School Views Spring 2023

ALAMO HEIGHTS ISD

SCHOOL VIEWS Spring 2023

Save the dates!

Save the dates for two upcoming special events in Alamo Heights ISD. The annual Business Incubator Pitch Night is scheduled for May 4 at 6 p.m. in the Alamo Heights High School Auditorium. Five teams will pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges in hopes of earning $24,000 in seed money awarded by district partners.

Community members can vote for one of six Wild Card businesses that will be invited to pitch onstage with the final four teams. Wild Card voting begins at 5 p.m. and takes place inside the High School.

Alamo Heights High School graduation is May 24, 2023 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. This year’s ceremony will be held at Freeman Coliseum. Come celebrate the Class of 2023 as they cross the stage and receive their diplomas.

IN THIS ISSUE Save the Date ................................................................................ 1 From the Superintendent.......................................................... 2 Bond 2023 .............................................................................. 3 & 4 #ExtraordinaryAHISD Staff..........................................5, 6, & 7 Community Updates...................................................................8 Alamo Heights School Foundation ............................. 9 & 10 Trustees at Work ..........................................................................11 School Life ...........................................................................12 & 13 Mule News, Bits & Briefs .........................................................14

AHISD School Views Spring 2023

There’s No Place Like AHISD! There’s no place like Alamo Heights ISD! We are so proud of the staff members who choose to serve and work in the same schools and district they attended as a student.

At the District’s Professional Development Day in February, our alumni staff received a special t-shirt from Dr. Bashara.

We are grateful that they continue to call Alamo Heights ISD home!

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A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

BOND 2023 Our AHISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Thursday, February 16, 2023, to place a $371 million bond proposal on the May 6 ballot. This is the result of a year and a half long inclusive and comprehensive process involving numerous stakeholders that included staff, students, and community members.

The last few months of the school year seem to fly by, with so many events and important milestones to celebrate.

We have had several students and staff recognized for their outstanding achievements these past few months - some of whom you will read about later in this issue - and I know the accolades will continue as we get closer to our last day of school.

The process began in the fall of 2021 with principals and staff reviewing the master plan that was designed in 2016 to include this second phase of construction. Students and community members were also included in the process with meetings in Spring and Summer 2022. Our Board of Trustees continued to gather input from campus leaders throughout the fall before finalizing the bond proposal that will go before voters.

Our theme this year is “There’s No Place Like AHISD” and it’s evident to me every day as I visit our classrooms, interact with our amazing students and teachers, and look to the future of our district.

HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

As a result of state law, the bond referendum will appear as three separate propositions and the proposed projects would impact all students and staff at every one of our campuses.

Recently, the Junior School held its first Mulch Mania, campus beautification day.

I was able to volunteer that day with my leadership team alongside a huge group of students, staff, parents, PTO, and community members. With more than 100 members of the community pitching in, side by side, the work went fast and the progress was quite evident. The campus looks beautiful!

If passed by voters, Bond 2023 would provide updated learning spaces for today’s students and their program needs, continue to prioritize safety and security initiatives, and optimize the use of district land. It would also allow us to be better community partners with additional parking, improved traffic flow, and outdoor facilities for community use.

Highlights of the proposal are included in the next few pages.

As stated in our mission statement, AHISD is the heart of the community; it’s who we are and what we want for our students. Looking around that morning, I was reminded how lucky we are to have a community so willing to come together and spend a Saturday giving back to make our school even better. (I even overheard a student on her phone asking her parents to stay a little longer to help.) Living and working here is truly a blessing!

EARLY VOTING RUNS APRIL 24 THROUGH MAY 2 AND ELECTION DAY IS SATURDAY, MAY 6.

Our last bond election was in 2017 and all projects were completed on time and within budget. We shared the ongoing work with you, our community, in previous editions of School Views and On Location videos, and we celebrated the completion of construction and the opening of new facilities.

