Oak Springs Elementary School Community Meeting: November 5, 2025

001All right, we are going to get started. >> I am the proud principal of Oaks. [cheering] [applause] >> [cheering and applause] [applause] >> I am the proud principal of Oak Springs Elementary School and uh we are glad that you came out um just to kind of get a clearer picture of what is happening in our district. um the needs, what we understand, what we know [snorts] and uh decisions that are being made and um to have our voices heard um and so that we can do what's in the best interest of everything. And there's so many entities that's included in the decision making. And so um as the person for Oak Springs, I'm definitely grateful for our superintendent Matias Sigura being here with us today. So thank you. Thank you so much. Um and um

002we love this place and so we are just um thankful that you are going to listen and hear um just what we believe as people in this community what is best for this community. So thank you for being here and uh I'll turn it over. Hi everyone. Um I'm Christina Wyn. I'm the uh director of communications here in Austin ISD. And I just want to thank everyone for coming. Uh and before I hand it over to our superintendent, I just want to acknowledge, you know, the weight of why we're here today and understand that they're really difficult conversations and we are definitely here to listen to hear new ideas and make sure that um we can really move forward with the best plan for this community. >> So with that, Superintendent Um, so I know

003Christina already said this, but uh, you are taking time out of your day. Um, and I know this is a very painful, disruptive process. Uh, you know, there are families, there are communities that are being harmed. I I want to acknowledge that this is not easy. Uh, so just very much appreciate you all showing up. Uh, you love your school communities. You know, I love this school district. Um, and so I just I just want you to know I know this is tough. Um, so I really appreciate you showing up. What I want to start off with is um the the why overall and then talk about kind of how we got to this existing draft plan. And it is a draft plan. You've seen us make changes. I want to continue to refine and

004improve. Uh, but for us as a school district, I want you to know we have not been ensuring that every student gets what they need to be successful in Austin ISD. That's the honest truth. Um, you know, students that that look like me are black and brown students historically in Austin ISC have not gotten what they need. That's just we go back decades, go back half a century. The data is there. We understand that. As I think about who we are, this board, this administration, we are desperately trying to disrupt what has historically happened. And it's hard, y'all. It is very, very hard because these things that we have, these habits that we've built up are in our bones. And if we're going to move forward, we have to be willing to make some changes.

005When I think about what we need as a school system, I think about strong neighborhood schools. And you see that behind me. And I want to talk about what that means to me. And it means that our families have access in their neighborhood to a school that meets their needs, that sees the true identity of the students in that neighborhood. We have families right now that have to go across town or feel that they have to go across town. We have communities that get split up, go to multiple high schools, multiple middle schools. And so when we think about where we want to be as an organization and how we're going to support our school district, we need to have strong neighborhood schools in every part of the city, not just in some parts, in

006all parts. And I am someone who believes, and our board believes too, that students need different things. And some communities need more. And I want to be able to provide those resources. When we took this work on, there were five things that we were trying to address all at one time because it had to be big. It had to be right. You know, the pressures that we have right now from the state, lack of funding. I've got to ensure that our resources are where they need to be to keep teachers in the classroom. The federal government changes have hammered us. We've title two, title three, title four dollars frozen, hundreds of people impacted. We think about the loss of immigrant families who had AISD at home who've now chosen to leave. All of that has

007put immense pressure on Austin ISD. And so when we took this work on, there were five things, like I said, that we wanted to tackle. first and I strongly believe this has to happen and I do not want to leave the superintendency without taking this on and that's having a line feeder patterns not just in West Austin but throughout Austin and most importantly in East Austin you do not have that right now we do not have aligned feeder patterns what does that mean I've got middle schools like Mendes and Martin that go to three four and five high schools you cannot create community when you have those types of splits. Do you know where you have feeder pattern alignment in other parts of Austin where the entire middle school goes into the high school? So,

008we knew that if we were going to do something, we had to align feeder patterns. So, that was one aspect of the work, but that requires touching all the boundaries. Two, we had to address our transfer policies. We got transfer policies in place for decades that are moving kids, moving families out of this community and other communities just like it because there are different things that they desire in different parts of the town. And we understand why those were in place. But if we're going to become the organization in the school this school district that we need to be, that I believe that we can be, we have to have strong neighborhoods in those schools so that our families pick them. So, we have to address that because they're they're old. They need to be

009updated. They need to be refined. And we have to make sure that we control them and not have the local um pressures impact the way one uh school may get overenrolled or underenrolled because of how they manage transfers locally. I would say three, we have to address this budget deficit. Y'all, I this is real. We have been working for the last year and a half to drive down our costs. We've cut over a hundred million dollars in the last two years. I've downsized central office. We have found opportunities to reduce cost. But at the end of the day, we simply have too many schools in Austin ISD for the number of students we have. We have 116 schools with 70,000 students. I'm going to kind of take you back um to 1996. We had about

01090, it's kind of funny. We had 96 schools in 1996 and a roughly 70,000 students as well. So, we grew with the city and then as affordability hit us and as things changed, we kept our buildings. And so, we've got about 20,000 extra seats in Austin ISD. And they're not all in one place. They're kind of spread all throughout. you think about the number of seats, that's more than we have actually um when you think about the um Moody Center, that big stadium downtown. I never been in it, but that thing there there's more seat there's there's we have more seats empty than are in that building. So, we had to address that because the way that we support our system is by providing the resources. But when you have more seats and more portables

011and all of those things, it costs us more and we're not putting money where it needs to go, which is in teachers and in programming. The other thing, the Texas accountability system, not the Matias accountability system, not a board of trustees accountability system, the state's accountability system is very rigid. I say and our board will say to our blue in the face, our students are so much more than a test they take on at one time of the year, right? But that is the measurement stick that the state uses to ensure that all students get what they need to be successful. Again, that's the state. So in 23 after multiple you know with 23 accountability didn't come out till this year there were 30 F schools not us but there were 30 and 24 which

012came out shortly after three months later because of the lawsuits we had 29 and then a couple months later which is August of this year we had 23. So the system is moving, but the reality is that because 23, 24, and 25 all came out within five months, if we do not address the accountability risk and break those chains, then the state intervention, the way it's designed is you have fewer and fewer options as you continue to receive unacceptable accountability ratings. So, we have to break them. We just have to. And I want to be honest with you, we need to pour more into our students. It's not our students fault. It's AISD's fault. Like we are the system that's producing these outcomes, but we need to do it our way. And so I have

013to break those accountability chains because I can tell you that the state takes this very seriously. If we do not respond, the state will continue taking interventions up to right installing a board of managers. And what that essentially is is a board is a board takeover, a district takeover. We do not want that. I promise you, we do not want that. The local leaders who you've elected need to be in charge of leading the school district. It has to be that way. if they come in, they will not do the things that we expect they would do. It'll be very very different and we have to protect our values. And so I just want to be really honest like I have to account for that in this plan as well. The last thing I'll say

014is we wanted to make sure that any program that we support wall-to-wall dual language programs, monastery, and many others, we need to ensure that they're sustained moving forward. Right? Has the program evolved to a point where the original focus is no longer the focus or no longer kind of the original intent is being met in the way that it was intended like from when it started. If that's the case, we need to make adjustments to ensure that we have the student population to ensure viability long term. So this plan is comprehensive. There there are lots of pieces in it. Um, as you know, I've recently sent a letter out talking about breaking up the milestones on it. We'll talk about that. I'm very frustrated that we're here. Um, I'm sad that we're here, but not

015doing something is not an option for us if we're going to continue to be who we are as a school system. I will make refinements. I will change. But the one thing I I won't do is just not make a change. Uh, not while I'm here as a superintendent. And I will tell you, our board is very much aligned in wanting to move forward and implement true meaningful change. Um, so the plan for Oak Springs, I will tell you, it breaks my heart and I'm very frustrated that we're here because we in 2024, and 2022 most notably, but then again in 2024, um, committed to build a new school here, right? I was part of that work. Like that's what I want. That's what we wanted collectively when we arose when we arrived at the

