Board Briefs - March 28, 2011

Non-Renewal of Contracts—Reduction in Force

The Board of Trustees of the Austin Independent School District tonight took the final steps necessary to eliminate 1,153 positions, so as to address a budget shortfall estimated at $94.4 million for the 2011-2012 School Year. Superintendent Carstarphen called the action “perhaps the most difficult matter to come before you as a Trustee.”

The Board voted to abrogate the professional contracts for 490 employees who hold both classroom and administrative positions. The District is also terminating 302 non-contract, classified employees, as part of the Reduction in Force.

Since the Administration announced last month the need to reduce 1,153 positions, Chief Human Capital Officer Michael Houser says 361 employees had their situations resolved, through placements in other jobs, resignations or retirements.

Even with the personnel reductions, Superintendent Carstarphen says AISD will unable to full resolve the projected $94.4 million budget deficit. “We now face the possibility of making a one-time Fund Balance draw-down of $43 million to balance the budget for FY 2012. Since a one-time Fund Balance draw-down of this size will not be available again next year, we will need to find approximately $43 million in additional budget reductions in order to balance the budget in FY 2012.”

Facility Master Plan Task Force Report

Trustees also accepted the final 10-Year Report of the Facility Master Plan Task Force. The report is the result of a year-long effort, including an educational adequacy assessment of all facilities, a two-day visioning workshop, 11 community meetings, the creation of the Facility Master Plan Task Force, and the subsequent 24 Task Force meetings.

“Receiving this report tonight does not mean you are taking action on it,” Superintendent Carstarphen told Trustees. “While the Task Force may have completed its efforts, the work of the Administration is just beginning.”

With official acceptance of the plan, Trustees referred it to Administration for the development of administrative recommendations. Dr. Carstarphen proposed that the Board begin in May to provide the Administration with guidance on how to proceed with the Task Force recommendations. Each recommendation will require development of detailed specifications, including further campus and community input, implementation schedules, and budget detailing.

An annual review for the Facility Master Plan will also be established to make adjustments ensuring the plan aligns facility resources that support the District’s Strategic Plan.

The final report of the Facility Master Plan Task Force can be viewed on the AISD Website at http://www.dejongrichter.com/projects/austin-independent-school-district/

Apple at Work Bond Program

Trustees approved the following contracts as projects of the Apple at Work Bond Program:

HCS, Inc., for $840,584, for heating and cooling system renovations at Brentwood Elementary, Clifton Career Center, and the Lucy Read Pre-Kindergarten School.
S&G Contracting for $400,000, for heating and cooling system renovations at Oak Hill Elementary School.
Fine Line Commercial, LLC, for $117,000, for kitchen renovations at Brentwood, Gullett, and Wooten elementary schools, and Lamar Middle School; and $227,810, for renovations at Small Middle School, including heating and cooling system upgrades and additional lighting.
HCS, Inc., for $165,992, for kitchen renovations at Govalle, Highland Park, Maplewood, and Zavala elementary schools, and Pearce Middle School; and $61,202 for kitchen renovations at Bryker Woods, Casis, and Lee elementary schools, and O. Henry Middle School.
Royce Construction Company, Inc., for $174,000, for heating and cooling system renovations at Doss Elementary School.
W.S. Walker, Inc., for $107,250, for kitchen renovations at Dawson, Joslin, Kocurek, Mathews, Pease, and Sunset Valley elementary schools; and $309,500 for window replacement at Brentwood and Reilly elementary schools.

Recognitions

Trustees recognized and congratulated:

The Girls Basketball Team of LBJ High School which finished second at the UIL 4A State Girls basketball Tournament. The team is coached by Renee Brown, Reginal Dubose, and Tracy Steinberg. Team members Tierany Henderson and Alexis Hyder were named to the 4A All Tournament Team. The team had a season record of 28 wins, and only five losses.
Five high school swimmers and divers who placed First, Second, or Third at the UIL State Swimming Meet:

At the 4A UIL State Meet, Kara McCormack, LBJ/LASA, placed first in the girls’ one-meter diving. Kara was also named District, Regional and State Diver of the Year in one-meter diving, and was named to the All-State First Team in girls’ one-meter diving.
McCrea Kempf, LBJ/LASA, placed second in the boys’ 100-yard freestyle, and third in the boys 50-yard freestyle. He also was named to the All-State First Team in the boys’ 50- and 100-yard freestyle.
The LBJ/LASA Swimming and Diving Coach, Lee Willing, was named District 27-4A boys and girls swimming and diving Coach of the Year, and was named the Region 7-4A girls swimming and diving Coach of the Year.
At the 5A UIL State Meet, Michael Beran, Anderson High School, coached by Juli Zamora, placed third in the boys’ one-meter diving. Ben Anderson, Austin High School, coached by Drew Calver, placed second in the boys’ 50-yard freestyle. Erin Flanagan, Bowie High School, coached by Aaron Vohl, placed second in the girls’ 500-yard freestyle, and third in the girls’ 200-yard freestyle. Erin also qualified as a National All American.

Anderson High School wrestler Jordan Krenek who placed second in his weight class at the UIL State Wrestling Meetand Bowie High School wrestler Brian Dorsey who placed third in his weight class. They are coached by Shawn Stoeffler and Spike Fogle , respectively.
Twenty-nine Austin high school music students, who were selected for the 2010-2011 Texas Music Educator Association All-State Band, Choir, Orchestra, and Jazz Bands. The students, who attend Anderson, LBJ/LASA, Bowie, and McCallum High Schools, were selected to perform with band, choir and orchestra performances, along with some of the most accomplished musicians in the state. After three days of intensive rehearsals, the TMEA All-State musicians performed outstanding concerts on Saturday, February 12, at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio.

The next Regular Meeting of the Austin School District Board of Trustees is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, April 25, in the Auditorium of the Carruth Administration Center, located at 1111 West Sixth Street. All Board Meetings and Work Sessions are carried live on Time Warner and Grande Communications, Cable Channel 22, and on the AISD Website at http://www.austinisd.org