Blackshear/Oak Springs Community Meeting: February 10, 2026

001Good evening. Thank you everyone so much for being here this evening. We're going to go ahead and get started. My name is Ally Gillarduchi. I'm the senior executive director of communications community engagement for Austin ISD. Um thank you so much everyone for making it out here this evening. Just a few announcements before we get started. Um, so the restrooms are going to be right out this door um to my right to your left. Um, if you want to use the stairs to get through this way or the ramps will take you up and around that way. Um, if you didn't grab a water, we do have bottled water right outside the door here. If you get thirsty at some point, you're welcome to grab that. Um, and with that, I'm just going to go ahead

002and run us through share with you kind of what the agenda is and what to expect, how we want to spend our 90 minutes together this evening. Um, so we're going to quickly go over some meeting agreements that I think that we can all agree to so that we can have a really healthy and productive discussion. Um, our superintendent is going to start us off with some remarks just to kind of share about where we're at in our thought process. Um, and then we are going to go to Q&A. We do have a number of questions that kind of came up several times in our either in our survey responses or one-on-one conversations that we've had. Um, I know we had a trustee, for example, that kind of gathered some questions. So, we prepopulated some

003of those FAQs um that we can answer right away and we can kind of alternate between some of those presubmitted questions and folks in person who want to ask their questions. Um, and then we'll talk about next steps, but the vast majority of the time is really going to just be open dialogue for us to make sure that you all are able to have a space to kind of share anything that maybe you think that we haven't already considered and for us to share with you. um our data and kind of thought process behind um where we're at. Um so these are just our meeting agreements. We want to ask that we respect all voices. What that's going to look like is allowing one person to speak at a time. So we have two mics.

004We will pass one around when it's your turn. We're going to ask that if someone has the mic, we allow them to have their comments and not interrupt or interject. Um we want to use inclusive language. Um, so speaking in ways that are welcoming to all members of our community, just being mindful of that and where possible avoiding jargon or acronyms. We can be bad at that ourselves, but just to make sure we have shared understanding. We don't always have the same vocabularies. Um, we want to engage in healthy dialogue. So, it's obviously okay to disagree, but we're going to do so with respect and without personal attacks. Um, and we're going to do our best to honor time limits. We scheduled about 90 minutes for this. So, we want to do our best to

005be able to wrap up um on time so that our campus staff, interpreters, and all those folks can get done and um get everyone get home on on time on a school night. Um so, here's the objectives that we've established for this meeting. Um we want to we have a summary that we'd like to share with y'all and we can spend some of the meeting time talking about it if we want or we have you might have seen there were some paper copies when you came in as well as a QR code. And I'm going to go ahead and um put that QR code back up again. We created a summary of the engagement so you can see kind of what groups we've talked to, who we've been um going around trying to gather input

006from, and then what were the common themes, what were common ideas, concerns. Um and so we have that information for you to either peruse on your own time or we can talk about it a little bit here. Um, and then we want to, as I shared, explain kind of what's the criteria, the data, or other considerations that are guiding the district um, decision- making around this. Um, and then, like we said, provides a space for final questions, clarifications, and perspectives before making a final decision. I know that we were aiming to try and make a decision as early as possible in this new year. Um, but we also know that this is a generational decision and we want to make sure we get it right. So, we wanted to have this last one last opportunity

007to get in front of y'all and kind of talk to you before we make a final decision. So, with that, I'm going to go ahead and introduce our superintendent, Matias Sigura, for a few remarks. Keep going. Um, so I appreciate all of y'all taking time out this evening to to to come and have a conversation. You know, for those of you that know me, uh I hope that you know that like this is what you want, right? You want engagement. You want to have conversations. Uh you want to understand all the different dynamics and then use that input to make the best decision possible. That that is how I operate. I I hope that um you see that as part of this process. I I aim to make adjustments where I can, but every time

008I am making a decision, I want you to know that I'm trying to do it in a way that puts Austin ISD and all of our students in the best position to be successful. Not just today, not just in five years, but for decades to come. You will hear me often say that we are in the forever business. Like we are, we've been around for 145 years. We're going to be here for a very long time. And this is one of those forever decisions. So, it should not be taken lightly. And and I very much appreciate y'all being here to engage in this conversation because it does matter. I don't want anybody to leave here thinking that, oh, he's already made his decision. I have certain feelings. I have certain thoughts. But I hope that,

009you know, through this dialogue, you'll see that we will make adjustments. We will refine and ultimately try to get to a place where we may we may not all be happy, but at least we'll understand how we got there. And to me, that's a success in some ways. And then two, just acknowledging that there's going to be frustration one way or the other. And and that is just what happens when you go through these types of conversations. And so talking specifically specifically about oak springs in blackshere I want to talk about how it came about because you all have heard about it either on the dis or from me in various conversations like we made a decision that Oak Springs was going to have to move in an effort to a identify seats empty seats

010within an area but more importantly address a response to the turnaround uh work that is required by the Texas Education Agency. And so in the last 18 months, we spent time trying to find solutions that did did those things, right? And we arrived at an initial recommendation that considered Oak Springs wholly moving into Blackshere, right? And I want to be really clear, there are incredible things happening at both schools, right? And and the outcomes and the ratings, much of that is was brought about by things that were outside of our control and things that occurred in the past. That's just the honest truth. Now, we have to own the present and make decisions to move forward. And we arrived at that recommendation which ultimately was approved um by the board. I also want to be

011really really clear that the board has certain decisions that they make uh and there are certain things that they do not decide on. And there's been questions that have come to me about Matias like why isn't this a board decision? Well, it's administrative decision because the board's decision is in uh in boundary changes. That is their decision and they've made that decision by way of the v board vote on on November 20th. And so the location of the school within that boundary is is an administrative decision and we have history in Austin ISD of the superintendent my role making that decision. Right. It happens in swing spaces. It happens in moves. It it it has happened many many times and so there is not likely unless for some reason the board decides which I think

012is unlikely to have this come up it would be atypical and not something that is within the governance role of the board currently. Um so that's why it wasn't built that way. So in case you're asking why isn't the board seeing this? They've already made the decision combine the boundaries. The decision of where the school goes within those boundaries is an administrative decision. In the conversations we had with community and I can think very specifically of a meeting that we had uh with Reverend Lans and the broader community, there was an idea about, hey, you know, would you consider having the combined school go back to Oak Springs? That's how it came about. And the reason at that time for the consideration was these investments in facilities, these investments in East Austin have not been

013there in the past. Look at the last 145 years. How many times have you seen investments of that nature be brought into Austin ISD in East Austin? Very seldom. In 2022, we made a decision as a community, and you all, I hope, I think, supported it. I'm sure most of y'all did, to invest in Oak Springs, right, which was historically underserved student uh population in a school that just needed a lot of love and support. I want to be really clear at that time, we had no idea that we'd be going through this consolidation process in this way. I get asked that all the time, how could you not how did you not know this? 2022 was the bond, but the planning was 2018, 2019. What happened after 2022? State legislature in 23, no additional

014funding to schools. 2025, no additional funding to schools. So, all of that coupled with the additional pressures in the state and the federal government just exacerbated this issue that we had to address. So, I just want you to know like we did not anticipate the magnitude of what we're dealing with now just five or six years ago. It has gotten that bad and it is that hard. So, back to the question, Oak Springs. Could we look at moving the students back to Oak Springs because we'd already started the project. And the answer is yes, we could, but I would need to go through a process, get feedback from the community, figure out what we could restart and when, and what it would look like if we were going to go down this path. And so

015I was very honest with the community, I was honest with our board that I was going to take time to get it done. And that's where we are now. So I have to make a decision here in the next month or I risk the delay of not having Oak Springs operate that full year. It'd be one whole year. And here's the reason why. You can't start a school mid year, not in the middle of a semester. You have to go at the end of the semester or at the beginning of the new year. So months delay means a whole year delay, right? The other thing I want to reinforce is what I think about a lot is when would another investment come along? If we forego the Oak Springs investment, which again we may do

016that, but if we forego it, we don't have enough money to fully modernize Blackshere. That's the honest truth. We look at the data. We look at the cost. And here's the other thing. If we were going to fully modernize it, it would require more funds. That would require funds coming from somewhere else. Where would that somewhere else be? Well, it' likely have to be a future bond, right? Because we're not talking about 5 or 10 million. We're talking about 20, 30, $40 million because the time that would take to get there and build it, design it, right? those years add cost right escalation we me measure it and I just want to be really honest that it's not an apples to apples comparison because time is the factor and so when I think about a

017sure thing now which is perhaps Oak Springs versus something that is unsure in the future we'd have to look at a 2028 bond or a 2030 bond then invest design construct and build now I want to be really honest like we are at a point right now where either one of these can work. But I want to be really really clear the latter of building a new black shear or fully modernized black shear is not necessarily um as probable without lots of other things happening, right? There's not enough money in Oak Springs to rebuild Black Shere. The other thing that I get asked a lot just I want to hit it on and be really clear is what is the benefit of a new building right because we have incredible schools and that are doing

018incredible things and sometimes they're in portables and I asked myself these things are occurring in spite of the facilities well one of the things we know is you think about the um seven conditions for student success like having a high functioning, safe, secure building, right? One that meets the needs of the students and how we learn now versus how we learned 40 years ago is a benefit. Now, we can argue about if that's a big benefit or a little benefit, but it is proven. There is research behind it. The other thing is when it comes to teacher retention long term, again we're talking 5, 10, 20 years from now, having a facility that meets our teacher needs is going to put us in a better position long term. So that is what I am weighing

019now. I've answered the questions and I have data on, you know, the developments in the area and how that was incorporated into the into the plan. Yes, they were incorporated. We can talk about the number of students that reside in the community. We have those numbers. Yes, they can fit. The question becomes, well, Matias, you know, if you combine the enrollment numbers, they're not going to fit. Well, the answer is we're not moving in if that was the way that we would would go into Oak Springs for a couple years, which means the incoming transfer students to kindergarten, right, for two years would be managed from an enrollment perspective to ensure that we have the space. But right now from a resides we fit. The reason it doesn't fit is because the number of transfers

