Loading

Inside FWISD June 20, 2019

In this edition:

FWISD District-Wide Online Registration Begins July 1: All Parents/Students Must Complete this Process | Cyber Thieves are out to get you! Today if possible! | FWISD Announces 2019-2020 Safe Schools Training Requirements| Volunteers Needed For Active Shooter Training Exercise | FWISD Welcomes Six New Members to the Wall of Fame | West 7th Closed Next Week For Repairs | Evacuation Chair Training | FWISD Print Shop Operations End This August | Hundreds Attend PPLE, FWISD Literacy Conference | No Cleanup Needed On Aisle 11 | Mandatory Email Signature Information | Applications Now Being Accepted For 2019 Chairs For Teaching Excellence | Class Of 2019 Earns $131 Million In Scholarships, Grants | Summer Semester Enrollment Steadily Increases | Online Portal Makes STAAR Test Scores Available To Parents | Final 5700 Ramey Ave Documentary Shows Set For June 29 | Local Engineer Shares Inspiring Story With FWISD English Learners | Dr. Scribner Receives FWMBCC Chairman's Award | YWLA, TABS Among Best High Schools In D-FW | Longtime FWISD Educators Pass Away | Dare to Discover Camp Registration Underway | Fort Worth ISD Snapshot | How Are You Spending Your Summer Vacation? | Calendar | View more stories throughout the week on the Inside FWISD Blog

FWISD District-Wide Online Registration Begins July 1

All Parents/Students Must Complete this Process

Online registration for the 2019-20 school year begins in just a few days –and it’s easier than ever.

Beginning at midnight, July 1, all Fort Worth ISD students –or their parents – can complete registration by visiting www.fwisd.org/register. Online registration is for all students –both new and returning – and is a “must do” in order to be enrolled in the Fort Worth ISD.

The process for returning students is fast and should take from five to 10 minutes. Using your student’s individual Snapcode, simply go to www.fwisd.org/register and confirm the information you’ve previously supplied or update any new information.

A snapcode is a 15-digit combination of numbers and letters unique to each student. Snapcodes were sent out with this year’s final report cards. Superintendent Kent Scribner sent out this video in early June and explained where to find your student’s Snapcode on his or her final report card.

Families of new students will find the process easy as well – with instructions for uploading any necessary documents. On July 1, parents can visit www.fwisd.org/register, click the Registration button, and create an account.

Online registration is a time-saving tool that can be done from the convenience of your own home, at any hour, day or night, using your smartphone, laptop, or any digital device.

Who: All Fort Worth ISD students – either new or returning

What: Online registration for the 2019-20 school year

When: Beginning at midnight on July 1

Why: It’s easy, it’s convenient, and parents no longer have to fill out form after form with the same information

How: Parents of returning students use an assigned Snapcode, which can be found on the 2018-19 final report card or on your Parent Portal account.

Help: Have a question? Call Fort Worth ISD’s Parent Information Hotline at 817-814-2070, or visit the District website at www.fwisd.org/register to read a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

Cyber thieves are out to get you! Today if possible!

WAIT! Don’t open that email! At least not until you are sure where it came from.

Cyberattacks are real, every day real, and they come at us each day in a wide variety of seemingly harmless emails. Malicious email remains one of the most significant and ongoing computer security threats facing the Fort Worth ISD. Cybercriminals use various email-based traps to deliver malware, lure victims to malicious websites, and steal log-on credentials. And, all of us need to understand these threats and learn what we can do about it.

The FWISD Information Technology Department battles daily with domestic criminals, foreign countries and other hackers. But YOU can have a big impact on the success of our cybersecurity effort with just a few simple steps.

Using tools built-in to your email program, you can help determine if email arriving in your inbox is legitimate, junk (such as marketing items), or phishing. Whether you are using Microsoft Outlook or Office365 for your email, there is a simple solution to help keep you and FWISD safe.

On Office365, whether you are accessing email at your desk or off campus, click on the small icon located near the top of the page (see pictures below). This will open a dialogue box that allows you to mark the email as junk, phishing, not junk or other. Make a selection and follow the instructions.

