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George: County better prepared for future emergencies By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Scores of people huddled in schools, water pouring into homes and the chaos and uncertainty of unprecedented weather – those that lived through Hurricane Harvey striking the region in 2017 and f looding more than 7,000 homes in Fort Bend County won’t soon forget the memories of five years ago. That experience is part of what drove County Judge KP George, then a member of the Fort Bend ISD board of trustees, to run for county government, he told the Fort Bend Star last week. And as residents across the region took a moment late last month to recognize Harvey’s five-year anniversary, George was sure that the county is in a better place today, he said. “We are much better coordinated today,” he said. “Obviously, an emergency is an emergency. But we have the systems in place to make sure everyone is informed and can make the right decision. My job is to provide information and try to save and protect human life, citizens’ property and valuables.” Hurricane Harvey struck the region in late August 2017, dropping more than 50 inches of rain on some parts of the Houston area and f looding about 7,000 homes in Fort Bend County. Staffers with the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management in 2017 estimated about 20 percent of the county was inundated with f loodwater, more than 200,000 residents affected and that emergency personnel made more than 9,900 rescues during the storm, according to a report at
SEE EMERGENCIES PAGE 7
FBISD student tests positive for monkeypox By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
A Fort Bend ISD student has tested positive for monkeypox, according to school district officials. Families and staff at Ridge Point High School were informed that a student there has tested positive for the virus,
according to a news release. District administrators did not provide information about how the student might have contracted the virus. But epidemiologists are working on contact tracing and will try to determine possible exposures and will notify anyone who might be affected, according to the release.
Cases of monkeypox have been on the rise across the country since health experts identified the first cases earlier this year. As of Aug. 22, more than 19,962 people had tested positive for the virus and monkeypox has caused more than 53,000 cases across the globe, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Dis-
ease Control. Monkeypox is a disease caused by infection from the monkeypox virus, according to county health officials. The virus spreads through contact with an animal, human or materials contaminated with the virus, typically via broken skin, respiratory tract or mucous membranes, according to the county.
Major transition
Students at Fort Bend Christian Academy work on a science project in class. FBCA is among private schools in Fort Bend County that have seen increases in student population since the pandemic, according to administrators. (Contributed photo)
Local students going from public into private, charter schools By Matt deGrood MDEGROOD@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Public school districts across the country and in Fort Bend County watched student enrollment taper off or decline during the pandemic, and many of those children still haven’t returned to their old classrooms. But where are they going? The pandemic and recent social strife over public education have helped exacerbate a trend of families switching students from
public into private and charter schools, among other alternative education options, according to several local education experts. “There has been growth,” said Renie Deanda, the director of communications and marketing for Fort Bend Christian Academy in Sugar Land. “It hasn’t been overwhelming, but there’s definitely people seeking other options for their children outside of the traditional public school.” Enrollment at Fort Bend Christian Academy, for instance, increased about 5
percent this school year, up to a little more than 800 students, Deanda said. That follows several years of consistent growth, some of which was spurred by recent controversies in public schools, such as the debate over whether to require masks or not, Deanda said. “Going to a private or a charter school, there’s a lot a parent has to take on besides just the cost of tuition,” she said. “You’re in charge of transportation. You might have to drive to a school that’s not right next door. Families have to
want to do it.” Different factors, such as class size, focus and more, inspire different families to attend different charter and private schools, she said. “I would say for us, the biggest thing I hear, is that we are a Christian school,” she said. “Parents want to seek a place that has that as the basis for what guides the education of their student.” Fort Bend Christian Academy offers that, in addition to smaller class sizes and a different environment than public
schools, she said. Administrators at Cornerstone Christian Academy in Sugar Land, likewise, noted a rise in private school attendance in recent years. Besides the smattering of private schools across Fort Bend County, several charter groups are also making inroads in the county. Sugar Land and Katy-area Harmony Public Schools have opened this year with plans to serve more than
SEE TRANSITION PAGE 7
Annual State of Schools address set for next month By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
George
Visit www.FortBendStar.com
Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 47 • No. 50 • $1.00
An annual event discussing the future of local Fort Bend school districts is on the horizon. On Oct. 12, the Fort Bemd Chamber of Commerce will host its annual State of the Schools address from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Safari Texas Ranch, 11627 FM
1464 in Richmond according to a news release from the business organization. Stafford MSD Superintendent Robert Bostic, Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Christie Whitbeck, and Lamar Consolidated ISD Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens will all take part in the discussion hosted by Education division chair and former FBISD trustee
Jim Rice. In total, the three districts serve more than 120,000 students, according to the release. "Join us to hear their vision and direction for our future workforce and business leaders in Fort Bend County," the news release said. Go to FortBendChamber. The annual Fort Bend Chamber State of Schools address com for more information. will take place on Oct. 12. (Contributed photo)
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4500 Highway 6, Sugar Land, TX 77478