Last week, two secondary teachers and one elementary school principal were among eight Central Texas educators to make the finals of H-E-B’s annual awards program:

• Tara Bordeaux, the Cinema & Media Arts Director at Navarro Early College High School, is a finalist for the Rising Star Secondary award, which goes to promising teachers with less than a decade of experience.

• Ben McCormack, the principal at St. Elmo Elementary School, is competing in the Elementary Principal category.

• Joseph Oleniczak, a chemistry teacher at the Liberal Arts & Science Academy, is up for the Leadership Secondary Award, which honors teachers with 10-20 years in the classroom.

Go deeper: H-E-B’s Excellence in Education Awards is one of the largest monetary awards for educators in the country and the biggest in Texas. Each finalist received:

• $1,000 for themselves,

• $1,000 for their school if they were a teacher, and  

• $2,500 for their school if they were a principal.

Next steps: All finalists are invited to Austin on April 29 to compete for larger cash prizes totaling $430,000.

Did you know? Bordeaux, who was featured in an episode of the most recent season of Netflix’s Queer Eye, was the 2018 Texas Teacher of the Year.

In another sign that the pandemic is waning, registrations for Austin ISD pre-K and kindergarten have doubled what they were last spring.

Why it matters: The district saw the largest decrease in enrollment among pre-K and kindergarten through the pandemic, and this accounted for a large portion of the district failing to meet enrollment expectations.

• In October 2021 (two months after the first day of school), we were about 1,500 students short of our 10,472 projection in pre-K and kindergarten for the 2021-22 school year.

By the numbers: Last Wednesday’s Early Learning Day brought in 858 elementary student registrations, and overall the numbers are even better.

• Pre-K registrations are up 188% compared to 2021.

• Kindergarten registrations are up 123% over the same period.

• That adds up to 2,339 additional students. 

What they’re saying: “What these numbers tell me is that there is a pent-up demand in Austin coming out of the pandemic for our high-quality pre-K and kindergarten options,” said district enrollment executive director, Alejandro Delgado.  

Driving the news: The district kicked off a district-wide registration campaign with elementary campuses hosting Early Learning Day. We’re encouraging all of our current families to register for the next school year by the end of May. 

• Families with children ages 3-6 took campus tours, met principals and teachers, and registered for the upcoming school year. 

• The district is also making a big marketing push for pre-K that includes bus ads and this video.

Learn more about how we’re getting creative with enrollment.

District leaders are proposing a balanced budget for the 2022-23 school year, including a reduction of 632 positions to close our $87 million deficit.

There’s been some confusion about how we ended up with 632 positions when earlier budget discussions focused on cutting 250 positions from Central Office.

Let’s break it down into three parts:

1. Enrollment projections and leveling.

2. Central staffing cuts through attrition.

3. Central staffing cuts after attrition.

Enrollment projections/leveling: We overshot our enrollment projection by about 3,000 students. That mismatch automatically resulted in being overstaffed at the campus level.

• Remember when we told you about leveling in September? That’s when we cut 257 positions from campuses.

• No one lost jobs during leveling, but we did eliminate vacant positions that weren’t needed, based on our staffing ratios.

• Campus staff may be moved to new campuses for next year based on student projections and staffing needs, but they’ll still be employed in Austin ISD.

Cuts through attrition: Central Office positions have been eliminated through attrition throughout the year, but more intentionally beginning in February.

• As people leave administrative jobs, we've cut 230 vacant positions from Central Office and Operations.

Cuts after attrition: To close the budget gap for the 2022-23 school year, additional Central Office reductions were needed.

• A total of 145 people were told their positions were being eliminated from Central Office and Operations and that they would only be employed through June 30.

The bottom line: With 85% of our budget going to payroll, the only way to balance the budget was by cutting employees and vacant positions.

Our COVID-19 cases jumped to 66 last week, an increase of 15 cases districtwide.

• We saw 20 staff cases, an increase of seven cases.

• Student cases increased by eight cases from the previous week, coming in at 46 cases.

The big picture: We’ve gone six weeks with double-digit case counts.

