ADS PTO

07/14/2025

July 14, 2025

Dear ADS Board, ADS Administration & ADS Alumni,

Please take notice that the Austin Discovery School Parent Teacher Organization (“ADS PTO”) will be dissolved in fourteen (14) calendar days. A vote has been approved by the seven (7) remaining ADS PTO Officers, surpassing the two-thirds vote needed to approve the dissolution of the ADS PTO.

According to ADS PTO bylaws, funds remaining shall be donated to Austin Discovery School. The ADS PTO shall also donate all remaining assets to Austin Discovery School.

Though the ADS PTO cannot earmark funds, due to the circumstances surrounding the dissolution of the ADS PTO, the most recent ADS PTO Board suggests that all remaining ADS PTO funds and assets be used by the Austin Discovery School Board to host a goodbye event for former ADS students, families & staff.

We want to also recognize all former ADS PTO officers for the time and energy they poured into ADS throughout the last 20 years. The ADS PTO created so many memorable community building events and provided integral support to ADS. Though we are saddened that our hard work will not be passed along to another amazing team of parent volunteers, we are proud of the work we were able to accomplish during the 2023-2025 school years. Lastly, we want to express our gratitude to our amazing ADS community for your time, energy & support!

Sincerely,
Your 2024-2025 ADS PTO Officers
Amber Quisenberry, President
Jessica Oleyar, Vice President
Kimberly Effinger, Treasurer
Marga Uriarte , Secretary
Laura Nesmith, Event Coordinator
Laura Shook Guzman, Volunteer Coordinator
Sarah Somera, Room Parent Coordinator

05/31/2025

This Tuesday, June 3rd... last Coffee Chat of the school year!
Hope to see you in the Courtyard after drop off - 8am!!
Please remember to sign in at the front office.

05/15/2025

🌎 Final Days to sign up for Ridwell & support ADS!! 🌍
🌏 Keep hard-to-recycle items out of landfills! 🔋💡♻️
🌍 Plans start at only $14/month, cancel anytime! 🌎
https://get.ridwell.com/ads

05/14/2025

🦉 Our current flock of amazing PTO (Parent Teacher Owl-ganization) officers has done an owl-standing job keeping our school nest feathered and flourishing! But as the seasons change, the ADS PTO is looking for fresh faces and new "talon-t" to step up to the perch for the upcoming school year! 🦉

Are You Ready to Give a Hoot?
✨ Do you have a knack for planning? A wise head for numbers? A voice that can rally the roost? Or maybe you just owl-ways wanted to make a difference for our little owlets? Then we need YOU! No need to be an expert in "Owlgebra" or "Advanced Hooting"—just bring your enthusiasm and a desire to help our school soar!

Why Join the ADS PTO?
🎉 It's a hoot! Seriously, we have fun!
🎉 You'll make a real impact on our school and our owlets' experience.
🎉 Meet other fantastic parents and become part of a wise and wonderful team.
🎉 You'll learn the secret owl handshake (okay, maybe not, but you'll get lots of high-fives!).

🦉 Don't be a Scaredy-Owl!
If you've ever thought about getting involved, now is the owl-portune time! We're a supportive flock and will help you learn the ropes.

🦉 Ready to Spread Your Wings with Us?
If you're interested in learning more or want to throw your feather in the ring for a position, please send a hoot (an email, that is!) to [email protected] by June 1, 2025.

✨ Let’s make ADS’s 20th Anniversary the best one yet! ✨ We can't wait to hear hoo is ready to join the squad! 🦉🦉🦉

04/28/2025

SEEKING NINE NEW RIDWELL MEMBERS!! Curious about at-home recycling pickup from Ridwell? 🧐 They collect hundreds of common household items you can’t recycle curbside, like plastic food packaging, lightbulbs, clothes, Styrofoam, and more.

⏰ If you sign up for a household membership by May 23rd, you’ll also help earn pickup of ADS’s plastic film for all of the ‘25/’26 school year (when 10 new members sign up). ⏰ Check out this quick video to learn more about how Ridwell works:
https://vimeo.com/330587699?share=copy

Visit https://get.ridwell.com/ads for more information—and make sure you sign up through the Ridwell/ADS landing page so your membership counts toward rewards for the school!

Spread the word to others you think might be interested in Ridwell… as long as they sign up through the Ridwell/ADS landing page, the membership will count toward rewards for ADS.
Austin Discovery School is one of over 300 schools keeping plastic film out of landfills with Ridwell this spring! To participate in this limited-time recycling drive and celebrate Earth Month, bring plastic film (ziptop bags, grocery bags, bubble wrap, and lots more) to ADS and Ridwell will make sure it stays out of landfills. It’ll be turned into new decking materials instead!

ADS Students & families can drop off CLEAN & DRY plastic film donations from Apr 1st - May 1st. THIS IS YOUR LAST WEEK TO DROP CLEAN & DRY PLASTIC FILM OFF!!

Drop off locations include:
📌 Students can bring plastic film donations to class
📌 RIDWELL ONLY receptacles (front office & near walk-up pick up line)

04/26/2025

Be sure to stop by the OneFest Silent Auction today for a fun way to support ADS! We have some incredible experiences donated by your fellow community members and community sponsors. Silent Auction bids will end at 5pm so come by and claim some goodies!

04/21/2025

REMINDER: TOMORROW APR 21ST - volunteers will be collecting CLEAN & DRY plastic film from the car pick up line for the Ridwell campaign. https://get.ridwell.com/ads
All plastic film collected by ADS will be turned into decking by Ridwell’s partner Trex.

