A New Chapter

Principal Kara Schultz has spent her entire adult life at Ridgetop Elementary. She began as a bilingual teacher at the school at age 26. Over the years, she watched the school grow and evolve while also surviving several threatened closures. Through it all, both the school and Schultz remained resilient. 

Schultz officially became principal on May 20, 2019. Prior to that, she served as the school’s assistant principal beginning in 2012. Becoming a principal is not an easy endeavor under any circumstances. Learning the ropes and understanding how to shape a school according to its needs can be daunting, but Schultz proved she instinctively understood what Ridgetop needed. She began each school day greeting families with music and dancing at the entrance, bringing smiles and laughter to everyone who entered. Little did she know that within a year, she would unexpectedly have to guide the staff through the transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Alongside the community, she demonstrated the resolve to persevere through the hardship. The dancing never stopped. 

A Neighborhood Presence  

Ridgetop Elementary has a long history in the neighborhood. Established in 1908, the present school building, located near Mueller at 5005 Caswell Avenue, was built and opened in 1939. The campus also carries a historical land-use restriction. An original 1917 deed specifies that the property must be used strictly for educational or residential purposes, preventing the site from being sold to private developers for commercial or dense multifamily projects. As a result, the future of the closed campus will undoubtedly be shaped by this restriction. 

Ridgetop also became unique as a Dual Language Campus (Spanish/English) during the 2010 to 2011 school year. With each passing year, the program became increasingly desirable to families beyond the surrounding neighborhood, eventually leading to a lottery system for admission. 

Students and faculty spoke both languages daily. Each morning began with fifth graders leading announcements and the Pledge of Allegiance in both English and Spanish. Throughout the hallways, classroom displays showcased the proud work of bilingual and biliterate students. 

Even when the difficult decision was made to close Ridgetop and appoint Principal Schultz to lead Pickle Elementary, she maintained a brave face and guided the community with the same positivity and resolve she had always shown. More than three-quarters of the staff will move to Pickle alongside Schultz, as will many Ridgetop families, a testament to the trust they place in her leadership. 

The transition has not been without tears, sadness, or frustration for students and staff alike. Several families have faced difficult decisions about where to send their children next, depending on their individual needs. The close-knit sense of community that extends beyond the school walls was built over the years through partnerships, dedication, and hard work. 

Yet true to the end, Ridgetop families came together one final time to create an end-of-year “Rattlers Por Vida” celebration on the last day of school. Ridgetop’s mascot, after all, was Sneaky the Snake.

Carmen Gray has lived in Austin since 1992. She is a retired teacher, published author, and freelance writer.