Austin, TX—Austin Independent School District Superintendent Meria Carstarphen will welcome back students, teachers and staff members for the 2012-13 school year with special campus visits.

The superintendent will visit campuses across the district during the first two days of classes.

Monday, Aug. 27

6-6:30 a.m. – Media availability with Kris Hafezizadeh, director of transportation, at Saegert bus terminal, 3300 Jones Rd.

7:45 a.m. – Press conference at Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Center, 5200 Fredrich Ln. Speakers include Carstarphen; Pauline Dow, AISD chief academic officer; Anita Uphaus, retired teacher and early childhood coordinator; and Congressman Lloyd Doggett.

9 a.m. – Welcome-back assembly at the Ann Richards School for Young Women, 2206 Prather Ln. Sixth and 12th grade students will be recognized during a special, welcome-back assembly. The program will conclude with the Star Walk in which seniors walk down the hall with 6th grade students who are entering Ann Richards School for Young Women for the first time.

10:30 a.m. – Carstarphen leads a brief lesson in third grade, social emotional learning instruction at Cunningham Elementary School, 2200 Berkeley Ave.

11:15 a.m. – Lunch at Reilly Elementary School, 405 Denson Dr.

12:30 p.m. – Carstarphen visits new kindergarten and first grade classrooms at Webb Middle School, 601 E. St. Johns Ave.

Tuesday, Aug. 28

7 a.m. – Welcome parents and students to Govalle Elementary School, 3601 Ortega Ave., where students will explain the contents of a community painting.

8 a.m. – Carstarphen will participate in a "Getting to know Ortega" trivia game designed to introduce new students to the campus at Ortega Elementary School, 1135 Garland Ave.

9 a.m. – Tour of iLearning Hot Spot at IDEA Allan, 4900 Gonzales St.

10:30 a.m. – Visit to new, pre-kindergarten village at Dobie Middle School, 1200 E. Rundberg Ln.

11:30 a.m. – Lunch at Graham Elementary, 11211 Tom Adams Dr., followed by visits to reading and science classrooms.

1:10 p.m. – Visits to Responsive Ed and anatomy, forensics, cosmetology and agriculture classes at Lanier High School, 1201 Payton Gin Rd.

To learn more about the 2012-13 school year, please visit www.austinisd.org/back2school.

For more information about the campus visits, please contact the Department of Public Relations and Multicultural Outreach at 414-2414.