016um kind of plan to kind of make uh a a kind of a recommendation for a change. One of the things we had to acknowledge is there aren't as many students living in the area as there once were. If everybody in the neighborhood came to the school, it would still not be full. That's the honest truth. So we had to make a change and [snorts] we looked about looked at the schools around. We think about alignment and demographics. We think about alignment in culture. Uh black shear was the kind of logical kind of blending partner. The reason it was identified as black shear before because I think this is going to come up because people are going to ask Matias why did you go that way opposed to this way? is because we had heard

017through the long-range plan. We had heard through our time in the community in years that the historic school at Blackshere was something that was needed to be preserved and protected which is why we went that way. Um I am want to have conversations with this community. I want to ensure to everybody listening that I care about our staff. We have plans to support our staff. I care about our leaders. We have plans to protect our leaders. We're going to do this in an ethical, thoughtful way. Um, but I want to have a dialogue so that you know kind of where we're at. Um, but I'm committed to progressing and refining and improving. But what I can't do is is nothing. Um, so I just wanted to to kind of pause uh and share that and

018then create the space for you to answer to ask questions like tell tell me what um would be helpful as we transition into this next phase of the work or what options you would like us to consider as we move forward because I am committed to exploring those and progressing that work. Anything? How do you want to do this? >> No. Uh, we do have some comment cards that I I think your principal said we could start with and I think uh we can address some of those and maybe that will build on the conversation if you're good with that >> or I want to make sure it's it's y'all's time. Anybody have questions you want to start off with and then if it's kind of lows down then we can go to a comment

019card. >> Yeah, I do. >> Yeah. Do you want >> Yeah. And and just to let y'all know we do have ASL interpretation and Spanish interpretation. So we will ask you to just talk into the mic to make sure we um have that. Yeah. >> And these don't have >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> You know, thank you for coming out and making time to speak to us. Um, Oak Springs as a title one school. A lot of our kids are are the most vulnerable and I was happy to see the consolidation and the change of hopefully bringing both Black Shear and New School along with Oak Springs. Um, one concern that I have is even for our fourth and fifth graders, you know, for next year trying to make that um, that trek to Oak

020Springs because a lot of them, like I said, may not have transportation. Um, it's still a concern of them crossing those train tracks without any sort of uh, alert if it's coming and, you know, going through the neighborhoods, past the homeless shelter. So, you know, our kids are still even in fourth and fifth graders or 10 to 12 year olds that would probably be tracking this, you know, 30 minutes to school and home, you know. >> Yeah. >> Can appreciate, you know, my family will definitely want to stick with AISD and that's always been the way. You know, I'm third generation and hopefully my kiddo will be a Marine, too. But we have a lot of vulnerable babies here that are depending on us to try to get them to school and home safely. >>

021Yeah. >> And um you know this is a real concern for our young ones. >> So um so thank you for sharing that. I I want to make sure I understand um precisely uh the the question when it comes to student movement. So we as AISD have the ability to provide transportation right and and make adjustments based on the needs of the students right so so one of the things that I have heard as we've gone through the plan is that there are um students here that would have um challenges kind of getting safely to blackshere >> right >> and and and and so one of the things that we can uh consider and absolutely commit to is providing that transportation um you know this is where kind of the local planning comes into place

022like I need to understand you know that nuance like where do we need to provide the transportation you know to ensure that it is done in a way that that I can support which is whatever the students need or what we're going to support but when we look at it as a whole until we have that conversation and plan um I can tell you I can commit to transportation but I can't tell you precisely what it will look like so so so I want you to know like that yes, we can do those things. But it sounded like the beginning of the question was something slightly different. >> Well, only because with the new build that we were planning on here, it was supposed to open in 2027. Maybe consider that it's just the fall

023that our kids would have to try to track over there and maybe we can open the school with both of the schools in spring of 2027 and stay on track. >> Okay. and maybe just kind of tighten that timeline. >> So, in the document that we released, we talked about continuing to explore um Blackshere and Oak Springs. Um and and we haven't kind of revised the kind of finality or like the updated recommendation because we wanted to have these conversations with community, but it sounds like what you're are are wanting or suggesting or wanting us to pursue is to well, not only that, but also to have Black Shear move to Oak Springs ultimately long term. >> Well, like I [applause] Next, >> sorry kids, >> just so we can >> I just want to

024make sure I want to be really precise like in what I'm hearing just >> only because Black Sheer itself is a beautiful school and offers a lot of supports, but it's even older than Oak Springs >> and the maintenance. >> Anybody who does any sort of maintenance know it's expensive. It's costly. And instead of constantly repairing and mending, why not put those essentially taxpayer bonds that we approved for a new school to actually have the new school built for the kiddos? >> Yeah. And and this came up um we were at a meeting um [clears throat] at uh with Reverend Lans and we had a community meeting out there and um and that was something that came up which is actually what spurred the conversation that allowed me to get comfortable putting in a document

025so that we could have these conversations. Now I don't want to have these conversations without black shear together, right? right? I mean, we need to talk about it and have and make sure we're all on the same page, but I want to do what's best for this community and and as we move forward, it needs to be both of us talking together. Um, but I also want to understand more like, you know, kind of how what that could look like because I I will tell you I want to I want to do what's best for this community. I I really do. Um, and so I appreciate that comment. >> Okay. >> Is there anyone else that would like to speak? >> Okay. Can you come? >> Thank you. >> I have a student who's on

026a 504 plan and before we came to Oak Springs, we went to a she went to a really great school in a really great neighborhood. She did not excel. It was it was really hard. And then when we moved out of there, you know, I was afraid bringing her to this community. You know, everybody knows it's the east side of Austin and you know, Booker T is street. I was afraid that she wasn't going to soar, that she wasn't going to come out of that shell. And being here, because there's such small classrooms and there's a lot of one- on-one with the teachers, every single staff member in this school actually knows every single kid by their name. >> Yeah. >> But [applause] and since then, her her um scores have gone up. Um, I

027get every day I get something great from her teacher, from the principal, from the vice principal, you know, everybody's got something great and and it has really helped her her enthusiasm, the way she feels about herself. This school has done that and and I don't know about everybody else, but I'm afraid tearing away this this family that has grown here. So many kids have gone from here and have graduated at East Side, have graduated from Johnston High School. You know, so many people grew up here. And I want that for her. I want that community. I I don't want it to be, oh, we live in the projects and that's what it is. No, when she walks across the street and she comes to this school, it's something different than what's across that street right

028there. And that's what I want for her. I want security. And I want that for all these kids, though. And that's all, you know, it's not just about it being across the street either. It's about what has been created here. You know, these kids come here and a lot of them come from broken homes. A lot of them come from one parent homes. Mine is being raised by her grandmother. A lot of grandparents are raising their their grandkids. And for them to come to a school where it's a second home and these people love our kids and they protect our kids like they're their own. That's what we want. Yeah. >> You know, and >> like I said, y'all poured a billions of dollars next door. We got a school that could be already going

029up and up, you know, and and bringing a a bigger community together. Why waste all that money that AISD poured into that ground right there? That was groundbreaking. That was something this whole community from here all the way to to the highway. We got kids in Marshall apartments that [clears throat] don't even go to Black Share that go here, you know? So, why is it about tearing up a community? Why don't we pour into the schools we have right now? You're talking about the teachers aren't meeting the requirements. Let's talk about teacher pay, though. You know what I'm saying? Like our teachers deserve to be paid more. Yeah. >> You know, they don't just deal with teaching our kids. They're dealing with a lot more than that. They're fighting for our kids every day. >>

030Yeah. >> And I just want them to know that we're fighting alongside y'all. You know, we want this for our kids. I want this for my granddaughter so much. >> So, that's all I got to say. >> No. So, [applause] so I I let you respond real quick and then I we give the question. >> Um, >> sorry. Can would you mind coming up so we can have >> Thank you. >> No, >> thank you sir for being here. Of course. >> Yeah. My name is Charles Miller and I was born and raised in this community on on the hill up there. And I was just thinking it's it's like we the we're the oppressed and they're the oppressor. Isn't it a way that I had two relatives that worked at Blackshire and I know

