March 4, 2024
Dear AHISD Families-
This is a busy time of year for all of us in Alamo Heights ISD, and there is much to look forward to in the coming weeks and months. I feel like March signals the initial start of the close of the year, and I feel surprised this year that we’ve found ourselves here so quickly. This month, I come to you with some updates regarding some academic policy work our Board of Trustees is engaged in as well as Bond 2023 Construction updates.
Academic Updates
Discussions on the evolving dynamics of college admissions and our local class rank policies have actively engaged our community. In February, we conducted a survey on class rank, receiving responses from nearly 1,000 parents, staff members, and secondary students. A significant 80% of respondents agree that altering class rank policies could yield advantages for students. Furthermore, 74% think that AHISD should only rank the top 10% of students. There's a consensus among 77% that AHISD is prepared to implement changes to class rank this year. Additionally, 83% underscore the importance of AHISD regularly communicating updates about the discussions on class rank and any subsequent policy modifications.
The Board of Trustees is currently moving toward consensus on proceeding with revisions to our class rank policies. This includes limiting the ranking to the top 10% of students, aligning with the Texas public universities' requirements for automatic admission. There is also a significant consideration over the proposal to calculate class rankings based on core academic subjects, which comprise English, mathematics, social studies, and science. These adjustments are anticipated to be put into practice starting with the incoming freshmen, the class of 2028. While existing high school students will not experience a shift in the ranking methodology, the Trustees are evaluating the potential advantages of altering the notification of class rank to these students. These changes are expected to be finalized by April 2024. To learn more, please visit our
Class Rank website. Please email our dedicated email address at
[email protected] with any additional comments or questions.
Bond Construction Updates
Last month I shared that we launched a
Bond 2023 Updates website to keep our community informed with regular updates about the design, planning, and construction of Bond 2023 projects.. We have continued to add information based on your feedback including a
Frequently Asked Questions page that I hope will address questions that you have.
Voting
This coming Tuesday, March 5, is Election Day in the March primary elections. This is a critical time in our state for public education. The winner of most seats in the Texas Legislature is determined in the March primaries and not the November general election. Voting is one of the best ways to directly impact the future of our state, our community, and our public schools. If you were unable to take part in Early Voting, you can vote between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. tomorrow.
Looking ahead, we’ll find ourselves in April very quickly, so I wanted to ensure that you have our annual Festival of Learning and Culture Night on your calendar for April 1. It's scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. at the High School and it is a wonderful community event that highlights the engaging learning experiences that all our AHISD students are excited to share with you as well as some outstanding presentations about the cultural backgrounds of our AHISD families.
With Spring Break around the corner, let's seize this opportunity for precious family moments and well-deserved rest.. Wishing you an AH-mazing week filled with laughter, joy, and cherished memories with your loved ones. Let's return recharged and ready to tackle the remainder of the spring semester with renewed energy and determination. Here's to making the most of this break and embracing the adventures that lie ahead in the final three months of our school year!