Editor’s note: The San Antonio Report is pleased to feature the weekly bigcitysmalltown podcast hosted by Robert Rivard, co-founder of the Report. We’ll be publishing a brief synopsis of the podcast each Tuesday.
Nonprofits across San Antonio will have an opportunity to take up residence in buildings vacated by the San Antonio Independent School District as part of their downsizing, which will officially take place next year.
That’s what Jaime Aquino, the SAISD superintendent, said on the most recent episode of the “bigcitysmalltown” podcast hosted by Bob Rivard.
The buildings will be leased to the nonprofits for a “nominal fee,” as long as they agree to keep up building maintenance, he said — with the hope that the district would grow and have need for a larger footprint again in the future.
“We’re going to be issuing an RFP for any nonprofit who would like to occupy our space, and maybe we’re charging $10 a year, as long as they maintain all the operating costs and provide a service,” he said.
Aquino said the district had to make the difficult decision in November to close 15 schools and merge others after years of declining enrollment, which is projected to continue for years to come. But the trend might not last forever, he said.
“In the future, hopefully, we will see an increase in enrollment,” he said. “And there’s no way we will be able to afford to buy land to build a school in the urban core, so we’re not doing that. What we’re doing is … we want to repurpose our buildings so that it can serve the community and our students.”
The district has convened a facility repurposing panel to vet possible nonprofits in the coming months and make recommendations to the board, according to Aquino.
Possibilities for lease so far include an art center, a mental health support center, affordable housing for teachers and early childhood education centers for children between the ages of 0-3.
The school closure process is just one of many major initiatives undertaken by the district in the nearly two years since Aquino took the helm of a job he called a “dream come true.”
Last year, the board approved the largest wage increase in 25 years, and just a few months ago the district began the process of aligning curriculum to close gaps and improve chronically low academic scores.
Aquino said on the podcast that he doesn’t consider himself a superintendent as much as a “teacher of teachers,” with his heart remaining in the classroom after years as an administrator.
“It is an honor of a lifetime to be able to serve as the teacher of teachers at SAISD,” he said. “Who would have thought that someone like me, an immigrant who came to this country as an adult, an English language learner who is still trying to learn English, and a person of color … would have the honor to serve as the Superintendent of [SAISD?]”
Born in Santo Domingo, Aquino moved to the United States in 1987 to be a bilingual teacher in New York City. He later was named teacher of the year, and was tasked by the superintendent with being a coach at the district level.
“I didn’t want to, but my principal said, ‘just do it,'” he recalled. “I did it for one year, and I was miserable, miserable. After that year, I went back to the classrooms.”
Following more schooling, credentials and a doctorate, Aquino said he begrudgingly returned to administrative roles, but has continued to focus on the classroom and student-focused aspects of the system.
Hear more about Aquino’s life story and his vision for the district below, or visit bigcitysmalltown to listen to Episode 45 featuring Jaime Aquino.