020that transfer into Blackshire. And so I just want you to know like there are lots of things that we can do to make this work if we want it to work. I see you're shaking head but we can talk about the details. Um but at the end of the day that's what I'm thinking through and we can argue the points and we can go back and forth but those are the things that we're trying to consider before we come to a final decision. Um and and that is honestly where we're at. Uh so I also want to create space to answer any questions. This time is your time. Um one thing that comes up also just because I know it may come up is uh when students move, what does the research say around student

021movement and how does that imp impact student outcomes? Well, what I'll tell you is that in Austin ISD, there are lots and lots of examples of us making moves and having our students actually improve academically or have no impact at all. Now, there are some outliers, but the ones that were outliers are because we didn't plan where it happened very, very quickly. Like TA Brown a couple years ago, we had to shut it down within really a 48 hour notice because the building was structurally not sound, right? And that move created disruption. But we look at schools right now in our school system that have moved in the last couple years and their outcomes have actually increased. Yeah, I know you're shaking your head. Look at Lanford. They went from a an F to a

022D to a C in portables. There are lots of examples of this because we see it with school movement. We see it with swing space solutions. And what I'm saying is I that shouldn't be that should be a concern. But what I would say is if we plan together, we can really really ensure that our students are protected and supported and it's and it's a successful transition. That shouldn't be a limiting factor. Um especially when it's two and a half almost three years out from when we actually have to implement as far as design of Oak Springs. if we were able to get to that decision, if that's the way the way we end up going. Yes, the building is designed, but it doesn't mean that there is an opportunity to bring in other elements

023from the Blackshirt community or reinvision what it is. Now, some of the the walls, the units themselves as far as the building blocks, those are the set, but they would be set in either case, right? We have education specifications. So, um, when it comes to branding, when it comes to name, when it comes to color, when it comes to how spaces are used, you know, Black Shear's, uh, fine arts program is incredible. So, what spaces in that new building would need to be modified to accept the program? We can do all that and we have time to do it. Um, but I just wanted to start off there because there you probably have other questions and I don't want to take more time here, uh, just kind of going one way. I want to be

024responsive to your questions. Uh, but I wanted to start there so you knew precisely what I was navigating uh while navigating everything else to try to get to a solution that works I hope best for the combined community. >> Thank you. >> Pause there. Go ahead. >> Yeah, we're going to go ahead and open it up to Q&A. Um, and I think the first um so there was some questions submitted like I shared. The first one I think you've mostly covered um was what are the criteria for deciding whether to complete Oak Springs campus and move the consolidated Blackshere community there. I think you talked somewhat about that. Um, so I'm not going to go into that one just now, but if there are more, if you want more clarifying information about any of the

025things that he shared, we do have backup slides and we'll get these posted on the website. What I'm going to start with is um, I want to try to attempt to go, if possible, back and forth between folks who consider themselves maybe representatives of Oak Springs, folks who consider themselves representatives of Blackshere, and then folks who maybe feel like they represent the whole area. Um, and so just because I think that I from looking at the sign-in sheet, it looked like we had a few more Black Shear folks here, I'm going to go ahead and invite anyone who's wants to speak an open questions, remarks, whatever from Oak Springs to start out. Is there anyone from Oak that would like to start with Oak Springs? Thank you. >> All right. So, uh, I'm going to

026ask Pastor uh, McClendon to come on down with me. I have, uh, >> Yes, I would. My name is Sherwin Patton. Um, I'm I'm supporting the community of Oak Springs and I'm supporting the community of of Blackshire because we don't separate East Austin community. We represent East Austin. And so uh I have a a letter here from um Pastor Maize who is the pastor of uh Mount Si Baptist Church and then he's also um the moderator uh for the St. John Association. And so, uh, this letter says, "Dear Superintendent Saggera, I want to share my input concerning Oak Springs and Black Share Elementary Schools. Four of our five children attended and graduated from Austin schools. I cannot physically be present this evening because my ministerial duties require my attendance elsewhere. However, I would I would

027that all of you in leadership in Austin Independent School District would consider well the impact that community schools have upon any people. We need good and effective schools which our students might attend with less of a hardship of great distance time and the greater expense of travel and transportation. The investment in public schools will pay good dividends now and into the future. I recommend that you lead the district to complete the project of Oak Springs and rehabilitate Blackshshire to serve the coming generations. As pastor of the Mount Sinai Missionary Bapt Baptist Church of Austin and moderator of the St. John Regular Baptist District Association, whose membership includes some 88 churches in this region. I pray for your best determinations to serve all the constituents of Austin Independent School District and I remain a your servant

028in Christ name. Um I know that was not a question but that was what I was asked to read. And so um the the next letter that I'm going to read before I turn this over to um Pastor McClendon is from Dream Together 2030. Dream Together 2030 is a citywide and regional movement grounded in a simple but demanding vision to build a beloved community by the year 2030. Where unity replaces division, justice replaces inequity, and shared responsibility replaces abandonment. We believe this work begins now, not in rhetoric, but in decisions, especially those that shape the lives of children. The future of Oak Springs and Blackshire Elementary Schools presents such a decision. Rewrite and unify support of completing the new state-of-the-art Oak Springs Elementary School at its current site and repurposing the historic Blackshire Elementary campus

029as an early quality education and enrichment center. This course of action reflects not only sound educational planning, but moral clarity, historical awareness, and a commitment to unity rather than displacement. Old Spring sits in a community that has endured prolonged underinvestment, disruption, and delay. Construction has already begun. To leave this project unfinished would deepen inequity and erode trust. Completing Old Springs affirms that children in East Austin and children across Austin deserve access to modern, fully equipped neighborhood schools that remove barriers to learning rather than create new ones. At the same time, Blackshire Elementary is more than a campus. Founded in 1891, it stands as a living witness to resilience, culture, and generational perseverance. Preservation does not mean freezing history in place. Repurposing Blackshere as an early childhood education and enrichment center honors its legacy while responding

030to present needs, creating a a walkable community centered pathway of learning that strengthens families and prepares children for lifelong success. Dream Together 2030 affirms that our city's progress must be measured not by growth alone but by by whether but rather our collective decisions that advance unity, dignity, and shared opportunities. So we acknowledge the history of Blackshire. We also acknowledge that there has been fractured trust between institutions and communities. Yes, moments like this offer the possibility of repair by choosing restoration over rupture and vision over expediency. So this is not solely an East Austin issue. It is a reflection of who we are becoming as a city and region. The choices made here will signal whether Austin is prepared to live into its professed values and move toward a beloved community by 2030. And we respectfully

031urge you to complete the Oak Springs campus and reimagine Blackshere in a way that honors history, reserves uh the the history and serves children and strengthens trust. Such leadership will stand as a tangible expression of unity and action. And we thank you for your service, your deliberation, and your commitment to the future of our children. We resolve and hope Dream Together 2030, a call for unity by 2030, representing faith leaders, educators, community organizations, families, and civic partners across the Austin region. Thank you. My name is Billy McClendon and I'm the senior pastor of the St. James Church here in the city and I concur and I'm a part of the St. John Regular Baptist Association. I've been in Austin now 32 years and I'm a product of education. I come from East Texas, central East

032Texas, West Louisiana and I grew up in a time where we were segregated but I got a good education and I concur 100% with the letter from our moderator and those when it comes to Oak Springs and Black Shore. We need to be very sensitive to the needs of those communities. And I cannot employ enough uh that that should be considered. Anytime that a child is not educated, this little child right here has a bright future if he gets a good education. And I think that should be and thank you guys for what you're trying to do. But what been read about Oak Springs and Blackshire Blackshire should be considered. Epotita said, "Men are not disturbed not by things but the view in which they take of them." And anytime an a education institution in

033a predominantly black or minority community is dealt with, it create all kinds of of flags. And in America, we still have the greatest country in the history of the world. But again, education have been I come from a rural area, but I got a good education and that should be paramount. Michelle Alexander, her book, The New Jim Crow, talks about what education does. So, I thank you guys. I concur that black should should be brought, modernized, and Oak Springs should be completed so that the kids will not have any kind of barriers to having a good education. and thank you for your time and thank you. >> You're okay. Sure. Sure. I we can get to you next. Do we have I know that I someone from the Black Share PTA wanted to address the

034group. Would you like to go next? Okay. >> Oh, yeah. Hi everybody. My name is Neil. Uh I have a daughter here at Keeling and a son who is still at Blackshar. So we've been at Blackshar a while and got a little bit more to go. Um I feel like in these meetings when we talk about consolidation uh the room can feel very heavy especially at at this point when it's open up to Q&A there's uh the air feels very thick at times. There's lots of emotion. It's good. You have families that really love their respective campuses. That's part of it. uh maybe fear of uh maybe it's not going to go the way I want. There's there's that element too. Uh maybe anxiousness about uh what you know that kind of plays on the

035fear. What's it going to be like in the future if it goes this other way? Uh so I just want to say for now just deep breath, relax. It's going to be okay. No matter how this goes, we're all going to be fine. Um I uh also wish to welcome our uh new families to to Oak Springs. We're looking very very much looking forward to that in uh in August. Uh I think you're going to love your new Blackshere campus. No matter how this goes, that's going to be your home for at least a little while. Um I say your campus because if you're at Oak Springs, it's going to be as much yours as it is anyone else's. So that's uh that's very important. Um there are many things I love about the campus.

