AISD district officials discuss all boys school
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If the Austin Independent School District decides to open an all boys school, it will also need to find a place to put it.
The district is considering several options on where the potential boys school would be located.
"The design of the school and the approach of the school would be that it would be a school that prepares a student for college and or careers," AISD Chief Schools Officer Paul Cruz said.
The Alternative Learning Center is an option, as is re-purposing another school. One scenario calls for turning an existing middle school like Covington into an all male school that teaches grades six through 12. That proposal has received opposition from parents.
Supporters of keeping Covington a Middle School say it offers a great fine arts program and gives students the opportunity to participate in many different activities.
Tuesday, Covington parents, teachers and students spoke against re-purposing the middle school at a public hearing for the district's Annual Academic Facilities Recommendations.
A student by the name of Louis wants to see Covington stay the way it is so his younger brother can have the same experiences he has.
"Hello my name is Louis and I'm a football player, band member and all-around student that supports Covington to its fullest," he said.
District officials say there are several factors involved in the choosing the right location.
"Right now, looking at locations that have the capacity, we're looking at location of the actual site to see just how quickly we can get into a school," Cruz said.
If approved, and a middle school site selected, the campus would gradually transition into an all boy facility.
Another public hearing will be held Nov. 26 at the Delco Center. A final decision will be made in December.