Dear Fort Worth ISD Employees,

 

As you may have heard, the Fort Worth ISD Board of Trustees approved a Voter Approval Tax Ratification Election (TRE) on November 3.

Superintendent Kent P. Scribner would like the opportunity to present additional information on the TRE. You are encouraged and invited to attend a virtual presentation.

There are several opportunities to join one between now and Thursday, October 29.

To find a time most convenient to you, please visit our Eventbrite page and look on the right hand side of the screen for the Select a date bar in red.

>> Watch the video where Dr. Scribner answers essential questions about the TRE.

>> Register and receive access to the information meeting.

If voters approve the new tax rate it will result in an additional $44M for the District and the state would also give us 50-cents on the dollar, resulting in revenues of $66M.

That money would fund:

• Increased compensation for teachers allowing the District to be more competitive in attracting and retaining the best teachers and providing incentives for those who will work in the schools where they are needed most
• Safety, health, and security by providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and additional measures to clean and sanitize campuses
• Connectivity and devices such as Chromebook computers, hot spots and additional methods to provide broadband internet access for students

For additional information, please visit www.fwisd.org/election.

The Fort Worth ISD in partnership with Tarrant To & Through (T3) Partnership has launched the T3 Partnership Pledge for students.

All FWISD junior and seniors who take the pledge by February 1, 2021, can gain access to:

1. Last Dollar Tuition-Free Scholarships to Tarrant County College

2. Mentorship, Internship, and Job Shadow Opportunities

3. College Persistence Coaching + Resources

4. Bridge Programming Between High School and Postsecondary Enrollment

District educators are encouraged to share information with students about the T3 Pledge and its benefits. A one-page handout outlining the pledge and the T3 Scholar/Family Handbook is available for educators to share with students and the community.

Additional program benefits are available here. Look for additional resources and information on District and campus social media pages and the T3 website.

The T3 Partnership believes that educators play an integral role in the T3 mission towards equitable access and opportunity for all students. Completing the T3 Partnership Pledge is the first step students must take to receive support from T3 – including a last dollar tuition-free scholarship to Tarrant County College. By taking the pledge, the T3 team will help students build a customized plan focused on life after high school. We want to provide you with the resources and information to not just help your students graduate but realize the potential of their future through postsecondary education and training. Click here for a brief slide deck that gives more detail and we look forward to connecting in an upcoming information session. Register below for more information (30 minute commitment):

• SESSION 1 @ 10/28 - 7:30-8am - - https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUod-2opz8sH9GcGs3hM4AYS_ttz5t38b1l
• SESSION 2 @ 10/29 - 4:30-5pm - - https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAof-CtrjwjHtOiUCXLuLDAcX-8Zf-J4DzZ

Register today and make plans to attend Fort Worth ISD’s virtual “Racial Equity Summit III—Changing the Narrative” this November.

Sponsored by FWISD’s Division of Equity and Excellence, Racial Equity Summit III opens Saturday, November 7 via Zoom with virtual breakout sessions offered daily through November 13. The weeklong event is free and offers District students, staff, parents and community members thought-provoking discussions on race and equity.

Originally scheduled in spring 2020 before a sold-out audience, the summit was postponed because of building closures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The summit -- now virtual -- begins at 8:30 a.m. November 7 with a student panel discussing personal experiences on race. The opening session also features the Como Elementary Dance Team, the District Executive Leadership Team (DELT) participating in an Equity Walk highlighting why it engages in this practice and a Dance Challenge in which attendees will be invited to participate.

One-hour breakout sessions will take place twice each day, November 9-13 at noon and 6 p.m. Topics slated for the breakout sessions include:

• The History of Race
• Activating the Community
• The Role of Power Structures in Systemic Racism
• Intersectionality of Social and Racial Identity

Sherry Breed, FWISD Equity and Excellence chief, said this much-anticipated event that is now going virtual gives participants “a space to continue to deepen your knowledge about race and engage in conversation with thought partners about race and hear perspectives from many different Racial Equity Leaders.”

“In this time of much social unrest and inequities, we want to embrace the conversation about race and bring multiple perspectives together. It is our hope that the FWISD Community will become more informed and be moved to continue the conversation in their personal sphere of influence,” Mrs. Breed said. “Each of us must begin our racial equity journey by exploring our own biases. These biases may enter our work as it relates to expectations of all students and their academic success. Awareness of racial inequities is the first step in 'Changing the Narrative.'”

FLEX hour credits will be granted to educators participating in the summit after sessions are completed and participation reports are tabulated.

Register and find more Racial Equity Summit III details here.