036Uh tonight what you're going to hear is that you'll hear me advocating to keep Black Shear open as as an elementary school sort of permanently indefinitely. You'll hear others advocating the same. Really important for me for for everyone to realize that does not mean we're advocating against a new building at Oak Springs. That's a false choice as I see it. Um so some may say, "Oh, but the parameters of the situation, no, I didn't create those parameters. I did not erect them. Those came from the state, from the district. Uh I we have ideas. We've brainstormed about other possibilities. We just want to be invited to the table to discuss those. Uh maybe some outside the box things. I know Matias, you're uh uh smart, creative, uh handsome, and uh sucking up. Now, we can

037come up with some ideas together that maybe keep both of these campuses open because some of us on the Black side are passionate about that as well. I did Sherwin and I are new friends. we spoke this morning and have a deeper appreciation for for uh some things that he explained to me, some good historical context. Um, and I did not want to speak after Sherwin. I was hoping to go first because he has a lot of charisma, but this is how it happened. Yeah, that's uh that's all I have to say. I don't have a specific question. There's uh some folks that uh that are more articulate than I will that will ask you these questions. I'll let them them take over from here. Yeah. Thank you. >> All right. >> Thank you. I'm

038not one of those folks that's more articulate. Uh so I don't want to follow Sherwin either. I uh my name is Scott Flack. I've I've been in in Austin not near as long as many of you, especially uh folks that have been here for generations. I got here in the mid '90s. I have a real estate business. Got connected to Sherwin about a decade ago and started investing time and some capital and and uh relationship resources with life a new with Dr. Daryl Horton and others. So, I've had a lot of proximity to Oak Springs and to um Booker T across the street. Understand the relationship that's very important between those two assets. And I wanted to uh I need to read a letter from a friend. But before I do, I heard generational investment

039the front end from my friend here. And I believe that that's true. So, I'm I'm going to go with uh the facts of what I heard uh the superintendent say. If both schools aren't staying open, we deserve a generational investment. And there's one place where that's started to happen, got stopped. I think we're all frustrated with that, but has the opportunity to get started again. I agree with my friend who just spoke that short term it's going to be a little chaotic. We're going to be crammed into it sounds like one building. It's going to be Blackshere. I believe that if this young man uh who just turned one gets into kindergarten, it ought to be in a proper school that uh this community deserves, a school for the future, a generational investment. And the

040only way that that one-year-old is in a kindergarten that we can all be proud of is if we're bold and we make a decision to go vertical with something incredibly important and different and generational at Oak Springs. So, I'm going to read a letter from my friend Dr. Daryl Horton. It is uh pen to superintendent Sigura. So I'll kind of face you. >> Funny. I haven't read any of these letters. Uh yeah, that so no >> he couldn't be here either, but this one's a little shorter than a couple of sure ones. So dear dear superintendent Sigura, thank you and the Austin Independent School District leadership team for an extended opportunity to receive community input regarding Oak Springs and Blackshere Elementary Schools. I write this letter as I I am unable to attend in person

041due to a previously scheduled engagement. As a native Austinite, a graduate of AISD, and pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church in historic East Austin, I ask that you make an intentional and impactful investment in the lives of children and families in East Austin. I echo the heartfelt sentiments and wisdom of many in our community and I ask that you resume and complete the construction at Oak Springs Elementary School and consolidate the students, staff, and programs of Blackshere Elementary at the current Oak Springs campus. This move will provide another muchneeded modern campus for students in the East Austin community. In an effort to preserve the 135-year legacy and its cultural and historical significance, we ask that you invest in the necessary structural updates to Black Shere Elementary and repurpose that campus as an early childhood education

042programming center. This decision could provide a historic opportunity for our children who could experience academic fulfillment right here in our community within walking distance of their homes from Blackshere to Houston Tiston University. We recognize you have many difficult decisions to make. You are aware of the hurt and harm perpetuated for decades. Here is an opportunity for healing and restoration of trust. We ask that you have the faith and courage to make this life-changing investment generational in our children and in our community. Thank you again for your time and your sincere consideration. The Honorable Reverend Daryl Horton. >> Thank you. Okay. Are there any other folks who want to raise their hand? Maybe um if you if you're wanting to talk, I probably can only remember about three pans at a time, but if the and

043next folks that are interested, do we have anyone either from Black Shear or Okay, I'm going to go with you next. Anyone from Oak Springs? >> Oh, >> you want to go next? Okay. So, I'll go to the the lady back there to y'all and then to that gentleman back there. All right. Come on in. or I'm happy to come to you. >> Oh, the students are going to speak. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Can you explain so um the repurposing of Black Shear >> as an e uh early childhood development center, the CDC, like a of daycare infants to >> threeish, right? >> So, we're talking about like because we're trying not to use jargon, right? So, we want to call it what it is, right? >> Well, so these are ideas that have been

044brought to us. Sure. >> Right. So, you're asking me to respond back that that's >> an idea. Right. So, the I So, like it seems like an idea that's being floated right now is repurposing black shear, but you've also just told us it's too expensive to continue using >> modernize. >> Those are different things. Yeah. So, I I'll elaborate on it. >> So, could it is it is that really a choice to continue both projects? >> So, yes. And here's the reason why. >> Um they're not they're they're two separate things. I want to be really really clear. These are two separate things. Um, a modernized facility can only be paid for using bond proceeds. The 2022 bond program, which was this historic investment in East Austin, is what's funding Oak Springs, right? So, that

045has to go to a capital investment for infrastructure, and that's that's what it's allocated for. When you look at a historic building like Blackshere, uh, one of the things that you quickly realize, and I think most people here know, is that you're limited in what you can do, right? The footprint is fixed. The facade is fixed. You know, we there are things that we can do with the interior, but it's never going to be able to be constructed in a way that meets education specifications and our security specifications. It's just not possible. But what is possible is a repurposing for a different use. And that is a different type of threshold. So an example of this occurring right now, Pe's elementary school, right? Peas elementary school was closed in 2019, right? Peas has been uh

046reconfigured in in a partnership with United Way to be an early childhood center. That has already been done and we've paid for it using a grant through Congressman Dogget's office. And so in that way we can get a partner. The funds come from outside AISD, right? United Way came in and agreed to the partnership. We worked with Congressman Daga to allocate the funds. We made the necessary improvements, but those are very, very different standards than an actual school. So, the cost is very, very different. So are you factoring that when you're making this right now? >> As far as >> I would say that is less hypothetical than actually pursuing a modernized project for Black Shear >> for sure because the the reality is I can I can execute that plan and that project fairly

047quickly because it's not a large lift. I don't have to go to voters for additional funds, right? I there are so many needs when it comes to early childhood uh development centers in Austin like the the partnerships are there. What they don't have are spaces and what we don't have are funds to improve those spaces but that's where philanth philanthropy and partnerships with congressmen come in. So, and I want to be really really clear like our intent is to preserve Blackshere. Like we I I have acknowledged that from the beginning, right? This building the history there, the legacy of Black Shear is something that is going to be retained in Austin ISD. What we have to figure out as a community is what makes the most sense and also meets a need. Right? I don't

048want to it shouldn't be repurposed into something that doesn't meet an educational need. It really shouldn't. Um, so that is why that idea came up. We have I know I can do it. It's not going to be it's not I would say abstract because I've done it already and there's I work with Travis County, the city of Austin all the time trying to figure out ways to get this work and what they don't have are facilities and that's what we have. So is that helpful >> a little bit? >> Um >> different buckets of money and and there are different requirements to access each funds. >> Yeah. >> Next we're going to come up here. Do you want me to go up there or >> wherever you want? >> Okay. >> What's his name? >>

049Messiah. >> Hello, my name is Heather Kvasos. I'm a parent at Oak Springs Elementary School. I currently have two children there and they also had my two oldest. If if this decision is truly about children and learning, then completing a new modernized building at the current Oak Springside is the only response. AISD has said students need spaces that support innovative learning in today's techn technological age. East Austin children deserve that same investment. Thank you. Hello, my name is Bella Turner. I go to Oak Springs Elementary. If this is really about us, then we can then we need a school that is safe literally and made for learning. We want classrooms that help us focus in space where where we can explore, create, and grow. Finish the new Oak Springs building would show that our education

050matters just as much as any student in this district. >> Good job. Hello, my name is Serenity. I am a student from Oak Springs Elementary. If this is really about us, then please build a school that match the world we are growing up in. We are learning with technology, teamwork, and creativity. A new school at Oak Springs would give us the tools we need to succeed in middle school, high school, college, and every whatever comes next. >> Hello, my name is Bella. I attend Oak Springs Elementary. If this is really about us, then please listen to our voices too. We want a school where we feel excited to learn every day. A >> modern Oak Springs School would help our teachers teach better and help. Great job. >> Hello, my name is Lola. I am

051a proud to be a student at Oak Springs Elementary. If this is really about us, then the answer is simple. We need a new school built for learning today, not the past. Complaining the Oak Springs building will help students now and students who come after us. Please choose a future that supports our learning, our growth, and our dreams. >> Great job. >> And these are other students at Oakspring. >> My name is Yasmin. >> My name is Zeke. >> My name's Adam. >> Great job, y'all. My name is my name. >> Way to go, y'all. You're brave. WOOHOO. There's no way I'd be standing in front of this many people at your age. You guys are really amazing. Especially not reading. No way. The gentleman back there. Thank you. Hey everybody. Thank you. Thank you.

