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Volume 25 | Number 1 | August 8, 2024

As members of administration teams gathered for Leadership Summit last week, numerous campus leaders were recognized as new principals either to their campuses or to the district. These new leaders have been planning with campus staff and meeting families to start the year strong. Pictured above is Young Women's Leadership Academy new principal Priscilla Alfaro meeting families at an event July 24.

San Antonio ISD has been named a District of Distinction with The Texas Art Education Association (TAEA). TAEA announced the 94 winners of the 2024 District of Distinction Award in July. Districts received the honor for providing education that advocates and integrates visual arts curriculum to inspire creativity and build social-emotional learning that connects learners to their community and beyond. “This is the culmination of a lot of hard work this last year on the part of our teachers and the visual art strand of our Fine Arts department,” said Laura Schultz, visual art coordinator for the district. “I am very proud of what our art teachers have accomplished.”

Sam Houston High School band director Bruce Adams is San Antonio’s winner of the Manilow Music Teacher Award. The Manilow Music Project announced in the spring that in each city of Manilow’s summer tour, one high school music teacher would be selected by community vote for the award. “As the process moved along, it was a humbling experience to walk into the grocery store and community members would recognize me and say, ‘Hello Mr. Adams.  I am voting for you daily,’” Adams said. As the winner, Adams has earned $5,000 in new band instruments for the Sam Houston program and another $5,000 to be spent as he chooses. He also will attend Manilow’s concert next week, where he will officially receive his award. 

Ball Elementary second grade teacher Bianca Darley has been selected for the 2024-2025 Texas Education Agency Teacher Leadership Fellowship. TEA's fellowship is a highly selective two-year commitment designed to strengthen leadership pathways at the state level and provide opportunities to shape the profession. Darley was selected from a competitive pool of applicants who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, leadership and a passion for education. Darley attended a two-day kick-off ceremony in Austin last month, where she had the opportunity to attend a question and answer session with Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath. 

Every day this summer, a member of the agriculture education team at Burbank High School has visited the campus. The tasks are constant — there are crops to be maintained in the fields. There are animals to feed. And then there was the piglet watch. Yes, the piglet watch. Agriculture program director Shelby Parker and the team have watched faithfully to assist as two different pigs gave birth this summer, ensuring piglets were healthy and strong when students return to class. After all, the 5-acre farm is a living, breathing laboratory, and the accessibility of equipment for assignments is based on gestational periods of animals and dates to maturity of plants. Learn more about all the planning that goes in to the agriculture program at the link below and watch a story from KENS-5 to see the farm's newest additions.

The results are in! Last year's consistent efforts between campus and district staff helped usher in a 1.1% increase in attendance that secured $3.52 million in additional state funding over the previous year — funding which goes back to student instruction and services. Some of our schools with attendance increases shared strategies that served them well last year to help us all start the year strong.

Workers are putting the finishing touches on Rogers Middle School, which received major renovations under Bond 2020. On Aug. 13, students will return to new fine arts spaces, including for mariachi and orchestra; a new competition gym; a renovated secondary gym; and athletic support spaces. The school's library has been relocated and upgraded, and the auditorium also received improvements. Among the school’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) improvements were new chillers and air handlers.

As St. Philip’s Early College High School prepares to celebrate its 10th anniversary this month, the school does so with the added distinction of holding a U.S. News and World Report Best High Schools badge. “This badge is a testament to our mission to provide ‘a first-class academic program of rigorous coursework that challenges and engages all learners,’” principal Ashlyn Barrientes said. We took a deeper look at the campus and the gains they have made to make the list of schools with this distinction.

What a treat! The SAISD Foundation gave new-to-SAISD teachers a $100 shopping spree at one of four locations last week: H-E-B McCreless Market, Balcones Heights Target, Learning Zone or Lakeshore. This year was the first year that last year's Campus Teachers of the Year were also invited to get a boost for their classrooms. At the end of the day, 210 new teachers and 62 Teachers of the Year redeemed their shopping credit. Many thanks to the volunteers and donors who helped make this year's event a success. Have an idea for a mini-grant in your classroom? The new cycle starts Aug. 13. Learn more about how the SAISD Foundation can help you fund a classroom or school-wide project.

Thanks to the SAISD Foundation and its generous donors, more than 200 laptops were distributed at two events to our 2024 graduates who are heading to college. The laptop program was made possible by Compudopt and Methodist Healthcare Ministries, who provided financial support. In addition to the Foundation and its partners, district staff and leaders helped distribute laptops at a drive-through event July 31. Above, Trustee Leticia Ozuna helps with the drive-through distribution.

Planning for yourself or for your family? We have you covered by placing all the instructional calendars in one place. From our SAISD calendars page, you can easily access the standard district calendar and the calendars of choice schools with 1882 Partnerships under "Choice Campuses." Bookmark the page for easy access and to see holidays, early release days, teacher workdays and professional development at a glance for all campuses. 

There is still time to get your tickets for the 10th Annual Athletic Hall of Fame. Honorees include Terri Acosta (Fox Tech High School Class of 1994), Wade Key (Edison High School Class of 1964), Orlando Mendez-Valdez (Lanier High School Class of 2004), John “Mule” Miles (Wheatley High School Class of 1940) and the 1979 Wheatley/Brackenridge High School football team. The event will take place Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Alamo Convocation Center.

School starts Tuesday and we share the community's excitement for the new beginnings and the opportunities ahead. Schools around the district are hosting Meet The Teacher nights to allow families to get acquainted with the learning spaces, drop off school supplies, and of course — meet the teacher. It was a night of joy for the Schenck Elementary community as their littlest learners met their teachers Tuesday night.

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