Click images to enlarge

When using Microsoft Office Outlook to access your email, the steps are almost exactly the same. Click the button at the top right-hand corner of the page labeled “Report Message” and make a selection from the drop down box (see pictures below).

Click images to enlarge

Once you have completed those simple steps, Microsoft and the Fort Worth ISD IT Department will use your selections to determine if those particular emails are a threat to our security.

There’s one more important step to remember. Should your email program start to perform inappropriately, or if your files seemed moved, missing, or are changed, or if you receive a message threatening to lock your files if a ransom isn’t paid, immediately send a message explaining the problem to ethreats@fwisd.org. The District IT Department will quickly respond and investigate.

You can help protect the sensitive information of our students, your co-workers and yourself by being cyber-aware when you “See Something, Say (Do) Something!”

FWISD ANNOUNCES 2019-2020 SAFE SCHOOLS TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

All Fort Worth ISD employees are required to complete 13 Safe Schools online courses for the 2019-2020 school year.

Employees have from Tuesday, May 28 to Thursday, October 31, to complete the mandatory courses. New hires must complete the courses within two months of their hire date.

All District supervisors will receive a monthly report of employees’ training progress.

The Safe Schools courses for the upcoming school year include:

  • Bullying: Recognition and Response
  • Bloodborne Pathogens
  • Child Abuse Mandatory Texas Course
  • CIPA: Compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act
  • Email and Messaging Safety
  • FERPA: Confidentiality of Records
  • FWISD Avoid Deny Defend Active Shooter Custom Course
  • Health Emergencies: Overview
  • Password Security Basics
  • Protection Against Malware
  • Sexual Harassment: Student Issues and Response
  • Slips, Trips and Falls
  • Youth Suicide: Awareness and Prevention

Each employee was sent an email by Tuesday, May 28 with a link to fwisd.tx.safeschools.com.

Employees will be required to use their active directory and password to access the system. Google Chrome is the preferred browser for using Safe Schools.

In addition to the mandatory training courses, multiple other online courses are available to staff.

Contact the Help Desk at 817-814-4357 if you encounter any problems with your active directory or password.

For more details on the courses, contact Aracely Chavez, executive director of classified learning, at Aracely.chavez@fwisd.org or visit the Classified Learning webpage at www.fwisd.org/Page/2807.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING EXERCISE

The following message is from the City of Fort Worth regarding its upcoming Active Threat Full Scale Exercise. FWISD employees will be required to use a vacation day off if interested in participating in this exercise. The message is slightly modified for clarity.

Emergency Operations Center Cadre (EOC) and Partners,

On July 29, we will be having our second Active Threat Full Scale Exercise. This has been an almost six-month planning process by Office of Emergency Management and the planning team comprised of Fort Worth Police Department, Fort Worth Fire, MedStar, JPS Hospital, Cook Children’s hospital, Fort Worth Marshal’s Office, City of Fort Worth, and the Tarrant County Office of Emergency Management (OEM). The exercise will be a full scale exercise at Trimble Tech High School and will include activation of the Fort Worth ISD EOC and Fort Worth EOC as well as coordination of the mass casualty component at local hospitals.

Opportunities to Participate

EOC Activation Play (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) Click here to register to play in the JEOC

The EOC will be activated for the exercise and there are various positions that need to be filled by the EOC cadre for each EOC section/group. We are using Eventbrite to manage the registrants and distribute information for the various players and their roles within the EOC. The EOC Sections we are needing players are for the following:

  • Situational Awareness Section (Fire, PD, MedStar, FWISD, and five Medical Coordination)
  • Resource Support Section (Park and Recreation, Transportation/Public Works, Neighborhood Services, Red Cross, Salvation Army, MHMR, Fort Worth HR for Family Assistance Center coordination, any other representatives from other City of Fort Worth departments)
  • EOC Support (City Marshal’s, other representatives to field phone calls)
  • Joint Information Center (Public Information Officers)
  • Organizations are designating specific unified command staff and first responders that will be participating in the exercise.
  • OEM is contacting individuals for controller/evaluators and to be simcell participants.
  • Joint Emergency Operations Center Executive Team members may register as a VIP or email me (Maribel.martinez@fortworthtexas.gov) to observe the exercise at an observation area at the school.