052I promise I have one letter to read and then I'll be short- winded. But this is I'm sorry. I'm Mike Harus from Austin, Texas. Born and raised. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Nice to meet you officially, my brother. But this is from Pastor Gayen Clark, uh, Greater Mount Zion. I wanted to share this uh on behalf of him. But dear superintendent Sigiraa and members of AISD board, I write this letter as I am unable to attend the upcoming board meeting in person. I serve as the lead pastor of Greater Mount Zion in East Austin. And I want to express my strong, passionate support for completing the new state-of-art elementary school at the current Oak Springs Elementary site and consolidating Oak Springs and Black Shear students at the campus. East Austin's children and families deserve

053access to a modern, fully equipped learning environment. Construction at Oak Springs began and remains an unfinished construction zone. Completing this project would represent a critical investment in the future for our students and a tangible sign of commitment to the educational equity in our community. Early childhood education is a foundation foundational to the long-term opportunity and this new campus would help ensure that the children in East Austin have the resources they need to thrive. At the same time, I strongly support preserving Black Shear Elementary because it's a deep historical and cultural significance. Founded in 1891 to provide education for African-American children, named for educator Edward L. Black Shear. The second, the school represents more than 135 years of community legacy. From its beginnings as one room school to its current role as a fine arts academy,

054Blackshere has mirrored the evolution of education in East Austin, preserving this historic campus as an early childhood education center would honor its leg legacy while meeting a vital present day need. This decision is an opportunity to stand united for our children, our neighbors, and the future of East Austin. I respectfully urge you to complete the Oak Springs campus and repurpose Blackshere in a way that both advances educational excellence and preserves community history. Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration. Sincerely, Pastor Gayen Clark, leave pastor, Greater Mount Church. Thank you. Now, I would like to say something real quick. I promise I'll be brief, but it was hard to follow up behind our youth. And we all have to remember that's our future. Those are the people that's going to take care of us one

055day. I'm still young, but I want, you know, these young women and children over here, these young men to take care of us one day. We have to come together. We have to protect our children. We have to protect our future. They are our future. So, please just consider this because being from here, born and raised, knowing where I used to be and where I am at now in life, we have to stick together because it will cause a lot of long-term trauma and harm for our community decades to come. And we don't want that. We don't want that at all. And it's all about unity. So, thank you. And please remember, put our children first. They need us. And we need them, too. Thank you. All right, I'm going to take three more folks.

056Um I saw your hand come up first. Um do you have a connection to either school in particular or just community in general? General. Okay. So that um and then I saw a hand over here. Your school connection Black Share. And then do I have one more Oak that wants to speak from Oak Springs? You and then Miss Brad. I'm going to go forward to Miss Bradley after that. All right. And if you'll introduce yourself. >> Um, good evening everybody. I'm Chaz Moore with a nonprofit here in town. Um, I'm I'm here because I was invited and we met before. So, the question I'm not I'm going to ask is not for you personally, but you sit in a seat that comes with a lot of baggage. Um, and you you most definitely are part

057of a system institution that has a whole lot of baggage. So, I don't want you to take it personal, but this is my question. Um, and I'm not going to tell you who I was invited here by because I don't want them to get no bad rap. Um, but it's hard for me to come to these type of meetings. Um, because I' I'm not born and raised in Austin and I've been here 20 years. Um, ever since I had the adult um um choice to move to Austin, right, since I was 18, I've been here. Um, I can't decide where my parents conceived me. Um, but for the 20 years I've been here and as an organizer and activist, I've seen black folks, Mexicans, Latinos, other people of color, and poor white um poor white

058to do good folks. cuz there's some poor white people that are terrible. Um, constantly come out and beg and plead um these different systems and institutions to do the right thing. Um, it it didn't start with the my organization. It it didn't start with the Black Citiz Task Force, but they were a big part of it. Um, it's it the LUACS, the NAACPs, the the Urban Leagues. Um, and what I've seen in my 20 years of being in Austin, um, but also because I can read, um, and and I know the history and I've listened to the oral history of black and brown folks mainly, um, our elders that have that have told me how much this city has, um, taken from black and brown folks. um just take like literally um and and in

059that process of taking um Sixth Street used to be all black, brown, and people of color took. East Side used to be all black and brown took um and and all these things, right? And in that process of taking colonialism for the words of people that know, um, black and brown people have had to endure um almost a humiliation of begging for human decency and to see us as human in the process of this taking. black and brown folks and poor white todo good folks have had to beg the city of Austin and city of Austin institutions and the process of them taking the things from these workingclass people to just treat me as a human just treat me as you would a decent neighbor and they took it anyway. Um my question with that

060in mind is um as these kids get up, as that brother got up, um and as these, you know, to do good pastors, bless their heart, reading you these letters full of passion and and hope. Um what what what hope um if you will or if you can um better question. What what would you say to a group of people that have no reason to trust anything that AISD is about to say? Right? like cuz we've seen this process with everything from um Metro C Metro um any bond issue that's on the ballot. Do do this and we'll deliver on this and then the delivery never comes through. And I've gone on record and said I think AISD is the most violent institution in the city of Austin compared to the Austin Police Department based

061on how they have treated and left behind black and brown and poor folks over the past 20, 30 years. And again, that's not you. It's just a it's a it's a it's a neglect of black and brown families and and students that have gone through the AIS system. So again, not personal, but like you represent a seat that have called these meetings before, people come out and they bear their soul and their their wisdom and all the things and then the things they're asking for still don't happen. So like well like what's I I I guess like what's the >> Yeah. So yeah. >> So when did you did you come in in the beginning or a little after we start? >> No, I heard you but I'm >> No, just to be clear like

062so Austin ISD has been around again 145 years and without a doubt like this organization has not done what it should have done for black and brown people. I'm a product of Austin ISD. I'm brown. My parents lived in East Austin. I grew up in South Austin and what you find us doing now I can't speak for 5 10 years ago I was I was here but I wasn't here I wasn't in the seat until two and a half three years ago but I hope that what you've seen from us in this iteration of the administration and our board is that we are very very clear that we are going to resource our students that need the most right period full stop we disagregate data Right? We know that students who have who look like

063you and I do not do well in Austin ISD, but yet we're a higher performing school district. So, it's in the details. So, we as an organization over the last three years, even prior to that, but certainly in the last three years, have been pushing very, very hard. So, when you say things or when people say things like we have done things in a way, at least recently that that is counter to what we've done in the past, I would say that's true. The 2022 bond program which is funding Oak Springs. Oak Springs does not get funded 10 years ago. Doesn't get funded 40 years ago. Doesn't get funded a 100red years ago. It got funded in 2022. I led that work. We led that work and we're executing that work at a high rate

064and a high level. You can compare us to CA Metro, City of Austin, Travis County. I promise you no one is building more efficiently or quicker than we are. Right? And so for me, you know, what we're trying to do and what and yes, what this is exactly what should be happening is understanding lived experiences of those in the community. It would be disingenuous for me to make a decision without your voice, without our students voice, without our family's voices because that's the definition of like historical inequities. Like if we're going to make a decision, you should be at the table. You should be closest to the decision maker. That's what this is. And so I will I'm telling you like as we move forward as an organization, we are desperately trying to turn it

065on its head, right? And there's a lot of evidence that suggests that we are moving in the right direction. I want to get this right. And it may not be right, but I'm going to do everything I can to make it as best as it can be so that when people look back 50 years from now, they knew that what we did was in support of those who have been historically underserved. Right? And that's where I'm at. And that that's I'm going to do that until the board ushers me out. But that's how I think. That's how I operate. And I would say that those who have worked with me know that. But yeah, it hasn't been a long run. So we're like a a blink in 145 years. Um but you know, I feel

066very confident that if we go down this path, this project will be executed. If we don't go down this path, then we will do whatever else we is required by the community and I will be relentless until it gets done. So, there's I don't know where where Ally was. All >> where I'm right behind you. I know I have this woman in the green and then the gentleman here here, Miss Bradley, and then I'll get to y'all after that. Yep. Sorry, Gabe. >> Hi, I'm a parent of two kids at Black Shar Elementary. Um, they're we're hoping to be with AISD for we're hoping to be with AISD for years into the future. Um so we have a first grader and a fourth grader and I've learned a lot about the interests of the community

067through this whole process of consolidation. Um I followed the meetings and you know you all are like celebrities who I watch on the AISD board meetings. So very nice to see you both in person. Um one thing I've learned is you know about more about the importance of the new Oak Springs building to the community who's been in East Austin for a very long time. Um, from my perspective as a parent, um, I prefer to stay at Blackshere because I want my child to have a consistent experience in their education and I really enjoy the campus. I've learned a lot about East Austin and the history here from being at that campus. Um, so that's, you know, it comes from my personal interest for my kids and also the appreciation I've gained from being at

068the campus, um, you know, for the last five years. And I like the comments focusing on the kids. Um, I think that that's something that I've really wanted to see as much of as possible in these discussions and a lot like a lot of I'm hearing two different things throughout the consolidation process. Um, one I think a trustee at one point called it kind of a building plan and it being a great building plan and I see that. Um, but also I feel like when it comes to the hard decisions that are being made, a lot of it comes down to the taps and the state requirements and there it feels a little bit like playing like whack-a-ole. like there's not as much forth and fore planning there. So my question is when we're having

069this consolidation, there's research that shows it takes a couple of years for school communities to really come together and for the kids to get stabilized and the school to be operating well, but at the same time we're introducing the other move. Um so we have the schools coming together. We have the TAP which has to does have support with it to get the academics where they need to be. But what's really going to be the support there for the tap? Like I don't want my kids to move again and then that school gets given over to the state. Are we building a new school just to give it to a charter school to run? Are we building a new school to give it to the state to run? I'd really like to know what the

070support for the Blackshere school staff and leadership is going to be to effectively lead a new campus development. At the same time, we are trying to be successful at a tap, avoid state takeover, which I don't think, unless there's someone here, this is a meeting. If anybody wants a state takeover, please raise your hand. But I don't think I think we're all as a district join together in that desire to avoid a state to takeover. And I'd really like to hear more about how the school and their leadership at Blackshire will be supported in leading the new campus construction while keeping the academics and the support for the children and and avoiding that state takeover. >> Yeah. No, great question. Thank you. Yeah. And so, um, Jennifer is going to stand up here in a

071second, who's the assistant superintendent over elementary school leadership, um, to provide kind of probably more detail than you're you're going to want because it's all in the taps, but it's also implementation. Right. What I want to also acknowledge is you're exactly right. Right. Whenever a principal is having to build a school or design a school, it's like two jobs. Um, and and we recognize that and we have supplemented that in the past. I want to be also very clear that a lot of that lifting actually occurs in the design process, right? Because when a principal is working with a campus architectural team, what they're doing is trying to build consensus to identify like what's going to be built, how it's going to be built, and where it's going to be built. Not once the contractor

