School Views Fall/Winter 2020

ALAMO HEIGHTS ISD

Pre-Covid Photo

SCHOOL VIEWS 2020 Fall/ Winter

at a glance Back to School

The district welcomed students Back-to-School in new ways at the start of the 2020 academic year. The official launch of the year began on August 17, with all students and staff returning to learn in our remote configuration. Just after Labor Day, students who selected face-to-face learning, returned to the campuses via a two-week phase-in process amid heightened health and safety protocols. Learning has continued for both in-person and Heights at Home students, with students transitioning back to campus as they feel comfortable at each of the 9-week grading periods.

Gearing Up for 2021 Ready for Kindergarten? Register for the Howard Kinder Preview!

The Kinder Preview provides valuable information about AHISD’s kindergarten programs and all that our littlest Mules will enjoy during their first year as a student. You will have the opportunity to meet the principal, learn about the kindergarten program, take a peek at a “Day in the Life” via video, virtually tour a live kindergarten classroom with your child, and participate in Q & A. Register for the Kinder Preview beginning Monday, December 7, at 4 pm, by clicking on the link in the news section of the district website at www.ahisd.net.

Need more information? Contact Kim Romines at kromines@ahisd.net.

HOMECOMING Mule spirit starts at an early age in Alamo Heights ISD and lasts a lifetime. The phrase, “Once a Mule, Always a Mule” is a mantra that is shared by many. Throwing your Mules Up and bringing the Blue and Gold is a way of life for the Alamo Heights community and one that is honored over a lifetime.

IN THIS ISSUE From Superintendent.................................................................. 2 AHISD Vision 2020...................................................................... 3 Equity................................................................................................4 School Life...................................................................................... 7

Homecoming is just one of the celebrations that unite both current and former Mules as they reflect and honor the rich traditions of their school. While the celebrations looked a little different this year, the meaning behind the traditions held strong, as Mules found new ways to honor the Blue & Gold.

#ExtraordinaryAHISD Staff.......................................................8 Trustees at Work...........................................................................9 Under Construction................................................................... 10 Mule News, Bits & Briefs...........................................................11 Alamo Heights School Foundation.......................................13 Images in this publication of students or staff without masks are file photos taken pre-COVID, or have been taken with social distancing protocols in place.

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A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

Dr. Dana Bashara, Superintendent of Schools AHISD Culture of Care During a time of pandemic, like no other time, it is essential for us as a school community to commit to behaviors, practices and actions to keep ourselves healthy and to protect the health and wellness of everyone within our school buildings. To help our students and staff fully understand the accountability that we all have to one another as we’ve reopened our schools, our counseling department has designed our AHISD Culture of Care platform to help all of us understand what it truly means to take care of each other during this time.

Call for a Community Partnership We ask for cooperation and support from our families when students or staff are called into times of quarantine due to exposure. Although we’ve worked tirelessly to mitigate circumstances that could cause any spread, we know there will be times when some students and some of our staff have to be home for 14 days or more because of exposure. We are calling on our families to be understanding and to react supportively when that happens.

#EXTRAORDINARYAHISD The launch of our third season of “On Location” began with our Culinary Arts program! Providing students training and leverage to prepare for careers in the food ser vice, culinary arts and hospitality industries, instructor Emily Rangel has always got something cooking!

Tune in to get a glimpse into the AH -mazing programs that make up our extraordinary Alamo Heights ISD!

Call for Empathy, Compassion and Cooperation

of our campuses to help promote the implementation of our health and safety procedures. We all have a responsibility to honor that trust and their efforts through our personal commitment to taking care of each other.

Essential in this AHISD Culture of Care, is the reminder that more than ever before, our incredible AHISD teachers, administrators, and staff need all of the empathy, compassion, and cooperation that our community can give. Despite any feelings of anxiety and concern about the re-opening of campuses, our staff has demonstrated through their actions their love for our students and their trust in this community and our district. They have shown up in a big way all throughout the summer to contribute to district and campus efforts, and they continue to show up in amazing ways now as our buildings are open.

hries

Teachers and administrators have reimagined ways to meet the needs of remote learners and in-person learners at the same time. They’ve committed to new learning and professional development around technology, pedagogy and updated resources. Our staff has done all of this heroically because at their core, they care deeply for our students, for this community, and for our district. I encourage all of us, through our AHISD Culture of Care, to be resolute in our support of our amazing AHISD staff and bold and outspoken in our recognition for their incredible efforts. We are #ExtraordinaryAHISD!

