September 2, 2025

Dear AHISD Families-
As we find ourselves in September, the energy of a new school year is contagious across all of our campuses. The first weeks of school have been filled with joy, learning, and connection. This month marks the transition from the excitement of new beginnings to the steady rhythm of routines, where the real magic of teaching and learning takes place. In AHISD, we remain focused on building relationships, nurturing curiosity, and providing opportunities for every student to thrive.

Academic Update
As we begin a new school year, we are excited to build on the momentum of last year’s outstanding achievements. Our students reached the highest PSAT, ACT, and SAT performance levels in the past three years, and we celebrated a record number of Advanced Placement Scholars.



In the 2024–2025 school year, AHISD implemented a new policy requiring every student enrolled in an AP-level course to take the corresponding AP Exam. This change resulted in a record 913 AP students at Alamo Heights High School completing more than 1,900 AP Exams. Impressively, 77% of our AP students (701 students) earned a score of 3 or higher, making them eligible for college credit for the courses they took at AHHS.
To put this accomplishment in perspective, the College Board reports that nationwide, only 22.6% of U.S. public high school graduates in the Class of 2024 scored a 3 or higher on at least one AP Exam during their entire high school career. Our students’ performance stands well above this national benchmark, reflecting their dedication and the strong support of our teachers, families, and community.

We are incredibly proud of our Mules and look forward to continuing this tradition of excellence in the year ahead!

Budget Update
Despite our best efforts to advocate for adequate school funding during the 89th legislative session, public schools came up short on the requested $1,340/student for the basic allotment. Proactively, we engaged in a comprehensive Community Budget Advisory Council process last fall to prepare for this worst-case scenario. This council was able to make recommendations leading to $4.2 million in cuts to programs and positions.

As we start the school year, it is important to remember that our campuses are operating with significant cuts in positions and changes to the former way of operating some programs. For example, due to the elimination of cafeteria monitors at the elementary schools, we’re asking parents to help volunteer to support our teachers during that time. Our intervention teams and special education teams are operating with less staff members which leads to changes in services. We’ve had to reduce teaching assistants at Howard Early Childhood Center, in our libraries, and in our language programs. Teachers at the secondary level are teaching an additional class period each day.

I share these examples with you to remind you that our AHISD staff members are truly everyday heroes, taking on more and more responsibility this year due to the lack of adequate school funding. You can help support our efforts through volunteering to lend a hand on our campuses, or through a donation to the Alamo Heights School Foundation.

Safety Coordinator
This past month we welcomed Chief Eddie A. Ray, Jr. as the district’s Safety Coordinator. The District Safety Coordinator is responsible for overseeing all aspects of school safety and emergency preparedness across the district, and will be supporting every one of our campuses with their safety efforts. Chief Ray joins AHISD after serving 24 years of active duty in the United States Air Force. He culminated his military career as the Senior Enlisted Leader of the 502d Security Forces Group (SFG), Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. You’re sure to find him out and about on our campuses during the day, so please welcome him home to AHISD!

Bond - Visitors Athletic Complex
It is definitely exciting to see the new construction taking place all around the district. Just last week, our new Visitors Athletic Complex at Harry B. Orem Stadium was open to the public for the very first home football game for Friday Night Lights. This new space provides great seating for our spectators, an updated locker room for our visiting team, and a multi-purpose space for meetings and learning opportunities. Also included in this space are areas designed for future golf simulator bays.

Grand/Senior Mules Events
If you are a Grand (Parent) Mule or a Senior (Citizen) Mule in our community, I invite you to join us at our next Grand Mules/Senior Mules event from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 13.

We’ll start at Central Office, 7101 Broadway, and then hop on board a school bus for this ‘Mules on Wheels’ style event with visits to Alamo Heights HS and Woodridge. Participants will receive a Grand Mules or Senior Mules t-shirt and those 65 years old and older will receive their Gold Card for free admission to all district athletic and fine arts events.

RSVP to reserve your spot by Oct. 30 by calling or emailing Cristina De La Cerda- [email protected] or (210) 832-5953. Please share this information with any community Senior Citizen who would like to learn more about our AHISD offerings!

As the fall season approaches, I am grateful for the continued partnership of our families and community. The months ahead hold tremendous promise, and I look forward to all that we will accomplish together.

Mules up!



Dr. Dana Bashara

Photo of the Month:


Visit our Facebook page for an album of pics from our first home varsity football game.

