Mathews Elementary - Campus Facts

Accomplishments: 2006-2007

Mathews students show great gains in TAKS tests mastery in Reading and Writing. Over 90% of Third Graders, Fourth graders, Fifth Graders, and Sixth Graders pass the TAKS Reading test. 70% of Fourth Graders earn highest levels of accomplishment on the Writing test.
Mathews receives Recognized Commendations from AISD in all areas of TAKS tests.
AISD Character Traits featured at Friday Assemblies.
Increase in inclusion for special education students.
15 Fifth & Sixth Graders accepted into Kealing or Fulmore magnet programs or the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders.
Fifth and Sixth Graders participate in the ROPES course, designed to promote leadership and team building.
17 award-winners cited at the Austin Area Regional Science Fair. Student Emma Parker nominated for the Discovery Young Scientist Challenge.
Over 2,800 volunteers, 10,800 volunteer hours.
Over 100 transfers.
3 new Partners in Education, raising number of adopters to 49 - 38 mentors are special friends to Mathews students. Partner Crescent Real Estate hosts their first Faces of Change Golf Tournament and presents Mathews with a check for $9800. Partner Alliance Abroad Group plans, organizes, and staffs international activity booths at International Festival.
Sara Belknap selected as Mathews Teacher of the Year and attends the National Art Educator's Conference in New York City.
Beloved head custodian Naze Washington retires after 30 years with AISD.
Teacher Angie Zapata is a featured speaker at the National Council of Teachers of English Conference.
Professional staff development includes 3 teachers selected for the National Board Certification process, 3 teachers become ESL Certified, 2 teachers attend the National Math Conference. All classroom teachers now certified in Gifted & Talented and Second Language Learners instruction.
Mathews Staff receives 3 Jr. League ABC Grants providing supplemental funding for the classroom and recognition of innovation in instruction.
Math Resource Books purchased and made available to parents for extra student support at home.
90th Anniversary Steering Committee of former students, staff , parents, and Partners in Education and present staff and students host a special Celebration on September 25, 2006.
Building improvements include new solar cafeteria shades, hardwood floor refinishing in 5 classrooms, and a new colorful sports court gym floor.
The Mathews building becomes a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark with the unveiling of this marker at the 90th Anniversary Celebration.
A long term goal is realized with the new exterior sign and brick planter designed and installed on the front grounds thanks to Crescent Real Estate, the PTA, the Mathews Fund for Excellence and Austin Architectural Graphics.
Extensive landscape plan plantings are donated by parents and installed in the front of the school by parents and volunteers.
Additional digital cameras, projectors, and printers, arrive on campus and are used to upgrade classrooms.
Outstanding tech volunteer, Monnie Anderson, maintains all 200 plus machines for our campus.
Outstanding web volunteer, John Webb, serves as web master, designing and maintaining the Mathews Web page.
Mathews receives a Prime Time After School enrichment grant of $18,000 for the 10th consecutive year. Over 87 classes taught by volunteers, Partners, community and collegiate groups and vendors (such as Austin Nature & Science Center, Yoga Education in Schools, 4H, Texas Chess Association, Youth InterACTIVE) and a Homework Center staffed by volunteer tutors serve more than 200 students (over half of our student enrollment). Active Like Me! classes and info tables at Octoberama and Track & Field Day address nutrition and fitness concerns.
Prime Time is selected by PBS producers to participate in a class teaching the basics of video production and editing. Their final production is chosen to air nationally on the Arthur television show.
Prime Time English Conversation Classes for parents and the community are held biweekly, taught by volunteer instructor and former parent Sandie Moffitt.
Mathews receives a Prime Time Summer enrichment grant of $4000 to fund a Library Program (including a KLRU Family Reading Workshop for incoming Kindergarten families, keyboarding classes, a Community Arts Project constructing a kinetic sculpture with an Austin Green Art guest artist, and an incoming 6th Grade Celebration.