Family Assistance Center Observation (9 a.m.- 2 p.m.) - Click here to register to observe at the FAC

FWISD will lead the Family Assistance Center (FAC) but there is an opportunity to observe/supplement FWISD FAC function. (City of Fort Worth HR, Red Cross, MHMR...these positions will liaison from the field to EOC counterparts.)

Field Support Staff and Volunteers (6 a.m.-3 p.m. at Trimble Tech High School) - Click here to register to be exercise support staff

Staff/volunteers to assist in moulage – OEM will lead the moulage team but we need additional assistance as we need to moulage 55 volunteers in a short timeframe

  • Volunteer Support – We are anticipating ~200 volunteers to play in the exercise so we need staff to assist OEM in coordinating checkin and volunteer logistics.
  • Safety Support – OEM will lead a safety team to ensure the safety of the volunteers and players
  • Food Team – for coordinating and setting up feeding for all exercise participants

Volunteers to be actors IN the exercise (6 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Trimble Tech High School)Click here to register to be a volunteer and role play in the exercise

  • 200 role players needed (including 100 high school age kids)

As you register, additional logistical information will be coming in the next few weeks as we get closer to the date of the exercise.

As always, OEM appreciates all the help and support!

Pictured from left is Board of Education Trustee Carin “CJ” Evans, Emily Holt Crocker, Superintendent Kent P. Scribner, Opal Lee, Major Attaway, Burl Yarbrough and Gerald Griffin.

FWISD WELCOMES SIX NEW MEMBERS TO THE WALL OF FAME

Fort Worth ISD welcomed six especially accomplished alumni to its Wall of Fame on Monday, June 17, 2019. Five of the six men and women were in attendance, including a flight director who helped bring Apollo 13 back to earth safely and a Broadway star who brings down the house nightly.

Superintendent Kent P. Scribner hosted the event, which you can watch in its entirety.

The six new members of the Wall of Fame are:

  • Major Attaway (Arlington Heights HS, 2005)- Plays the Genie in Aladdin on Broadway and on the North American tour; voice talent for commercials and video games; awarded the Irma P. Hall Black Theatre Medal of Illumination
  • Emily Holt Crocker (Eastern Hills HS, 1968) – Composer of more than 200 choral works; author of choral textbooks; founder/Music Director Emeritus of the Milwaukee Children’s Choir; former vice president of Hal Leonard music publishers; University of North Texas College of Music’s Honored Alumna, 2009
  • Gerald Griffin (Arlington Heights HS, 1952) – Former director of the Johnson Space Center; former deputy director of the Kennedy Space Center; a flight director for all Apollo manned missions; recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom; technical advisor on the film Apollo 13
  • Opal Lee (I.M. Terrell HS, 1943) – Chair of Juneteenth Fort Worth; founding member of the Community Food Bank; organizer of Opal’s Walk 2 DC; co-founder of Citizens Concerned with Human Dignity; board member of Habitat for Humanity and Unity Unlimited; visionary behind Opal’s Farm
  • Dewey Redman (I.M. Terrell HS, 1949; deceased) – Jazz saxophonist and bandleader; subject of the 2001 documentary Dewey Time; performed with Ornette Coleman and featured on Melody Maker’s 1978 Jazz Album of the Year
  • Burl Yarbrough (Western Hills HS, 1975) – Longtime president of the San Antonio Missions Triple-A baseball club; four-time Texas League Executive of the Year; winner of six Texas League Championships; named to the Texas League Hall of Fame in 2016

The Wall of Fame is located at the Fort Worth ISD administration building at 100 N. University Drive in Fort Worth.

View more photos from the ceremony here.

Crew works on West 7th Street Thursday, June 20, 2019.

West 7th Closed Next Week for Repairs

If you drive to work or home using West Seventh Street in Fort Worth, you may need to change your daily driving plan, starting on Tuesday, June 25.

West Seventh Street will be closed at the Fort Worth and Western Railroad crossing to allow for road and track repair. More information can be found in the Fort Worth Business Press.

This evacuation chair is one of several being installed at the Central Administration Building and Professional Development Center.

