January 6, 2026

Dear AHISD Families-

Happy New Year 2026! It was wonderful to see our students back on campus today, filling our classrooms with energy once again. I hope you and your family enjoyed a restful break, and that our students returned refreshed and ready to begin the new semester.

School Board Recognition Month
During School Board Appreciation Month, we are proud to recognize the dedicated service of our AHISD Board of Trustees, whose leadership and commitment play a vital role in the success of our schools. Our trustees give generously of their time to set the vision, steward resources responsibly, and make thoughtful, student-centered decisions that support excellence across the district. Through their advocacy, collaboration, and love for our community, they help ensure that AHISD continues the tradition of excellence. More than anything, I appreciate their big hearts for our students and our staff!

Teacher of the Year
Please join me in congratulating the 2026 AHISD Campus Teachers of the Year- Emily Rangel, Alamo Heights HS; Brandon Boylan, The Junior School; Debbie Mainz, Cambridge; Erica Kovach, Woodridge; and Libby Perez, Howard ECC.
These teachers truly exemplify what it means to be everyday heroes in AHISD. Through their passion for teaching, unwavering commitment to students, and belief in the potential of every learner, they make an extraordinary impact each day in classrooms across our district. I’m deeply grateful for their leadership, heart, and dedication to excellence, and we are honored to recognize them for the difference they make in the lives of our students and our community.
We will celebrate this outstanding group and announce our District Teacher of the Year at the February Board Meeting. If you’d like to celebrate them in person, the Board Meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on February 18 in the Woodridge Elementary auditorium.

Kinder Preview 2026
Kindergarten registration for the 2026-27 school year opens next week, on January 12. To introduce parents and children to the school, Howard Early Childhood Center is hosting Kinder Preview events beginning later this month. Visit the Howard website for the schedule and to register to attend a Kinder Preview. Please share with your family, friends, and neighbors who will have five-year-olds next year.

AHISD Accepting Tuition Applications
Alamo Heights ISD accepts a limited number of tuition students each year for students who are not current residents of the district. Tuition applications for the 2026-2027 school year will be accepted until June 30, 2026.

Visit the AHISD website to download the 2026-2027 Tuition Application and Request for Records form. Submit both completed forms by email to Cristina De La Cerda ([email protected]) in the Superintendent’s Office. Questions should be directed to (210) 832-5953.

Students must reapply annually to be accepted as a tuition student, and must make satisfactory academic progress, maintain acceptable conduct and attendance, comply with rules and regulations, and remain current on tuition payments throughout the previous academic year.
As we begin the new semester, I thank you for your continued partnership, trust, and support of our schools. Mules Up!

Warmly,



Dr. Dana Bashara

Reminders:

Early College High School Applications Due This Month
Applications for the Early College High School at AHHS are due later this month. A new cohort of freshmen will be accepted into the program for fall 2026. In four years, they will graduate with their high school diploma and an Associate of Arts (AA) degree. Students will earn up to 60 college credit hours at no charge. Interested eighth graders should submit an application by Jan. 30, 2026. Visit the AHHS website for the application.

Grand and Senior Mules
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 Friday, March 6.

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 Howard Early Childhood Center and The Junior School! 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 Feb. 20 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!

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

Monday, January 6 - School Board Appreciation Month
Tuesday, January 6 - Start of 3rd Nine Weeks
Thursday, January 8 - CE Spanish Spelling Bee - 8:00-9:30 AM - Location: Evelyn Phillips Auditorium, Cambridge Elementary
Friday, January 9 - Elementary Report Card Distribution
Friday, January 9 - National Law Enforcement Day
Monday, January 12 - CE Library Night - 4:30-6:00 PM - Location: Library, Cambridge Elementary
Tuesday, January 13 - Secondary Report Card Distribution
Tuesday, January 13 - HECC PTO Meeting - 12:00-1:00 PM - Location: Library, Howard Early Childhood Center
Wednesday, January 14 - Goals & Priorities/Committee Meetings - 7:00-9:00 AM - Location: Boardroom, Central Office
Wednesday, January 14 - District Early Release Day
HECC - 11:45 AM
CE & WE - 12:15 PM
AHJS & AHHS - 12:45 PM
Thursday, January 15 - AHJS Rising 6th Grade Parent Meeting - 6:00-7:00 PM - Location: Auditorium, Alamo Heights Junior School
Monday, January 19 - School Holiday
Tuesday, January 20 - HECC PreK4 to Kindergarten Transition - 9:30-8:30 AM - Location: Cafeteria, Howard Early Childhood Center
Wednesday, January 21 - Regular Board Meeting - 6:00 PM - Location: Boardroom, Central Office 
Thursday, January 22 - HECC PreK4 Preview - 9:30-10:30 AM - Location: Cafeteria, Howard Early Childhood Center
Tuesday, January 27 - HECC Kinder Preview - 9:30-10:30 AM - Location: Cafeteria, Howard Early Childhood Center
Tuesday, January 27 - WE 5th Grade Music Performance: The Tempest - 2:00-3:00 PM - Location: Suzanne & Jimmy Goudge Auditorium, Woodridge Elementary
Tuesday, January 27- AH High School Ahead - 6:00-7:00 PM - Location: The Oaks, Alamo Heights High School
Thursday, January 29 - ESCH/P-Tech 8th Grade Lunch Visit (Parents Welcome) - 12:50-1:45 PM - Cafeteria, Alamo Heights Junior School
Thursday, January 29 - CE PTO Stay and Play - 3:30-4:30 PM - PM - Location: Playground, Cambridge Elementary
Friday, January 30 - Secondary Progress Reports Distributed
Friday, January 30 - Class of 2030 ECHS/P-TECH application Closes
Friday, January 30 - CE English Spelling Bee - 8:00-12:00 PM - Location: Evelyn Phillips Auditorium, Cambridge Elementary