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Hello Families! 馃尭馃悵
I hope you are enjoying this long weekend and the 馃棑锔廱eginning of April. The end of the school year is less than two months away and as a reminder, don't forget to 鉁嶐煆籸egister your children for next year.
Also鈥︷煋 the annual school climate survey for families is available until April 14.
馃棑锔廌uring this month we will be telling stories in鉁 honor of Arab American Heritage Month. And in this edition you will meet a student who graduated 馃帗from Anderson High School 馃彨and is now a freshman at Harvard University.
馃捇Keep reading for information on a series of virtual workshops on autism that Vela is offering this month in conjunction with 馃彨馃崕果冻传媒app ISD.
馃帀Congratulations to the finalists of 馃崕"Teacher of the Year 2023"!
And last but not least, a reminder that 馃棑锔廠aturday, April 15 is the Boldly Go! Teacher Career Fair. 馃捈
Now let's get started....
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Family Newsletter
By Nayeli Santoyo & Collaborators听鈼徧Apr 07, 2023
Smart Brevity庐 count: 5 mins...1383 words
Hello Families! 馃尭馃悵
I hope you are enjoying this long weekend and the 馃棑锔廱eginning of April. The end of the school year is less than two months away and as a reminder, don't forget to 鉁嶐煆籸egister your children for next year.
馃棑锔廌uring this month we will be telling stories in鉁 honor of Arab American Heritage Month. And in this edition you will meet a student who graduated 馃帗from Anderson High School 馃彨and is now a freshman at Harvard University.
馃捇Keep reading for information on a series of virtual workshops on autism that Vela is offering this month in conjunction with 馃彨馃崕果冻传媒app ISD.
馃帀Congratulations to the finalists of 馃崕"Teacher of the Year 2023"!
And last but not least, a reminder that 馃棑锔廠aturday, April 15 is the . 馃捈
Now let's get started....
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1 Big thing: Interim Superintendent Segura taps 馃崕馃彨Teacher of the Year finalists馃弳
On Thursday, April 6, Interim Superintendent Matias Segura and other district leaders visited four schools to surprise the馃弳 finalists for 馃崕馃彨果冻传媒app ISD Teacher of the Year 2023.听
Why it matters: Each year each 果冻传媒app ISD campus selects a Teacher of the Year who exemplifies excellence in teaching and commitment to the district鈥檚 mission, vision, and values.听馃
听馃摚Who they are: There are four finalists for Teacher of the Year 2023.听听
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Carey Conner, an 馃帹 art teacher at , has been with 果冻传媒app ISD for 11 years. Conner focuses on connecting her students to the community and creating a community in her classroom.听
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Jose Sanchez, a 馃摉 social studies teacher at , has been with 果冻传媒app ISD for 10 years. Sanchez has made it his goal to help students understand how history has shaped them and how their future will be determined by their current actions.听
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Samantha Marion, 馃帓special education and life skills transition teacher at, has been with the district for 10 years. Marion鈥檚 goal is to ensure that her students graduate from high school with the resources necessary to be an active member of their family and community.
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听Megan Vasquez, 馃憻physical education teacher at , has been with 果冻传媒app ISD for 12 years. Her goal is to help students live a healthy, happy, and active life.
What鈥檚 next: 馃The winners will be announced at Salute on Wednesday, May 10 at the 果冻传媒app ISD 馃幁 Performing Arts Center.听
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2. Local non-profit Vela provides free resources, support for families of children with disabilities 馃捇
With tears in her eyes, Maria Saucedo becomes emotional talking about what her son Jose means to her.鉂わ笍
鈥淗e is an angel to me鈥. He has come to change my life because we have struggled, but I don't know what I would do without him," Maria says.
Seeking help: 馃攷Looking for help to understand and support Jose, Maria found out about the local organization Vela through a friend and 馃摫social media.
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Since he was 3 years old, Jose has been diagnosed with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (commonly known as ADHD), language challenges and other disabilities. Jose is now a 10th grader at .
Why it matters: 馃摚Vela, a non-profit organization established in 2011, offers free learning courses for families of children with disabilities. Vela鈥檚 vision is to create a community where all families of children with disabilities thrive.
