In this edition:

School Finance Update | Fort Worth ISD Selects Finalists For District Teachers Of The Year | Campus Teacher of the Year Reception Surprises Educators | 2019-2020 Calendar Update | Dr. Scribner Recognizes the Importance of Data Clerks in Pre-K/K Enrollment | | FWISD Athletics to Offer Free Medical Exams May 4| Second-grader Grabs the Checkered Flag: Diamond Hill ES Student Wins Design-a-Diecast contest | FWISD Community Donates $130K to United Way | AHHS Dancers Accepted to College, Summer Dance Programs | FWISD Recognized As Magna Award First-Place Winner | Getting Through STAAR | Fort Worth ISD Snapshot | A Community Thrives: Read Fort Worth Fundraising for FWISD Libraries | Cyber Security for Education | Donate to the MBK Suit Up! Campaign | Vital Link Seeks Certified Teachers | We Can Help: Employee Assistance Program Spotlight | AAIL Spotlight | Calendar | View more stories throughout the week on the Inside FWISD Blog

School Finance Update

The following information is from Moak, Casey and Associates, Fort Worth ISD's representatives in Austin:

The Texas House on Wednesday passed HB 3 (Huberty) -the school finance bill. The bill added $6.3 billion of new funding for Texas public schools. The bill also dedicates $2.7 billion for property tax compression.

HB 3 allocates the bulk of its new funding through an increase in the basic allotment from $5,140 to $6,030 and creates a new early childhood allotment to fund full-day prekindergarten for eligible students. The bill also reduces recapture by almost 40 percent by reducing district payments from $7.7 billion to $4.7 billion.

In an effort to dedicate a portion of the funds to teacher pay raises, the House amended the bill to require 25 percent of any basic allotment increase going forward to be spent on equal pay raises for full-time and non-administrative staff.

Meanwhile, the Senate passed its own pay raise legislation (SB 3) which requires a $5,000 across the board pay raise for only teachers and librarians (not counselors, nurses, or other support/auxiliary staff). The House’s proposal, on the other hand, would apply to more individuals, from librarians and counselors to bus drivers and custodians

HB 3 has now been sent to the Senate, where we expect to see a version that spends significantly less ($4 billion less) than the House version, as the Senate has already spent $4 billion (SB 3-Taylor) on across-the-board raises. In addition, HB 3 will be measured against SB 4 (Taylor), which is the Senate's version of their school finance bill. These three proposals will ultimately have to be meshed together in some form of a compromise during the 53 days of the session that remain.

Fort Worth ISD Selects Finalists For District Teachers Of The Year

Fort Worth ISD recognized Campus Teachers of the Year honorees at a special after-school reception Tuesday, April 2, 2019, hosted by Central Market and other community partners. This event honored 134 teachers from across the District.

Ten elementary and secondary educators are finalists for the District Teacher of the Year Awards and will advance to the next level:

Elementary

Susan Afflerbach - Western Hills Primary

Kimberly Bennett - Springdale ES

Sharon Gartrell - Charles E. Nash ES

Sydney Jones - Worth Heights ES

Sarah Milliken - Seminary Hills Park ES

Secondary

Kenyail Carr – I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA

Dalynn Cross - Diamond Hill-Jarvis HS

Evette Mumford - Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences

Andrea Rogers - Young Women's Leadership Academy

Lisa Yanagida-Blow – Eastern Hills HS

Campus Teacher of the Year honorees were recognized at a reception held in the Piano Pavilion at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, with entertainment provided by members of the I.M. Terrell Orchestra.

Community businesses and organizations have partnered with Fort Worth ISD to recognize outstanding classroom teachers in our District since 1985. One teacher from each school is elected by fellow teachers for the honor of 2018-2019 Campus Teacher of the Year.

Teachers selected are eligible to apply for the District Teacher of the Year award for elementary or secondary. Each of the two award winners receives a $5,000 honorarium from Central Market. The eight finalists will receive a $1,500 award from Central Market.

