2017-2018
You belong
here
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
FORT WORTH ISD
E, CAREER AND COMMUNIT ND COMMUNITY LEADERSH AND COMMUNITY LEADER UNITY LEADERSHIP PREPA PREPARING ALL STUDENT RING ALL STUDENTS FOR S UDENTS FOR SUCCESS IN C S IN COLLEGE, CAREER AN COLLEGE, CAREER AND CO ND COMMUNITY LEADERSH
TY LEADERSHIP PREPARIN HIP PREPARING ALL STUD SHIP PREPARING ALL STU ARING ALL STUDENTS FOR TS FOR SUCCESS IN COLLE SUCCESS IN COLLEGE, CAR COLLEGE, CAREER AND CO ND COMMUNITY LEADERSH OMMUNITY LEADERSHIP P HIP PREPARING ALL STUD
TABLE OF CONTENTS
7
75
LETTER FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
8 BOARD OF EDUCATION
9 BY THE NUMBERS
11 INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE
15 AILEEN MARTINAQUIÑONES Principal
21
CONNECTED & COLLABORATIVE
29
79
COLLEGE & CAREER READY
ELVA LEBLANC
35
57
LAURENT SHUMBUSHA
VIBRANT & VALUED
Dunbar HS
39 JACOB WELLS Southwest HS
45 LTC RICHARD CROSSLEY JR. JROTC
JAY SWINT
51
Bus Driver
EVA CRUZ
25
North Side HS
CATHY ROSEBERRY Nutrition Services
6 | FORT WORTH ISD
TCC
61 TEACHERS OF THE YEAR Stacey Barringer & Alexandra Checka
67 KENDALL WALKER Paschal HS
83 APRIL MARTIN NICKELS The Kroger Co.
87 BRIGITTE & A’BRIEN HENRI FWISD Leadership Academy at Maude I. Logan
91 ALFRED SAENZ
71
Multatech
BLANCA IBARRA
93
School Counselor
LOOKING AHEAD
96 OUR SCHOOLS
SUPERINTENDENT
A theme naturally surfaced as we compiled this annual report. It came down to a word: belonging. What does it mean to belong and why does it matter? A study funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation concluded “…an important factor in determining whether students stay engaged and achieve in school is their sense of social belonging — whether they feel included and respected by others in school.” 2017-18 was a year of big achievements at Fort Worth ISD. I firmly believe they are connected to our culture of belonging and to people like Cathy Roseberry, one of the District’s nutrition services managers. Talk about making students feel they belong! She not only knows who missed breakfast that morning, she stops them at lunch to find out why. In this report, you’ll read more about Mrs. Roseberry and others who model inclusive, respectful behavior every day. You will also learn about many of the accomplishments and star achievers of 2017-18, including:
“When we help one another feel valued and safe, we are all in a better place to achieve.”
•
Cutting the number of Improvement Required campuses in half and increasing academic achievement across the board
•
The $102 million in merit
•
The Davey O’Brien Scholarship winner who is setting her sights on a job at NASA
•
The approval of the District’s record $750 million bond package
scholarships and grant offers for our students
•
The community-wide support of our 100x25 FWTX literacy initiative
•
A counselor who builds community by bringing students, parents and teachers to the table
•
And getting four-year-olds where they belong – in Fort Worth ISD Pre-K – for a quality start to their education journey
When we help one another feel valued and safe, we are all in a better place to achieve. We all have a better year. I hope you enjoy this snapshot of a very good year.
KENT P. SCRIBNER, PH.D. Superintendent, Fort Worth ISD YOU BELONG HERE | 7
BOARD OF EDUCATION
TOBI JACKSON
T.A. SIMS
President District 2
May 2018- Present
First Vice President District 4
ANN SUTHERLAND Second Vice President,
May 2018 - Present
First Vice President,
May 2017 - May 2018
District 6
ANAEL LUEBANOS
JACINTO RAMOS JR.
CHRISTENE C. MOSS
Board Secretary District 8
Trustee District 1
May 2017 - May 2018
JUDY NEEDHAM
NORMAN ROBBINS
ASHLEY PAZ
Trustee District 5
Trustee District 7
Trustee District 9
Second Vice President
District 3
JUDY NEEDHAM Trustee District 5
8 | FORT WORTH ISD
BY THE NUMBERS
OPERATING BUDGET
62%
18%
17%
3%
INSTRUCTION
INSTRUCTION SUPPORT
DISTRICT OPERATIONS
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION
2017-18 BUDGET
$795,544,989*
• INSTRUCTION
62%
$489,788,916
• INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT
18%
$146,100,940
• DISTRICT OPERATIONS
17%
$136,937,987
• CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION
3%
$22,717,146
*UNAUDITED
OUR DISTRICT
TOTAL NUMBER OF SCHOOLS
ACCREDITATION DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS
TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY SOUTHERN ASSOC. OF COLLEGES & SCHOOLS
TEA DISTRICT RATINGS
MET STANDARD
LUNCHES SERVED IN 2017-18 STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR FREE/REDUCED MEALS
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
82
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
29
HIGH SCHOOLS
21
OTHER SCHOOLS
16
TRANSPORTATION
NUTRITION SERVICES BREAKFASTS SERVED IN 2017-18
148
5,576,649 10,085,662
NUMBER OF BUSES RUNNING DAILY
290
NUMBER OF BUS ROUTES
1966
NUMBER OF STUDENTS TRANSPORTED DAILY
58,748
NUMBER OF MILES DRIVEN IN 2017-18
18,850 4,296,059
YOU BELONG HERE | 9
BY THE NUMBERS
OUR STUDENTS
TOTAL ENROLLMENT
86,234
BILINGUAL/ESL
30.2%
26,028
CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION
24.2%
20,879
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED
77.6%
66,941
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER
30.8%
26,532
GIFTED & TALENTED
10.8%
9,309
SPECIAL EDUCATION
8.4%
7,285
ETHNIC DISTRIBUTION
ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC FACTS
86,234
HISPANIC
62.4%
53,812
AFRICAN AMERICAN
22.6%
19,521
976
WHITE
11.4%
9,817
2018 STUDENTS TAKING AP EXAMS
5,744
ASIAN
1.8%
1,559
2018 NUMBER OF AP EXAMS TAKEN
10,552
TWO OR MORE RACES
1.5%
1,320
OTHER
.2%
205
2018 NUMBER OF GRADUATES 2017-2018 SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS 2017-2018 AVG. SAT SCORE
4,544 $102,690,332
OUR EMPLOYEES
TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
11,700
FULL-TIME TEACHERS
5,770
BEGINNING TEACHER SALARY
AUXILIARY STAFF
3,601
AVG. EXPERIENCE OF TEACHERS
10.7 YEARS
PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT
1,013
AVG. EXPERIENCE WITH FORT WORTH ISD
8.5 YEARS
EDUCATIONAL AIDES
895
CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS
332
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATORS
89
10 | FORT WORTH ISD
$53,000
CHAPTER 1
Inspired to achieve YOU BELONG HERE
INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE | 11
NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENT REQUIRED CAMPUSES 24 24
22
21
18 14 11
12
6
0 2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
STAAR POWER Students aren’t the only ones who receive report cards. Districts are measured through state accountability testing. Fort Worth ISD is celebrating results released by the Texas Education Agency just before this report went to print. According to the TEA, Fort Worth ISD led most large urban districts in accountability gains and was one of two top districts in Texas in year-to-year positive growth. Forty-two percent of Fort Worth ISD schools received letter grades of A or B under the new A-F accountability system, which will be fully implemented next year. 75% of FWISD campuses earned a letter grade of A, B or C. Overall, the District received a C under the new system. We cut our number of Improvement Required campuses in half – to 11 – over the last four years.
12 | FORT WORTH ISD
Our five struggling campuses that were reconstituted as Leadership Academies at the beginning of 2017-18 – Mitchell Blvd. ES, John T. White ES, Como ES, Logan ES, and Forest Oak MS – had been rated Improvement Required. Two of those schools, Logan and White, faced closure. However, all five Leadership Academies are now rated Met Standard. Fort Worth ISD saw positive growth among our highest-achieving campuses as well. Ten schools are now rated Met Standard at the A level. Additionally, the District saw an increase of eight percentage points in students passing Grade 3 reading. Superintendent Scribner called this the first step in moving all students to reading at grade level, which is the goal of the District’s 100x25 FWTX literacy initiative.
CHAPTER 1
LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES A year ago, we reconstituted John T. White ES, Maude I. Logan ES, Como ES, Mitchell Boulevard ES and Forest Oak MS as Fort Worth ISD Leadership Academies. We invested time, money and top talent. We invited the most effective teachers in the District to teach at the Leadership Academies, rewarding them with a stipend for their commitment. We placed top principals there, along with every resource for success. A $1 million gift from the Rainwater Charitable Trust allowed us to include before-and-after-school tutoring and other support proven to help children who are “coming from behind.” STAAR results indicate double-digit improvements for all five campuses, with the greatest gains at the FWISD Leadership Academy at Maude Logan and the FWISD Leadership Academy at John T. White, formerly our two most challenging campuses. •
At Maude Logan, there was a 10% point increase in students passing math (54% to 64%), a 16% point increase in students passing reading (40% to 56%), and a 14% point increase in students passing science (55% to 69%).
•
And, at John T. White, the data show a 24% point increase in students passing math (42% to 66%), a 10% point increase in students passing reading (51% to 61%), and a 35% point increase in students passing science (36% to 71%).
Overall, the Leadership Academies showed significant increases in the percentage of students passing STAAR from 2017 to 2018 in over 80% (17 of the 21) of the subjects tested.
INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE | 13
14 | FORT WORTH ISD
Aileen Martina-Quiñones Principal - FWISD Leadership Academy at Mitchell Blvd.
“It’s amazing looking back [and] to today. The work has been hard. It’s been challenging, but we’ve remained together, and it feels like a family.”
But, things were changing. The District reconstituted Mitchell Boulevard and four other campuses and reopened them in fall 2017 as Leadership Academies, with extended-day schedules, after-school programs, tutoring and other student support. High-quality educators made a three-year commitment to work there – among them, Aileen Martina-Q uiñones, the new principal at the FWISD Leadership Academy at Mitchell Boulevard. W hat attracted the 26-year FWISD veteran was the challenge and the opportunity. “I wanted to create a new culture while working with the parents, the community and the staff,” Ms. Martina said. “I knew that our students would show major gains if we had the right team.” School staff built relationships with families. A student council was created, and “houses” were implemented where thirdto fifth-graders discussed
leadership and character traits. A special program addressed chronic absenteeism. A new Parent-Teacher Organization offered Spanish classes to non-Spanish-speaking parents. Businesses and residents offered support and volunteers. By November, the school was outperforming the District average on benchmark exams in grades 3 and 4 math and grade 5 all subjects. Today, the Leadership Academy at Mitchell Boulevard is among six District campuses no longer on the Improvement Requirement list and meeting state standards. Not only did reading levels rise dramatically, but referrals decreased and student attendance improved. “It ’s amazing looking back [and] to today,” said Ms. Martina. “ The work has been hard. It ’s been challenging, but we’ve remained together, and it feels like a family.”
INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE | 15
CHAPTER 1
Mitchell Boulevard Elementar y School faced a problem. It was in its third consecutive year on the Improvement Required list.
LEARNING MODEL “We believe the Fort Worth ISD Learning Model is what our students need and deserve,” said Superintendent Scribner as we prepared to launch the Learning Model in the District. “It is what learning should look like in every classroom.” Moving toward that vision, teachers and administrative leadership from 71 campuses received training over the last year on implementing the Learning Model. The Learning Model positions teachers as designers and facilitators of learning experiences that actively engage students – and their teachers – in all aspects of thinking, designing, learning and leading. Students have the opportunity to challenge, research, create, communicate, reflect and grow. Early feedback is positive: •
Stephanie Hughes, principal at Lily B. Clayton ES: “The kids love it. I have little to no behavior problems in that classroom and they’re always engaged in the lesson and excited about learning.”
•
Lori Werth, fourth-grade teacher at Lily B. Clayton: “[Learning Model instruction] definitely sticks more. Students are able to talk about their work and take ownership.”
Trainings for principals continue in August 2018. Instructional coaches supporting the Learning Model will participate in a Coaches Academy in September 2018.
2017 PENNY SWAP AND BOND ELECTION The record $750 million bond package that Fort Worth ISD put before voters in November passed by a wide margin. Proposition A, the Penny Swap, received 74 percent of the vote. Proposition B, the bond election, received 78 percent. Statewide, it was the highest voter-approval margin of any measure on the ballot that day. Instruction drives construction with this Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to provide: •
Modern learning environments at every high school that accommodate and engage teams of students
•
Upgrades for high school athletics, fine arts and libraries
•
Plumbing and air-conditioning infrastructure updates
The Penny Swap brings in an additional
$23 million annually to the general fund for life-cycle, maintenance, technology and other items – with no increase in the current tax rate.
