An Austin Independent School District planning team met last week to gather feedback from parents on how to approach a modernization project planned for either Metz, Sánchez, or Zavala elementary schools. The district hopes to boost enrollment at the three campuses through a “unification” effort funded by AISD’s $1.05 billion bond package, which passed in 2017. District officials hope the upgrades at one campus will have a positive impact on all three of the underenrolled schools, which are located within one mile of each other. The school selected for modernization would likely attract more students, but it could also have residual effects on enrollment at the other two campuses through implementing “shared community spaces” accessible to families from all three schools. When construction begins at one of the three campuses in 2020, students, teachers, and administrators will be temporarily housed at one of the other two schools.
The planning team has met about once a month since January to brainstorm ideas for updating one of the three campuses with a community space, innovative classroom designs, and increased safety measures. Rethinking the classroom to promote “collaborative space” has emerged among the planning team as a popular way to transform one of the three schools into a modern campus. Team member Ryan O’Donnell explained Monday what that might look like: Imagine a room that’s the size of a small auditorium, filled with movable, soundproof walls. The room would house an entire grade level, and the walls could be used to segment the students into classes, but just as easily moved around to let students work together. The hall-facing wall of the room would be built entirely of glass, giving administrators, parents, and teachers increased visibility into how the classrooms are run.
O’Donnell said the modernization efforts could bring a much-needed equity boost to the students at one of the three schools – economically disadvantaged students constitute over 80% of the enrollment at all three. “We’re creating a facility for our Eastside students that has the tools, the space, and the environment to provide equitable facilities for them to learn and innovate in,” he said.
The school selected for modernization will be announced Aug. 9. Pending approval from the AISD Board of Trustees, construction is scheduled to begin in January of 2020, with an opening set for August of 2021.
21st Century Schooling
A version of this article appeared in print on Jul 27, 2018 with the headline: 21st Century Schooling
This article appears in July 27 • 2018.