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Staff Weekly
By Christina Burbank & Collaborators听鈼徛May 22, 2024
Smart Brevity庐 count: 4.5 mins...1236 words
It鈥檚 our last newsletter of the year! But first, some fun things to take you into summer鈥
馃帀 Congratulations to our retirees! This year we have 259 retirees with a combined 5,199 years of service.
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Special kudos to Norberta Aguilar, Carye Edelman, Cathryn Harris, Eva Luna-Belmares, Collins Van Nort and Celia Venegas, who are retiring with more than 40 years of service!
鈿 In the mood for soccer? Kick off your summer next week at the 麻豆果冻传媒 FC match against the Portland Timbers.
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1 big thing: Employee Compensation Agreement
District Leadership and Education 麻豆果冻传媒 have agreed on a that would include market adjustments and a 25 cent per hour increase for classified employees.
Yes, but鈥The permanent pay increases would only go into effect if the board calls for and voters approve a potential Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election.
Why it matters: Despite making $30M in non-campus based cuts, the district still faces a $59 million deficit. To increase teacher and staff salaries, we would either need an influx of funds or, we鈥檇 have to consider deeper cuts that would impact the classroom.
How it works: Market adjustments for active, benefits-eligible staff would allow us to keep our pay plans fair and balanced and remain competitive with other districts and the job market.
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Market adjustments vary based on the position and years of experience, so not all employees鈥 hourly rate would be adjusted.
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All classified staff, however, would receive a minimum increase of $.25 per hour.
Once we know our approved budget, our compensation team would work with TASB to compare our current compensation plans to other local districts and the outside job market.
If there鈥檚 no infusion of funds through a VATRE, the agreement states that all active, regular employees in a full-time position would receive a one-time incentive payment of $500.
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Active, regular employees who are less than full-time but benefits-eligible will receive a one-time incentive payment of $250.
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The payments would be made on the mid-December paycheck.
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Qualifying employees must be in active status as of December 1, 2024 to receive payment.
Where we stand: While we鈥檙e navigating limited funds, we remain committed to addressing long-overdue inequities in our compensation for classified staff and our more experienced teachers.
View the full story to understand next steps鈥
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麻豆果冻传媒 ISD Groundbreaking and Construction Kick-off Celebrations
We鈥檝e officially celebrated groundbreakings for schools undergoing full modernizations, marking the commencement of the first modernization projects since voters approved the 2022 Bond.
Two schools also kicked off renovations to open-concept floor plans, adding full walls and doors between learning areas to enhance safety and the overall student experience.
What they鈥檙e saying: 鈥淎s we reflect on our campus鈥 history and celebrate our 50th anniversary, we are also looking to the future with great excitement,鈥 said Cook Principal Priscilla Sanchez Emamian. 鈥淭he improvements planned from the 2022 Bond will make a tremendous positive impact on our students and staff. We can鈥檛 wait to see our school鈥檚 transformation.鈥
What's next: Construction on the modernizations of Harris and Wooten elementary schools and Sadler Means Young Women鈥檚 Leadership Academy will kick off this summer.
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Harris and Wooten are expected to open in January 2026, and Sadler Means is anticipated to open in January 2027.
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Construction on the renovations of Cook and Williams elementary schools will start this summer, with anticipated completion before the start of the 2025鈥26 school year.
Go deeper: For more information about 2022 Bond projects, visit or message us on Let's Talk by texting 512-856-6123 or online at
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Mental Health Awareness Month
麻豆果冻传媒 ISD teachers are putting their mental health first by integrating mindfulness, social-emotional learning and yoga into the classroom. The initiative is through a district pilot program with .
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The pilot launched in January with 30 teachers at 10 campuses and helps train the teachers to center mental health with their students and spread the learning to their colleagues on campus.
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The goal is to grow a second cohort at 10 additional campuses.
Why it matters: May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In 麻豆果冻传媒 ISD, we鈥檙e focused on eliminating the stigma of mental health and creating support for students and staff to thrive.
What they鈥檙e saying: 鈥淸Breathe for Change] has transformed my teaching and relationships across the campus,鈥 Cowan Elementary School Teacher Devon Whipple said. 鈥淚 think taking care of ourselves as teachers is so important and when we鈥檙e not taking care of ourselves, we can鈥檛 take care of our students.鈥
Dive deeper with more helpful tips and resources on the 麻豆果冻传媒 ISD Mental Health website.
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Student Success: Senior discovers passion for firefighting
Ava Martinez is graduating this month with her sights set on becoming a firefighter. A senior at 麻豆果冻传媒 High School, Martinez enrolled in the at LBJ Early College High School during her sophomore year, which stoked her curiosity and passion for the trade.
Why it matters: 麻豆果冻传媒 ISD offers a wide range of Career and Technical Education opportunities, regardless of the student鈥檚 home school. Through Student Sharing, students across the district can participate in unique programming and find their passion for the future.
How it works: Martinez goes to 麻豆果冻传媒 High School for her regular classes and then spends half her day at doing hands-on work towards her certifications.
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Martinez isn't unfamiliar with the field. Her father and older brother are firefighters and although she hadn't planned to be one herself, she joined the LBJ Fire Academy to follow her brother鈥檚 path, who also attended the academy.
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鈥淭he motivation was definitely living up to the expectations of my dad and brother. I want to be able to show them that I can do it too,鈥 Martinez said.
What鈥檚 next: Martinez, is graduating from 麻豆果冻传媒 High School with an LBJ Fire Academy certificate, and is ready to serve her community. She鈥檚 applied to the 麻豆果冻传媒 Fire Department and If she's accepted and meets all criteria, she could begin her dream job in January.
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鉂 Have a great summer and thanks for having us in your inbox this year!
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