031the population has changed because of you know demographics, gentrification, etc., etc. So it seemed like they would it would be at a greater advantage for them to bring their kids here rather than for us to have to go over there. I mean what do you think about that? I mean because I know that that school is not the way that it was when I was growing up. It's it's a total different population. >> Yeah. >> Great resources. >> So So I I want to respond to that and then respond to your question um because I I want to make sure I get both. >> So I I want when I when I said earlier how we arrived at the initial draft plan, it was truly in response to the historic nature of Blackshirt. Um and

032and what I've learned as I spend time with community and this is why these meetings matter. Like when I tell our trustees, when I tell our community like, "Hey, I'm trying to learn to make changes and to refine and to approve, I've been I've been told for years, Black Shear's historic. Zavala is historic. These schools are historic and important in the community. And if you're going to make changes, make sure you don't go there." And so, as we have conversations and the community is saying, "Well, maybe we can think about it differently as long as we do something over here as well, but maybe not have to be what it was." and we're still moving in the same direction. I can support that. I just want to be really clear like that that I I

033I can I want to make sure that we do what's best for both communities. I am 1,000% supportive of putting students in modernized facilities. Right? That is important. That's why I made the investment. That's why I like advocated to make sure there's an investment here. That that was part of the work that I led. Um so I that's not off the table. It's just I need to make sure that we spend time here making sure this is something talk to Blackshere, have a conversation with our trustees and then see if we can move forward because I tell you right now two separate schools that are a little over 200 students is not viable long term. What we need to do is to figure out how to bring the community together, plan together, put an investment

034together and and continue on and then like essentially move forward. um you know you so that's what we're here for like so so that is I would say that's why I put it in the document we're still looking at this you know but what I need to understand is what do I need to do to make sure that that other um concern that arrived that got us to this point about the historic nature of black shear what would meet the community desire right and ensuring that we also do right by that and and that's what I need to hear more about or we need to kind of work through to your question ma'am Um what what you just said is what we want for our students. I'm I'm so >> I just love that you

035shared that about, you know, your student here at Oak Springs. I agree with you. We need to pay our teachers more. And I want you to know we have been fighting. Our board and I have been fighting and and making investments in our teacher. When we came together in 2023, we did the the biggest raise that we have in over 30 years for teachers. In 2024, we made another um compensation increase. And in 2025, yet another. So, we need to continue to pay our teachers so they have a chance of being able to afford to live in the city that they serve. >> So, I just want you to know like I am fighting those pe those educators and those staff that that that know kind of what's occurred um you know probably have a

036good sense of it. But I wanted you to know in our committee member that we have been making these raises since we came together with this board, this administration. And again, there were significant raises in 23, 24 was a tax rate election which the board supported. we got across the finish line and in 25 was by way of HB2 and we're going to continue to fight. I want money to go to teachers and programming, not to inefficiencies in our system. >> So, thank you. I just want to >> Yeah, we have one comment that connects to this um real quick before we get to our next question. Um it's occurring to me um as [clears throat] we're speaking about Black Shore being historic and like you said Zavala being historic and what came to me

037is that it's not the building that makes the community, it's the people. >> Yep. >> It's um the people that form the history. Um like Mr. Miller. Uh like um what is your name? >> Renee. >> Like Renee. Um like Miss Synagog. >> Like myself. I've been here for 14 years. And so, um, we shouldn't lose sight of that important point that it's not the building, it's the people. >> Yeah. >> Thank you so much for that. [applause] >> Thank you. Because I know it's been very brutal. I can't even imagine being in your position. But anyway, I just want to say Black Shield is very historic for our African-American community. Oak Springs is the same way. >> It has to be a way, and I'm just throwing things out there. >> Throw them out

038there >> that we can bring both together so that I just don't want us to lose what LC Anderson lost. >> That's our history. I don't want to lose what Keeling lost. That's our history. I grew up on the hill, walking up and down the hill. Those that know about this community, it's important to me. I don't want to see Oak Springs get lost because of this environment. We know this whole community is changing. Even if we had a bus for our children that picks them up, our parents when we have literacy night and our PTA meetings and everything else we have, our parents come across the street. They don't have transportation. A lot of them are disabled. They can't get a bus to go to Blackshere. I want our kids to be proud of

039the building they are going to. It's hard when I see kids, we outside and they say, "Man, we don't never get anything new." It breaks my heart to hear a child already identifying the difference because of the skin color, the way they look. There has to be something. And I know it's all about the budget. I understand that. Can we do something? Talk to the We talked to the black share people. Bring them over here. Combine them. Maybe this is for the primary or the intermediate and the other one goes over there. We all know that these charter schools are poaching our kids. The black and brown kids, that's what they do. We have a bus that stops right here that picks up a whole bunch of kids off the butt to pick them up.

040We can have those programs. You're talking about having our march. Let's have a program like they do in Northwest. Let's have a program. Let's have languages not only Spanish but let's bring some other German other langu and let it follow and let us all work together with feeder schools. We've even tried to reach out I'll say I have to keeling last year year before last work with our kids. We want to do a yearbook. Can your yearbook staff work with our kids? Can we follow it? We've even paired with east side. So there are ways to do this so that our kids are truly title one kids here. You understand? You know that I doubt, not saying nothing, but I doubt a lot of those kids in Maplewood go through the struggles that our kids

041go to every day. Every day we got kids parents being picked up by immigrant. We got parents being arrested right in front of their own kid. We got shootings right in front of them. So we deal with that emotional piece and for them that it's still there for them. I want to give them something or can we try and give them something to make them proud of their community? They see everything going up around these these million-dollar homes. They see it, but is it for them? No, it's for everybody else. And so that that is my heart and that is my passion, not only as an educator, but also just this is my community and I want to see it. And another thing too, why do we get rid of our our historical schools that

042were only for the black and brown families? Why do we always get rid of them and not find a way to bring them together? And it just, you hear the comment, if you got the money and the resources, you good. If you're not on each side, you good. But it's always us that has to make the sacrifices and we have to make like you said the hard conversations. It has to be a solution to help with both schools [snorts] cuz both schools were built for a purpose and served only us and to take that away is just it's heartbreaking. >> Yeah. So, um thank you for the comment and I appreciate you being there at the a couple nights ago, I guess a week ago. Um, so I I want to so I I I

043just want you to know um I love this this school district and I love our I love our how we have as a board and as administration have made decisions to protect history that might have otherwise not been protected. Right. I mean I working at Eastley College High School with the alumni the LJ alumni to really preserve the history of Austin ISD. That's work that that I led, the work that we led together with our trustees. So I I you will find someone in me that is always going to try to protect the rich history in East Austin. Just I want to that is that is who I am. Now, when I think about these two schools, um, Black Shear and, uh, Oak Springs, the reality is that there are so few students here, and

044when I talk about all the things that we have to to work through, the reality is if one little thing goes wrong, and I mean like one family moves out or something happens, the accountability system is adversely impacted. I mean, it's just like up and down, up and down, up and down. And yes, we can pour in resources, but at the end of the day, the system isn't built for for people that look like us. I mean, that's just the honest truth. So, in order for us to be successful, we have to have more community together. So, when we talk about having two separate schools, I don't know that there's the ability for us to do that. I just don't think that's viable. Now, I think that there's a way if we work together with

045the Blackshire community to find something different than what we have in place, but I don't believe that there's the ability for us to continue to have two separate schools of a little over 200 students. That that is really hard. >> Have we thought about doing any type of Have we thought about doing any type of programs to bring them to our communities like some of these same other schools on the west side of town? bring them into our communities that will attract those kids back to these schools, to our schools. >> You know, I I worry about I mean, yes, you can. Um, this community should have something for them. Uh, you know, it should be something that that doesn't require other communities to come in to be successful. That that's that's what I believe