📚 Thank you to Longhorns Linebacker Derrick Johnson who is donating to Austin ISD libraries, including $58K to Oak Springs Elementary School. (KXAN)

💸 Austin ISD is sending $798.6 million in recapture payment to Texas — more than half of our revenue. (Austin American-Statesman)

🇺🇦 McCallum Band director Carol Nelson has challenged other AustinISD bands to learn the Ukraine national anthem and join #BandsTogetherForUkraine. (The Shield)

❗ Campus-based staff: The Climate Survey responses are due TODAY!

📍 Have feedback on the preliminary draft map for new single-member trustee districts.

• Share your thoughts via PublicInput! The survey closes today.

💡 Tune in tonight for the Board of Trustees’ Regular Voting Meeting. We’ll air the meeting live on AISD.TV or the Austin ISD Facebook page.

• Take a look at the agenda.

💰 Join us next week for a Budget Update. Register now:

• Thursday, April 21 at 6 p.m.

• Saturday, April 23 at 10:30 a.m.

✏️ Speaking of the budget…let us know what you think about some new proposals in our updated 2022-23 budget survey.

• The survey will be open until May 1.

Student Holiday—Staff Development: April 15

Gus Garcia Young Men’s Leadership Academy Open House: April 15

Long-range Planning Committees (LPC) Meeting: April 19

District Advisory Council (DAC) Meeting: April 19

Early College Programs Application Help - Covington MS: April 19

Early College Programs Application Help - Murchison MS: April 20

Austin ISD Health Advocate Webinar: April 21

Earth Week 2022: April 18-22

Navarro Pride Week and Cultural Carnival Parade: April 18-22

Early College Programs Application Help: April 21

• Martin Middle School

• Sadler Means Young Women Leadership Academy

Sánchez Elementary School Grand Opening: April 22

Austin ISD Job Fair: April 23

Bond Steering Committee (BSC): April 27

Board Regular Voting Meeting: April 28

La semana pasada, dos maestros de preparatoria y un director de escuela primaria estuvieron entre los ocho educadores del centro de Texas que llegaron a la final del programa anual de premios de H-E-B:

• Tara Bordeaux, directora de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales de la Escuela Preparatoria de Universidad Temprana Navarro, es finalista del premio Rising Star de educación secundaria, que es otorgado a maestros prometedores con menos de una década de experiencia.

• Ben McCormack, director de la Escuela Primaria St. Elmo, compite en la categoría de director de primaria.

• Joseph Oleniczak, profesor de química de la Academia de Humanidades y Ciencias, opta al premio Liderazgo de Educación Secundaria, que distingue a los maestros con 10 a 20 años de experiencia en el salón de clases.

Profundizando: Los Premios a la Excelencia en la Educación de H-E-B son uno de los mayores premios monetarios para educadores del país y el mayor de Texas. Cada finalista recibió:

• $1,000 dólares para ellos mismos,

• $1,000 dólares para su escuela si eran maestros y

• $2,500 dólares para su escuela si eran directores.

Próximos pasos: Todos los finalistas están invitados a Austin el 29 de abril para competir por premios aún más grandes que suman $430,000 dólares.

¿Lo sabían? Bordeaux, quien participó en un episodio de la temporada más reciente de Queer Eye de Netflix, fue Maestra del Año de Texas en 2018.

En otra señal de que la pandemia está disminuyendo, la matrícula de prekínder y kínder del Austin ISD ya se ha duplicado en comparación con la primavera pasada.

Por qué es importante: El distrito vio la mayor disminución en la matrícula de prekínder y kínder durante la pandemia, y esto contribuyó en gran parte a que el distrito no haya cumplido con las expectativas de matriculación.

• En octubre de 2021 (dos meses después del primer día de clases), nos faltaban alrededor de 1,500 estudiantes de nuestra proyección de 10,472 en prekínder y kínder para el ciclo escolar 2021-22.

Según las cifras: El Día del Aprendizaje Temprano del miércoles pasado trajo 858 matrículas de estudiantes de primaria, y en general los números son aún mejores.

