Back again for Week 2: AP SNACK DONATION REQUEST

by Newsletter Comment Closed

Thank you so much for your support! We have a little more to go to finish the upcoming second week of testing. We are so thankful for this community and its support!

TWO WAYS TO DONATE:

  1. AMAZON: Snacks are a click away! Select any variety of the dry-good items suggested (or whatever tickles your fancy) and have them delivered to LASA.
    • ATTN: PFLASA AP Snacks, 1012 Arthur Stiles Rd., Austin, TX 78721
    • Please arrange for a weekday delivery.
  2. SHOP LOCAL/DELIVER TO LASA: Add some extra items to your weekly grocery list and drop them in the LASA Office. There will be a cooler in the office for perishable items.

Items for Week 1: Bring to the main office on Friday, May 2 or by 7:15am Monday, May 5.

Items for Week 2: should be brought to the main office on Friday, May 9 or by 7:15am Monday, May 12.

Thank you to everyone who has signed up to donate! We still have nervous testing bellies to fill!

Click for the signup/ list of snacks.

Our Students Are the Best!

by Newsletter Comment Closed

Thanks to our student members, LASA PTSA has earned the Special Category Student Membership Award from the Texas PTA. To earn this award, LASA PTSA needed to have at least 50 students become members. Way to go LASA Students!

Here’s the most updated student class counts:

Class of 2028: 61
Class of 2027: 54
Class of 2026: 42
Class of 2025: 34

There’s still time to become a member for this year and increase your class membership count!

We also still need about 15 more donated memberships to cover all of our faculty.

https://www.lasaptsa.org/

Education Austin – Solidarity Fest

by Newsletter Comment Closed

Education Austin (the AISD Staff Union) is hosting Solidarity Fest at Batch Kolaches on Saturday May 10th from 1-7PM. This is going to be a family friendly event where we are looking to engage with our community and build connections between all kinds of community organizations. All AISD families and community members are welcome, and we would appreciate it if you would take a look at our petition and demands that go along with our new campaign (“Keep Austin Educated”).

Also check out our commitment/RSVP form for upcoming Education Austin events.

Wow! Thank you! 5/2 Meeting Recap & Yes We Still Need Help!

by Newsletter Comment Closed

You guys are amazing! We are normally begging and pleading to get AP volunteers but this year everyone has stepped up in a big way and we have most spots covered. The president’s role is varied, but the hardest part is getting volunteers and money. You guys have really made my job so much less stressful this year on both fronts. But we do still need help! We have a few more spots to cover mainly for our Junior heavy tests like Physics 1 & 2. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050945A9A922AAF94-56426193-apexam#/

Our 5/2 meeting centered really on two things. Getting volunteers for all of our big events and Coffeehouse!! While there has been a huge response to our AP needs, Project Graduation isn’t doing as well. I get that a weeknight super late-night commitment is a big ask, but it is important, meaningful, and potentially lifesaving. Keeping celebrating grads off the roads and away from drugs & alcohol saves lives. And I know there’s a belief that the LASA kids are too smart for that, but smart kids die for really stupid reasons, including being hit by other drunk drivers out late. And there’s a cumulative effect to these events, if most area high schools have them, and most kids go, and they happen every year, the culture around celebrating graduation changes. But keeping this event going means we need volunteers. And senior parents, you aren’t totally off the hook! We ask that the bulk of the working volunteers come from the other grades, but senior parents fill the leadership roles. Please don’t make me beg! Sign up to volunteer with Project Graduation.

Finally, Coffeehouse. Hopefully, you know what that event is (if not, great descriptions on the Facebook page and in Sunday’s Principal’s Message). Our fantastic Coffeehouse Chair showed up to talk about this year’s new venue and how exciting it is that this venue is bigger, very centrally located, has parking, and has two indoor stage areas. But there will also be food trucks and social space outdoors (see the Coffeehouse post for more info). If in doubt, err on the side of going (and getting tickets because they sell out), even if you are a freshman parent whose kid didn’t take any AP’s, even if you don’t know any kids performing, even if you are an introvert. This is a chance to see LASA at its best, and you don’t have to take my word for it.

Because the real star of the meeting was Mr. Snyder, the songwriting class teacher, who talked to us about how important this event is. How not every LASA kid is set to become an engineer. How this is a chance to perform their music in front of a large crowd on a real stage with light and sound equipment. How truly life-changing this event can be. And how this is the thing that LASA does that is cool. It makes their Austin/Bowie/McCallum/etc friends really jealous because it is so cool. The only regret I’ve ever heard about Coffeehouse is that people didn’t go every year.

And this wouldn’t be one of my May posts without one more volunteer ask. Coffeehouse needs volunteers to sell tickets, and will need event volunteers. Sign up for Coffeehouse ticket pre-sales.

No meeting this week, last meeting of the year and Joint PTSA meeting 5/16!

Wishing everyone good AP vibes,
Ellen Stewart-Klein
PFLASA President

4/25 Meeting Recap & It’s Time to Volunteer!

by Newsletter Comment Closed

Just in case you are of the belief that PFLASA doesn’t do much all year (tutoring, appreciations, stress busters, recruiting, and teacher meals, etc), May is coming! If you have been paying any attention all year, I have been pleading for you to block of time to help us in May (& June). The time to volunteer is now. First, LASA will give over 4,000 AP exams in two weeks! To pull that off we need over 200 volunteers to both monitor exams and feed students!! And yes, a few people have stepped up to continue the AP breakfast tradition!!! We also need snack donations!!!! For more details see the separate post and sign up here: https://lasa.austinschools.org/school/signups

Second, on the Friday evening after the last AP exams (5/16), PFLASA will host Coffeehouse! In a new venue in the centrally located Mueller area, LASA students will perform a variety of acts. I’ve heard this described as LASA’s mini-ACL. Ticket go on sale 5/1 (https://pflasa.org/coffeehouse-on-season/) and volunteer signups will be posted soon. The t-shirt is already on sale.

