Roadrunner Rundown | 8/21
- 3 hours ago
- 6 min read
Table of Contents
Welcome
Welcome to the first Roadrunner Rundown of the 26-27 school year! The Rundown is our weekly PTA newsletter - sharing out all of the news and events in one spot. We hope you enjoy reading this year.
26-27 PTA Board
(Re)introducing our amazing 26-27 Executive Board for the Lee PTA! Hopefully you have already met some of us - if you haven't, please say hi if you see us around campus!
Want to join us? Fill in the shadowy figure in the bottom right and become our Historian! Reach out to president@russellleepta.org for more details.
We'd love to see you all at our first PTA member meeting - save the date for Sept, 18 @ 8 am!
Pickup and Drop Off Reminders
5th Grade Students will be assisting with opening doors in the morning car line - we anticipate you should start seeing their friendly faces as early as next week.
We need a crossing guard! This hero helps assist walkers safely across the street and keep traffic flowing. If you're interested, or know a neighbor who is - please reach out.
And don't forget our pickup and drop off traffic pattern! We ask that you keep to the designated traffic flow during arrival and dismissal to help manage our compact streets and lack of a car loop. Be aware of the 4-way stop at Hampton and Harris, and observe all traffic laws to ensure the safety of our students, families, and staff.
Upcoming Events + Where to Find Them
Each Rundown has a full overview of upcoming school + PTA events at the bottom of the page. Head over to Konstella to see the full calendar, event details, and sync with your phone. Printed calendars also go out monthly - September calendars should go home in folders next week.
Highlighting a few upcoming events over the next two weeks:
8/28 Principal's Coffee, 8 am - please check in at the front office with your id
9/3 Back to School Night, 6 pm (Caregivers Only - leave the kids at home!)
9/7 No School, Labor Day
Bike Bus - Kicking off 9/4
Lee's Bike Bus is back this year! Meetup in the Fresh Plus parking lot starting 9/4, the bus typically leaves at 7:20.
Interested in joining or want to support? Join the Konstella group here so you can stay updated on all of the details.
Join the PTA
Small fee, big impact — support your child and school this year. Join us today! www.joinpta.org
Joining the PTA is a great, low obligation way to show that you support the work we do - there's no additional time or volunteer commitment when joining. You can sign up the entire family all at once and save - the same processing fee applies to each transaction.
This year Student PTA members will get to vote for movie night, be a part of parking lot fundraisers, and participate in other fun ways throughout the year. You can use your contact information when filling out their membership.
Head here to sign up today!
Konstella for School Communication
Lee and Lee PTA use Konstella as our official, private communication network. Konstella is the primary location for announcements, news, communication, and calendar updates from the school.
You can find more information on how to use Konstella - adjusting notifications settings, syncing calendars, how to sign up for weekly digests, and finding other parents - at Lee on the PTA’s website here. We're also hosting a Konstella 101 next week after the Principal's Coffee on 8/28.
If you still need access to Konstella, please go to Konstella.com and click on "Find Your School" on the upper right, or reach out to Lee clerk, Sarah Farrell, at sarah.farrell@austinisd.org.
Find Your Fit at Lee
Call for Volunteers of all kinds!
As we kick off a new school year, we’re making it easier than ever to find a way to plug in that works for your interests, your schedule and your bandwidth.There’s a place for everyone at Lee — yes, even if you only have an hour here and there.
A huge thanks to those who have already signed up - don't forget to complete your yearly Voly background check.
Love throwing a party? Fall Carnival or Lee Live.
Creative, Artsy type? Lee Creates.
Want to help make our teachers feel extra loved? Appreciation Committee.
Science nerd? World traveler? Organizing wizard? We’ve got a spot for you, too.
Some roles happen once a year. Some are behind the scenes. Some take an hour a week. And some are simply “call me when you need an extra set of hands.”
You don’t have to do it all. Just find your fit.
Not sure where you want to help? Sign up for something that sounds fun — we’ll help you figure out the rest.
Find your people. Find your thing. Find your fit at Lee. 💙
Library Lines
by our amazing Librarian Ms. Jenny Day
Calling all Library Volunteers!