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Photo Co

urtesy of

Mark Hu mp

Starting in August, our staff accepted new teaching assignments, and they’ve taken on additional course preps, new schedules, and increased teaching loads without additional compensation. At our secondary campuses, in order to decrease class size and to maintain distancing, our teachers have agreed to teaching an extra class. Teachers are sacrificing the normal conference and planning times typically allocated to them to help cover more classes and to keep class sizes as small as possible. Additionally, all staff have taken on increased monitoring duties at each

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STRATEGIC ACTION AHISD Vision 2020

Our AHISD vision and mission have remained the same since the development of our strategic plan in 2008. What has changed is the context: technology, the needs of our students and the expectations of our community. As a result, in 2015, we created a more studentfacing version of our initial vision, the Profile of a Learner. Five years later, last fall, we revisited our strategic direction, evaluating our current needs within the parameters of our vision and mission. We convened a Discovery Group of over 50 people to help us identify four areas in which we need to place our focus. Those became our AHISD Vision 2020 Strategic Goals.

Images in this article are file photos taken pre-COVID.

THE STRATEGIC GOALS COMMUNICATION GOAL In Alamo Heights ISD we are committed to co-constructing common understandings of the values, beliefs, and direction of our school community.

Each of our campuses and our athletic department have identified specific actions aligned with the four goal areas and incorporated them into their Campus Improvement Plans. In our August administrative meetings, principals shared out those plans, and each campus will present to the Board of Trustees monthly updates on progress from November 2020 to April 2021.

EQUITY & BELONGING GOAL

We have incorporated the Vision 2020 goals in our Community-Based Accountability process, which we publish every spring.

In Alamo Heights ISD we are committed to a culture of belonging.

As a district, we have already identified three bold actions aligned with our Vision 2020 goals:

RESOURCES & RELATIONSHIPS GOAL

In Alamo Heights ISD we are committed to supporting our talented faculty and staff in ways that foster employee satisfaction, well-being, and excellence.

•

We established a District Equity Council for the purpose of establishing a framework to identify, measure, and eliminate any bias, prejudice, or unlawful discrimination in our school system that may affect student achievement and learning experiences and to promote learning and working environments that welcome, respect, and value racial equity, diversity, and inclusion.

(Vision 2020, goal areas 1 & 2)

•

We improved procedures for dealing with student discrimination/harassment issues (including racism) in ways that educate, empower, and heal student relationships. (Vision 2020, goal areas 1 & 2)

•

We implemented a new mental health care concierge service (Care Solace) for employees, parents, and students to access the services they may need to support their mental health and wellness. (Vision 2020, goal areas 3 & 4)

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING GOAL

In Alamo Heights ISD we are committed to nurturing each student’s social emotional well-being resulting in a selfaware citizen prepared to positively impact a global society.

• In April 2021, we will reconvene our Discovery Group for an annual update to hear about our district-level and campus-level work implementing our Vision 2020 goals.

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Uncovering equity gaps is the first step in developing a framework to address them. For the 2020-2021 school year, the primary task of the Equity Council is to complete an equity audit.

The goal of an equity audit is to identify institutional practices that produce discriminatory trends in data that affect students. Schools and districts conduct audits to analyze data in three key areas: programmatic equity, teaching quality equity, and achievement equity (Skrla, McKenzie & Scheurich, 2009).

The District We Aspire To Be

AHISD provides the climate, process, and learning opportunities which enable all students and staff to perform at their highest level and value diversity as a strength. AHISD ensures successful academic outcomes by providing equitable resources and appropriate instructional experiences for each student. Patterns of interaction at AHISD are accepting, valuing, supportive, safe for all students and staff.

EQUITY

Relentless Intention, Rigorous Process

A strong sense of belonging generates feelings of trust, connection, pride, and motivation. No one feels alone.

AHISD Areas of Focus For Equity Audit

Alamo Heights is a community where we know everyone’s name, a piece of their personal history, and seek to bridge our differences. Although we are a community with a one-hundred-ten-year history, we value and welcome new members. We are a community that proactively removes financial barriers to promote participation and fosters a sense of belonging in activities, organizations, and special events.

FOCUS 1 Comparably High Academic Achievement/Student Outcomes FOCUS 2 Equitable Access and Inclusion FOCUS 3 Equitable Treatment of People FOCUS 4 Opportunity to Learn about Equity, Cultural Awareness Action

A sense of belonging makes us feel like there is a community behind us. Individuals are willing to contribute their unique talents with the assurance that their contributions are valued by their community. As people join together for a common cause, it encourages a bond with one another.

FOCUS 5 Resources (Money, Time, Staff, Facilities, and Materials) An equity audit requires input from stakeholders across a school district. Schools collect data in many forms to provide stakeholders with a wide range of influences that contribute to student achievement.

There is an increased need for our community and leaders to stand in solidarity around our students and staff members of color to ensure a culture that embraces racial equity practices and an environment free from discrimination and prejudice in our classrooms and on our campuses.

The first phase of the work includes exploratory research conducted in order to determine the nature of the problem. Exploratory research is not intended to provide solutions or specific insights but helps to have a better understanding of the overall challenges and patterns. Our work will include surveys, student graduation, attrition and retention reports, state report cards and assessment data, reviews of school discipline policies and code of conduct, and information provided on the campus or district website.