16 | FORT WORTH ISD
INSTRUCTION DRIVES CONSTRUCTION The bond program was developed by Long Range Facilities Master Plan advisory groups made up of educators, parents and community leaders. The groups met over six months to determine how our schools should change and update to meet the needs of students and the goals of teachers.
CHAPTER 1
INFORMATION CAMPAIGN Once the FWISD Board of Trustees called for the Bond Election, the District's bond information campaign, Commitment to Graduating Students College and Career-ready, was up and running. Superintendent Scribner led dozens of town hall meetings with members of his leadership team to answer attendees’ questions. Our Communications Department created a bond information video shown at the town halls. It featured Dr. Scribner, WATCH THE VIDEO: www.fwisd.org/BondVideo Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, TCC Chancellor Eugene Giovannini and others. The District strategically placed information ads in newspapers and on radio and social media. STATE OF EDUCATION Superintendent Scribner made the Penny Swap/Bond Election the primary focus of his address to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of Education Luncheon, which was attended by more
than 250 people. He also touched on the District’s work on early literacy and middle years’ math, our plans going forward, and how bond program projects would facilitate this critical work.
INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE | 17
 ABOVE: FWISD sold its first series of 2017 CIP bonds for $162 million. Present with the District's financial advisors were high school students who learned first hand about the sale of tax-exempt municipal bonds.
FOLLOW CIP PROGRESS!  The Fort Worth ISD Board of Education chose PROCEDEO to manage the voter-approved 2017 Bond Program. The company assessed the projects for scope and budget, and prepared a financial and logistical plan for the entire Capital Improvement Program (CIP). PROCEDEO is keeping the community informed on the CIP at www.fwisd2017bond.com. The site features pages for each campus, subpages for each project, monthly construction status updates and photos.
A LESSON IN BUILDING
EQUITY AND TRANSPARENCY
In an effort to engage FWISD students interested in architecture, engineering, construction and virtual construction careers, PROCEDEO reached out to area firms to host and sponsor various high school juniors and seniors for student engagement field trips. The companies hosted 30 students and chaperones.
The Fort Worth ISD Board of Education named 17 members to the Citizens Oversight Committee (COC) to ensure equity and transparency in all 2017 CIP work. Another COC was just completing its work for the 2013 bond program.
2013 BOND WRAP-UP I.M. TERRELL ACADEMY FOR STEM AND VPA The I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA opens fall 2018, as the crown jewel of the 2013 Capital Improvement Program and one of the last projects to be completed. The new construction and renovations to historic I.M. Terrell HS transformed it into a state-of-the-art learning environment offering a college preparatory STEM curriculum, as well as intensive study of dance, music, theater and visual arts. Students also participate in the Cowan Humanities Academy at I.M. Terrell, a college-prep level humanities study that cultivates imagination and wisdom.
18 | FORT WORTH ISD
I.M. TERRELL ACADEMY FOR STEM AND VPA
CHAPTER 1
VAN ZANDT-GUINN ELEMENTARY Fort Worth ISD formally dedicated the new Van Zandt-Guinn ES, part of the 2013 CIP, in October 2017. The 67,500 square foot building replaced a 1970s-era structure that was one of two underground schools in the District. Natural light pours into the new school, which includes an Outdoor Learning Lab. The school also houses students from the former I.M. Terrell ES, which is now the I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA. KITCHENS AND MORE The last 2013 CIP projects to be completed also include new kitchens, cafeteria expansions and/or athletic facilities at DeZavala ES, Charles Nash ES, Tanglewood ES, Versia Williams ES, Wedgwood 6th, Diamond Hill-Jarvis HS, South Hills HS and Southwest HS.
INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE | 19
20 | FORT WORTH ISD
Jay Swint Bus Driver - Fort Worth ISD
“I always greet the kids with ‘good morning’ and then I say ‘have a good day ’ when they get off the bus,” he said. Swint said most students return the greeting, but he remembers one student who did not.
INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE | 21
CHAPTER 1
It was the work schedule that attracted him to driving a school bus. It's the students who make him proud of his job and the service he provides.
Sometimes life takes unexpected “ There was this one kid who never talked, who never made routes. Jay Swint ’s childhood eye contact with me, even when dream was to be a school bus I greeted him in the morning,” driver. In college, he became Mr. Swint said. “ That year, on fascinated by maps and wanted the Friday before Thanksgiving, to be a cartographer. Then he he got half way down the decided to be a math teacher. In stair well and turned around and the end, Mr. Swint became a state criminal investigator. W hen said, ‘Happy Thanksgiving’ to me. it was time to retire, the thought That ’s progress.” of a second career brought his Mr. Swint said he enjoys the childhood dream in reach. people he meets during the course of his day. “I was going to be a substitute teacher during retirement, but “I had a really nice experience I found an opening for a school once when someone at a school bus driver,” Mr. Swint said. shook my hand and thanked me Initially, the schedule was what for bringing kids to school ever y mainly appealed to Mr. Swint day,” he said. because it gave him time to care for his elderly mother. But “I take pride in being dependable, shortly into the job, he realized so it made me feel good to have that seeing the students ever y someone recognize me for the day had become his favorite part job we do.” of his second career.
ABOVE: BNSF Executive Chairman Matt Rose and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price speak to Read Fort Worth volunteers about the importance of childhood literacy.
100x25 FWTX 100x25 FWTX expanded to all Fort Worth ISD elementary schools. This is the community-wide literacy initiative with the goal of having all third-graders reading on grade level by 2025. It engages parents, grandparents and caregivers, as well as volunteers from the city’s business sector, higher education, non-profit organizations and the faith-based community. Organizations such as Reading Partners, Read 2 Win and Kids Hope USA matched volunteers to students to help them become strong readers. 100x25 FWTX is part of the larger Read Fort Worth initiative led by Mayor Betsy Price, BNSF Executive Chairman Matt Rose and Superintendent Scribner.
TCU READING FAIR Every year, Texas Christian University holds a community-wide day of service called TCU Leaps. This year, TCU Leaps offered a free Leap Frogs Reading Fair to support 100x25 FWTX. Activities for our students included reading with a college student, playing basketball, dancing, facepainting and science demonstrations.
TOP SHELF DONATION The East Fort Worth Business Association loaded up bookshelves at elementary school libraries in the Eastern Hills HS pyramid. The new books, purchased with a $5,400 donation from the association, were selected because of their diversity and cultural relevance.
BATTLE OF THE BOOKS Approximately 200 grade level teams from Fort Worth ISD elementary, middle and high schools descended on the Brown-Lupton University Union on the campus of Texas Christian University for the annual Battle of the Books hosted by the TCU College of Education. A committee of school librarians organized the quiz show-like competition to create communities of readers who share good books and test their recall.
22 | FORT WORTH ISD
CHAPTER 1 INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE | 23
24 | FORT WORTH ISD
Cathy Roseberry Nutrition Services Manager - McLean Middle
“Good morning,” she exclaims as students file in. “C’mon and eat breakfast so that your brain can work.” Ms. Roseberr y, who has managed the cafeteria for five years, knows students’ names and needs. “I see ever y kid ever y day, sometimes twice,” she said. She knows some come hungr y because they ’ve had nothing to eat at home. She knows some go through their day needing an extra dose of smiles and encouragement.
“I show them some love,” she said. Sometimes, it ’s tough love. W hen students are disciplined, teachers occasionally call on Ms. Roseberr y to give them her talk. She warns them that breaking the rules and forming bad habits will lead to a grim future. Then, she gives them an assignment – to write her a letter about how they are going to make things right. “ They seem happy to write those letters,” she said. “I think it ’s because they know I really care.” In fact, letters continue long after students leave McLean Middle School, but in a different form. They are messages of gratitude that reinforce Ms. Roseberr y ’s blueprint. She has given them something to emulate. “I tr y to make moments that they remember,” she said. “I want them to be able to go back and make that connection – and keep going.”
INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE | 25
CHAPTER 1
“I try to make moments that they remember. I want them to be able to go back and make that connection – and keep going.”
Approximately 1,000 students come through the McLean Middle School cafeteria each day. Along with food, a beaming smile and personal attention, Cathy Roseberr y offers them what she calls a blueprint for a culture of love. That love was on full display in Superintendent Kent Scribner’s Februar y 2018 video message, one of the District ’s most-viewed messages to date (watch the video at www.fwisd.org/FebMsg).
LITTLE LEARNERS A big push to fill Pre-K seats across our District led to the registration of approximately 5,300 four-year-olds for 2018-19. We introduced online registration just in time for the Pre-K Roundup in April. This allowed parents to register their children from their mobile phone or tablet and skip the line at the school office. Superintendent Kent Scribner chatted with four-year-olds in a video message introducing online Pre-K registration (watch the video at www.fwisd.org/MarchMsg). The District’s Early Learning Department collaborated with six childcare centers in the city to provide materials, classroom coaching and 40 hours of professional learning sessions. District-wide, the department provided 225 hours of learning to Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes, with more than 1,000 teachers attending.
READING WITH BARBERS T Fort Worth ISD staff delivered books and bookshelves to participating barbers in east and southeast Fort Worth where young customers can get a haircut and brush up on their reading skills at the same time. The Reading with Barbers program was begun by the Fort Worth ISD Division of Equity and Excellence with the help of the Eastside Alliance and Historic Stop Six Initiative to support the 100x25 FWTX literacy initiative.
PRE-K LITERACY FAIR T Families had a fun-filled day at the Second Annual Fort Worth ISD Pre-kindergarten Registration and 100x25 FWTX Literacy Fair at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center. In addition to registration opportunities, attendees were provided with free books, games, activities, and numerous resources courtesy of more than 20 District departments and community organizations.
COUNTDOWN TO KINDERGARTEN Under the direction of our Early Learning Department, Fort Worth ISD released a new “Countdown to Kindergarten” booklet for parents of infants and young children. This booklet in English and Spanish helps parents get their children ready for school, starting at birth.
ONLINE REGISTRATION Fort Worth ISD provided a new level of customer service for families and school staff by rolling out online registration. It was introduced in the spring for Pre-K parents, and then launched District-wide for all students on July 1. Returning students were also required to register in this first year to provide a database. Next year, the process will be much easier for returning students.
26 | FORT WORTH ISD
CHAPTER 1
 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Reading with Barbers program at a local barbershop; Second Annual Fort Worth ISD Pre-kindergarten Registration and 100x25 FWTX Literacy Fair; Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price returned to her alma mater, South Hi Mount ES, as a Celebrity Reader.
INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE | 27
EQUITY SEMINARS We are very proud of the discussions that took place in Fort Worth ISD this year about a serious obstacle for many students across the country and right here in our District. It’s the opportunity gap caused by inequitable resources and opportunities. Fort Worth ISD’s Division of Equity and Excellence wrapped up its first full year of Racial Equity Seminars. These professional learning opportunities provide facilitated conversations about race and equity as they pertain to a variety of relevant topics. Eventually, all 10,000 Fort Worth ISD employees will take part in the conversations. Superintendent Scribner, his leadership team and school board members participated in multiple seminars that focused on the equitable distribution of resources within our District and will continue that practice in the year ahead. Two cohorts of District principals began using the Courageous Conversations protocol to guide their day-to-day work. In the spring, campus teacher leaders joined campus administrators in the trainings, adding more perspectives to the conversation. EQUITY SUMMIT More than 320 people took part in the inaugural Racial Equity Summit, a daylong event hosted by our Division of Equity and Excellence and the TCU Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies program. The attendees were middle, high school and college students, as well as parents, educators and other Fort Worth residents. They chose from 50 break-out sessions – all designed to expand racial consciousness in communities and schools. EQUITY WALKS The Fort Worth ISD Special Education Department collaborated with the Equity and Excellence Department to conduct special visits to schools. The goal of these ongoing Equity Walks is to ensure that educational practices are equitable for all students, including those with disabilities. 28 | FORT WORTH ISD
CHAPTER 2
College & career ready YOU BELONG HERE
FUTURE FROGS Hard work and perseverance paid off in a very big way for 27 seniors at eight Fort Worth ISD high schools. The students, listed below, were awarded full scholarships, each valued at $260,000, to Texas Christian University. •
North Side HS: Youanna Ibrahim and Antonio Ramos
Trimble Technical HS: Aaron Acosta, Jesus Alonso, Gisselle Galvan, Anthony Mata, N’iang Muang, Mikayla Wilson
•
O. D. Wyatt HS: Mohamed Mohamed, Michael Franklin, Corine Nekingam, Kassandra Avila, Brittney Darden
Young Men’s Leadership Academy: Chadrick Jackson, Kirk Preston, Andres Cortes, London Zambito, Brian Dickson Jr.
