President’s Message

Hello Travis Community!

It’s time to SHOW UP and SHOUT for our amazing teachers and staff! Join me in celebrating these Travis heroes who wake up every day ready to teach our children, love our children and show them what it means to be part of something greater than themselves individually - to be part of a community that cares deeply for every magical part and person that makes us who we are  . . . we are so grateful and we are so very fortunate. 

Our annual Travis Fall Carnival is just over TWO weeks away and 80% of funds raised go directly to back to our teachers and staff for classroom supplies! What better way to show your SUPPORT than by participating in this wonderful Travis tradition!

So, grab ALL of your Carnival items TODAY and get ready for a spooktacular time!

✅ VOLUNTEER for Carnival HERE
✅ Get your Carnival Sponsorship HERE
✅ Get your Carnival Art Contest Canvas HERE
✅ Get your Carnival Wristbands HERE
✅ Get your Tiger Bucks for food and drink HERE
✅ Get your Raffle Tickets HERE

Special thank you to our generous sponsors & donors:

🎃Kasia McCormick - Lead Carnival Sponsor
🎃 Caroline Schlemmer - Parade Sponsor
🎃 Dena Musfy - Photo Booth Sponsor
🎃 Sara Black - Raffle Sponsor

🌝 Harvest Moon Sponsors 🌝
The Hazard Family
Martins Hardware & Lumber

🍁🍁 Sweater Weather Sponsors 🍁🍁
The French/Valka Family
Bodensteiner Service, Inc
Lowrance Machine
Heights Law Group
Lindsay Pearce Counseling
LKJ Financial
Robertson Design
The Cahan Family
Healthy Smiles Family Dentistry
The Walker Family
Morgan Stanley
The Norton Family
Cooper Orthodontics
The Turner Family
The McGraw Family
The Seerdan Law Firm & Family
The Diaz Family
The Parks/Sharp Family
The Rossy Family
The Montrose Veterinary Clinic
The Fox Family

🍂🍂 Autumn Leaves Sponsors 🍂🍂
The Anello Family
The Calhoun Family
The Duffy Family

🤩🤩 Candy Corn Sponsors 🤩🤩
Amy Vonderau Interiors
The Hahn Family

. . . add your name to this amazing sponsor list HERE!

Finally, DON’T FORGET to join us for our next PTA Meeting this Friday (tomorrow!) in the cafeteria after drop off for all the latest news and updates!

Wishing you well!

Andrea French
Travis PTA President

TONIGHT: HISD School Board Meeting

Parents and community members are encouraged to attend the HISD Board Meeting held tonight at 5pm at Hattie Mae White. These Board Meetings are a great way to stay informed and get involved in our HISD community. Can’t attend in person? No problem. The live-stream link is here.

Coffee with your PTA

Please join us Friday, October 11th at 7:30am for a PTA general meeting. PTA will be serving coffee and light bites in the cafeteria. Please sign in at the front desk first. We understand if you need to bring a younger sibling or leave early for work engagements. Please join us for information and connection! Lite bites generously donated by LaMex!

Garden Work Day

Join us on Saturday, October 12th from 8:00 - 10:00 am for our next work day.  Please bring garden gloves and your water bottle.  For questions, please contact Kasey Todd and Kat Robinson at environmental@travispta.org. 

Travis Fall Carnival - Saturday, Oct. 26!

The Travis Fall Carnival is PTA’s largest annual event and a Woodland Heights tradition. Join us on Saturday, October 26th, from 11am-3pm for a haunted house, dunk tank, games, prizes, and loads of fun! 5th grade parents and students will also be hosting the annual parade through our neighborhood. 80% of funds raised go directly back into our classrooms as teacher supply reimbursements. In the days leading up to Carnival we will be spotlighting our dedicated teachers and staff - so check our our socials and website for more info! We hope you will join us in raising money for our wonderful school! Many thanks to our lead carnival sponsor, Kasia McCormick with Compass!

Be a Fall Carnival Sponsor!

Carnival is a truly special day for our school. We build community and raise funds for our amazing Travis Faculty and Staff - 80% of the net proceeds go directly to them! Our success depends on the support we get from our Travis family and friends. Above are several donation levels you can sponsor as a family or as a business to help offset our costs, so that more money can go directly to our classrooms. Every donation matters! Sponsorships can be purchased online HERE. And if you know of a business that would love to sponsor - make sure to send them the info! Contact fundraising@travispta.org with questions.

Spooky Art Contest

Calling all artists! Students are invited to showcase their creativity by submitting a unique piece of artwork inspired by their favorite things about autumn and/or Halloween. To enter this art contest, students must purchase a 12x12 canvas from PTA for $10. Canvases can be purchased here or after school on Friday, Oct. 11th (card only; no cash accepted). Canvas sales will end on Tuesday, Oct. 15th at 9pm. Please submit all work to the front desk (in a bin marked “Carnival Art”) by Friday, October 18th, and be sure your child’s name is on the back of the canvas! A winner will be chosen from each grade level (they will receive a small prize).

New this year, TWO grand prizes will be awarded from our pool of finalists: a K - 2nd winner & a 3rd - 5th winner. Both grand prize winners’ designs will be printed on vinyl water bottle stickers, and every Travis student will get their respective grade’s sticker.

Questions? Email carnival@travispta.org.

