Green Tech Academy

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Welcome to Small's Green Tech Academy

Thank you for checking us out! At Clint Small Middle School, we believe there’s nothing small about our vibrant community of over 1,200 students. We offer a diverse range of courses to ignite all types of interests. From programming robots in our Pre-engineering program to milking goats for soap-making, and even growing and cooking your own food, students from across Austin come here to explore, learn, and have fun.

If you live outside our attendance zone and are interested in becoming a CSMS Cougar, you’re in the right place! Explore this page to learn more about the application process and to sign up for a tour.

We can’t wait to welcome you!

Tours

By popular demand, we’re excited to offer on-campus tours!

Our tours will focus on:

  • Getting a look and feel of Smallville
  • What makes Small special
  • Meeting current staff and students
  • Understanding Small's middle school philosophy
  • Learning about our dual language program
  • Exploring our Green Tech Academy
  • How to apply

Sign up for a group tour here: Tour Sign-Up Form

 

About Our Program

The Clint Small Middle School Green Tech Program offers innovative courses in environmental studies and technology. We are proud to be a National “Green Ribbon” school and the first in Texas to earn the Eco-Schools USA Green Flag Award from the National Wildlife Federation.

Our unique program allows students to choose an academic track that focuses on the environment, technology, or a blend of both. The Green Tech curriculum features a variety of visionary electives, providing ample opportunities for outdoor learning, project-based activities, and team collaboration.

Over the years, our dedicated students, teachers, and volunteers have transformed more than 4,000 square feet of barren land around our campus into thriving native habitats for ruby-throated hummingbirds, monarch butterflies, songbirds, small mammals, and more. We’ve built a greenhouse, a meditative labyrinth, wildflower gardens, a rain garden, and a reconstructed prairie, along with productive food gardens and orchards.

Starting in the 2023/2024 school year, we are excited to expand our Green area. Click here to watch a video that talks  about the future of our Green Academy.

 

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 2024-2025 Applications

  • November 6, 2024: Application becomes available online. Visit portal.austinisd.org, click the “Enroll Austin” tile, and apply for priority enrollment. The Green Tech Academy Commitment Form opens.

  • November 19, 2024: Smallville Discover Fair – Join us at Small to learn about our electives. Tour the campus, meet teachers and students, and explore your elective options.

  • February 4, 2025: Application Deadline – Last day to apply. The application for the Small Green Tech Academy closes at 4:00 p.m. Any mailed items from students outside AISD must be date-stamped by 4:00 p.m. on this day. Ensure all recommendations are submitted, and sign up for an essay by this date.

  • March 14, 2025: Admission Decision Letters Mailed

  • March 25, 2025: Deadline for Decision Letters – Students must accept or reject their admission by this date.

  • April 2, 2025: Celebration for Accepted Students – Join us to discuss choice sheets. Time: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. (Zoom or on-campus, TBD).

  • August TBD, 2025: Cougar Camp Starts

  • August TBD, 2025: Campus Scavenger Hunt

  • August TBD, 2025: Parent Camp

 

Application Steps for Green Tech Academy

Priority Registration Window: November 6th - February 4th

 

Step 1: Determine Your Attendance Zone

Check Your School Zone: Click here to find out which Austin ISD school you are zoned for.

Whether you are zoned for Small or a Transfer, you will need to follow the steps below. 

  1. Access the Parent Portal:

    • Visit portal.austinisd.org.
    • Click on the "Enroll Austin" tile and select your middle school student to start.

  2. Check Student Information:

    • Verify the contact information for your student, then proceed to the Intent to Enroll Page.

  3. Intent to Enroll:

    • Select Option 2: “Your student would like to apply to an Application-Based Program or apply to another school.”
    • Feeder Students, Important: Do NOT click to enroll in your home school.
    • Click continue.

  4. Select Schools:

    • Choose Small Middle School - Green Tech Academy.
    • If you are interested in other schools or programs (e.g. Small Dual Language, Ann Richards, Kealing...), Specify up to 7 Schools/Programs and rank them in order of preference. To prioritize enrollment at Small, rank Small GTA #1. Note: you will only get one offer from your highest ranked school that accepts you. 

  5. Click Next Steps:

    • Click START for Teacher Recommendations. Enter the email addresses of 2 teachers you’d like to request recommendations from. They’ll receive a survey to fill out about your student.
    • Current AISD Families, You don’t need to upload documents at this time, skip the document section.
      Note: to families that are not currently in an AISD School, Please upload the most current report card for your student here. 

  6. Commitment Form
    Note: Your application will not be considered without filling out this form.

    • Return to this page with your student: After submitting your application in Enroll Austin, come back to this page with your student to fill out the "Green Tech Academy Commitment Form."

    • Note for Feeder Students:

      • Feeder students (Student who live in our Attendance zone) will not need to select an essay date, The Commitment form will not even give you dates to choose from as  Feeder students are not required to write an essay as part of the application process.

    • Note for Transfer Students:

      • Transfer students (those switching from a different school) will need to pick an essay date. This form will provide them with options for scheduling the essay.

    • In short: Feeder students will essay and the essay date selection, while transfer students
      need to choose an essay date from the options provided in the form.

  8. Communication for Feeder Families:

    • Tour dates and choice sheet meetings will be announced through your feeder school (Patton, Oak Hill, Baldwin, or Mills). For students not attending a feeder school, contact Jennifer Newell at jennifer.newell@austinisd.org for transition information.
  9. Communication for Transfer Families: 
    • Once you are accepted into our Green Tech Academy program, we will have a meeting on 4/2/24 to go over choice sheets and carpool information. 
  10. Communication for Out of District Families: 
    • If you are not currently in an AISD school and would like to apply to our Green Tech Academy, Please upload your students Grades in the Documents Section on the Next Steps page. 

How to Get Accepted

The evaluation will focus on three key components:

  • Student Grades
  • Teacher Recommendations
  • Student On-Site Essays

You can find the Grading Rubric here.

Got Questions?

Email Jennifer Newell jennifer.newell@austinisd.org