Cub Chronicles: October 17th
Dear Families,
We value your insight and partnership as we prepare for our upcoming Parent/Teacher Conferences in November. These conferences are a wonderful opportunity to come together, share observations, and celebrate your child’s growth. To help us make the most of our time together, we are sending home a Pre-Conference Form for you to complete and return to your child’s teacher.
The strongest early childhood programs are built on genuine partnerships between parents and teachers. Conferences are an important part of this connection—providing a meaningful time to share insights, set goals, and deepen the trusting relationships that help every child thrive.
Important Dates to Remember:
• 🗓️ Friday, October 17 – Pre-Conference Forms will be sent home and are also attached in this newsletter.
• 🗓️ Friday, October 24 – Please return your completed form to your child’s teacher.
• 📅 Week of October 20 – Teachers will send families a Sign-Up Genius link with available dates and times for conferences beginning in early November.
Your participation ensures that our conversations are focused, productive, and tailored to your child’s individual journey. We look forward to connecting with each of you and continuing to build the strong partnerships that make our school community so special.
Warmly,
Whitney Zisman
Head of School
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
Picture Day Schedule
Tuesday 10/21: Foxes, T/Th Bears, Otters
Wednesday 10/22: M/W/F Bears, Ladybugs, Butterflies, Owls
A quick sibling note: siblings will take their class photo with the younger sibling’s group, not with their own class. We’ll also do photos of the siblings together. Just want people to be aware of which day to be dressed for photos!
Picture make up day will be October 28th.
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.
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!
GreenJay Baby Sessions
Expert-led playdates for babies and their grownups
October 30th Babies newborn to crawling
Hosted by GreenJay Therapy | At St. Mark's Preschool
Snacks & light refreshments
Reserve your spot here
Support your baby's development from day one
Master tummy time without the tears
Learn milestone-boosting play for every age
Prevent flat head and support symmetry
Connect with infant development specialists
Meet other families and build your confidence