FBISD Magazine | January 2023

agventure

Front cover (left to right): Gabby Ridings, Travis HS, 11th Grade Annette Wisbrock, Travis HS, 9th Grade

Dr. Christie Whitbeck

Welcome to 2023

Happy New Year to everyone in the Fort Bend ISD community!

What I love about each new year is that it is a perfect time to be OPTIMISTIC!

The ability to believe in good outcomes, focus on the positive and keep the faith is a gift I will always treasure.

It’s a gift I received from my son Taylor. Despite everything he went through medically, physically and emotionally during his young life, he always maintained an optimistic outlook.

I remember him saying many times, “We will get past this. Things will be okay.” I am eternally grateful for the way his outlook influenced me.

Optimism is powerful, and it not only affects us but those around us as well.

You’ve heard the term “home field advantage.” The NFL keeps stats that document it’s a real thing. Records show teams win more games at home than they do out of town. That’s because the home crowd is generally optimistic about their team winning and that positivity affects the performance of athletes on the field.

Medical experts at Johns Hopkins have also documented the fact that people with generally positive viewpoints affect their own health outcomes.

Findings show that “positive people” are 33 percent less likely to have a heart attack than those who hold negative viewpoints. What is more astounding is that these same “positive people” had significant family histories of heart disease.

means you have the ability to look at even the harshest reality and maintain hope for the future.

That’s what I’m hoping our community will do as we begin this new year and move forward in the months ahead. The reality is our district faces significant financial challenges as we work to trim our budget. There will be some changes that require adjustments and they will be difficult at times.

We will get past this. Things will be okay.

Let’s remain optimistic. Working together toward the common goal of doing the very best we can for our children — that’s how we come out stronger and better on the other side.

Dr. Christie Whitbeck Fort Bend ISD Superintendent

We Appreciate Your IMPACT

To acknowledge people who choose to make positive impacts, Fort Bend ISD started a new recognition program called the Impact Award. This award recognizes any staff member, student, parent, teacher or community member who contributes in extraordinary ways to the success of FBISD students, staff or the community.

“The theme for Fort Bend ISD this year is ‘Know Your Impact’,” Superintendent Dr. Christie Whitbeck said. “The purpose behind the Impact Award is to celebrate those who are demonstrating their impact through kindness, generosity, loyalty, service, support and dedication to the students and staff in Fort Bend ISD. We want them to know that we see and appreciate what they’re doing.”

Prior to the publication of this magazine, the district presented the Impact Award to three individuals, two employees – Carolyn Melton and Becky Luetkemeyer – and one parent volunteer Jigisha Doshi.

Carolyn Melton is an FBISD Transportation department employee who has worked for the district 45 years – with perfect attendance for 44 of those years! Melton has faithfully served the district as a monitor on buses that

transport students with special needs. She began working as a monitor when she was a teenager just finishing high school. She is known for being dependable, good-natured and staying cool under pressure.

Becky Luetkemeyer is a special education paraprofessional at Leonetti Elementary School and has worked for 22 years in special education. She is known for building longlasting relationships with her students and their families. She organizes family meetups and student outings to help them build support systems. Luetkemeyer impacts her students in the classroom and continues to do so as they transition to more independent living as young adults.

Parent volunteer Jigisha Doshi was nominated for her dedication to students in Destination Imagination, serving as a coach of two teams for more than 10 years. She has an unwavering passion in assisting students to reach their highest potential. Doshi’s teams routinely place at regional, state and global competitions, and her students are recognized as top achievers. In addition to her work as a coach with Destination Imagination, she is also part of the organization’s Gulf Coast executive board and the current president of Parents for Academic Excellence (PACE), a nonprofit organization that supports gifted and talented students.

If you know an unsung hero in the FBISD community who is doing exceptional things, nominate them for an Impact Award at fortbendisd.com/impactaward.

As we go about our daily lives, we impact others along the way. We can choose to make that influence positive or negative. Even the smallest acts can make a huge difference.

September - Carolyn Melton October - Becky Luetkemeyer November - Jigisha Doshi

AFTER FBISD’S VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE (VATRE) ELECTION,

what’s next?

Voters in the November 2022 election did not approve Fort Bend ISD’s tax rate election, triggering $47 million in cuts the district now faces.