Colleagues,

In our latest edition of Inside FWISD, you will find information about:

• Dr. Scribner Invites You To Attend An Informational Meeting
• ​More Than 50% of Eligible FWISD Students Register To Vote
• Board Names M.H. Moore ES Auditorium For Longtime Educator Cynthia R. Bosquez
• Registration Underway for Racial Equity Summit III
• Educators Encouraged To Spread Word About T3 Pledge 

And more stories and information about and for FWISD employees

Don’t forget to view stories throughout the week on the Inside FWISD blog

Dear Fort Worth ISD Employees,   

 

As you may have heard, the Fort Worth ISD Board of Trustees approved a Voter Approval Tax Ratification Election (TRE) on November 3.   
 
Superintendent Kent P. Scribner would like the opportunity to present additional information on the TRE. You are encouraged and invited to attend a virtual presentation. 

The next one is today, October 21 - but there are several opportunities to join one between now and October 29.

To find a time most convenient to you please visit our Eventbrite page and look on the right hand side of the screen for the Select a date bar in red.  

>> Watch the video where Dr. Scribner answers essential questions about the TRE. 

>> Register and receive access to the information meeting. 

If voters approve the new tax rate it will result in an additional $44M for the District and the state would also give us 50-cents on the dollar, resulting in revenues of $66M.  

That money would fund:  

·         Increased compensation for teachers allowing the District to be more competitive in attracting and retaining the best teachers and providing incentives for those who will work in the schools where they are needed most  

·         Safety, health, and security by providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and additional measures to clean and sanitize campuses  

·         Connectivity and devices such as Chromebook computers, hot spots and additional methods to provide broadband internet access for students   

For additional information, please visit www.fwisd.org/election.  

 

Tarleton State University has released a new graduate degree program in Curriculum and Instruction with a STEM Focus that begins in spring 2021.

Learn more about the program at virtual question and answer sessions scheduled for October 21, October 28, and November 5, 2020 from 5– 6 p.m. Sign up at https://bit.ly/2FtpBjK to participate.

Applications for the program are due November 15, 2020. The spring semester begins January 14, 2021.

Following virtual discussions with the Fort Worth business community, the need for STEM skills in the workforce is highly sought after and of utmost importance. In order for Fort Worth ISD students to be competitive upon graduation, they must be prepared. This requires learning in a STEM-focused environment and engaging with others using STEM skills.

With the increasing public attention on STEM education and Superintendent Dr. Kent P. Scribner’s goals aimed at middle years’ mathematics and college and career preparedness, this graduate degree is an opportunity for Fort Worth ISD staff and faculty to respond to the call for action.

STEM Education is an area of tremendous growth in the last few decades yet few educational degrees exist to address the need. The degree is designed to equip Fort Worth ISD educators with instructional skills in STEM.

“A team of Fort Worth ISD employees has been working with Tarleton State University in order to address the needs of Fort Worth ISD students. The work has resulted in building a framework and outlining the preparation needed to arrive at the goal,” said Stephanie Tennyson, a coordinator for FWISD's Career and Technical Education Department.

Join Superintendent Scribner for An Upcoming Virtual FWISD Voter-Approval TRE Town Hall 

Early voting for the November 3 joint general and special elections is currently underway.

Polls are open at most locations from: 

• 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 13, 2020- Saturday, October 17
• 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday, October 19-Friday, October 23
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, October 24
• 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Sunday, October 25
• 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday, October 26-Friday, October 30

During the early voting period, registered voters in Tarrant County may cast ballots at any of the 50 designated early voting locations.  Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. 

On the ballot is the Fort Worth ISD Voter-Approval Tax Ratification Election (TRE). If approved, the TRE will provide funds for:

• Increased teacher salaries to attract and retain top educators
• Expanded safety, health, and security on campuses, including more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Chromebooks, hot spots and reliable connectivity to the internet for all students

To learn more about the FWISD Voter-Approval Tax Ratification Election, visit www.fwisd.org/election or join Superintendent Kent Scribner for an upcoming virtual town hall meeting on the subject October 21-29. Click here to RSVP to attend.

Visit the Tarrant County elections website for additional voter and election details.

 

This academic year, Tarrant To & Through (T3)Partnership and FWISD introduced the official launch of the T3 Partnership Pledge. Keep an eye out for emails coming from the T3 Partnership with resources and information about the Pledge program for students. All FWISD Juniors & Seniors are eligible to take the T3 Partnership Pledge. By taking the Pledge, students gain access to financial support and programmatic opportunities. Educators, we need YOUR help spreading the word! Learn more at www.T3partnership.org