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Following the recent school board retreat, I am energized for the upcoming school year at Austin Public Schools and eager to keep advancing the district’s mission to inspire, empower, and accelerate student learning.

The school board retreat was facilitated by Dr. Sheri Allen, a leader in public education who started her teaching career in Austin. The retreat reaffirmed my confidence in the district’s long-term strategic plan by focusing our discussions on three key themes – engagement, culture, and communication. It set a positive tone for the year ahead. As the board chair, I am deeply committed to making board processes and decisions more transparent. This will involve more communication during our monthly business meetings, additional public forums, and regular reminders about board availability and accessibility.

This year brings a number of exciting changes. It will be wonderful to see our kindergarteners welcomed into their neighborhood elementary schools and the introduction of science specialists in our elementary schools. As you know, we have an exciting update this year in our Grading and Reporting procedures for grades 5-12, which aim to increase the focus on formative assessment and practice work. Lastly, the district’s new policy to remove cell phones from the classroom will help reduce screen time and potentially support stronger mental health among our students.

As always, our district and school board welcome your questions and feedback. For more insight into our strategic vision, please visit AccelerateAustin.org.

Sincerely,

Dr. Carolyn Dubé

School Board Chair