“WHEREAS on July 20, the AHISD Superintendent recommended the development of a district equity council for the purpose of: establishing a framework to identify, measure and eliminate any bias, prejudice, or unlawful discrimination in our school system that may affect student achievement and learning experiences and to promote learning and working environments that welcome, respect, and value racial equity, diversity, and inclusion.”

The second phase will include explanatory and descriptive research. The primary purpose of explanatory research is to explain why trends occur in our data. The information derived from exploratory will be more deeply explored through qualitative analysis of focus groups and campus observations, that include classroom and campus observations with AHISD campus administrators, focus group interviews with teachers, students and parents facilitated by One World Consultants.

(Excerpt from July 20 resolution adopted by the AHISD Board of Trustees.)

Our District Equity Council members have a background and interest and commitment to addressing equity, as well as promoting belonging within our schools and communities. It represents a diverse group of parents, as well as school administration, staff, and our Board of Directors. Advisory committee work and meetings will be guided and facilitated by Equity Program Management consultants from One World Consulting Services. The demographics of the committee thoughtfully reflect the overall demographics of our AHISD schools so all voices are heard and valued in making recommendations to the Board of Trustees.

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The progress of this council will be shared regularly through our district communications and publications.

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Daniel Halff

Theodore Yun

John Brysacz

Ethan Coleman

Robert Hunt

Brayden Jaeckle

Claudia Olson

Sofia Lloyd

Olivia Rojas

Nicolas Esteva

Madeline Shults

Caroline Delmer

Sofia Rojo Name

Jacqueline Davis

Bella Chase

Celebrating Academic Success National Merit Scholars

The National Merit® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships.

Congratulations to the following students from the Class of 2021 who are receiving recognition through the NMSC (National Merit Scholarship Corporation) for their performance on the PSAT/ NMSQT. Approximately 1.6 million high school students enter the program each year.

The 2021 Semifinalist Scholars are: Daniel Halff, James Schnoebelen (not pictured), and Theodore Yun. The 2021 Commended Scholars are: John Brysacz, Ethan Coleman, Caroline Delmer, Daniel Halff, Robert Hunt, Brayden Jaeckle, James Schnoebelen, and Theodore Yun. The 2021 National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars are: Claudia Olson, Sofia Lloyd, Sofia Rojo Name, Olivia Rojas, Nicolas Esteva, Madeline Shults, Ayden Trevino (not pictured), Jack Lopez (not pictured), Jacqueline Davis, and Bella Chase.

High School students who meet published program entry and participation requirements enter the National Merit® Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) at the specified time in the high school program, usually as juniors.

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DUKE TIP

Alamo Heights Junior School St

Nine students at Alamo

udents Honored

Heights Junior School

have been distinguished with the Duke University Talent Identification Program (DUKE TIP) rec ognition. Students earnin g Grand Recognition include: Eli jah Yun. Students earning State Recognition include: Em iliano Aguilar, Quentin Elder, Andrew Lindner, Vincent Mahar (not pictured), Carter Mayfield, Phife r Oleson, James Saund ers, Elijah Yun, and Leo Zhang (not pic tured).

Elijah Yun

DUKE TIP is a nonprofi

t organization dedicate d to serving academically gifted and talented youth.

Emiliano Aguilar

Quentin Elder

Phifer Oleson Andrew Lindner

Carter Mayfield

James Saunders

ALL-STAR STUDENT Augustin Chincarini, a senior at Alamo Heights High School, was surprised with the KENS 5 and UPS Store All-Star Student Award. A Drum Major for the Mighty Mule Marching Band, active musician, choir and theater student, Chincarini thought the team from KENS 5 was covering a story on the band getting back on the field, when he was surprised to learn that he was actually the reason for the visit to the school. Surrounded by his peers in both band and theater, Chincarini learned that he had been nominated by his Band Director, David Stephenson, and Principal, Cory Smith, for the honor.

Stephenson shared, “Augustin Chincarini is a vital member and leader in the Alamo Heights HS Fine Arts Department.

Augustin has served the Mighty Mule Band as a clarinet section leader, drill instructor, and is currently one of the Drum Majors. Each year of high school, Augustin has consistently auditioned for and earned a spot in the All-Region and All-Area Bands and Choirs. He has also received a Superior rating on a solo and an ensemble at the UIL State Solo and Ensemble Contest.”

Joining in the celebration, Bryan Stanton, AHHS Theater Teacher, shared Chincarini’s talents on stage. “In the AHHS Theatre, Augustin has performed in several roles in the program including acting or directing “She Kills Monsters” and “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” He has served as Chair of the Philanthropy Committee, coordinating food drives for the San Antonio Food Bank, street cleanups, and recently advocated for teens to volunteer as poll workers to ensure the voting process went off without a hitch while keeping our older citizens safe during the pandemic. He is working on a project with Habitat for Humanity to have our technical theatre students help build houses and will be competing in the UIL Theatrical Design competition this year,” shared Stanton. Augustin is also an active member of the Choir program, a member of the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio (YOSA), and serves as President of the AHHS chapter of the Texas Future Music Educator’s.

