August 2011
District Advisory Council (DAC) Meeting
Who: The District Advisory Council is a committee of parents, students, business and community representatives, teachers, principals, and other district staff. The DAC provides valuable input to the Superintendent and Board of Trustees, who ultimately have decision-making responsibility for the district.
What: The formation of the DAC is required by state law (Texas Education Code, §11.251). Specific functions of the DAC include providing review and comment on:
McCallum Arts Center Grand Opening Friday, September 30
Save the Date!
Elevate: McCallum Arts Center Grand Opening
Friday, September 30, 2011, 6:30pm-8:30pm
5600 Sunshine Drive, Austin TX 78756
Honorary Event Chair: Sara Hickman, State Musician of Texas
The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts Announces Austin, Texas as Partner City for Any Given Child
Program Creates a Long-Range Arts Education Plan for Students Grades K-8
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has chosen Austin, Texas as the seventh partner city for Any Given Child, a program that creates a long-range arts education plan for students in grades K-8. The program will incorporate existing resources of the Austin Independent School District, along with those of local arts organizations and the Kennedy Center to create a plan for arts education specific to the city.
Board Briefs for Monday, August 22, 2011
Trustees approved 2011-2012 budget
The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the 2011-2012 school district budget on Monday. The $974,270,872 combined (general fund, food service and debt service fund) budget included the restoration of the historic property tax designation for homeowners. The tax rate on maintenance and operations (M&O) remains the same; the tax rate for debt (I&S) is only increasing 1.5 cents to support debt costs previously authorized by voters through the 2004 and 2008 bond proposition elections.
AISD Gets the Blood Pumping with Healthy Bike Ride and Welcome Back Press Conference at Zavala Elementary Today
Austin Independent School District (AISD) Superintendent Meria Carstarphen kicked-off the 2011-2012 school year this morning by joining the bike club of Zavala Elementary School, the "Freewheelin' Mustangs," for a ride around their east side neighborhood. Zavala Elementary, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, hosted the back-to-school event and press conference.
Three Austin Schools Awarded Title I Grant Funding
The Austin School District today announced that it had received an award of $13 million Texas Title I Priority Schools (TTIPS) grants for Lanier High School and Burnet and Martin middle schools.
Austin Schools Post Gains on Federal Report Card
No District School on Improvement Plan for the First Time Since 2003
Crockett High School Receives Prestigious “High Schools That Work” Award
Crockett High School has been selected as an Outstanding High Schools That Work (HSTW) School. This award is based on the success of local school leaders and teachers in improving school practices and raising student achievement. The award was presented by Dave Spence, president of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), at the 25th Annual HSTW Staff Development Conference in Nashville, Tennessee recently.