EVACUATION CHAIR TRAINING

Emergencies can happen anywhere at any time. For that reason, the Fort Worth ISD has installed evacuation chairs in both the Central Administration Building and will soon in the Professional Development Center (PDC).

Getting everyone out of the building safely during an emergency is the obvious goal. For some people however, stairs become serious obstacles to negotiate, especially when elevators are not available.

Evacuation chairs are a solution for this challenge.

The Fort Worth ISD Safety and Security Department will conduct evacuation chair training on Wednesday, June 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Room SW 205 of the Central Administration Building. The training itself should only take about 15 minutes, and anyone is welcome to attend on a come-and-go basis.

FWISD Print Shop Operations End This August

The Fort Worth ISD Print Shop will officially close its doors, Saturday, August 31.

“Thank you for your years of patronage and support,” reads a sign on the shop’s front door announcing the closure.

District officials say the shop’s closure is a result of rising costs. The space will be absorbed into mailroom operations.

“For several years now, the revenue generated from the Print Shop has been insufficient to cover the costs of maintaining in-house printing services. By way of example, the use of outside vendors has risen 40% over the past three years,” said Elsie Schiro, FWISD Chief Financial Officer. “The Purchasing Department is in the process of issuing a Request for Proposal to contract with outside print services/local vendors to meet the printing needs of our customers. Departments and campuses will be directed to use approved outside print services/ local vendors for their printing needs.”

The Print Shop has provided printing services to internal and external customers for many years. Among its larger printing jobs are students’ report cards.

“Planning is underway to determine how report cards will be printed and distributed this coming school year,” Ms. Schiro said. “Electronic submission of report cards through the Parent Portal will be implemented this coming school year.”

Superintendent Kent P. Scribner gives opening remarks at the Principals’ Professional Learning Event, Monday, June 17.

Hundreds Attend PPLE, FWISD Literacy Conference

Fort Worth ISD’s Professional Learning and Instructional Services (PLI) Department hosted three days of sessions this week for campus leaders and teachers that addressed leading with purpose and best literacy practices.

Nearly 240 campus leaders took part in the department’s Principals’ Professional Learning Event (PPLE), held June 17-18 on the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary campus. This year’s PPLE, themed “Leadership with Purpose: You Belong Here,” offered attendees 176 sessions focusing on curriculum assessment blueprints, culturally responsive interventions, safety and security. Academic chiefs, elementary and secondary leadership officials presented “a unified vision for literacy and mathematics instruction,” said Dr. Lezley Lewis, FWISD’s executive director of PLI Services.

More than 500 educators registered for the annual FWISD Literacy Conference, hosted June 19, also at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The conference focused on the new Texas English Language Arts and Reading Standards, offering attendees nearly 100 sessions addressing literacy instruction, best practices for writing, college and career readiness.

“Both PPLE19 and the Literacy Conference were a big success,” Dr. Lewis said. “The participant collaboration and engagement was evident in all sessions. The feedback we have received has been very positive!”

See more photos in the Fort Worth ISD Snapshot photo gallery below.

Pictured is the FWISD Teaching and Learning Center, located at 1050 Bridgewood Drive.

NO CLEANUP NEEDED ON AISLE 11

An old grocery store (Kroger) on Fort Worth’s east side will soon take on the role of a new training and learning center for the Fort Worth ISD.

The Teaching and Learning Center, located at 1050 Bridgewood Drive, scheduled to open in the coming school year, will serve as the District’s new training center, as well as provide a home for staff from various Curriculum and Instruction offices currently housed at the administration building and the Professional Development Center (PDC).

Phase One is now complete. The District’s Network Infrastructure and the Help Desk technology staff are in the process of transitioning to this building. Innovation and Educational Technology staff are also expected to transition to this building early next school year.

On December 11, 2018 and on March 19, 2019 the Board of Education approved architectural services for the design of Phase II of the Teaching and Learning Center building. Phase II will add 17,580 square feet in modern and flexible training rooms for professional learning, visitor bathrooms, a reception area, a snack bar area and common space areas. The second floor will add approximately 4,360 square feet of work/office space to supplement the space provided in the first floor. Phase II will complete the renovation planned for this facility. Superintendent Kent Scribner even suggested to a recent gathering of principals that future campus administration training sessions might be held in the new facility.

