Notes from November 16th Austin Alumni Board Meeting
Kathleen_Reynolds | | 
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Follow the link to read the notes from the November 16th meeting of the Austin Alumni Board. The meeting included report outs from both subcommittees, the Policy and Advocacy Committee and the Engagement Committee. The attendees also prioritized setting a Retreat to do strategic planning for their alumni group in January.
Austin alumni provide input in search for new AISD superintendent
Kathleen_Reynolds | | 0
Members of the Policy and Advocacy Committee of the Austin Alumni Board are having their voices heard during the District's search process for a new superintendent for Austin ISD. The to-be-hired new superintendent, who will replace the retiring Dr. Forgione, will be reading to begin work by June of 2009.
Lindsay Perlmutter (New York '04) and Larkin Tackett (Mississippi Delta '00), along with other members of the Policy and Advocacy Committee, have developed priorities regarding the profile for the District's new leader. Members of the Policy and Advocacy Committee will be participating on a conference call on Wed., November 5th with the firm hired by the District to conduct the search for the new superintendent, and the alumni will provide their priorities and recommendations to the search firm on the call.
The alumni have chosen the following priorities with the overarching goal being that Austin schools improve opportunities for struggling students, while also retaining families that have the option to send their students to the growing number of private schools in Austin.
(1) A demonstrated history of emphasizing high expectations for both students and teachers, including, but not limited to, the following.
Holding teachers accountable for performance with methods that include strategic compensation.
Increasing participation and success in rigorous curriculum like magnet, AP, and IB programs that hold students to a higher standard than TAKS.
Increasing graduation and college enrollment rates.
(2) Support diverse public school models to meet the needs of students at all socio-economic and skill levels, including, but not limited to, the following.
High performing charter schools.
Existing high school redesign efforts.
(3) Expand high quality early childhood education programs to ensure that all students entering Kindergarten in AISD are school-ready.
Austin Alumni: Engagement Committee Meeting 10.22.08
Kathleen_Reynolds | | 0
The Engagement Subcommittee of the Austin Alumni Board held its first committee meeting on October 22, 2008. This committee is co-chaired by Rachel Ratliff (GNO '04) and Amber Welsh (Los Angeles '05). To read the notes from this meeting, please visit:
Austin Alumni: Policy and Advocacy Subcommittee Meeting - Notes from 10.15.08
Kathleen_Reynolds | | 0
The Policy and Advocacy Subcommittee of the Austin Alumni Board held its first committee meeting on October 15, 2008. This committee is chaired by Larkin Tackett (Mississippi Delta '00). To read the notes from this meeting, please visit:
First Austin Alumni Board Meeting Held September 24, 2008
Kathleen_Reynolds | | 0
The new Teach For America Austin Alumni Board had its first meeting on September 24, 2008. The Board came to important decisions around priority areas of focus and impact and governing structure. Among topics that were discussed were ways the Board members and other members of the Austin alumni community will take part in the search for the new superintendent in Austin ISD and ways that we will facilitate community-building and networking among alumni in the Austin area.
Please read the meeting notes at http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ds8ht92_0g72xgkgs to follow our discussion and decisions from last night. You may contact Kathleen Reynolds, board chair, at kathleen_g_reynolds@yahoo.com with any questions or input that you have regarding the work of the Alumni Board. We will continue to keep all alumni in the area informed of our work and of the ways that all alumni can "plug in" to connect and make impact in our alumni region!
