Austin Elementary-PBTISD

05/14/2026

20 Published Authors at Austin Elementary! 🦅💜💛

Austin Elementary is proud to celebrate a meaningful milestone in Mrs. Villagonza’s Reading Language Arts class: 20 students are now published authors!

Throughout each Bluebonnet module, students worked through the writing process by brainstorming, drafting, revising, and bringing their ideas to life through class books. What began as classroom lessons grew into something much bigger — students seeing themselves as real authors.

One special project, Home Sweet Habitat, highlights students’ understanding of habitats while showcasing their creativity, voice, and hard work as young writers.

Congratulations to Mrs. Villagonza’s class on this exciting accomplishment. We are so proud of our newest published authors! 📚✨

05/14/2026

Austin Elementary 1st graders are officially committed to Zavala Elementary-PBTISD for next school year! ✏️

During their grade-level awards banquet, our 1st graders signed their commitment to Zavala and were congratulated with handshakes and smiles as they celebrated this exciting next step. 💜🤍💛

A special thank you to Mrs. Birch for joining us to congratulate our future Zavala Eagles, alongside Mrs. Mitchell and Mr. Amaya. 🦅

We are so proud of our Austin Eagles and can’t wait to see them continue to grow, learn, and lead! 👏

View the full photo album here: pbtisdphotos.smugmug.com/2025-2026/May/20250512-14-Austin-End-of-Year-Awards

05/14/2026

Austin Elementary 1st graders are officially committed to Zavala Elementary for next school year! ✏️

During their grade-level awards banquet, our 1st graders signed their commitment to Zavala and were congratulated with handshakes and smiles as they celebrated this exciting next step. 💜🤍💛

A special thank you to Mrs. Birch for joining us to congratulate our future Zavala Eagles, alongside Mrs. Mitchell and Mr. Amaya. 🦅

We are so proud of our Austin Eagles and can’t wait to see them continue to grow, learn, and lead! 👏

View the full photo album here: pbtisdphotos.smugmug.com/2025-2026/May/20250512-14-Austin-End-of-Year-Awards

05/13/2026

Austin, It’s WIN Time! ✨

We’re so proud to be named a 2026 School Transforming Learning Campus by the Principals’ Institute.

This recognition reflects the heart of Austin Elementary: a true team effort from our staff, students, and families to work together, support each learner, and provide the enrichment students need to grow. 💜🤍💛

📰 Read more about what this recognition means for Austin Elementary here:
https://www.pbtisd.net/article/2897161

05/08/2026

Congratulations to our Campus Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Mari Maledon! 💜🤍💛

📰 Read more about the Teachers of the Year here: https://www.pbtisd.net/article/2881639

🍎 Austin Elementary-PBTISD Teacher of the Year: Maricella “Mari” Maledon
For 17 years, Maricella “Mari” Maledon has served students with a heart for education. After beginning as a substitute teacher, she found her calling, returned to school, and continued her journey as a classroom teacher. 💜🤍💛

Today, Ms. Maledon teaches preschool at Austin Elementary, where she helps build the foundation for some of our youngest learners. Being selected by her peers as Austin Elementary’s Teacher of the Year is an honor she does not take lightly.

“I can personally attest to the adage that it takes big hearts to teach little minds,” Maledon shared.

For Ms. Maledon, one of the most meaningful parts of each school year comes in the spring, when her students’ growth becomes clear and the hard work begins to shine.

Please join us in congratulating Maricella “Mari” Maledon, Austin Elementary’s 2025–2026 Teacher of the Year! 🦅

05/01/2026

Happy School Lunch Hero Day to our child nutrition staff! 💜🤍💛

04/29/2026

1st grade had a front-row seat to science in action! 🦋

After learning about the life cycle of a butterfly, students got to see the final stage up close as they released their butterflies last week and watched them take flight.

A sweet lesson in growth, change, and letting tiny wings do big things. 💜🤍💛

📸 View more and download photos here: pbtisdphotos.smugmug.com/2025-2026/April/202510423-24-Butterflyt-Release-Austin

04/27/2026

S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G Bee success at Austin Elementary! 🐝

Our Kinder and 1st Grade Spelling Bee gave our youngest Eagles a chance to shine in English and Spanish. We are proud of every student who stepped up, tried their best, and represented their class with pride. 💜🤍💛

Congratulations to this year’s winners!
Kinder
🥇 Rafael Hinojos
🥈 Avery Lu
🥉 Josephine Rodriguez
Kinder Spanish
🥇 Daniel Cossio
🥈 Emma Rodriguez
🥉 Julia Chavez
1st Grade
🥇 Fernando Ruiz
🥈 Millie Snyder
🥉 Ezra Alcazar
1st Grade Spanish
🥇 Luciana Balderrama
🥈 Yohangelis Lariz
🥉 Eiren Lopez

📸 View the full photo gallery here: https://pbtisdphotos.smugmug.com/2025-2026/April/2025-04-24--Austin-Spelling-Bee

04/24/2026

P is for Pecos, E is for Eagles! 🟣🔤🦅

Our Pre-K students filled the halls with excitement during today’s ABC Parade, proudly showing off their letters through creative costumes and confident smiles! 🤩

It’s been a year of learning, growth, and big milestones, and today was a fun way to celebrate just how far they’ve come. 💜🤍💛

📸 View the full photo gallery here: pbtisdphotos.smugmug.com/2025-2026/April/20250424-Pre-K-ABC-Parade

04/22/2026

It's National Library Week and we are loving this year's theme, "Find Your Joy"!

Thank you to our lovely Librarian Team for their efforts in making this week a special one for our school.
Here are some highlights so far! 📚✨