•
Young Women’s Leadership Academy: Mercedez Saldana
•
Dunbar HS: Nayeli Frias, Jocelyn Mays, Laurent Shumbusha*
• •
•
Polytechnic HS: Brandon Carrasco Ballinas, Cecilia Esparza, Victoria Garcia
•
South Hills HS: Cynthia Cadena, Rene Cardoso, Maite Herrera, Ja’nae Jackson
•
Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences: Christa Engel**
* Laurent also received the Regional Black Contractors Association Scholarship **Christa also received the Hispanic Women’s Network Scholarship
ALL ABOUT ENERGY Rising seniors from Southwest HS were awarded $1,000 scholarships upon completing IPAA/PESA Petroleum Academy externships. During the two-week externships, 12 students shadowed energy industry professionals at Weir Oil & Gas, Gardner-Denver, Texland Petroleum, Harbison-Fischer. They learned about engineering, safety, supply chain, sales, gas marketing, public and governmental affairs, geology and human resources.
30 | FORT WORTH ISD
CHAPTER 2
SUPERINTENDENT SCHOLARS The number of students awarded Superintendent Scholars certificates and stoles rose to 412 this year, compared to 347 last year. They earned the distinction for their outstanding academic achievements as one or more of the following: National Merit Semifinalist or Commended Scholar, AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, AP Scholar with Distinction, National AP Scholar, FWISD African American Scholar, Dual Credit Scholar, AP Capstone Scholar, or International Baccalaureate Scholar. Dr. Scribner also recognized 18 AP Teacher Scholars – one from each high school campus – for their teaching and influence.
946 JUNIORS
$102,690,332
Received academic sweatshirts for maintaining a 3.8 GPA or higher during their first two years of high school. Lockheed Martin sponsored the award ceremony.
Merit scholarships and grant offers earned by students in 2018, compared to $65 million one year ago
COLLEGE AND CAREER READY | 31
TAILOR-MADE LITERACY TOOL Elementary, middle and high school students who diligently used the Achieve3000® or Smarty Ants® reading programs saw remarkable improvements in their reading levels. Achieve3000® and Smarty Ants® are webbased intervention solutions tailored to each student’s level. The programs blend teacher-led instruction with work that students do on their own. •
Students who completed 40-79 articles and scored 75 percent or higher on the accompanying questions more than doubled their reading level.
•
Students who completed 80 articles and scored 75 percent or higher on the questions more than tripled their reading level.
•
More than 60 percent of students logged in to Achieve3000® after school hours during the school year.
ABOVE: Two FWISD students made it all the way to Round 10 in the Regional Spelling Bee held at TCU: Area 2 – Terrance Williams, Bill J. Elliott ES; Area 4– Scott-Wesley Smith, Waverly Park ES.
CROSS EXAMINATION DEBATE Two teams from O.D. Wyatt HS advanced to UIL state debate competition. Tarrius Miller and Simone Wallace made up Team 1. Team 2 members were Nathen Jones and Justyn Wallace. The alternate team from Wyatt was Juan Munoz and Jose Puentes. Also qualifying for the state contest were Tyler Duke and Kalee Walker from Southwest HS and Brandy Davis and Kristen Wallace from Wyatt.
32 | FORT WORTH ISD
CHAPTER 2
POWER OF CHOICE The Choices Expo at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center is where families come each year to learn about, and apply to, Gold Seal Programs and Schools of Choice. An extra treat this year was the addition of Latino Mix radio personality Gabino “Wolfie” Hernandez. The host of the popular “La Chismoteca” morning show did a twohour broadcast from outside the Expo.
4,200 Parents and students attended the Choices Expo
DESIGN DEN DEBUT Young Men’s Leadership Academy students gave visitors tours of the school’s new Dr. William H. Koehler Design Den, where design, engineering, fabrication and education come together. Dr. Koehler is a former Fort Worth ISD Board of Education president. The Sid W. Richardson Foundation and the YMLA Community Advisory Board are donating $210,000 over the next three years for the makerspace. SMART SHOPPING Trimble Technical HS opened a new on-campus retail store, the capstone to the school’s Retail Entrepreneurship Gold Seal Program of Choice. Students apply their business and marketing skills to researching products, developing business models, outlining purchasing procedures, and displaying merchandise. Under the guidance of teacher Jayme Rodriguez, the students also run the store! Merchandise includes apparel, spirit items and products made by Trimble Tech students. All profits go to school programs. COLLEGE AND CAREER READY | 33
34 | FORT WORTH ISD
Laurent Shumbusha Class of 2018 - Dunbar High School
Laurent got that opportunity when he flew to Fort Worth at age 12. His new life began with enrollment at FWISD’s International Newcomer Academy. “I met kids like me who were from other countries and didn’t speak English well. No one judged me. The teachers were ver y nice. W hen I needed help I could talk to them about anything.” This experience continued at W illiam James Middle School and D unbar High School, along with more good fortune. At D unbar, Laurent discovered that he would be able to study the thing that had always fascinated him – aviation. Laurent participated in the Aviation Gold Seal Program of Choice and the dual credit program. The aviation pathway included hands-on learning at
the northwest and the south campuses of Tarrant County College. “I worked on many airplanes. I learned how to fix them and take care of them.” GO Center advisors encouraged Laurent to apply for the TCU Community Scholars Program. The process involved an inter view. “I had a big stor y to tell, but I still needed help. The GO Center helped me prepare for the inter view, and many people came together to make sure I had a nice suit to wear.” Laurent earned a full-ride scholarship to TCU. He plans to major in mechanical engineering. “My long term plan is to work for a company like Boeing or Lockheed Martin. I also want to explore space travel, going beyond this world.” Even as he aspires to go far, Laurent said Fort Worth is home. “I never felt like I was at home until I moved here. Coming here opened my eyes to all you can achieve.”
COLLEGE AND CAREER READY | 35
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“I never felt like I was at home until I moved here. Coming here opened my eyes to all you can achieve.”
In Africa, Laurent Shumbusha and his family moved around for years in search of a better life. “I liked watching airplanes. I always felt like airplanes were free. I wanted to fly away and have a better future.”
TCU AND UNTHSC SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
ABOVE: FWISD students learned emergency medical procedures and participated in dissections at the TCU and UNT Health Science Center School of Medicine Junior Medical School summer camp.
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION HIRING FAIR 2018 The Career and Technical Education Department (CTE) hosted the District’s 25th annual Hiring Fair for recent high school graduates. More than 130 employers attended, offering more than 9,000 entry-level parttime, full-time, year-round and summer job opportunities. Hiring Fair 2018 partners included the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce and others. LEADING THE WAY Project Lead the Way (PLTW) recognized the Young Women’s Leadership Academy Gateway Program and the Diamond Hill ES Launch Program as being among the best of their kind in the nation. PLTW’s recognitions honor school programs committed to increasing student access, engagement and achievement. Diamond Hill-Jarvis HS established the District’s first chapter of the National Technical Honor Society. The organization provides CTE students with leadership development, networking and scholarship opportunities. UNDER THE HOOD More than 100 juniors taking automotive and collision classes toured Sewell’s Lexus and Infiniti shops and collision center in Fort Worth. Sewell is a longtime partner of Fort Worth ISD. The students from Dunbar, North Side, Polytechnic, Trimble Tech and O.D. Wyatt discussed with Sewell employees the training and experience needed to become an auto technician. They also learned about the sales and customer service sides of the business.
36 | FORT WORTH ISD
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 ABOVE: Students in Gold Seal and CTE programs have many opportunities for real-world learning at events throughout the year, including Whiz Quiz finals.
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38 | FORT WORTH ISD
Jacob Wells Class of 2018 - Southwest High School
As a senior, Jacob delivered a speech to 300 school district community partners and held his own with CBS 11 Meteorologist Jeff Jamison when they cohosted the Teacher of the Year Recognition Dinner. “Fort Worth ISD has given me the feeling I can do anything, and that ’s a real sense of home to me.” That sense of home got Jacob through rough times. This young man who seemed to have ever ything going for him had a difficult upbringing. In addition to holding down a job to help his family financially, he had to be caregiver and role model for his three younger brothers. But no matter how difficult life
became at home, he could count on support at school. “A lot of people helped me through my life, especially my principal, Mr. John Engel; my broadcast teacher, Ms. Darcy Deupree McCready; and Mr. Scott JuVette in the District ’s television studio,” Jacob said. “I also had great support from the GO Center. Almost ever ything I’ve had to do for college came from the GO Center.” As a junior, Jacob won the Dream Big Fort Worth Determined Scholarship Award, which recognizes high school students who have overcome significant obstacles and want to pursue higher education. Jacob plans to earn a broadcast degree at the University of North Texas and become an international reporter. “I’m happy that I got this experience. I am prepared to succeed. I’m prepared to fail, too. The support I had as a high school student prepared me for the challenges I will have now.”
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“The support I had as a high school student prepared me for the challenges I will have now.”
Jacob Wells accomplished a lot in a short amount of time at Southwest High School. He arrived from another district as a sophomore and involved himself in athletics, theater and a myriad of clubs and organizations. He won multiple awards as a member of his school’s Advanced Media Program.
39 CTE STUDENTS
277 CTE STUDENTS
Competed at national contests
Competed at state contests
3,946 EXAMS Industry certification exams were taken by CTE students
GOLD SEAL AND CTE STUDENTS SHINE AT… HOSA – FUTURE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS Students from the District’s Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences competed at the HOSA – Future Health Professionals International Leadership Conference in Dallas: Henry Chao, Anthony De Maria, Rebeca Galindo, Harrison Hall, Samantha Lopez, Jared Maldonado, Mike Mares, Alexstazia Mumford, Zoe NicholsPayne, Angelina Pacheco and Halle Shafer. Alyssa Zavala attended leadership training. Vanessa Garcia and Alexia Rios also qualified for the competition. PHOTOGRAPHY CONTESTS Trimble Technical HS photography students had outstanding showings at state and national contests, including: •
Breanna Barnaba –1st place, photography, State SkillsUSA Championship
•
Kimberly Garcia –1st place, technical test, State SkillsUSA Championship
•
Alma Hernandez – 2nd place, photography, State SkillsUSA Championship
•
Mariana Luna – $1,000 and 1st place, photojournalism, Hal Fulgham Memorial Scholarship Association/Texas Photography Instructors (ATPI); Best of Show and 1st place, journalism, Black & White Images Exhibition
•
Alma Hernandez –1st place, digital image, ATPI Winter Conference
40 | FORT WORTH ISD
ABOVE: A Best of Show photograph by Mariana Luna, Trimble Technical HS.
•
Kimberly Garcia –3rd place, digital editing, ATPI Winter Conference
•
Michelle Samano – 3rd place, beginner architecture/cityscape, ATPI Fall Contest
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GOLD SEAL AND CTE STUDENTS SHINE AT… FAMILY, CAREER AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OF AMERICA (FCCLA) Five Trimble Technical HS culinary arts students brought home top honors at the FCCLA 2018 National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The sports nutrition team of Rayven Barnaba, Alexandra Gonzalez and Miriam Perez took the top national prize. The entrepreneurship team of Juliana Nava and Adrian Ornelas finished second in their category. Jennifer Hernandez also competed at Nationals. SKILLSUSA Southwest HS students Laura Nunez, Chelsea Lyles, Jacob Wells and Gloria Ortiz placed second in the nation at the SkillsUSA Broadcast News Production contest in Louisville, Kentucky. These AMP students are part of the Gold Seal Program of Choice in Broadcast Journalism/Media Technology. Mario Ferrara also competed at Nationals. This is the eighth consecutive year Southwest students have competed at the national SkillsUSA Broadcast contest. FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA (FBLA) And what a year for South Hills HS’s Emilio Contreras, Rosio Frias and Luis Hernandez. Their self-taught animation team finished fourth at the FBLA National Leadership Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Also competing in the national FBLA contest were these students from Paschal HS: Brandon Meyers, who earned the third-place prize in the sales presentation category, and Blair Ashcraft, Gabriella Drago, Sophie
Duwe, Medina Hidic, Margaret Hurst, Kailey Kisor and Christopher Wood. Competitors from South
Hills HS also included Dulce Diaz, Edwin Diaz and Jose Soto. EDUCATORS RISING Ashley Rios and Angeles Garcia of South Hills HS finished second at the Educators Rising National Conference in Orlando, Florida. Other South Hills
students competing nationally were Daniel Aguirre, Abigail Arreola, Angeles Garcia Martinez and Alejandra Patino. Melissa Areola was elected to serve as state vice president of the Texas Association of Future Educators.
COLLEGE AND CAREER READY | 41
LEFT: Two Daggett Montessori students were Grand Prize winners at the FWISD Invention Convention: Ava Stubblefield, sixth-grade, and Kylee Williams, fourth-grade. RIGHT: Jovany Pena of W.M. Green ES stands next to his project.