• Las inscripciones de prekínder han aumentado un 188% en comparación con el año 2021.

• Las inscripciones de kínder han aumentado un 123% durante el mismo período.

• Eso equivale a 2,339 estudiantes adicionales.

Lo que están diciendo: “Lo que estas cifras me dicen es que hay una demanda acumulada en Austin de nuestras opciones de prekínder y kínder de alta calidad, como resultado de la pandemia", dijo el director ejecutivo de matriculaciones del distrito, Alejandro Delgado.

Encabezando las noticias: El distrito inició una campaña de matriculación en todo el distrito al organizar las escuelas primarias el Día del Aprendizaje Temprano. Estamos alentando a todas nuestras familias actuales a que se inscriban a más tardar a finales de mayo para el próximo ciclo escolar.

• Las familias con niños de 3 a 6 años hicieron recorridos del plantel, conocieron a los directores y maestros, y se inscribieron para el próximo ciclo escolar.

• El distrito también está realizando una gran promoción de mercadeo para prekínder que incluye anuncios de autobús y este video.

Conozca más sobre cómo estamos aumentando nuestra creatividad con la matriculación.

Los líderes del distrito están proponiendo un presupuesto equilibrado para el ciclo escolar 2022-23, incluyendo una reducción de 632 puestos para cerrar nuestro déficit de $87 millones.

Ha habido cierta confusión sobre cómo terminamos con 632 puestos cuando las discusiones presupuestarias anteriores se centraron en el recorte de 250 puestos de la Oficina Central.

Vamos a dividirlo en tres partes:

1. Proyecciones de matriculación y nivelación.

2. Recortes de personal en la oficina central a través de la eliminación natural.

3. Recortes de personal en la oficina central después de la eliminación natural.

Proyecciones de matrícula/nivelación: Nos excedimos en nuestra proyección de matrícula por aproximadamente 3,000 estudiantes. Este desajuste ha provocado automáticamente un excedente de personal en las escuelas.

• ¿Recuerdan cuando les hablamos de la nivelación en septiembre? Fue entonces cuando recortamos 257 puestos de las escuelas.

• Nadie perdió puestos de trabajo durante la nivelación, pero sí eliminamos puestos vacantes que no eran necesarios con base en nuestras proporciones de personal.

• El personal de las escuelas podría ser trasladado a otras escuelas para el próximo año en función de la proyección de estudiantes y las necesidades de personal, pero seguirán siendo empleados del Austin ISD.

Recortes a través de la eliminación natural: Los recortes en la Oficina Central se han hecho a través de la eliminación natural durante el año, pero principalmente a principios de febrero.

• A medida que la gente deja los trabajos administrativos, hemos recortado 230 puestos vacantes de la Oficina Central y de Operaciones.

Recortes después de la eliminación natural: Para cerrar la brecha presupuestaria del ciclo escolar de 2022-23, fueron necesarias algunas reducciones en la Oficina Central.

• A un total de 145 personas se les comunicó que sus puestos serian eliminados de la Oficina Central y Operaciones y que sólo tendrían empleo hasta el 30 de junio.

En conclusión: Con el 85% de nuestro presupuesto destinado a las nóminas, la única forma de equilibrar el presupuesto era recortando empleados y puestos vacantes.

Nuestros casos de COVID-19 subieron abruptamente a 66 la semana pasada, un aumento de 15 casos en todo el distrito.

• Vimos 20 casos de personal, un aumento de siete casos.

• Los casos de estudiantes aumentaron en ocho casos desde la semana pasada, para un total de 46 casos.

El panorama completo: Llevamos seis semanas con un número de casos de dos dígitos.

📚 Gracias a Derrick Johnson, el defensa de los Longhorns quien está donando a las bibliotecas del Austin ISD, incluyendo $58,000 a la Escuela Primaria Oak Springs.(KXAN)

💸 El Austin ISD está enviando $798.6 millones en pago de recuperación a Texas, más de la mitad de nuestros ingresos. (Austin American-Statesman)

🇺🇦 Carol Nelson, la directora de la banda de McCallum, ha desafiado a otras bandas del Austin ISD a aprender el himno nacional de Ucrania y unirse a #BandsTogetherForUkraine. (The Shield)

❗ Personal escolar: ¡La fecha límite para responder la encuesta sobre el ambiente escolar es HOY!

