Austin, TX—First grade students from Allan, Allison, Andrews, Barbara Jordan, Blanton, Galindo, Govalle, Oak Springs, Overton and Pease elementary schools get to show off their reading skills and learn more about horses during a visit to the Travis County Exposition Center Wednesday, May 2. The Horse Tales Literacy Project is sponsoring the event which offers the first graders an opportunity to learn about horses, including how to feed, groom and shoe them. The students will also get to read aloud to one another from the book, "Little Black, A Pony".

Austin, TX— Austin Independent School District Director of Public Relations and Multicultural Outreach Alex Sánchez released the following statement today regarding an accident involving two Pillow Elementary School students:

"Our thoughts are with the students and their family during this time. Austin ISD will do everything we can to provide comfort and assistance to the family and to our students. The school will provide counseling for all students as needed."

Austin, TX—Every teacher has a story. And for Austin ISD’s 2012 Teachers of the Year, the story of what set them on the path to becoming an educator began at an early age. Tracy Graham says her positive experience attending public schools inspired her to teach. Alicia Brown-Forbes says as a young child, she pretended to teach her siblings and knew that teaching was her calling. As a first-generation college student, Matt Earhart wanted to be an advocate for students who come from underprivileged backgrounds.  

Austin, TX—Austin Independent School District has named Edna Ramon Butts as the new Director of Intergovernmental Relations and Policy Oversight.

Butts has served as General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor for Sen. Kirk Watson for more than five years, monitoring and developing policy in the areas of public and higher education, as well as immigration, housing and jurisprudence.

Austin, TX—The Austin Independent School District will host a screening of the movie, "Bully" Wednesday, April 25, at Alamo Drafthouse. The screening will feature a discussion immediately following the film led by Superintendent Meria Carstarphen.

Austin, TX—Tonight, Austin ISD Board of Trustees approved the appointment of principals for Eastside Memorial High School at the Johnston Campus, Kealing Middle School, Parades Middle School, Metz Elementary School and Lucy Read Pre-kindergarten Demonstration Center.

Bryan Miller, Eastside Memorial High School at the Johnston Campus

Austin, TX—Tonight, the Board of Trustees for the Austin Independent School District recognized 30 newly certified or renewed teachers through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Austin ISD employs more National Board Certified Teachers than any other Texas district. Austin ISD boasts 243 National Board Certified Teachers for the 2011-12 school year.

2011 National Board Certified Teachers

Akins High School

Bonnie Hauser

Anderson High School

Austin, TX—Austin ISD’s Board of Trustees voted to revise the district’s consultation policy to expand employee representation on such issues as compensation and workplace environment.

Since December, AISD has been reviewing its policy, which recognized Education Austin as the district's exclusive consultation agent for the past four years, to examine how to potentially increase the amount of employee input the consultation agent considers when addressing key district issues.