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STRUGGLE LEADS TO SUCCESS

ALAMO HEIGHTS ISD

School Life

Love of Reading Hudson DeLeon was named the GRAND PRIZE winner of Learning Ally’s Summer Reading Together Program. DeLeon, a 4th grader at Cambridge Elementary was the top reader in the nation in the month of June, and overall top reader in the nation, reading 20 minutes (or more) each day for 92 days total! DeLeon earned a $125 Amazon Gift Card which is sure to net him some more great reading material!

A M P US KINDNESS ON C d vestment Club, le

ts High School In pbach The Alamo Heigh elen, James Schu eb hno Sc es m Ja ts by studen teachers Cathy ey, sponsored by on al M k ic tr Pa d an 00 for the rtlett, raised $8,0 Ba e ic tr Pa d an Klumpp ram.

AHHS Angel Prog peth ed by Dawn Hedge at lit ci fa , m ra og The Angel Pr and families s, helps students he ug H e ni ha ep and St cial hardships. dealing with finan of a the district Profile ify pl em ex ts en These stud , adding value cially and globally so ng gi ga en r, ne ness.

Lear r service and kind ei th h ug ro th ld to the wor orts of g the charitable eff tin or pp su in ed via Interest Bartlett or Klumpp to t ou h ac Re ? ts these studen @ahisd.net. d.net or cklumpp is ah @ tt tle ar pb email at

The Lang Stuttering Institute, a part of the Moody School of Communications at the University of Texas at Austin, hosted an event to celebrate the work of the institute and to commemorate the generous donation of $20 millio n to establish the Arthur E Blank Center for Stuttering Research. Alamo Heights High School Senior, Hudson Hanna, was invited to speak.

Hudson has had a stutter since he was 8 years old. He receiv ed great help and guidance at the Lang Stuttering Institute where he attended summer camps, even serving as a counselor for a few years. His experiences at Lang inspired him to pursue a degree in speech pathology so he can help kids just like himself.

Hanna shared his thanks and appreciation for the Institute, as well as, his appreciation for his teachers, coaches, band directors, and the speech language department at Alamo Heights High School for all of the great opportunities he has enjoyed.

A football player, band percusionist, and business entrepreneaur in the Heights Business Incubator program, Hanna shared that it was through these experiences that he was able to find his voice, learning to speak confidently in a variety of scenarios. He considers stuttering an ability, not a disability. and looks forward to the day he will be able to help students who struggle with stuttering find their voice s and the path to success!

STATE COACH OF THE YEAR

Congratulations to Alamo Heights High School’s Ashl ey Johnson (pictured above) and Larry Oxford (pictured at left with Tennis Team). The two have earned Coach of the Year distinctions by the Texas Univ ersity Interscholastic League. Johnson has led the AHHS Cheer team to four state titles in as many years, and Oxford has led the AHHS tennis team s to numerous state championships and playoff visits.

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#extraordinaryahisd Staff

TOP THREE IN THE STATE

AHHS Teacher Honored with ExCEL Award

Impacting Education Across the State

Ben Keenan is a phenomenal teacher and leader at Alamo Heights High School. He has been teaching Pre-AP and AP English for 15 years, 13 of which have been at AHHS. He currently serves as the English Department Lead, and does an outstanding job clearly and consistently communicating with colleagues, parents, and students.

Lisa Barry has had one AH-mazing year! It all started in January 2020 when she was named Alamo Heights ISD’s District Teacher of the Year.

Lisa’s accolades were just beginning.

Barry, a 5th grade English Language Arts, Reading and Social Studies Teacher at Woodridge Elementary, went on to be named a finalist for the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Teaching, a finalist for the Humanities Texas Outstanding Teacher Award, the Principal Auto Car-4-All-Seasons Teacher of the Year, the Region 20 ESC Elementary Teacher of the Year, and most recently, was named one of the Top Three Elementary Teachers in the state during the Texas Association of School Administrators annual state Teacher of the Year contest.

Keenan is often praised by his peers for his leadership and dedication to his school. Most recently, in the school’s “Mule of the Month” shout-outs, Ben received accolades for his work: “Ben has gone above and beyond for our department.

He communicates so effectively and clearly and always responds to questions and emails in a timely manner. He makes us feel heard and understood.”

The accolades of the staff were shared with the team at KENS 5 and Credit Human and they shared their enthusiasm for Keenan’s work by awarding him the ExCEL Award.

A veteran teacher, Barry is deserving of all of the accolades, but for her, the one she holds most dear, centers around her teaching of tolerance through the

The ExCEL Award is presented annually by the station and credit union as a way to recognize and honor teachers for their outstanding work. The crew met and interviewed Keenan virtually, sharing their pride in his work and excitement around sharing his story.

lessons of the Holocaust and that touches the lives of students across Texas. Barry was one of the four women, and the only teacher, that convinced Texas lawmakers to create Holocaust Remembrance Week, which launched in January 2020.