📍 Tengan opiniones sobre el borrador preliminar del mapa para los nuevos distritos uninominales de la mesa directiva.

• ¡Compartan sus opiniones a través de PublicInput! La encuesta se cierra hoy.

💡 Sintonicen esta noche la junta ordinaria de votación de la mesa directiva. Transmitiremos la junta en vivo por AISD.TV o la página de Facebook del Austin ISD.

• Vean la agenda.

💰 Acompáñennos la próxima semana para una actualización del presupuesto. Inscríbanse ahora:

• Jueves, 21 de abril a las 6 p.m.

• Sábado, 23 de abril a las 10:30 a.m.

✏️ Hablando del presupuesto…dígannos lo que piensan sobre algunas de las nuevas propuestas en nuestra encuesta sobre el presupuesto de 2022-23 actualizada.

• La encuesta estará abierta hasta el 1.o de mayo.

Día feriado para los estudiantes y de capacitación para el personal: 15 de abril

Día de puertas abiertas de la Academia de Liderazgo para Hombres Jóvenes Gus García: 15 de abril

Seminario web de Health Advocate del AISD: 21 de abril

Semana de la Tierra de 2022: 18-22 de abril

Semana del Orgullo y Desfile del Carnaval Cultural de Navarro: 18-22 de abril

Junta de los comités de planificación a largo plazo (LPC, por sus siglas en inglés): 19 de abril

Junta del Consejo Consultivo del Distrito (DAC, por sus siglas en inglés): 19 de abril

Ayuda para la solicitud de programas de Universidad Temprana - Escuela Secundaria Covington: 19 de abril

Ayuda para la solicitud de programas - Escuela Secundaria Murchison: 20 de abril

Ayuda para la solicitud de programas de Universidad Temprana: 21 de abril

• Escuela Secundaria Martin

• Academia de Liderazgo para Mujeres Jóvenes Sadler Means

Gran inauguración de la Escuela Primaria Sánchez: 22 de abril

Comité directivo del bono (BSC, por sus siglas en inglés): 27 de abril

Junta ordinaria de votación de la mesa directiva: 28 de abril

This week we’ll begin our process of moving teachers to where they’re most needed. 

Why it matters: This annual process, often called leveling, will help balance class sizes, especially in the virtual learning option.

• This year leveling will be more widespread than usual because we’re staffed for more than 77,000 students. Our enrollment is currently at 73,954.

Don't worry: No one's job is at risk during this process.

• We'll move teachers to where our students are — some schools have more students than expected while others have fewer. 

• Substitute teachers will also be more available since they'll move from the virtual learning program back to the in-person pool. 

• We estimate about 55 bilingual or English as a Second Language teachers will be reassigned to support students. 

Big picture: We’re working on making these changes early in the year so students and staff can settle in for the rest of the year. 

• Middle and high school students may experience schedule changes as teachers move where they’re needed. 

• Elementary students may have new classmates as classes shift.  

What's next: Affected staff will be notified by Friday, Sept. 10. 

• Parents of affected students will be notified by Friday, Sept. 17. 

• New classes will officially start between Wednesday, Sept. 22 and Friday, Sept. 24. 

The question of the week, from staff member Kathy, asks Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde about contact tracing and notifications of a positive case.

Will I be notified of a COVID positive case near me at work? 

Answer: Yes, but you may not need to quarantine. 

• When someone tests positive, they’re asked a series of questions to see who has been a close contact, as defined by the CDC. 

• Fully vaccinated people will not need to quarantine if they come in close contact with someone who tests positive. 

• Unvaccinated adults who were within six feet of an adult with COVID-19 will need to quarantine, regardless if masks were worn.

The bottom line: Contact tracing is consistent across the district and every situation is unique. 