Another recent event that highlights the amazing heart of our community was our Past and Present AHISD Trustee Board Dinner at the end of January. A highlight of the evening was the participation of our culinary arts students who prepared and served our meal in our new AHHS Oaks facility. We were able to share a state of the district presentation with attendees that highlighted the important work taking place, our areas of focus, and the way that the tradition of excellence continues today. We recognized these attendees for the legacy of their leadership and service to our district.

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I hope you will take time to learn more about Bond 2023 by visiting our website - www.ahisd.net/bond2023. If you have questions, please email us at AHISDCommunications@ahisd.net.

MULES UP!

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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

What’s Proposed: PROPOSITION A - $344 MILLION

ROBBINS CAMPUS

HOWARD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

• New softball field and bleachers

• New building, designed specifically for early childhood learners

• Renovations/resurfacing tennis courts

• New outdoor learning spaces, fields, and playgrounds

• Additional parking

CAMBRIDGE ELEMENTARY

OTHER DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS IN PROPOSITION A

• Refresh of all classrooms*

• Staff offices, meeting rooms, and locker rooms

• Science Labs

• Improved Safety and Security - security cameras, access controls, Raptor System upgrades, network infrastructure, lighting, and improved traffic flow

• Professional development space for staff

• New Central Office / Learning Center

• New mechanical system, and improvements to plumbing, HVAC, and electrical systems

• Band equipment

WOODRIDGE ELEMENTARY

• New buses

• Refresh of all classrooms*

• Relocation of Excel and 09 Academies to current Administration Building

• Cafeteria and outdoor dining additions and kitchen upgrades

• Renovations to cafeteria serving lines and upgrades to cafeteria acoustics • Science Labs • Improvements to plumbing, HVAC, and electrical systems • New 1st and 2nd grade playground

• Sustainability initiatives to decrease operating costs

PROPOSITION B - $17.3 MILLION VISITOR BLEACHER/ATHLETIC FACILITY AT OREM STADIUM

• Refresh of classrooms*

• Bleachers, new locker rooms, restrooms, concessions, multipurpose meeting space, and team space including golf team practice space

• New sixth grade building

• Student Sports Media program equipment

• New competition and auxiliary gyms, weight room, multipurpose and training rooms, and locker rooms

PROPOSITION C - $9.7 MILLION

ALAMO HEIGHTS JUNIOR SCHOOL

• New play fields and a new synthetic turf field and track • Renovations to cafeteria, auditorium, and restrooms

TECHNOLOGY LIFE CYCLE REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING STUDENT AND STAFF DEVICES

• Improvements to plumbing, HVAC, and electrical systems ALAMO HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL • New academic and high school administrative buildings • Renovations to auditorium and a refresh of classrooms in the music building and science building

AHISD School Views Spring 2023

Total Bond Amount: $371 million * Refresh of classrooms includes new LED lighting, flooring, ceilings, and paint.

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2023 BOND VISUAL OVERVIEW

FINANCIAL IMPACT Passage of all three bond propositions does not increase the current overall tax rate. In fact, the overall tax rate is expected to decrease by $.05 over the next eight years.* Specifically, the bond proposition would result in an estimated $.09 increase to the I&S rate, and with an estimated decrease of $.15 to the M&O rate due to compression, the overall tax rate will decrease.

The maximum I&S tax rate implication is estimated at $8/ month for $100,000 valuation over an eight year period. (* estimates based on current law)

ANTICIPATED TAX RATES 1.2000

1.1934

1.1355

1.1500

1.1137

1.1000

1.0972

1.0952

1.1069 1.0853

1.0991

1.0974

1.0807 1.0380

1.0500

1.0106 1.0000

0.9984

0.9500 0.9000

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

2031

2032

2033

2034

Total Rate

WHAT IF I’M OVER AGE 65?

