

Hello, Brentwood families!
We hope this message finds you embracing the fresh start of a brand-new year with hope and curiosity. As we embark upon 2025, we want to share all sorts of exciting opportunities and upcoming events in which to learn, grow, and make memories.
Celebrate Diversity
Join us for Brentwood Elementary Day of Service on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a family-friendly, drop-in volunteer event being held in the Brentwood Community Room as well as the outdoor area at school’s front entrance on Monday, January 20, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
We’re offering several community service activities to honor Dr. King, including a food drive, care kit creation for community members in need, a park clean-up, and more. Please bring non-perishable food items and paper shopping bags to donate. This year, we will also be collecting diapers of all sizes. We look forward to seeing you all there! Click here for other Austin festivities.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister, activist, and one of the leaders of the nonviolent Civil Rights Movement of the fifties and sixties. His involvement in the movement began during the bus boycotts of 1955, sadly ending with his assassination in 1968. The federal holiday to observe his birthday first began in 1986, however, in 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service. Observed each year on the third Monday in January as “a day on, not a day off,” MLK Jr Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.
Dr. King recognized the power of service, saying "Everyone can be great, because everybody can serve." Observing the holiday through service is a way to begin each year with a commitment to making our community a better place. This service honors Dr. King's life and teachings, helps meet pressing community challenges, and brings together people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Here are a few ways to reflect on Dr. King’s incredible legacy:
- Take a self-guided walking tour. Walk through part of the area of Austin that was originally created to segregate Blacks in 1928 and reflect on how walking played a critical role in the Civil Rights Era.
- Watch Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Afterwards, reflect on how his words resonate in your own life and community.
- Watch King in the Wilderness, a film that follows Dr. King during the last years of his life, from the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assassination in 1968.
Looking for reading material? Here are some kid-friendly books about Dr. King and his work fighting for equality: The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Biography Book for New Readers by Christine Platt, "We March" by Shane W. Evans, "This Is Your Time" by Ruby Bridges.
The Origins and Traditions of Lunar New Year
Each year, on a date between January 21 and February 20, a special day is celebrated with food, fireworks displays, music, performances, and parades in cities and towns all over the world; this year, Lunar New Year lands on January 29, coinciding with the first new moon of the year. One of 12 traditional animals marks the year; 2025 is the year of the Snake. With an estimated 1.5 billion people around the world who celebrate Lunar New Year, it’s the most important holiday in China—and it’s widely commemorated in South Korea, Vietnam, and countries with a significant Chinese population.
The origins of Lunar New Year are a mystery, but legend tells the tale of a primeval beast called Nian, whose name means “year” in Chinese. In ancient China, at the end of winter, the monster would enter the villages to eat crops and livestock. Easily frightened by loud noises, fire, and the color red, Nian would be driven away by the villagers every year on the last day of winter with red paper decorations, red hanging lanterns, traditional lion dances, and fireworks. Chinese people have celebrated with these good luck traditions for thousands of years.
To prepare for the New Year, families traditionally clean every corner of their homes to symbolically sweep away any bad luck from the previous year. On New Year's Eve, families gather to share a traditional feast, play games, and exchange gifts. Kids receive special red envelopes containing money, and at midnight, families set off fireworks. Want to learn more? Check out these books: This Next New Year, by Janet S. Wong, Sam and the Lucky Money, by Karen Chinn, A New Years Reunion: A Chinese Story, by Yu Li-Qiong. Or watch this short, informational video. And create a fun, educational craft.
Advocacy Matters
We are a little more than a month away from Rally Day (Monday, February 24 at the Texas State Capitol), but it is never too early to start communicating with your legislator. Our local ACPTA has come up with some very useful prompts to help you get started.
Writing tips:
- Introduce yourself
- Be nice and use manners
- Be honest
- Tell a story or share a hope
- Thank them
Elected representatives at all levels want to hear what you think and how you feel. They want to hear about your experiences and your hopes for the future. Remember, these letters will be shared with people who can help make real changes at school. Please be thoughtful and sincere.
Stem sentences:
- My teacher helps me ______ by _________.
- Each school day I look forward to _________.
- I wish my school had a _______ because ________.
- If my teacher had $20 they would _________.
Prompts:
- How do my classroom lessons today prepare me for my future?
- What will I miss most about my teacher next school year?
- What does my class need most?
- What is your proudest school achievement?
Example letter:
Dear Representative Talarico,
I am a third grader at Wizard Elementary School, and I love music. I wish my school had a music class, because I would like to learn to play the blooglephone. I love my school and know more money would help us afford more teachers and classes. Thank you for reading this and please vote for more money for my school.
Sincerely,
Narwhal Sharp
9 years old
We will have a letter writing station at the MLK, Jr. Day of Service, so feel free to join us then!