Ridwell members save tons from the landfill every year to support our community, keep our oceans clean and build a brighter future. Your hard-to-recycle stuff is recycled or reused by Ridwell’s vetted partners dedicated to wasting less. You'll be amazed by their recycling campaigns... from used batteries & light bulbs to stuffed animals & used crayons! Learn more about how to become a Ridwell member: https://get.ridwell.com/ads

10 new sign-ups will get ADS free plastic film pick up for the 2025-26 school year!!

04/13/2025

Curious about at-home recycling pickup from Ridwell? 🧐 They collect hundreds of common household items you can’t recycle curbside, like plastic food packaging, lightbulbs, clothes, Styrofoam, and more.

⏰ If you sign up for a household membership by May 23rd, you’ll also help earn pickup of ADS’s plastic film for all of the ‘25/’26 school year (when 10 new members sign up). ⏰ Check out this quick video to learn more about how Ridwell works:
https://vimeo.com/330587699?share=copy

Visit https://get.ridwell.com/ads for more information—and make sure you sign up through the Ridwell/ADS landing page so your membership counts toward rewards for the school!

Spread the word to others you think might be interested in Ridwell… as long as they sign up through the Ridwell/ADS landing page, the membership will count toward rewards for ADS.

Austin Discovery School is one of over 300 schools keeping plastic film out of landfills with Ridwell this spring! To participate in this limited-time recycling drive and celebrate Earth Month, bring plastic film (ziptop bags, grocery bags, bubble wrap, and lots more) to ADS and Ridwell will make sure it stays out of landfills. It’ll be turned into new decking materials instead!

ADS Students & families can drop off CLEAN & DRY plastic film donations from Apr 1st - May 1st.

Drop off locations include:
📌 Students can bring plastic film donations to class,
📌 RIDWELL ONLY receptacles (front office & near walk-up pick up line),
📌 Apr 21 - look for volunteers collecting bags of CLEAN & DRY plastic film from the carline at pick up.

This is "How it Works" by Ridwell on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

04/01/2025

It might be April 1st, but this is NOT A JOKE! The ADS/Ridwell Plastic Film Drive is on!!

Students & families can drop off CLEAN & DRY plastic film donations from Apr 1st - May 1st.

Drop off locations include:
- Students can bring plastic film donations to class,
- RIDWELL ONLY receptacles that will be placed around campus,
- Apr 7 & Apr 21 - look for volunteers collecting bags of CLEAN & DRY plastic film from the carline at pick up.

Want to learn more? Head over here: https://get.ridwell.com/ads

03/31/2025

Hey ADS Community!

Wouldn’t it be nice to see a OneFest Community Market featuring booths sponsored by ADS families, staff, alumni & companies aligned with the goals of ADS? We’d love to hear your ideas for OneFest Booth Sponsors!

We have a variety of opportunities available to become a OneFest Sponsor. Please reach out to [email protected] if you are interested in becoming a sponsor. We’re happy to fill you in on the details!

Have a great idea for a OneFest Sponsor? Reach out to [email protected] and give us details. A PTO Officer will reach out to the potential sponsor and update them on opportunities available.

Thank you for your help, Community!
Your ADS PTO Officers

03/29/2025

APRIL 1ST - MAY 1ST, 2025
ADS/RIDWELL PLASTIC FILM DRIVE

We’re keeping plastic film out of landfills with an ADS/Ridwell plastic film drive!

What is a plastic film drive?
Plastic film includes grocery bags, zip top bags, Amazon shipping envelopes, and lots more thin, flexible plastic. It can’t be recycled curbside, so millions of tons end up in landfills every year. During the drive, we’ll collect CLEAN & DRY plastic film from the school community to recycle with Ridwell, keeping it out of the landfill.

Why do a plastic film drive?
Participating in a drive helps students feel empowered to make an impact on the planet and helps them become mindful about waste. Plus, ADS has the chance to earn ongoing plastic film pickups for the entire 2025-26 school year. This means our school’s production of plastic film would stay out of landfills and go on to have a new life after Ridwell's partner turns it into composite decking.

About Ridwell: Ridwell helps families recycle & reuse more through doorstep pickup of materials that can’t be recycled curbside. Check out this 2-minute video https://vimeo.com/833729933?share=copy
if you’d like to learn more. If 10 community members sign up for Ridwell using the ADS landing page, Austin Discovery School will receive free plastic film pick up for the 2025-26 school year!!

Memberships start at $14/month & can be canceled at anytime. Ridwell currently operates in 8 metro areas: Seattle, Portland, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, Minneapolis & Atlanta. Share this link with any co-workers, neighbors, friends or family… ADS will get credit as long as they sign up using this landing page: https://get.ridwell.com/ads

Where to drop off your CLEAN & DRY plastic film donations?
Students & families can drop off CLEAN & DRY plastic film donations from Apr 1 - May 1. Drop off locations will include:
- Students can bring plastic film donations to class,
- RIDWELL ONLY receptacles that will be placed around campus,
- April 7 & April 21 - look for volunteers collecting bags of CLEAN & DRY plastic film from the car pick up line.

03/25/2025

One Fest is coming up! Look for your chance to contribute to the raffle! Each grade will get a "basket" together for the silent raffle. Your room adults may have already sent out info.. if not.. be on the 👀!