Results were 46 percent in favor of the VATRE and 54 percent against it.

Voter approval to keep the tax rate at $1.21 per $100 property valuation would have provided $47 million for the district to hire police officers for every elementary school (middle and high schools already have officers assigned to them), increased teacher and staff compensation to maintain competitive pay, and it would have provided funding for programs of choice that students opt into.

The tax rate of $1.21 is one of the lowest rates in the area. Since the $1.21 rate was not approved by voters, the tax rate will drop to $1.13 per $100 property valuation. The lower rate results in a savings of about $13 per month for a home valued at $200,000.

FBISD Superintendent Dr. Christie Whitbeck said the $47 million in cuts requires the district to “dig deeper” and “may sting.” However, she emphasized that parents, staff, students and community members should remain optimistic. She asked that everyone work together to help FBISD navigate this challenging time.

“We will roll up our sleeves,” Dr. Whitbeck said. “To our staff and especially our teachers, we are collecting your feedback. We want your input on some of the things that we can perhaps live without versus things that are crucial for serving our students and their families.”

District leaders have said cuts will come through a hiring slow-down, reducing staff by attrition, abandoning programs that are no longer effective or efficient, and consolidating underutilized schools.

The district was scheduled to hold a bond election in fall 2021, but it was postponed due to the pandemic. Now over a year later, the administration is considering recommending a bond to the Board of Trustees for May.

The bond package could include constructing new schools where needed, making necessary upgrades to the IT infrastructure, and improvements at several schools to combat wear and tear.

It is important to note that successful tax rate elections provide funding for FBISD to increase teacher and staff compensation and improve campus security, separately –successful bond elections provide funds for new construction, technology and building improvements.

Why Your Tax Dollars Matter!

Like all public school districts in Texas, FBISD is funded by a combination of state aid and local property taxes. In recent years, the state has curtailed its funding, while costs for school districts have escalated.

Additionally, FBISD is not allowed to benefit from increased local property tax values. Essentially, the State of Texas keeps those

“extra” funds generated by increases in property values.

Minimally increasing the local tax rate provides additional revenue to ensure FBISD remains a “destination district” that attracts home buyers. FBISD offers some of the best academic and extracurricular instruction, training and supports in the state.

The district has 75 national merit scholars –more than any other district in the area. It is rated an “A” by the Texas Education Agency for academic growth, graduation rates and College, Career and Military Readiness. FBISD’s Dulles High School is ranked 2nd in the entire nation by the U.S. Academic Decathlon organization. George Bush High School is home to the UIL One-Act Play state champs, and Marshall High School has the boys and girls state track championship teams!

If you own a home or business in FBISD, maintaining a respected, renown, robust local school system impacts and benefits you and the entire community – whether or not you presently have children attending FBISD schools. Support for our local school district matters!

Christine Irons

It is no surprise that Christine Irons returned to Fort Bend ISD as a teacher. Her love for the district and for education were evident during her time as a student.

“I have always wanted to be an elementary school teacher,” Irons said. “In high school, I attended the Ready, Set, Teach program at the Career and Technical Education Center and that prepared me in so many ways to go into the education field.”

Irons attended Colony Bend Elementary, First Colony Middle School and graduated from Clements High School in 2011. She now

teaches first grade at Sugar Mill Elementary School and for a time, had the pleasure of serving alongside her first-grade teacher.

In addition to career preparation, while at Clements she was also part of the YES (Youth Expanding Services) program, where she performed 100 hours of volunteer service in the community. The seeds of her devotion to this community were planted early.

“The diversity in the district has always been a benefit I appreciate in FBISD,” Irons said. “The people that are involved with the district genuinely care and want the best for students and the community. It’s a privilege to serve the community that offered me so much opportunity.”

Nicholas Helms

Nicholas Helms always knew he wanted to influence the lives of young people. Through one opportunity after another, he has realized his goal of being a social studies teacher and coach at Baines Middle School, coming back to the district that shaped him as a student.

Helms is a proud product of the Dulles community, attending Dulles Elementary, Dulles Middle School and graduating from Dulles High School in 2006. For him, there

are many memories that sum up his time as a student, for instance, he remembers the way he felt about his teachers.