Nominees must:

• Have a minimum of five years teaching experience
• Be employed by the FWISD for a minimum of three years
• Be a full time, certified, highly qualified classroom teacher
• Be exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable and skilled
• Inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn
• Have the respect and admiration of students, parents and colleagues
• Play an active and useful role in the community, as well as in the school

This year’s Campus Teachers of the Year are:

Dr. Scribner Recognizes the Importance of Data Clerks in Pre-K/K Enrollment

This week, Fort Worth ISD opened online registration to families looking to enroll their children in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten for the 2019-2020 school year.

Superintendent Kent Scribner took the opportunity to send a special rmessage to the District’s elementary data clerks thanking them for the important work they do assisting families in the online process.

“Thank you for serving our students and families on the front lines,” Dr. Scribner’s message reads. “You are the key to making this work. We have worked to give you all the tools you need as well as all of the time and support you need and deserve to take us in a new direction when it comes to registering students. Our aim is to give you what you need to bring all of our customers into the Fort Worth ISD family, and to not turn a single student away.”

Read Dr. Scribner’s entire message below:

Last year, FWISD adopted District-wide online registration for all students.

Prior to launching the registration process this year, data clerks spent a week getting up to speed on registration changes to the system, and they received the new Fort Worth ISD New Student Online Registration Reference Guide, a resource booklet for front-office staff to utilize when assisting parents through the online registration process.

Improvements and changes to the online registration form and process this year include:

• Fewer documents required from families -- only birth certificate, immunizations and proof of address
• An updated and user-friendly online registration form for parents
• Data clerks reporting to work a few additional days at the semester’s end to ensure all students are processed before summer break

The District will host its annual Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration and Literacy Fair, from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Saturday, April 6 at the William M. McDonald YMCA, 2701 Moresby St. The event offers families on-site assistance with the online registration process as well as free books, fun activities and parent information.

Additionally, the Fort Worth ISD Bookmobile will visit local neighborhoods to help parents register their children and to distribute free books to get enrollees excited about learning as they prepare to begin school this fall.

For more details on Pre-K/kindergarten registration, visit www.fwisd.org/prek or call the Parent Information Line at 817-814-2070.

District Announces Elementary Science Research Fair Winners

The Fort Worth ISD Science Department has announced the winners of its Elementary Science Research Fair.

The District recognized Best of Fair, individual and team first-place winners at a reception, sponsored by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, March 30. Individual and team first-, second- and third-place winners were revealed at a March 28 public viewing and awards ceremony at the Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center.

Best of Fair honors in the individual category went to Nemico Velazquez of Dolores Huerta for the project “Solar Economy Coming Soon.” Alice Carlson Applied Learning Center’s team that included students Bert Calvillo, Carrington Hood, Will Johnson and Matthew Ramirez, took home the team Best of Fair prize for its project “The Loop of Faith.”

The 2019 Elementary Science Research Fair winners are:

Individual students and teams finishing first place at their campus science fair qualify to present in the District Elementary Science Research Fair. Second-through fifth-grade students present individual projects while pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first-grade students develop class projects.

The District competition is designed to “foster shared ownership and partnerships between students, the school and the science community,” and also increases student interest in science, Yohanis De La Fuente, a District core curriculum and innovation coordinator in science literacy and STEM, said. Through science research, students apply reading, writing and math skills to problem solving, she said. It also creates an opportunity in which students learn to vocalize, defend their knowledge of science methods, Ms. De La Fuente added.

FWISD Athletics to Offer Free Medical Exams May 4

Exams Open to Middle, High School Athletes

Fort Worth ISD is offering free medical examinations to middle and high school student-athletes Saturday, May 4, 2019 at the Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center, 5201 C.A. Roberson Blvd.

Students taking a District athletic course or in interscholastic athletics the 2019-2020 school year are required to take a medical exam.

Local physicians and specialists are conducting the comprehensive physical exams.

District buses will transport all participating students from their home campus. No drop-offs or pickups will be allowed at Wilkerson-Greines to ensure student safety and security.

Students may obtain a UIL Pre-participation Evaluation-Medical History/Physical Examination form at their home campus. The form must be entirely completed and signed by a parent or a legal guardian for the exam to be performed. Students must bring the completed and signed form to board the bus to Wilkerson-Greines.

