Austin Public Schools

06/24/2026

🏫 Each year, two AHS students are selected to represent the student body on the School Board. This year's senior School Board Student Representative is Lydia Masara!

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞?
I wanted to become a Student School Board Representative to effectively represent the student body and ensure students' voices were heard. The decisions being made by the school board impact every single student in our district, and I wanted to be a voice for all.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞?
I view my role as a Student School Board Representative as being a voice for the students I represent. My responsibility is to keep the school board informed about what students are doing within the school community, including their accomplishments and activities. I want to serve as a bridge to close the communication gap between students and the administration.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞?
One thing I hope to bring to the school board as a student representative is a strong and authentic student perspective. I want to ensure that students' experiences, concerns, and ideas are heard and considered in the decision-making process. We, as students, are most impacted by the decisions the school board makes; I believe that students deserve a seat at the table and a voice in conversations.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝?
Students should take an interest in the school board because its decisions directly affect their education, safety, and school experience. If students aren't happy with their school environment, they should know they can bring it to the school board to try to effect change.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟?
I am the founder of the African Student Association and a member of Speech and Debate, orchestra, DECA, National Honor Society, and tennis.

06/24/2026

06/24/2026

Thank you to the Paramount Theatre, part of Austin Area Arts for inviting our summer school students to watch the movie Zootopia 2 as a midway celebration. The students had a blast at the film and got to enjoy an outdoor picnic at the park behind the building. The kids described it as "The best day ever!"

06/24/2026

🏫 Each year, two AHS students are selected to represent the student body on the School Board. This year's junior School Board Student Representative is Sam Vortherms!

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞?
There are many reasons I wanted to be a student school board representative here at AHS! If you know me, you know that I am a very active student in the AHS community and want to be a voice for more underrepresented communities and the overall student population; no voice should go unheard! It’s important for our student population to communicate their opinions to others as much as possible and to build a healthy, transparent, and communicative relationship with the school/school board. Lastly, I think that as a student school board representative, it's also very important to communicate well with the student population, updating students on what is going on and what is being discussed during meetings, stopping misinformation about the content, and truly portraying factual and helpful information to the students, all of which are crucial aspects of why I wanted to be a student school board representative.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞?
I view my role as a student school board representative as an opportunity to be a strong voice for the student population and a good communicator between the school board and students.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞?
One thing I hope I can bring to the school board as a student representative is a listening ear and a bright smile! Being a team player and a listener, having a strong voice, and being a friendly person are all aspects I would love to bring to the table.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝?
I think that it's important for students to take an interest in the school board because it's necessary for true change. Too often, I hear students make empty claims, complaints, or comments without having any capacity to fix the problem. Sometimes it's as simple as watching or attending a school board meeting with a specific purpose to realize the scope of what change you're capable of.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟?
Some other activities I am involved in are the AHS Band, AHS Choir, Drama Club, Speech, Student Council, Jazz Band, Austinaires, MacPhail Center for Music, and Matchbox Children's Theater.

06/24/2026

Due to kitchen update delays, the Summer Meals Program at Austin High School will continue to be a cold lunch option through next week. Breakfast and lunch will still be available, but there will be no hot meal option at AHS. Thank you, and have a wonderful summer!

06/22/2026

Austin Public Schools is pleased to announce the hiring of Michelle Niska as the new EL and Curriculum Coordinator at Austin Public Schools.

Ms. Niska, who has worked in education for nearly 28 years, holds BS degrees in Elementary Education and English as a Second Language from Minnesota State University and a graduate degree in Educational Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education. In addition to her extensive classroom and coordinator experience, she has also worked as an English Language Program Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Education.

“We are thrilled to welcome Michelle Niska to Austin Public Schools,” said Dr. Katie Baskin, Executive Director of Academics and Administrative Services. “Her extensive experience in multilingual instruction as well as English language department leadership, and her proven commitment to improving student outcomes make her a valuable addition to our team. Her passion for collaborative work and improving family engagement align perfectly with our priorities. We look forward to the positive impact she will have on teaching and learning across the system.”

Ms. Niska’s passion for communication, professional development, and building relationships has defined her career in education, and her extensive background in developing and coordinating EL programming shines through. “I am honored to join Austin Public Schools,” said Ms. Niska, “and I am so excited to learn, lead, and grow along with [the staff]. Together, we will build on our strengths and create opportunities for every student to succeed.”

Ms. Niska will be taking over for outgoing EL and Curriculum Coordinator Ashley Kaplan.

06/22/2026

Due to kitchen update delays, the Summer Meals Program at Austin High School will continue to be a cold lunch option through at least Wednesday. Breakfast and lunch will still be available, but there will be no hot meal option at AHS. Thank you, and have a wonderful summer!

06/19/2026

Due to kitchen updates. the Summer Meals Program will be transitioning to a cold lunch option for a few days this summer at Ellis Middle School.

Breakfast and lunch will still be available, but there will be no hot meal options during these dates:
🍎 Ellis: June 22 - 25

Thank you, and have a wonderful summer!

06/18/2026

This summer, Austin Public Schools is working through several renovation projects, including kitchen updates, parking lot resurfacing, track refurbishment, and more. Check out some pictures of the updates to the Austin High School kitchen.

The remodeled space will include:
🍗 Three combi ovens
🍗 Two warming cabinets (not pictured)
🍗 One tilt skillet
🍗 5 stainless steel work tables
🍗 New dish machine and scrapmaster

06/17/2026

This summer, Austin Public Schools is working through several renovation projects, including kitchen updates, parking lot resurfacing, track refurbishment, and more. Check out some pictures of the newly resurfaced parking lot at Austin High School!