• All staff who needs to quarantine is notified via letter and a phone call from campus administration.

• An email is also sent to the entire school or office community when there’s a positive case. 

• Spaces the confirmed positive person has occupied are identified and closed, undergoing a deep cleaning immediately. 

Have a question? Reach out with Let’s Talk and get information quickly and straight from the source.

Only 13 staff members had to quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure this week, down from 26 last week.

• And a whopping 560 fewer students had to quarantine compared to last week.

Why it matters: We’re seeing the effects of our updated quarantine guidelines, which allowed more students to stay in class if masks were worn properly during a COVID-19 exposure.

The big picture: Our total caseload is hovering around 223, a small increase from last week but still just 0.26% of our students and staff.

The bottom line: Keep wearing your masks and get vaccinated if you can — we can beat this.

*The data is calculated with the sum of students and staff listed on the Austin ISD website.

We’ve updated our public comment procedures to allow community members to call in or appear in person to share thoughts with the Board of Trustees. 

Why it matters:   We’re still in Stage 5 of COVID-19 recommendations in Austin and we’re committed to doing what we can to limit the spread.

• The call-in option remains in place, along with in-person comments.

• Whether you want to speak in person or record over the phone, you’ll still need to sign up before 3 p.m. on the day of the board meeting.

You should know: If you want to speak to trustees about a non-voting item during their information sessions, that will still be via telephone only.

Dive deeper: We’ve updated our website with detailed instructions for recording your comments over the phone and signing up to speak in person.

The bottom line: The Board of Trustees will meet tomorrow for the Board Information Session and we’ll take comments via phone only since it’s not a voting meeting. 

• We encourage everyone to participate in the meeting virtually by watching live on the Austin ISD Facebook or AISD.TV so we can limit in-person capacity in the board room. 

We’ve scheduled a series of meetings to plan for the future of Austin ISD through a new bond issuance, and we want to hear from you.

Why it matters: We face a lot of challenges — from air conditioning to program access — and were only able to address a fraction of them with our previous bond.

Between the lines: Using the Equity by Design framework, we want to make sure we have a grasp on what our people — especially members of historically underserved communities — really want in a bond.

• In these meetings, district staff is hoping to engage with the community on how to rebuild trust and make sure people are ready to talk about a bond.

Dates and times: Join the conversation in these virtual discussions in both English and Spanish:

• English: Monday, Sept. 13, 6-8 p.m. 

• Spanish: Tuesday, Sept. 14, 6-8 p.m.

• English: Saturday, Sept. 18, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

For more information on Austin ISD's long-range planning, please visit www.austinisd.org/plans.

We've got some updates on employee insurance, including coverage tiers, plan changes, and other additions to next year’s benefits package.

Remember, enrollment is mandatory each year, and you'll have to make an election or decline coverage in October.

• Even if you love your current plan, benefits elections don't roll over each year.

Enrollment will be 100% virtual this year. You won’t be able to sit face-to-face with an expert, so it’s even more important to know your options ahead of time.

We’re hosting informational meetings via Zoom to share what’s new before enrollment opens.

• Sept. 16 – 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm (English)

• Sept. 16 - 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Spanish)

• Sept. 21 – 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (English)

• Sept. 21 – 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (Spanish)

Important reminder: To ensure all of your insurance documents are mailed to your correct mailing address, we’re asking all employees to verify or update their address in the BOLT Employee tile in the AISD Portal by Friday, September 17. 

• Need help? Click here for instructions on updating your contact information in BOLT. 
  

Middle School Back to School Night: Sept. 7-8

High School Back to School Night: Sept. 9

Board Information Session: Sept. 9

Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff Virtual Celebration: Sept. 13

Student Health Advisory Council Human Sexuality and Responsibility Curriculum Community Meeting: Sept. 15

Looking Back and Moving Forward: Austin ISD Community Conversations: Sept. 13, 14, 18

Austin ISD Marching Band Jamboree: Sept. 21

Board Regular Voting Meeting: Sept. 23

Have a great (short) week!