Athletic gear such as shorts, a T-shirt and athletic shoes, and if applicable, eye glasses or contact lenses, is required attire the exam. Female athletes are asked to wear a sports bra or tank to under their T-shirts.

Examination forms and additional details are available at www.fwisd.org/athletics.

Second-grader Grabs the Checkered Flag

Diamond Hill ES Student Wins Design-a-Diecast contest

A Diamond Hill Elementary School second-grader created a fantasy stock car design that will soon appear on a die-cast model car sold in major retail stores nationwide.

NASCAR driver Matt Tifft attended a surprise school assembly Thursday, March 28 where Ivan Herrera learned that his design is the Grade K-2 division and overall Lionel Racing Design-a-Diecast contest winner. Ivan is the first K-2 student ever selected the grand prize winner – his design scheme will be added to Lionel Racing’s commercial NASCAR Authentic line available at various national retailers including Walmart and Target.

Ivan was presented with an actual die-cast model of his design scheme and tickets to this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, Sunday, March31, at Texas Motor Speedway.

The Design-a-Diecast contest encourages students from elementary schools participating in Texas Motor Speedway’s Speeding to Read program to submit designs of their fantasy stock car, similar to cars in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, and write an essay explaining the inspiration behind their design. Winners are selected in two divisions – kindergarten to second-grade and third to sixth-grade. This year, more than 8,000 design schemes were submitted.

“Speeding to Read is one of those programs that our team at Lionel Racing looks forward to each year,” said Howard Hitchcock, President of Lionel. “We are always incredibly impressed with the students’ die-cast designs and we can’t wait to see what paint schemes the students create and the stories behind them.”

This is the second straight year a Diamond Hill student has been named the overall Design-a-Diecast contest winner. In 2018, Alondra Villa, then a fifth-grader, was named champion.

Every student and faculty member at Diamond Hill Elementary School will receive a die-cast car with Ivan’s design at a later date.

FWISD Community Donates $130K to United Way

Thank you, Fort Worth ISD community for contributing more than $130,000 to United Way of Tarrant County’s Live United campaign.

Your efforts resulted in more than $27,000 in donations from students and nearly $103,000 in contributions from staff. Total, District students and staff contributed $130,290.21 to the Live United campaign.

Your giving is an investment not only in the local community but Fort Worth ISD students.

United Way of Tarrant County has long invested in Fort Worth ISD students and continues to make education a funding priority. In recent years, funds donated to the District by the nonprofit has supported programs focused on improving elementary students’ literacy skills, helping middle school students identify and prepare for career dreams and preparing high school students for college and careers.

Additionally, the nonprofit offers resources to assist FWISD families, including placing low-income families on a path to financial stability and assisting families with ongoing health issues.

FWISD Recognized As Magna Award First-Place Winner

The Fort Worth ISD was one of 15 school districts recognized as 2019 Magna Award first-place winners, last weekend in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The district was acknowledged for its Equity and Excellence initiative at the National School Boards Association (NSBA) annual conference, March 30-April 1. Three school districts -- Winchester Public Schools of Winchester, Virginia; Coatesville Area School District of Thorndale, Pennsylvania and Des Moines Public Schools in Des Moines, Iowa -- received the Magna Award grand prize.

The Magna Awards, sponsored by NSBA’s flagship magazine American School Board Journal, honors school board best practices and innovative programs that advance student learning. The Magna Awards program has a long history of recognizing school district innovation and creativity in helping increase student achievement.

FWISD is one of five districts recognized in the over-20,000 student enrollment category. The 2019 awards program theme was equity in education. This year’s judges looked for programs that:

• Remove barriers to achievement for vulnerable or underserved children, based on race, ethnicity, gender, special needs, geography, or socioeconomic status
• Support their school board’s equity mission and vision for the district
• Exhibit success over time
• Has longevity and sustainability
• Can be replicated by other school districts with similar conditions and resources.

“It takes commitment to start an equity program and fortitude to sustain it,” said Thomas J. Gentzel, NSBA executive director and chief executive officer in a recent statement. “I congratulate the 2019 Magna Award winning districts for performing the hard and sometimes unpopular work to ensure all of their students are supported and provided with the tools and opportunities needed to succeed.”

