| Welcome to another Family Newsletter! This was a big week for me because I got to go visit the awesome students at Paredes Middle School as a sub. In case you haven’t heard, we’re filling in to help with the sub shortage.If you’d like to help out and be a sub, apply on our website.We’ve also got some important openings for transportation, food service, maintenance and more. Learn more below. And now, the news…. |
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| Family Newsletter |
| By Scott Thomas ● Jan 31, 2022
Smart Brevity™ count: 5 mins... 1389 words
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Welcome to another Family Newsletter!
This was a big week for me because I got to go visit the awesome students at Paredes Middle School as a sub. In case you haven’t heard, we’re filling in to help with the sub shortage.
If you’d like to help out and be a sub, apply on our website.
We’ve also got some important openings for transportation, food service, maintenance and more. Learn more below.
And now, the news….
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1 Big Thing: An update on COVID-19 testing supplies
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National supply chain issues may mean testing availability could ebb and flow.
Why it matters: The Omicron variant is the most contagious we’ve seen but often the symptoms present as a common cold. Testing is one of the best ways to quickly stop the spread of COVID-19.
If tests run out, students and staff can still get tested by the school nurses, at the community testing hub at Burger Stadium, or at one of the community resources on our website.
Go deeper: We’ve processed 5,400 tests in the past six days, which is not a sustainable pace based on available supplies.
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We’re working with one of our third-party vendors, Quest Diagnostics, to resupply the testing hubs.
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For some perspective, we processed 3,579 tests in the entire month of January 2021.
How to get tested: Another of our third-party partners, NOMI, is still testing at Burger Stadium, 3200 Jones Road.
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NOMI is not affected by the supply issues and is not expecting any interruption to its testing.
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Testing is available through NOMI Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This won’t affect the supply of tests in our school health rooms since they’re provided by the Texas Education Agency.
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2. We’ve updated our guidelines for athletics, fine arts
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We’ve updated how we manage our athletic and fine arts programs, including mask requirements for all students, staff, and spectators and limiting spectators to two people per player at indoor athletic events.
Why it matters: We have athletes, performers and spectators coming from outside of Austin for games and performance. We need guidelines in place for everyone to follow.
Student-athletes will be masked at all times except when they’re playing the sport.
Fine arts students need to wear a mask at all times while indoors, including dressing areas and while performing.
Capacity limits at athletics events: Two people per player will be allowed into all indoor activities and are required to wear masks.
Capacity limits for fine arts: Campuses will reduce capacity at events based on their performance venues and the anticipated size of the audience to ensure social distancing between members of different households.
What you can do: Go over the new protocols with your students, and get them vaccinated or boosted.
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3. Long-range planning shifts into gear
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We’re in the midst of long-range planning and now it’s time for you to let us know what you think.
Why it matters: The long-range planning process sets the foundation for academics, facilities, athletics, safety, and the important services for our community, such as transportation and food service.
Go deeper: Over the last few months, the Austin ISD long-range planning committees have been poring over information, data and feedback from community members, students, staff and parents.
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They boiled that feedback down to develop “Unmet Needs Statements,” which basically identify some of our current issues the district needs to address.
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From here, they’ll start digging into the causes of these unmet needs before trying to establish goals and solutions.
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We want to be sure we’re addressing the root of the problem with our solutions.
What’s next: We need you to review the Unmet Need Statements and answer the questions in the Public Input portal.
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By sharing your perspectives, we’ll be able to refine the plan and be sure we’re not missing anything.
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The portal is open until Jan. 22.
Scott’t thought bubble: I know Omicron is dominating the headlines, but if you asked me the most important thing happening in Austin ISD I’d say it’s this.
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The decisions we make here will affect the district for decades.
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If you haven’t been paying attention, this is the time to start.
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4. COVID cases spike amidst Omicron surge
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The Omicron variant is spreading rapidly across the United States and we’re now seeing that within the Austin community.
This week: We logged 1,289 COVID-19 cases, including 504 staff members.
Yes, but: These cases weren’t all in our campuses and facilities.
Moving foward: The COVID-19 dashboard will now be updated weekly by the close of business on Tuesday.
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We will continue to accurately contact trace, identify close contacts, and communicate news of any cases to the campus community.
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You will still get letters with any information on a COVID case reported at your campus or facility.
The bottom line: I know these numbers seem scary, and we’re not letting our guard down. We’re going to do whatever it takes to make classrooms safe, and we’ll continue to follow the guidance of public health officials.
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We’re still committed to our mask requirement, including the ongoing legal fight to keep it in place.
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We’re testing more than any other organization in Austin.
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If Austin Public Health thinks it’s no longer safe to have schools open, we will listen to their guidance.
Scott’s thought bubble: Just like you, I have two kids in our schools, and if I didn’t think they were safe I wouldn’t have them there. It’s as simple as that.
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5. Maplewood teacher among the top physical educator teachers in USA
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Congratulations to Rebecca Lambdin-Abraham from Maplewood Elementary School, who was named one of the top physical education instructors in the United States!
Lambdin-Abraham received the 2022 Southern District Teacher of the Year award for elementary education. The recognition was given by The Society of Health and Physical Educators, also known as SHAPE America.
What they're saying: ‘I am humbled by this award and know that I could not have come this far on my own,” Lambdin-Abraham said.
What’s next: SHAPE America will honor Lambdin-Abraham in April at its national convention and expo in New Orleans.
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Online tutoring is available for students in quarantine
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Austin ISD is offering free online tutoring for K-5 students in quarantine.
Why it matters: We want students to have access to extra help when they need it even while at home in quarantine.
Driving the news: Because we have more student cases, we’ve partnered with HeyTutor to make sure students get the help they need.
To get started, sign up by using our online form.
The bottom line: We are keeping students engaged in their learning even while at home.
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We’ll be hosting a job fair for transportation, food service, warehouse and maintenance positions Jan. 27 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m at the AISD Southeast Bus Terminal.
Why it matters: We need good people, and we love when our families come to work for the district.
Benefits include medical insurance, personal and sick leave, paid training, paid holidays, and joining the Texas Teacher Retirement system.
Ready to start? Apply at www.austinisd.org/careers.
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The Student Support Services team is looking for feedback on the Austin ISD Code of Conduct so they can make it easier to read and understand. Review the document and share your feedback!
A reminder that we’re off on Monday. Enjoy the three-day weekend!
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