Our school year enters the last stretch as report cards go home this week. It’s one of the busiest times of the year for our District. But, there are a number of initiatives and campaigns I want to make sure you know about – and I’m asking for your support.
Parent Portal
Our District continues to engage families in Parent Portal. This online tool helps you connect our parents and guardians to student grades, attendance, schedule and more - making it easier than ever for them to track what’s going on in the classroom. Ultimately, this empowers you, the teachers, because parents are our greatest allies in our students’ academic success.
During a two-week period earlier this month, schools added 3,049 new parents to Parent Portal, bringing the total number to more than 17,800. That's 20.7 percent growth as a District! And we’ve only continued to build on that success – the number is now above 18,100.
Our schools came up with several great ideas for encouraging parents to sign up. Faculty and staff should be commended for their efforts. But the real winners here are our students and their progress in the classroom.
Know the Plan
If you “Know the Plan,” you’ll know what to do.
Let's be honest: Every organization will sustain a crisis at one stage in its lifetime. But, if we, as a team prepare for, manage, and subsequently measure a post-crisis performance, that’s what sets a great organization apart from a mediocre one. We have taken a major step forward with the consolidation of emergency management information on the “Know The Plan” web site (www.fwisd.org/plan). We each have a responsibility to the children and families we serve to “Know The Plan.”
Please, take the time to be prepared.
Academic Chairs for Teaching Excellence
The Academic Chairs for Teaching Excellence program recognizes outstanding classroom teachers by conferring upon them the honorary titles of Chairs for Teaching Excellence for one year and a $5,000 honorarium. It’s modeled after similar programs at universities. Please take a moment to consider whether you would like to apply for this or if you know a colleague who should apply. For more information, including a link to the application, visit this page on the District website.
Automated Processes in HCM
The Fort Worth ISD is bringing technology to all of the processes the District uses in Human Capital Management. As of May 1, all processes in HCM have been automated.
All hiring managers are being trained now on our new paperless method of handling all personnel actions. This new electronic protocol will impact the way we process hiring, retirements, resignations, and terminations. This will affect people who are leaving or moving to another department or campus because of program changes. Thank you for your support of this move as we continue to embrace ways in which technology will improve our efficiency and ability to deliver services to everyone.
District Walk
The 7th Annual District Walk takes place next Saturday, May 12, and I strongly encourage you to participate – and bring your family and neighbors, too. You can walk from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at all 13 District high school tracks.
This is an initiative very near and dear to my heart – I began the District Walk in 2005. Georgi Roberts, our director of Health and Physical Education, has done a fantastic job of promoting and growing this event every year.
I’ll be there as will Mayor Betsy Price along with Board members and members of our City Council. Please join us.
Let’s Play Ball
The Fort Worth Cats are offering Fort Worth ISD students, teachers and families the chance to purchase $3 tickets for the May 29, 2012 game against the McAllen Thunder. The Fort Worth Cats will donate $1 of each ticket sold to the District.
Students will be allowed to walk around the warning track during pregame activities to be recognized. I’ll be there – throwing out the first pitch.
STAAR Testing
Over the next two weeks, ninth graders and middle school students taking high school-level courses will be taking End of Course exams using the new statewide assessment program, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR).
We’re sharing that information with parents through phone calls, the District website and social media, and asking for their support. But I want to thank you for all you are doing to keep our students focused and enthusiastic about taking on this rigorous accountability test.
You are appreciated for everything you do.