Property taxes for senior citizens over the age of 65 and disabled persons are generally frozen as long as they’ve applied for and received an exemption from the appropriate appraisal district.

WHY THREE PROPOSITIONS? New state law requires school districts to separate certain bond items, such as improvements to a stadium of more than 1,000 seats and instructional devices, into different propositions for voter consideration.

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EXTRAORDINARY AHISD STAFF

MEET THE 2023 AHISD TEACHERS OF THE YEAR! The 2023 Campus Teachers of the Year are: Ben Keenan, ELAR teacher and department chair, Alamo Heights HS; John “Charley” Gilbert, Student Support Team (SST) Teacher and Coach, Alamo Heights Junior School; Courtney Crane, 4th grade teacher, Cambridge; Felicia Pendleton, Special Education Resource and Class Support Teacher, Woodridge; and Michele Johnson, Kindergarten teacher, Howard Early Childhood Center.

These outstanding educators were selected by their peers and will represent their campuses throughout 2023.

In addition, Ben Keenan was selected as the 2023 Alamo Heights ISD Teacher of the Year. He will now represent AHISD as the district’s nominee for the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Education and Region 20 Teacher of the Year.

AHISD School Views Spring 2023

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2023 Campus Teacher of The Year MICHELE JOHNSON Kindergarten Teacher, Howard Early Childhood Center

CHARLEY GILBERT Special Education Teacher and Coach, Alamo Heights Junior School

Michele Johnson joined Alamo Heights ISD in 2006 and has been teaching since 1992. She considers herself lucky “to work in a place completely centered around the education of tiny humans.”

COURTNEY CRANE Fourth Grade Teacher, Cambridge Elementary

BENJAMIN KEENAN English Language Arts Teacher and Department Chair, Alamo Heights High School

Courtney Crane has been with AHISD since 2018 and began her teaching career in 2011. She is currently seeking her National Board Certification. Teaching fourth grade is a full circle moment for Crane, as it was her fourth grade teacher who inspired her to become a teacher.

Benjamin Keenan has been teaching in AHISD since 2008 and started his teaching career in 2006.

FELICIA PENDLETON Special Education Teacher, Woodridge Elementary Felicia Pendleton joined AHISD in 2018 and began her teaching career in Wisconsin in 2010. She says she continues to be astonished at what her students teach her. She guides students to take educational risks that they don’t always think are possible.

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Charley Gilbert was first hired as a paraprofessional at the Junior School in 2017 and became a classroom teacher in 2018.

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“ My contribution is that I do my best to steer us away from pitfalls of numbers, weight, GPA, rank, etc. and towards purpose, mastery, rubric language and above all a separation of the product of the student and the student themselves. I continue to love my job and love the opportunity to work with students to achieve their goals.”

Ben Keenan also represents Alamo Heights ISD as the 2023 District Teacher of the Year.

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Powering the Profile SHELLY BYNUM The Junior School Think Critically and Creatively Shelly Bynum, theater director at the Junior School, was recognized for Powering the Profile and embodying the AHISD Profile of a Learner. She encourages students to “think critically and creatively.”

BEST IN TEXAS Woodridge Elementary fifth grade teacher Lisa Barry is a state finalist in the 2023 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards.

The surprise announcement was made Feb. 22 by H-E-B representatives, Dr. Bashara, and other District leaders.

Barry is one of five finalists in the “Lifetime Achievement- Elementary” category which recognizes teachers with more than 20 years of experience. She received a $1,000 check for herself and a $1,000 grant for her school.

State finalists will be interviewed and grand prize winners announced April 29 and 30 in San Antonio.

The winner in the Lifetime Achievement category will receive $25,000 for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their school.

Nominations were submitted earlier this year by H-E-B customers, employees, and community members and a team of judges narrowed the field to the finalists. The program has awarded more than $12 million in cash and grants to Texas teachers and schools since 2002.

