Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

As the climate conversation continues, a common thread began to entwine various perspectives among Austin Public Schools Board members and that’s a need for connection.

Board members held another lengthy discussion during its work session Tuesday afternoon, acknowledging again both the concerns and the need for continued conversations, however, highlighting those two areas was a desire to see more connection across the board.

“This is a marathon,” Board Chair Carolyn Dube said, addressing the rest of the board. “We’re going to have healthy conversations over the next few months. Part of our culture is to have these conversations.”

With the board’s strategic planning session coming up next month with Superintendent Dr. Joey Page, members talked about a number of different ways it might approach the morale question among staff within the district, something Board Member Don Leathers pointed out began around a year ago.

Since then, a number of staff — most notably teachers — have left the district voicing a number of concerns including involuntary transfers within the district, feelings of not feeling appreciated and not allowing their voices to be heard.

“What’s happening is the rest of the team is sitting on the bench or in the classroom feeling like, ‘I’m not really on a team,” Board Member Cece Kroc said. “I want to see people in the classroom who are brilliant and under their belt have lots of experience.”

“I would like to say that deciding who’s the right person to be put where should be your ultimate decision, but maybe not without input,” she continued on, addressing Page along with a nod to the contract between the school and teachers that gives administration the right to move staff when deemed necessary. 

To reach a desired resolution, talk eventually drifted to what a possible resolution might look like and for some board members that means having a personal connection to the schools that could include visits throughout a school year.

Some of the members proposed scheduled visits to the school in order to really get a grasp on the atmosphere within each of the buildings, something board members appeared to be in favor of. Though, Board Member Dan Zielke voiced a concern about making sure it’s known that this wouldn’t be an effort to micromanage.

“This is not a gotcha tactic at all,” he said. “This is how do we bridge communication with schools.”

In the latter half of the discussion, Page read a statement he had prepared prior to the meeting that touched on many of the concerns at the heart of the matter.

He acknowledged that there were real experiences as well as perceptions that have risen to the surface — all of which Page said need attention, but in a way that features a joint effort.

“How we respond matters. Collaboration matters,” he said. “At the heart of everything we do is one simple truth — we are here for the students.”

Page also said that this process was deeply connected to the district’s strategic plan that takes into account the desired daily experience of students, staff and families.

He also acknowledged that both experience and perception reveal fears of the staff and how it speaks to trust.

“We’re looking for root causes. Resiliency is a core value,” he said. “It’s all about knowing ourselves and knowing each other.”

While much of the talk recently has been regarding the morale among staff, the concerns are also bleeding out into the public.

Elizabeth Leyk, who has three children in the district, has regularly been at meetings like the one Tuesday night. After the climate discussion Tuesday, Leyk said she feels like there has been some positive progress, but that more work lies ahead.

“I’m really hopeful that district climate continues to be a priority discussion because really, our biggest concern is the staff morale issues that are being discussed,” she said. “I feel like that’s something that needs to see some positive change before we are discussing something like a referendum.”

“Those are things that have a direct impact on their students and education,” she added.

Not only do the Leyk’s have children in the district, but Leyk herself was a graduate of Austin High School and spoke fondly of the impact teachers had on her.

Despite the positive steps she’s seen, Leyk believes there are plenty more conversations to be had on the horizon.

“I want to say that I have more confidence in the school board and our leadership,” she said. “I think we’re just not quite there yet and there’s some additional conversation that needs to be had. I think there are a few aspects of our concerns that could be looked into further to get to the bottom of the root causes and come with some action stepping forward.”

At the same time, however, Leyk has expressed frustration in the lack of response from district leadership throughout this process. While grateful for the school board members who continue to put this situation as a high priority, she expressed concern that not statement has been issued regarding a clear plan forward by administration.

“Board members have requested a special session and have tried to request agenda items and are being denies,” she said. “I see that as a symptom of a broken system of checks and balances within our district.”

She further explained that if there was truly a focus regarding the experience within the school, there wouldn’t be as many concerned citizens and frustrated staff members as well as those that are resigning if that was truly the case. Specifically, Leyk pointed out that the desired daily experience reads that staff should “feel seen, valued and respected for the work that they do.”

“We need leadership that shows us that they lead with heart, not someone who just says they do when it’s a convenient response to genuine community concern,” Leyk said.

Among those things she would like to see is some kind of metric for evaluating district leadership to increase accountability.

Ultimately, she added that she continues to support teachers and hopes that the conversations will bear fruit.

“I wish to thank all of the teachers in our district for the hard work they continue to do even with the feeling of a lack of support and I value our school board members for continuing to have these conversations,” Leyk said.