Get the daily email that brings 100% Austin news, info, and entertainment direct to your inbox
Austin ISD students have returned to the classroom for the first time since the pandemic closed down schools in March. The in-person classes, which some teachers fought against, are being taught according to a hybrid model that blends 25% on-campus capacity with virtual learning.
Here's a look at what school looked like on Tuesday of the first week.
Longtime school principal Katie Achtermann checks in students for the second day of in-person classes at Barton Hills Elementary in South Austin. All students temperatures are checked on arrival, and face coverings are required to enter the building.
Under the careful watch of first grade teacher Nicole Miller, and with plenty of PPE ready, in-person learning takes off during the second day of classes at Campbell Elementary. The AISD school is using a combination of remote and in-person learning amid the pandemic.
Second Day of In-Person Classes in Austin
In-person learning is optional for AISD families. The district is phasing in students to on-campus learning, starting with the youngest grades at each school.
Kindergarten classes have yet to lose any of their spunk as most kids are glad to be back in the classroom.
Seasoned teacher Clarissa Hobbs is back in the classroom to teach her students. AISD experienced a drop in enrollment as parents opted out of in-person school, possibly opting into learning pods, homeschooling or private school.
Student Amarin Mervin follows Ms. Hobbs' instructions to show his work to his classmates on screen. It's a learning experience that's new for everyone.
- Austin IAS considers 'blended learning' this fall - austonia ›
- Hundreds of Austin ISD teachers reportedly pledge to not attend in ... ›
- Austin ISD should delay school or risk 40-1,000 deaths - austonia ›
- Austin ISD enrollment decline may lead to layoffs amid COVID ... ›
- Austin ISD considers delaying first day of school - austonia ›
- Austin, Texas students failing school with at-home learning - austonia ›
- Austin ISD prepares to expand in-person learning to all students - austonia ›
- AISD considers temporary remote learning amid holiday surge - austonia ›
- Austin ISD goes fully in-person for 2021-22 school year - austonia ›
- Austin private schools see continued COVID enrollment bump - austonia ›
- 'Legal tug of war': Here's how Austin-area schools continue to push back on Abbott's masking ban - austonia ›
Popular
Kekuta Manneh (left) is one of six Austin FC players who will not be on the roster for the 2022 season. (Austin FC/Twitter)
Who's out
(From top left) Players Emmanuel Perez, Jared Stroud, Ben Sweat, Aaron Schoenfield, Brady Scott, Aedan Stanley, Kekuta Manneh and Sebastian Berhalter will not be with Austin FC for the 2022 season. (mlssoccer.com)
Austin FC declined its contract options for six players, including:
- Kekuta Manneh
- Aaron Schoenfeld
- Brady Scott
- Aedan Stanley
- Jared Stroud
- Ben Sweat
Stroud became an early fan favorite for the team after helping teammate Diego Fagundez to the team's first goal in April, racking up a second assist just one match later with another Fagundez goal. After a few months of limited appearances, Stroud started once again in November and attempted his first MLS goal, but no dice.
Manneh, a forward, showed promise as Austin FC's first Austinite: a Gambia native, Manneh played soccer in the Texas capital while in high school and early in his professional career. Manneh showed energy on the pitch but never saw his efforts translate to the stat board.
By the start of the season, Sweat had secured a starting spot as left back for Austin FC but tore his ACL in the Colorado Rapids match on April 17, putting him off the pitch for the remainder of the season.
Both under 23, Stanley and Scott saw few appearances to the Verde pitch. In May, Scott went on loan to play as goalkeeper for USL Championship side Memphis 901. Schoenfield, a 31-year-old forward, has played briefly for various MLS and USL teams as well as professional teams in Israel.
Austin FC also announced that they would not exercise the transfer options for Sebastian Berhalter and Emmanuel Perez, both of whom spent the 2021 season in Verde on loan.
Berhalter, the son of U.S. Men's National Team Head Coach Gregg Berhalter, filled some big shoes in key moments of the season as central midfielder. At just 20, Berhalter started five times in the key position for Captain Alex Ring. Perez made four starts as forward for Austin FC.
