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Family Newsletter
By Nayeli Santoyo & Collaborators● Nov 30, 2023
Smart Brevity® count: 3.5 mins...984 words
Hello Families!👋🍂
I hope you’ve had some well-deserved rest and have revitalized yourself for the remaining three weeks before winter break.
📣 I want to remind you that you have until this Friday, December 1, to give your opinion on next year's school calendar by completing the
Throughout this month we have shared stories about the Native American culture and we want to end the month giving thanks to the people who shared their knowledge with us.
💛 For my part, I always want to remember the words of Stephen Freeman, the parent with whom I spoke the week before fall break, who told me that “it is our responsibility to continue our traditions,” he is right—our traditions and culture die the day that we stop celebrating and teaching them. Let’s continue to embrace and appreciate the diverse cultures represented in Austin ISD.
Now, let's start...
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Board Approves Partner to Develop Affordable Housing on Coy Facility
By JJ Maldonado
The Austin ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved NRG group as the partner who will develop affordable housing at the Anita Ferrales Coy Facility.
Why it matters: Repurposing underutilized district sites for affordable housing:
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helps families afford to stay in our schools;
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allows more teachers to teach in the communities where they work;
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brings new amenities to the community; and
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generates revenue to fund other priorities.
The details: Our goal is to build over 500 high-quality rental units that are affordable for district teachers and staff.
How it works: Back in April, the board passed a resolution that authorized the creation of the Austin ISD Public Facility Corporation.
What they’re saying: “What it provides is that if we build housing on district-owned land, like the [Anita Ferrales] Coy site, that the property remains tax exempt which provides savings in the development,” Jeremy Striffler, Director of Real Estate for Austin ISD, said. “That savings then allows developers to provide more affordable housing units than would otherwise be possible.”
The big picture: The development of the Coy site is part of a broader district initiative to repurpose several underutilized district sites.
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Trustees Vote to Post Long-term Superintendent Position, Forgo National Search
On Thursday, Nov. 16, the Austin ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved updates to the Superintendent Profile and voted to move forward with posting the position for the long-term superintendent.
Between the lines: The decision to forgo a national search, which would take several months, signals that trustees have identified a strong candidate.
How we got here: Over the last month, the board held community and staff conversations as well as an online forum to seek input on the profile and hiring process.
What they’re saying: Board President Singh shared that throughout their engagement, the community voiced significant support for Interim Superintendent Segura’s leadership.
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“There was an overwhelming message of wanting stability, focusing on strengthening systems to improve student’s outcomes and wanting someone with a demonstrating commitment to Austin ISD,” President Arati Singh said. “Although we have a strong internal candidate, we are committed to considering every application that is received.”
Background: On March 30, the board paused the superintendent search and extended interim Superintendent Segura’s contract through June 30, 2024. This decision was to ensure that the most urgent issues were addressed and the district was set up for a successful 2023-24 school year.
“We’ve been progressing, we see an improvement in climate and culture, increase in retention and staffing,” said Interim Superintendent Segura. “I think Austin ISD is well positioned to do great things and I’d love to continue to be a part of it.”
Next Steps: The board will review applications in executive session at their Dec. 7 board information session.
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- Community Impact
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- Texas Tribune
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—CBS Austin
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—K
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—The Austin Chronicle
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—Community Impact
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—Austin Statesman-
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—Austin Monitor
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This past week, I had the opportunity to return to my home state where I visited my family—and I want to share this photo that I took of the city of Guanajuato at night...it might be difficult to fully grasp the city’s beauty from this single image, but it is a beautiful view.
Guanajuato City, Mexco
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It is a city full of tunnels, alleys and very colorful houses.
Do you have any special traditions that you do, cook, etc., during fall break? Share it with us and we can share it with our Austin ISD community.
Nayeli 💛
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