Library, Partners, and PTA sponsor a Visiting Author Series. Campus Book Fairs (including a Holiday Fair cohosted by Partner BookPeople) and a Book Fair by Partner GSD&M net $1200 for library books and resources. Parents donate $400 to sponsor library student/teacher magazine subscriptions. Partners Crescent Real Estate and the Austin Republican Women donate books to our collection.
Extend a Care after school care housed at Mathews. Plans are approved for our own Mathews Fun Club after school care next year, serving 60-70 students of working families.
Bilingual programs offered in Chinese, Korean and Spanish.
Mathews partners with UT to develop new teachers, UT service organizations, UT Volunteer Board Project Reach Out, UTeach, UT Outreach, United Way Days of Caring, Trinity Episcopal School Day of Service & Austin High classroom interns.
Mathews offers significant diversity with service to many cultures and 2 homeless shelters.
Mathews Fund for Excellence (endowment established through the Austin Community Foundation) solicits greater community for support, increases the fund to $15,000 and awards its first annual interest grant to partially fund the outdoor sign.
AIM Grants (Academic Innovations at Mathews) - an opportunity for teachers and staff to implement new and innovative programs - are awarded by the PTA.
PTA fundraiser, Octoberama, nets $16,000 for support of students and teachers. Passive fundraising opportunities instituted and raise $1500.
Mathews Parent Center offers space for parents with younger children to volunteer in the school and Friday morning gatherings (refreshments provided by Partners Sweetish Hill Bakery, Starbucks Coffee and Seattle's Best Coffee).
Student card project funds a Visiting Artist Permanent Community Art Project Installation - a kinetic sculpture with an Austin Green Art visiting artist. Last year's project, a Mandala Tile work, is completed.
Mathews Innovations:
- Cheers and Tears Parent Receptions
- Learning Celebrations
- All School Art Show
- Assistance by Homeroom Parents with Wednesday Folders
- TV Free Week
- 100th Day of School Activities
- Movin' on Up Celebration
- Geography Bee/International Festival
- Asian, African American and Hispanic Heritage Months
- Sixth Grade Shadowing Day (career exploration) with community partners
- Sixth Grade Community Service Commitment
- Mathews Anthology (featuring every student's best work)
- Citywide Mathews Chess Tournament
- African-American Heritage Writing Contest
- After-school Classes in Chinese and Spanish for Non-native Speakers
- Fall Musical
- Family Math Night
- Pre Kindergarten and Kindergarten Community Gardens
- Former Students Honor Roll Speakers and Presenters
- Mathews Watch Open Forum Listserv
- Mathews State of Mathews PTA Meeting
- Community End of Summer Celebration at Deep Eddy Pool
Mathews Community Participation:
- Seeing Special Things Program with the Austin Museum of Fine Arts
- Art Central Program with the Blanton Museum
- Student Exhibit at the Austin Museum of Fine Arts
- KLRU Pre Kindergarten & Kindergarten Family Reading Workshops with free books
- Song Writing in Schools Workshop through the Armstrong Community School of Austin Lyric Opera (sponsored by Partner GSD&M)
- Partner Tapestry Dance Company Dance Workshop
- The Outdoor School Camp
- Dr. Seuss' Birthday Celebration with Partner Crescent Real Estate Equities, Ltd.
- Sixth Grade Clothing Program with Green Valley Recycling
- Sixth Grade Paper Recycling with AISD
- Chorus Performance at Zilker Festival of Lights
- Austin Jazz Workshop
- Austin Symphony Orchestra Building Blocks Program
- VSA Arts Alive Cultural Arts Program
- GENAustin Speakers Series for 5th & 6th Grade girls
- 6th Grade Float in AISD's 125th Anniversary Parade
- Marathon Kids
- 5th Grade American Dream Self-Sufficience Program Drive
- Austin Youth Orchestra
- Theater Action and Think First Anti-Bullying Programs
- St. David's Dental Health Program.