Green Tech Academy
Welcome to Clint Small’s
Green Tech Academy!
Thanks for checking us out! We are Clint Small Middle School, but there is nothing small about us. With over 1200 students, we offer a variety of courses that cater to all types of interests. Whether programming robots in our Pre-engineering program, milking goats to make soap or growing and cooking your own food, students from all over Austin come to our school to explore, learn and have fun.
If you live outside of our attendance zone and are interested in becoming a CSMS Cougar, you are in the right place. Explore this page to learn more about the application process and to sign up for a tour.
If you have any questions please email jennifer.newell@austinisd.org
Tours Zoom Q & A Sessions
Due to Covid, we are unable to offer campus tours this fall. We have decided that we would offer Zoom Q & A sessons once a month instead. Each session will have Admin, Green Tech Teachers, and staff on the call to explain our Green Tech Academy program and answer any and all questions you and your student may have. Click here to Register for a GTA Zoom Session. You will only need to go to one, as we will be covering the same info in all sessions, but if you what to see what other parents are asking or have some new questions, feel free to join multiple sessions.
All Zoom Q & A Sessions will be at 5:30 pm:
- October 28th
- November 10th
- December 8th
- January 20th
- February 4th
About our Program
The Clint Small Middle School Green Tech Program includes innovative course offerings in environmental studies and technology. CSMS is a National “Green Ribbon” school, and the first school in Texas to earn the Eco-Schools USA Green Flag Award from the National Wildlife Federation.
Our unique program allows students to select an academic track that focuses on the environment, technology, or a blend of the two. The Green Tech curriculum includes a wide variety of visionary electives, including many opportunities for outdoor learning, project-based learning, and team collaboration among students.
Check out our 2020-21 course guide to learn more about the various electives offered.
Over the years, students, teachers, and volunteers have transformed more than 4,000 square feet of barren space surrounding our campus into native habitat for ruby-throated hummingbirds, monarch butterflies, songbirds, small mammals and more. They have built a greenhouse, a meditative labyrinth, wildflower gardens, a rain garden, and a reconstructed prairie. They also have productive food gardens, orchards, and habitat corridors.
Highlights of the Green Academy include:
- more than 300 native plant species planted by students
- outdoor classroom spaces and greenhouse
- raising chickens, ducks, goats, and sheep
- composting, recycling
- water harvesting
To learn more about what some of our Green Academy students have been up to, visit the In Small Gardens blog and follow us on Instagram.
Highlights of the Tech Academy include:
- STEM Advanced Learner program leading students to high school math and science courses in the 8th grade
- Project Lead the Way pre-engineering curriculum
- state-of-the-art Career and Technical Education (CTE) wing
- classes in robotics, animation, engineering, app design, and more
- options to earn high school credit with select tech electives
Important Dates for 21-22 Applications
October 19, 2020 – Application Becomes Available Online
We will not be able to offer on campus tours this year, plan to join us on a Zoom Q & A meeting with campus staff and teachers. Please register for any of the Q & A session at https://forms.gle/go7boTxFYPrgtdNc8
- October 28, 2020 – Zoom GTA Q & A at 5:30 PM
- November 10, 2020 – Zoom GTA Q & A at 5:30 PM
- December 8, 2020 – Zoom GTA Q & A at 5:30 PM
- January 18, 2021– Zoom GTA Q & A at 5:30 PM
- February 4, 2021– Zoom GTA Q & A at 5:30 PM
February 5, 2021 - Application Deadline* – Last Day to Apply – Application to Small Green Tech Academy closes at 4:00 p.m.Items mailed for students outside AISD must have date stamp by 4:00pm on this day. ALL Essay’s & Recommendations must be submitted through the application by this date.
March 12, 2021- Admission Decision Letters Mailed
March 26, 2021 - Deadline for receipt of student’s decision letters accepting or rejecting admission
March 30, 2021 - Celebration for all students who received acceptance letters - 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Zoom or on campus TBD
April 9, 2021 - Last day to change to another school of choice that has accepted the student - you must notify the Academy Assistant jennifer.newell@austinisd.org
DO YOU NEED TO APPLY?
Please contact Jennifer Newell at jennifer.newell@austinisd.org if you have any questions.
APPLICATION TO SMALL'S GREEN TECH ACADEMY
The application to apply to our Green Tech Academy opens on October 19th, 2020 – February 5th, 2021.
Applicants who are accepted to the CSMS Green Tech Academy on curriculum transfer must provide their own transportation. Our school is on the Capital Metro 311 and 5 bus routes.
If you submit a transfer request for a priority or general transfer prior to applying to this program, acceptance into this program will supersede an approved priority or general transfer.
START HERE
Important Question: Do you live in Small Middle School Attendance boundaries? The application is only for students who live OUTSIDE the Small attendance area. Please DO NOT complete an application if you live within the Small attendance zone.
- Not sure? Go to https://access.austinisd.org/school_boundaries/framed/index.php
- Yes – STOP – DO NOT APPLY You can specify that you want to be in the Green Tech Program when you fill out your choice sheets this Spring
- No – Continue to Step 2
STEP 1: Did you fill out your intent to apply to Small? This tells AISD that you would like to go to a school other than your home school next year.
- Yes – Go to Step 2
- No – go to my.austinisd.org
- If you have a former or existing AISD Student, Click the magnify glass and type in “AISD Intent to apply”. Follow the instructions.
- If you are new, or are having trouble creating or logging in to the parent Cloud account, go to Click here for instructions – or call 512-414-9187
Step 2: Fill out the Green Tech Academy application at https://tinyurl.com/21-22GTAAPP DEADLINE February 5th, 2021. This let’s Small Middle School know that you are applying to our Green Tech Academy and allows you to sign up for the Essay and get the link for the Recommnedations.
Current Austin ISD Students: By submitting the online application form you give permission for our staff to access your report card grades directly from AISD’s Information System.
Non-AISD students: Your most recent semester report card grades must be submitted to Small before the application deadline.
Step 3: Be prepared for your essay link on the date you specify this on the application.
Step 4: Be sure to email your Recommendation link (found in the online application) to 2 adults and make sure they know they must have them done by February 5th.
That's It, You're Done, you have now applied to the Green Tech Academy at Small Middle School.
We will send acceptance letters on March 12th. You must accept us back by March 26th or your spot will be given away to the waitlist.
To submit a paper copy of the application, please download this document (link coming soon), print, complete, and submit. You may submit via email to Jennifer.newell@austinisd.org, or hand deliver to our front office. You will still need to complete the AISD Intent to Apply form via the Parent Cloud.