Soon after AP’s and right before Finals, PFLASA will host the End-of-Year Teacher Appreciation Luncheon on Thursday, May 22nd. Volunteer and donation sign ups will be out soon. We are still looking for help with our hospitality committee for next year.

But PFLASA is not done as we turn to celebrations for our Seniors! Right before graduation on Sunday, June 1st, we will host Senior Salute where our graduates receive their magnet endorsement. This is an event only for seniors and their families but is very meaningful and our volunteers and fundraising supports this important LASA tradition. Graduation is on Tuesday, June 3rd (you can watch it live-streamed) and that night we need lots of volunteers to have a successful and safe, drug and alcohol-free, all-night lock-in called Project Graduation! Non-senior parents pay it forward and volunteer so that you can enjoy the craziness of graduation when it’s your kids turn. Signups are also at: https://lasa.austinschools.org/school/signups

Finally, although my term ends July 1, PFLASA begins the next cycle with events in July and August. One of these is the New Teacher Bus Tour and we would really like to find hosts now. Every year Principal Crenscenzi takes all new to LASA teachers on a tour of AISD’s boundaries. This helps them understand how far students travel and the great diversity in our city. As part of this we need homes in North and South Austin to host the teachers for brief events. There’s a parent panel and breakfast as the first stop and a lunch with the student ambassadors in the afternoon. PFLASA pays for the food! Please don’t feel like you need a showy home, just a willingness to open your doors. This year’s event is August 5th. We are also looking for a shadow (a helper who learns the ropes and can cover the following year). Please contact Nicole Oria if interested: pnoria@gmail.com

Yes, I’ve been asking for volunteers, but all these topics were covered at Friday’s meeting. Our final discussion item was the proposed budget for next year. Our hardworking treasurer has done an amazing job, tracking our fundraising and spending, making projections and putting together the budget for next year. The proposed budget supports all the programming that I’ve been talking about above and all year for next year. But the big news is that because of PFLASA’s thriftiness, the work of our treasurers and volunteers, and the generosity of this community we can once again give LASA a generous stipend to help pay for staffing! The money we raised this year will be used for staffing next year (2025-26). Specifically, this is why LASA is able to have two full-time Wellness Counselors. PFLASA has been able to pay this stipend for the past four years and we finally feel ready to include this as a line-item in the budget. Why is that important? First, I think it makes something important we do transparent which has been one of my main goals this year. Second, we know that if we meet our fundraising goal, a guaranteed amount can be turned over to LASA and they can plan accordingly and with the budget cuts anticipated this will be more important than ever. I want to thank everyone who donated, who got matching funds, and who volunteered. Without this support, our work would not be possible.

PFLASA is meeting again this Friday, May 2nd at 8:15am in the portable (I’ve heard the calendar may have it as pm?). This is one of our last two meetings and afterwards, more of our fabulous volunteers will be distributing treats to our teachers for appreciation! I’m very excited to say that we have seen an increase in attendance at these past few meetings. I hope everyone who can feels welcome to come join us.

Very excited and a little scared of all to come,
Ellen Stewart-Klein
PFLASA President

2025 Seniors’ Photos for Project Graduation Slideshow

by Newsletter Comment Closed

Hi y’all! We need your photos for the Project Graduation slideshow!

A slideshow will be running in the background at Project Graduation. If you have any photos over the last four years of you and your LASA friends that you want to share for a slideshow, please add them. Remember to keep it clean and remember that everyone can see these. Looking for group photos, athletics, fine arts, friends, clubs, etc.

Check out the Blend Notification, Naviance or the 2025 Google Group for details on how to submit photos.

AP Test Volunteers Needed

by Newsletter Comment Closed

LASA will be administering over 4,000 AP tests from May 5th-May 16th, and many volunteers are needed to make this whole thing happen.
There are over 200 volunteer slots that need to be filled for those two weeks. We need volunteers to monitor exams and testing areas. We also need volunteers to help with breakfast and snack distribution (this is a great job if your time is limited).

Please read the Sign Up Genius carefully:
https://lasa.austinschools.org/school/signups

IMPORTANT: You may NOT MONITOR any exam your student is taking (even if the student will be in a different testing room). Hall monitors should not sign up for a shift when your student is taking any AP test. Breakfast/snack volunteers can sign up for any time, does not matter which test their student(s) are taking.

Coffeehouse 2025 – Tickets go on sale 5/1

by Newsletter Comment Closed

COFFEEHOUSE 2025 – The annual talent show that showcases the amazing skills of the LASA students and staff is set for May 16, 2025 at Life Austin at 1504 E 51st St. Two amazing stages to enjoy the performances. Coffeehouse is created, organized and executed by the students of the Songwriting Class with the guidance of Mr. Snyder. This event is for current LASA students and their families.

We will have a few food trucks this year! Please come hungry and early to support these vendors. Doors and food trucks open at 5:30pm. Showtime is from 7-10pm. Smoking and vaping is strictly prohibited, and food must be consumed outside. Parking available on site. Additional parking available at AISD Performing Arts Center at 1500 Barbara Jordan Blvd.

Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased online and at school. Buy your tickets early, this event historically sells out! NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT THE DOOR.

  • Online sales: May 1-15
  • At school in-person sales: May 14-16, 7:30-8:15am and at lunch in the cafeteria foyer. $10 (Cash, Credit, Debit, Venmo, GooglePay, PayPal, Apple Pay)

Visit the Coffeehouse page for more details, updates, and online ticket sales.