In this edition:

Deadline Approaches for FWISD Gold Seal Applications: Help Date Events Slated December 12 &13 Ahead of Friday's 5 p.m. Deadline| FWISD Survey Welcomes Feedback Regarding District Climate, Culture: District Students, Staff, Parents and Community Encouraged to Participate in Survey December 2-20| HS Fall Exams Slated For Next Week | FWISD Board Approves 2020-2021 School Calendars | McLean’s Angela Groves-Price Selected As Space Foundation Teacher LiaisonI | Buzz Worthy: Attendance Strategy @TrimbleTech | Navy Cyber Security Expert Inducted Into FWISD Wall of Fame | FWISD Recognizes 2019 Invention Convention Winners | 2 FWISD Teams Earn Judges Awards At Bell Vertical Robotics Competition | 5 FWISD Ballroom Dance Teams Advance To Final | Grub Burger Bar Adds Dish Created At Trimble Tech HS To 2020 Menu | FWISD Safe Schools Training Deadline Approaching | Meals On Wheels Needs Volunteers For Silver Santa Distribution | Fort Worth ISD Snapshot | Calendar | View more stories throughout the week on the Inside FWISD Blog

Deadline Approaches for FWISD Gold Seal Applications

Help Date Events Slated Ahead of the 5 p.m. December 13 Deadline

Five days remain to apply for Fort Worth ISD’s Gold Seal Programs and Schools of Choice. Online applications are being accepted through 5 p.m. Friday, December 13.

On-site assistance is available for families needing additional help completing the application. Gold Seal representatives will host Application Help Date events from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. December 12-13 at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center where families can complete online Gold Seal applications and ask questions about the process.

Families are also encouraged to reach out to their campus counselors and College and Career Readiness coordinators for assistance.

“Industry-driven Gold Seal Programs and Schools of Choice offer Fort Worth ISD families and students the power of choice now more than ever to go beyond the basic, beyond the traditional, to find the pathway that’s a match to a student’s interest, goals and learning style,” said Superintendent Kent P. Scribner.

Because all applications are submitted online, it’s extremely important that parents have an active email address prior to starting the application process. District employees submitting applications for their own children may use their active directory login.

Admission into Gold Seal Programs and Schools of Choice is based on a computer-generated selection process. Families will be notified via email of application results, February 3, 2020. Students will be placed on a waiting list if they’re not selected to their first choice.

For more details, view the 2020-21 Gold Seal catalog, visit www.fwisd.org/choice or call the Gold Seal office at 817-814-2584.

FWISD Survey Welcomes YOUR Feedback On District Climate, Culture, Schedules

Dear Colleagues:

The Fort Worth ISD wants to know: how are we doing?

Approximately one week remains for employees, students, parents and the community at large to participate in the 2019-2020 Stakeholders’ Climate Survey. The survey closes December 20.

The survey takes an average of 15 minutes to complete and allows the opportunity to offer anonymous feedback on the District’s climate and culture, what’s working well and where there are gaps or opportunities for improvement.

And for the first time, students, teachers, principals and parents at the secondary school level may offer feedback about their child’s classes and school day schedules. They will be asked to assess things such as content and student interest.

Access the survey now at www.fwisd.org/2019survey.

District students and staff will be asked to enter their student or employee ID number to authenticate their association with the District. Vital demographic data will be added to the data file automatically; however names and other individual identifiers will not be included in the data set. To protect respondents’ confidentiality, no data will be broken down at the campus level in such a way that would allow for individual student or staff identification.

And, some of you may take the survey multiple times based on your roles. For example, if you are an employee with children attending a FWISD school, you may complete the survey as an employee (with the ID authenticator), as a parent, and again as a community member. You may complete a survey for each school your children attend.

Have additional questions? Please contact the Grants Compliance and Monitoring Department at 817-814-1850 or send an email to Askeval@fwisd.org.

HS Fall Exams Slated for Next Week

Fort Worth ISD high schools are preparing for final exams as the 2019-2020 fall semester comes to a close.

Final exams get underway at most high schools across the District on Monday, December 16. There will be an early dismissal from classes for most FWISD high schools, with the exception of Young Men’s Leadership Academy and World Languages Institute, on Friday, December 20. Check with officials at your campus for more details.

The District closes for winter break at the end of the day, Friday, December 20.

District staff will return to work Monday, January 6, 2020 for teacher preparation and waiver days. FWISD will welcome students back for the spring semester on Tuesday, January 7, 2020.

McLean’s Angela Groves-Price Selected as Space Foundation Teacher Liaison

By Art Garcia

Inside FWISD Contributor

McLean Middle School science teacher Angela Groves-Price had to a have a cry in her driveway. She just received the news that she was finally joining her “space family.” The emotions took over.

“I was elated,” she said. “I just sat there and cried.”

The pure joy Groves-Price felt came after being selected to join an exclusive group of educators in the Space Foundation’s Teacher Liaison program for 2020. The 39 Teacher Liaisons were chosen for their active promotion of space, science and STEM education in the classroom.