046should happen. Um, but we're at a point now with all the pressures that we have to adjust to take this next step. Now, we can be creative on on repurposing. You know, there's things that we've done. I've talked to communities and they say, Matias, like we want to make sure that there's children in these buildings. We can do those things. It just won't be a school in the same way that it was before, but it doesn't mean that it has to go away. So, I I that is that is the type of conversation I think we can have. We're just not able to have two schools that are a little over 200 students. We can add the programming. We can do those things, but what if they don't come right? What if one more year

047hits of account unaccessible accountability ratings and then this this school is at risk of closure, not because I want to close it, but because the state is going to close it. That is what I have to avoid. That's what we need to avoid together. So, I'm open. I want to have those conversations and talk about those ideas, but I'm here with you. like I I I want to figure this out, but those are the constraints that I just have to operate within. >> All right, let's get to the next question. >> All right. Um, so my name is Sherwin Patton and I'm I'm here with a group called Dream Together 2030. Um, but the reason why I'm standing in front of you is because um, Tiara told me that she was going to come speak,

048but she needed support in coming to speak. So, let me tell you this. Um, nobody in this community should have to stand alone. >> And so, that's the reason why Dream Together is here because we are here for the community that is being directly impacted. Now, I'm indirectly impacted. And the reason why I say that is because I'm I'm probably one of the few people uh in this room that's been in East Austin for um 55 years. And I I still live in East Austin right now. So, I'm up the street. And so I'm right there by Blackshere Elementary School, but we do ministry over here at Book of T. And we know the students and the families that are right here. Some of the students and the families that are right here at this

049school go to the church that I get the opportunity to to pastor. >> Yeah. >> And so this is the the thing that I I have a question about. Um because I love the fact that uh Archbishop Lans um and uh and trustee um Bradley had that conversation with you about a possible um merger of both Black Shear and Oak Springs. That that's a great that's a great um conversation that's being had. And we don't have to lose the historical value of Blackshire because we can repurpose Blackshere and make sure that we use that for some type of early childhood education or something um that helps to continue to build up the community as well as make sure that we continue with this new construction that has already begun that have been voted on here

050in this community. And after we listened to the voices of the people who have come up thus far, their voices have said, um, we want to see this school stay here and we want something new. So my question is this. Um, and we did have a conversation, I just full transparency, we had a conversation earlier today, Dream Together 2030, on behalf of the people who live here in this community because we were talking about what we heard from you all. We do not want anybody who is directly impacted to be moved from this school. We support Booker T. Washington Housing Complex. We support this community. If you're part of Dream Together 2030, will you please stand up? Dream Together 2030. We are here with you. We're here with you. [applause] So, you do not have

051to stand by yourself. Now, my question is this. um if we invest in this community because the reason why I believe that we see a lower attendance here at this school is because when you don't invest in a building, if you don't invest in the community, if you don't invest in the people, then why would people want to be in that place? I mean, it's been a long time since there's been an investment in this community. there has been divestment in this community and we see um investments all around us but we don't see investments happening here. So my question is this is the school district willing to walk together with us because u we want to support you. We really want to support you superintendent Sara. We want to support you as you support

052us. Is it possible for the school district to invest in this school? Have a conversation between Black Shear and Oak Spring so we can talk about the possibilities of all of us being in a new school. Then the last part of that and then together envision what we're going to do with the historic Blackshere Elementary School. Is there a possibility for that? And then I'll end it with this. Um, I care about Blackshirt because my my mother went to Blackshirt. Um, my father went to Blackshire. >> Um, a lot of my family went to Blackshire, so I understand the historical value of it. So, we're not saying uh that we want to neglect Blackshire, >> but we cannot neglect Oak Springs either. The people who live across the street, and I'll be quiet after this.

053This year alone, we've watched three different murders happen in that complex. Yep. More than that. >> And and we've wa we've watched kids leave from this school and walk around tape. We watched it. Sean and I went over there one day right after the shooting had happened >> and had to help kids to understand that you cannot play on the police tape while they're doing an investigation. So, we're saying that we don't want to invest in a community that's already going through stressors like that. That's not what you're saying. I know it's not what you're saying. So, what I'm looking for is for you to give us an opportunity to partner with you because you have to be successful. You have to be successful for this community to be to be successful. Are you willing

054to do that? That's my only question. Are you willing to partner with us to ensure that we can make build this new school, partner with Blackshire, reimagine what that historical building can be over there and help this community that needs help from you. >> So you you have my commitment to do the work to partner with you and the community. I want to make sure that the community together, Blackshere and Oak Springs are at the table like facilitated by you. So, just in full transparency, who did you meet with earlier today? >> Oh, yeah. We met with uh you don't have to help me with the names. We uh Miss Drinks. >> Lisha Drinks, chief of staff who reports to me. >> Yes, that's exactly right. So, the chief of staff and then we also

055Stacia and she's in the room. >> So, I I And the reason I want you to say that is because I want you to know when we hear something and we and we think that there is an opportunity to to do something, we begin to work. like, you know, I knew this meeting was going to take place. I wanted to have community voice, but based on we heard um at Calvary and based on the conversations we've had since then, you know, we're working. And so, if you partner with us and with Black Street Community to solve and figure this out, like, you got me. We'll be there for it. It's going to have to go quickly. And the reason is because there are state requirements regarding um accountability. Now, one of the things that will

056have to happen is a move is going to have to occur. Period. But the question becomes where do you end up right because like you said the construction you know we have to break the account accountability chain which means there's going to have to be a blending in order to do that from the state requirement. Um but I am committed to having that conversation. You met with us earlier. We're going to progress it. We got to be attached to the hip and we got to go like we we have to work. >> We're ready. So this is the B part of my question. Give him a hand of applause because that's a commitment. That's a commitment. So the B the B part of that question is this then because the the meeting with Blackshirt is

057Monday, right? I think >> um I I I I been running uh you know >> I think it's Monday. I think it's Monday, but and if it's not Monday, then we we'll find out the date. But we have a Dream Together 2030 meeting on that Thursday right here at Oak Springs. Dream Together 2030. And so, and actually, if you're part of the community, you do want to make sure that you come back out then because we're also going to be giving out uh free turkeys to everybody in the community so you can have for Thanksgiving. But, but the other part of that is um can we invite at that meeting Black Shear to be a part of that that gathering because Dream Together is about us being able to create spaces where we can have

058these intentional conversations and really learn from one another. So, Dream Together 2030 is not about pushing an agenda. It's about bringing us together. So, is that a possibility? >> I I would say we have a board meeting that night. >> Okay. >> Um that's the 14th, I believe. Right. >> It's the 13th. >> Uh is it Thursday or Friday? >> It's Thursday. The >> It's the 14th is a Thursday. >> We have a board meeting, I think. >> Oh, no. We have But >> you're on Wednesday. >> We're on We're on th the 13th. So So >> Okay. >> Yeah. So we're on the 13th to Thursday. >> Okay. >> Next Thursday. >> Okay. So next Thursday the board meeting. Okay. >> No. Yeah. Next Thursday y'all's board meeting next Thursday. >> We have no

059>> No, we have one tomorrow and then the 20th >> and then we have uh No, the 20th is the board of vote, >> right? So you have So you have information session tomorrow and then you have the following Thursday um an update to the plan. So we I'm just we we will meet but I I want to make sure that we're meeting um often. >> Yes. because every there are timelines that I have to meet to to to get this across the finish line. Okay. The board vote because of the turnaround plans is November 20th. That is the state requirement >> and whatever we talk about between both schools will inform that plan which means that I need to have like both communities progressed along and and enough support where I can take it