Who's in
(From left) Captain Alex Ring, Will Pulisic and Freddy Kleemann all had their contracts renewed with Austin FC for the 2022 season.
It wasn't all doom and gloom. The club held on to the following for the 2022 season:
- Captain Ring
- Freddy Kleemann
- Will Pulisic
Ring, known as one of the top defensive midfielders in the league, had a rocky but rewarding road as Austin FC's captain in their inaugural season. Despite two red cards that rendered him out of two key matches, Ring tallied four goals and three assists as he led the team throughout the season, earning MLS Team of the Week honors multiple times.
At 22, Kleemann made just three appearances in central midfield for Austin FC but showed potential toward the end of the season. Pulisic wasn't able to start due to fellow goalkeeper Brad Stuver's standout success, but the cousin of Chelsea standout Christian Pulisic has plenty of years left in the tank.
Who's missing
Austin FC now has three goalkeepers, six defenders, seven midfielders and six forwards as the team's brief offseason continues. After the retirement of legendary central midfielder Matt Besler, the team will need to make strong signing options in the back and midfield positions in the MLS SuperDraft and transfer seasons before their first match against FC Cincinnati on Saturday, February 26.
But don't worry about fan favorites Fagundez, Sebastian Driussi or Stuver: all 22 other players are still firmly rooted in place for the upcoming season.
- Austin FC sees disappointing season finale in 3-0 Timbers loss ... ›
- Season recap: Austin FC's first season leaves fans wanting more ... ›
- Austin FC to open second season against last-place FC Cincinnati ... ›
- Austin FC spends less than most first-year expansion teams - austonia ›
- Sebastian Driussi and Moussa Djitte bring new hope to Austin FC ... ›
- Austin FC acquires four new players in MLS Expansion Draft ... ›
- Austin FC's players are from four different continents - austonia ›
John and Brenda Wilson won the Great Christmas Light Fight that they have put on for over 20 years. (Great Christmas Light Fight)
Known as "Christmas sweethearts," John and Brenda Wilson were awarded $50,000 after going up against fellow Texans, including a family in Amarillo and two families in Corpus Christi, in the ninth season premiere of the lights show.
(Great Christmas Light Fight)
Their holiday display featured a hand-built sled, a train called the Peppermint Expressway with actual peppermint smoke coming out of it and Santa's reindeer "in training." Designer and judge Taniya Nayak noted the linework of the lights displayed on the roof and the positioning of the red and lime green color palette.
"Right off the bat when the lights turned on, I couldn't believe how beautiful these peppermint lights were... it's just such a fun, happy, yummy, delicious vibe to it," Nayak said when she announced the Wilsons were the winners. "It really made a smile go from one ear to the other on my face."
Judge Nayak said she also enjoyed that their display had different stories behind each section.
(Great Christmas Light Fight)
John, or "Mr. Christmas" as Brenda called him, said he has been putting on a Christmas lights display for over 20 years—and it's only got better since he met his Mrs. Clause 12 years ago. The two said they met online and were 98% compatible.
"Brenda and I grew up back in the 50s when things were very simple, so we wanted to create something from when we were growing up," John said on the show.
And their efforts paid off: along with their monetary prize, the couple earned a light-bulb-shaped trophy.
KSAT reports the home got the attention of the show's casting directors last year, who encouraged them to apply to be on the show. The show was then shot last year, but the couple didn't learn they won until this year.
While being on the show is their intro to stardom, locals are familiar with the Wilsons' yearly display in the light-centric Windcrest. Each year their home is part of the Windcrest Light Up, a decades-old tradition where residents go all-out with their holiday light displays. They've won at least three grand prizes in the Windcrest contest and several other category first-place prizes.
The Windcrest Light Up kicks off Dec. 4.
- 11 Christmas light shows to keep the holiday cheer going all ... ›
- Countdown to Christmas: Holiday themed bars in Austin - austonia ›
- Holiday shopping: Austin retailers warn of widespread product ... ›
- Zilker Park Holiday Tree installed, park closes for trail of lights ... ›
- Peppermint Parkway drive-thru at COTA tickets now on sale - austonia ›
- 11 Christmas light shows to visit in Austin near you - austonia ›