Struggling with a diagnosis: Before connecting with the Vela community, Maria says she felt depressed, not knowing how to help Jose or what his future would be.
听"More than anything [Vela] gave me the tools," said Maria, adding that Vela classes taught her about Jose鈥檚 rights at school and how to be more organized with his education and medical files. "I learned to understand that I am not alone, that there are more parents who are going through a similar situation.鈥
Get connected: Vela, in collaboration with 果冻传媒app ISD鈥檚 Special Education department, is offering a free series of workshops in April for families that have a child with autism.
Questions? 鉂For more information please contact liena.deleon@austinisd.org.
Go deeper: Visit Vela鈥檚 website for their of free, virtual & interactive parent courses on autism, special education, caregiver wellness and transition to adulthood for disabled youths.
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3. From Lady Bird Lake 馃浂 to the Charles River, 果冻传媒app ISD graduate embraces Harvard 馃帗
As 果冻传媒app ISD celebrates Arab American Heritage Month, we profile Anderson High grad and Harvard freshman Aseel Rawashdeh.
The first thing Aseel Rawashdeh plans to do the next time she鈥檚 home in 果冻传媒app is go to Chuy鈥檚 for some refried beans. 馃尞 鈥淭hey鈥檙e probably not authentic,鈥 says the 18-year-old as she chuckles. 鈥淏ut they are delicious!鈥
Reminders of home: Rawashdeh is an 果冻传媒app ISD-graduate-turned--freshman. And Chuy鈥檚 is just one of the many Texas things she misses: H-E-B, 馃浂 kayaking on Lady Bird Lake, and especially her family, friends and former teachers at. 鈥淪ome weren鈥檛 even my teachers,鈥 she says, 鈥淏ut they were always helping me with my labs and stuff.鈥 鈿楋笍
Inspiration: Rawashdeh loves celebrating Arab American women; in particular, those who are scientists. 鈥淚 want to become that person,鈥 she says.听
STEM path: What kind of scientist will she be? That鈥檚 currently a mystery but 鈥 as a freshman - she still has time to decide. Her heart 鈾ワ笍 is divided between biology 馃敩 and statistics. 鈥淥n the days I struggle with math, I think I鈥檒l major in biology 鈥 and vice versa!鈥
Ramadan in New England: Living so far from home in Boston 馃寖 is a big transition, particularly during Ramadan.
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Traditionally, during Ramadan, Rawashdeh 鈥 whose roots are Palestinian and Jordanian - would fast from sunrise 馃寘 to sunset and break her fast with a family meal. 馃嵔锔
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At her new home she is becoming friends with people of many backgrounds. Her old traditions are now infused with new colors. At times, something as simple as greeting other Arab Americans becomes a delightful discovery of new phrases from other parts of the world. 馃審
Go deeper: is a month of fasting (refraining from food or drink) from sunrise to sunset for members of the Muslim community. This year Ramadan runs from March 22 to April 21. 馃搯
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4. National expert, parents discuss post-pandemic鈿曪笍 education馃彨
Dr. Jesus Amaya, a nationally recognized education researcher 馃攷and author of 35 books 馃摎on education and parent-child relationships, spoke with parent leaders and UpClose program participants this week about the aftermath of the pandemic and how to help children move forward successfully.
Dr. Amaya and parents discussed post-pandemic mental health 鈿曪笍and how discipline, technology 馃摫and other factors affected children during and after the pandemic.听
鈥淩espect and firmness are two things we need to use with our children today,鈥 said Amaya, adding that these elements can help parents navigate many situations with their children.听
about Dr. Amaya.
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6. Rounding up the news馃摪馃棡锔
(果冻传媒app FC Communications)
(Statesman)
(FOX 7)
(KVUE)
(KXAN)
(KXAN)
(Statesman)
(Texas Tribune)
(KUT)
(KVUE)
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Nayeli is excited to see her family 馃洭馃Сvisiting from 馃嚥馃嚱M茅xico this weekend. They will be visiting 果冻传媒app馃 for the first time and only for a couple of days.
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