060to our trustees with over a week's time like because because this is how it's supposed to work, right? We have a tab tab plan. We were fine. We were fine. We improved. We improve. But at some point because of open meetings act, I have to post. >> And so we need to go. So let's work through what that looks like. But I I just don't want to take days and days if it needs to be back to back to back to get this work done. >> Okay. And I I I'll end with this because I need to turn it over to uh Terra. Um, so will you all just look at your schedule and consider the 13th? Because as you just finished talking, it just reminded me if we need to move fast and the

06120th is coming up the following week, then it's really good that we have a meeting that's on the 13th and the board meetings is not till the 14th because possibly you can make it on the 13th. So I just want just consider that. Check your schedule. >> We're I'll be there. >> All right. Thank you. >> I just want to clarify one thing just so to further like just so everyone is on the same page. I think so on the 14th we have to post the final recommended plan. Whatever the board is voting on on the 20th needs to be finalized by the 14th. So that's why I think the 13th may be cutting it a little bit too close because we would so I I think yes we will continue talking but that's just

062the rationale for like Friday has to be like and and to be perfectly honest it has to be even before that because we have to translate it get it everything accessible and designed to be posted on the website. So really like by that Wednesday it needs to really be done. >> We'll we'll figure it out. >> I just want everyone to understand. Yeah. Yes. Okay. Sorry. >> I'm a little nervous. >> Um hi, my name is Tiara Clark. Um I've been an Oak Springs parent for eight consecutive school years. Um I have two children that's been here since preK3. My oldest is going to middle school next year. Um, and as I was thinking about it, you have a percentage of children that looks forward to coming to school because who knows what's going on

063at home. >> Yeah. >> Um, let me see. I wrote it down, y'all. I'm trying. >> Oh, you you're doing you're doing great. >> I'm trying to >> You got it. [applause] Um, who's to say that these children will naturally adapt to a new school setting? Um, who's to say that their behavior won't go down here because they feel that they don't have that safe space that they have here at Oak Springs? Um, >> um, Um so my question is are we going to take away these kids safe space? So, um, transition is is is in the details, right? So, we are committed to providing the supports to to ensure that all of our students transition into whatever is next, you know, whether it's plan A, plan B, um, whatever we decide on, it's it's

064we're going to get there together. What I want to be really clear about is we have um, Staca, where's Staca at? Staca Pascal, who's who's back here. So she is the person who's overseeing our bridge teams. >> Okay. >> And our bridge teams are groups of individuals who are ensuring that all the transitions that occur are student centered that we um really consider and invest and make sure we have resources deployed to understand that you know mental health supports you know any other things that we need to consider for the student um well-being is considered. This is above and beyond just programmatic alignment. This is above above and beyond just bringing PTAs together or CAC's together. This is truly um you know what the student needs. Now the the plan requires bringing your community and

065you know Black Shear together to figure out what do our students need >> and so we don't have it detailed so you can respond to it because what you need may be different than what another school will need. >> But I'm committed because we've already have the structure in place of deploying the resources >> and I will tell you that the one thing that we need is time. We need time to plan. So, um, having the vote on November 20th will allow us to move forward with staffing, building up the, um, the plans, uh, make sure they're supported and they're inclusive of community voice. And then the spring semester, um, we deploy the resources, we continue the planning, and then we're ready to go. Do any adjustments over the summer, and then we launch the

06626 school year like in a good spot. What is hard is whenever decisions get delayed or if we don't come together and create that plan until spring or later. It really should be thinking about and doing that work now. So that's that's why we're going to do it that way. >> So yes. >> And then so what what what does it mean for a lot of the teachers? >> Yeah. So um I've been very clear >> like for them. >> Yeah. So I've been clear um and I want to be really really clear. At no point along the way did we ever say that a single educator, professional educator would lose their job at Austin ISTD. Period. So I just want to be really clear. That's the first thing. And that I want to also

067say that from my perspective includes um classified staff, which is custodial staff, food service workers, everybody else who is part part of the school community that is an AIC employee will be supported and will have a home. Just to start off there, when we think about the staffing plan, um, every staffing plan is going to be different, right? So, if you have two because the turnaround plan requirement is part of this plan, >> we are going to have certain expectations that we have to meet. They're not AISD's only expectations. The state of Texas, they're saying, Matias, if you're going to bring two schools together and you're going to do a turnaround plan, I need to make sure that each teacher has two years of experience or more. Right? there going to be certain things that

068we have to make sure are considered. Now, once we um have homes for all of those staff and anybody that is still needs a home, then it becomes, well, what is their preference? >> Um we have surveys that are going out. We have teachers and educators that are saying like, hey, I live here, but I really want to see what this experience might be. Then we will um um place them there if it aligns with that staffing plan. >> Okay? And if that doesn't work because it that maybe it doesn't a good not a good fit, then we have matching fairs only internal to Austin ISD where we say, you know, these are the opportunities we have. We're going to do it in February. We're going to do it in March so that everybody has

069a home starting with their preference and the community's needs and then as we go through the spring semester, we will make sure everybody gets a home. We are not opening it up to any external hires until April. So that's how we're going to approach it. Um, that is our commitment. We hire uh lots of staff every year. We do not have to hire outside staff. We have the ability uniquely because of our size to find homes for everybody. Um, so that's how we're going to do it. I'm I'm very I I want to be I I am very keen on making sure I stay close to that and ensure it's done with fidelity. >> And I just got one more thing to say questions, more comment. Um, because Oak Springs, it's not just a school.

070It's >> it's a support. It's a support system. my Oak Springs itself, not not just Principal Synagal, not just Miss Boo, not just Miss Hunt, not just Miss Brown, I the school itself. Um, I've been through a lot these last two years. I just lost my baby in June. And Oak Springs has been here for me and my children, all three of my children. And my youngest one don't even go here yet. But we were looking forward to that. But I love our springs. Team Oak Springs, baby. Team Oak. [applause] >> Hi. I just want to say I went to Black Church in Rosewood and I have been in this community, but I would like to see if uh the community wasn't supporting, we wouldn't got out and voted for the bond to be passed

071to build the school, the new school. So this community, Austin, small community is being kind of like destroyed. And I feel like Austin independent is not making the uh city council accountable for running students from Austin with not having affordable housing. It's not just the problem that y'all don't have nothing but 200 students there. Y'all have let Austin run most of the students to Mayor Blugville and all other charter schools. So that's my issue is why is Austin Penny School District as y'all uh board of trustees not trying to advocate and stand up to Austin and say, "Yeah, y'all can build these highrises and apartments. Y'all can tear down Booket, any projects that y'all want to tear down, but also y'all are destroying our community for our kids to have the to live in Austin

072as a community. That's what my problem is with ASID. All these years that um my kids was in school and my grandkids was in school. Um, Austin Independent School is is just not going to it's not standing up. We already know that y'all let we we had to let charter schools in. Now the charter schools are taking over. Most of the students are going that way and that's reality. Like you said, you don't have a student. I know you have a problem too with the being accountable for the test scores and stuff like that being low, but also when you keep um I mean when y'all just don't address some of the real issues like even like LBJ, they didn't even have a band because when they do get to middle school, they don't even

073have nothing but two little classes that support band. those band students can go on and get scholarships for for college. Y'all not even doing that. That's why a lot of of the other parents are saying, "Well, you know, let their kids go to a charter school because it's not giving them any other advantage. Y'all not given the advantage once they do get out of this elementary state and school that they'll have a a fighting chance to accelerate and [clears throat] be more productive in the in and stay in this community. >> Yeah. No, thank you for that. Um, a couple things. Uh the first thing I would say is you I and our trustees advocate for AISD all the time. We we advocate at the state legislature. We advocate um you know with our city

074council members. And yes, you're right. We are in an environment where accountability and housing, which is something we don't control, um but we are impacted by uh is imp it hurts us. It it really hurts us. Um but I want you to know we are trying. Our trustees work hard. they are having these conversations. But to your point, you know, these are decades long right to before we got here and and I acknowledge that. But we are are very much trying. >> My mother is 87 years old. I take her I have to keep you going as a child. And y'all keep on just I know it's not just on your level but you know I was saying the test scores because you know are below >> and they're moving we're moving them they're moving