He is grateful for the experiences he had in FBISD as a student and considers them an asset now that he has students of his own. He possesses a wealth of knowledge that provides his students with the kind of strong foundation he had at their age.

“I had some really awesome teachers who made school fun,” Helms said. “I try to make the students in my class enjoy coming to school so that they want to come instead of only feeling like they have to come.”

FBISD ALUMNA

R’Bonney Gabriel

Fort Bend ISD is home to the 2022 Miss Texas and 2022 Miss USA winner, R’Bonney Gabriel. A graduate from Elkins High School, Gabriel is a fashion designer and model.

Before finding her passion for fashion, Gabriel spent her early years finding what made her special. She participated in yearbook, band and Kickstart Kids, a program that promotes character development through karate. She also played volleyball in high school. At age 15, she started taking a local sewing class and fell in love with creating clothes and participating in fashion shows. She majored in fashion and apparel design at the University of North Texas.

Gabriel recently spoke with eighth-grade students at Quail Valley Middle School.

“It’s a full-circle moment to be able to come back to my hometown of Missouri City and invest in the community that made me who I am,” Gabriel said about her visit.

“I spent the first 18 years of my life in Fort Bend, so it was important for me to come back and speak to the youth.”

During her visit, she spoke to students about finding what they’re good at and what makes them special.

“We all have a personal responsibility to unlock our greatness,” she said. “I think that’s how we can fulfill our lives in amazing ways.“

After she placed as first runner-up in the Miss Texas USA 2021 pagent, Gabriel didn’t let that stop her from competing again the next year. She wants students to know that failure isn’t a sign that something is not for you.

“Always apply yourself and go after things and don’t be afraid to fail.”

R’Bonney Gabriel is the first Filipino American to win Miss Texas USA and Miss USA. She is preparing for the Miss Universe Pageant that will take place on Saturday, January 14, 2023.

Gabriel’s success is the latest demontstration of how FBISD inspires and equips students to pursue futures beyond what they can imagine.

careers focused on animals

Program spotlight: animal science program exploring

The district’s Animal Science Program introduces students to the world of animal-oriented agribusiness. Students learn about the science and businesses associated with animals. Available careers in animal science stretch across multiple industries and specializations, and can include but are not limited to biologists, chemists, veterinarians, engineers, farmers and entrepreneurs.

Austin High School senior Cassidy Watts plans to use what she has learned in the district’s Animal Science Program, combined with her love for animal well-being, to pursue a career in animal nutrition when she graduates. Watts is currently in a senior-level advanced animal science course.

Gabby Ridings, a junior at Travis High School, has ambitions of becoming an agriculture teacher and plans to get a degree in poultry science. Ridings is enrolled in the program’s Livestock Production course.

As part of the coursework requirements, students must complete a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). These activities are student-led and teachersupervised and vary based on a student’s interest or career path. The projects allow students to apply their classroom principles in the real world. SAEs strengthen the confidence of students in themselves and their work through projects.

Watts is currently raising a heifer to show at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo this spring for her SAE. Ridings will show a pig and broilers she is raising.

SAEs are not limited to raising animals. Students can intern or volunteer for an organization, shadow someone at their job or become an entrepreneur, as long as the project meets course criteria. Some examples from the FBISD ag programs include campus gardens, canine therapy programs, veterinary and florist co-ops.

Most students enrolled in Animal Science are also members of FFA, a national youth organization with local chapters that share the district’s same goal to develop leaders.

Last spring, the district opened its third agriculture facility to support the 1,500 students annually enrolled in agriculture science. The Ronnie Davis Agriculture Center, located adjacent to Marshall High School, was funded through the 2018 Bond Program and serves students from Elkins, Hightower, Marshall, Ridge Point and Willowridge high schools.

Additional facilities include the Bonnie Beard Agriculture Center near Travis High School and Jimmy Klemstein Agriculture Center located near Kempner High School.

Animal Science falls within the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources career cluster as defined by the Texas Education Agency, one of 14 pathways offered through the district’s Career and Technical Education department. For more information, visit fortbendisd. com/CTE.