FWISD’s robust award entry highlighted its Equity and Excellence initiative. This initiative includes the work of the Division of Equity and Excellence; the Board of Education’s Racial Equity Committee; programs such as My Brother’s Keeper; the launch of Leadership Academies; Racial Equity Summit; “Critical Conversations: Connecting with Our Community” town hall meeting; and much more. The entry demonstrated the board’s commitment to achieving goals outlined in its racial equity policy.

American School Board Journal’s April issue will feature all winning districts.

The Fort Worth ISD Board of Education is comprised of nine trustees who each represent a single-member district. The group has a combined 126 years’ experience as school board members.

CYBER SECURITY FOR EDUCATION

The following communication is from the Network Services Department:

In last week’s issue, we followed poor Tim’s plight with social media, a crime ring and a foreign government.

This week, we offer the final installment from the NovaLabs series. It’s an exercise in the form of a game that will teach you a bit about coding, password cracking and social engineering.

The game has three levels, each of which increase in difficulty. We challenge you to test your cyber security prowess!

Cyber Security Exercise

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/lab/cyber/research#/corp/chooser

SOURCE: Rosenthal, Alex, et al. “Cybersecurity 101.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/lab/cyber/research#/corp/chooser

DONATE TO THE MBK SUIT UP! CAMPAIGN

Invest in the accomplishments and success of a graduating senior.

Be part of the 2019 My Brother’s Keeper Suit Up! Campaign. Fort Worth ISD, the Education Foundation for Fort Worth Schools and Jos. A. Bank are partnering to recognize graduating male seniors with a tailored suit, dress shirt, tie, belt and shoes. Contributions in any amount are being accepted that will go toward outfitting about 60 students.

“Our goal is to ensure each graduating senior that meets the criteria receives a suit to wear when interviewing for college admissions or college functions,” said Sherry Breed, FWISD’s chief of Equity and Excellence.

Launched by President Barack Obama in 2014, My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) is a national initiative addressing persistent opportunity gaps boys and young men of color face and ensure all youth reach their full potential.

Fort Worth ISD has 17 MBK high school chapters that meet weekly for discussions on cultural history and consciousness, personal growth, leadership development, college preparation, career choices and community involvement.

Eligible MBK students will be fitted for suits later this spring at Jos. A. Bank.

Donors contributing $450 or more to the MBK Suit Up! Campaign will receive an invitation to attend FWISD’s MBK Graduation Stole Draping Ceremony, May 22, 2019 at Texas Christian University’s Dee J. Kelly Alumni and Visitors Center. The annual event celebrates accomplishments of MBK’s graduating seniors and presents the seniors with a distinctive stole to be worn at graduation that symbolizes cultural pride and personal academic accomplishments. Young men who attend a majority of their MBK chapter meetings are eligible for the stole.

Visit http://www.ef4fw.org/ to donate to the 2019 MBK Suit Up! Campaign.

VITAL LINK SEEKS CERTIFIED TEACHERS

Spend the summer helping Fort Worth ISD students discover a future career and earn some extra money in the process.

If you're a certified FWISD teacher, the Vital Link Program, now in its 28th year, wants you to join its team this summer.

The program, which will operate June 10-14 and June 17-21, offers rising seventh-graders an opportunity like none other.

Students are connected with local businesses for half-day, weeklong unpaid summer internships where they see how what they're taught in the classroom is exercised in an actual workplace setting. The students are placed in law, banking, health care, municipal government, construction and college work spaces among many others.

Certified teachers accompany the students to the internships and supervise their work. They are responsible for assisting students in discovering how skills learned in school, including oral and written communication, reading, mathematics, technology, problem-solving and teamwork are beneficial in the workplace.

Vital Link teaching supervisors receive a $525 stipend each week of the program, a $21 stipend for the program's mandatory training and a $200 stipend for the time spent calling students prior to the Vital Link start date, June 10. The total compensation for teaching supervisors is $1,271.