075in the right direction >> but they were slow because we shut down school they don't try to combine like different other schools once they get to junior high that's schools are all great because a lot of I guess their beginning starts at elementary whether they learn or not you know but once they get to that junior high level that's where y'all fall off at because >> the communities the educational teachers it just seemed like y'all give up >> yeah so so um this is why aligning feeder patterns is so important for East Austin that's that's the honest truth when you have community gets split up you know programming goes one way students go another way. There's there's no feeder. There's no alignment. That's what gets weak programming. So, I'm trying we are the board and

076I are trying to address that. Now, it's going to take a little bit longer, but we are going to address. Other thing I would say is, you know, LBJ, Nor Eastern College High School, East Side Early College High School, we have been investing and supporting these schools to try to to get get them to be um as strong as they can be. And and I will tell you, Northeast Early College High School in 2023 had an F, a D in 24, a C in 25. LBJ has moved, right? They are a C now. And the the school um when you talk about chronic absenteeism is way down. Enrollment is up. We invested in the health science program there. It is it is moving. And so I desperately want to create alignment so that our students

077see themselves at LBJ or at East East Side Early College High School when they're in elementary and in middle school. So we are working. Those schools are moving. I don't want I want our community to know I mean LBJ ESA I mean these schools are moving. They are doing great work. And here's the thing is disruption has caused that previous um performance right now. We have stability. We have teachers coming back. We have aligned curriculum. It is working. We got to keep going. So I just want every I want everybody to leave here thinking that I mean those schools are are rocking. Like LBJ and Nor Eastern are like doing amazing amazing work. East side as well. I'm really proud of that work. Um, so I just want I just wanted to share share that.

078So thank you. I appreciate it. >> Thank you. Our next question is from our deaf and heart of hearing community. So we are going to have our ASL interpreter ask. >> This is really tough for me. Uh so my oldest son uh he transferred uh to Black Shear School. uh my my son uh transferred there and he was bullied. It was an awful experience. And so I guess my question is how can you can guarantee the safety of our kids when they go to Black Shear from our school here where they're comfortable and safe and not bullied? How can we avoid all of that happening again? You know, if they go to Black Shear, then how are we going to, you know, prevent bullying in in a bad hostile situation from happening? And I feel

079like, you know, if uh if we do end up going to their school, you know, we'll be labeled. We'll have this that and the other stigmatism and we'll be looked down upon and the kids will say, "Oh, they're from the projects or whatever." And I just want to know how our kids are going to be safe over there. >> Yeah. So, just to be I mean, you have to look at me, right? Oh, >> I'm sorry. You go first. um bullying, right? That type of um behavior can happen in many different schools. I don't want anybody to think that it's just a specific school. Um, you know, we in Austin ISD have been very intentional about providing the professional development to teachers and our principles to ensure that whenever we see it, we provide the

080right resources to our student so that it doesn't continue on. Um, but it does happen and so I don't I it's not necessarily always a school by school issue. It can happen in lots of different places. Now to your question around Oak Springs and Blackshere coming together, that is why the bridge planning work is so important. We need to make sure we hear each community's voice, bring the communities together and ensure that we have a successful launch to a school year with both school communities. The the way that you don't do that successfully is you don't plan and you don't have the resources to deploy to ensure success. >> Yeah. But do you want to come here? Sa >> I can hear your concern and know that it is the heart of what we do.

081So I use a transformative seal lens to all the work that I do. So I just want to give you an example of one of the types of supports that we provide to campuses. In the mornings, students participate in morning meetings and it's a way to build community to um have students to share the things that are important to them and it allows them to find commonalities. And so part of our work on the bridge team is being very intentional with the type of morning meeting prompts as well as how we use inclusive welcomes and engaging strategies throughout their instructional day. You need a state question. >> I do have a second question. >> Sure. >> Um so I just wanted to ask reiterate why can't Black Shear, you know, just come here. Um, and

082if they don't want to come here to the new building, um, if we are forced to go over there, then I guess my follow-up question would be, um, you know, the after school programs here are so amazing and, you know, parents can't afford them and the ACE program here is phenomenal. So, will we still have those opportunities if we are forced to go to Black Shear? >> So, we will provide the programs based on community and student need. All right. So, you know, it it is up to the plan like to you Oak Springs and Blackshere, you know, to we need to understand what is our what do our students need. We can move programs. We can easily do that. Um, we just need to make sure that we have the space to support them,

083which I'm sure we can do, and then we move forward. But yes, whatever services and supports our students need, after school care or otherwise, we will provide, especially in the instance where these school communities, um given kind of the historical inequities, uh we we're going to be very intentional. Um I'm committed to doing the work to determine where we end up. Uh this is why this conversation is important because again, it's it's not final yet. This this conversation is important. It really is. I just want to reiterate, I think it'd be in the best interest if we all stay here and just move into the new school. I just feel like it's not very fair to uproot all of our students lives. It's just not fair for our kiddos. >> I understand. >> Thank you.

084Now, you know, I tried to be quiet. I sat over there. I said a prayer. I prayed, but I I just couldn't. Matias, you you said some things. One thing you said is about a TEA takeover. If the TEA if they took over the school, then it wouldn't be what we expected. Well, guess what? This district has not done what we have expected. It has never done what we have expected. This will be the second time this school has tried to has where the district has tried to close it. They don't look at Go Valley. They don't look at Artega, but they'll figure out how to save those two schools, but we can't figure out how to save this one of Black. Now, I know if you think about it, you can come up with

085something because it makes no sense for this school to close. The apartment complex is right over there. You have Elmbridge. You have Marshall. That's too That's too much. That's too much. The other thing is I'll hold you harmless for the first F for the failure of this school. The other two Fs are on your watch. You've got to build up this school. You can't close it. To be honest, you don't need to close any school that has an F. You all need to be thinking about how you can lift it. Once you've lifted, you can start looking at boundaries. You can start looking at um you can start looking at consolidations and closures, but you at least need to focus on the academics of this school. The other thing is the targets you guys have

086are ridiculous. That doesn't say we have any expectation of black and brown kids. It basically said, "We know they can't do it, >> so why even try?" >> No, I've seen the I know. Uh oh. No, no, no, no, no. I've seen I've seen the targets and they're lower for black and brown children and espec especially black black children because in because in science the targets are lower for black children than they are for special ed students. So, don't tell me. I saw it. No, go back and look because evidently you're not >> I'm very familiar, but I'll let you >> No, go back and look because I was watching the board meeting where they were um it was a science and they were excited about the scores. I couldn't understand why the targets alone

087and I mean it was like 17% 18% 20%. go back and look at it, you'll see I'm writing. The other thing, if you can put a pause on Brierwood, on Maplewood, on palm and the boundaries, you can put a pause on everything else because all you are saying, and I don't know if you realize this, all you are seeing is white privilege matter and no one else doesn't. is privilege matters. No one else doesn't. And I've said this when I was on the board and I'm saying it now. Nothing is ever done for us. It's done to us. >> Hello. >> I can respond. I I mean I know Cheryl and I go back a ways. U as y'all probably um so first off I want to communicate we in Austin ISD disagregate all our

088data scorecard everything. We have very aggressive goals for all of our student populations students identified as historically underserved including you know um economic disadvantaged students uh Hispanic students African-American or black um we have very aggressive goals on a per year basis like we have to climb. That is the honest truth. uh where we're starting isn't acceptable and we have to move and so our overall t target is very aggressive and we're moving and you know we talk about early literacy early numeracy there's a report that we're going to share tomorrow where we actually exceeded all outcomes and our greatest exceedence the where we had the most growth was students re the receiving special education services and African-American and black students they met they passed 2425 and 2526 targets and are approaching 26 27 like I