Accompanying diagrams are very detailed but give an rough idea of the planned layout.

Click images to enlarge

MANDATORY EMAIL SIGNATURE INFORMATION

Editor's Note: The following content was originally published in the February 14, 2019 edition of Inside FWISD

FWISD now requires all of its employees to use an official e-mail signature for all email correspondence created through your FWISD email account. Email signatures that do not follow this standard may no longer be used. Consistent email signatures deliver a visually coherent look across departments and campuses and are just one more tool to help all employees judge if email correspondence is legitimate. Just as our business cards follow a standardized approach, email signatures should be consistent.

Email signatures should include:

  • Your name
  • Job title
  • Department or Campus
  • Fort Worth Independent School District
  • Phone number
  • Email Address
  • Location

Shortened versions of this signature are acceptable for reply or smartphone emails.

Microsoft Outlook: How to set your Email Signature (or www.fwisd.org/emailsignature).

APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR 2019 CHAIRS FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE

Applications are now being accepted for Fort Worth ISD’s 2019 Academic Chairs for Teaching Excellence. This prestigious program recognizes outstanding classroom teachers in the District. Recipients are awarded the title of Chair for Teaching Excellence and a $5,000 honorarium.

The District established the Chairs for Teaching Excellence in 1994. The program is modeled after the university-level chair program and is designed to recognize and reward exemplary teachers. This program is unique because of its role in a public school setting and for its rigorous selection process.

Candidates must be full-time, certified, classroom teachers who have taught a minimum of three years in Fort Worth ISD and have at least five years of total teaching experience. They must submit an online application and obtain recommendation letters from their principal and from a colleague.

Recipients will be recognized at the Academic Chairs for Teaching Excellence luncheon in November. The principal at the school of the winning teacher will also be invited to the luncheon, and the winner’s school will receive a Chair for Teaching Excellence banner for display at the campus.

Eligibility requirements and the 2019 application for the Chairs for Teaching Excellence Awards are posted on the Community and Strategic Partnerships web page. The application, principal recommendation form and colleague recommendation form are only available to submit online.

Contact Judy Ramos at judy.ramos@fwisd.org to learn more about the Academic Chairs for Teaching Excellence.

Class of 2019 Earns $131 Million in Scholarships, Grants

Fort Worth ISD’s graduating Class of 2019 has set an all-time record by earning more than $131.3 million in scholarship and grant awards!

The record accomplishment is one worth celebrating as scholarship and grants offers have more than doubled in three years’ time.

A breakdown of the 2,961 scholarship and grants awarded to Fort Worth ISD’s 2019 seniors indicate that nearly $110 million awarded was in academic scholarships.

From May 21- June 12, the District hosted 24 commencement ceremonies. The 2018-2019 school year, the District presented more than 4,500 students with diplomas.

FWISD’s Class of 2019 includes:

  • 40 valedictorian and salutatorian honorees
  • 25 students who obtained full-ride scholarships to Texas Christian University, valued at over $260,000, through TCU’s Community Scholar Program
  • 464 Superintendent Scholars recognized for distinctions as National Merit Semi-Finalists and Commended, National Achievements, National Hispanic; FWISD African-American Scholars; AP, AP with Honor, AP with Distinction, National AP; International Baccalaureate students and Capstone Award students

Among FWISD’s newest alumni is the first graduating class from the Tarrant County College South/ FWISD Collegiate High School, which obtained college associate degrees on May 11 and high school diplomas on June 1. The class collectively earned 5,996 college credit hours.

In Principal Lisa Castillo’s graduation remarks to students at the TCC/FWISD campus, she talked about how the class created the school crest and developed its meaning, motto and mascot, a comet, symbolizing “a bright object that moved quickly amongst the stars but left a trail for others to follow.”

“We could not be more proud of your work the past four years…you have done exactly what you envisioned. You have led, left a strong legacy for those who follow, served your community, learned, and found victory in education,” she said. “As visionaries, you not only created our mission, you lived it.”

Relive FWISD graduation ceremonies in photos at www.fwisd.org/graduation.

Summer Semester Enrollment Steadily Increases

The number of high school registrants for Fort Worth ISD’s Summer Semester continues to increase annually.

