December 2016

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Meet You on the Mat: Girls Wrestling Takes Off in AISD

Austin ISD’s girl wrestlers boasted state tournament appearances from seven different squads this season. Akins, Bowie, Lanier, LBJ, McCallum, Reagan and Travis wrestlers made the championship tournament.

Tabithia Ramsey, LBJ’s wrestling coach and herself a former Austin ISD standout on the mat, said the sport is growing in popularity year after year. More girls means more competition, and that makes the matches, and the wrestlers, that much better.

“They get to compete in more matches, which in turn improves their skill and knowledge of the sport,” Ramsey said.

Making the Grade: New Report Card System Allows Families of Secondary Students to Get Grades Faster

Austin ISD’s technology department has found a way to get parents of secondary students their report cards faster. The district will be going digital on all secondary report cards this month for the third six-weeks report cards.

Of the approximately 23,000 secondary students overall, 9,292 students are already opting for digital report cards.

Moving and Grooving: TAHPERD Honors Michele Rusnak for Excellence and Leadership

The Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance named Austin ISD Health & Physical Education Supervisor Michele Rusnak the 2016 K–12 administrator of the year, a statewide honor.

Rusnak leads AISD’s health and physical education programs, including partnering with Marathon Kids to encourage students to run or walk the equivalent of four marathons in 10-minute increments during the year and incorporating WOW—Working Out for Wellness—time in the classrooms.

Annual Tamalada Brings Together Travis Students, Staff, Families

In a chilly kitchen at Travis Early College High School this week, students from the school's Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Arts welcomed parents, teachers and staff for the annual tamalada.

Chef and teacher Adam Phillips joined the Travis family this fall and was taking part in his first tamalada, or tamal-making party.

Phillips, who worked in restaurants for 15 years before becoming a teacher four years ago, said he had made tamales before, though not on this scale and not to the exacting standards of his students and their mothers.

From Culinary to Robotics: AISD Promotes Programs at High School Showcase

Austin ISD invites students, their families and the community to its High School Showcase.

What: This free event is open to the public and aims to help visitors learn more about the innovative programs AISD high schools offer.

When: 9 a.m.–noon Saturday, Dec. 10

Where: Austin High School, 1715 Cesar Chavez St.

Free shuttle service to and from the showcase is available at the following locations:

Lee Elementary Celebrates, Honors Bettie Mann

Saluting more than four decades of service, Austin ISD will honor former teacher Bettie Mann at 6 p.m., Dec. 8.

The celebration will be held at Russell Lee Elementary, where she taught for more than 40 years.

Mann, the first African-American teacher at Lee Elementary, will have a wing of the school dedicated to her. 

During her career, Mann taught every grade at the school. Her sons were the first black students at Lee Elementary.

Russell Lee Elementary is located at 3308 Hampton Road. The public is invited to attend.

AISD Welcomes Area's Best to 2016 Swim Invitational

Austin ISD and the University of Texas welcomed the area's best swimmers to the 2016 Swim Invitational in November.

The thrill of competition was on full display at the Lee and Joe Jamail Swim Center, a world-class facility known for honing the skills of world record holders and Olympians alike.

For a look at AISD's continued commitment to providing next-level opportunities for its student athletes, play the video below!