This week is Custodian and Groundskeeping Appreciation Week at Austin ISD. Our custodians are the first ones in and the last ones out each day, and they work tirelessly in between. Our groundskeeping crews work hard daily to keep the outdoor spaces and playscapes safe and looking beautiful, braving the Texas weather throughout the year. Please join me in acknowledging and thanking our custodians and groundskeeping staff this week for their hard work!
Last week, I met Mr. Wee, a teacher at Sunset Valley Elementary School, who is affectionately known by his students as “Spanish Man.” A few years back, Mr. Wee left the classroom, but couldn’t stay away for long. In 2022, he came back as a substitute teacher and soon signed back on to be a full-time teacher. He currently teaches 4th-grade Spanish Language Arts and Science in Spanish. He wears a cape because Spanish is his superpower, and it helps his students to embrace bilingualism and the love of learning.
This weekend, my wife and I will be taking in the shows at ACL! I love that our city is the Live Music Capital of the World and that ACL happens in our backyard.
Where I'll be and who I'll meet
Monday, September 30
I’ll start off the week at the Austin Area Research Organization membership meeting. As a part of this organization, I will be working with leaders throughout Central Texas to shape the future of the region through research and relationships. This afternoon, I will convene various district leaders for a quality assurance meeting to ensure the timeliness and integrity of deliverables for the TEA Agreed Order. I will then move into my regular senior staff meeting, where we will discuss the budget stabilization process and academic priorities, among other things.
Tuesday, October 1
Today, I will be attending the E3 Alliance Board of Directors Retreat, where leaders from various sectors will discuss critical issues facing Central Texas. I will have to step out during the retreat to attend a virtual Texas Urban Council Leadership check-in, where I will collaborate with a few other Texas superintendents. After the retreat, I’ll travel to meet with the Austin City Manager TC Broadnax. Because Austin ISD is the largest public education provider in Austin, one of the largest landowners in Austin, and is the city’s 7th largest employer, our collaboration is very important. In the evening, I will be meeting with principal leaders in the Austin Association of Public School Administrators, to discuss solutions for challenges our staff are facing.
This evening, I’ll be at the Joint Community Budget Committee meeting to continue our collaboration on budget reduction strategies.
Wednesday, October 2
This morning, I get to visit schools! In addition to visiting classrooms, I am looking forward to personally thanking custodial and groundskeeping team members at every stop. I will head into the office and meet with leaders of the Joint Community Budget Committee to debrief after last night’s meeting and plan for the work for the next week. This afternoon, I have a board governance meeting. Afterward, I have a meeting with the Enroll Austin team to progress the preparation work for the 2025-26 school year enrollment season, which starts Nov. 6. I will then have a meeting with a staff member to discuss planning and asset management. After that, I’ll meet with a tutoring vendor regarding a possible partnership. This evening, after a coaching call with John Jenkins from New Leaders, I will head to my middle schooler’s volleyball game.
Thursday, October 3
I will start my day at the 2024 Elementary Teacher Assistant Symposium, where I will get to address our amazing teaching assistants and express my sincere appreciation for their work. I will then head into the office and have a one-on-one meeting with Trustee Whitley-Chu. Afterwards, I will have a one-on-one meeting with Education Austin President Ken Zarafis. In the afternoon, I have a working-lunch meeting with the Chancellor of Austin Community College, Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart. I am thankful for ACC’s continued partnership for our early college programs and so excited that ACC will continue its Free Tuition Pilot Program for at least another four years. Dr. Lowery-Hart let me know that almost 850 Austin ISD graduates are attending ACC for free this fall!
After my lunch meeting, I will meet with Richard Tagle from E3 Alliance to discuss progressing our partnership. In the evening, I will attend the 10th Anniversary HABLA Con Orgullo Awards & Celebration, where our very own Trustee Andrew Gonzales will be recognized as an award nominee for his impact and leadership.
In other news, my wife returns from Germany tonight!
Friday, October 4
In the morning, I will be attending a virtual meeting with West Ed to discuss the progress of their equity assessment work. Then I’ll enjoy the Folkloric Dances Showcase, where Austin ISD parents and community members will perform traditional dances. The rest of the day is work time for me, where I will meet with various leaders to tie up loose ends from the week and to plan for the next week.
Saturday, October 5
Boo the Flu Vaccine Event is happening at Allison Elementary School from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today and I hope to attend. Free flu vaccines will be available to both children and adults.
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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.