PFLASA Mentoring Needs Your Help

by Newsletter Comment Closed

The PFLASA Application Mentoring program is gearing up for the upcoming application window and we need many volunteers. Please consider joining our team.

We provide students with access to adults who have the understanding of the application process and can help edit essay questions and discuss the COGAT. We go to Title 1 middle schools in AISD at various weekly times. Your commitment would be weekly from late-November until early Feb when applications are turned in. We will also need mentors for two Saturday Zoom sessions in January that are open to students city-wide.

There will be training offered in early November. If you are interested, please fill out this form.

Any questions, contact Emily Robson at mentoring@pflasa.org.

Calling all Johnston High School graduates

by Newsletter Comment Closed

The Raptor Library maintains the archives of Johnston High School and we’ve been working hard at conservation work on the beautiful scrapbooks and conducting oral history interviews with graduates. You can see our work at https://lasa.austinschools.org/aboutus/johnston-archives.

To continue this work Ms. Switek will be working with both sections of the AP Seminar class to conduct more oral history interviews, to digitize more materials, and to create files to accompany the scanned scrapbooks that will be searchable by name.

Please share this information far and wide as we try to get the word out to as many Johnston HS alumni as possible. We want to interview them (or you if you are a grad!). We’ll be conducting the interviews during the week of Nov. 11-15th. The Sign-Up Genius is here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040845A8A722AAFA7-52107045-johnston#/

LASA Baseball Needs Your Support!

by Newsletter Comment Closed

Each Fall, the LASA Baseball Booster Club raises money for essential improvements as we continue to build our young program. This year, we have a goal of raising $15,000 to help fund field improvements and maintenance equipment, a new pitching machine, and extra staff support. All donations are tax deductible, so please donate and share today! Campaign closes Oct 28. https://give.hellofund.com/pages/4JfVnpLG

We are also excited to announce our annual poinsettia sale! Now through Nov 8, players are taking orders for these beautiful, festive plants. Our plants come from Down Home Ranch in Elgin, TX. Down Home Ranch provides social, educational, residential, and vocational opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Residents work in the greenhouses, planting and caring for the poinsettias. Plants cost $15 each, and will be delivered on Nov 20. Visit https://tinyurl.com/RaptorPlants to place your order!

A Few Quick Notes from PFLASA

by Newsletter Comment Closed

No meeting to recap but PFLASA is always busy. On PSAT day PFLASA stepped up to provide coffee and bagels for the teachers. Special shout out to Jenna Martin for making this happen! This week our Appreciation Chairs and volunteers gave out thank you gifts to our bus drivers. Mentoring is ramping up with dates for training sessions out. Plus, we will soon be helping LASA at recruiting events. And the Auction is coming!! I’ll have more on this later.

Our next meeting is this Friday, October 25th at 8:15am in the PFLASA portable. Please note there are only three more PFLASA meetings this calendar year. Due to calendar constraints, PFLASA will only have one meeting in November & December.

Finally, please go vote. Early voting started Monday and goes through November 1st (a day off so you can drag your student to watch democracy in action). And this weekend is the only weekend to vote.

Regards,
Ellen Stewart-Klein, PFLASA President

LASA Homecoming Mums & Garters

by Newsletter Comment Closed

🎉 **Join the Texas Tradition: Homecoming Mums and Garters!** 🎉

Get ready to celebrate homecoming in style with our stunning, handcrafted mums and garters! A cherished Texas tradition, these beautiful floral creations are not just for decoration—they’re a symbol of school spirit and community pride. Each of them is uniquely designed, featuring ribbons, trinkets, and our LASA school colors, making them the perfect accessory for the big game!

By purchasing a mum or garter, you’re not only embracing this beloved custom but also supporting our cheer team! Proceeds from every sale help fund uniforms, travel, and activities for our talented cheerleaders.

Don’t miss out—show your spirit and make a difference in our community! Order your homecoming mum or garter today and let’s cheer our team to victory! 🌟🏈💜

Oct 30th is the deadline to order. Students can pick up on Oct. 31 during lunch in the cafeteria lobby.