089am committed to having aggressive goals I have to have resources to do it. I just want really really clear like it's not there's not infinite resources for me to do it. We're an inch deep and a mile wide. >> Let's let's have attract other people just the way they attract us to go to their schools. >> We have no programs here for our kids >> and and we will we can add programming. I I that's not the the challenge is the number of students that we have and and and that live in the area. And so I want to find a solution that that meets all of these existing constraints. Um I'm working I want to work with you. You have that commitment. Um and so I I just I just want you to like

090I am committed to doing that work. >> I real quick I do want to just clarify because I've heard programs a couple of times. I'm wondering if you can touch real quickly on like the academic framework work that's happening um to really get that baseline offering before adding any more. Um >> yeah, so so one of the things that we talk about with our trustees and with our community is what should our schools expect to have and what do we um want to ensure our student experiences are in all of our schools, right? So that when you come to Oak Springs, you know without a doubt you're going to get this type of education. You're going to have this type of rigor and we're going to have these expectations. We go to different schools around

091Austin. I know that there are different expectations. I see it. That's unacceptable. And you can see it in the work, >> you know, and and so for >> that doesn't fall on the educator. No. No, no, I know it fall it falls on. So I need to create the system that ensures that we have rigor, we have expectations as a culture, right? Where everybody sees that no matter color your skin, you have the ability to succeed. Period. That is not what we're coming out of over 144 years. We are trying to move it, right? But to do so, we need resources. We have to be thoughtful in our approach. We have to be aligned. And that requires these types of changes. I mean, that's the honest truth. We're not going to be able to get

092out from the all of this weight unless we make some changes. Um, and so the academic planning that is part of our work. I will tell you that the last three years it's been urgent, urgent, urgent, the TA greeted order, you know, moving forward in our systems to actually so we can understand where our students are, multi-ter systems of support. We have aligned curriculum. We're doing all these things and our outcomes are moving. Um, and so as we move forward, we're going to work in the spring semester to build out our academic framework, academic vision, which is something we've been wanting to do. It's just that with all the things that we've been faced with, it's really hard to focus on the important because all the urgent work is like here, like the risk is

093real. Um, and as we move forward, you will have the understanding this is what you can expect in this vertical team. This is our expectation around the curriculum. These are the things that we're going to protect. If you go to this school, you will have a librarian. You will have this number of instructional coaches. we will have these supports. Right now, I can't I can't ensure that because we we just don't have the resources, but that's where we need to get to. >> So, um my name is Victoria and I serve a unique role here at Oak Springs. So, I'm a staff member, but also I'm a parent, too. And so I just wanted to touch base on some of the parents what they said of our campus is a safe campus for our students

094because all three of my children either my oldest is 15, he attended Oak Springs and then my two younger ones do too. And as a staff member, you can choose any school for your your students to go to through AISD. Yeah. >> And I keep choosing here because the safe environment and how my kids feel. And so even with my oldest son, he went to many elementaryaries and then once he got here in fourth grade, he thrived. And so for him to feel that and for him to feel safe, it was just it's alarming to uproot our community and for our students too. And so um I just really wanted to talk about our safety concerns for Oak Springs because um from the students walking to Black Share, the majority of the Oakspring students, it's

095roughly 116 kids walk home either alone with siblings or with their parents and sometimes us staff members walk them home too. So that community and that trust, they trust us to walk them home, make sure that they get home safe. Um, so either that they would have to cross streets and with reckless drivers. In the past, Oak Springs has had two students get hit by a car just crossing from the school to Booker T. The need to cross train tracks raises the following concerns. There are signs that state no train horn. Students, families would not be properly alerted when the trains come in. So that's another safety concern for our kids. So I'm just speaking on behalf of them. Yes. >> Yeah. Um so thank you for that. Um you know we can provide with

096whatever happens right planning wise you know we are able to make um changes to transportation routes depending on how the move ultimately works. That's where it's coming down and understanding what is happening happening locally to ensure that our students are getting to and from school safely. Um we have the ability to provide transportation. and we look at hazardous routes, hazardous intersections, that'll continue, but we can also make adjustments beyond that and we have so um I I want to work with you. Our team is working with you so that when we have an implementation plan, it considers all of that. Uh that's what we have to do. I do not want any student to not be safe getting to school. And here's the other thing is sometimes you got to use it's got to be

097different and that's okay and and we are committed to doing that. So I just you know we we can do that. Okay. >> Thank you. Okay, ready? And I just want to make a note on time because we only have our interpreters until 5 and so we have about seven more minutes. If anyone else wants um to ask a question, if y'all can come up. [clears throat] >> All right. Sad to say is that we meet like this again. Um my concern is that uh I've seen Dobby be put through this. Do we middle school, Web Middle School, Vernon Middle School. I heard that Martin as well is being closed down. Or why is it that the time and the amount you say that you know, you want to work with the plan to make

098sure that you can invest in our communities. You know, you love our communities and I want to really believe that. But a lot of the times is a couple of weeks to make a decision that is going to change decades, centuries of community history, families that have been affected by it. And to be told, you got till the 20th, that's like not even two weeks. Uh what is being done to learn from the situations that have been put in other schools? you know I >> so um what we learned from Dolby Burn and Web right because I remember we we I we've had conversations before um those turnaround plans uh we were given those timelines in uh I think February 19th or March like or 28 like somewhere right at the end of February of

099last year and then we disagreed on Dolby and it wasn't until about a month later when they said, "Oh, you also have to do web and burn it." Because it was federal and then state was released. So, what I'm what the reason I'm saying this is because the what we learned is that if you're going to do anything well, and this is something I've always believed in, you need time to do it, time to plan. In the spring, we had to get the vote to by June 12th. it'll be in June 20 26 but we had about two and a half months right to have the conversations but then to build the plan uh the reason the 20th is the timeline um is not because Matias wants the timeline to be the 20th because the

100state of Texas requires that the turnaround plans for three UA campuses which Oak Springs is be submitted and accepted by uh November 21st that is a state of Texas requirement and so it doesn't have to everything that we're going to do, right? We can build on that plan. We can expand on it. We can work through December and we can refine and we can improve, but the elements in it, the ones that have to move in order to break the accountability chain must be included if it's going to be accepted. So, that's why it's it's the 20 that that date is is firm. Now, when we move through this process, uh there there was a lot that we were working through. Um, I I want to acknowledge that there's a a compression of time, which

101is why I'm trying to find the space to work work and get it done. Um, but that is why that that date is is firm. I can't move it back. The state of Texas won't let me. >> And why the time crunch? Why the time crunch? Like, how come it wasn't something that this meeting should have been had a month prior? >> Yeah. So, it came down to when we released the draft plan October 3rd. Uh at that point um there was those conversations the week, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and then we began having just community meeting after community meeting after community meeting. We had the three district-wide and then I'd be going to every single community and having a conversation like we're having here. Um it it was it was just a

102function of, you know, us being able to to get together to engage. But as as we were talking about along the way, we have been getting feedback and and uh comment cards and having conversations before this meeting. So it's not like we're leaving this meeting and saying could we do this. We've been exploring it and seeing if we could so that when we come back together in the very near future, I can say yes, we can go. Is there alignment between Blackshar and Oak Springs? Do I think I have trustee support to actually get it across the finish line and then move forward. So, we've been working um and and I I will say that it doesn't have to have happen without me in the community, but I know that uh it's really important for

103me to be there and hear it because I'm the one that's ultimately responsible. And um I don't know if you remember correctly that when we were at Dolby, it was three things that were offered to us. It was not like, hey, let's figure out something that could benefit our communities. It was more like this is your only options. Either take it or let's stay. The three strategies being a reassignment, right, uh to a school and we had that conversation, right? We just to I we talked about it, went and had a conversation. It didn't it it wasn't going to be a direction we could go because the community had shared with me Matias we don't want to go that way, right? So I listened, I learned, I adjusted. >> Next question was, do we do

