Austin ISD's first day of school is just around the corner. Here's a couple important dates to know. A Back To School Bash and Safety Fair will be held Aug. 12 from 9 a.m.-noon at the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road, Austin. Hosted in collaboration with the city of Austin, around 150 community organizations and district departments will be on-site to provide information about safety and educational best practices to prepare parents and students for a successful school year. Free vaccinations and backpacks filled with school supplies will be available for students in attendance. Parents must present shot records to be eligible for immunizations, the district said. The first day of classes for school year 2017-18 is Aug. 21. In March, the district's board of trustees voted to become a district of innovation, which allows AISD more flexibility in setting its instructional calendar. Specifically, the district is now allowed to schedule its first day of school prior to the fourth Monday in August. School day start and end times will remain the same as last year, according to the district:
  • Elementary schools - 7:45 a.m.-2:57 p.m.
  • Middle schools - 8:25 a.m.-3:40 p.m.
  • High schools - 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Magnet schools and other special campuses have bell times that differ slightly from most schools and will also remain unchanged:
  • Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders: 9:15 a.m.-4:35 p.m.
  • Fulmore Middle School magnet: 8:07 a.m.-3:34 p.m.
  • Kealing Middle School magnet: 7:30 a.m.-2:47 p.m.
  • Liberal Arts and Science Academy, or LASA: 8:30 a.m.-3:45 p.m.