TAG AND RELEASE Paschal HS biology and environmental science teacher Andrew Brinker turned the banks of the Trinity River into a classroom. In the fall, he and his students launched the threeyear Trinity River Turtle Study, funded by a grant from TCU’s Andrews Institute of Mathematics and Science Education. The students captured, measured, tagged and released turtles. The data they gathered will help determine the ongoing conditions of the turtles and the river and possibly bring to light any threats, such as diseases.
STEM EXPO Hundreds of students and their families attended the District’s first STEM Expo at Dunbar HS to learn about STEM-related summer camp, careers and scholarships. The national and junior honor society clubs from Southwest HS, North Side HS, Monnig MS and Kirkpatrick MS operated STEM Challenge Stations at the Expo. More than 50 District partners contributed to the event to make it truly special, including Lockheed Martin, the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.
HISTORY BUFFS Fort Worth ISD students displayed their knowledge of American history at Texas History Day in Austin and at the National History Day competition in College Park, Maryland. McLean 6th Grade students Violet Krogness, Cass Wheatley and Karter Woods qualified for Nationals after placing second in the Junior Division Group Website category at Texas History Day. McLean MS student Dai Pham placed second in the Individual Website category and earned finalist at the national level.
42 | FORT WORTH ISD
$100,000 GRANT A We Teach Computer Science (CS) grant will fund computer science initiatives and help more than 30 FWISD teachers obtain their CS certification.
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WHIZ QUIZ All Fort Worth ISD high schools participated in Whiz Quiz this year, and 27 of our 29 middle schools took part. At the finals, two well-known Fort Worth ISD graduates, CBS 11 meteorologist Jeff Jamison and Star-Telegram columnist Bud Kennedy, asked the questions. There was a lot of real-world learning for many students. Southwest HS’s Advanced Media Program (AMP) students helped put on the live production. The Southwest HS Jazz Band entertained. Culinary teams from O.D. Wyatt HS, North Side HS and Trimble Tech HS treated the live audience to hors d'oeuvres. Pizza Snob generously donated all the ingredients. Championship Results: •
Sixth grade– McLean 6th beat Daggett Montessori
•
Seventh/Eighth grade– Daggett Montessori defeated Stripling MS
•
High School – Paschal HS beat Benbrook MHS
COLLEGE AND CAREER READY | 43
44 | FORT WORTH ISD
LTC Richard Crossley Jr. JROTC - Fort Worth ISD
“I want cadets to have a sense of who they are and what talent and ability they have to reach their potential.”
“I want cadets to have a sense of who they are and what talent and ability they have to reach their potential,” he said. A retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who ser ved 23 years active duty with tours in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, LTC Crossley joined the Fort Worth ISD 17 years ago as a high school senior Army instructor. He’s led the JROTC program for the last six years, overseeing 15 high school JROTC programs and more than 20 middle school JCC programs. He’s fostered a program that has motivated its 5,364 students to be better citizens and has ignited in them a passion for ser vice and community leadership.
His formula is working. In 2018, the District ’s JROTC cadets were awarded nearly $7 million in scholarships. For consecutive years, the program has reported a 99 percent graduation rate among its seniors. The state average is approximately 89 percent. He beams with pride as he talks about the cadets' achievements, including students' enrollment at West Point, the U.S. Militar y Academy. “I believe and I know that we all have a God-given purpose, and my job and the instructor’s job and the District ’s job is to help students discover that,” LTC Crossley said. “ W hen they leave here, I would like a person to leave so that they ’re proud of their place, and their place is proud of them, and their place is Fort Worth ISD.”
“JROTC is a program that allows students to seek, to grow, to learn and to make mistakes,” LTC Crossley said.
COLLEGE AND CAREER READY | 45
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LTC Richard Crossley, director of Fort Worth ISD’s JROTC programs, has one goal for his cadets finishing high school.
 TOP: JROTC's seventh Staff Ride trip to Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and Virginia BELOW: Fort Worth ISD cadets at the annual JROTC/ JCC Pass in Review at Farrington Field
46 | FORT WORTH ISD
A RIDE TO REMEMBER The assignment for a group of 20 Fort Worth ISD JROTC and Military History students was to link the American Revolution, the Constitution, the Civil War (specifically Gettysburg), the atrocities of World War II, and the American Civil Rights movement, all under the over-arching theme of “We the People…” The students spent five days in Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and Virginia searching for the answers. It was all part of an Experiential Staff Ride, hosted by the JROTC Department working in conjunction with the District’s Social Studies Department and the National Parks Service. Students visited: The National Museum of African American History and Culture
•
The Lincoln Memorial
•
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
•
The National World War II Memorial
The National Constitution Center
•
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial
•
Valley Forge National Historical Park
•
The Korean War Veterans Memorial
•
Gettysburg National Historic Park (including the David Wills House)
•
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery
•
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
The Museum of the American Revolution
•
Liberty Bell
•
Independence Hall
•
The first House of Representatives and U.S. Senate
•
This was the seventh Staff Ride conducted by the District as part of the Honors U.S. Military History program. The Communications Department documented the trip with a video you can watch at www.fwisd.org/JROTC.
$6.9 MILLION Scholarship offers received by cadets, compared to $5.9 million last year
PASS IN REVIEW COL Michael Stinnett, who oversees the national U.S. Army JROTC program, reviewed Fort Worth ISD cadets at the annual JROTC/JCC Pass in Review at Farrington Field. The ceremony recognizes the hard work and accomplishments of cadets throughout the school year. Cadets who excel scholastically receive scholarships and awards from civic/patriotic organizations.
COLLEGE AND CAREER READY | 47
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•
•
DAVEY O’BRIEN FOUNDATION
O’BRIEN WINNER Mikayla Wilson, a senior at Trimble Technical HS, won the prestigious Davey O’Brien Scholarship High School Award, which includes a $30,000 college scholarship. Mikayla was recognized at the 41st annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner, along with National Quarterback Award and Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield from the University of Oklahoma. Mikayla becomes the first student from Trimble Tech – and the sixth student from Fort Worth ISD – to earn the recognition in the award’s 32-year history. She ranks No. 1 in her senior class with a 4.49 GPA on a 4.0 scale. She plays varsity softball and picked up two all-district honors in 2017. Mikayla plans to major in astronomy and astrophysics and one day work as a research scientist at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
ABOVE: Sign ‘Em Up! A total of 56 student-athletes participated in three National Signing Day ceremonies this year, a 17% increase over last year.
LADY JACKETS’ AMAZING JOURNEY The Arlington Heights HS Lady Jackets softball team made school history by advancing to the state tournament. The team’s magical season came to a halt in an 8-1 loss to Richmond Foster HS in a Class 5A state semifinal at McCombs Field in Austin. Paschal HS was the only other FWISD team to make it to the state softball tournament, back in 2004. Jaylee McDonald was named to the MaxPreps National Sophomore All-American Softball Team.
48 | FORT WORTH ISD
PERFORMANCE RECOGNITIONS SOFTBALL STATE SEMI-FINALISTS
SOFTBALL
WESTERN HILLS HS BOYS
ALL-STATE TEXAS GIRLS COACHES ASSOCIATION
O. D. WYATT HS BOYS KEVIN SHED
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS HS TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL COACHES
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS HS
JALEE MCDONALD, SOPHOMORE;
ASSOCIATION
LADY JACKETS
ASHLEIGH SGAMBELLURI, SENIOR
SOUTHWEST HS BOYS
TENNIS
SOCCER
STATE BRONZE MEDALISTS
SHAUNA GALVIN AND EMILY BUELL
4A TEAM – REGION I (TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SOCCER COACHES)
TRACK AND FIELD
DIAMOND HILL-JARVIS HS GIRLS
STATE GOLD MEDALISTS
JACKIE GARCIA, 1ST TEAM ALL-
TRIMBLE TECH HS DASH AND 200M DASH; KEISHAWN
BENBROOK MHS)
TRACK AND FIELD STATE BRONZE MEDALISTS
CAMERON WEST, HONORABLE MENTION
ERNESTO RODRIGUEZ, HONORABLE MENTION ALL-STATE
FOOTBALL TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL COACHES
TRIMBLE TECH HS MIKAYLA WILSON, 1ST TEAM
ACADEMIC ALL-STATE
JAKOBE GIBBONS, HONORABLE
BASEBALL
PASCHAL HS
BOYS 5A 400M RELAY: PAUL
ASSOCIATION
MENTION; DEZANAY JONES, 1ST TEAM; JAYLON WILLIAMS, HONORABLE MENTION
SOUTH HILLS HS EMMANUEL ALAMILLO-CHAIREZ,
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS HS
2ND TEAM; TRIUMPHANT OLATUNJI,
IZZY LOPEZ, 1ST TEAM, CLASS 5A
HONORABLE MENTION
WRESTLING
BENBROOK MHS
YOUNG MEN’S LEADERSHIP
STATE 5TH PLACE MEDALIST
TRAYLOR MOORE, 1ST TEAM, CLASS 4A
ACADEMY
TRIMBLE TECH HS
EASTERN HILLS HS
JAZMINE MARTINEZ
GERARDO HERNANDES CHAVEZ, 1ST TEAM
(NON-UIL ACTIVITY, CAMPUS BASED)
STATE GOLD MEDALIST
SOUTHWEST HS ANNA DUKE; 1ST TEAM
ASSOCIATION DUNBAR HS
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL COACHES
POWERLIFTING
ELITE; TONI ROUSSEAU, HONORABLE HONORABLE MENTION
2ND TEAM ALL-REGION
CHARLES BELL, 2ND TEAM
WILLIAMS, GABRIEL WOODARD
PERRY, 1ST TEAM; FAITH RAMIREZ, MENTION; LYDIA VIDALES,
TRIMBLE TECH HS BRAWNER, KEISHAWN EVERLY, ISOM
JEAN JONES, ELITE; MARGARET EMMA
KEVIN SHED, HONORABLE MENTION
JOSE LEVARIO, 2ND TEAM ALL-STATE;
STATE CHAMPION IN THE HISTORY OF
WESTERN HILLS HS BOYS
PASCHAL HS MARGARET HURST, 1ST TEAM; ALISHA
ALL-REGION; ALEJANDRA RENTERIA,
200M DASH
400M DASH, FRESHMAN (FIRST
UNDERWOOD, 2ND TEAM; ANDREW WYZYKOWSKI, 2ND TEAM
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ASSOCIATION
O. D. WYATT HS BOYS
DIAMOND HILL-JARVIS HS BOYS
DANIKA WASHINGTON, 4A GIRLS’
NKOLLO, 2ND TEAM; MICHAEL
SOFTBALL
REGION; JOCELYN RAMIREZ, 1ST TEAM
EVERLY, 5A BOYS’ 100M DASH AND
BENBROOK MHS
TRACY EDWARDS, 2ND TEAM; JEFFREY
DAVID MAYA
TRACK AND FIELD TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ASSOCIATION ARLINGTON HEIGHTS HS GIRLS LONDON LESLIE, 2ND TEAM; ALINNA MORALES, HONORABLE MENTION; JUANA MUNOZ, HONORABLE MENTION O. D. WYATT BOYS MICHAEL FRANKLIN, 2ND TEAM
VOLLEYBALL
KIRK PRESTON, ELITE; CHAUNCY BELL,
TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF
HONORABLE MENTION; GERALDO
VOLLEYBALL COACHES
CHAVARRIA, HONORABLE MENTION; BRYAN COTTINGIM, HONORABLE
PASCHAL HS
MENTION; JACOB CROCKETT,
ANDREW HINKLE, 2ND TEAM; JAKE
HONORABLE MENTION; CHADRICK
SOUTH HILLS HS D'ZYER CRISS; ALICIA GARCIA; ALIZE MARTIN; ALMA MORA; CAMILA SOLIS
LIST, 2ND TEAM; BLAKE RAMSAY,
JACKSON, HONORABLE MENTION;
TEXAS GIRLS COACHES
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS HS
HONORABLE MENTION; GREY
DRAYLON ROBERSON, HONORABLE
ASSOCIATION
LONDON LESLIE
WOODARD, 2ND TEAM; MARC ZAMORA,
MENTION
HONORABLE MENTION STATE 5TH PLACE MEDALIST WESTERN HILLS HS CATTI ROCK DIAMOND HILL-JARVIS HS BRENDA SANCHEZ
SOUTHWEST HS LEE MCPHAIL, 1ST TEAM, CLASS 5A WESTERN HILLS HS BRENT SCHAEFFER, HONORABLE MENTION O. D. WYATT HS
BASKETBALL
KEVIN SHED JR., HONORABLE
SOUTH HILLS HS
TEXAS STATE ATHLETIC TRAINERS'
D'ZYER CRISS; ALICIA GARCIA; ALIZE
ASSOCIATION ALL-STATE
MARTIN; ALMA MORA; CAMILA SOLIS
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT STUDENT TRAINER LONDON LESLIE, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS HS
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ASSOCIATION NORTH SIDE HS MARISSA MARQUEZ, 2ND TEAM
GOLF
MENTION TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL COACHES
ALL-STATE 5A TEAM (TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL
BASKETBALL
COACHES) TRIMBLE TECH HS KALEB FAVORS
TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES PASCHAL HS BOYS
ASSOCIATION PASCHAL HS COULTER BOSTICK, 1ST TEAM; KYLE ENGELBERT, 1ST TEAM; JACK KLINGER, ELITE
COULTER BOSTICK, GREY WOODARD
COLLEGE AND CAREER READY | 49
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KENONDRA DAVIS, 5A GIRLS’ 100M
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ASSOCIATION WESTERN HILLS HS
MELINDA MARTINEZ, SENIOR;
PASCHAL HS, GIRLS DOUBLES
SOCCER - BOYS
CAMERON WEST
50 | FORT WORTH ISD
Eva Cruz Class of 2018 - North Side High School “ We have seen each other at our best and our worst [and] have encouraged one another to never give up.”
