Breakfast on the Trail

Biscuits and gravy, sausage, catfish toes, brisket tacos, cowboy coffee, and pancakes with gravy.…You can eat all that and more at the Cowboy Breakfast. You may not know this, but cowboys are great cooks. The cowboy biscuits were superb!  

Perez Elementary Principal David Kauffman and some of his top students joined the fun!

I woke up early this morning to have breakfast rodeo style with about 150 students from Cowan and Perez elementary schools and Garcia Middle School. I met the princess of Rodeo Austin, who not only is beautiful, but gets good grades and is great horseback rider. My host was Tommy Cowan, whose father is the namesake of Cowan Elementary School. He is this year’s head of the Cowboy Breakfast, and he invited our students to the event. There was music and dancing, and clowns and balloons. A great way to start the day and to kick off the Rodeo!

Cowan Elementary kids looked great!

Thanks, Tommy Cowan, for all you do for AISD!

Thanks Again, Dr. Akins!

Today I visited with Dr. Charles Akins, who has served for more than ten years on the Board of the Austin Public Education Foundation. Dr. Akins was a treasured member of this Board not only because of his knowledge and history with AISD,  but also because of his warmth, humor and wisdom. He will be sorely missed.

Dr. Akins has served AISD for more than 50 years, and Akins High School is named after him. After being recognized as Teacher of the Year just three years in to his teaching career, he was selected to be the first African American teacher at Johnson High School. He went on to serve in many school and district leadership positions, including principal of L.C. Anderson High School and Assistant Superintendent for Business Affairs and Associate Superintendent for Development and Community Partnerships.

Dr. Akins, we will miss you. You are truly one of a kind.

African American Heritage Celebration

A great crowd turned out Sunday for the district's 29th annual African American Heritage Celebration. More than a thousand people, including families and supporters, joined me in honoring students, community leaders, teachers and district staff for their achievements and service.

Friends and family filled the Austin Convention Center in support of the honorees.

It is fitting that this year’s theme is “Every Dream a Reality,” because our district is brimming with students who are working hard in pursuit of their dreams. Nearly 50 years after Dr. King inspired us with his famous speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., we can take pride as a community of educators and caring citizens in our efforts to help young scholars and all of our students identify and realize their dreams. 

AISD Trustees Vincent Torres and Cheryl Bradley join Chief Schools Officer Paul Cruz and me in congratulating one of the many outstanding students recognized at the celebration.

I’m particularly proud of the 11 seniors who were recognized as four-year scholars. They have been honored at this event in each of their high school years for their outstanding leadership and academic achievement. These seniors will receive scholarships to support them in their dreams as they go on to college and become the leaders and change agents of tomorrow. Please join me in congratulating Michael Amare (Lanier), Sarah Bailey (Akins), Nelson Cole (McCallum), Kendall Davis (Akins), Hayden Graham (Anderson), Jeremy Jackson (Bowie), Jaron Mackey (LASA), Tara Mayberry (Bowie), Makeda Robertson (McCallum), Malachi Williams (Travis) and Carisa Weber (Anderson). These students are the heirs to Dr. King’s dream. In their pursuit of their interests and goals, they are making the world a better place for all of us.

Destiny Jenkins-Head of Overton Elementary is joined by her teacher and principal in accepting the award for her first-place student essay.

We also recognized the community leaders who provide positive role models for our youth. We are grateful for their hard work and commitment to the children and families in our community. And finally, a big thank you to the students and teachers of Reagan High School and to AISD staff for making possible this very impressive celebration.

We ♥ Our Counselors

This morning I got to start the day with some of the most supportive staff in the district—our school counselors and social workers! To honor School Counselor Appreciation Week, I joined counselors at their professional development session at Region XIII to deliver a big cake and cookies (donated by our wonderful partners from Sam's Club) and to thank them for all they do.

So often, school counselors and social workers are the “glue" that holds things together for students and families. They help students examine their abilities, strengths, interests and talents; support parents as they encounter the challenges of raising children in today's world; and work with teachers and other educators to support students and help them realize their potential and set healthy, realistic and optimistic aspirations for themselves. They are a critical part of our school system.

That’s why I’ve fought so hard to keep a counselor in every elementary school, even in the face of budget reductions last year. These committed professionals tend to our students’ hearts and minds so that they are better prepared to learn.

Thanks, counselors! We appreciate you!

I was welcomed by Counselor Patsy Brady, who helped organize today’s training. Thanks, school counselors! We appreciate you!

Our Day at the Superintendent’s Office

Order in the court

Today two Mathews Elementary 6th grade students (Kayson Craig and Juan Rueda) visited the office of Betsy Blair and Dr. Meria Carstarphen, and also met Elaine, Ben, Camille, and Toni who help the superintendent organize meetings and work to make the day easier for Dr. Carstarphen with her very busy day. 

Dr. Carstarphen is a "busy bee!"

We met AISD Ombudsman Beverly Reeves -- the district's "problem-solver."

We met up today with Dr. Carstarphen in her meeting with Earl Maxwell with St. Davids Foundation, attorney Kevin Cole, and Russell Bridges of the 3M company. We walked across the parking lot to see the Board meeting room and sat in the chairs of Dr. Carstarphen and the President of A.I.S.D. Board of Trustees, Mark Williams. 

Student Journalists Ask the Questions

This week, journalism students from Gorzycki Middle School, Akins High and  McCallum High asked me some great questions about issues that affect AISD students and schools. Three students, pictured here, attended the news conference in person, and the journalists from Akins attended virtually by television feed.

The news conference took place at the district's Channel 22 television studio. We talked about the district's budget, new school designs, the transition to end-of-course testing, and other topics of interest to our student audience. These young reporters really know how to ask the tough questions. And I know how to tell a great knock-knock joke -- just ask them!

Mark Curry: Austin Chamber Education Volunteer of the Year

Mark Curry (shown here with his family) is the 2011 Austin Chamber Volunteer of the Year for Education!

He says, "Education is a team game and a very important one."

We are delighted to have him as a key partner through both Wells Fargo and Austin Partners in Education, or APIE. Board President Mark Williams and I were honored to be at his lunch table at the awards ceremony today.

(FYI, also at our table was a really cool global tech strat genius, John Price, who won in his category for all of his entrepreneurial volunteer work.)

On behalf of AISD, I thank and congratulate you again, Mr. Curry!