Ms. Groves-Price is one of six teacher liaisons from Texas. She’s been with Fort Worth ISD since 2000.

“I’d like to congratulate Ms. Angela Groves,” FWISD District 6 Trustee Anne Darr said during the Fort Worth School Board meeting on Tuesday. “I am grateful for the impact that she makes on FWISD’s future scientists, engineers, mathematicians, astronauts and space pioneers.”

“Started by the Space Foundation in 2004, the Teacher Liaison program positively influences STEM education on an international level, using space-related content to inspire the next generation of astronauts, scientists, engineers and space pioneers,” according to a recent Space Foundation media release. “Teacher Liaisons serve as advocates for STEM education and use training and resources, provided by the Space Foundation, to further integrate space principles into their classrooms, schools, communities and beyond.

“New Teacher Liaisons are selected by a panel comprised of experienced Teacher Liaisons, as well as representatives from the space industry and the military. The Space Foundation Teacher Liaison program is funded by Lockheed Martin and the Miller-Wood Foundation.”

Ms. Groves-Price, who teaches eighth grade and seventh accelerated at McLean, described the application process as rigorous. She went through it last year and didn’t make the cut.

“I was denied the first time and didn’t get in,” she said. “This was my second time to apply. Getting in is truly special because you’re around people that are involved in the same thing and have the same desires about a topic. You have a space family.”

“Each selected class of Teacher Liaisons is called a ‘flight’ to denote the teachers’ mission as premier Space/STEM educators. A new flight of Teacher Liaisons is selected each December,” according to the Space Foundation. “This program is open to public, private and homeschool teachers, in both informal and formal education, as well as school administrators, principals, specialists, curriculum and instruction developers, as well as others who deliver educational programs to students.”

Ms. Groves-Price is in a flight that includes educators from across the country plus six international candidates from India, Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Space and science-related studies have long been close to her heart. As an elementary student, Ms. Groves-Price took a field trip to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and the Wright Brothers National Museum, and the experience stuck with her.

“When it came around to me getting involved in education, people tend to focus on one niche and mine was space,” she said.

In addition to Ms. Groves-Price, McLean’s ties to space go deep. Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean attended McLean, and a print of one of his original paintings was presented to the school. Ms. Groves-Price took part in the presentation.

Ms. Groves-Price is a NASA JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Solar System Ambassador, Space Center Houston CREW Member and a NASA MAVEN Educator Ambassador. She also works closely with Texas Christian University professor Dr. Molly Weinburgh and the Andrews Foundation, which support her space education endeavors and sponsored her space science camp last summer in partnership with the Cosmosphere.

“New teacher liaisons will be publicly recognized at the Space Foundation’s 36th Space Symposium, to be held March 30 – April 2, 2020, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs,” according to the Space Foundation. “In addition to recognition activities, Teacher Liaisons also participate in the Space Foundation’s virtual distance delivery education programs.”

Buzz Worthy

Attendance Strategy @TrimbleTech

Our campuses are always posting great ways to motivate our students and staff! Each week we’ll post tricks of the trade. If you see an idea you like, try it at your campus!

Our leadership team at Trimble Tech High School rewards students for perfect attendance! Principal Omar Ramos provided some great tips on how you can start the perfect attendance award at your campus! If you need additional guidance, email him at eudoxio.ramos@fwisd.org or call 817-815-2500.

Principal Ramos says,

How it works:

We offer weekly incentives for students who are present and on time during the week.

Tips:

1. Obtain prizes from local businesses and community partners.

2. I have attendance data posted all over the building, so all grade levels and teachers know where we stand weekly.

3. Use surplus donations. We still have enough Dickies backpacks, drinking cups, T-shirts, etc.

Impact:

So far, we are averaging a 96.69 attendance rate from August 19 to December 4, 2019.

What a great idea! And, the campus posts the students on social media with a great caption. In addition, they thank and tag the community partner that provided the prize.

Want to be featured on Buzz Worthy? Follow these easy steps:

• Post it on your campus social media page or email inside.fwisd@fwisd.org
• Provide photos of the impact

Try out the perfect attendance award on your campus and let us know the benefits and challenges!

FWISD SAFE SCHOOLS TRAINING DEADLINE APPROACHING

Fort Worth ISD employees have less than a month to complete 13 mandatory Safe Schools online training courses for the 2019-2020 school year.

Earlier this fall, Art Cavazos, FWISD’s operations chief, announced that employees have until December 31 to complete the required Safe Schools courses. The previous deadline was October 31.

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 required Safe Schools courses for the 2019-2020 school year, available via fwisd.tx.safeschools.com, 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

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.

FWISD Holiday Concert Series, Continues through December 19

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training, December 13

Fall Semester Ends, December 20

Stakeholders' Climate Survey Ends, December 20

Winter Break, December 23-January 3

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, January 4

Teacher Preparation Day, January 6

Spring Semester Starts, January 7

Save the date for the FWISD Fort Worth Technology Conference, January 25

Save the date for Summer Professional Learning

Girls and Boys Basketball Schedules

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.