Surprised, the high school senior tapped a teammate’s shoulder. Were the two seeing the same message, she asked. Just weeks before the big race, the cross countr y runner couldn’t envision that reality.
She was at her best when the district match rolled around. She finished with a time of 21:57 to become the 2017 district champion and North Side High School’s first female to earn the honor. At regionals, her time of 19:52 was one of the fastest times recorded by a female runner in recent years.
Eva had joined track in seventh grade because she enjoyed running. W hile her coach thought she was a perfect fit for the sport, she wasn’t so sure. “It was one of the hardest things I had ever done at that young age,” Eva wrote in a college essay. “It required me to push myself. It required me to work as a teammate. It required from me many things I had never done before.” Eva said that because of track, she became disciplined and gained an extended family that believed in her when she didn’t believe in herself.
She completed her senior year with multiple trophies, enough medals and mementos to fill a large shoe box, and scholarships. She was named the 2018 salutatorian at North Side and will study animal science at Texas A&M University. Eva leaves a legacy for female runners at North Side and a motivating message – “be better.” And, prepare to surprise yourself.
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...because of track, she became disciplined and gained an extended family that believed in her when she didn’t believe in herself.
Her future was on the coach’s whiteboard, underlined and in bold print for all to see – Eva Cruz: District Champ.
VISUAL ARTS AWARDS A record 59 Fort Worth ISD art students qualified for the State Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) in San Marcos, Texas: Arlington Heights HS: Jonathan Bernardino (Gold Seal award recipient), Luis Bowles, Andrea Castro, Wendy Contreras, Chy’na Davis, Alexia Diego, Cynthia Gutierrez, Lindsey Jenkins, Isaack Knapp, Alinna Morales, Evelyn Littlejohn Oram, Dylan Perez, Molly Ramon, Paris Richard, Ryker Richardson, Ashley Rivera, Peyton Rogers, Elizabeth Rosenthal (Gold Seal award and $500 Joseph F. Doyle III Spirit of VASE Scholarship recipient), Ruby Santamaria, Carrollynn Thomas, Cheyenne Watson Benbrook MHS: Vanessa Espinosa Carter-Riverside HS: Samantha Vazquez Eastern Hills HS: Celebrity Fields, Kim Stewart North Side HS: Andrea Andrade, Isaac Casteneda Paschal HS: Lucy Chang, Ava Crum, Chloe Hewitt, Clair Lyons, Kate McGlothlin, Devon Nenon, Angela Payne, Abigail Perez, Zoe Rodriguez
Polytechnic HS: Naw Grawng South Hills HS: Eduardo Acosta, Javier Harvey, Teresa Hernandez, Marvelous Oluleye Southwest HS: Jule Diemer Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences: Alyssia Crockem Western Hills HS: Juan Borunda, Annie Cantrell, Stephanie Fajardo, Rebecca Joines, Andi Klundt World Languages Institute: Ashley Blanco-Davis, Lesly Lopez, Elizabeth Ortiz, Jesus Paredes, Melany Rodriquez, Daisy Saucedo O.D. Wyatt HS: Jasmine Aldaco, Alexandria Barrias, Luis Garcia, Hein Jack Aung Phyo, Thein Jason, Aung Phyo
WEARABLE ART Three Arlington Heights HS students won national awards at the Saul Bell Design Award competition for jewelry design: Peyton Rogers, Rowan Zinn and Caroline Senyszyn. Caroline's work is shown here.
MOVING ARTWORK Artwork by FWISD winners in the Expressions That Move You contest brightened bus shelters downtown. Grand Prize winners were Brian Dickson from the Young Men’s Leadership Academy and Shakira Perez, from Richard J. Wilson ES. The contest is a partnership between Trinity Metro and Fort Worth After School.
52 | FORT WORTH ISD
PHOTO BY SARAH SCHREINER
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ABOVE: Arlington Heights HS, whose dancers are shown above, hosted the Fort Worth ISD Dance Showcase, inviting dance students from
other schools and featuring dancers from the Dallas Black Dance Theatre.
CENTER STAGE Paschal HS entered the Dallas Summer Musicals High School Musical Awards with two productions, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Little Women, and received three “Best” nominations: Best Featured Actor – Ben Larson, Best Supporting Actor – Andrew Tovar, and Best Supporting Actress – Kathleen Durkin. Arlington Heights HS entered the awards for the first time this year. Arlington Heights HS, Benbrook MHS and Paschal HS entered the Betty Lynn Buckley Awards, named after Fort Worth’s own Tony Award-winning actress. Ms. Buckley, an Arlington Heights HS alumna, is on the Fort Worth ISD Wall of Fame.
DANCE-OFF In a new twist to an old friendly football rivalry, Diamond Hill-Jarvis HS and North Side HS added a line dance contest to their annual Battle of the Boot football match up. To the tune of No Rompas Mas Mi Corazon (the Spanish version of Achy, Breaky Heart), students rocked it in front of their high schools. Watch the video here www.fwisd.org/BattleoftheBoot.
COLLEGE AND CAREER READY | 53
ABOVE: North Side HS Espuelas de Plata Mariachi advanced for the third straight year to the State UIL Mariachi Festival and received a First Division Superior rating.
WHERE MUSIC LIVES
NOTE OF DISTINCTION
Fort Worth ISD was named Best Community for Music Education for the fifth consecutive year. The NAMM Foundation awards this distinction to schools that demonstrate exceptional efforts to keep music part of the core curriculum.
Nine students from Arlington Heights HS, McLean MS, Stripling MS and McLean 6th Grade Center auditioned and performed at the Southwestern American Choral Directors Convention in Oklahoma City: Elena Cantu, Marcella McCracken, Karin Nowlin, Alauna Pete, Michenna Rann, Grace Salvaggio, Katherine Townsend, Lisa Winn and Adrianna Villegas.
CHOIR COLLABORATION Fifty-one students from the Lone Star Youth Chorus, the Fort Worth ISD’s Children’s Honor Choir, and the VPA Prep Academy at Monnig MS performed together in Washington, D.C. Concert sites included the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Monument, and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
CHORAL CONCERT & SIGHT-READING Twenty-two middle school ensembles participated in the Region 5 UIL Concert & Sight-Reading contest. They received eight Sweepstakes, including three earned by new choral programs at Stripling MS, the Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Preparatory Academy at Monnig MS and Benbrook MHS. Nineteen high school ensembles participated in the contest, receiving three Sweepstakes. North Side HS, Benbrook MHS and South Hills HS received coveted “1s” in their concert performance, raising their status from Non-Varsity to Varsity.
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TEXAS STATE SOLO & ENSEMBLE CONTEST Two Fort Worth ISD students were named Outstanding Performers at the 2018 TSSEC: Grace Claudio, South Hills HS – Vocal; Kent Fuller, Paschal HS – Keyboard Percussion. In all, 11 students received a “1” rating: CHORAL
Violin Solo – Mary Michael from Benbrook MHS
Vocal Solo – Grace Claudio, Joshua Garcia and Jun Seo from South Hills HS; Ashtone LaGrone from O.D. Wyatt HS
Keyboard Percussion Solo – Kent Fuller from Paschal HS String Bass Solo – Ernesto Ekmar from Eastern Hills HS String Quartet – Gabrielle Bidiger, Chloe Brantley, Mackenzie Guzek and Ainsley Pylant from Arlington Heights HS
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INSTRUMENTAL
JAZZ NOTES Two Paschal HS students were named to the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State Jazz Band: Robert Nyul, trumpet; Daniel Teichler, trombone. Competing at Region, Fort Worth ISD students earned 22 of 40 band positions: REGION V JAZZ BAND 1
REGION V JAZZ BAND 2
Trumpet – David Cantu, Southwest HS; Dakota Colvin, Paschal HS; Robert Nyul, Paschal HS (1st chair); Ismael Sanchez, Trimble Technical HS
Trumpet – Samuel Bennett, Paschal HS
Trombone – Daniel Teichler, Paschal HS (1st chair); Misa Womack, Paschal HS
Bass Trombone – Jacob Coffey, Paschal HS
Bass Trombone – Lance Ortiz, Southwest HS (1st chair) Tenor Saxophone – Joe Rodriguez, Southwest HS (1st chair) Drum Set – Jaylen Harrison, Southwest HS (1st chair); Brian Kaye, Paschal HS
Trombone – Brandon Carassco, Polytechnic HS; Eduardo Duran, Southwest HS Alto Saxophone – Andrew Cardona, Southwest HS Tenor Saxophone – Joshua Rubinett, Paschal HS (1st chair) Drum Set – Liam Heffley, Paschal HS Guitar – Alex Martinez, Carter-Riverside HS (1st chair)
Piano – Ari Butterfield, Southwest HS (1st chair) Guitar – Eric Eppstein, Paschal HS (1st chair) Bass – Gabe Roth, Southwest HS (1st chair)
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BAND AND ORCHESTRA SWEEPSTAKES Ten Fort Worth ISD bands received Superior Sweepstakes at the 2018 Region V UIL Concert and SightReading contest, meaning they received Superior ratings in Concert and Sight-Reading, as well as high school Marching back in the fall. Eleven high school band programs earned a Superior First Division rating in the Concert category, and all 14 high school bands met standard (a Superior or Excellent rating). Of the 37 high school and middle school bands that participated in the contest, 29 met standard in Concert and 33 met standard in Sight-Reading. Nine Fort Worth ISD orchestras received Superior Sweepstakes. Of the 32 orchestras that performed, 27 met standard in Concert, with 24 meeting standard in both Concert and Sight-Reading.
GRAND ADVENTURE Pianist and South Hills HS senior Maite Herrera traveled to New York City to help choose a new Steinway grand piano for the I.M. Terrell Visual and Performing Arts Academy. Maite also earned a full-ride scholarship to Texas Christian University as one of 27 Fort Worth ISD seniors selected as TCU Community Scholars.
 WATCH THE VIDEO: www.fwisd.org/DecMsg
ADVENTURE ON THE BRAZOS The FWISD Health and Physical Education Department partnered with Camp Fire First Texas to provide four high school Adventure/Outdoor classes with overnight outings at El Tesoro, a 223-acre camp on the Brazos River. A Texas Parks and Wildlife grant helped fund the outings. Students knew they were in for something special as they carried their bags over a hanging bridge and settled into their cabins. Activities included wall climbing, archery tag, campfire cooking and star gazing. Students solved problems together, learned about nature and simply experienced the great outdoors. Adventure/Outdoor classes are one of several high school PE options.
UV4C LEADERS Our students in the United Voice for Change (UV4C) program sat on panels and shared their stories at a Principals Learning Event. They also presented a session at the Racial Equity Summit. Every high school campus UV4C hosted inclusive projects to impact campus climate and culture.
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Vibrant & valued YOU BELONG HERE
 ABOVE: Central Market hosted 133 teachers from across the District at the Campus Teachers of the Year reception. Mother-son duo Zachary Reimer of Polytechnic HS and Debbie Reimer of Paschal HS were among the honorees.
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TEACHERS OF THE YEAR At an elegant dinner hosted by Central Market H-E-B at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Superintendent Scribner announced the 2018 Elementary and Secondary District Teachers of the Year: Stacey Barringer, a kindergarten teacher at Western Hills Primary School, and Alexandra Checka, a seventhgrade English teacher at the Applied Learning Academy. Ms. Barringer and Ms. Checka received $5,000 honorariums from Central Market H-E-B. The event also celebrated eight other Campus Teacher of the Year winners and finalists for the District award: •
Megan Ngo – eighth-grade science and biology, McLean MS
•
Zachary Reimer – social studies, Polytechnic HS
•
Orion Smith – social studies, Arlington Heights HS
•
Samuel Wilson – history, Southwest HS
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Andrew McKenzie – fourth-grade teacher, North Hi Mount ES
•
Isabel Moore - fourth-grade reading and writing teacher, Charles E. Nash ES
•
Lauren Ruth – first-grade teacher, Bonnie Brae ES
•
Laurie Stillwell – librarian, Burton Hill ES
The eight finalists received $1,500 honorariums from Central Market. The Arlington Heights High School Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Alejandro Padro-Fuentes, performed during the dinner.
