Friday, May 7, 2010
Austin Board of Trustees Election Tomorrow
The Austin Board of Trustees Election is tomorrow, Saturday, May 8th.
Polling Station: Mills Elementary
Time: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
We can vote in two races: District 7 (Southwest Austin), and District at Large 9.
District 7:
Robert Schneider
Warren Faulkner
District 9:
Tamala Barksdale
Cassandra Enoch Brown
Julie Cowan
Dianne T. Mendoza
Mike Reed
The Austin Statesman reports that Julie Cowan, and Tamala Barksdale are in a close race, and that PTA groups have the power to decide who will win. So, get out there and vote!!!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Community Dialogue about Austin ISD School Facilities
Travis High School, Cafeteria
1211 E. Oltorf St.
educators, parents, students, civic and business leaders, and other engaged
community members.
Your insights and opinions will help shape the future of public education
in Austin. Please attend, listen, and speak up. Bring your neighbors and
friends.
For more information, call AISD Facilities Management, 414-2667, or check
the website, www.austinisd.org
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Check out the new candidate video presentations from AISD.
AISD Board of Trustees Early Voting
Monday, April 26, 2010 - Tuesday, May 4, 2010
SOUTHWEST
Randalls South Mopac and William Cannon
6600 South Mopac @ William Cannon
Mon–Sat 7 am–7 pm, Sun Noon–6 pm
Randalls Brodie and Slaughter
9911 Brodie Lane @ Slaughter Lane
Mon–Sat 7 am–7 pm, Sun Noon–6 pm
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Community Impact SW Austin article on Candidate's Forum
AISD candidate forum at Mills Elementary
By Yvonne Lim Wilson Thursday, 08 April 2010
Budget priorities dominated the conversation at candidate forum hosted by the Mills PTA on April 7 held at the Mills elementary school cafeteria. The forum was for Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees candidates running for District 7 (Southwest Austin) and At-large District 9.
Incumbent Robert Schneider and retired educator Warren Faulkner are running for the District 7 seat. Tamala Barksdale, Cassandra Brown, Julie Cowan, Dianne Mendoza and Mike Reed are running for the at-large seat. All listed candidates except for Mendoza and Reed attended the forum.
The district’s $7.1 million shortfall was a source of many of the audience’s questions. All the candidates expressed reservations for a tax increase, saying they would prefer looking at budget cuts first.
“I have not heard a lot of support for a tax increase right now,” said Cowan, who supports first examining programs that are not working and could be cut.
Brown added that the board needed to give superintendent Meria Carstarphen a chance to look for efficiencies before going to voters to ask for a tax increase. However, she did say that she believed a tax increase would be needed at some point in the future.
“Tax cuts are the very last thing to me,” Barksdale said.
Schneider also said he is not in favor of tax cuts at the moment and said that structural deficits need to be addressed.
Faulkner echoed similar sentiments about looking for program cuts and efficiencies first, but also added that a small tax increase to support the strategic plan and salary increases for teachers could be approved by voters.
“We don’t need to sell our citizens short,” he said, adding that the last tax increase was approved by 60 percent of voters three years ago.
Other topics discussed included plans for a new high school in southwest Austin, school closures and ideas to improve school boundary processes.
Currently, District 1 incumbent Cheryl Bradley, District 4 incumbent Vince Torres and District 6 incumbent Lori Moya have no challengers. District 1 encompasses East and Northeast Austin and District 6 encompasses South Central Austin.
Early voting takes place April 26 through May 4 and Election Day is May 8. For more information, visit http://www.austinisd.org/inside/board/election.phtml.
AISD Board Candidates Info
Tamala Barksdale
http://www.tamalaforaisd.org/
Facebook: Tamala Barksdale for AISD
Jill Cowan
http//www.juliecowan2010.com
Facebook: Julie Cowan for AISD School Board At-large Place 9
Warren Faulkner
Facebook: Friends of Warren Faulkner
Bowie Makes the List
Group ranks Central Texas schools
by KVUE News
Posted on April 19, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Some local schools are celebrating after being ranked among the best schools in Austin.
The group Children at Risk released its rankings Monday morning at Canyon Vista Middle School in Northwest Austin.
The group evaluated dozens of campuses in seven Central Texas counties --- considering graduation rates, scores on college entrance exams, and other factors.
Among high schools, Westwood tops the list. Other schools that made the grade include Westlake High School, Wimberley High and NYOS charter school.
Two Austin ISD campuses made the list -- Anderson and Bowie high schools.