2013 14 FWISD Interactive Annual Report by Fort Worth ISD

COMMITMENT TO CLASSROOMS FORT WORTH ISD 2013-14 ANNUAL REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

2013 BOND ELECTION

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

AZURE BRADGER

JEFFREY WELLER

FEATURE ::

FEATURE :: GILLERMO GOMEZ

OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

PETE GEREN

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

FEATURE ::

WORKFORCE

PATRICIA SCHUTTS

FEATURE :: YVONNE GARCIA HUIZAR

FEATURE :: FREDDIE JONES

FEATURE :: JAY KURIMA

LOOKING AHEAD

FEATURE :: GUADALUPE BARRETO

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Christene C. Moss

Norm Robbins

President, District 3 July 2013 - May 2014

President, District 7 May 2014 - Present

Jacinto Ramos

Tobi Jackson

T.A. Sims

District 1 Second Vice President

District 2

Judy Needham

District 4 First Vice President

District 5

Ann Sutherland

Matthew Avila

Ashley Paz

District 6 Secretary

District 8

District 9

DR. PATRICIA LINARES I N T E R I M

S U P E R I N T E N D E N T

The Fort Worth Independent School District consists of great

I know you will enjoy reading the report and seeing

students, teachers, principals, central office staff, auxiliary

a snapshot of a year in the life of a large, dynamic school

staff, school board members, and community members who

district. There are so many educational opportunities, stories

are dedicated to the success of our young people.

of success, and people working hard to make them happen.

You will meet some of them, beautifully photographed in

You will see why I am honored and proud to serve as the

special features throughout this report. You can learn more

Interim Superintendent of the Fort Worth ISD. It is my goal

about them by going to www.fwisd.org. The online version

to build on the successes to date and work toward continued

of the report includes short video messages from each of the

improvement for the students of this great District.

persons featured. This interactive version also links to other entertaining and informative videos.

ABOUT US 2013-14 Operating Budget $620,094,569*

61% INSTRUCTION

18% INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT

Our District

18% DISTRICT OPERATIONS

2% CENTRAL ADMIN.

1% OTHER

Our Schools 2013-2014

ACCREDITATION DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS

TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY SOUTHERN ASSOC. OF COLLEGES & SCHOOLS

TEA DISTRICT RATINGS

MET STANDARD

Transportation

140

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

MIDDLE SCHOOLS

HIGH SCHOOLS

ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS

Nutrition Services

NUMBER OF BUSES RUNNING DAILY

354

BREAKFASTS SERVED DAILY

25,105

NUMBER OF BUS ROUTES

1,519

LUNCHES SERVED DAILY

57,526

NUMBER OF STUDENTS TRANSPORTED DAILY

16,796

BREAKFASTS IN THE CLASSROOM SERVED DAILY

11,636

6,126,905

STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR FREE/REDUCED MEALS

66,810

NUMBER OF MILES DRIVEN IN 2013-14

TOTAL NUMBER OF SCHOOLS

* UNAUDITED

Our Students

Ethnic Distribution

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

84,588

62.8%

BILINGUAL/ESL

24,623

29.1%

CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION

16,234

19.2%

ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED

65,246

77.1%

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER

25,810

30.5%

1.3%

GIFTED & TALENTED

7,138

8.4%

SPECIAL EDUCATION

6,466

7.6%

22.7% 11%

0.1% 0.1%

ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC FACTS 2014 NUMBER OF GRADUATES

3,745

2013-2014 SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS

$27,216,385

2013-14 AVG. SAT SCORE

1283

2013-14 AVG. ACT SCORE

HISPANIC

53,145

AFRICAN AMERICAN

19,195

WHITE/ANGLO

9,302

ASIAN

1,659 1,088

2013 STUDENTS TAKING AP EXAMS

3647

TWO OR MORE RACES

2013 NUMBER OF AP EXAMS TAKEN

6911

NATIVE AMERICAN

122

2013 STUDENTS TAKING SAT

5006

PACIFIC ISLANDER

Our Employees .6%

2.9%

TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES

7.9%

12.3%

51.9%

FULL-TIME TEACHERS

5217.5

AUXILIARY STAFF

2,160.2

PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT

1,267.8

EDUCATIONAL AIDES

787.2

CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS

303.2

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATORS

41.5

BEGINNING TEACHER SALARY 24.4%

9,777.3

$47,000

AVG. EXPERIENCE OF TEACHERS

10.3 YEARS

AVG. EXPERIENCE WITH FORT WORTH ISD

8.2 YEARS

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

16:2

WALTER DANSBY SUPERINTENDENT 2012 - 2014 FORT WORTH INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

WALTER DANSBY S U P E R I N T E N D E N T So much goes into a school year. There’s no way to pack it all

The commitment to education is shared by many, as we saw

into one report. But we can show you highlights of what we

November 5, 2013, when all three propositions in the Fort

do. Even better, we can tell you why and how we do them.