Woodridge Elementary Principal, Gerrie Spellmann, shares, “Mrs. Barry has heart and passion for teaching tolerance. She uses Holocaust history and experiences of survivors to inspire her students to identify when something is wrong to make it right. She is a true inspiration for our students, teachers and families.”

AHHS Principal, Cory Smith, shared, “Ben excels in creating a positive classroom culture. He understands that every student comes to school with their own unique strengths, challenges, background, and concerns. At the beginning of each year, Ben takes the time to build a strong classroom culture. The return is apparent as you watch his students positively connect with the content, their peers, and with Ben. He has built a compassionate classroom and places relationships at the center.”

Barry has been an extraordinary representative of AHISD as the district and regional Teacher of the Year and state finalist. She stands alongside four other 2020 campus Teachers of the Year who represent Alamo Heights ISD at the campus level: Mary Ellen Cook, Howard Early Childhood Center; Suzanne Arevalo, Cambridge Elementary; Erica Melle, Alamo Heights Junior School; and, Valerie Alvarez, Alamo Heights High School.

Ben’s own passion for learning extends into his classroom. He is constantly implementing research-based practices needed to ensure success for all his students. He creates lessons that tap into student interests and connects the learning to the students’ world. Ben routinely integrates the use of technology with his students in such a way that it is transparent. These lessons support the curricular goals and build a deeper understanding of content.

The district is preparing to name their 2021 campus teachers of the year soon.

Look for the Facebook Live announcement in January 2021.

As an integral member of our District Design Team, Campus Design Team, and Campus Leadership Team, Ben looks at systems we have in place and analyzes ways to improve, moving the campus toward a student-centered learning organization.

He has helped spearhead our peer visits initiative, allowing teachers to observe best practices utilized by their colleagues to hone their own craft. Ben is a true change agent at AHHS and truly deserving of this honor.

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David Hornberger, President

I never before had reason to consider the North American buffalo a role model. The animal historically resides in the Great Plains region of America, where violent thunderstorms sweep the landscape. Most creatures run away from the storm, in vain hope of avoiding the inevitable—but not the buffalo. Instead, the buffalo herd collectively turns, faces the storm, and charges straight ahead.

The buffalo know that, while they cannot control the storm, they can control their reaction to it in a way to benefit the herd (by running into the storm, they shorten its duration).

As we entered the 2020-2021 school year with the coronavirus-induced storm raging in our country, our district leaders discerned what was within and also what was beyond our control as a school district, and then made decisions accordingly—never wavering from our commitment to focus on what is best for our children. In my previous letter I noted the efforts made to keep our school district operating; here, I provide a few details on efforts made to continue the operation of our schools for our students.

We launched two distinct educational platforms, one for students staying at home and one for students choosing to be on campus; we added ten additional days of paid leave for teachers personally impacted by COVID-19; we hired additional custodians to assist with the heavier maintenance burdens; we provided flexibility at the beginning of the school year for teachers to work from home during those difficult initial weeks; and we modified our school calendar to change three existing instructional days into teacher work days to help our staff manage the uncharacteristically high workload. We also partnered with Care Solace to ensure our students have access to counselors and therapists during this turbulent time. We did all of this by dipping into our reserve funds—despite our current operational deficit and likely in the face of an historic state budget shortfall coming in the next legislative biennium.

AHISD Board of Trustees ( l to r) : Bonnie Giddens, member; Brian Hamilton, Assistant Secretary; Lisa Krenger, member; David Hornberger, President; Stacy Sharp, member; Ryan Anderson, Secretary; Dr. Dana Bashara, Superintendent; and, Perry Shankle, Vice President.

None of this has been easy—for anyone. And the fear permeating our broader country only exacerbates our local difficulties. Wherever fear exists, though, so exist the opportunities for courage. Our community has shown tremendous courage in uniting to do what is best for our children, and we must continue to care for and educate our children in that same spirit.

So, we still have more to do. If courage brought us to turn and charge the storm, vigilance will see us through to the other side. Our district’s steadfast focus on continuous improvement means there always is opportunity to improve the schools and programs we love. Over the next several months, we will continue assessing our students, staff, and processes to ensure that our learning platforms are providing all students an equitable and effective opportunity to grow and improve—both now and in the future. We will monitor our revised campus operating procedures to determine what works, what needs improvement, and what needs reassessment.

We will continue to look for ways to provide for the health and wellbeing of our students and staff. And, we will remain focused on hiring and retaining the highestquality educators while being cognizant of a probable decline in state funding in the coming years.

We have achieved much during this tumultuous time, and our achievement derives from our commitment to each other to do what it takes to keep our schools operating at a high level. Having turned to face the storm, it’s time to keep up the pace.

