Blog.

On Wednesday, our 4th & 5th grade students will present their Speak Up! Speak Out! projects from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at ALA at Fox Tech during our Civics Fair. Students have been working in small groups to identify community problems and create innovative solutions before presenting their findings. Community judges will be joining us to give students feedback and to select the finalists who will attend a fair on November 18 at the Texas State Capitol building. Families are invited to join our 4th & 5th grade students as we celebrate with learning and creative solutions!

All of our K-10 students will be voting on school names this week at school. The vote will narrow the list of names to a few finalists who will present to a SAISD committee, which will make the final recommendation to the SAISD school board. We will share the finalists in next week’s update after the voting is completed!

Finally, a complete listing of the Community and Principal’s Coffee can be accessed HERE. The document will be continually updated as we confirm special presentations for each coffee.

Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Kathy Bieser

Community Update: October 30, 2016

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

Yesterday, ALA art teacher, Sonya Castro, along with students and families gathered at MuertosFest to create an altar (linked) in honor

of Dia de los Muertos. The ALA altar remains on display in La Villita throughout the day for families and other community members to visit.  Families may also support and celebrate the work of our students by voting for our altar HERE. Congratulations to our young artists and Mrs. Castro on their fine work!

Last week, report cards were sent home with our 4th-10th grade students for parents to review students’ progress. Along with the report cards, students’ fall MAP data and a Quick Reference Guide in English/Spanish were attached.  Teachers will be analyzing the data to see the progress of individual students, and the class as a whole, allowing the teachers  to make instructional adjustments based on student needs.  We are also attaching A Parent’s Guide to MAP for more detailed information regarding the test, data, and how teachers and schools use the MAP information to improve teaching and learning.

We are holding a required pre-trip meeting on Wednesday, November 2nd at 6 pm in the Fox Tech campus cafeteria for the families of our 8th-10th grade students who will be traveling to H-E-B Foundation Free Camps in Leakey, Texas from November 8-11. While at the camp, students will investigate and apply the laws governing motions in a variety of real world situations including archery, soccer, and much more! Our secondary math and science teachers 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 Amanda Chapman at achapman1@saisd.net to set up an alternate time to review the meeting material with one of the teachers. Finally, we are looking for male chaperones to accompany the group. You may email Ms. Chapman at the address above for more information about volunteering.

On Thursday, our secondary students in the Let’s Build It elective class are hosting an Arcade Game Night from 5-6 pm for our 4th and 5th grade. Using their cardboard arcade games, created using the design thinking process, the class will run the arcade for the younger students complete with tickets and prizes. Students and families are encouraged to attend!

Finally, this week is homecoming on the Fox Tech campus. Students at ALA at Fox Tech may celebrate following these Homecoming week themes.

Have a wonderful week.

Sincerely,

Kathy Bieser

Our Altar at La Villita!

Community Update: October 16, 2016

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

Our Fox Tech campus is hosting several exciting events open to all K-10 families this week.  First, families are invited to an Open Studio Art Night on Tuesday, October 18  from 5:30-7:00 PM in the cafeteria.  Students and families are invited to spend an evening making art with cardboard. Along with ALA faculty, representatives from Luminaria, Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum,, San Antonio Museum of Art, Southwest School of Art, Artpace,  San Antonio Public Library, and Bibliotech will be present for families to learn about upcoming unique programs and opportunities. We hope to see many of there!

On Wednesday, October 19, SAISD will host a community meeting at Fox Tech at 6:00 PM to provide information and answer questions about the November 8th Bond and Tax Ratification Elections.  All of our ALA families are encouraged to attend and review the SAISD webpage for more information.

We also invite all families to join us at An Evening with the Fox Tech and Advanced Learning Academy Fine Arts on Thursday, October 20, as the arts once again take center stage. The evening will feature a variety of performances from 6:00-10:00 PM in the Fine Arts Building.

Switching gears, after last week’s early release, the entire ALA faculty gathered at ALA on Euclid to share our professional successes thus far and identify the factors that led to those success.  While our school is still in its infancy, we celebrated the many ways that our design principles and commitments are being put into practice in the service of students.

Friday, October 21 will be the third of six early release days this year.  Our K-3 students will  be dismissed at 1:15 PM while our 4th-10th grade students will be dismissed at 1:30 PM.  All magnet buses will run immediately after dismissal at 1:15 PM or 1:30 PM. The after school programs on both campuses will begin at their regularly scheduled time. Students attending the after school programs will be supervised by campus faculty until the programs begin at the normal time.

Finally, a reminder that our  first Principal’s Coffee will be held at the Fox Tech campus at 9:00-9:45 AM on Friday, October 21.  Families are invited to attend the coffee meetings to hear campus updates.

Sincerely,

Kathy Bieser

Community Update: October 9, 2016

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

Several of our students and teachers across both campuses enjoyed this weekend’s cooler weather during Chalk It Up,  the San Antonio annual art event sponsored by our neighbors at Artpace. Our students, under the guidance of art teacher, Sonya Castro, created a beautiful solar system themed piece.

Looking ahead, we are pleased to invite our K-10th grade families to an Open Studio Art Night on Tuesday, October 18  from 5:30-7:00 pm at our Fox Tech campus.  Students and families are invited to spend an evening letting their imagination run wild as they explore making art with cardboard.  