Carnival Raffle

We are excited to announce a very special, local prize for this year’s Carnival raffle item! TridentPro Lighting, the company that installs the beloved dinosaur holiday lights on the Woodland Heights esplanade, will be donating the following (valued at over $1,500):

• A full roof outline with commercial grade C9 lighting up to 200 linear feet (which will easily cover most homes)

• (1) battery powered multi color function garland

• (1) battery powered multi color function 32” wreath

• Either bush string lighting up to (8) 50’ strands or 100 linear feet of commercial grade C9 sidewalk lighting with stakes included

Many thanks to our raffle sponsor Sara Black with Nan and Company Properties! And thanks to Roman Dijac, owner of TridentPro Lighting, who is a neighbor and Travis alumni! We will be selling raffle tickets for $25 each, or 5 raffle tickets for $100. Raffle tickets can be purchased here and sales will close the day of Carnival. A winner will be chosen at random and announced that evening. Best of luck!

Carnival Wristbands and Tiger Bucks

So now that you’ve sponsored Carnival and purchased your raffle tickets. What do you need the day-of the event? PTA sells two event items for Carnival: Wristbands and Tiger Bucks. Entry to Carnival is free and open to everyone. So what do wristbands and tickets buy?

Wristbands allow the wearer to play at all Carnival booths unlimited times. If your child wants to play in a bouncy house, get colored hairspray, or dunk a teacher - they need a wristband! This includes pre-schoolers and middle-schoolers who want to participate in Carnival games or haunted house. Pre-sale price is $25, full price is $30.

Tiger Bucks are purple tickets used for food and drink purchases. Each Tiger Buck = $1. Use the menu to estimate how many Tiger Bucks you might want to buy. PTA suggests 15 Tiger Bucks per child if you are planning to get a meal, a drink, and a snack. Pre-sale price is $10 for 12 Tiger Bucks, full price is $10 for 10 Tiger Bucks.

Wristbands and tickets can be purchased here.

Carnival Costume Contest.

Register now for the Carnival Costume Contest via this Google form link! Contestants will “walk the runway” on the day of the Carnival at 1pm for the judges and their family and friends. Trophies and prizes will be given in the following categories immediately after the contest:

• Best Overall
• Best Original Design
• Spookiest
• Funniest
• Cutest
• Best Duo
• Best Family
• Best Travis Inspired 

Register now!

5th Grade Parade & Haunted House

Make sure to check out the 5th Grade Parade and Haunted House on the day of the Carnival! The Parade will start immediately before the Carnival opens, from 10:15-10:45am with set up starting at 9:45am. The Haunted House is open on the day of the Carnival from 11am-2pm. If you and your 5th grader would like to help with these amazing activities please sign-up on Parent Square. Email Jillroyle@hotmail.com (parade) or Cari.shoemate@gmail.com (Haunted House) with questions.

Picture Day - October 18th

Picture Day is Friday, October 18. Order Fall Pictures NOW! All orders are prepay at this link. If you are unhappy with your Tiger’s picture, when Photo Texas returns to photograph absent and new students, they can retake any student’s photo. FYI: Photo Texas does not email proofs. During the Prepay period, you can choose Ship to School for free or Ship to Home. Shipping charges will apply.

The Prepay Link remains active for 1 WEEK after Picture Day. Any order received after the Prepay period is considered a late order and is shipped to the address provided. Shipping charges will apply.

Please contact Photo Texas with questions.

HISD Bond Round Table

On Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 5:30-7pm - Council Member Abbie Kamin of District C will be moderating a public discussion regarding the HISD bond propositions A&B. Join us at St. Mark’s to learn more. You can submit questions in advance via hello@helmspta.org.

Storybook Character Day:

On Thursday, October 31, 2024 - dress up as your favorite storybook character. Show off your creativity and passion for your favorite book! No handheld props, please.

Meet Your PTA

PTA Board is proud to present our Arts Co-Chairs, Candice Morris and Courtney Solon. Candice is the mom of two boys, Dylan (2nd grade) and Lane (2 years old). Although the two year old keeps her mostly occupied, she spends her spare time as a part time graphic designer, taking fishing trips with her family, and watching live music with friends. Courtney is the mom of Kai (5th grade) and Bess (2nd grade). She is a true night owl and always looks forward to her first cup of coffee in the morning, shopping the fields of Round Top, going to concerts with her husband, and spending time with friends and family.

They support Ms. Murillo with her art class endeavors, including her upcoming school-wide Dia de Los Muertos ofrenda, and are in charge of the Spooky Art Contest for the Fall Carnival. (Make sure to get your canvas here and let your Travis Tiger get creative, ghostly, and ghoulish!) Candice and Courtney also help with the Travis Art Show in the Spring, and will be reestablishing Travis’ beloved Silver Rocket, an annual publication filled with student-submitted original works of art and writing. Please reach out to them at arts@travispta.org if you would like to volunteer with any of these artistic efforts!

Upcoming Dates

• Thursday, October 10th @5pm - HISD Board Meeting

• Friday, October 11th @7:30am - Coffee with Your PTA

• Saturday, October 12th, 8-10am - Garden Work Day

• Friday, October 18th - Picture Day

• Tuesday, Oct. 22nd @5:30pm - Bond Roundtable

• Saturday, October 26th - Travis Fall Carnival

• Thursday, October 31st - Storybook Character Day

• Friday, November 1st - Coffee with Our Principal

• Tuesday, November 5th - Election Day

• Friday, November 8th - No School

• Monday, November 11th - 2nd Six Weeks Report Cards