Worth ISD Bond Election passed by more than 72 percent.

The “why” is the goal. The “how” is the process. Fort Worth ISD is putting both under the microscope on our journey toward excellence. That was begun a couple of years ago when we adopted the Baldrige Model of continuous improvement. It calls for examining processes, setting real goals, regularly measuring outcomes, and changing course when needed. We are in the early stages, but already there’s a different talk in our hallways, and it’s starting to trickle down to the

One proposition in particular should substantially increase student achievement. And that’s District-wide PreKindergarten to prepare all children to start school. We know school readiness impacts success all the way into high school and beyond. So, thank you for your vote and your Commitment to Classrooms, which is what we named our bond information campaign to emphasize that each item in each proposition is for our students.

students. Soon, they’ll begin examining their own processes

They are why we do all the things we do, including the many

for learning and making decisions. This can only lead to

we’re happy to share with you now.

greater ownership of their own education.

2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 4

Fort Worth ISD Bond Election Voters Say Yes Voters passed all three propositions on the 2013 Fort Worth ISD Capital Improvement Program (CIP) by more than 72 percent for each measure. At $489.9 million, it was the largest bond election in the state for the year. The approval percentage was also the largest in Texas.

• Two new elementary schools and one new high school conversion

• New field houses • Wi-Fi study halls PROPOSITION 2

Here’s what students will receive from the 2013 CIP:

• A Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

PROPOSITION 1

• A Performing and Fine Arts Academy

• • • • •

(STEM) Academy

New classrooms District-wide security and technology upgrades

PROPOSITION 3

District-wide Pre-Kindergarten

• Replacement of school buses, musical instruments, uniforms, and furniture

Classroom additions New kitchens and school cafeterias

Commitment to Classrooms That’s what we named our informational bond campaign

Election night was exciting for all and educational for our

in the two months leading up to the election. The campaign

Gold Seal Advanced Media Program (AMP) students from

included print materials, ads, social media, and 74 face-

Polytechnic HS and Southwest HS. They provided live

to-face presentations by Superintendent Dansby and

election coverage shown on cable channels and streamed live

members of his executive cabinet. The District also created

on our website. The students interviewed Superintendent

a bond information video featuring Mr. Dansby, Fort

Dansby and others who gathered at the District’s Professional

Worth Mayor Betsy Price, business leaders, and students.

Development Center to watch the returns.

BOND ELECTION

EXTRA CREDIT 14

The District selected AECOM in association with Dikita Enterprises to serve as the program manager for the 2013 Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

The Board of Education named 15 members to the Citizens Oversight Committee to ensure the work and records of the CIP are transparent.

Architects presented the schematic design for the new Washington Heights ES. The design will be completed by August 2014.

The District held a Contractor Outreach event to help contractors and vendors learn about opportunities with the CIP and network with other businesses.

Summer CIP projects include safety and security upgrades at elementary schools.

SUPERINTENDENT DANSBY AND MEMBERS OF HIS EXECUTIVE CABINET HELD 74 BOND PRESENTATIONS AT LOCATIONS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES, WESTERN HILLS HS, AND O.D. WYATT HS.

STUDENT MUSICIANS AND FUTURE CHEFS AT O.D. WYATT HS PROVIDED ENTERTAINMENT AND HORS D’OEUVRES AT THEIR SCHOOL’S TOWN HALL BOND MEETING.

POLYTECHNIC HS AND SOUTHWEST HS STUDENTS PROVIDED LIVE RADIO AND TELEVISION COVERAGE OF THE BOND ELECTION RESULTS.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 16

Gold Seal Power 5,855 = the number of applications received in 2013-2014 for Gold Seal Programs of Choice and Schools of Choice, up 13 percent from the year before. More and more students exercised their power of choice. The District held a Choices Expo at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center in November and streamed it live. Hundreds of families came to get information and begin their child’s application process. There were plenty of choices, as Fort Worth ISD continued to grow and enhance Gold Seal Programs and Schools to take kids where they want to go in college, careers, and life.

State-of-the-Art Culinary Addition

YWLA Goes Downtown Check out the Young

Students whipped up

Women’s Leadership

everything from seared

Academy’s (YWLA) new downtown digs. The District bought the old Tarrant County Education Center on East 8th Street, restored and refitted it for 21stcentury learning, and moved the girls in mid-year. The cost was covered by the 2007 and 2013 Capital Improvement Programs.

scallops to strip steaks at North Side HS’s new Culinary Arts facility. Its full-production kitchens and large dining hall are learning labs for the Culinary, Hospitality & Event Management Program of Choice. Students catered real events, including a breakfast for 1,000 at the Fort Worth ISD Technology Conference and a lunch for 120 for the Council of Education Facilities Planners International.

