Greetings from the PFLASA Grants Committee!

In this season of thankfulness and giving, we wanted to take a moment to say thank you to the LASA community for its support of and faith in PFLASA. With your financial support we were able to award $11,160 in grants since the beginning of the school year. The grant requests ranged from the professional development courses that lend to the excellence of LASA faculty, to worthy classroom, curriculum and activity needs. The LASA faculty and staff, and your support of PFLASA grants are what make LASA the exceptional school that it is. We thank you!

Warmest wishes to you for a fun and relaxing Winter Break!

Lisa Lyons and Sarah Grubert, PFLASA Grant Committee Co-Chairs
grants@pflasa.org


Want to know more about the joy you helped to spread?

  • TCEA AI Conference: This conference focused on understanding the impacts AI is having on our students, their information seeking behaviors, and how LASA can best address its use.
  • Mental Health Conference: The conference was geared to mental health professionals who work with children and how to enhance their skills when working with students.
  • ASL Conference: This conference focuses on the new ACTFL National Standards, teaching strategies, and networking with other schools.
  • College Board Forum: This LASA college counselor was asked to present at the Forum. College Board is one of the largest education nonprofits in the country and works heavily to enhance student learning, and it is honor to have a LASA counselor be asked to present.
  • Joint Mathematics Meeting in Seattle: This conference focuses on Calculus, Cryptography, Equity and Inclusion, Diff EQ, and Logic. Basically, everything this teacher teaches.
  • Data Science Education Conference: By attending this conference, this teacher will get to collaborate and share ideas with other educators in the emerging field of data science education. LASA’s data science course is one of the first of its kind, and this is possibly the only opportunity to get feedback from other experts in the field. The standards for what data science is, and what we should teach, are still being written, so this teacher will have an opportunity to shape the narrative, and better influence national and regional policy to match what our kids need.
  • Chemistry workbooks and texts: This grant covers the expense of the LASA teacher-created text and workbooks that students rely upon to meet the rigor needed for LASA Chem.
  • Lab supplies for Organic Chemistry: This request for supplies will allow for more frequent organic chemistry laboratory projects for students, giving them valuable lab experiences.
  • Classroom printer: AP Precalculus AB, AP Physics 1. Something as simple as having a printer in the classroom is critical for decreasing the interruptions to valuable class time. Having a printer in the classroom will assist the students in printing graphs and data for their lab reports without having to go to the library. It will also assist the teacher in printing last-minute documents for students without having to go to the copy room. Because this teacher teaches 7 out of 8 sections, having a laser printer with a relatively fast print output will be invaluable to their efficiency as a teacher.
  • Chalkboard: This teacher requested an additional work surface for the students of AMR, Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus, BC PreCalculus.
  • 300 copies of Wilson translation of Odyssey: The request came from the Eng 2 cadre. It is a more relevant translation to our curriculum.
  • Insect boxes and Arthropod vials for Biodiversity project: Planet Earth.
  • Display case for Debate Team trophies and plaques: LASA’s Debate team is one of the best in the nation and they have many trophies and awards from this year and years past. There was not a centralized, secure place to display their awards. An amazing bargain was had on a retired display case purchased from the State Surplus Store. Debate Team students will do a little refurbishing and the case will shine!
  • Online access to Hubro Marketing Simulation, 3 month subscription: For the Entrepreneurship class. Students will have the opportunity to work in teams to engage in a real-world simulation of a globally competitive landscape. They will manage things from start-up capital, research and development, market analysis, global product placement, price strategies, hiring and firing of personnel, etc.—all while competing for many multiple simulated financial quarters against every other team, all in order to understand how real business strategy and decisions affect company financials in the global marketplace. This is the same simulation software used by colleges and universities all over the world, including Texas A&M University, Harvard, Boston College, etc.

Reflections 24-25 Accepting Imperfection

We would like to recognize and congratulate the amazing artists who participated and excelled in this year’s Reflections Art Program. The theme this year was Accepting imperfection and we had a decent response from LASA and hope to grow this program even larger next fall!!! Here are the LASA artists for this year who will be receiving awards at their upcoming recognition luncheon. Thank you for being a part of this wonderful part of LASA and ACPTA programs. Our fantastic artists are:

Vinson Ratcliffgardy
Janani Easwar
Sierra Kumar
Amelia Ratcliffgardy
Grant Ratcliffgardy
Vivian Prather
Sanvi Paranjape
Gargi Pandey
Tiernan O’Keefe

Thank you for all of your hard work, and we’ll see you at the recognition luncheon!

Reflections Committee for LASA

Thank you from the Class of 2025!

We thank you and appreciate your contributions towards providing a safe and sober Project Graduation celebration for these soon-to-be graduates! We are about 2/3 of the way to our goal, and we can’t thank you enough! We do have a few items that didn’t sell, so we will extend the auction for those items through Sunday, November 24, ending at 8pm. We always welcome donations towards our efforts. You can hit THE EASY BUTTON to make a contribution.

Click HERE to bid in the extended auction.

You or your student can pick up winning items* between 7:30-8:30 am Thursday and Friday outside the doors to the school office between the office and counselor’s offices. Thanks again!

* not responsible for lost or damaged items. No alcohol is allowed on campus, so we will make special arrangements for those items.

Dec 7th Great Gathering: Get your tickets now!