Teaching supervisors are required to:

• Plan the week with Vital Link host businesses/organizations before the internship;
• Verify student attendance in their assigned groups;
• Meet students at designated bus stops, escort them to the internship, supervise them and accompany them to their original pick-up site;
• Facilitate the internship for students and host partners;
• Assist students with their journal writing and making academic-workplace connections.

The FWISD Department of Career and Technical Education is accepting applications from prospective Vital Link teaching supervisors through April 12, 2019 here. Principals will be required to complete a recommendation form for potential teaching supervisors. Teachers selected to participate with Vital Link are required to attend a mandatory training this May prior to the program start date and will be required to work both weeks of the program.

For more details, contact Lila Boydston in the Career and Technical Education Department at 817-814-1813 or lila.boydston@fwisd.org.

WE CAN HELP

The following information is from the District’s Employee Assistance Program provider, Alliance Work Partners:

Frequently, the hardest part of a decision is doing the research to make your choice.

Your EAP regularly helps people locate the services they need to help family members and themselves cope with life's challenges. Simply call for a no-cost, confidential conversation with an Intake Counselor that can do general research and within 72 hours provide up to three possible options for you to explore more thoroughly.

Help is just a phone call away!

For more information, contact us at 800-343-3822 or visit www.awpnow.com/main/fwisd-eap-resource-room/.

AAIL Spotlight

The following communication is from the Advanced, Accelerated, and Innovative Learning Department:

In an effort to celebrate excellent employees and share best practices, the Advanced, Accelerated, and Innovative Learning Department is “spotlighting” outstanding individuals and schools.

We are excited to spotlight Janae Capshaw at the Leadership Academy at Mitchell Boulevard this week!

April is Child Safety Month

April is Month of the Military Child

April is School Library Month

April is National Autism Awareness Month

FWISD is looking for Bilingual Testers

Professional Learning and Innovation Opportunities

Elementary Professional Learning Opportunities

Secondary Professional Learning Opportunities

Website Training Schedule

Gold Seal Late Application Window, Continues through September 6

Training Schedule for New ELAR TEKS for Grades 3-5 Teachers and Administrators, Register in Eduphoria

Training Schedule for New ELAR TEKS for Grades 6-8 Teachers and Administrators, Register in Eduphoria

Spring VOLY Training Sessions for FCLs, new campus staff and campus partners

Voter Registration Deadline, April 4

All-Candidate Forum for Board of Education Contenders, Hosted by FWISD Council of PTAs, 6:30-8:30 p.m. April 4, FWISD Board Room, 2903 Shotts St.

Project Dance 2019: The Arlington Heights High School Dance Department celebrates its 25th anniversary, 7 p.m. April 5 and 6 at the W.E. Scott Theater

The Fort Worth ISD Annual Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration and Literacy Fair, April 6

Transformation Day at Dunbar High School, April 6

National Library Week, April 7-12

Week of the Young Child, April 8-12

Board of Education Regular Meeting, April 9

STAAR Testing, April 9-18

District 5 Candidate Forum (Board of Education), Hosted by Leadership ISD, 6:45-8:30 p.m. April 11, Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts, 3901 S. Hulen St

District 6 Candidate Forum (Board of Education), Hosted by Leadership ISD, 7 p.m. April 16, Southwest High School, 4100 Altamesa Blvd.

Celebrating the Legacy of Christene C. Moss, 4:30-6:30 p.m. April 18, C.C. Moss Elementary, 4108 Eastland St.

2019 Women’s Gymnastics Championships, April 19-20 Fort Worth Convention Center

Good Friday (Student Holiday. 240- and 245- employees must report to work), April 19

Easter, April 21

Public School Volunteer Week, April 22-26

Early voting for May 4 Joint General and Special Elections, April 22-30 (Rosemont MS is the only FWISD polling location)

Board of Education Regular Meeting, April 23

Report cards issued, April 24

Administrative Professionals Day, April 24

JROTC Pass in Review, April 26

Share your story ideas, successes, calendar items, photos, questions and feedback with us at Inside@FWISD.org. Check the Inside FWISD blog, www.fwisd.org/insidefwisd, regularly updated throughout the week with additional content and features.