B Sharp More than 200 people attended the first ever Side-by-Side Concert of the B Sharp Youth Music featuring the B Sharp Como ES orchestra and B Sharp middle and high school orchestra. Many in the audience expressed amazement at the progress made by the children in the B Sharp Program of Choice at Como ES. B Sharp Youth Orchestra is a program of the Goff Family Foundation in partnership with Fort Worth ISD.

World Languages Institute (WLI) This was the planning year for the WLI, which opens in fall 2014. It’s the District’s first secondary school to open its doors to students from the Spanish Immersion and Dual Language Enrichment programs, as well as students who are interested in pursuing careers with an international focus. WLI students will continue their study of Spanish and English and have the opportunity to add a third or fourth language.

Environment for Learning

Eximius!

We also created a new Program of Choice:

That’s Latin for “excellent.” And you can bet the boys

Environmental Science and Technology Academy

at the Young Men’s Leadership Academy (YMLA)

(ENVST) at Handley MS. ENVST will focus on

already know that. They won several medals at the

21st-century technology and learning in an outdoor

Northeast Texas Latin Competition. Two students,

environment. Students may earn high school credit in

seventh-graders Jaime Romero-Escobar and Miguel

Algebra I, English I, Biology, World Geography, Art I,

Venegas, earned perfect scores on their National

and Spanish.

Latin Exam. Only 447 students out of the 19,900 who participated attained this distinction.

SkillsUSA Four students in Southwest HS’s Broadcast Journalism and Media Technology Program of Choice earned a Bronze medal at the national SkillsUSA contest: Jack Bellomy, Hannah Lathen, Chantel Luna, and William

Aviation Partnership Showing up at school in a chopper will get attention every time. It certainly did at Dunbar HS where the fly-in preceded the

Rhodes. Zaria Elzy Banks, Dai’Shai

announcement of a new

Logan, and Giselle Torres also advanced

partnership. Bell Helicopter

to the national contest.

teamed up with Fort Worth ISD and Tarrant County College Northwest Campus to provide advanced

Trimble Technical HS students racked up dozens of awards at the SkillsUSA State Competition. Two students won 1st place and advanced to nationals: Daniela Sigala in

training in Dunbar’s Aviation Technology and Engineering Gold Seal Programs of Choice.

Photography and Jose Carmona in Automotive Refinishing.

GOLD SEAL

EXTRA CREDIT The first Gold Seal graduates were not slated to receive their diplomas until next year. But three students graduated a year early: Adelaide Boak and Lalita Sundarrajan from Marine Creek Early Collegiate HS and Zach Cranford from the Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences (TABS). Adelaide and Lalita graduated with associate degrees. Seventeen students in the Southwest Academy of Petroleum, Engineering and Technology (SAPET) each received $1,000 from the Independent Petroleum Association of America and the Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association.

Tarrant County College loaned a Cessna C150M airplane to Dunbar HS’s Aviation Technology Gold Seal Program of Choice to help train future pilots and aviation mechanics.

Young Men’s Leadership Academy students won 1st place overall in the sixth to eighth-grade category at the Annual African American Male Academic Bowl.

Six TABS students were selected to attend prestigious summer programs: Mathematics & Science for Minority Students (MS2) at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., and High School – High Scholar (HS2) at Colorado Rocky Mountain School in Carbondale, Colo.

The Young Women’s Leadership Academy raised $1,000 for the Moncrief Cancer Institute in Fort Worth to help provide breast screenings to women who cannot afford them.

Fort Worth ISD and Fort Worth Sister Cities welcomed 10 university students and two educators from Toluca, Mexico’s Tec de Monterrey University for a Spanish Immersion Summer Camp held in conjunction with the District’s new World Languages Institute.

The B Sharp Music Program of Choice at Como ES performed during the Pan-American Music Festival 2013 held in Fort Worth and Dallas. The Spanish Immersion Academies at Burton Hill ES and Morningside ES added fifth grade to their programs.

EOC Improvements Preliminary results for the spring 2014 STAAR End of

Spring 2014 was the first administration of the new STAAR

Course (EOC) tests showed significant improvements.

English I and English II EOC tests. Each was a single test

Ninety percent of students passed STAAR U.S. History.

covering both reading and writing. In prior years, the

Because this is the first grade level cohort of students to take

English tests were divided into two separate tests – one

the U.S. History EOC, there are no comparisons to last year.

for reading and one for writing. It is possible, however, to

Comparisons of students who met the state standard are available for other subjects.

