Austin ISD invites area middle school students and their families to a choice fair to introduce them to unique opportunities available at all AISD middle schools.

The AISD Middle School Choice Fair gives students and parents the opportunity to explore the various programs offered at AISD’s middle school campuses. The event also allows families to speak with representatives from campuses who will answer questions and showcase their programs. Middle school students will also be performing in four areas throughout the fair. Translators as well as community liaisons will be on hand to answer questions related to transfers. Capital Metro passes are available to families through their home campus parent support specialist. The fair is free and open to the public.

Also, beginning Jan. 4, Austin ISD will accept out-of-district transfer requests for the 2016-17 school year. An out-of-district transfer is a process in which families who live outside of AISD can apply to have their student attend an AISD school.

Who: Families from AISD and surrounding districts

When: 9 a.m.–noon Saturday, Dec. 5

Where: Fulmore Middle School, 201 E. Mary St.

Schools to be featured

Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders

The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders was founded to educate young women and give them the confidence and skills necessary to succeed in college, in their careers and in their communities. The campus focuses on the whole student, offering academic and enrichment opportunities that engage students, expand their horizons and provide them with the tools to achieve their dreams.

Bailey Middle School 

Bailey Middle School located in southwest Austin, offers a comprehensive middle school program for students in grades 6-8. The mission of Bailey is to educate all students so that they may achieve their maximum intellectual potential. Bailey offers a supportive atmosphere where staff, parents and community members work together to provide a variety of opportunities for students to grow socially, emotionally, physically and aesthetically. Nationally recognized programs in band and orchestra, an award-winning yearbook program, and athletics and cheering programs are among more than 25 clubs and student activities offered at Bailey.

Bedichek Middle School

Bedichek Middle School supports and encourages learning at all levels with its academic approach and extensive programming. Special programs include an AVID college readiness initiative, Einstein Jr. Advanced Academics and a nationally recognized Project Lead the Way STEM program. Bedichek is proud to be a Mr. Holland’s Opus award winner, with robust fine arts offerings including band, classical guitar, mariachi, orchestra and steel drums. Bedichek’s motto is “Pride in Excellence” and students and staff work to achieve excellence in all aspects of school life.

Bertha Sadler Means Young Women’s Leadership Academy

In an environment of sisterhood, the Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy promotes scholarship, leadership and community service to help ensure students succeed in high school, college, career and life. The all-girls academy in East Austin offers a world of opportunities—from arts and athletics to science and engineering—to help students achieve their greatest potential.

Sadler Means YWLA invests in the whole student, nurturing scholars’ creative minds and talents through robust fine arts programs, including band, choir, dance, orchestra and theatre.

The academy offers career and technology classes through Project Lead the Way, a national leader in science, technology, engineering and math programs. With a rigorous curriculum and higher education and industry partnerships, students develop the skills needed to succeed in the global economy.

Burnet Middle School

Burnet Middle School motivates and inspires students to succeed in a safe and caring learning environment. Located in north central Austin, where it opened in 1961, Burnet offers a rigorous and relevant education for all students. Beginning in 2015, Burnet became one of the first in AISD to offer two-way dual-language classes at the middle school level. A focus on literacy is reinforced with Family Literacy nights and other activities. Connections between family and school are reinforced through the PTA, Family Resource Centers and the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin area.

Covington Middle School Fine Arts Academy

Covington Middle School Fine Arts Academy is a comprehensive school program where every student takes part in the most rigorous creative learning in a culture of rich social and emotional supports, incorporating AVID college-preparation strategies. Increased self-confidence and self-discipline, performance advancement and strengthened social and problem-solving skills are just a few of the many positive outcomes for students at Covington.

Dobie Middle School College Prep Academy

Dobie Middle School College Prep Academy offers fine arts and tech programs, community resources for families, courses in art, band, choir, guitar and theater, and Project Lead the Way engineering classes. Parent education and English as a Second Language courses are available for parents, and Dobie regularly hosts events for families.

Fulmore Middle School

Fulmore Middle School is a historic school community that takes great pride in providing a world-class curriculum. Fulmore boasts humanities and law magnet classes and has a variety of courses and activities designed to explore students’ individual capabilities and interests. Fulmore’s daily mission is to provide educational opportunities that inspire global thinking and social responsibility.

Gorzycki Middle School

Located on 42 acres along West Slaughter Lane in far southwest Austin, Gorzycki Middle School first opened its doors to students for the 2009–10 school year. Gorzycki is named in honor of longtime music educator and band director Diane Elaine Gorzycki, who worked with the district for 30 years. Its staff of dedicated teachers serve more than 800 students in grades 6, 7 and 8. They strive to create a secure and collaborative climate where the Gorzycki community is empowered to challenge, design, build and lead tomorrow’s world citizens.