104a restart? Well, if we do a restart with an 1882 partner, which is the other option, option two, then all the staff are not AISD employees. And what I and then all the programming, fine arts, you know, athletics, all those things are not under our control. What I heard from community is Matias, we don't want to do that. So that left me the only option which is the one I believed in which is we restart with AISD control. So So in this, in this case, it's different because you have elementary schools, not middle schools. So they're smaller in size. You have two schools that could come together without having this huge impact across the entire district. Like middle schools are different. just the impact of high schools, elementary schools. So it is different in that

105way. Um but that is why those decisions and those opportunities were available then and why these are available now. Um is that makes is that helpful a little bit maybe? >> Yeah. And I guess I'll just finish with this. It's really hard to see that we have schools that obviously have a different demographic that don't have any of this issues and we don't implement anything saying okay well look we see that these schools in these areas are thriving uh haven't had any issues like that what is this community looking like what are we investing in the community and what are we not doing in these communities and I believe that I've always grown up you know going to uh Keeling you know uh it was Walnut Creek >> yeah And the neighborhoods that I see

106in different neighbors neighborhood areas is like y'all invest so much and make the community look so beautiful. And then in our neighborhoods, we don't get a lot of that. So eventually these schools start getting smaller and smaller which causes like you said now you have a decision to make which one do we keep open. we can't have both schools open is because we don't have enough students in these communities which to me I feel is like a lack of how the young the lady said it's like it's not for us like it's to us so when are we going to get that so so the first thing I would say is this administration like the way that I work lead the work I have been very clear about the priority that we as a district

107provide to those schools that have been historically underserved um y'all may not know this but there's a support and resource index which I produced two years ago and it says if you're in one of these schools you will have our full attention. We will not we will not um level in the way that we would perhaps elsewhere. You know when we're hiring we're going through different processes to support you if so we we try to train our system to acknowledge that we need to put more focus on schools that just have more need. when it comes to like other schools, I will tell you that um much of what you see um isn't always going to be best for this community. What I mean is sometimes people say, Matias, why don't you go get the

108teachers over here and bring them to a school? And what I'll say, you want to be really careful because you want students that see your child that understand the culture like that, you know, that who they are. And that is going to be different for stu teachers here than perhaps teachers elsewhere in the city. Um so we have been moving you know the um vacancy rate has gone uh way down you know hiring principles you know years ago we hired over 20 principles I keep saying this because I don't I want our staff to know and our families to [snorts] know whenever you have new principles what happens you have new teachers and and that just kept keeps impacting our system we have great educators like principal synagog now and we have leaders who have

109been here but that wasn't the case three years ago right now we have very little attrition very very little that creates stability and you're seeing that right now in the outcomes like you this system is moving I just know that right now we cannot sustain with the number of re with the resources we have we are we are simply at a point with all the pressures from the state and the federal government where if we don't do something our students that need those resources will not get them and I don't want to be there no I get that and at the end of the day I just want to say is I get the part that you're saying on that eclectically but I'm talking about a beautiful park a big park that makes when because

110when people go house shopping they like oh I like this oh this looks nice oh man you know this is a nice neighborhood we can feel like you know that's what I'm talking about in the community community like putting these things that need to be you know established so that when people want to you know walk walk down the street they say man I'm going to go walk go take my kids to the park you know things like that that's what I'm talking about is investing in the community in the settings in the places the things that need to be you know restored or pretty much built, but for the community, not to be, oh, well, >> the whole east side doesn't look the same like everybody says, and that's not even helping us. It's

111pushing us out. >> Yeah. So, um, so I want you to know my heart is is with investing in schools that have been historically underserved. You know, I I know we're talking about Oak Springs and the investment and the in the bond for this specific, but I also want you to know like 76% of the $2.4 4 billion dollars went to title one schools in East Austin like in this eastern crescent. That's the honest truth. We're building, you know, Travis Early College High School. You know, Bernett is being rebuilt. There there's a lot there's lots of things that we've invested in and that I would argue 10 years ago, 20 years ago, that vote doesn't happen. That plan doesn't come together that way. So, I want you to know like this board, this administration, like

112we are thinking the way that you were thinking. Um it's just we're at a point where yes, we want to continue to invest and I may I want that to happen. It's just with the time and the pressures, something has to give and I'm trying to desperately get this right. Um, but there's very little wiggle room. Um, so having community voice, having partners work through it, help us get there, like I'm all in for that. Um, but but that's why it is what it is. But I want you to know like we we are intentionally investing in East Austin. Um, and so that's just work we got to do. But but I the 2022 bond program, the work that we did at all these schools, like that's still going to continue. and I hope that

113we get to a solution that works, but it's going to take us coming together and figuring that out quickly. >> Okay. So, we are going to have one last comment um from Mr. Min uh and then I'll toss it to you. You're good. >> Oh, I can talk. Yeah, >> thank you. Um I just want to provide um some context and some clarity to uh all of us about the three consecutive FS. Um, as you know, Miss Synagol came on board um the year of uh CO 19 and um for at least the next three years we were understaffed in grades one, two, three, four, and five to the point that [clears throat] Miss Synagal Miss Spoo, Miss Brown, um, Miss Lee had to become teachers. >> And so those three consecutive Fs weren't and

114aren't a reflection of the administration. They're not a reflection of the students. Uh it's more of a reflection of not having the teachers here. Uh not having people who needed to be in those positions who wanted to be here. The people who are here, they want to be here. >> Yeah. They want to be here. the principal who is here, she wants to be here. And to remove Miss Synagog from being a part of the future of Oak Springs is graver. Um to remove, you know, the teachers who are here. um likewise um is a grave error. So I just wanted to you know shine some light on um on that situation and and that is a district failure. It truly is it's it's an institutional failure uh of um not being able to to

115provide the staffing that we needed in those classrooms. So, thank you so much for for coming out. Um, we know you love this district and we know you love this school and um, we so appreciate you coming out and we love you too. [applause] >> Thank you. Um, I know it's a tough conversation. I'll be around for a little bit. Um, uh, y'all may um, I I do love this school. I I do love this community. Um we'll be around to answer any questions. Um my cousin actually teaches here. [laughter] >> Um you know, like I'm just sorry that we're here at this moment, but I'm committed to working through everything I have to to get it right as right as we can. >> Superintendentbody objects to it. >> Yeah, >> please do. I I

116just want to I just want to pray. Can I pray? >> Yes. >> All right. >> But Father, we come before you thanking you that you are the one that sees all of us. And Father, what we're asking for in this community is that you won't let a us versus them dichotomy exist. that you would give us the wisdom that we need to ensure that Oak Springs can stay open, Lord God, while at the same time not neglecting any child at Blackshire. Father, bring this community together in ways that we need. Lord God, you know what has happened at Booker T. Washington Housing Complex. And Father, we thank you that most of the precious diamonds that are in this community have come out of this community, Lord God. Father, this is not a black eye

117in our community. This is a place, Father, where people have risen, Father, from nothing. and become something. Lord God, we've seen it happen over and over again. So, Father, we're praying right now that you would not allow this community to be disenfranchised, forgotten about, or placed on the margins. Father, we're praying in the name of Jesus. I That's what I pray. I pray in the name of Jesus, Lord God, that you would move on behalf of the people who are here. You said that you're close to the brokenhearted and you save those who are crushed in spirit. Now, Father, we know that Superintendent Saggera and his whole team have a hard job ahead of them. Father, I pray in the name of Jesus that he does not see um us as attacking him, but Father,

118we pray that we would see a way to work together, Lord, so that he can do this hard job of having to make hard decisions. Show us how to do this. Show him how to do this. And Father, we pray that you would show favor to this school. Now, the last thing I'm going to say um is bless um Cynthia Synagal, Lord God. Father, we thank you that you've allowed her, Father, to be the person who stood stood as the gatekeeper here and made sure that all of these children were kept safe. Even when violence was happening across the street from this school, it did not happen in this school. So, Father, thank you for her. We pray that you would continue to encourage her, continue to use her, and continue, Father, to give her

119wisdom to know what you want to do in and through her right now. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.