Briley Runge

Travis HS, 12th Grade

Industry Certifications

CERTIFIED VETERINARIAN ASSISTANT, LEVEL I

Hot Jobs

AGRICULTURE ENGINEER

21.05% JOB GROWTH IN TEXAS

$100,383 AVERAGE SALARY

ZOOLOGIST/WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST

32% JOB GROWTH IN TEXAS

$67,309 AVERAGE SALARY

VETERINARIAN

24% JOB GROWTH IN TEXAS

$93,496 AVERAGE SALARY

Cassidy Watts Austin HS, 12th Grade

Reese Roberts Travis HS, 11th Grade

IT TAKES A

Bend ISD

FBISD schools receive generous donation from Office Depot for supplies

Last fall, six FBISD elementary schools each received $4,000 for supplies, totaling $24,000, thanks to a generous donation from the Fort Bend Education Foundation and Office Depot. The schools were Fleming, Jones, Mission West, Parks, Ridgegate and Townewest elementary schools.

“We are so grateful, so happy and we look forward to a long partnership with Office Depot,” Education Foundation Executive Director Brenna Crosby said.

Funds were collected at store locations across the greater Houston area, and staff from multiple locations were in attendance, including regional and district managers. These six schools are among 70 Title 1 campuses across the country that will benefit from the generosity of Office Depot and Office Max shoppers and clients.

Local dealerships donate car to automotive program

Gulf States Toyota, Inc., in partnership with local Toyota dealers, Sterling McCall Toyota, Sugar Land Toyota and Mike Calvert Toyota, donated a Toyota Corolla straight off the assembly line to the district’s Transportation, Distribution and Logistics program. The car will be housed in the auto shop at the Reese Career and Technical Center for automotive students to benefit from being able to work hands-on with a vehicle while they learn how to service it. The Shop at the Reese Center is one of the district’s student-run businesses and offers state inspections, oil changes, and tire rotation and balancing to the public. For more information, visit fortbendisd.com/CTE.

City of Sugar Land Partnership

A mutually-beneficial partnership between the City of Sugar Land and Fort Bend ISD allows students to provide preventative maintenance on some of the city’s white fleet vehicles.

Fort

is grateful for community partners who donate time and money to support and enrich student achievement and success.

STEM Students Learn New Coding, Engineering Skills

FBISD’s Teaching and Learning department recently purchased a drone for each of the district’s middle school coding clubs that enables students to learn new coding and engineering skills.

The drones are programmable and designed specifically for learning in the classroom. Unlike traditional remote-control drones, students use a laptop to code the drone – a newer form of technology.

Last summer, coding club sponsors attended hands-on training with the new equipment and developed problem solving challenges and competition tasks for students.

Middle school coding clubs participate in robotics and coding competitions at the district level, with an opportunity to advance to regional and state levels. The drones provide students with additional skills they can use when competing.

FBISD has coding clubs on 66 of its elementary and middle school campuses. The drones were purchased with funds received through the Fort Bend Education Foundation’s annual grant program and were generously funded by the ECOLAB Foundation.

January is School Board

Appreciation

Month

Fort Bend ISD would like to recognize the community volunteers who make up the district’s seven-member Board of Trustees and thank them for their strong and unyielding commitment to our students, staff, parents and community. FBISD’s elected Board Members include: Kristen Davison Malone, President; Judy Dae, Vice President; Dr. Shirley Rose-Gilliam, Secretary; and members Rick Garcia, David Hamilton, Angie

and Denetta Williams.

Hanan

Pictured above from left to right: David Hamilton, Angie Hanan, Judy Dae, Dr. Christie Whitbeck, Kristen Davison Malone, Dr. Shirley Rose-Gilliam and Rick Garcia.

Pictured: Denetta Williams

Welders and auto shop mechanics are traditionally male-dominated professions, but there’s a growing number of female students in Fort Bend ISD exploring these careers.

Emma Rodriguez is a senior at Travis High School and is enrolled in her second year of the district’s dual credit automotive class. She spends her mornings at the James Reese Career and Technical Education Center learning firsthand in the district’s automotive shop.

“I enrolled in automotive because I’ve always been a very hands-on person and enjoyed building and taking things apart for as long as I can remember whether it be Legos, furniture or theatrical sets,” Rodriguez said.

The Shop, one of the district’s studentrun businesses, is open to the public and provides Rodriquez with real-world experience as she learns valuable skills including tire rotation, balance and alignment and how to perform oil changes, and state inspections.