Raptor Library parent help needed for events

by Newsletter Comment Closed

The Raptor Library will again host two beloved events this fall:

  • Halloween Costume Fashion Show on 10/31 when 60+ students and faculty will walk the runway
  • Cookie Challenge: teams of students use a variety of icings and fondant to decorate a cookie to look like a book cover, then the whole school is invited to vote on the winners.

The amount of students involved in both of these events is pretty phenomenal and so many adults are needed to help pull this off. Please think about helping out Ms. Switek. You can sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040845A8A722AAFA7-52200538-raptor

Announcing Raising Healthy Raptors Parent Support Groups!!

by Newsletter Comment Closed

PFLASA’s Raising Healthy Raptors Committee is so excited to announce the creation of a variety of support groups for adult parents and caregivers in the LASA community. Members in each topic group will arrange support meetings in the best ways that work for them through a dedicated email group.

Please Note: These groups will NOT be led by professional counselors. The current groups are listed below. If you would like to be added or would like to suggest an additional support group please reach out to wellness@pflasa.org.

  • Supporting Teens with Social Anxiety
  • Supporting Teens with Panic Disorder
  • Supporting Teens Struggling Academically
  • Supporting Neurodivergent Teens
  • Supporting Teens with ADHD
  • Supporting Teens with Learning Differences
  • Supporting Teens with Screen Addiction
  • Supporting Teens with Substance Use/Experimentation
  • Supporting Teens with Depression
  • Supporting Teens who Self-Injure
  • Supporting Teens with Suicidal Ideation/Attempts

Debate Needs a Trophy Case

by Newsletter Comment Closed

This is a bit of a long shot but the Debate Team could really use a case to house their beautiful and many trophies. Perhaps you happen to have one of these around and have been looking to get rid of it? Perhaps your hobby is making trophy cases and you would love to donate one? Before we look at spending money even for a repurposed one, I thought I would ask. Please email me at president@pflasa.org if you have any leads?

Thanks-Ellen Stewart-Klein, PFLASA President

PFLASA, PTSA, & Prop A

by Newsletter Comment Closed

Last Friday was a busy day in the PFLASA Portable but the actual PFLASA meeting was very short. I believe we clocked in under ten minutes. We approved minutes from our last four in-person meetings! We had a quick treasurer’s report. We are calling for volunteers for the Bus Driver Appreciation Event (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0F4FADA62CA1F94-52156341-busdriver#/).

And we desperately need volunteers for our application mentoring team. Not every child has the benefit of support figure that can help them figure out how to apply to LASA. To increase our diversity including economic status, LASA sends volunteers to various Title 1 middle schools. LASA also provides a couple of days on Zoom when anyone can get help. But to volunteer you need to be trained. If this sounds like something you can help with please email me at president@pflasa.org and I will get you connected with the Mentoring Chair.

After our speedy meeting, it was PTSA’s turn. PTSA is still in need of members. Please pay the minimal fee and join as a family. The size of our PTSA factors into our advocacy efforts: https://www.lasaptsa.org/

Then we got down to business with an informational presentation on Prop A from two trustees: Ofelia Zapata (District 2) and Lynn Boswell (District 5). AISD’s Prop A is a measure to increase the school system’s share of property taxes to the maximum percentage allowed by state law: https://www.lasaptsa.org/prop-a

I’m not here to tell you how to vote but as a Texas-Ex Government Major and as a current lawyer/constitutional law geek I am begging you to vote! If you care about education in AISD which includes LASA, please educate yourself on Prop A. It’s also important to know that AISD’s Prop A will be at the bottom of the ballot AND just to make things extra confusing Travis County also has a “Prop A” on the ballot.

And speaking of voting, LASA will be hosting an AISD Trustee Forum this Sunday, October 20th at 3 pm in the LASA Library. This event is a fantastic opportunity to hear and see (most) of the candidates. Again, I’m not advising anyone who to vote for but please come to the forum and then VOTE!! https://www.lasaptsa.org/trustee-forum

Next PFLASA Meeting 10/25 at 8:15am in the PFLASA Portable!

Regards,
Ellen Stewart-Klein
PFLASA President