Austin ISD was awarded the District of Distinction Award for the Visual Arts for the third year in a row Aug. 31. The District of Distinction award is given annually by the Texas Art Education Association to recognize school districts that are providing high-quality arts programs to students and promoting them to the community.

Pre-K, Kindergarten, and first grade students can still enroll in Austin ISD’s Spanish/English Dual Language programs for this school year. 

Why it matters: In Dual Language classes, students speak, read, and write in two languages, with the goal of becoming bilingual and biliterate. Native English and Spanish speakers are in the same classrooms, so they learn the language and the subject matter together at the same time.

Liberal Arts and Science Academy Junior Sahana Sudarsan has always been passionate about other cultures and communities worldwide, and dreamed of studying them.  That dream came true in June as she was awarded the National Security Language Initiative for Youth Virtual Summer Intensive scholarship to study Arabic and Jordanian culture for six weeks.

Austin ISD crews are replacing drinking fountains with water-bottle refilling stations across the district.

Why it matters: The filling stations are easier and more sanitary than traditional drinking fountains, which have been shut off since the start of the pandemic.

What you should know: In the meantime, if your school needs bottled water delivered, your principal can put in a service ticket, and a crew will bring cases to your campus.