Wednesday, October 12th, is the second of six early release days this year.  Our K-3 students will once again be dismissed at 1:15pm while our 4th-10th grade students will be dismissed at 1:30pm.  All magnet buses will run immediately after dismissal at 1:15pm or 1:30pm. The after school programs on both campuses will begin at their regularly scheduled time. Students attending the after school programs will be supervised by campus faculty until the programs begin at the normal time. We will send home an after school care attendance form on Monday for the parents of students staying late. On the form, you will be able to indicate if your child will be attending after school care or if you plan to change the normal dismissal procedure. You may access a complete listing of the early release days HERE.

This Thursday, October 13th, our Fox Tech campus (4th-10th) will host an Open House and School Naming Exhibition beginning at 6 pm.  Families will have the opportunity to meet with teachers, learn about upcoming curriculum and projects, and join the newly created campus PTSA.  We encourage you to park in the large lot by the gymnasium and look for signs on where to report based on your student's(s’) grade-level. We look forward to seeing you on Thursday!

Our first Principal’s Coffee will be held at the Fox Tech campus at 9-9:45 am on Friday, October 21.  Families are invited to attend the coffee meetings to hear campus updates and various presentations.  You may access a  full listing of Principal’s Coffee Meetings HERE.  The document will be continually updated as we confirm special presentations for each coffee.

The gifted and talented referral window is open until October 14th. After October 14th, we are unable to accept any referrals. All 1st and 5th grade students will be assessed using a universal screener. If you plan to recommend your child for testing, please let your child’s teacher know as soon as possible so that the teacher can send home a referral form. If you are new to SAISD, and your child was previously enrolled in another school district and identified in that district as GT, please email Beth Koennecke at fmorrowkoennecke1@saisd.net no later than Wednesday, October 12th.

Finally, our theater program is seeking donations for their upcoming performance of Alice In Wonderland (December 1st-4th).  If you are able to contribute any items on this Donation List, they may be dropped off at the Fox Tech campus.

Have a great week!

Kathy Bieser

School Updates: October 5, 2016

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

We have three quick updates to share with you this afternoon.

1. ALA at Fox Tech (grades 4-10) will hold its open house on Thursday, October 13 beginning at 6pm.

2. Progress Reports for students in grades K-3 were sent home yesterday. 

3. Progress Reports for students in grades 4-10 will be sent home on Friday.

Have a great afternoon! 

Kathy Bieser

Community Update: September 25, 2016

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Dear Advanced Learning Academy Families,

Yesterday, I spent the morning at Martin Luther King Academy cheering on our combined 7th & 8th grade girls volleyball team to victory--the very first volleyball win in the history of our school!  In addition to girls volleyball, the Academy Sports League, new this year, offers 7th & 8th grade Advanced Learning Academy students the opportunity to participate in the following team sports:  boys and girls basketball, cross country, soccer, and track. Our ALA teams will compete against other SAISD academies on Saturdays throughout the school year and a complete listing of fall games can be found on the Advanced Learning Academy Community Calendar posted on our webpage.

Tomorrow, we have three events happening with students on the Fox Tech campus. First, we are hosting a College Fair from 11:30 a.m. -1:15 p.m. for our high school students. Over 30+ schools will be in attendance! Second, our 8th, 9th, and 10th grade students are taking a field trip to Trinity University to investigate how the new science building at the university was designed. This field trip, which our 6th and 7th grade students will take on Tuesday, will help students with their final proposals about how to make our campus more energy efficient.  Third, math teacher David Loredo has organized an optional field trip to Trinity University to listen to a science presentation  on gravitational waves.  Many thanks to our teachers and counseling staff who helped to make all these events possible!

On Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. in the Fox Tech cafeteria, we will hold a meeting to provide information about organizing a PTA. Sylvia Reyna, Texas PTA Vice President of Programs and Resources, will be present at the meeting to provide information about PTA and how PTA supports our children and school.  PTA/PTSA is a grassroots association made up of parents, teachers, students and community members who have a special interest in children, families and schools. On Wednesday, we will be voting for the following PTSA officer positions:

President – Presides at regular and executive board meetings.  Acts as representative for the PTA at the council, state and national level.  Coordinates work of board members and many “unassigned” duties.   

1st Vice President – Aide – Assists the president, officers and committee chairman.   

2nd Vice President – Fundraising – Organizes all fundraisers, serves on disbursement and budget committee.

3rd Vice President – Programs  - Arranges all program speakers and/or activities for regular meetings.

4th Vice President – Membership  - Coordinates membership drives and submits paperwork to state.

Secretary – Records the minutes of the regular and executive board meetings.  Makes reminder calls to executive committee members.   

Treasurer – Keeps an accurate and complete account of money received and spent, writes checks, balances the checkbook, prepares monthly financial statements and fills out tax forms.  

If you are interested in serving as a PTSA officer, please plan to attend the meeting on Wednesday. If you are unable to attend on Wednesday, you may also email your name and the position you would like to be considered for to Mary Jane Segovia at msegovia13@saisd.net no later than noon on Wednesday.  

Looking ahead, school portraits are scheduled for ALA at Euclid on Thursday, October 6th and for ALA at Fox Tech on Friday, October 7th. More information will be sent home soon.

Finally, parents may bring treats for their child’s birthday, but please be aware that children in school may have allergies to certain food products. Therefore, it is important to discuss this with your child’s teacher prior to bringing any food. Per district policy, all snacks must be store bought and individually wrapped or packaged. We also encourage families to consider bringing healthy treats and goodies for these celebrations!

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Kathy Bieser