072actually takes control and begins to build. So, in the period of time that we're entering, if we restart Oak Springs, yes, there will be um the need um uh for uh support and like um engagement, but not at the same level that you would have had it if it was if we were a year behind where we are now, a year and a half behind where we are now. Just think about it as like you're building a home. I mean, there's so much detail that goes into the specifics, but then once it's set and they begin to construct, you generally hand off. Um but we also provide additional supports. Um we have uh construction project managers. Um many of them are actually principles who actually have delivered modernized facilities. An example this is principal um

073Isaac it's Isaac Isaac how I how should I say his name? >> Isach I always say it wrong because I call him different ways. Uh but anyway, he was a principal at Wooten and then he went up to construction management and so he is the um support person for the principal who's going through a modernization. And so he is there with the principal's understanding. He's been a principal in our schools and he is working with school leadership. He's working with construction management and saying, "Hey, this is what this principal needs. We need to deploy the resources and we can actually provide those resources using bond proceeds and that supplements what's coming out of our TAP proceeds." So um yes you're very you're right there are additional asks of the principal where we are they're not

074as big as they would be otherwise and also we have a system in place to provide that support. Now when it comes to turnaround plans specifically which is also part of your question I mean I certainly can speak to the different resources that we're allocating much of that is being defined as they come together whether it's instructional coaches or additional allocations in staff. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, so one of the things, so um one of the things that we were really intentional about, maybe we could debate this. We were intentional about investing in schools that have historically underserved, right? Because I've been asked by people, Matias, why are you building schools that have historically not had met accountability or underenrolled, right? And and you're there are schools that we are building now, right? And we're

075consolidating into those schools. And so it's counter if I was only going to invest in schools that are higher performing or if I was only going to invest in schools that historically um had not the ch didn't have the same challenges then you would never invest in certain parts of Austin and that's not what we were going to be that's not who we are. So we have invested we made this commitment but with that commitment means that you're going to have to be very intentional about the plan that you implement because you are doing it in a community that has been historically underserved with student populations who just need more. Now I will tell you what is happening here. If this is where we agreed to go, it is actually the best solution. If you

076have two schools that are only coming together in the new school, that is not ideal, right? The best solution is when they colllocate together at a a transition school, which is what's happening here, and then move back to the new school together. So the school cohort is already built. An example be Norman Simps. I see he's shaking his head, but that's is what has been most successful. If you bring two schools differently, two different cultures, and the communities had not been built together, that is less successful. And we've done it both ways in Austin. And in my experience, it has been best to bring the school communities together first and then bring them back together. >> Yeah. >> Sure. >> The county school district. >> Um, sure. I can we have all that. I mean,

077I can share with you all the data. Um now there are multiple things that are putting downward pressure on enrollment. Um and so I I think it's um it is a uh it is a false narrative to say that any move is the only thing driving enrollment because we've seen instances where enrollments increased with a new school. And I've also seen instances where >> now if you go to a private school or move the state move out of the state or go to home school I can't track that. And there's also students that come in. >> I'm gonna I'm gonna go ahead and swing back around to you because we've on some folks. So, I have this gentleman here who's next, Miss Bradley, and then Miss Miller, and then I can come back to you.

078>> Um, good evening. Um, honorable superintendent, um, everyone here. Uh, this it's amazing that people come out and care. Uh this is this this is helpful. Um um my name is Bill Wallace and I get the honor and privilege of being with Tomorrow's Promise Foundation among some other organizations here in the city. Um, I I've had the pleasure of working with you on our state of black uh education here in Austin, which um we know is is, you know, not really something to brag about. Um, when I'm thinking about this, I'm thinking about uh I'm born and raised here in Austin, and I'm thinking about my my aunt Evelyn Kendrick Hargrove who uh graduated from O Anderson High School. And I'm thinking about the displacement of people from their communities uh and in in pursuit

079of education. And that that really just didn't work out. And I I think about the East Austin that I grew up in. Uh doesn't look the same. I went to Oak Springs Elementary School. I was a dynamic Dolphin. Um yeah. And um and and I went to to junior high school at Dolby Middle School with one of the principles there right now. Um, um, I hear what you said and and I want to trust the process, but I actually met with Dr. Stephanie uh, Elazald like every month for like 13 months straight. Me and a group of a coalition of people, we met with her every month. Um, we worked with Dr. amaze uh the the inter the interim superintendent during this bond process, right? Well, we were promised we were promised that this money

080is for is of is 100% going to schools in our eastern corridor. We're going to the eastern crescent and we're going to take care of these schools. all the lack of of of investment that we have seen throughout the years. Cuz right now, as it stands, Oak Springs looks just the same as it did when I went there in the 1980s. And and and and it hadn't been modernized very much since then. And the same is true for Dolby and Laneir or uh Navaro. Now, the same is true for those schools as well. And all of these schools fit the the the the criteria of this Eastern Crescent that we're talking about. I'm saying that to say that like we've been promised. we've been promised and I do think I agree with this young man

081here that it is a false choice to have to choose between the two um because they have historically been um underinvested and um I do share some of the concerns with people about enrollment because now we're starting to welcome people back into the gentrified Rosewood courts and you know what that enrollment is going to look like and uh the rest of it it's not lost on us that there's uh developments right next to um Oak Springs and I fear that if we quit this construction midway that the next time I pass by there when I go through my old neighborhood headed to Elmidge or uh visiting some of my mentees in Booker T Washington Terrence that I'm going to see the next Starbucks and Lululemon shopping center on that corner and I feared that uh

082I and I think that the the data is on my side, right? I think that that that what we've seen throughout my lifetime in East Austin is on my side that if that construction is is is is halted there. What we'll see is a non-modernized Black Shear Elementary School over overcrowded and on the verge of being eliminated like this uh young lady here talked about that we'll have the state takeover or something. And that corner where where we had an opportunity to modernize education for our kids will be left to Lululemon and um Starbucks or whatever. So, I urge you to continue this construction while we have it and keep that promise to all the people who went out or knocked on doors, handed out flyers, held listening sessions to tell their their constituents to

083tell their neighbors like me to tell our neighbors to vote for that bond that got approved that we just keep our promise to keep our promise on there because that's what happened. I know Dr. Maze is gone and Oscar Adams. I know all these people that are gone that Katrina Bailey and all them, they're all gone now. I get it. But I remember I remember the promises that was made and I'm asking you, your fellow Austin Knight, to keep that promise. That's what I'm asking. Appreciate that. So, uh, I want to I'm going to do a brief response. Um so they were they were here for a very short period of time right Dr. Lazald and Dr. Maize >> um the 2020 >> but I I was the co I was the COO in that

084time I I led the development of the bond program as far as investment location that was my role that was my that was what I did for years. I mean Sher Bradley knows and this is something we can agree on. I was actually here I did the stuff. Um but no but but this is my this is this is this is work that I led. It was important for me that we invested in a way that we had not before. I want to see investments in East Austin. And I know that it seems like it's been delayed as far as other infrastructure. We've been moving 2022 bond program passes. You sell the bonds in early 2023. You begin the design process. Takes you 18 months to construct an elementary school. We delivered Harris and Wooten

085two weeks ago. three weeks ago in this summer. We have, you know, Allison coming up. We have Pan Springs coming up. These are all East Austin schools, right? We have East Side Early College High School about to deliver. We got Bernett Middle School about to deliver. These are million, hundreds of millions of dollars in East Austin. All that is rolling. Like, and yes, I believe sincerely that we need to invest because you only get once, maybe twice in a generation to actually invest in the scale. It doesn't happen often. I don't know if we'll pass the bond. I don't know what superintendent's going to be here that's going to have the grit to go through it. Right? That's the honest truth. We went through it. I want to do the right thing. I want to

086take the input and do the best that I can. I hear you. Um we're trying to do it differently. And you know, at the end of the day, I hope we arrive at a solution that works for everybody. But I do not want a Starbucks or Lululemon on that corner. I promise you that. It needs to be a school. >> Matas, just so you know, I'm going to we're going to, like I said, post this slide deck up on the website for y'all. But um this was the numbers of units, the anticipated new builds, the ones that are already in the works or that are known and the amount of anticipated students that would be generated out of the amount estimated amount. Um and just so you all know when we estimated the capacity and

087the enrollment, it it took into account these numbers. So this is not on top of but it took into take into account. >> Um okay. So I know I told Miss Bradley she would be next and then I will select someone from >> Blackshare. >> Sir, so we've been trying to also allow people who just are general community members. So we don't necessarily dictate. >> We're going to make y'all we're going to make enough time for everybody. So, we're going to go ahead and continue. >> We're going to make sure that everyone gets spoken gets the opportunity. All right. and these stuff. I bought I was I was bought up. I went to this old Kein right here. I got educated. I got educated. I've been advocating for kids in ASD for the last 30some

088years. Black and brown kids. This district has always taken advantage of the disadvantage. You parents here, y'all can speak up for your kids. But a lot of these failing schools that are failing, they parents didn't get educated in the school district. They don't know how to advocate like you parents know how to advocate. They don't know how to go in school. They don't know how to go to website TA website to see if they children's teachers are certified or not. You have elementary schools that had had 10 or 15 long-term subs in their schools. The parents don't know that. Somebody have to advocate for those schools east of I35 have been doing that. So when you want to talk about failing schools, the reason these schools are failing because majority of the schools east of

089I35 have always been training camps for teachers. So I just want everybody to understand I have a niece right now. All children can learn with the proper guidance. But you got to have people standing in front of those kids that know how to relate to these kids that are in these communities. If you don't do that, none of our black and brown kids will ever be educated. Because if you don't not used to our culture and know how to deal with some of these kids, they get labeled with behavior problems. That's why we still have the school the pipeline to prison. And I'm just speaking to everyone and I hear some parent, but some of you all I don't care about your kids going to Blackshire. I don't care if you don't want the kids

090to go to Oak Springs. It it doesn't make me any difference. But I care about the kids that live in this community. Majority of you parents do not live in this community in Black or Oak Springs community. All we ask for is give our kids the new school. Give them the same kind of teachers that they have at Becker, not Becker, Barton Hills, Zilker, Maplewood. give our kids the same type of teachers. Give our kids those same type of teachers. And and I heard I I heard a lady speak. I heard what she speak. I'm about the disadvantaged children. That's what I'm about. >> Actually, I see a lot of hands coming up. Uh >> actually okay. >> Okay. Uh first of all I want to say thank you all for having this meeting. I

091did send a note to uh the uh school board trustee asking for another community meeting. The reason I did it is because uh a lot of the conversations had been going on about the consolidations. It got dropped on Blackshere and I don't feel that Blackshere the school nor the community has had the opportunity to have the same conversations that other schools have had the opportunity to have. Okay. Uh, one thing that I'm hearing, me personally, I believe that Oak Springs should have been a restart and the school should be completed. Two, I do not believe Blackshire should be closed for the simple reason that if you look across the street, you have an apartment complex right here. If you go down this street here, and I think that's Pennsylvania, New York always get those streets.

