Upcoming WPNA Meeting – Topic: Improving our Schools

Dear Neighbors:
The complete agenda will be coming out in a week or so, but I wanted to alert you to the topic of our Feb 11 meeting in advance. We are presenting a series of resolutions on schools in our neighborhood that we would like you to consider, discuss, provide feedback, and eventually vote to present to AISD Superintendent Cruz and the AISD Board of Trustees. These resolutions were created as a result of discussions with members of the East Austin Coalition for Quality Education (a group that consults with Trustee Ted Gordon) and our Windsor Park Schools Committee. You can also find these resolutions in the president’s letter of our monthly newsletter, Window on Windsor.
The reason for the timing of these resolutions is owing to the work of the FABPAC (Facilities and Bonds Planning Action Committee), who is drafting suggestions to AISD that will inform school development across Austin for the next 20 years, potentially. Now is our opportunity to provide feedback and steer the direction of our school for the foreseeable future.
So please, review the proposed draft resolutions, and come to our Feb 11 meeting with your thoughts, questions, concerns, suggestions, etc. I am happy to answer any questions ahead of the meeting as well, or if I can’t, I can steer you to those who can answer your questions.
Sincerely
Meghan Dougherty
WPNA President

Draft Resolutions

Whereas the existing single-sex middle schools in our neighborhood are underachieving and under-enrolled, and there currently does not exist a co-ed option within our community;

Whereas many neighborhood families are choosing to send their students to other schools in the district, or send them out of the district entirely to attend charter schools;

Whereas current vertical teams are not streamlined, which prevents elementary, middle and high schools in our neighborhood from collaborating to create true vertical alignment, interfering with the delivery of a logical, consistent curriculum through grades K-12;

Whereas we need high-quality academic programing, especially in an area that has been historically under-served;

Whereas District 1 students are not college and career ready to the degree we expect and desire;

Whereas there continue to be achievement gaps by socioeconomic status and race throughout AISD;

Whereas most schools in District 1 currently exhibit very little socioeconomic and racial diversity;

Whereas we need instructional leaders who have the vision to transform their schools, can build a school culture of high expectations for students and staff, and have the ability to address problems of high teacher turnover and attract students back to District 1 schools; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the Windsor Park Neighborhood Association:

1. requests that AISD build a co-ed middle school with strong academic programming at the site in Mueller.
2. requests that AISD realign the LBJ and Reagan vertical teams.
3. requests that AISD keep Kealing and LASA magnet programs in District 1.
4. requests that AISD hold principals accountable for creating positive school climate, retaining quality teachers, and closing achievement gaps
5. (new addition, not in the newsletter) requests that AISD complete an equity study on AISD schools and share the findings with our neighborhood.