AUGUST 2018 VOLUME 11 ISSUE 8 14th Annual Bat Fest – August 18th, 2018 What will you see at Bat Fest this year? 1.5 million Mexican free- 2 complimentary drink tickets* for any adult beverage served at the tailed bats emerging from under the bridge at dusk, 2 stages with live bar (adult beverages can be purchased after drink tickets are used), 1 music, more than 50 arts & crafts vendors, delicious food and drinks, food voucher for the backstage catering area, water and soda. *Must fun children’s activities, a bat costume contest and other bat activities. be 21 or older to consume beer, wine, or liquor in Texas. Rain or Location: Congress Ave Bridge Shine event. Refunds and rescheduling are not possible. Address: 100 South Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78704 About the Bats: Hours: 4pm to Midnight Because bats are wild animals, it is hard to predict exactly when Cost: Admission $15 early bird while they last , $20 cash at the the emergence will begin but the flight usually begins between gate. Kids 8 and under free with an adult. 7:00 – 8:45 p.m. For current emergence times call 512-327- VIP Tickets: Price $140 early bird , $200 regular price. 9721 EX16. The emergence can last up to ½ hour as 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats head out for their nightly flight. Want to be in the front row? Get a VIP ticket. It includes access to VIP only designated areas featuring front row standing area at Bat Costume Contest: the main stage in the Austin American Statesman parking lot, also a Prize is $100 for Best Adult Costume and $100 for best children's front row area at the North Bridge stage, private restrooms, a tented costume. Participants will be lined up on Stage, and the crowd will be backstage area with seating and tables near main stage, a voucher to asked to yell for the costume they like the best. Originality is encouraged. be used at the official event merchandise booth for any event t-shirt by Roadway Productions available, reserved VIP parking in the nearby TXDOT lot, a private For additional information visit cash bar with the only mixed drinks available at the festival including http://www.roadwayevents.com/event/bat-fest/ Back-to-School Tips for Parents By PBS.org Starting the new school back-to-school fears is “Will I like my new teacher?” Breaking the ice year can be a time of great early on is one of the best ways to calm everyone’s fears. Take advantage excitement… and anxiety. of your school’s open house or back-to-school night. Some teachers Help calm your child’s fears welcome phone calls or e-mails — another great opportunity to get (and your own) with these to know each other before the year begins. teacher-approved tips. If personal contact with the teacher isn’t possible, try locating the teacher’s picture on a school website or in a yearbook, so your Meet the new child can put a name with a face. If your child’s teacher sends a teacher. welcome letter, be sure to read the letter together. For kids, one of the biggest (Continued on Page 2) Copyright © 2018 Peel, Inc. The Gazette - August 2018 1 (Continued from Cover) IMPORTANT NUMBERS Tour the school. EMERGENCY NUMBERS If your school hosts an open house, be sure to go. Familiarizing EMERGENCY .......................................................... 911 your child with her environment will help her avoid a nervous Fire ............................................................................. 911 stomach on the first day. Together you can meet her teacher, Ambulance ................................................................. 911 find her desk, or explore the playground. Sheriff – Non-Emergency ...........................512-974-0845 With an older child, you might ask him to give you a tour of the school. This will help refresh his memory and yours. SCHOOLS Elementary Connect with friends. Clayton ...................................................512-841-9200 A familiar friend can make all the difference when heading Kiker .......................................................512-414-2584 back to school. You might try calling parents from last year’s Mills .......................................................512-841-2400 class and finding out which children are in your child’s class Patton .....................................................512-414-1780 this year. Refresh these relationships before school starts by Middle scheduling a play date or a school carpool. Bailey ......................................................512-414-4990 Small .......................................................512-841-6700 Tool up. Gorzycki .................................................512-841-8600 Obtain the class supply list and take a special shopping High School trip with your child. Having the right tools will help him feel Austin .....................................................512-414-2505 prepared. While keeping basic needs in mind, allow for a couple Bowie ......................................................512-414-5247 of splurges like a cool notebook or a favorite-colored pen. These simple pleasures make going back to school a lot more fun. UTILITIES School supply lists also provide great insight into the Water/Wastewater schoolwork ahead. Get your child excited about upcoming City of Austin............................................512-972-0101 projects by explaining how new supplies might be used. Let City of Austin (billing) ............................. 