AHISD School Views Spring 2023

ANGELA SZENTES & PATRICIA SALAZAR Cambridge Elementary Communicate and Collaborate Angela Szentes and Patricia Salazar, 1st grade dual language teachers at Cambridge Elementary, were recognized for encouraging their students to “communicate and collaborate.”

AMANDA LAWRENCE Woodridge Elementary Healthy Sense of Self Amanda Lawrence, a first grade teacher at Woodridge Elementary, was recognized for helping her students develop a “healthy sense of self.”

The Profile of a Learner is a guide that articulates the knowledge, skills, and attributes students will need to pursue individual dreams and positively impact the world upon graduation. The video series Powering the Profile, available on the Alamo Heights Mules YouTube channel, highlights Extraordinary AHISD staff as they bring the district’s Profile of a Learner to life for students.

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INTRODUCING GRAND AND SENIOR MULES! As part of ongoing efforts to engage with members of the Alamo Heights community, the District introduced the Grand(parent) and Senior (Citizen) Mules program this year.

Pictured are Karen Reininger and Norma DeLeon proudly sporting their shirts at their grandchildren’s athletic events.

Three events were held during the fall and spring to bring participants inside AHISD schools to meet with district leaders and students.

“[The district] has a focus on the whole child and social-emotional learning which is so critical, I think, in today’s world,” Cornwell said. “I’ve seen a lot of school districts in my work across the country and I’ve never seen one that’s so comprehensive and so holistic and wonderful as Alamo Heights.”

Lifelong AHISD parent and grandparent, Pamela Bryant, participated in the January event held at Woodridge Elementary.

“The love here is palpable,” Bryant said, “I love everything about [Woodridge Elementary] and this district and I’m forever grateful. Deeply, deeply grateful.”

Linda Cornwell, a recent transplant from Indiana and a lifelong educator, was impressed with the staff’s dedication beyond academics.

Participants received a Grand-Mule/Senior Mule t-shirt and a Gold Card which grants free admission to regular season athletic events and free swimming at the Natatorium from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays.

Additional events will be scheduled during the 202324 school year.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! Be on the lookout for the new Junior School Champions! Seventeen parent (and grandparent) volunteers completed training to provide the campus with extra adults to help the school, staff, and students. They started on campus in February and are easy to spot in their bright yellow vests with the Champions logo!

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ONCE A MULE, ALWAYS A MULE!

2023 AHSF HALL OF FAME HONOREES: DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI Jody Grant ’56 | Hoppy Price ’72 | Marisol Deluna ’85 LIFETIME EDUCATOR Harry B. Orem ’44 (posthumously) DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Barbara (Block) ’63 and Alan Dreeben

On Sunday, February 26, 2023, the Alamo Heights School Foundation hosted its annual Alumni and Hall of Fame Celebration, Reunite at Heights. This all-class reunion was held in The Oaks at AHHS, where the Alamo Heights Mighty Mule Band greeted guests with some nostalgic sounds. Student volunteers dedicated their time to help execute a memorable event for the community! Guests, AH alumni, and event sponsors had time to peruse old yearbooks and memorabilia while reminiscing with classmates and visiting old classes on their trip down memory lane.

The Alamo Heights School Foundation Hall of Fame is comprised of alumni, faculty, and volunteers who have made significant achievements in many aspects of their lives. Three Distinguished Alumni Awards, one Lifetime Educator Award, and one Distinguished Service Award will be presented each year.

As shown from Left to Right: Alan Dreeben, Barbara Dreeben, Kathy Orem Neill, Tim Orem, Marisol Deluna, Hoppy Price, Jody Grant

AHSF IS NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2024 HALL OF FAME! The deadline for submissions to be considered for the 2024 Hall of Fame is July 30, 2023. Visit www.ahschoolfoundation.org for more information about the Hall of Fame and to download the Nomination Form. If you have any questions about the Hall of Fame, please contact Jessica Kelley, Donor & Alumni Relations Manager, at (210) 832-5957.