Board President David Hornberger and trustees

Our campus operational procedures changed, too, and our parents, students, and teachers have been tremendous partners in preserving the integrity of our efforts. This committed partnership already has yielded impressive results. Our fall sports teams are experiencing notable success, our arts programs have re-invented performances and exhibitions, and our students continue to attain academic achievements (including National Merit Scholar designations). While some events such as Howdy Night were too difficult to manage this year, our staff continues to innovate to protect and preserve our traditions, such as the Woodridge Carnival and the Cambridge Mule Games. The commitment exhibited by our community to safely operate our schools continues to empower us—most recently enabling us to reopen our playgrounds and common areas for use by our patrons on the weekends.

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Photos Courtesy of Mark Humphries

TRUSTEES AT WORK

celebrate the district’s Spotlight on Excellence honorees monthy during the regular board meetings.

Pictured: Dr. Frank Alfaro shares the work of David Ramirez, General Maintenance Supervisor, selected as the October Spotlight winner.

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UNDER CONSTRUCTION

e On m a G S cted to IC T E L H AT of 2019, and is expe ne Ju in o, ag ar ye a er /Press

2017 Bond at Work

just ov d Stadium Construction began new Gymnasiums an e th r fo 21 20 r be ptem continue through Se HS. The Athletics H box Complex at A steel is erected Complex Press Box en poured. and concrete has be ace and in use.

Field lighting is in pl rk continues Concrete masonry wo the air barrier on the interior and s. The exterior installation continue d the interior brick is underway an gun. New stud framing has be are being Weight Room doors to the playing installed to connect so underway. field. Roof work is al

Construction continues across AHISD. Here is an overview of the most recent work that has been completed. The district maintains a bond update page that serves as a source of information, complete with photos, renderings and more. See the latest updates by visiting the Bond 2017 Updates page, found under the About the District tab at www.ahisd.net.

If you have questions regarding the bond projects set for a specific campus or site, please contact the principal for each campus, or contact AHISD Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, Mike Hagar.

ater

dd W A st u J M IU R O pected to be NATAT ember 2019 and is ex Nov te Natatorium began in e th on n io ct ete or sprayed concre tru cr ot ns sh Co n, io et pl m co pletion.

2021. Nearing ation is close to com complete in January all st in ick br d an l ve e pool le ming soon! work is complete at th ing erected. H2O co be e ar s er ch ea bl The aluminum

HOWARD - Renov

ated and Ready

The Teacher Workr oom and Break Ro om renovations are complete, as ar e the Cafeteria re novations. The electrical feeder to the Gymnasium ha s been restored.

On the exterior, th e sod installation is complete. Sidewa replacements are lk complete and read y to receive little feet!

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MULE NEWS, BITS & BRIEFS

At that point, it’s trying to make sure everything is squared away at a good point [at Johnson] and you can’t necessarily get going here,” Rittimann said, “I’ve never seen anything like that.”

News from the Field, Sidelines & Stands Rittimann, Mules Adjusting to World’s Challenges

Thankfully, normalcy is slowly starting to settle in for he, his staff and his Mules as they adjust to the times.

If there’s anything we’ve come to expect over the past few months is to forever expect the unexpected.

“It was just so great to get back to work and see a lot of these guys for the first time, basically. Months of Zooms and FaceTimes don’t do it justice.”

It’s also applicable for taking a new job. Throw in all the extenuating circumstances the world has seen since March, the natural learning curve of starting a new gig now takes

Each player has to pass a screening on their phones before even being allowed onto the field to practice. Once they get there, it’s followed by subsequent temperature checks and consistent cleaning and sanitizing from the second practice starts to the moment they sound the day’s final whistle.

Most importantly, their reunion is being put together safely.

an endless number of twists and turns.

“I’m proud of everyone for doing their part. This isn’t easy for everyone involved with the program, even beyond the players and coaches. We’re accommodating, we’re adjusting and we’re getting there.”

Classify new athletic director and head football coach Ron Rittimann in that category. Less than a month on the job when COVID-19 began mass shutdowns in mid-March, the veteran of the business encountered his most unique challenge yet.

More importantly, as he continues to transition to the new phase of his career, he’s glad he and his team can focus on the fun part and reprieve of this all: being able to finally play.

“I’m still trying to meet most people on campus, I’m barely moved into my office and all of sudden everything is put on pause. I can’t see most of my guys and you’re kinda starting from scratch again,” Rittimann said.

“This community has been great. Just so many great, helpful and understanding people that have helped us get to this point,” Rittimann said.

An even more unique aspect is that his obligations to Johnson, where he served in the same role for the previous 12 years, did not end until the end of March.

“There is no other place I’d rather be than Alamo Heights.”

HALFTIME HIGHLIGHT

The Spurs Dance Team has been busy this fall, suppoting the football team, performing in the half-time shows alongside the Migh ty Mule Marching Band, and gearing up for the 2021 competition seaso n!

The team has served their commumity in unique ways , too, sharing Veteran’s Day Letters with veterans from Vitas Healthcare, supp orting the Redeemer Church’s Boxes of Blessings and volunteering with the San Antonio Food Bank!