092But if you go down, you go down to Kale, you look to to your left, there's an apartment complex right there. If you walk outside, you go right down the street here on Rosewood, look across the street, you see that massive complex. People are going to move in there. It's going to be families because it's the City of Austin Housing Authority that's building that complex. I asked this question earlier. Was it taken into consideration of that complex being built? The families that would move in, were those families taken into consideration? Uh I see Sammy here. Uh there's also another complex that's going to be built on I think it's Juniper and 11. Juniper and 11th. And then there's going to be another complex that's going to be built on 8th Street. All of this is

093affordable housing. Families will be moving in there. Blackshire is going to be needed. >> Was that taken into consideration? Was any did anyone even talk to Michael Gerber? >> So, uh, Cheryl, um, Miss Bradley, forever trustee Bradley. Um, yes. I mean, that's that's how this process works. You know, we actually just shared the different developments that were captured in the in the plan. You list them there. If there are others, we're happy to explore them. They are there. We met with the developer. We pulled the information in. Here's the thing. Everybody, most people believe that a certain type of unit yields more students than it actually does. >> No, Matias, I'm not even saying that because I know the conversation didn't happen with the city of Austin Housing Authority, Michael Gerber. >> I didn't. Dude,

094I meet with Michael Gerber. I would not meet with Michael Gerber to begin with. I I would go to where the development is, the number of units. >> Well, I know you wouldn't, but you had people >> he met with the developers. >> So, so I would expect them to have done that, but I know that that did not get done. So, but then the other thing is is that the parent who spoke about focusing on students because bricks and mortars, bricks and mortar do not teach. You have to have the right individuals as Miss Miller says in those schools and you know it when you speak of uh intention funding being intentional the supports being intentional. I don't believe that a principal walk into a school that they have the leadership authority of and

095it not be intentional. I do not believe teachers go and stand in front of their students and it not be intentional. It's always intentional. But what I need you to understand is what is the intention of the district for our community and I do mean East Austin, Blackshire, Oak Springs. What is the intention? because basically you already know what you want to do and so you can't gaslight me. I've been in this district far too long for that. >> I've known you for a long long time. >> So wait, hold on. >> So but to be clear, you were the one who helped introduce this idea to be clear. >> Oh no, no, no. See, that's it, too. Did you actually have a conversation with Sterling Lens? Cuz I was in that meeting. In fact,

096I helped to organize the meeting he's speaking of. One person came to the mic and made the statement and that was a teacher if I'm not mistaken of Oak Springs. It was only one person and now all of a sudden this meeting takes ownership. There are lots of people. >> You have called Sterling Lan's name out every time. I thought you were at the church, but you make it like it was his idea when only one person came to the mic instead. >> You took it and you ran away with it. And I'm not mad at you about I don't run away with things. I have a lot of just to be clear. >> I'm not mad at you about that because you are the superintendent. But one thing that and and I do need

097everybody to understand this >> the enrollment of AISD is dropping >> and you know it is >> even when they started planning this bond the enrollment was going down. It wasn't increasing. It was still going down. But was that taken into consideration? Promises were made and we expect a return on our investment. That's all I'm saying. That's it. So, if you promised it, do it. If you can't do it, state the reason why. Make it plain and clear. And I like your question because you're right. You make it plain and clear. We're looking at closing two schools and opening up one. Same thing with Sims and Norman. Two schools closed, you opened up one. The one thing about East Austin is we lose our legacy. >> We lose our history. And then you want to

098say we can bring Black Sha back as an early education center because that's what's done at peace. But that wasn't done overnight and you know it took what four to five years. >> So to be clear I could have gone a lot faster if there was you I'm really honest with you we go back I could have that could have gotten done much quicker than it actually did because of the time between when the vote took place the pandemic and the sensitivity around repurposing that school as quickly as when the school was closed. That's just the honest truth. So yes I think we could go faster. That's why it took that long. 2019 pandemic, nothing was happening for two and a half years. So that contributed to that time. >> Okay. Well, what I'm going

099to ask you is to take into consideration the community around the two schools that we're speaking of. Okay. Take into consider consideration the historical value of what we're talking about. If you're going to say it, do it. It's intentional. Make sure it's intentional. make sure that there is a strong academic program no matter what you do so that the supports are there because that has been one thing that has been a fight in this district. It is a district that has institutionalized racism. no matter who the superintendent is and who they think they may be able to fight to to stop that. But there is institutional racism. The gentleman was correct. So whatever it is you're going to do, make it intentional, but ensure that the black community, and I live in this community. I

100attended Blackshirt and of course it didn't look like it does right now. I intended intend uh attended Keeling right here. I also attended Oak Springs as well. So I attended this school. I actually have a vested interest in this. Anytime I vote, I vote for what's going to be in the best interest of children, not adults. Because as an adult, we already have it. We have to ensure that our children can attain it. And we look to you to be able to do that. Okay? And you did inherit a mess. I will agree with you on that. You did inherit a mess. But it's what you do with that mess right now that helps us to trust you. >> Yes. So this woman here is a black alumni. She's going to go next and you've

101had your head up almost as long as she has and I'll be over there. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. My name is Arlene Young Bloodood and I am an alum of Black She Elementary School and my buddy Regina Temple Grimes. We were in nursery school at Ebeneza Nursery School on 1010 East 10th Street through fifth grade at Blackshire. Okay. We had teachers that pushed us to excel. And my white babies that I see at Carver Library when they get out of school, they are coming over to Carver from Blackshire Elementary School and Fine Arts Academy. Parents make sure that they're able to transfer their babies to come all the way to the east side to benefit from the excellence at Blackshire. And I'm so proud to see y'all here to advocate for your

102children. Okay? I'm also proud of those black parents who are able to come. Some they're not able to come because they're working. They have responsibilities. But I need you to understand Blackshire is an important part of East Austin. 1891, Gregory Town, part of the Freedman colonies. The school has a historical marker at the old administration building. So I want you to take time and go look. Mr. Rice, who was there when I was little, they were popping behinds back then, the board of education. Okay. Mr. Rice instituted the free lunch program that AISD prior to under segregation, Austin public schools. He introduced a free lunch program so that the white schools could also start feeding their babies. He got that program started to blackure during segregation. So I want you to understand these schools are

103important. The children have a place to go. They're getting excellence at both schools. Okay? I'm still I'm advocating folk springs too. All these schools are very important. They were established during segregation. And our white babies are benefiting from what happened at these schools because they need their parents need a school for their babies to go to. Also, the students at Houston Tillerson, they do their student teaching over at Blackshire. Where are they going to go? >> They go right across the street. If they don't have a car, they go practice their student teaching for their education degree. Where are they going to go? You have Holy Cross Church down the street. You have Mount Olive Baptist Church. So that is a community. When you break up something, it dies. And that's what happens during gentrification.

104Erase something so that we can start over and build some condos. We need to keep what's important to our community. I do thank you. you're dealing with a big mess cuz nobody want to deal with the mess and so here you are. You'll probably have some gray hair next two years. Okay. But thank you so much for the opportunity. We need to stand up like the lady has mentioned for our children. They are the beneficiaries. When children of all colors, black, white, brown, Asian, red, yellow, can come together, make friends, go to high school, go to college, work with each other in corporate America, public sector, whatever it is, they need to get to know each other. Okay? These are going to be their friends. Some of them are going to be marrying each other.

105Get ready. Okay? Come on. They need opportunities. You can't live in a vacuum. But thank you so much. And y'all go over to Blackshire. They got the historical marker. And I think there's a get together the anniversary of the school Friday. 5 to 7. >> 5 to 7 on Friday. Friday the 13th. Please come. Even if your kids go to go to Oak Springs, come on over to Bye. Thank you. come over here. And we are we are at the end of our schedule time, but how many show of hands of people were really still hoping that they could speak? Okay. One, two, three, four, five. I think we can do we can commit to f six. You made it just in time. All right. Um, go right ahead. >> Hi. Uh, I'm Rachel. I

106have uh two kids at Blackshere. Uh we've lived in uh Black Shear zone walking to school for uh 14 years. The kids have been here uh since 2001. Um so fourth grader and a second grader. So um Black Shrew's been really awesome. Um I appreciate all the comments here tonight. Um, I think that the loca the comments about our location I'm I'm really happy that was brought up because Blackshere has been able to have success and that success is built on our amazing principal, our amazing teachers, our amazing families and all of like our location is tied up in all of that. And I I feel like that hasn't been enough of this conversation because when I when I look at the hard decision to be made, you know, it started um I feel like

107with the the consol district-wide consolidation discussion of um and while I personally am like interested in the short term, I'm I'm really trying to put myself into y'all's shoes thinking about the long term. How can our neighborhood school that serves all of our families be successful long term? Um, and I think, you know, the the restart plan um didn't happen at Oak Springs. And the plan was let's build on the success at Blackshere. Let's open up and be a bigger, stronger school together. Um, and build on that success that we've had. And so what I'm really worried about is that if we remove Blackshere's community from its location that success will be much harder. Those partnerships with teachers from Houston Tillson, we talked about the academics, right? That's that's the promise that matters the most