AHISD School Views Spring 2023

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The Alamo Heights School Foundation would like to thank emcee, Rick Shaw ’70, Reunite at Heights Chair, Emily King ’98, AHISD Superintendent, Dr. Dana Bashara, Hall of Fame Chair, Anne Ballantyne ’69, Student Council President, Dylan Corso ’23, AHHS teacher, Ann Carter ’82 & the Mule Tube team, SFE (Southwest Foodservice Excellence), AHHS Cafeteria, and Custodial Staff for helping celebrate the AHSF 2023 Hall of Fame Honorees!

The Alamo Heights School Foundation’s mission is to enhance academic excellence for every student with a focus on funding teachers and staff. For ways to donate to support our children, back our teachers, and fund our schools, visit www.ahschoolfoundation.org.

Alamo Heights School Foundation 7101 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209 www.ahschoolfoundation.org 210-832-5957 ahfoundation@ahisd.net

Photos By: Emily Rodriguez, AHHS Journalism Photographer & Emma Terry, AHHS Journalism Photographer

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TRUSTEES AT WORK

the Foundation and those students, parents, and educators who made the event happen.

Brian Hamilton, Board President Ah, Spring! My favorite time of year. With Spring comes another sports season (See you at the Little League fields!), Fiesta, and a renewed excitement around the remainder of the school year ahead. Our students and educators begin to focus on graduation and making summer plans. Anticipation builds for what the future holds. And, from my perspective, the future of Alamo Heights ISD has never looked brighter.

First, congratulations to our two-time defending National Champion Varsity Cheer Team and our newly-minted National Champion Junior Varsity Cheer Team! These students put forth an extraordinary amount of time and energy to perfect their craft. Their recognitions are truly earned. I especially wish to congratulate our seniors on the varsity team. They graduate Alamo Heights at the top of their game and have set the bar high for all future Alamo Heights Cheer Teams and our student athletes as a whole. Go Mules!

I believe our students, each and every one, are champions in large part because of our amazing educators and the positive examples they set for their students every day.

The Board of Trustees had the honor of recognizing our 2023 District Teacher of the Year.

This educator is chosen after each campus goes through a collaborative process to select an educator from their campus that best exemplifies the Profile of a Learner in his or her classroom. Congratulations to the five educators chosen this school year, and special recognition to Benjamin Keenan, English Language Arts teacher and department chair at Alamo Heights High School, for being our 2023 AHISD Teacher of the Year!

I also had the honor of joining in the recognition of a past educator, Harry B. Orem, at the Alamo Heights School Foundation’s Reunite at Heights.

If you have not yet had a chance to attend this event, I urge you to do so next year. In addition to Mr. Orem, the Foundation recognized distinguished alumni Jody Grant (Class of ’56), Hoppy Price (Class of ’72), Marisol Deluna (Class of ’85), and the distinguished lifetime service of Barbara and Alan Dreeban. To be in The Oaks with so many AHISD alumni and hear their stories of what OUR school district has meant and continues to mean to them was special. Events like Reunite at Heights show that AHISD truly is the heart of our community. Thank you to

AHISD School Views Spring 2023

After receiving recommendations from District personnel, students, and community members based on assessing District facilities for over a year, the Board of Trustees called this past February for a $371 million bond package to complete the transformation of our campuses that began in 2017. The projects that are the subject of Bond 2023 represent the second and final phase of the Master Plan for Facilities that the District developed in 2016, with Bond 2017 being the first phase.

The Bond 2023 projects prioritize safety and security

initiatives, optimize the use of district land, allow the district to be better community partners with additional parking and improved traffic flow, and update learning spaces at all campuses for today’s students and their curricular and extracurricular program needs. I encourage you to get out and vote on Election Day, May 6, 2023.

