A new superintendent

The SAISD board of Trustees has begun the search for a new superintendent. Since September, when former superintendent Pedro Martinez announced that he would be leaving SAISD to become the CEO of Chicago Public Schools, the SAISD Board of Trustees has been committed to recruiting a well-qualified superintendent who is prepared to lead our district into the future.

The board recognizes that community voice is key to finding the best leader for our district. We are working with the superintendent search firm JG Consulting to implement a transparent search process with community-input. We are kicking off the process with a series of town halls across the district (in-person and on zoom) where community members can share their thoughts on what traits, experiences, and skills our next superintendent should have.

The first meeting is on Monday, January 24 from 6:00pm-7:00pm at Brackenridge High School (400 Eagleland Drive). Additional meetings will be held at Sam Houston, Jefferson, Lanier, Edison and Highlands high schools and Harris Middle School. More information about the meetings (including Zoom links) and a link to an online survey can be found here: https://www.saisd.net/page/supt-search.

All meetings will be held in English and Spanish.

Renovating the Burnet Learning Center

On November 3, 2020, voters in San Antonio ISD supported two bond propositions totaling an unprecedented $1.3 billion for our school buildings. The two propositions will fund technology upgrades in every classroom across the district and will provide high-speed connectivity, individual devices, support tools, interactive smart boards and audio systems, and the renovation of 36 campuses.

Included in the bond propositions was a proposal to spend $30,740,177 to renovate and convert the Burnet Learning Center (406 Barrera Street) into a middle school campus for Bonham Academy. The Bonham Academy serves students in kindergarten through 8th grade.

The school has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade. For the past several years, school leaders and staff have struggled to find enough space in the school to adequately support Bonham’s high-quality programs. Converting the Burnet campus to a middle school to serve Bonham students is an exciting opportunity to strengthen and grow Bonham Academy and to reuse a property in the neighborhood that is mostly vacant at present.

The Burnet building was built in 1967 as an elementary school. For decades it served neighborhood children - many who lived in the Victoria Courts. Before the opening of the SAISD Central Office Building on Quincy Street this spring, the building served as office space for district administrators and was where Board of Trustee meetings were held.

Reusing the campus as a middle school will require significant renovations. To ensure the campus will best meet the needs of our students and our community, SAISD is seeking public input on campus design. In October, SAISD surveyed community members, students, families and school staff about their priorities for the Burnet campus. Now community members are invited to share their ideas for the campus at a public meeting on Wednesday, February 2 from 5:30-7:30pm at Bonham Academy located at 925 S. St. Mary’s Street.

The meeting will be held in English and Spanish.