108is giving our kids the education that they need and they deserve. And it's hard to get those teachers to teach at our east side schools. Um and and having that pipeline to Houston Tillison has helped Blackshere stay staffed, have amazing amazing people. Um where I understand I was horrified to hear about the staffing shortages at our at our neighbor school. Um, so I I do think that's that's that's part of my view is is not only the short-term transition, which I think is very dangerous to try to uh create more instability at a time when we have a big challenge ahead of us. Um, but also the long term of um, you know, what is going to be a school that will attract the teachers and the staff and the and the families who are

109engaged. And you're right, like some of us in this room have more privilege than others to advocate for our kids. Um, and I think that that's one of Boxer's strengths is it it has attracted parents that invest in in our school and in our community and hopefully advocate for all of us. Um, all of they're all our kids, right? Um, so what strikes me about this discussion, I hear the timing is has to be done now because of construction contracts and like when can we move into new the new school. The idea of delaying a year actually seems good to me from the perspective of like let's get through the tap. Let's focus on one thing at a time. And so I would really like um this conversation to be part of the district-wide discussion

110because we know there were at least three more schools to close. If you build another one, that's four more schools to close. And because you didn't put a monastery at gov go valley and you didn't make Sanchez a a dedicated ESL school that means that there's we have Zabala underenrolled Campbell underenrolled you know and and so there's uh all of these things are related to each other. Um, and I I I would really I feel like have I think I would just have so much more confidence in this decision about what's the best location long term for our school if it was part of the holistic discussion. Um, and I really respect all the work that y'all have done on that. Um, it's it was really hard. I was really hopeful it would happen all

111at once. Um, because this is more painful and the uncertainty is driving people away from the district and all that. But I think the um the having it part as part of that holistic discussion would help us all look at the map and say, "Okay, that makes sense." Right? If if you closed Go Valley as a neighborhood school, Oak Springs location makes a ton more sense, but Go Valley is right near it. You know, I there's all these moving parts. So, um I've taken too much time. I appreciate everyone. >> No, I I want to um Thank you. So I know we're I know we're going to hand off another uh the gentleman he needs to answer his question, but just a quick timing issue. So I I have contemplated whether we should move this

112into the a longer discussion. The reality and this is again it's a function of of time right escalation in this market you know it's real. We manage it. It's it's something that can be anywhere from 8 to 12 and a half% in some years 14%. And so with the remaining funds we have now, if we don't execute a GMP, then the ultimate budget one year after will actually exceed our remaining available dollars. Right? So that's one of the things that I'm really trying to navigate. So there's a window of time where I have enough money allocated right now to actually complete the project. If I wait a whole year, I mean, just probably eight% to $60 million, $15 million, you know, at a year and a half, depending on when it's anchored, you know, you

113could see seven eight million bust. And that ends up being pretty substantial given how tight the overall bond program is. And so that's one of the things that that I'm also wanting to to just to communicate to you all that we're having to navigate because that's the reality. If the money isn't there, then the then becomes a different question. Well, where's that money going to come from? It has to come from another project. Well, most projects we don't know that we have surplus funds until they're further along in their construction project process and down towards the end of it and then we'll sweep those dollars and invest back into the infrastructure. So, that that is that's why right now is something that we wanted to really explore um and why, you know, that timeline wouldn't

114necessarily work without creating other issues, but just wanted to share that. Sorry, longwinded. >> I'm gonna go over here. >> Yeah, thank you. Um, Jude Leonard. Um, I live around the corner. I have a kid who's going to one of these schools. Um, apparently very opposed to a merger, um, as you may have heard. Um, happy to find out so much of the history that I'm now a part of, which is really cool. Um, I I think that we should keep both schools open. You know, finish what you started, do what you say you're going to do. I mean, that's what we're taught from elementary school, right? Um, I I very much disagree that uh merger is beneficial to kids. Um you know there's attachment theory there's uh national school standards that show uh disruption

115decreases attendance you know reading level mathematics everything you know Ericson psychosocial development you know there's plenty of research to prove that you know forcing kids into one school and then moving to another over time is actually bad for them. Um enrollment is not the only metric of success maybe for the district but not for parents and kids. Uh my teach my my wife she she taught at um Dolby Middle School. She taught at Bichc and um the the staffing at Dolby was terrible. The you know the teacher to student ratio just led to poor outcomes time and time again and and she was teacher of the year actually. She was teacher of the year one year and uh you know it crushed her. So you know um she she did her best. Um I I

116think we're in one of the highest density areas outside of downtown. closing a school and making more kids go to uh the same school is is a task that's gonna you know it's going to have repercussions for our families and and for the kids also. So, um, you know, uh, I support, uh, Oak Springs and and I support Blackshere, but I definitely definitely support both because, um, you know, student to teaching ratio is very important and, um, and having access to, um, history is going to be important for, you know, generations. >> Thank you. >> And I I just want to be really clear, the merger of the schools has already been decided. like just I mean that that's not something that I have the authority to change it. It's now just a function of

117the lo the location of the school. Um and so I I didn't want anybody to leave here thinking that was something that that come could come back around. I don't expect that would come back around. But I appreciate your comments. Uh sir, >> hi. My name is Patrick. I've got a couple kids at Black Shear. Um I've appreciated the discussion and learning about everything. I'm going to sit down. I got a bad leg here. So um my question is is for you actually. Um I I've heard that it's a decision that we are making. It seems like it's your decision. Can you clarify that? >> Yeah. So so like in in all things. So yes, I have the I am the decision maker, right? We I try very very hard to get input from the

118entire community whenever we make difficult decisions. And I would say that if you looked at the history of the decisions we've made, we have pivoted and adjusted when appropriate to include community input. But there are just some things that I cannot change or some things that I'm just not going to move away from. This is one of those areas where because of where we were in the process, how we arrived at that time in, you know, November 20th, there's kind of flexibility to explore this, but there's a finite period of time. We cannot explore it for years and years and years. it it really needs to be okay. The merger was coming together that was already decided by the board. We have an opportunity to explore this. I made a commitment to do so and

119that's why we're here today. But yeah, I have the it is my decision to make, but I never make a decision in isolation. >> And and do you have experience ever working in Blackshere? >> Do I do I have experience working in Black? I >> or supporting Blackshere directly? Just curious. >> Supporting I mean in my current role, my previous role >> I've spent time at Blackshere. I've I've I mean there's been lots of times where the principal and I have had conversations about supports the campuses needed. >> Um yeah, I'm very familiar with Black Shield. >> Okay. And then about Oak Springs. >> Same. I mean, >> have you spent equal time or have you >> So, is this what this is about? You want to like >> No, I'm just I'm just trying

120to understand. >> Do you want to know out of the 116 schools, how many minutes I've spent at each school? I mean, is I'm wanting to understand. >> We got two schools in question. I'm just looking for the line of questioning is very like I don't understand what you're trying to arrive at. I spend ask our principles if I engage. Ask the community if I've been present. Ask anybody here who's seen the work that we've done. I remain as present as I possibly can and more so than any superintendent has before. It's impossible for me to be at every school and spend the same amount of time at every school, but I try hard to do so. I >> you can tell there's a lot of very committed people in here. I think what we

121want is like a a fair, just way to move the the process forward that's going to put everybody, all of the kids in the best position to move forward. And I think I would wonder if you'd maybe consider an alternative way to make a decision. >> A vote? Is that something you consider? No, I I would I would not consider a vote. And the reason being is because it's clear that every community shows up in different ways to participate in those votes. And if you think that's not true, then I can show you hundreds of surveys that have been done in Austin. It's it wouldn't happen that way. It just wouldn't be really fair. I mean, I I'm just I hope you understand why that would wouldn't be fair. >> It feels like a very

122rushed process. So, if nothing else, a little bit more time to consider and go through a proper process seems reasonable, right? >> I think timeline and process is something we can be considered. I just want to be really clear about what the exchange is, right? And I was when we were talking about the the increased cost that is real, right? That is something we would have to contend with and work through, right? Because that would have to mean that I would have to commit more dollars from somewhere from some other school in order to make this school hold, whatever we decided to do. >> Speaking solely for myself, we're in it for the long haul. So, if I need to go campaign for a bond, I'm ready to do it. So, >> yeah. I appreciate

123your name and contact information for next time. Um, where are we? All right, we're gonna go talk about money. >> All right, >> that's my neighbor. That's my neighbor right there. So, I want to say like our kids go to birthday parties together. I know his parents. His cousins just moved in. We are a community whether we may not know each other that well, but we're going to be a bigger and better community together. But I'd like to talk about money. So, in 2017, Cassiss, a 1951 school, got a $35.2 million bond to completely modernize their campus. And I'd like to see the numbers for what that would look like for Black Share. You came in here and you told us that there's not enough money for that. And I haven't seen those numbers. Second,

124you said there is enough. I'm sorry, I'm not done. You said that there is enough for what we need to do at Oak Springs, but that doesn't include the redesign that actually accommodates our students. That's >> so the first question. So, Cassiss um very different market, right? So, that was funded in 2017 bond program. Uh you know, on a dollar per square foot basis, we're almost like two times what that was. That's just market conditions. I have all that information and we share it on our CBOC website. It's all there and I can we can summarize it so you can see what the cost per square foot is. Now, it is ridiculous how expensive these buildings have become. Um, so Cassiss were able to build at a much different rate. And honestly, there are schools

125that are being built now that are very different on a cost per square foot basis than schools that are being built at the end of the bond program. That is how fluid this econ this how hot this market is and how much it impacts our budgets. Secondly, uh, when it comes to uh, uh, Blackshare like how far uh, dollars could go, right? Because that's kind of the the question that you're asking. you know the the the redesign um when we think about a redesign I think about the things that are easier to manipulate given where we are in the process right so the design is set the permits have been approved the GMP has been set as well right so >> so to be so there are I would I would I would almost dis

126so here's in what way because our education specifications would require that every um space is very very similar. The configuration of those spaces is what the community weighs in on. So yes, there are limitations on how the relationship from space to space uh would occur. Like that that is set that is a true like that is that I'm agreeing with you that is true. Um are there opportunities to refine what currently exists within the existing footprint? Yes, with some exceptions like I can't move the kitchen. I can't move certain things but there are other elements that can move. Um so >> Matias, you used an acronym right here. You use an acronym G. Could you clarify that one? >> It's a guaranteed maximum price. There you go. It it is the price that that we