Finally, it has been an honor to serve you, our community, and our students as Board President this past school year. I wish to thank my fellow board member Ryan Anderson for his six years of service as a member of our Board. His term will conclude next month. Ryan served our District during difficult and uncertain times, and did so well. The Board welcomes Ty Edwards as he takes Ryan’s place in May, and we look forward to working with Ty to continuously improve all aspects of our students’ educational experience.

As always, MULES UP!

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SCHOOL LIFE Alamo Promise Alamo Promise is a city-wide program that covers the full cost of tuition and required fees for new graduates from participating high schools seeking an academic certificate, or an associate degree at one of the five Alamo Colleges.

Beginning with the graduating class of 2023, Alamo Heights High School students are now eligible to receive the Alamo Promise benefits. This expands the academic pathways for AHISD students and provides tuition savings for families.

As AlamoPROMISE Scholars, students meeting eligibility criteria receive a “last-dollar” scholarship for up to three years or the completion of an associate’s degree or academic certificate, whichever comes first. The “lastdollar” scholarship funds the cost of tuition and required fees after financial aid awards are applied.

Academic Update The last three years were uniquely challenging for students and teachers, and nationally students lost ground in reading and scores in math fell by the largest margin in more than 30 years. However, thanks to concerted efforts by AHISD staff, parents, and students, the projections for learning loss did not materialize for most students in AHISD. A review of middle of year 20222023 data shows that while reading scores are back to pre-pandemic levels, progress in math is returning at a slower pace.

The Promise to Promise program allows eligible students to start at any of the five Alamo Colleges and then transfer to UTSA to complete a four-year degree, while having educational costs covered at both institutions.

For more information, visit www.alamo.edu/promise/ or contact Paul Harris, AHHS College Center Counselor.

The district has been monitoring the reading progress of students in PK through third grade over the last three years. Mid-year universal screeners from this past month show that 87 percent of current third graders are reading on or above grade level. The national comparison is 60 percent of third graders reading at grade level.

Math is an area of focus for this current school year.

Currently, 85 percent of students in grades 3- 10 are performing at or above grade level expectations. By the end of the year, the goal is for 90 percent or more of students to meet math expectations on STAAR. This year, the district has introduced new math curriculum materials, expanded tutoring and intervention opportunities, and provided additional training for faculty.

Pictured from left to right are AHHS Principal Cory Smith, AHHS College Center Counselor Paul Harris, Chancellor

Moving through this spring, we will continue to hold our AHISD learners to exceptionally high academic expectations while ensuring that support is provided to help each student reach their full potential.

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of the Alamo Colleges District Dr. Mike Flores; and AHISD Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Jimmie Walker.

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Safety and Security Updates Alamo Heights ISD prioritizes the safety and security of students and staff and strives to provide regular updates to the community on ongoing initiatives.

ALL-STATE STUDENTS Three AHHS Fine Arts students were selected to the Texas Music Educators Association, or TMEA, All-State Band and Choir.

It’s the highest public school award for individual achievement in music that a student can receive and represents the top student musicians in Texas. The process began with over 70,000 students from around the state vying for this honor to perform in one of 18 ensembles. Only the top 2.6% of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians. Our students were chosen through a competitive audition process held this year across the state at District, Region, and Area levels.

The Centegix Crisis Alert system is fully operational in AHISD. Each staff member has an individual badge to “click” to signal the need for administrative support on campus or to initiate a “lockdown” for an emergency situation. Everyone has received training on how they work in the event of a daily emergency (like an accident on the playground or in a classroom), or in the event of the need for a lockdown. “Daily emergencies” are the types of situations the system is expected to be utilized for most often. In any emergency, seconds matter and this is an additional tool to place in the hands of all AHISD staff. The Crisis Alert system was funded by the Alamo Heights School Foundation.

New School Resource Officer, Ruthilen Robles, officially joined the District in November 2022. Officer Robles is in her 14th year as a police officer and comes to Alamo Heights from the city of Dallas. She joins Officer Brian McManis, the SRO based at Alamo Heights HS. Officer Robles will support Cambridge, Woodridge, and Howard.