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Teachers of the Year Stacey Barringer & Alexandra Checka A R O U T I N E O F R ES P ECT
A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Stacey Barringer has taught more than 20 years - 10 of them in Fort Worth ISD. She “He was sharing his calm is a constant in the lives of her energy,” Mrs. Barringer said. five- and six-year-olds, some of LU C KY I N LOV E whom come from homes that are anything but. “Shakespeare writes about the varieties of love,” Alexandra “ They come to me solving Checka told the audience at problems by causing hurt the 2018 District Teacher of before they are hurt,” Mrs. the Year Awards dinner. “It Barringer said. “It is vital enters the mind through one’s that a strong community is intellect, the heart through established in our classroom, emotion and eyes through one that teaches respect, trust beauty perceived.” and empathy.”
“I love teaching. I’m exactly where I was meant to be.” – Stacey She witnessed empathy in action when a student took it upon himself to help another child who was cr ying uncontrollably. He reminded her to “smell her soup,” a calming technique the class had learned. W hen the cr ying
“I just feel so privileged to have found my true love on all three levels,” Ms. Checka said. She was referring to teaching, a love that led her to earn a master’s degree from the Har vard Graduate School of Education, and another in English from Middlebur y College in Vermont. She has taught at Fort Worth ISD for the past nine years.
comfortable, for discussion and collaboration. She calls it a place where communities are formed and meaning is created.
“To be a teacher in this District is to be the luckiest person in the world.” – Alexandra “I’ve been tremendously lucky to work with teachers who taught me from the ver y first minute that teaching is a team sport,” Ms. Checka said. “And the kids that we have in Fort Worth make me proud – they should make all of us proud.”
In Ms. Checka's middle school classroom, students find a spot on the floor, or where they ’re
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continued, he demonstrated the technique – but still no success. Undeterred, he moved closer and blew his own “soup” in her direction.
CHAIRS FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE a Sixteen Fort Worth ISD teachers were named the 2017-18 Academic Chairs for Teaching Excellence. The title came with a $5,000 honorarium and a banner displayed at the teachers’ campuses. The winners were announced in November at a luncheon at The Ashton Depot. First-time sponsors included TTI, Inc. and the Blue Zones Project. Lockheed Martin added its third sponsorship. •
Angela D. Paulos Chair for Teaching Excellence in Visual Arts Andrew J. Giles, Arlington Heights HS
•
Atmos Energy Chair for Teaching Excellence in Acquisition of Language Masaki Nakamoto, Paschal HS
•
Bayard H. Friedman Chair for Teaching Excellence in Performing Arts Adam Kramer, Southwest HS and Wedgwood MS
•
Blue Zones Project Chair for Teaching Excellence in Health & Physical Education Michelle Clementson, Daggett Montessori
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Broadway at the Bass Chair for Teaching Excellence in Dance & Theater Rachel Wade, Arlington Heights HS
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Chase Chair for Teaching Excellence in Secondary English Chip Haro, Applied Learning Academy
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Crescent Real Estate Chair for Teaching Excellence in Career & Technical Education José Santos Frayre, Polytechnic HS
•
Devon Energy Chair for Teaching Excellence in Secondary Science Jay Kurima, Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences
•
Kroger Chair for Teaching Excellence in Special Education Lisa Attaway, Bruce Shulkey ES
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•
Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP Chair for Teaching Excellence in Elementary Reading
Carlee Byrd, Burton Hill ES •
Lockheed Martin Chair for Teaching Excellence in Elementary Math Sarah Martin, M.H. Moore ES
•
Lockheed Martin Chair for Teaching Excellence in Elementary Science Jennifer Mitchell, Westcliff ES
•
Lockheed Martin Chair for Teaching Excellence in Secondary STEM Kenyail C. Carr, Meadowbrook MS
•
Sewell Lexus & Infiniti of Fort Worth Chair for Teaching Excellence in Humanities Cecilia N. Sanchez Hill, TCC South/FWISD Collegiate HS
•
TTI, Inc. Chair for Teaching Excellence in Secondary Math Jennifer Northern, Southwest HS
•
XTO Energy Chair for Teaching Excellence in Early Childhood Education Julissa Gómez, Leadership Academy at John T. White ES
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CLASS ACTS Laura Frost, a Biology and Anatomy teacher and Science Department chair at Fort Worth ISD’s Western Hills HS, was one of ten Texas teachers named as finalists for the 2017 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). The awards recognize secondary teachers who innovatively bring teaching to life in the classroom. June Davis, Fort Worth ISD’s Director of Special Programs, received the 2017 Bayard H. Friedman HERO Award and a $1,000 honorarium. Mrs. Davis joined Fort Worth ISD in 1987 as a teacher. She’s also served as a school counselor. For the last 16 years, she has provided outreach and services to support students who are homeless or in foster care or who Above: Southwest HS teacher Darcy Deupree McCready guides her require disability accommodations.
Advanced Media Program students in a live production of Whiz Quiz finals.
Two of our student teachers in the Bilingual Teacher Assistant Program received scholarships to travel abroad and complete part of their student teaching. TCU students Viridiana Ortiz and Ianthe Raya submitted essays explaining their desire to travel to Denmark to learn about its educational system. Each was awarded $2,000 to make this incredible learning experience happen. Trimble Technical HS photography teacher Shannon Oden won Best of Show in the Single Image category at the Association of Texas Photography Instructors Fall Photo Contest.
16 Career and Technical Education teachers had 100 percent of their students pass industry certification and state licensure exams in fields ranging from cosmetology to culinary, graphic art/animation to electrical, and audio/video production to veterinary: •
Arlington Heights HS – Lindsey Shands
•
North Side HS – Ann Mills, Claude Philpot, DeeAnn Sikes, Marcum Tubbs
•
Paschal HS – Guy Wheatly
•
Polytechnic HS – Richard Perez
Trimble Technical HS health science instructor • Donna Skates was named Texas Health Occupations Association (THOA) Area 5 Outstanding Teacher • of the Year. • Darcy Deupree McCready, television instructor for the Advanced Media Program at Southwest HS, was selected as the SkillsUSA District 4 Advisor of the Year for demonstrating outstanding volunteerism in support of her students. El Centro College’s Food and Hospitality Institute is adding South Hills HS teacher Chef Jeffrey Glick to its Hall of Fame. He will be inducted in September 2018.
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South Hills HS – Julie Fisher, Catherine Hulcher, Linda Rogers, Annette Smith Southwest HS – Darcy Deupree McCready Trimble Tech HS – Carrie Black, Natasha Bruton, Ronnie Cope, Chanel Williams
PHOTO BY ANGEL SMITH
NCUST AWARDS Four Fort Worth ISD schools were among 15 winners nationwide of the 2018 America’s Best Urban Schools Awards: Westcliff ES, Bonnie Brae ES, the World Languages Institute and the Young Men’s Leadership Academy. The awards are presented annually by the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST). The schools will learn in October 2018 whether they are a Gold, Silver or Bronze winner. A fifth Fort Worth ISD school, M.H. Moore ES, received honor roll designation.
LONE STAR GOVERNANCE The FWISD Board of Trustees implemented Lone Star Governance starting in January 2017. The Texas Education Agency governance model is designed to guide continuous improvement for school boards that are focused on collaborating with their superintendents to improve student outcomes. Aligning with the model, our trustees worked as a unit to provide Dr. Scribner with a common vision to promote positive campus cultures, equitable resources for campuses, and a student-centered focus.
FINANCIAL INTEGRITY Our Business and Finance Division earned an "A" Superior rating from School FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas). The Division also received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and the Association of School Business Officials International.
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ABOVE: Young Men's Leadership Academy wins the 2018 Best Urban Schools Award and graduated its first senior class.
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Kendall Walker Class of 2018 - Paschal High School
“This is what inclusion looks like. This was beyond our wildest dream of inclusion.”
Born with Down syndrome, Kendall faced challenges that the typical teenaged band member didn’t face. But it was important to her parents that she received no special treatment in the band, her father Tracy Walker said. All four years of high school Kendall successfully auditioned for a spot in the halftime show. W ith no formal training, she learned dance, flag work and g ymnastics through color guard. She received superior ratings in solo and ensemble winter guard competitions. Her senior year, she was featured in the band’s four-movement performance of “ The Raven,” a show based on Edgar Allen Poe’s poem. Kendall took special education courses at Paschal. Joining the band was an opportunity to interact with general-education students, her father said.
It was also an opportunity for Kendall to follow in the footsteps of her older brother, a 2013 graduate. Kendall was welcomed into the fold. Not only that, she was expected to always do her best, practicing two to three hours a day with band mates and on her own. It gave her a sense of confidence and opened up her personality, Mr. Walker said. “ This is what inclusion looks like,” he said. “ This was beyond our wildest dream of inclusion.” Kendall obtained her high school diploma in June 2018. She now intends to enroll in Fort Worth ISD’s Life Instruction and Functional Training (LIF T) program. LIF T prepares students for employment and builds home-living skills, which Kendall may put to use in F lorida. Long term, the Walker family plans to relocate there so Kendall can pursue opportunities working for Walt Disney World.
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W hen color guard member Kendall Walker stepped onto the field, flag in hand, she was just another member of the Paschal High School band. How did that make her feel? “Happy,” she said. Ditto for her parents.
INTERSTATE ADS FOR TEACHERS a “Your future is in a Fort Worth classroom,” read the billboards along highways in Oklahoma and Arizona. “Teacher starting salary $52,000.” Fort Worth ISD posted the signage after thousands of Oklahoma teachers went on strike, demanding higher pay from their state Legislatures. Five billboards in Phoenix, Arizona carried the same District invitation. The billboard campaign had multiple goals: boost the Fort Worth ISD brand, highlight the need for higher teacher pay everywhere, and recruit teachers – either from other states or right here in Texas – to fill positions left by FWISD teachers who were retiring or resigning as the school year closed.
179 Number of news stories on the FWISD teacher recruitment billboards put up on Oklahoma and Arizona roadsides
The billboards caught the attention of not only teachers, but also media far and wide.
RECRUITMENT RIDE About 130 pre-screened teacher applicants spent a day becoming familiar with Fort Worth ISD during a special bus tour that took in elementary, middle and high school campuses. The tour gave the applicants an exclusive opportunity to get an inside look at schools and classrooms.
SPEAKING OF BUSES… We sweetened the deal for new Fort Worth ISD bus drivers. The District announced a $500 bonus for new drivers who commit to one year of employment. Both new and veteran drivers also became eligible for additional pay tied to attendance. Starting in fall 2018, drivers who complete 100 percent of their routes during the school year will receive an extra $12 per day. Drivers who complete 95 percent of their routes (absent no more than five days) will receive an additional $9 per day.
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ESL PROGRAMS TOUR Fort Worth ISD's Multilingual Programs Department showcased its English as a Second Language (ESL) programs for immigrant and refugee students during the Bilingual, Immigrant and Refugee Education Directors meeting of the Council of the Great City Schools. The conference took place in Fort Worth at the Worthington Renaissance Hotel and included a half-day high school and community tour with visits to O.D. Wyatt HS, South Hills HS and North Side HS.
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63,000
4,296,059
2,233
Fresh fruits and vegetables served daily in FWISD
Miles driven this year by FWISD buses
Students assisted this year by the FWISD Student Placement Center
BUILDING ACADEMIC LANGUAGE FWISD’s Dual Language, ESL and World Language teachers attended a three-day learning conference. Workshops targeted early literacy, culturally relevant instruction, social emotional learning and language development across content areas.
LEADERSHIP RETREAT Fort Worth ISD high school English learners (ELs) participated in the District’s JOURNEYS college and career readiness program, which focuses on graduating students on time. ELs from North Side HS, South Hills HS and Polytechnic HS attended the HOBY (Hugh O’Brien Youth) leadership retreat at the University of North Texas in Denton. The three-day seminar included leadership-building activities and service-learning projects.
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Blanca Ibarra School Counselor - J.P. Elder Middle School
“We may talk about a really fun day and how it made them feel. It’s about building a culture of belonging.”
“I came back because my family is here,” she said. “And I knew there was a need for someone bilingual because that was the case with my own relatives.” She attended the University of Notre Dame and taught for seven years, including three at Morningside ES. Then, she went back to school. “I got my master’s in school counseling because I believed counseling was the best way to meet the needs of the whole child.” After one year as a J.P. Elder MS counselor, she is a big believer in the Restorative Practices counseling tool. “It takes the emphasis off punishment and puts it on community building.” Mrs. Ibarra gives the example of a student who took money from a teacher’s purse. Instead of suspending the student, who already struggled academically, Mrs. Ibarra put together a repair
circle consisting of herself, the student, his mother, the teacher and the principal. Ever yone had a voice and gave their side of what happened and how it made them feel. “It was ver y emotional,” Mrs. I barra says. “ The mother and the teacher were hurt, and the student was remorseful. He said he didn’t realize he was betraying his teacher who had even made time to tutor him. He promised to pay her back.” Mrs. I barra also uses the circles proactively. “ We may talk about a really fun day and how it made them feel. It ’s about building a culture of belonging. Later, if you need to restore a relationship, the trust is already there.” And the student who paid back his teacher? He made better grades and passed the STAAR test first time around. Mrs. I barra can’t say for sure if the restorative circle made the difference, but she says good things happen when you open channels of communication.