Confidence on the Court It’s been a successful season for AHHS’s Team Tennis, with the team earning the titles of District Champions, Bi-District Champions, Area Champions, and Regional Champions! The Mules closed out the season earning the silver medal during the state championships! #MulesUp

AHISD Scho ol Views Fall/Winter 2 0 2 0

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THE ROAD TO STATE The Alamo Heights High School Volleyball team enjoyed a great playoff run, going deep into their season . Their overall district record sat at 11-2, with the only two losses to New Braunfels Canyon, when they began their playoff competition November 19. With a great work ethic and focused mindset, the team earned the title of regional quarter-finalists. The The team was ranked #17 in the state, an AH-mazing accomplishment!

PUTTING IN THE WORK Dressed for Success

The Alamo Heights Army JROTC demonstrate their knowledge of uniform, military bearing, national and battalion chain of command, earning ribbons and tabs to add to their official dress after competing in the North East ISD Orienteering meet! #MulesUp

Making a Splash

Crossing the Finish Line

Aquatic Mules have been swimming and diving in several competitions, getting better every time out. Big news for the team, the natatorium opens in January 2021! Look for opening dates coming soon.

Cheers to the AHHS Cross Country team for their run this season, competing at the District Meet with the Varsity Girls earning 4th Place honors and the Varsity Boys earning 5th Place. The JV Girls took 3rd Place and the JV Boys took 4th Place. Ethan Feinstein, qualified for the State meet, where he competed with the best of the best, taking an honorable 36th place as a junior.

Carrying the Ball Mule Football is enjoying an AH-mazing season is underway with big wins against Buda Johnson 27-20, Floresville 28-17, and a big Homecoming victory against Medina Valley 30-0. The regular season ended November 27, with playoffs beginning in December. The Mules earned a playoff berth with their first district championship since 2007.

Prepping for Season on the Court Girls and Boys Basketball has officially started with players courtside practicing.

The girls season began with a game against Southside and the boys took on Lanier, in their season openers.

Mule Gratitude We are thankful to our AH community, parents, athletes and coaches for following all the COVID guidelines and procedures to help all of us stay healthy and to allow our athletes to compete! #CultureofCare

210-824-2483

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ALAMO HEIGHTS SCHOOL FOUNDATION

Our Children.

Our Teachers.

Gratitude

Our Schools.

Alamo Heights School Foundation thanks all of our sponsors, underwriters, donors, committee and board members for making the 10th anniversary Greater Heights Night a huge success. Thank you to our community for coming together to back teachers. These are Our Children. Our Teachers. Our Schools. Our Community.

Our Community.

Underwriters

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa He alth Care and Children’s Ho spital of San Antonio ~ Preserve Title ~ American Roofing & Metal Co., Inc. Joeris General Contractors ~ Legent Orthopedic + Sp ine Hospital Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP ~ Papa John’s of San Antonio ~ Phyllis Brownin g Company ~ R.C. Page Co nstruction Texas Capital Bank ~ Barto n Benson Jones PLLC ~ Br oa dway Bank Jefferson Bank ~ LPA Desig n Studios ~ Ricos Products Co mpany The Emergency Clinic Alam o Heights

#WeBackTeachers Presenting SvepoGrnousor p GUNN Automoti

Family Sponsors

Teacher Sporthn&sor Associates

Britton Orthodontics ~ Wo

Mules SpoonFasor milies

Fellbaum & Guglielm

Gold SponsorDrs. Maverick and Lehmann

cal Point Vision Embrey Partners LTD ~ Fo mily ~ Malitz Construction Frost ~ The Hennessey Fa

Blue Sponsor l Practice ~ Argent Financia

DeKoch Family Alamo Heights Dental - A ~ Marsh Wortham Guido Materials ~ H-E-B ~ tto Ca & tto Ca ~ p ou n Antonio Gr /Wendy’s & Pizza Hut of Sa Co & ler nd Sa er Pip ~ e Mullins Real Estat Contracting, LLC & Altgelt, LLC ~ Stalwart er ng Sa ~ .)

Inc g, ltin nsu (MUY Co ow Mask ~ Ziegler Glass Voya Financial ~ Williams Cr

AHISD Scho ol Views Fall/Winter 2 0 2 0

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The Ballantyne Family ~ Th e Bashara Family ~ The Be ll/Olmsted Family The Boddy Family ~ The Bo venzi Family ~ The Brouilla rd Family The Clifton Family ~ The Br ent Conger Family ~ The De Berry Family The Dewald Family ~ The Dorbandt Family ~ The Du ffin Family The Julie & Chris Evans Fa mily ~ The Lisa & Tom Evan s Family The Fravell Family ~ The Go udge Family ~ The Gutierre z Family The Hamilton Family ~ Th e Himoff Family ~ The Hinch ey Family The Hollimon Family ~ Th e Kieschnick Family ~ The Ge off King Family The Marceau Family ~ The Mayfield Family ~ The McLa ughlin Family The Meabon Family ~ The Michelson Family ~ The Mo orman Family The Gardner Peavy Family ~ The Rocha Family ~ The Ro gers Family The Rohlfs Family ~ The Ro se Family ~ The Runnels Fa mily The Smolik Family ~ The Sto kes Family ~ The Sutherland Family The Sykes Family ~ The Th omas Family ~ The Walton Family The Wright Family Thank you to YETI and Se ersucker Gin for their donations to our Pa rty Baskets.