Parents are welcome to volunteer during their child’s class library time, usually checking in/checking out books for the class, shelving books, and helping out with monitoring students.
Below is this year’s library schedule - if you'd like to sign up you can submit the interest form here.
Please submit your interest by Sept. 4th - there will be a physical sign up at Back to School Night on Sept. 3.
When you’re done please sign up for a background check - https://austinisd.voly.org/
We’ll have a short library orientation after the Principal’s Coffee on Friday, August 28 and volunteers can start on September 8th. A full schedule of volunteers will be organized once sign ups have been finalized.
Sign up for Afterschool Clubs Today!
Teacher Led Clubs go live 8/23 at 8 pm
We're so excited to share Lee's Fall 2026 Afterschool Club guide - check out all of the amazing offerings here and register for Vendor Clubs today!
Lee Teacher-Led Clubs (non-vendor) registration will open at 8 pm on 8/23. Keep an eye out for a Konstella message with updated links to register.
After-school Lee Clubs & vendor clubs do not take the place of aftercare, are typically only for one hour per week, space is not guaranteed, and most clubs are only for one semester.
Full Club Guide (times/date/costs/descriptions)
Club Calendar (at a glance view)
Questions? Reach out: enrichment@russellleepta.org
Advocacy Update
by our Advocacy Chair, Amanda Rohlich
State Accountability grades were released in August - AISD earned a B rating for 2026, breaking a three-year run of Cs, with more A- and B-rated campuses and fewer D- and F-rated schools. However, two AISD middle schools received their fifth consecutive F ratings, opening the entire district up to a state takeover.
The district has until Sept. 11 to appeal campus scores to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The agency is expected to rule on any appeals and outline next steps for AISD by Dec. 10.
If you would like to connect with other community members who are organizing around the potential TEA takeover, visit Keep Austin Schools Independent to sign up to stay informed and get involved.
There is also an Advocacy channel on Konstella that we will use for more in-depth updates - join that channel here.
Lost and Found
Don't forget to label your child's water bottle, backpack, lunch box, and other gear
with their first AND last name. This is the best way to ensure your child's things find their way back to their classroom.
Lost and Found is located inside the school so students can access it easily; parents must check in at the front office. Items may be donated within 2 weeks if Lost and Found is full.
Shop + Support Lee All Year Round
Shop with Pride Socks - All Year
Shop this Lee family-owned lifestyle brand that empowers individuals to take pride in who they. Use promo code lee20 for 20% off and Pride Socks will donate 20% of sales back to Lee PTA! Visit https://pridesocks.com/ to shop.
Name Bubbles - All Year
Use this link to order personalized name labels—they're a simple way to keep track of your child's supplies all year long and avoid a trip to lost and found. When you use our purchase link, a portion of every order goes back to support our school!
Minted - All Year
Visit Minted.com and receive 20% off your purchase and Minted will donate 10% of your purchase to the school! Use code: FUNDRAISERUSSELLLEE
This is a great opportunity to get holiday cards and gifts for the upcoming holiday season.
Questions about Shop with Lee events and or interested in partnering with us on Shop with Lee initiatives at your business? Email fundraising@russellleepta.org.
Be a Corporate Sponsor!
Interested in becoming a corporate sponsor? You can get your logo on this weekly rundown, on our printed calendar, and more! Check out our Sponsorship packages and reach out here!
Lee Calendar
8/28 Principal's Coffee, 8 am
9/3 Back to School Night (Caregivers Only), 6 pm
9/7 No School, Labor Day
9/10 Nando's Receipt Share, 4 - 9 pm
9/18 PTA Membership Meeting, 8 am
9/18 Campus Tour, 9 am
9/18 Campus Tour, 9 am
9/21 No School, Yom Kippur
9/22 CAC Meeting, 3:30 pm
9/25 Principal's Coffee, 8 am
9/25 Loteria Night, 5 pm
9/29 Fall Pictures (Individual)
Download a PDF of this month's Calendar below.
Thanks for reading this week's Roadrunner Rundown! Have something to add?
Share your comments or feature suggestions at communications@russellleepta.org or online here.
Comments