Education
BY ELLE BENT
Austin ISD rolls out police motorcycle unit As Texas school districts work to comply with House Bill 3—the requirement that all schools have at least one armed o cer on campus—Aus- tin ISD o cials are doing so “their way” with a new motorcycle unit for the district police department. What’s happening? The district is actively recruiting, with the goal of 70 o cers in the motorcycle eet, AISD Police Chief Wayne Sneed said. The o cers will be tasked with tra c enforcement, patrolling and more. Superintendent Matias Segura said the new unit will help attract recruits to the AISD police department and be competitive in the region. How we got here Passed during the 88th legislative session,
Oak Hill Elementary renovations begin Construction at Oak Hill Elementary School began March 19, as one of the four AISD schools that will undergo renovations funded by the $2.44 billion November 2022 bond. The gist The school, located at 6101 Patton Ranch Road, Austin, was constructed in 1974 and was designed with an open-concept oor plan. This means the school was built without doors or full walls between many classrooms. The renovation will enclose the classrooms, create new spaces for small groups and a new front entrance. The project is estimated to be complete in 2025. One of the most important goals and bene ts of the project is to make the school safer, Oak Hill Elementary principal Lori Komassa said in a news release.
Austin ISD Police Chief Wayne Sneed demonstrates the lights and sirens on a BMW motorcycle for the new eet.
ELLE BENT COMMUNITY IMPACT
school district o cials are required to decide on changes to comply with HB 3, which went into e ect Sept. 1. In August, the AISD board of trustees voted to place one o cer at each campus. In order to do so, o cials need to hire 89 additional o cers and support sta . The 70 motorcycle o cers will contribute to that total of 89 the district is working toward, Segura said. Since January, about 25 o cers have joined the AISD Police Department.
DSISD families to see after-school care cost rise Families of students participating in Dripping Springs ISD’s after-school program, Kids Club, will see a $25 increase to the monthly tuition rate, following action by the board of trustees March 25. Additionally, both before- and after-school pro- grams will ask for half of the monthly rate of tuition for children enrolled in August, which previously came at no cost. The overview department and held at elementary schools. The price increase comes amid sta ng chal- lenges the community services department is facing, which has pushed o cials to limit the enrollment to the after-school program. Kids Club and the before-school program, Club Crash, are run by the district’s community services
2024 25 school year rates
The before- and after-school program charges vary for district employees and nonemployees, and next year’s will include cost changes.
Tuition rates Kids Club monthly
Employees
Nonemployees
$70
$250
$35
$125
Kids Club August
$40
$185
Club Crash monthly
$20
$42.50
Club Crash August
SOURCE: DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
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