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The eldest child of immigrant parents from Mexico, Blanca Ibarra lives and works in the north side neighborhood of Fort Worth where she grew up.
TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE The Division of Technology welcomed more than 1,100 teachers and administrators from school districts across North Texas to the 13th annual Fort Worth ISD Technology Conference at Dunbar HS. Amy Mayer, founder of friEdTechnology, delivered the keynote address to kick off the full day of learning and collaboration. The District’s Health and P.E. Department contributed to the event by leading attendees in yoga and games.
TECH PLAN The Fort Worth ISD Technology Advisory Committee created a plan to address the District’s technology needs for the next two years. The 67 members of the committee included teachers, librarians, administrators, parents and others in the community.
25,497 WORK ORDERS
15,500 MILES
Processed by the FWISD Technology Help Desk to keep end-users across the District online and operating smoothly
Distance driven by campus support technicians to resolve work orders
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TAKING SAFETY TO THE NEXT LEVEL Fort Worth ISD and the Fort Worth Police Department led a committee in developing a new standard operating procedure to follow when a violent threat is received. The committee, which included representatives from the Fort Worth Fire Department and health care industry, also developed an after-hours response team to address any school-related violent threat occurring in the evening hours or on the weekend.
Fort Worth ISD employees contributed more than $170,000 to the United Way of Tarrant County through online giving and school fundraisers. It's a contribution that comes back to our District in many ways. In 2016, United Way funded more than $1.25 million in grants that supported the District’s elementary school literacy programs, activities to help middle school students identify career aspirations, and programs to prepare high school students for college and careers.
$170,000
$1.25 MILLION
Contributions from FWISD employees to United Way of Tarrant County
United Way grants to FWISD last year to support elementary literacy programs and secondary initiatives to prepare students for college and careers
SHELTER IN THE STORM Over 22 days in August and September, approximately 140 people, most of them from Port Arthur, found shelter at Fort Worth ISD’s Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center. The facility was activated to house those displaced by the catastrophic Hurricane Harvey. Wilkerson-Greines was used as a similar shelter in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The City of Fort Worth and the American Red Cross conducted the sheltering operations while Fort Worth ISD provided the venue, as well as enrollment and counseling resources for children and families.
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UNITED WE WIN
THE BUSH CENTER, PHOTO BY MAGALY ABBOTT
ABOVE: Twelve administrators bring their ideas and skills to the table every week with Superintendent Scribner to continuously improve processes and practices that have an impact on student achievement.
SUPERINTENDENT’S LEADERSHIP TEAM Chief Academic Officer – Charles Carroll Chief of Capital Improvement Program – Vicki Burris Senior Communications Officer – Barbara Griffith Chief of District Operations – Art Cavazos Chief of Elementary Schools – Karen Molinar (Raul Peña, as of June 2018) Chief of Equity and Excellence – Sherry Breed Chief Financial Officer – Elsie Schiro Chief of Human Capital Management – Cynthia Rincón Chief of Policy and Planning – Sammy Monge Chief of Secondary Schools – Cherie Washington Chief of Staff - Karen Molinar, as of August 2018 Executive Director of External and Emergency Communications – Clint Bond Assistant Superintendent, Strategic Planning and Continuous Improvement – Jerry Moore
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Connected & collaborative
YOU BELONG HERE
THE BUSH CENTER, PHOTO BY MAGALY ABBOTT
PRESIDENTIAL PARTNERSHIP a Fort Worth ISD was one of five school districts nationwide chosen to participate in a George W. Bush Institute initiative to help districts attract, develop and retain excellent principals. The four other districts making up the Bush Institute’s School Leadership District Cohort are: •
Austin Independent School District
•
Dallas Independent School District
•
Chesterfield County Public Schools (Chesterfield, VA)
•
Granite School District (Salt Lake City, UT)
The five districts will work hand-in-hand with the Bush Institute’s Education Reform team to implement its Principal Talent Management Framework. Over a three-year period, the Bush Institute will provide expert coaching, access to tools and resources, and other support.
$1,008,645
565,000
Contributions to FWISD from the Education Foundation for Fort Worth Schools
Books provided by the Red Oak Foundation to children in our community over the last 26 years
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DYSLEXIA GRANT The Texas Education Agency awarded a $1 million grant to Fort Worth ISD to support new innovative services for students with dyslexia. The money will fund a pilot program at West Handley ES and Worth Heights ES that will match second-and-third-grade students identified with dyslexia with highly qualified teachers. These teachers will use researchbased, specialized literacy instruction, as well as regular grade-level instruction.
120 TEACHERS Hired and specially trained over the last two years to serve students with dyslexia
FAFSA COMPLETION CHALLENGE
BOWLED OVER a For the sixth consecutive year, Fort Worth ISD contributed to the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl at TCU’s Amon Carter Stadium. A combined service JROTC Joint Color Guard from FWISD presented the U.S. and armed forces service flags during the annual Kick-off Armed Forces Bowl Luncheon. A drumline from Southwest HS greeted luncheon attendees. The Lone Star Youth Chorus, under the direction of Dinah Menger, performed the national anthem.
Fort Worth ISD students also created a special patriotic art show for the luncheon. At the game, JROTC and JCC students handed out American flags to fans. A special video highlighting our JROTC program was shown on the big stadium screen during the game. On the field, the Black Knights of Army (West Point) beat the Aztecs of San Diego State University 42-35.
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Completing a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application is one of the most important steps students can take toward college. A new $39,000 grant awarded to Fort Worth ISD will help ensure more of our students take that step. The 2018-19 FAFSA Completion Challenge Grant, funded by The Kresge Foundation and Great Lakes Higher Education Corporations and Affiliates, challenges Fort Worth ISD to boost FAFSA completion rates by 5 percent. The majority of our students who complete the application learn they are eligible for some financial aid for college.
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Elva LeBlanc Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost - TCC
“Helping others is empowering. When you’re helping others you are problem solving.”
“Helping others is empowering. W hen you’re helping others you are problem solving.” She oversees student support ser vices across six TCC campuses, which includes partnering with Fort Worth ISD and other districts to support dual enrollment and early college high school students. She empowers them to realize the dream of a postsecondar y education. “ We started with dual enrollment years ago. Today, early college high school students complete their associate degrees at Tarrant County College and have scholarships to continue their education at tier one universities,” she said. “ That ’s huge, considering the criteria for early college high school enrollment are that students be the first in their family to attend college, and English is not their native language.”
Dr. LeBlanc knows firsthand the challenges. She and her family emigrated from Mexico when she was a child. “If we were going to make it in this countr y we had to learn English and get an education.” Dr. LeBlanc’s mother became an educator and her father launched his own business. Dr. LeBlanc was a student by day and taught Spanish to her own teachers at night. Ever y experience helped shape her destiny. “I went into education but have an entrepreneurial spirit, such as starting early college high school to help young people who may not have seen college as a possibility for themselves.” Dr. LeBlanc sees a lot of herself in early college high school students. “I know how hard they have worked and that their journey was not always easy. As a community college, we have the potential to help create a seamless transition for students from public schools to college.”
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As Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost for Tarrant County College, Dr. Elva LeBlanc is the chief academic officer. All of that pretty well makes her chief problem solver, too.
A SHOT IN THE ARM A $150,000 Perkins Reserve Federal Grant will help O.D. Wyatt HS students prepare for medical careers. The grant will pay for equipment such as patient simulators, manikins and other devices for training in healthcare procedures.
COMMUNICATIONS
45,102,384
65,336
2,376,170
Pageviews for www.fwisd.org, a 71.3% increase over last year
Engaged users on Facebook, a 25.5% increase over last year
Impressions on Twitter, a 56% increase over last year
SPECIAL CONNECTION ON FACEBOOK LIVE The District streamed live on Facebook five high school graduations, garnering nearly 17,000 views, including one from a father more than 1,000 miles away who was hoping to see his son up close on graduation day. More than an hour and a half into the South Hills HS graduation ceremony, a comment appeared that read: “If there is any chance to view Juan Escobedo … his dad is watching from Guadalajara, Mexico. God bless you for making this possible.” With a few details on where Juan was seated, Social Media Coordinator Kiana King, who was videoing the live broadcast, made her way to the senior and told him, “Your dad says hi from Mexico.” A surprised Juan smiled and waved to the camera and to his father watching on the other end.
INSIDE FWISD In December, Fort Worth ISD Communications Department launched Inside Fort Worth ISD, a weekly internal newsletter to keep teachers, staff and others in the know about what’s going on at campuses, in departments, and with their colleagues. This print and digital platform provides a gathering place for telling our stories, sharing successes and creating a stronger sense of community within our District. By June, the newsletter had received 81,191 views.
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SUPERINTENDENT MESSAGES
CAMPUSES COME TOGETHER The mission of the District’s Professional Learning and Innovation (PLI) Department is to support our campuses, departments and divisions with professional learning offerings. One of the largest offerings of the year was the 2017 summer Principals’ Retreat – designed by PLI and attended by 375 principals and 153 speakers. PLI also facilitated three events to help groups of campuses break down silos and communicate and collaborate more for the benefit of students.
10,000
200,000
$4.6 MILLION
Volunteers who help students achieve at FWISD
Hours they give freely to our 86,000 students
Amount these 10,000 volunteers would be paid if they were District employees
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From a different campus each month, Superintendent Scribner sends a video message to teachers, staff and others highlighting important topics and showcasing remarkable members of the FWISD family. The messages are largely unscripted, very real, and get thousands of views on social media. One was the December holiday message that told the story, in the form of a Christmas poem, of a trip that Southwest HS student Maite Herrera took to New York to help select a grand piano for the I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA. The February message received the most views of all – more than 37,000. It featured McLean MS Nutrition Services Manager Cathy Roseberry (see page 25) doing what she does WATCH THE VIDEO: www.fwisd.org/FebMsg best – making real connections with students.
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April Martin Nickels Manager, Corporate Affairs - The Kroger Co.
“ Through the Kroger platform I am able to fulfill my purpose and help others.”
“How do you develop talent? Through education. Where does education come from in Fort Worth? Fort Worth ISD.”
“My mother was a special education teacher. I knew her struggles and her challenges. I can relate to the finalists I meet. They are the teachers ever y student deser ves whether they are in special education or not.”
Mrs. Nickels has been Manager of Corporate Affairs for The Other programs bring The Kroger Co. for nearly three years. Kroger Co. and Fort Worth ISD She works with Fort Worth together as well. ISD through programs such “Major components of our as Backpack Boosters, which Restock Kroger initiative provides school supplies to are developing talent and children in need. expanding partnerships. How “I go from high level strategy do you develop talent? Through all the way to making sure education. W here does education school supply kits are on come from in Fort Worth? students’ desks the first day of Fort Worth ISD. We want to be school. O ur primar y focus is on more than just a grocer y store elementar y, that critical time in that feeds the stomach. We want children’s growth that provides to Feed the Human Spirit™ their educational foundation. as well. Fort Worth ISD is a It ’s important to me to make a perfect fit.” difference,” she said. Public education has always been part of Mrs. Nickels’ life. Her mother is a retired teacher and her father is a retired president of a junior college. Mrs. Nickels said participating in the selection of the Kroger Chair for Teaching Excellence in Special Education is personally significant.
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April Martin Nickels is where she was meant to be.
PARENT UNIVERSITY a Parent University continued to grow. This 13-week program for parents teaches them communications skills and builds their confidence for engaging in their children’s school experience. One course in the program, Parent Leadership Academy, includes an earned credit from Tarrant County College. Marta Plata, principal at Manual Jara ES, created Parent University in 2013. Other schools now also offer the program.
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PAM DAY AWARD There were two deserving recipients for this year’s Pam Day Award: Patricia Mendiola, or “Ms. Pat,” and the Westside Kiwanis Club of Fort Worth. Ms. Pat retired after 15 years as family communications liaison for M.H. Moore ES, where she organized events and resources for families and hosted parent liaison meetings. The Westside Kiwanis Club was recognized for its service to the Western Hills pyramid and surrounding areas. Club members sponsored the elementary BUG (Bringing Up Grades) program, purchased school uniforms, sponsored Key Club chapters, awarded scholarships, hosted teacher appreciation events and more. The award is named for Pamela Day, a dynamic and beloved Fort Worth ISD educator who passed away in 2013.
