oakhillgazette.com
May 16, 2013 Volume 18, No. 10 Southwest Austin’s Community Newspaper Since 1995
Small MS charter timeline pushed back a year by Ann Fowler
OAK HILL - Concerns by parents about potentially converting Small Middle School into an in-district charter school serving grades 6 to 12 has caused the committee that proposed it to delay consideration for a year in order to gain community support. The proposal, which would add a high school component to continue the middle school’s focus on Green-
Parents have concerns about converting Clint Small to an in-district charter school, 6th-12th Tech classes, requires buy-in from 80 percent of parents and classroom teachers. Several parents contacted the Gazette expressing their concerns about the proposal. At an April 30 meeting, Small principal Amy Taylor said a peti-
tion seeking signatures of parents and staff would be due by October 31, 2013. But “The Future of Small Middle School” committee met about a week later and felt that the current timeline was too aggressive. Taylor told the Gazette: “The com-
mittee discussed community concerns with the process of providing input and feedback to the In-District Charter Proposal being developed by the committee. The committee reviewed the timeline and decided to gain community input during the 2013-14 school year.” The revised in-district charter timeline shows that the Small com-
munity will have more than a year to consider and discuss the idea: May 22, 2013 – Community Meeting August 2013-June 2014 – Community Input August 31, 2014 – Deadline to request superintendent informational meeting August 31, 2014-October 31, 2014 – Obtain parent and classroom teacher signatures October 31, 2014 – Deadline for obtaining 80% petition signatures from parents and staff See SMALL on p. 26
Gazette: Lessa Ennis
Mayor Lee Leffingwell cuts the ribbon at a ceremony to dedicate the Oak Hill Village Mosaic Wall and to speak about the community’s perseverance after the Oak Hill Fire of 2011. Gazette: Penny Levers
The fawn is protected by its spotted tan-and-white camouflage coat and the fact that it has no odor. It should not be moved or disturbed.
Kidnapping Bambi a “The Phoenix Rising” dedicated bad idea and a crime by Bobbie Jean Sawyer
Neighbors filled Windmill Run Park on Sunday, May 5 to witness the unveiling of the Oak Hill Village Mosaic Wall, a community art project to commemorate the community spirit in the wake of the wildfires that devastated the South Windmill Run and Scenic Brook neighborhoods just over
two years ago. Titled “The Phoenix Rising,” the Keep Austin Beautiful-funded concrete wall is adorned with hand-painted ceramic tiles designed by community members, students, members of the local police and fire departments and even Mayor Lee Leffingwell, who attended the ceremony to dedicate the wall and
to speak about the community’s perseverance. “I remember being out here the first part of last year, watching the houses being reconstructed,” Leffingwell said. “There were several houses with folks that didn’t have insurance. Those houses were rebuilt faster than See THE PHOENIX on p. 27
by Tony Tucci
OAK HILL - The fawn was curled up beside a fence row in Shady Hollow, silent and still. Seeing no doe around, some residents might have thought it was abandoned, but not so, said Chris Lena, a veteran biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
“Leave it be,” Lena cautioned. He explained that does instinctively leave their newborn after birth to avoid attracting predators with their own scent. The fawn, instructed to remain still, is protected by its spotted tan-and-white camouflage coat and the fact that it has no odor. See KIDNAPPING on p. 9