Hello Friends,
Second week in the books! I hope everyone is taking care of themselves as we settle in for the upcoming year.
I had the chance to visit Kealing Middle School as they returned to the classroom. Kudos to the teachers and staff for an amazing job welcoming back students on their first day.
Now, let's get started…
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.
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.
From pins to presentations, hashtags to hats, there’s a chance you’ve seen the phrase “AISD Joy” floating around our district.
AISD Joy was created as a way to remember our why, help us highlight both the small nuggets and big moments of genuine joy that happen on a daily basis around Austin ISD and truly tell our own story.
Why it matters: Each day in our district there are countless stories that illustrate sparks of learning, connection, and genuine care.
By highlighting these stories and sharing the joy that’s found every day in our work, we can build a community and a culture in Austin ISD that’s focused on creating positive outcomes for students, families, and each other!
Go deeper: AISD Joy was developed at a time when public educators were working to shift the narrative of public education. It was started as an intentional way to remind those both in and outside of public education that there is a thread of positive narration that is always a piece of our story.
How can you be a part of spreading the AISD Joy?
Share your stories with us! We want to amplify the joy happening in every campus.
Submit a RAVE to recognize someone you see doing wonderful things in our district, or tell an Honor Story about a teacher that made an impact in your life.
Look for the moments of AISD Joy in each day - they are everywhere!
Labor Day/Student & Staff Holiday - Sept. 2
Tools for Success - Sept. 4
Tools for Success - Sept. 11
Board Information Meeting - Sept. 12
For more events, please visit the Calendar of Events website.
Austin ISD awarded $15M grant for solar panel program - KXAN
$450K in grants awarded to Austin ISD teacher-led projects- KXAN
Here's how a federal grant could help Austin ISD shave $1.2 million in annual energy costs- Statesman
Special shoutout this week to Ms. Joy Diaz! Austin City Hall is proclaiming Aug. 29 as Joy Diaz Day in the city of Austin. Joy is our Assistant Director of Family & Community Engagement and leader of our Parent Support team. Congratulations, Joy!! We’re so proud of you!
What’s ahead…Labor Day! No plans set in concrete here, but I hope y’all will have a fun and safe holiday!
-JJ
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.