The 2019 semester got underway June 18 and 19 with a record 3,100 high school students registered. The District expects to have a better idea of actual attendees soon, according to the Academics Department.

Students had opportunities to register for the Summer Semester online through their counselors May 21- June 4 and in person at a registration event, hosted June 13 at the Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center.

In 2018, 2,344 high school students registered for the general summer school session, the most ever registered for summer classes, and 1,847 actually attended summer courses. Roughly 1,000 high school enrolled for the 2017 summer session.

Fort Worth ISD’s Summer Semester 2019 allows students to recover course credits, take classes to get ahead, retake STAAR/EOC exams or prepare for PSAT/ SAT tests.

The following high schools are open for the Summer Semester:

  • South Hills High
  • Western Hills
  • Trimble Tech
  • Eastern Hills

Online and in-person coursework is underway.

Summer Semester continues Monday through Thursday until July 25. There is no school, Thursday, July 4 because of the Independence Day holiday.

The Summer Semester graduation ceremony is slated for 7 p.m. August 16 at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center, 5201 C.A. Roberson Blvd.

For more details, visit www.fwisd.org/summerschool.

Online Portal Makes STAAR Test Scores Available to Parents

The Texas Education Agency recently released results of the 2019 spring State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness tests.

Parents may view their child’s individual results and obtain developmental tools online in English and Spanish at texasassessment.com. Among the resources available to parents on the website, in addition to their child’s test scores, is the student’s “question-by question performance data, a step-by-step guide to understanding STAAR scores, sample STAAR test questions, tutorials, and practice tests,” according to a recent TEA news release.

“Parents are a child’s first teacher. The information available at texasassessment.com gives parents valuable information and resources that can help foster a love of learning in their child,” said Commissioner of Education Mike Morath in the release. “We hope parents take time over the summer to explore these tools designed to encourage continued learning and preparation for the coming school year.”

To view the test scores, parents must enter an access code which they can obtain on the Texas Assessment website.

Final 5700 Ramey Ave Documentary Shows Set for June 29

The final three screenings for “5700 Ramey Ave: The Story of Robert Hughes” are set for June 29 at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

Since its May 2nd world premiere, also hosted at the Modern, the feature-length documentary has been shown three more times at the museum. The final screenings will take place at 11 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., June 29, respectively.

Tickets are $20 at the door and $15 with a 5700 Ramey Ave T-Shirt. Seating is first come, first served.

The film chronicles the legendary basketball coach’s nearly 50-year career.

Mr. Hughes, who holds the record as the nation’s winningest boys’ high school basketball coach, led boys’ basketball at Fort Worth ISD’s Dunbar High School from 1973 to 2005 and the historic I. M. Terrell High School before then. In 2017, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Over a 47-year career, Hughes accumulated a 1,333-265 record, five state championships and 35 district championships.

5700 Ramey Ave is written, produced and directed by Mike Byars, a former student-athlete of Mr. Hughes and a Dunbar alumnus.

“I wanted to do this because I want people to know who he is and what he did not just for me, or players, but for Stop Six and Fort Worth,” Mr. Byars told Clarence E. Hill Jr. for a Fort Worth Star-Telegram column posted May 3. “Coach was more than just coach here. He was everybody’s hero. Some people viewed him as a dad or an uncle or a grandfather. He meant someone to everyone here in east Fort Worth. He is somebody who should be cherished.”

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is located at 3200 Darnell St.

For more details, visit 5700rameyave.com.

Local Engineer Shares Inspiring Story with FWISD English Learners

Oscar Vazquez, a subject of the motion picture and The New York Times bestselling book “Spare Parts,” shared his inspiring story with 100 Fort Worth ISD students participating in a Summer STEM Camp for English Learners, June 19.

Mr. Vazquez came to United States from Mexico undocumented as a child. He was part of a high school robotics program in Arizona that went on to win a national competition beating out programs like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 2009, he earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the Arizona State University. He went on to gain his U.S. citizenship and enlist in the U.S. Army, where he earned the rank of sergeant, and served in Afghanistan. Sgt. Vazquez currently lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and works for BNSF Railway.