512-494-9400 him practice using supplies that he’s not used before — such Emergency ................................................512-972-1000 as colored pencils or a protractor — so he will be comfortable Texas State Gas using them in class. Customer Service ...................................1-800-700-2443 Gas related emergency ............................1-800-959-5325 Avoid last-minute drilling. Pedernales Electric Cooperative When it’s almost time to stop playing, give a five-minute New service, billing ...................................512-219-2602 warning. Giving clear messages to your child is very important. Problems ...................................................512-219-2628 ATT/SBC Telephone Chat about today’s events and New Service ...........................................1-800-288-2020 tomorrow’s plans. Repair ....................................................1-800-246-8464 While it is important to support learning throughout the Billing ....................................................1-800-288-2020 summer, don’t spend the last weeks of summer vacation Allied Waste ...............................................512-247-5647 reviewing last year’s curriculum. All kids need some down time Time Warner Cable ....................................512-485-5555 before the rigors of school begin. For some kids, last-minute OTHER NUMBERS drills can heighten anxiety, reminding them of what they’ve Oak Hill Postal Station ............................1-800-275-8777 forgotten instead of what they remember. City of Austin Ease into the routine. Dead Animal Collection ............................512-494-9400 Switching from a summer to a school schedule can be stressful Abandoned/Disabled Vehicles ...................512-974-8119 to everyone in the household. Avoid first-day-of-school mayhem Stop Sign Missing/Damaged .....................512-974-2000 by practicing your routine a few days in advance. Set the alarm Street Light Outage (report pole#).............512-505-7617 clock, go through your morning rituals, and get in the car or to NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER the bus stop on time. Routines help children feel comfortable, Peel, Inc. ............................................ 512-263-9181 and establishing a solid school routine will make the first day Article Submissions [email protected] of school go much smoother. Advertising [email protected] 2 The Gazette - August 2018 Copyright © 2018 Peel, Inc. Austin Independent School District 2018-2019 School Calendar Grade Reporting Periods July 2018 District Closed: July 2 - 6 S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S August 2018 July 2018 January 2019 6-9 New Teacher Orientation 13-15 Staff Development 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 16-17 Planning & Prep 12 20 First Day of Classes 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 6 7 8 9 10 11 September 2018 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 3 Student & Staff Holiday - Labor Day 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 October 2018 29 30 31 27 28 29 30 31 8 Student Holiday - Elem. Parent Conference; Secondary Staff Development August 2018 February 2019 November 2018 19-23 Thanksgiving Holiday 1 2 3 4 1 2 December 2018 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 3 4 5 6 7 8] 9 21 Winter Break Begins 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 January 2019 17 18 + 19 20 21 22 23 2 Student Holiday - Staff Development / Professional 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Learning Exchange Day 26 27 28 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 3-4 Student Holiday - Staff Development / Campus Identified District of Innovation Days 7 Classes Resume September 2018 March 2019 21 Student & Staff Holiday - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 1 1 2 February 2019 18 Student Holiday - Elem. Parent Conference; 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Secondary Staff Development 12 1st Bad Weather Makeup Day 9 10 11 13 14 15 10 11 12 13 14 15} 16 March 2019 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 18-22 Spring Break 23 24 25 26 27 28] 29 24 25 26 27 28 29] 30 April 2019 30 31 19 Student Holiday - Staff Development October 2018 April 2019 2nd Bad Weather Makeup Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 May 2019 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 24 Last Day of Classes 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 27 Staff Holiday - Memorial Day 14 15 16 17 18 19} 20 14 15 16 17 18 19+ 20 28 Staff Development 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 29 Planning & Prep / Professional Learning Exchange 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Day 28 29 30 31 28 29 30 Legend November 2018 May 2019 Student/Staff Holiday Planning & Prep/ Student Holiday 1}] 2] 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Staff Development/ First / Last 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Student Holiday Day of Classes 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Student Holiday - 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 ]} 25 Elem.