Getting It Down to a Science
Brentwood's Science Fair will be held this Friday, January 17! The exhibit hall will be open for family viewing after school on Thursday the 16th from 3 to 6 p.m. Come check out all the wonderful exhibits from our scientists. (Please remember to view with your eyes only and keep watch over younger children.)
After-School Cheatsheet
We’ve updated our after-school program offerings on the PTA website—check out the latest and greatest here. And speaking of ways to keep our kids engaged, enlightened, and entertained, have you heard of Campitycamp.com? This free resource enables parents to more easily find summer camps for their kids—camps that often require registration by February. After entering your zip code, price range, and child's age, all the camps within your parameters will appear. And beginning February 1, there will be the option to book your summer camps directly through the website, streamlining the often arduous process even further.
Spellbinding Spelling Bee
Registration for the Winter 2025 Brentwood Spelling Bee is now open! Bulldogs in grades 2nd through 5the who would like to participate can sign up using this form. We will be including a sensory-friendly option of a small dry-erase board to aid spellers in constructing words before reciting into the microphone. The bee will be held on our stage on Wednesday, February 26, at 5:30 p.m. In advance of the Bee, we will hold 2 to 3 practice sessions, so students can get familiar with the format. The word list is available for download from the “Spelling Bee” folder in the Konstella Files & Links. The practice session information will be emailed to parents/guardians after your Bulldog is signed up. Participating in the Bee can be a great way to make new friends, enhance vocabulary, improve public speaking skills, and gain practice in friendly, supportive competition. If you would like to volunteer, see the Spelling Bee Committee signups in Konstella, or contact Stephanie Brown at Stephanie.Slakey@gmail.com.
“But still, like dust, I’ll rise.”
Ah, the poignant words of Maya Angelou. Mark your calendars for your young poet's (or poets') chance to take Brentwood’s annual Poetry Café by storm. This year's event will take place February 10–21, when the library is transformed into a coffee shop of sorts, and Pre-K through 5th grade classes have a chance to share poems and show off their poetry writing and performance skills. Families and caregivers are welcome to join and bring a favorite poem to share! Teachers will communicate specific dates and times later this month.
Bring Us Your Books!
The school library is currently collecting gently used children's books, puzzles, and games for the annual Used Book Sale, in March. Donation bins are in the Community Room for easy drop-off. (Note that we do not collect adult books, magazines, or used activity books or journals.)
This beloved Brentwood tradition keeps great books in circulation among the school community and offers students the opportunity to independently choose reading material for only a couple bucks (hardcovers are $1 and paperbacks are 50 cents). Students and staff love this event, which stokes up excitement in discovering new books! All funds raised are used to purchase new library materials.
This year, we are also collecting costumes for the Storybook Parade (being held in April for grades Pre-K–2). If you have costume elements for a storybook character that you’d like to donate, please drop them off in the Community Room. More details about the Storybook Parade will be shared closer to the event.
On the Calendar
Follow along on Konstella or subscribe to our Brentwood Elementary Google Calendar to be in the know about upcoming school events, holidays, and PTA activities. Here are a few items of note below.
Thursday, January 16 & Friday, January 17: Brentwood Science Fair
Monday, January 20: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day/No school/Day of Service Event, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
Wednesday, January 29: Staff Development Day/Lunar New Year/No school
Friday, February 7: School Tour for Incoming Families, 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, February 13: General Body PTA Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, February 17: No School/Presidents’ Day
Monday, February 24: Rally Day at the Capitol
Wednesday, February 26: Spelling Bee, 5:30 p.m.
Building Bulldogs
Brentwood PTA runs an annual, donate-one-time-per-year, no-hassle fundraiser we call the Bulldog Fund. The donations collected in this fund are used for essential (and at times all-too-expensive) programming like literacy and math software, library books, music, art, and more. Donate HERE!
Let Us Know
Do you happen to have a program, event, or volunteer need that you would like published in the Bulldog Bark, on the PTA website, or sent out via social channels? Simply email communications@brentwoodpta.com for consideration.
PTA Website
PTA Facebook
X: @BrentwoodAISD
Instagram/Threads: @BrentwoodBulldogs_AISD
Brentwood Website
January Sponsor Shout Outs
Sponsor of the Month: Allandale Veterinary Clinic
This neighborhood vet clinic cares about our pets and our students. Thank you Allandale Veterinary Clinic for your 3 years of sponsorship.

Leader of the Pack: Ninja Nation Austin
Top Dog Donors: Dia’s Market, Eldorado Cafe, Allandale Veterinary Clinic, Kosmic Kombucha, Sherwood Pediatric Dentistry, The Violet Crown Coffee + Wine
Bulldog Buddy: Katy Snell, Realtor at Compass
See the Brentwood PTA sponsorship page for more info on sponsorship options.