Written by Joshua Davis, “Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream,” is the story of four Latinx teenagers who built an underwater robot that won the 2004 Marine Advanced Technology Education Robotics Competition at the University of California -Santa Barbara, beating out collegiate engineers backed by major corporations. The inspiring story went onto to become a documentary and 2015 motion picture that starred George Lopez, Jamie Lee Curtis and Marisa Tomei.

On June 19, in a Sid Richardson Lecture Hall at Texas Christian University, Sgt. Vazquez shared this inspiring story with English Learners and discussed college and career opportunities available to students. FWISD ESL officials say they believe Mr. Vazquez’s inspiring story of overcoming obstacles and finding success in the United States resonates with students.

“This is a great opportunity for our kids to hear an inspiring story of success,” said Dr. Karen Neal, interim ESL director.

Students participating in the Summer STEM Camp for English Learners are developing an understanding of science concepts as they learn strategies for listening, speaking, reading and writing challenging texts in English. They are also reading excerpts from the book “Spare Parts.”

Dr. Scribner Receives FWMBCC Chairman’s Award

Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Kent P. Scribner is the 2019 recipient of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Award.

Dr. Scribner was presented with the award at the chamber’s 39th Annual Luncheon, hosted June 15 at the Fort Worth Hilton. He was recognized for the District’s educational accomplishments and gains under his leadership.

Among the chamber’s six areas of interest are education and economics, said Sultan H. Cole, Sr., chamber board chairman.

“Both go hand in hand, and the FWMBCC honored Dr. Scribner for providing strong leadership in the overall ‘educational’ and economic health of our city,” Mr. Sultan said.

For more details on the chamber, visit fwmbcc.org.

YWLA, TABS Among Best High Schools in D-FW

Fort Worth ISD’s Young Women’s Leadership Academy and Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences are among U.S. News and World Report’s top 20 high schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

YWLA and TABS ranked No. 12 and No. 16, respectively on the Best High Schools list released June 12. Both campuses were listed among the top 50 high schools in Texas.

U.S. News and World Report uses six indicators to determine its Best High Schools in the nation.

For a complete list of rankings and more details, visit www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools.

Longtime FWISD Educators Pass Away

It is with sadness that we inform our Fort Worth ISD family of two recent deaths of former longtime employees.

Joseph R. Sherrod, a North Side High School alumnus who worked for the District from 1948 to 1986, serving as an educator and later as the Director of Public Relations, died June 2. He was 91.

Guy Thomas Strother, an Eastern Hills High School alumnus, who worked for FWISD from 1970 to 1998 serving as a history, government and economics teacher at Western Hills High School, died May 28. He was 75. Former students remembered him fondly in a recent Fort Worth Star-Telegram column.

Mr. Sherrod is survived by five children and his grandchildren. His family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to two organizations. Click here to learn more.

Mr. Strother is survived by his wife and two siblings.

All of us at Fort Worth ISD extend our deepest sympathy to the Sherrod and Strother families.

DARE TO DISCOVER CAMP REGISTRATION UNDERWAY

Registration is currently in progress for Fort Worth ISD’s 2019 Dare to Discover Summer Enrichment Camp.

Open to FWISD and out of district students, Dare to Discover is a fun, performance-based/ hands-on enrichment day camp where participants choose from a variety of classes that excite their imagination.

Dare to Discover is being hosted July 15-18, 2019, at Western Hills Elementary, 2805 Loredo Drive.

The weeklong camp is open to rising first- through fifth-grade students from 8 a.m. to noon and rising sixth- through eighth-grade students from noon to 4 p.m.

Course offerings this year include computer coding, chess, 3D math, robotics and art.

The camp culminates with an open house on the final day. Parents will be invited to observe their child(ren) giving demonstrations, project displays and performances, about what they learn during the weeklong camp.

Registration is open through June 27.

Tuition is $100.

Click here to apply or contact Norma Burks, District Academic Activities Coordinator, at 817-814-2580 for more details.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following are recent photos from across the Fort Worth ISD.