Party alert! Come join your fellow LASA parents for a fun Fiesta with games, tacos, and drinks on Dec 7th hosted by Mai Doan, Jolie Sanchez, Lilliana Remus, Elva Mendoza and Stephanie Clayton at the Doan home in SW Austin. Tickets are $30/person and all money will go towards Project Graduation 2025. Parents of all grade levels are welcome!
https://pflasa.org/store/fiesta

Class of 2028 leads the way with PTSA Membership

Every year we look at our PTSA student members and see which class has the most memberships. As of October 31st, our current count is:

51 members – Class of 2028
37 members – Class of 2027
29 members – Class of 2025
27 members – Class of 2026

Student voices inform our conversation as equal members with an equal vote. That’s why you should add PTSA to your student leadership resume! You will gain experience in leadership, advocacy, public speaking, teamwork, event planning – all while improving your school.

We are still accepting student members! You can get something great on your resume AND show some class spirit. LASA PTSA values student membership so much, that we offer a discounted membership rate for our students through our website. Join us today (and have your parents join too)!

https://www.lasaptsa.org/

LASA Homecoming Mums & Garters

🎉 **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.

Great Gatherings are Live!

We are very excited for the launch of our 2024-25 Great Gatherings! The first two are coming up fast: the 2nd Annual Gift Card Gala at Drafthouse Pub on 10/06 (open to all) and a Pinochle party on 10/19 for the classes of 2025 and 2027. You can hop on over to the PFLASA store to secure your tickets and/or sign up for the Gala.

Do we have any spooky lovers out there? Wanna throw a Halloween-themed party? There’s still plenty of time! What better conversation starter than meeting your fellow parents in scary costumes! Grab your friends, choose a theme, and submit your event idea.

Great Gatherings are a very successful way to build community while raising funds towards the 2025 senior events.

2025 Project Graduation FLASH Auction is open!

Flash auction ends Sep 29

The 2025 Project Graduation FLASH Auction is up! Don’t miss your chance to bid on Hadestown Teen Edition tickets, HOCO Dance tickets, MJ the Musical, AIA Austin Tour of Homes 2024, Weekend 2 Saturday ACL wristbands, and 50 yard line seats + Texas Club passes to the Florida at Texas game. The auction will close at 9 pm Friday. Good luck and Happy bidding!

New to the auction this year: We are using GiveButter as our auction platform. Please be advised that winners will be given the option to cover credit card processing fees. You will also be given the option to leave a tip. If you cover the processing fees, PFLASA gets 100% of the proceeds. If you choose to leave a tip, that donation goes directly to GiveButter. By offering the adjustable tip request, GiveButter hosts the auction site free of charge, even if no winning bidder opts to tip.

Bid at https://givebutter.com/c/PGAuctionFLASH/auction.

2nd Annual Gift Card Gala

Dear parents,

You are all cordially invited to join us for this unique gathering on Sunday 10/6, 3-6pm at Draught House, benefiting the 2025 Project Graduation fundraiser.

Instead of buying a ticket, we ask you to bring an unused gift card (suggested value of $25 or more) as your “ticket fee.” We will add all these gift cards to the Class of 2025 Silent Auction in November. Have unused Gift Cards lying around your house? You can donate those, too! If you are going out to buy a new gift card for this event, please consider a restaurant, a store or somewhere popular that you know will sell in the auction. Please view the details and sign up here.

A reminder that our calendar is open for your Great Gathering! Want to host a themed happy hour, a game night, a breakfast/brunch? Gather some friends and fill out this interest form and we will get your party on the calendar!

Bring Your Parent to School Days (BYPTSD)

This year, BYPTSD will be held on September 18th (Regular A Day) and 19th (Regular B Day). As one of LASA’s cherished traditions, I encourage everyone who can adjust their schedule to attend one or both days. Parents will gather in the library before school and then join their student’s classes. There are no changes to the class periods for these days; whatever the teacher has planned will proceed as usual. Your experience will be entirely authentic, allowing you to sit through a lecture or discussion, participate in a debate, or even take a quiz/test. Please be open to all these experiences and enjoy the day as a LASA student – you can attend one class or all day (either day or both) – that’s up to you!

Here are some more reminders for you:
– Badges will be printed ahead of time for those who pre-registered or as you arrive for those who make the last-minute decision to attend.
– Avoid the lines: PRE-REGISTRATION LINK HERE: https://forms.gle/TNCFCtmYfh914VsM8
Pre-registration will close on Monday, September 16th, to allow us time to print the badges. If you don’t pre-register, you can still attend and check in at the office to get your badge. Pre-registering just helps save time!
– You are welcome to arrive and leave as your schedule permits; however, to maintain the natural flow of the class and avoid distractions, we kindly ask that you enter at the beginning of the period and leave at the end of the period. The bell schedule is here: lasahighschool.org/bells.
– If you have pre-registered and are arriving for the first class of the day (either 1st or 5th period), please check in at the table located in the main hallway near the front office. For arrivals at any other time during the day, go to the front office to either:
1. Pick up your pre-printed badge if you have pre-registered or
2. Show your Driver’s License/ID to have a badge printed.
– Schedule: Please ensure you have a screenshot of your student’s schedule, which should include the class name, teacher, and room number. Note that course lists will not be printed.
– PARKING – is always limited at LASA. Additional details will be provided soon.
– Please set your cell phone to silent or vibrate. If you need to take a call during a class period, feel free to step out into the hallway.
– All grade levels are welcome! The Junior and Senior classes are especially worth visiting—you’ll feel smarter after just one period!
– Don’t let your child discourage you from coming. This is your decision, not theirs. If they are truly uncomfortable with you visiting their class, consider attending the same class during a different period. We can help arrange this for you.
– Parents can bring their own lunch or purchase one from the cafeteria. You may eat with your student or in the designated room with other parents.
– If you want to volunteer for BYPTS Days from 7:30 am – 8:15 am, please register here to volunteer.

Don’t miss this is a wonderful opportunity to get a glimpse into your student’s daily experience.
We hope to see you there!