Kroger made sure children got back to school with everything they needed. With the help of KDFW Fox 4, KDFI My 27, iHeartRadio and Powerade®, Kroger distributed more than $77,000 in pre-packaged school supply kits to 50 Fort Worth ISD schools. Kroger customers are to be thanked as well. While shopping at Kroger, they had the opportunity to donate a school supply kit for $7 or make a $1, $3, or $5 donation at checkout.
FIDELITY TRANSFORMS a Nearly 200 Fidelity Investments employees spread their magic – and a lot of paint - during a special Transformation Day at Dunbar HS. The DIY team was part of Fidelity Cares, the company’s employee volunteer program. Volunteers updated school murals and painted affirmations of encouragement in bathrooms and along hallways. Fidelity Investments is a longtime partner of Dunbar. Fidelity Cares volunteers also: •
Reported to Bonnie Brae ES every Wednesday morning to read to children, in support of the District’s 100x25 FWTX literacy initiative
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Launched the Self-Branding for Success Apprentice Program at Dunbar HS to help students develop their brand and prepare college-ready portfolios
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Mentored students in the LeaderKids Fort Worth program, which includes two eighth-grade students from each Fort Worth ISD middle school
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KROGER TEAM COMES THROUGH
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Brigitte & A’Brien Henri FWISD Leadership Academy at Maude I. Logan
Beforehand, she did what she calls her motherly duties – attending parent conferences and checking in at school on A’Brien, her precocious 6-year-old son who starts second grade at Logan in fall 2018. Encouraged by school staff, the once stayat-home mom applied for the liaison job.
on campus, and shows the importance of engaging in a child’s educational process. In short, she helps parents become involved members of the Logan community. Her message to families is simple – “you’re not by yourself.” It ’s a message making a difference. Patricia Scott, the school’s former interim principal, said, “ We couldn’t do without her.” Being such an integral part of the Logan Community has motivated Miss Henri to return to school at Tarrant County College in fall 2018 to pursue an associate degree.
“It ’s been exciting coming from being just a parent that comes ever y day to working there,” Miss Henri said. “It opened my “I have someone looking at me eyes to why I would want to help in my journey, and I don’t want parents and be actively involved.” [A’Brien] to give up,” she said. “ W hat I hope for him is to not Miss Henri was raised in the give up on anything he wants to historic Stop Six community do.” by a mother who sacrificed a lot to support three children. At Logan, it ’s not only A’Brien Despite not finishing high who’s looking up to her, but also school, Miss Henri earned her many others just beginning their GED certificate and a medical journey with Fort Worth ISD. administrative assistant diploma. Now a liaison, Miss Henri builds relationships with families, informs them of activities
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“I have someone looking at me in my journey, and I don’t want [A’Brien] to give up. What I hope for him is to not give up on anything he wants to do.”
Somebody ’s looking up to Brigitte Henri. That notion was cr ystalized when she joined the Leadership Academy at Maude Logan Elementar y School staff as a family communications liaison in December 2017.
SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT The Family Communications Department hosted two events at Seaquest Interactive Aquarium for families: Back in School in February and Under the Sea with Fort Worth ISD: The Great Summer Migration in May. Both events provided families with information on resources and strategies to keep their children engaged in learning and motivated to achieve.
FITWORTH WINNERS Mayor Betsy Price and Superintendent Scribner congratulated Waverly Park ES for winning the Mayor’s FitWorth challenge to clock the most minutes of daily physical activity. Waverly Park won a $1,000 check to purchase recess and physical education equipment.
KIDS VISION FEST Approximately 750 Fort Worth ISD students received eye exams and were fitted for new eyeglasses at no cost to their families at the sixth annual Kids Vision Fest. The event is sponsored by Essilor Vision Foundation, Alcon Foundation, Fort Worth ISD and Tarrant County College – Trinity River Campus.
LITTER-FREE LEARNING On a spring day, families, students, and staff gathered at De Zavala ES and went to work cleaning and beautifying the campus. The school’s environmental efforts did not go unnoticed. The Keep Texas Beautiful organization featured De Zavala in a film about litter-free schools. De Zavala’s litter-free status was also recognized by the City of Fort Worth on its website.
SHOP WITH A COP Fort Worth police officers spent a Saturday in December with 10 Fort Worth ISD students to Christmas shop, wrap presents and have lunch. It was all part of the first Shop with a Cop event, a program designed to build stronger relations between police officers and the community. Officers took the children shopping for Christmas gifts for themselves and their families at a local store. Each student received a gift card donated by local churches, businesses and local residents. The students selected for this year’s event participate in the Southside Youth Athletic Association and Unity, a community mentoring and education program.
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Alfred Saenz President and CEO - Multatech
Engineering and drafting teacher Harold Reeder asked young Al, a junior at the time, to show him his schedule for the next year. W hen Mr. Reeder saw Al’s conser vative choices, he told his student he was capable of more challenging classes and pushed him to take Advanced Physics. “Mr. Reeder saw potential in me I could not see in myself,” Mr. Saenz said. “ This instilled a lot of confidence in me. He also helped me get a ‘co-op’ job with an engineering company during my senior year – my first real exposure to that career field.” Born and raised in Fort Worth, Mr. Saenz feels a responsibility to give back.
“I am a proud Fort Worth resident,” he said. “I have an obligation as a leader to be involved.” MULTATECH participates in Vital Link, an internship program designed to demonstrate the connection between what students learn in the classroom and success in the workplace. “It is important that individuals and corporations give back to the community so children see there are opportunities out there.” Mr. Saenz said. W hile Mr. Saenz has come a long way since high school, he continues to benefit from Mr. Reeder’s influence. “Harold Reeder had a lasting impact on me. He insisted that ever yone conduct themselves respectfully and with a positive attitude. W hen I speak to young people I tell them to be respectful, persevere and have a positive attitude. That advice is good at work and in life.”
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“When I speak to young people I tell them to be respectful, persevere and have a positive attitude. ”
Alfred Saenz landed a spot on Fort Worth ISD’s Wall of Fame this year. He is President and CEO of MULTATECH, an architectural and engineering firm. He ser ves on numerous boards and committees. And, without hesitation, he credits much of his success to a teacher he had at Trimble Technical High School.
WALL OF FAME A large crowd gathered to see eight former Fort Worth ISD students added to the District’s Wall of Fame. Superintendent Scribner hosted the event at the Administration Building where the Wall is located. Several of those honored, their families and friends were present. •
William McKenzie Arlington Heights, 1972 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner for editorial writing while at the Dallas Morning News
•
Ronnie Mills Arlington Heights HS, 1969 Swimmer who won the Bronze medal and was a member of the USA relay team that won the Gold at the 1968 Olympics
Rogers Hornsby North Side HS; deceased Baseball legend who earned seven batting titles, two Triple Crowns, a .358 lifetime batting average, and two MVP awards
•
Rebekah Ann Naylor Paschal HS, 1960 Founder, Rebekah Ann Naylor School of Nursing, India; 2016 Recipient, American College of Surgeons Humanitarian Award
Devoyd Jennings I.M. Terrell HS, 1966 President and CEO of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce
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Alfred Saenz Trimble Technical HS, 1966 Chairman and CEO of Multatech; Board Chairman of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
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Lesia Crumpton-Young, Ph.D. Dunbar HS, 1984 Vice President of Research and Institutional Advancement, Tennessee State University
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Fiske Hanley II Paschal HS, 1938 B-29 Flight Engineer who was shot down and held prisoner in Japan during World War II
•
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Looking Ahead
YOU BELONG HERE
LOOKING AHEAD
NEW SCHEDULE In 2018-19, all Fort Worth ISD secondary schools will follow a common schedule of eight class periods, which will extend the academic instruction day by 15 minutes. The elementary school day will start 10 minutes earlier. The new schedules were adopted following a study done by a task force of principals, assistant principals, teachers, coaches and central office representatives. The study identified several benefits: •
•
High school students will have the opportunity to gain up to 32 credits. Students can accelerate courses such as dual credit, CTE certifications and early graduation. There will be time for distance learning. CTE classes can be double-blocked to utilize the distance learning.
•
Middle school students can accelerate and take high school courses.
•
Middle school campuses may incorporate athletics, allowing coaches to better align athletics for high school.
NEW HOLIDAY A new student holiday, Cesar Chavez-Dolores Huerta Day, will be on the calendar in 2018-19. Our Board of Trustees unanimously approved a resolution establishing this holiday each spring to honor the labor and civil rights leaders. The holiday will fall on the Monday prior to March 31. Hours gained through the new eight-period class schedule provide the extra day for this holiday.
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LOOKING AHEAD
SCHOOL SWITCH Students at three schools will return this fall to new locations. The Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences (TABS) moves to Tarrant County College – Trinity River Campus. Middle Level Learning Center takes over the current TABS facility at 3813 Valentine Street. World Languages Institute, which has outgrown its Magnolia Avenue location, moves into the former Middle Level Learning Center at 4921 Benbrook Highway.
180-DAY SUBSTITUTES
ONRAMPS
Fort Worth ISD employees currently working as Pyramid Substitutes now have an opportunity to transition into new 180-Day Substitute positions that provide higher pay and more employee benefits. The new positions are full-time. Cliff Mayer, Executive Director of Selection and Retention for HCM, said the new positions are more supportive of student achievement and more attractive for substitute teachers.
Approximately 1,300 Fort Worth ISD high school students will take dual enrollment courses through the University of Texas at Austin this fall. Students can earn UT Austin credit from a UT faculty member and high school credit from their FWISD teacher. It’s the result of a new teacher-training program called OnRamps. For two weeks in July, more than 70 District teachers underwent training on the UT campus to learn innovative teaching tools in history, physics, rhetoric, pre-calculus, statistics and computer science.
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OUR SCHOOLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Merrett, Luella
Beal, Harlean
Leadership Academy at
Bonnie Brae
Moore, M.H.
Benbrook
Briscoe, Edward J. Burton Hill
Carlson, Alice ALC Carter Park
Chavez, Cesar
Clarke, George C. Clayton, Lily B.
Leadership Academy at Como Elementary
Como Montessori
Contreras, Alice D. Daggett, E.M.
Daggett Montessori Davis, Clifford De Zavala
Diamond Hill Dillow, S.S.
East Handley Eastern Hills
Mitchell Boulevard
Morningside
Moss, Christene C. Nash, Charles E.
North Hi Mount Oakhurst Oaklawn
Pate, A.M.
Peace, Hazel Harvey Peak, Carroll
Phillips, M.L. Ridglea Hills
Riverside ALC Rosemont
Rosen, Sam
Sagamore Hill
Sellars, David K.
Seminary Hills Park Shulkey, Bruce Sims, T.A.
Elliott, Bill J.
South Hi Mount
Glen Park
Springdale
Ellis, M.G. Primary Green, W.M. Greenbriar
Helbing, H.V.
Howell, Natha
South Hills
Stevens, J.T.
Sunrise-McMillan Tanglewood Turner, W.J.
Hubbard Heights
Van Zandt-Guinn
Jara, Manuel
Washington Heights
Huerta, Dolores
Walton, Maudrie M.
Kirkpatrick, Milton L.
Waverly Park
Leadership Academy at
West Handley
Lowery Road
Westcreek
McRae, D.
Western Hills Primary
Mendoza, Rufino
Leadership Academy at
Maude I. Logan
Westcliff
McDonald, Atwood
Western Hills
Meadowbrook
Westpark
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John T. White
Williams, Versia L.
Carter-Riverside, Amon
Woodway
Dunbar, P.L.
Diamond Hill-Jarvis
Wilson, Richard J.
Eastern Hills
Worth Heights
Marine Creek Collegiate
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
North Side
Applied Learning
Paschal, R.L.
Academy
Polytechnic
Benbrook Middle-High
South Hills
Como Montessori
Southwest
Daggett, E.M.
TCC South-FWISD Collegiate
Daggett Montessori Elder, J.P.
Leadership Academy at Forest Oak
Glencrest 6th Handley
Jacquet, J. Martin James, William
Kirkpatrick, Milton L. Leonard
McClung, Jean McLean, W.P. McLean 6th
Meacham, W.A.
I.M. Terrell Academy
for STEM and VPA
Texas Academy of
Biomedical Sciences
Trimble Technical Western Hills
World Languages Institute Wyatt, O.D.
Young Men's
Leadership Academy
Young Women's
Leadership Academy
Meadowbrook
OTHER SCHOOLS
Morningside
International Newcomer
Rosemont
Jo Kelly School
Monnig, William Riverside
Boulevard Heights School Academy
Rosemont 6th
Metro Opportunity
Wedgwood
Middle Level Learning
World Languages Institute
Success High School
Stripling, W.C. Wedgwood 6th Young Men's
Leadership Academy
Young Women's
Leadership Academy
HIGH SCHOOLS Arlington Heights
Benbrook Middle-High
High School Center
This report was produced by the Fort Worth ISD Communications Department.
100 N. University Dr. | Fort Worth, TX 76107 817.814.2000 • www.fwisd.org