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CONCIERGE FOR CARE

Greater Heights Night Chairs Julie Dorbandt ~ Hilary Hamilton ~ Anna Ziegler

Greater Heights Night Committee

Lynsey Adame ~ Jordan Arriaga ~ Allison Bergin ~ Amanda Bezner Meredith Brewer ~ April Carnahan ~ Kendra Carter ~ Amy Case Annamarie Falvo ~ Ann Flannery ~ Katie Fravell ~ Selena Frost Becky Gulley ~ Christy Hinchey ~ Brenda King ~ Emily King Chrissy Labatt ~ Mary Labatt ~ Linda Leavitt ~ Lauren Malitz ~ Elizabeth Marceau Kendall Mazurek ~ Libby McKelvain ~ Brooke Meabon ~ Christy Meador Meredith Michelson ~ Brigitte West-Miller ~ Jill Peavy ~ Annalese Smolik Marie Turner ~ Ann Walton ~ Lisa Woolley ~ Carrie Worthen

Alamo Heights School Foundation Board of Directors

Care Solace is an online resource with a live 24/7 concierge meant to assist individuals in finding local mental health-related programs and counseling services. Care Solace is a tool for school staff and families to connect with community-based mental healthcare resources and providers. The proprietary care navigation system taps into a vast database of mental healthcare resources to find carefully-vetted local therapists and programs in minutes. Care Solace is now available for use by district students, staff, and families at no cost.

Visit: www.caresolace.com/ahisd or call 1-888-515-0595.

AFTERSCHOOL CARE RIGHT AT SCHOOL

Jason Menzel, President Anne Ballantyne ~ Dr. Dana Bashara ~ Meredith Brewer ~ Jeff Brouillard Trish DeBerry ~ Julie Dorbandt ~ Ty Edwards ~ Kelly Fellbaum Becky Gulley ~ Peter Hennessey IV ~ Emily King ~ Lisa Krenger James Lehmann ~ Jill Martinez ~ Heather McFarland ~ Lauren McLaughlin Brooke Meabon ~ Raul Rios ~ Erin Seki ~ Chris Williams ~ Thad Ziegler

The Right at School program is available to sschool age students at Howard Early Childhood Center, Cambridge and Woodridge Elemantary Schools, providing a safe and fun enrichment program!

Programs are hosted every day that school is in session from 7 am until 6 pm.

Program options include; coverage for days off from school, flexibility in scheduling and discounts.

Right at School also offers wonderful “camp” days during breaks from school!

These fun and engaging days include lots of games, outdoor activities (weather permitting), and hands-on STEM activities that feature experiments and some cool gizmos and gadgets! Register for the upcoming Winter Break Camp, set for December 21-23, and 28-30, from 7 am to 6 pm, at Woodridge Elementary.

Right at School works diligently to keep students safe and healthy while students are under their care. Their enhanced protocols aligh with AHISD practices and include: wellness checks, good hygiene, increased sanitization of all surfaces and facilities, the wearing of face masks, physical distancing practices, personal student supply kits and safe and healthy pick-up and drop-off for students and parents.

Want to learn more? Visit: www.rightatschool.com

Heroes for Heights

Support Our Children, Our Teachers and Our Schools by becoming a Heroes for Heights Member! The Alamo Heights School Foundation provided a recordbreaking $1 million to Our Schools in Alamo Heights ISD. 100% of your donation stays in Our Community, backs Our Teachers, and helps ensure Our Children have continued access to the highest quality public education in the state. New donors who give a gift of $500 or more, between July 1 and October 15, become a member of our Heroes for Heights giving program. Members receive a special Heroes for Heights yard sign (pictured above).

210-824-2483

Want to Enroll?

Alamo Heights ISD is open for spring enrollments. For information, call the AHISD Administrative Offices at (210) 824-2486.

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TS ISD ALAMO HEIGH 7101 Broadway xas 78209 San Antonio, Te

HOW TO REACH US write: Alamo Heights Independent School District 7101 Broadway, San Antonio, Texas 78209 call: 210-824-2483 fax: 210-822-2221 email: info@ahisd.net surf: www.ahisd.net APP: iTunes: AHISD video: YouTube: Alamo Heights Mules learn more: www.WeGoPublic.com

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#ExtraordinaryAHISD

#MULESUP #MASKUP To ensure the safety and wellness of our students, teachers, staff and greater community, our AHISD students and staff will wear a face covering, wash our hands frequently to reduce the spread of germs, and maintain a safe distance, a least 6’ apart, when possible, to promote our #CultureofCare.