127set and our general contractor agrees to. >> No, it it's it's what we I agree to that I will pay you this money to deliver this school. Period. Um and we set that early in the process and they secure the bids and that's how we kind of get to a point we have certainty in the in the in the budget. So there are opportunities to refine the design, but it's not a redesign because a redesign would require more permits. It would require really a change in timeline, right? I'm using the timeline that's currently existing with changes that we can manage within the existing timeline. Does that make sense? Like if I move a kitchen, that is a 18-month change. The city of Austin permit So, so are you, so what I would say is the

128projected enrollment of both campuses, right, can be accommodated in Oak Springs two years from now. Like you're not leaving tomorrow, right? We're not leaving the year after that. You're not leaving the year after that. So really what we're trying to do is say when we think about the reside, right? Because we talk about neighborhood schools. We're serving students that reside in the neighborhood. We want to welcome families from everywhere else where we have space, but we design for the reside. The reside fits without a doubt. Um, and so I think that's that's one of the things that keeps coming up. I'm happy to provide more details on it and we can send the slides out that show the breakdown. But that's why when we think about um spaces, you know, what's fixed are where our

129buildings are and where our students live. Um, and that's how we have to plan. >> All right. This gentleman here has had his hand patiently for quite some time. Um, and y'all, it is getting pretty late and so I'm going to ask >> unless you have a comment that you feel that really truly has not been touched upon. I'm going to try to get us to wrap up. >> Hi. Yes. So, mine's actually pretty good follow-up to that last question. Um, so Black Shear's fine arts program has attracted a lot of transfers and so what I heard is that the smaller capacity of a modernized campus at Oak Springs would limit the number of transfers um available and thus limiting the availability of fine arts elementary programs for AISD students. Is there a consideration of

130keeping Blackshire open as a nonzone fine arts campus? So I would so the the first thing is um the fine arts program was introduced right in a way to create programming that attracts families from outside the area right I think there's there's consensus I understand that I understand the history that's what it was that's why it was designed we don't design programs for transfer students we design schools for the community that resides in and then if there's space we welcome transfer students in right that's why middle schools and high schools we have lots of movement in our high schools, but we don't set capacities based on that movement because things can change and we see it change all the time where a principal will turn over and then we'll see a hundred students move within

131a high school. And so we we just can't design transfers. But whenever we have capacity, we absolutely welcome our families in. Um now, is there an opportunity like forward thinking to keep Blackshire open? Then that would mean that I'm forgoing building Oak Springs. That's just the honest exchange because right now you the board has already agreed to combine both schools. So I either have to make it an to your point unenrolled or open campus um throughout the entire district which there are challenges with that. Um I'm not saying it's impossible but it wouldn't happen in this timeline. It would require the long the um academic framework and vision work to occur in the spring, the boundary work that's going to occur in the summer and into the fall and then at some point after that

132we'd revisit it. So that's how it would have to work. >> I just would say that you would be killing the magic that's making lecture work. Um which is you know the fine arts program that is attracting a lot of transfers. That's what's leading to a lot of the success and I think you would be cutting that at the knees. >> Yeah. I mean, I think that's um that's one of the things that we have to really understand is the impact of the change. And um here's the thing is that programs move. I mean, I know you don't want to hear that. I know, but and when you look at the history of Austin ISD, I can there are so many programs that have budded and grown, something happens, and then it it moves along

133and then something else comes in and something else comes in. We've been pretty clear, at least I've tried to be clear that, you know, we want to ensure that we have incredibly strong neighborhood schools and supplement with programs. uh would we ever make a decision the other way around? I think the only way that you're going to see that if it's a district-wide like comprehensive um school that would include transportation, it would have to include a lot, right, to have it be viewed and and supported in that way. Um it's not impossible. I just sharing with you kind of the the constraints, but that's you're exactly right. I mean, there will be an impact. And I I will say that the only way that we can even begin to mitigate that is to begin to

134plan like that. That's the honest truth. You just got to plan and I we have seen schools come together. We've seen programs change. It does happen. Um and so that's why for me clarity is helpful and I want to give that clarity. I know that they've I've heard rushed but clarity is kind in many ways because what's going to h what I want to avoid is this dragging out for another year and a half, not being able to complete Oak Springs, not giving your families any clarity and then not having any money to do either. Like that is a real possibility if you wait too long. Um, and so that's just another something else I'm grappling with, right? >> Okay, I'm gonna make this be our last comment. And this this person, I just have

135to acknowledge brought tea for everyone tonight, y'all. I just want to acknowledge that. That's an incredible thing. >> Well, um, I don't think this has been touched on, but except for the part about we need resources in the buildings for the children to be successful. I wanted to say that I've, you know, I'm new to the east side. I've been here for 20 years. I had the opportunity to um get to know some of my neighbors and really see what the um kinship, what the the community um you know, it was a fraction of what it was, but I got the chance to get to know some of the elders and um I really appreciate the chance to talk to people like this. Like I think I thank you all for making this possible and

136everybody really sharing um and listening together because I think that's part of the piece that is missing from how we become a real community in Austin. How do we write some of the wrongs? I value like uh what Arlene, Miss Arlene was saying about like my kids getting to know other types of kids, my kids and other kids having to work it out. Like that's the future. That's what we need and they're showing us the way, right? Like we're more afraid. Um, so we need resources in this new school, especially with the divides that have been, you know, we needed the time to talk about it, but it's the divides that have been here over generations have are still here and we need facilitation. We need um resources to support the communities coming together. I

137remember um Mr. Sherwin leading and and participating in the healing circles at 12th and Cone. Like I think that we need that kind of ability to talk to each other in a school community, in a safe place, in a neutral place um to be able to really support all the kids. So, thank you. >> Thank you so much. Um and this gentleman up here is rather convincing and I he convinced me to let him have one more word. So, um I I think we have two stories that's going on here. So, when we look at both schools, we would we want both of them to stay open. I agree with Miss Bradley um that both schools should stay open. Um however, where we are right now at this juncture is that there has to be

138a decision made because um really um we're forced into that decision. I don't like it and I I don't like the fact that we have to make that decision. So, as someone who is a um part of this community that lives in the Black area, has been there for 55 years, um I there's a few people in the room that beat me, which is Mrs. Bradley and and a few others. Um I understand what it means when you have people who don't have the same options as the folks that are in this room, including myself. Um because I'm looking at the the demographics, the representation that's in the room and even with the black sheer community, I don't see a lot of representation from people that look like like me that are disproportionately impacted by

139every negative indicator. And so when I look over at Oak Springs, although I live in the Black Shere community, then it forces me to step outside of what I really desire because I I grew up in the Black community. My mother taught at Blackshire. I I have a vested interest in the Black community, but I have more of an interest in the people who are disproportionately impacted by the decisions that we make. And so when I when I come to that conclusion that I have to advocate for the kids rather than for my own convenience, then I do that. And so if we look around the room when we first came in, just think about it. We had a lot of people that were from the Oak Springs part of the community in the room

140and the room has shifted because they had to go home because there were other kids that they left at the house that were taking care of themselves. because they did not they not they're not afforded the same opportunity to sit here until 9:00 tonight and have this conversation. So, they had to come in and they had to leave. And so, the reason why I'm standing at the to the end because I really want to go home, y'all. I want to go home. Like, they said that it was going this was going to end at 8. I wanted to go at 8, but I had a responsibility to stay to the end so I can make sure that the voices that had to leave the room are heard in the room. So, going back to what

141Jana was saying, um, I'm all about restorative justice. Restorative justice is about making things right when you see things that are wrong. It's about listening to the voices of everybody who's a part of this conversation. My question for us in the room is, have we actually listened? Because we had young people who stood up here who have not been afforded the same options as some of the people who are in this room who said, "I just want my school and they deserve it." And that fine arts academy that you're talking about, that fine arts academy should be at this new building as well. It should be there. Now, superintendent, we should not be having to close the school, but I don't think that you have any options right now except for to make that decision.

142One school has to close and there has to be a consolidation. And I believe that that that consolidation has to happen. If that decision has to be the decision, Oak Springs. And so I I would just encourage everybody um at the end of this night to go home and not only consider your own child that's with you, but consider the children who do not have the same options or the same access as you do, including myself. And then we make a decision from there. Okay. So, I've promised many times that we'll get this posted. We also, if you gave us your email, um we're happy to send this out tomorrow. um via email along with that engagement report. They're both available English, Spanish. Um but just wanted to go through a few next steps. So

143um we are committing to come back to y'all with the decision no later than the end of this month. You might have seen on one of the previous slides we need a decision um if we're going to make that timeline. Um I believe we were told um that it's got to be decided by March. So we're trying to get before that, get ahead of that. Um just as a reminder, general enrollment and transfers are going to open February 16th. So, that round one enrollment just ended last Friday. We're going to have the general transfers and general enrollment opening on the 16th. Um, general transfers are the 16th through the 10th. Those the enrollment system will close for three days and then re reopen back up for that general. Um, as far as staffing for the

144campuses, so we just had a match fair February 7th. How many offers did we send out to staff? Do you remember? 140 I think something more than that. um of staff who are able to find a home, folks that were displaced um for because of the consolidation process. Um the next one of those happens March 7th. Um and then the staffing offers and placements will be having March 23rd through April 10th. So just giving you kind of a glimpse at the timeline of how we're trying to find homes for staff that may have not um may have been displaced through the consolidation process. Um so with that, like I said, we you will um hear back from us um no later than the end of this week. Um, we'll aim for tomorrow, but um, not

145going to promise that on my team. Um, and then of course, as a reminder, that Black Shear um, anniversary, the 135th anniversary, that's this Friday, 5 to 7. So hopefully maybe we'll all see each other there again. So everyone have a wonderful evening. Thank you.