Caroline Cordts, Bassoon, and Warren Kramer, Tuba, were selected to All-State Band and Elia Contreras earned a spot in the All-State Treble Choir.

They performed in February with the All-State ensembles at the TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio. Their instructors are David Stephenson and David Short.

Culinary Arts Steps Up to the Plate Alamo Heights High School Culinary students stepped up to the plate and prepared a delicious meal for the Past and Present Board Dinner in January.

The event was their first catering job and required both outstanding culinary and customer service skills.

Students not only cooked the meal, they served it to district leaders at the event in the Oaks cafeteria.

On the menu? Tuscan chicken with creamy polenta, focaccia bread, winter salad with pears and goat cheese, and a coconut milk panna cotta with lemon curd and shortbread cookies.

The evening not only highlighted the legacy of leadership in AHISD, but it gave students a chance to demonstrate their learning in the classroom.

AHISD School Views Spring 2023

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MULE NEWS BITS & BRIEFS

Making a splash at state Alamo Heights swimming and diving reached the state meet this February, again leaving with a medal. Pittsburgh commit Chase Marifiota finished his senior season with a silver medal in one-meter diving. James Holloway, Philip Mu, Derick Montoya, EJ Gonzalez, and Austin O’Brien each placed in four other separate events.

National and State Champion Cheer Alamo Heights High School cheer won two national championships at the UCA National Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida on Feb. 12.

Varsity earned their second consecutive national championship in the Super Varsity DI Non Tumbling Game Day Division.

Milestone for the Mules

Junior Varsity earned their first national title in the Large JV Game Day Division.

Our Mules boys basketball team wrapped up another successful season winning the district title, recording their highest win total since the 2017-18 season (29), and reaching the regional quarterfinal round of the state playoffs.

“I am so proud of our amazing cheer athletes and their outstanding coaches for the countless hours of hard work, practice and performance it took to get them to this level of competition and to come home with TWO National Championships,” said Cory Smith, AHHS Principal.

The season also included a milestone moment for the team’s leader. On January 20, the Mules defeated Edison which was the 300th win for head coach Andrew Brewer.

Congrats and Mules Up Coach! Here’s to 300 more!

“Not only are these young ladies outstanding athletes, they are also kind, compassionate citizens who embody our district’s Profile of a Learner. They lead with integrity and set an example for all students and athletes on our campus. We are so grateful to our cheer parents for instilling these values in their girls and for the support they provide this program.”

All-Stars Three of Alamo Heights HS seniors capped off their high school careers by showcasing their talents alongside the city’s best football players. Wide receiver Rett Andersen, offensive lineman Austin Soupiset, and kicker Ethan Ball were selected to play for Team Gold in the San Antonio Sports All-Star Football game at the Alamodome.

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AHHS cheer also won a state championship in January at the 2023 UIL State Spirit Championships in Fort Worth.

The squad competed in the 5A Division II category with 70 schools from across the state. It’s the program’s fifth state championship since 2015 and first since 2019.

Cheer coaches are Taylor Bailey and Carrie Hill.

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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: ahisdcommunications@ahisd.net SURF: www.ahisd.net WATCH: YouTube: Alamo Heights Mules

VOTE EARLY APRIL 24 - MAY 2 ELECTION DAY IS SATURDAY, MAY 6 Virtual and In-Person Community Meetings Scheduled in April.

Learn more at www.ahisd.net/bond2023

BOND FACTS • Bond 2023 continues the next phase of master planning started in Bond 2017. All Bond 2017 projects were completed on time and within budget.

• The majority of AHISD schools were built around the 1950s. The average age of the buildings in AHISD is 71.8 years.

• Bond dollars aren’t subject to recapture by the state, meaning every dollar would be invested in AHISD students and facilities.