Cub Chronicles: September 26th
Dear St. Mark’s Families,
What a joy it was to see so many of you at our Back to School Bash this week! It’s always one of our favorite traditions; bringing families, children, and staff together to celebrate the start of a new year. Your presence and participation help make St. Mark’s the warm, welcoming community we are so proud of. Thank you for coming and sharing the afternoon/evening with us. If you have photos from the event you’re willing to share, we’d love to add them to our collection.
Looking ahead, please mark your calendars for our next Coffee Talk on Thursday, October 2. We are delighted to welcome Father Zac as our special guest. He will share a few words with us that morning, and we hope you’ll join us for a time of connection, conversation, and reflection as a school community
Spotlight on Teacher Training with Robert Prudhomme
The heart of our work at St. Mark’s is our commitment to providing children with the very best foundation for learning and life. This past week, our teachers participated in a professional development session led by Robert Prudhomme, BCBA, founder of Austin Behavior Analysis, PLLC.
Robert is a skilled educator and coach who partners with schools and families to build children’s skills in ways that are engaging, natural, and meaningful. His work uses a play-based approach that helps children thrive both at home and in the classroom. During his session with our staff, Robert equipped teachers with practical tools for supporting children’s social development, communication skills, emotional regulation, and independence. He walked us through real-life classroom examples, helping teachers navigate challenging moments with strategies that foster cooperation, connection, and growth.
We are deeply grateful for his partnership. Robert is not only a resource for our teachers but also for you, our families. If you are ever seeking guidance in areas such as sibling interactions, big feelings, building daily living skills, or encouraging positive alternatives to challenging behaviors, Robert is available to support you. His expertise is a valuable extension of our community, and we are excited for the many ways his work will strengthen both our school and our homes.
Learn More
For more information or to connect with Robert:
Visit: austinbehavioranalysis.com
Text/Call: (512)-666-0721
Email: Admin@RobertPrudhommeBCBA.com
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Thank you again for being such an integral part of our St. Mark’s family. We look forward to seeing you soon — at drop-off, on the playground, at Coffee Talk, and in the many joyful moments that fill our school days.
With gratitude,
Whitney Zisman
Head of School
Join us for Coffee Talk!
Thursday, October 2nd
Our second Coffee Talk of the year is coming up!
Join us Thursday, October 2 in the courtyard for a Coffee Talk hosted by the Foxes class, with a special appearance by Father Zac.
We look forward to connecting and sharing conversation over coffee with you!
Trunk or Treat!
October 30 & 31
Get ready for one of our favorite fall traditions: Trunk or Treat! Parents decorate their car trunks with festive Halloween fun, and children visit each “trunk” to collect treats and enjoy the creative displays.
Thursday, October 30: T/Th Bears, Butterflies, Owls, and Foxes
Friday, October 31: Ladybugs, Otters, and MWF Bears
We’ll celebrate from 8:40–10:45 a.m. each day. Children are welcome to come in costume, but please send an extra set of clothes if their costume isn’t comfortable for play or classroom activities.
We can’t wait to see all the creativity (and candy!) this year.
Dia de los Muertos Altar
Our Día de los Muertos Altar is back this year! A Día de los Muertos altar is a colorful display created to honor and remember loved ones who have passed away, often decorated with photos, flowers, and meaningful items. If you shared photos last year, we still have them and will display them again.
If you’d like to add something new to the altar, please bring a photo to the office or email it to mayra@stmarksdayschoolaustin.org.
The altar will be available for viewing in the Parish October 28–November 3 before and after school.
Pre-K 4's Extended Care at Capacity
Our Pre-K 4's Extended Care program is currently full and we’re unable to offer drop-in spots right now. We’ll let families know if space opens up.
Fall Picture Days
October 21-22
We officially have fall picture days on the calendar! Barbara Legere will be back behind the camera this year. St. Mark’s will provide digital files for all individual photos. Class schedules will be shared as we get closer to the date.
Love photography? Lend a hand
We are updating our website and marketing materials and would love help capturing authentic, in-the-moment photos of our students and campus life. Basic experience is great, professional gear is not required. We will coordinate timing, locations, and follow our photo permissions list.
To volunteer, email Jessica at admissions@stmarksdayschoolaustin.org.
Another week of fun! We’re growing and learning more every day.
Let's Grow our St. Mark's Family!
Have a family you’d love to introduce to St. Mark’s? We’d love to meet them! Invite your friends, family, and neighbors to learn more about our school at our Open House on October 23rd. It’s a great opportunity to see our classrooms, meet our teachers, and experience the St. Mark’s community.
Help us spread the word, we can’t wait to welcome new families!
Annual Chicken BBQ & Block Party
The 2025 Chicken BBQ & Block Party is scheduled for Saturday, October 18th, 2025. We hope to see a lot of our Day School Families there!