Reminders:

Opt-In for School Text Messages: AHISD utilizes the School Messenger system to communicate important information to families through email, text, and/or phone calls. If any contact information has changed over the summer, like phone numbers or email addresses, families should contact their campus office to update in our student information system. In order to receive text messages, which the district sends only in emergencies, families must opt in to this service. Here's how to sign up for text messages. Those who have previously opted in do not have to complete again.

If you see something, say something! We ask all AHISD families to commit to having ongoing conversations with students about safety and security and to encourage the reporting of any concerns to a trusted adult on campus. Families can also report safety concerns on our website by clicking Students / Parents and then Safety Concerns.

Please stay connected with all things AHISD by visiting Heights Happenings and also following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Upcoming Events:
 
Athletic Events

Visit Rank One for all sporting events.

Master Calendar Events
Friday, September 5 - Secondary Progress Reports Distributed
Friday, September 5 - AHHS JROTC Open House - 5:00-7:30 PM - Location: The Oaks, Alamo Heights High School
Tuesday, September 9 - HECC Teddy Bear Picnic, Location: Howard Early Childhood Center
10:45-11:15 AM - Heinze, Arnett, Gorski & Cecil
11:55 - 12:25 PM - James, Johnson, Adams & Ballew
Wednesday, September 10 - G&P/Committee Meeting - 7:00-9:00 AM - Location: Boardroom, Central Office
Wednesday, September 10 - HECC Teddy Bear Picnic, Location: Howard Early Childhood Center
11:20-11:50 AM - Duce, Perez, Hammer & Franklin
12:30-1:00 PM - Lara, Gonzalez, Cruz & Romero
Wednesday, September 10 - National Grandparents Day
Thursday. September 11 - HECC Teddy Bear Picnic, Location: Howard Early Childhood Center
8:00-8:30 AM & 11:00-11:30 AM - Boylan, Cabaza & Rosenblatt
11:55-12:25 PM - Peters, H-E, Powell
1:05-1:35 PM - Lopez, Bueno, Champion & Palacios
Friday, September 12 - Elementary Progress Reports Distributed
Friday, September 12 - Donuts with Dudes: WatchDOGS Orientation - 7:30-8:45 AM - Location: Playground & Evelyn Phillips Auditorium, Cambridge Elementary
Friday, September 12 - AHJS 7th & 8th Grade Choir Jamboree - 4:00-7:00 PM - Location: Alamo Heights High School
Friday, September 12 - AHJS Concert, Symphonic Winds, and Honors Band Night with the AHHS Band - 7:00-10:00 PM - Location: Harry B. Orem Stadium, Alamo Heights High School
Wednesday, September 17 - Regular Board Meeting - 6:00 PM - Location: Boardroom, Central Office
Thursday, September 18 - WE Fall Individual Picture Day - Location: Woodridge Elementary
Monday, September 22 - Friday, September 26 - AHJS Book Fair - Location: Library, Alamo Heights Junior School
Thursday, September 25 - CE Stay and Play - 3:30-4:30 PM - Location: Cambridge Elementary
Friday, September 26 - Secondary Progress Reports Distributed
Monday, September 29 - Friday, October 3 - WE Fall Book Fair - Location: Library, Woodridge Elementary


PTO
Thursday, September 4 - HECC PTO General Meeting - 5:00 PM-5:30 PM - Location: Cafeteria, Howard Early Childhood Center
Monday, September 8 - AHHS PTSO General Meeting - 12:00-1:00 PM - Location: The Barbara and Alan Dreeben Auditorium Foyer, Alamo Heights High School
Wednesday, September 10 - WE PTO General Meeting - 12:00-1:00 PM - Location: The Suzanne & Jimmy Goudge Auditorium, Woodridge Elementary
Wednesday, September 10 - CE PTO Parent Happy Hour - 6:00-8:00 PM - Location provided upon RSVP
Wednesday, September 17 - CE PTO General Meeting - 12:00 PM - Location: Evelyn Phillips Auditorium, Cambridge Elementary


Back to School Nights
Wednesday, September 3 - CE 3rd-5th Grade Back to School Night - 6:00-7:15 PM - Location: Cambridge Elementary
Wednesday, September 3 - WE 3rd-5th Grade Back to School Night - 6:00-7:15 PM - Location: Woodridge Elementary
Thursday, September 4 - HECC PK3 & 4 Back to School Night - 4:15 PM- Howard Early Childhood Center
Thursday, September 4 - HECC Kindergarten Back to School Night - 5:30 PM- Howard Early Childhood Center
Wednesday, September 10 - AHHS 9th - 12th Grade Back to School Night - 6:00-7:30 PM - Alamo Heights High School