Hello Families!
School is officially back in session, and we hope you're enjoying these first exciting weeks!
Reminder: Monday is Labor Day, so all schools and district offices will be closed. Enjoy your well-deserved break! 🎉
Don't worry if you missed this week's Tools for Success information sessions. These sessions are held frequently, so be sure to catch the next one. They're packed with valuable insights on a variety of topics and Austin ISD support services you won't want to miss.
…and before we start with this edition, learn more about how Austin ISD will handle e-cigarette education this year.
Now, let’s get started…
1 big thing: Kealing Middle School receives outpouring of support as students return to the classroom
Kealing Middle School celebrated its first day of school Aug. 26, one week after fire damage prevented the school from opening on the districtwide first day.
The details: After hearing of the fire, H-E-B donated $100 gift cards to all teachers and staff at Kealing, while the six teachers who were displaced from their classrooms were given $250 gift cards. A sheet cake for staff and cupcakes for students were presented from H-E-B at the end of the first day to celebrate the delayed return to school.
The support didn’t end there as a nonprofit organization, Teacher Reuse out of San Marcos, donated school supplies and furniture to the teachers and classrooms impacted by the fire. The organization also donated $10 Amazon gift cards to each teacher and teacher assistant.
What they’re saying: “The support from our students, families, the Kealing community, Austin ISD, district leadership, local businesses, and organizations has been truly inspiring,” Principal Timothy Estes said. “The outpouring of encouragement, offers to assist with cleanup, donations of supplies, financial contributions, and meals has demonstrated our community's deep care for our teachers and students.”
What’s next: The Austin ISD Operations team has been working around the clock to fully restore affected areas and will finalize work over the Labor Day weekend.
Austin ISD to expand solar panel program with $15M federal grant
The U.S. The Department of Energy has selected Austin ISD as one of the first school districts in Texas to receive a federal grant from the Renew America’s Schools Grant program.
How it started: The Department of Energy first announced that Austin ISD was a recipient in June 2023 and in May 2024, Austin ISD received the final confirmation of the awards.
Why it matters: This award will fund solar panels and build automation controls at 15 campuses in historically underserved communities, advancing the district’s efforts to use more solar power and reduce energy costs.
Of the 15 schools, 14 campuses will receive rooftop solar panels, three of those campuses will also get building automation control, and one campus will only receive the building automation control.
Background: This new project will build on the district’s ongoing efforts to use more solar power and reduce energy consumption and costs. Currently, 14 Austin ISD facilities have rooftop panels, which produce two megawatts of energy — the equivalent of powering 230 homes in Austin.
What’s next: The project will be implemented from now through 2029.
Mark your Calendar
Austin ISD In the News
How is everyone?
For me…these past two weeks have been exciting as well as busy trying to adjust to the new schedule.
I want to congratulate one of my co-workers, Assistant Director of Community Engagement Joy Diaz, because today, August 29th, is her day!!!
Let me tell you why — today Councilmember Jose Velasquez recognized Joy Diaz for her contributions to Austin ISD Family and Community Engagement with a proclamation at City Hall.
Congratulations to Joy!!!
This document has been translated using an AI-powered machine translation tool through Thrillshare. As a result, it may contain inaccuracies, errors, or inconsistencies that do not reflect the original content accurately. Austin ISD strives for high-quality translations and has a dedicated translation team, but sometimes we might have to use AI tools for critical or time-sensitive communications.