“I thought working on cars would be a fun challenge and if I don’t end

up sticking with the trade later in life, I’d at least be able to save some money by being able to do routine maintenance myself,” Rodriguez said.

As a bonus, upon completion of the two-year course, Rodriguez will have 60 hours of college credits.

Dot Reuter teaches welding classes and has seen an increase in female students enrolling in the program since the Reese Center opened in 2019.

Reuter attended Sam Houston State University to obtain her bachelor’s degree in agriculture science to become a teacher. She was required to take introduction to agricultural mechanics, and she recalls being the only female in her class.

“It was overwhelming to say the least,” Reuter said. “Once we began welding, my professor recognized me for being the top welder and then my classmates who were struggling would turn to me for help.”

Reuter continued her interest in welding and metallurgy into her graduate studies. When she graduated, there was a need for agriculture mechanic teachers and very few females applying for them.

“I found a need for females in this industry,” she said.

Since then, Reuter has helped build welding programs in several school districts and this includes recruiting female students.

“Female welders have a reputation for making better welds because they tend to

have smaller hands and good attention to detail,” she said.

Currently, there is a big demand for welders in the workforce, and Reuter wants her students to know this presents a great opportunity for all of her students.

Juniors Victoria Saravia and Giccelle Morales are currently enrolled in Reuter’s beginner welding courses. They work in the district’s state-of-the-art welding shop each morning and complete their core courses at their home campuses in the afternoon.

Both Saravia and Morales discovered their interest in welding from family members.

“Growing up, I was surrounded by family members who worked in the construction and welding industry so it caught my attention,” Morales said.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 3.8 percent of welding, soldering and brazing workers were women in 2020 and 2.1 percent of workers employed in the automotive repair and maintenance field were female.

Saravia enrolled in welding because her brother was among the first students enrolled in the Reese Center welding program when it opened.

“My brother would build really cool stuff,” she said.

Both students plan to pursue careers in welding after graduation. The skills and industry certifications they earn in the welding program will make them immediately marketable when entering the workforce.

PAWSITIVE vibes

Volunteers from Faithful Paws Pet Therapy and their dogs were a welcome distraction for Travis High School (THS) students as they prepared for exams at the end of last semester. Faithful Paws’ certified pet therapy animals are trained to administer unconditional love and therapy. Students got to relax and destress while interacting with the animals.

Members of THS’ student council invited the organization to their campus.

“Every year before semester exams we bring them in,” THS Student Council President Benjamin Banken said. “It’s a great way to boost the mental health of the students.”

“Our goal is to take care of the whole child and that includes students’ mental and emotional health,” said Angela Garrett, THS’ student council staff sponsor.

Health initiative supports students’ mental, behavioral, social, emotional and physical health

FBISD’s commitment to whole child health includes making sure each student is healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged. The district provides resources and services for students and their families, which includes a monthly webinar designed to inform parents about helpful information and services that can help them better support their children. The webinars are free and open to the community.

January 18

Current drug trends and what parents need to know

February 15

Study habits and test anxiety

April 19

Social media and your digital footprint

May 15

Violence prevention – human trafficking, dating violence, child abuse, gun safety

FORT BEND ISD 2023

SPRING JOB FAIRS

Fall in love

WITH FBISD HIRING EVENT

Saturday, February 4, 2023

9 – 11 a.m.

James Reese Career and Technical Center

Registration now open at fortbendisd.com/careers

2023

Saturday, April 1, 2023

Save

Fort Bend ISD

16431 Lexington Blvd.

Sugar Land, TX 77479

Choose Success

CHOOSE FORT BEND ISD

fortbendisd.com/chooseFBISD

Fort Bend Independent School District prepares students for success in life and career. From early childhood to young adulthood, FBISD’s premier educational experience inspires and equips all students for futures beyond what they can imagine!

Foundations of Success

Prekindergarten

Early Literacy Centers

Early Intervention Academy

Programs of Choice

• FBISD Academies

• Career and Technical Education

• Early College High School

• Pathways in Technology (P-Tech)

• Award-winning Fine Arts

• Outstanding Athletics

FBISD also offers extensive student support services to ensure all students reach their full potential.

For more information visit fortbendisd.com/chooseFBISD