Gus Garcia Young Men’s Leadership Academy

In an environment of brotherhood, the Gus Garcia Young Men’s Leadership Academy develops scholars who are empathetic, service-oriented problem solvers, lifelong learners who are successful in high school, college, career and life. Students are given the tools and options for taking their education to a higher level.

Kealing Middle School

Kealing Middle School has a tradition of providing a quality education for all children. In 1986, the school was opened as a junior high school, both for students in the Kealing neighborhood and for students throughout AISD who were accepted into its rigorous and innovative magnet math and science program. In 1993, the magnet program expanded to include a focus on the liberal arts.

Lamar Middle School Fine Arts Academy

Lamar Middle School Fine Arts Academy provides an inspiring program for students throughout Austin to pursue an accelerated arts curriculum as fine arts majors. Lamar Middle School offers its students both meaningful and enriching opportunities in the areas of visual arts, dance, band, orchestra, choral music, drama, classical guitar, piano, digital arts and media, as well as the nationally recognized Lamar Jazz Band. 

Martin Middle School

The Innovation Academy is a specialized program at Martin Middle School that is focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM, in order to align with curriculum used throughout the Eastside Memorial High School vertical team. Our goal is to better prepare students for successful high school and college careers. The Academy identifies students from throughout the district and surrounding areas who excel in the classroom. These students would benefit from enrichment opportunities, such as a partnership with the University of Texas Mexican-American Latino/Latina Studies department and the National Wildlife Federation, that the Academy offers, as well as from the high level of rigor, including cross-curricular Project Based Learning curriculum. In addition the Academy, Martin has a robust Fine Arts program, advanced technology courses and a state-of-the-art schedule that affords more time to growing the whole child. Martin also offers a Spanish AP track, which gives students an opportunity to acquire Spanish college credits while in middle school.

Mendez Middle School

Mendez Middle School, serving approximately 900 students in South Austin, aims to provide students with a wealth of opportunities on their path to success. Consuelo Herrera Mendez, the school’s namesake, worked as a teacher for nearly 50 years and was a tireless advocate for Mexican-American rights. With a focus on both community service and career and technical education, Mendez strives to live up to her legacy by providing students with the foundation they need to enter the global workforce and become contributing members of their community. 

Murchison Middle School

Murchison Middle School begins each student’s secondary experience with a focus on language development, cultural perspectives and global awareness. A rigorous curriculum with a plethora of learning experiences, technology applications and community service is the cornerstone of Murchison. High academic expectations are the standard for all students, and Pre-AP classes and high school credit courses provide the rigor for students who pursue higher level achievement. Fine arts at Murchison is integral to student development. The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program provides the framework for Murchison academics, campuswide activities, instructional design and community service.

Designation as a No Place for Hate campus is a continuing commitment and tenet for action. Its highly certified AVID program prepares students and families new to college prep and supports rigorous learning through collaboration, inquiry-based learning and Socratic questioning. Language options include Spanish, French, German, Latin and Chinese. Technology is tightly integrated into the curriculum through problem-based learning and research. Career and Technology courses include Project Lead the Way foundation and specialization classes, graphic and Web design, robotics and more.

O. Henry Middle School

O. Henry Middle School is named for short story writer William Sydney Porter, better known by his pen name of O. Henry. Located in central west Austin, the school offers strong academic programming and a focus on social and emotional learning as well as band, orchestra, athletics and pre-AP courses. O. Henry was named one of the 2012 Schools to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. The school earned the recognition for challenging students to use their minds well, being sensitive to the unique developmental challenges of early adolescence and providing every student with high-quality teachers and resources.

Paredes Middle School

Paredes Middle School is named for Américo Paredes, a seminal 20th century Mexican-American scholar. The mission of Paredes Middle School is to prepare students to be successful and productive community members, lifelong learners and creative problem-solvers who value teamwork, cultural diversity and mutual respect. Student achievement is a top priority at Paredes. The school's climate encourages positive, respectful behavior that is conductive to teaching and learning.

Small Middle School Green Tech Academy

The Green Tech Academy at Clint Small Middle School offers courses in environmental studies and career and technology education, including a STEM program using the national pre-engineering curriculum of Project Lead the Way. Students in the advanced learner track can earn high school credit, and programs in the fine arts and athletics provide a well-rounded education focused on development of the whole child.

Webb Middle School

Webb Middle School, in the heart of the St. John neighborhood in Northeast Austin, is a tightly knit community bound by a shared belief: It takes a village to raise a child. The community school works closely with students, families and partners to develop rigorous curriculum, as well as integrated support systems that ensure every student is prepared for college, career and life. Webb is part of the Reagan Early College High School family of schools. As an early college high school, Reagan offers students the opportunity to earn college credit and graduate with a diploma in one hand and an associate degree from Austin Community College in the other.

For more information, please contact Susan Galvan at 512-414-9763 or susan.galvan@austinisd.org.