STEMaverick Camp: Fort Worth ISD JROTC cadets are among 60 students from the Fort Worth, San Antonio, Lewisville, Birdville and Alvarado school districts participating in a one-week residential summer STEMaverick camp hosted by the colleges of science and engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington this week. Participants are conducting scientific research and developing engineering projects. The camp is a collaborative project between UTA and U.S. Army Cadet Command in Fort Knox, Kentucky, designed to enhance the leadership and critical thinking skills of future leaders and to provide greater exposure to scientific research projects.

FWISD Basketball Camp: Fort Worth ISD’s annual Basketball Camp tipped off Monday, June 17. The one-week camp, open to rising third through ninth graders, emphasizes basic basketball fundamental instruction in shooting, ball-handling, offensive moves, footwork, defensive positioning and rebounding. Camp ends today.

Vital Link: Now in its 28th year, Vital Link is a free, week-long, half-day unpaid internship program for rising seventh graders that's designed to demonstrate the connection between what is learned in the classroom and what is needed for success in the workplace. Students are currently interning with multiple local businesses including TCC, The City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County Commissioners Court, City of Benbrook, Cook Children's Medical Center, Goodwill, Univision, Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base and EECU. Vital Link 2019 started June 10 and continues through June 21.

Principals' Professional Learning Event (PPLE): Nearly 240 campus leaders took part in PPLE, held June 17-18 on the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary campus. This year’s PPLE, themed “Leadership with Purpose: You Belong Here” offered attendees 176 sessions focusing on curriculum assessment blueprints, culturally responsive interventions, safety and security.

FWISD Business and Networking Mixer : The latest FWISD Business and Networking Mixer, organized by the District's Capital Improvement Program and Procedeo, owner representative for the 2017 bond project, was hosted June 13 in the FWISD Board Room. Attendees networked with Capital Improvement Program and Procedeo personnel and other general contractors and subcontractors for the 2017 bond project. The next FWISD Business and Networking Mixer is August 1. RSVP at fwisdcipworkshop.eventbrite.com to attend.

College Application Boot Camp: On June 12 and 13, the Fort Worth ISD, in collaboration with The University of Texas at Arlington, Texas Christian University, Texas Wesleyan University, University of North Texas and Texas A&M University sponsored a College Application Boot Camp. Rising seniors attending the summer workshop learned how to fill out a college application, about scholarship opportunities, receiving feedback on effective essay writing and gaining valuable information about college deadlines.

Academic Advisement Receives District Partner Award: Congratulations to the District's Office of Academic Advisement which was recently presented with the 2019 District Partner Award from Texas Christian University's Advising Corps.

Polytechnic High School Renderings: Polytechnic High School will receive new science classrooms and labs. Common spaces are being renovated to create collaboration spaces for learning and student interaction. Moderate renovations will be applied to various locations within the school to meet the 21st century learning model. Renovations will include reclaiming or repurposing space to support Career and Technical Education. The latest renderings reflect what the project, approved by voters in 2017, would look like upon completion.

HOW ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR SUMMER VACATION?

The Fort Worth ISD Communications Department will continue to publish Inside FWISD throughout the summer months.

Let us know how you're spending your summer.

Throughout the summer break, don't forget to email us with photos of your travels, professional development activities and just simply how you're spending your vacation. We'd love to share some of those photos with your colleagues in future Inside FWISD editions throughout the summer.

FWISD is looking for Bilingual Teachers

FWISD is hiring bus drivers

Professional Learning and Innovation Opportunities

Gold Seal Late Application Window, Continues through September 6

Four-Day Workweek, Continues through August 3

Dual Language Immersion Camp, Continues through June 27

Vital Link, Continues through June 21

STAAR Retest, June 24-28

Board of Education meeting, June 25

Fort Worth ISD’s 2019 Academic Chairs for Teaching Excellence Application Deadline, June 27

Online Registration Begins, July 1

Independence Day, July 4 (District Closed)

Fort Worth Vaqueros 2019 Season, continues through July 6 (Admission to all home games is free for FWISD students and faculty with an District-issued ID.)

Summer Semester, Continues through July 25

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.

Credits:

Created with images by geralt - "cyber attack encryption" • geralt - "email mail contact"

Report Abuse

If you feel that this video content violates the Adobe Terms of Use, you may report this content by filling out this quick form.

To report a copyright violation, please follow the DMCA section in the Terms of Use.