ALL STUDENTS

English graduation requirements (passed both tests) in 2013 to the percentage of first-time testers who met their English Graduation requirements (single test) in 2014.

Algebra I STUDENT GROUP

compare the percentage of first-time testers who met their

2013

2014

DIFFERENCE

# TST

% MET

# TST

% MET

4,629

4,899

STAAR EOC English I STUDENT GROUP ALL STUDENTS

2013

2014

DIFFERENCE

# TST

% MET

# TST

% MET

4,571

5,151

+26

Biology STUDENT GROUP ALL STUDENTS

2013

2014

DIFFERENCE

# TST

% MET

# TST

% MET

4,852

5,110

STAAR EOC English II STUDENT GROUP ALL STUDENTS

* # TST - NUMBER TESTED

2013

2014

DIFFERENCE

# TST

% MET

# TST

% MET

4,165

4,353

+27

Super Science Projects

Campus Ratings Rise More Fort Worth ISD schools met the state academic

Applied Learning Academy (ALA) was one of the big

standards in the 2013-14 school year than in the previous

winners at the Fort Worth Regional Science Fair at

year, even as accountability targets rose. The Texas

the University of Texas at Arlington. In Division II,

Education Agency’s accountability ratings were released

the team of Noah Castro, Michael Holland, and Ryder

in August 2014. They reflected our District’s continuous

War won 1st place with its project “Comparison of

improvement in student performance, including: Campuses Receiving Met Standard Rating* 2013-2014

105

2012-2013

Grass Growth during a Drought Season.” The ALA team of Michelle Castaneda, Yesenia Chavez, and Maria Spinelli won the Devon Energy Award for its

100

*129 OF FORT WORTH ISD’S 142 CAMPUSES ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A RATING

“Gas Fracking and Earthquakes” project. Both teams advanced to the State Science Fair.

Campuses Receiving Performance Distinctions 2013-2014

2012-2013

MS Math Competition

Elementary Science Fair

BizFest

More than 300 District students

Hundreds of District students

Enrique Guadian of Trimble

displayed their math skills and

participated in the Elementary

Technical HS, Guadalupe Paulin of

gave their brains a workout at the

Scientific Research Fair. The Fort

Diamond Hill-Jarvis HS, and Elsa

Middle School Problem Solving

Worth Museum of Science and

Tovar of Trimble Technical HS won

Competition. Events included

History presented gift cards to the

the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber

Sudoku, the 24 Game, and

winners and put their projects on

of Commerce’s BizFest competition

Tangram Puzzles.

display in the museum’s gift shop.

sponsored by BNSF. They advanced to the national contest.

Two-Way Street Fort Worth ISD successfully implemented new Two-Way

Learners and 50 English-speaking students learned

Dual Language programs in pre-kindergarten and/or

together, in both Spanish and English. The program will

kindergarten on three campuses: Lily B. Clayton ES,

grow with these students, adding first grade in their schools

Christine C. Moss ES, and North Hi Mount ES.

in 2014-15. The District will also implement the program in

Approximately 45 Spanish-speaking English Language

two more schools: Burton Hill ES and Como ES.

Sport of Knowledge The Whiz Quiz team from Paschal HS took 2 place at the National nd

Something for the Resumé Nine students from North Side HS passed the industry

Academic Championship. Earlier

exam to earn their

in the year, the top teams in our

Certified SolidWorks

District squared off for the Fort

Associates certification.

Worth ISD 2013-2014 Whiz Quiz finals. We streamed them live on the District’s website and broadcast them on television. Students from the Advanced Media Programs at Southwest HS and Polytechnic HS hosted and produced the programs. The Southwest High School Jazz Quintet performed during breaks. In addition to Paschal, winners were McLean 6th and McLean MS.

They did it by demonstrating their expertise with SolidWorks 3D solid modeling, design concepts, and sustainable design. A big accomplishment? You bet! Out of the 584 people in Texas who earned certification, all were engineers and professors – except for the nine North Side students.

On the Big Screen Trimble Technical HS’s student-produced film “The Time Capsule” was chosen for entry in the Arizona International Film Festival. The short film was one of only 12 student films selected from around the world. Trimble Tech has been represented at this festival in three of the past five years.

SOUTH HILLS HS AND TRIMBLE TECHNICAL HS CULINARY ARTS STUDENTS WIN TWO 1ST PLACE AWARDS IN FITWORTH CULINARY EVENTS.

THE DISTRICT’S CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) DEPARTMENT HOSTED THE 21ST ANNUAL HIRING FAIR FOR SENIORS AND RECENT GRADUATES. MORE THAN 100 EMPLOYERS RECRUITED FOR ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS.

DENNIS MCPHERSON OF BANK OF AMERICA DONATED HIS TIME ONCE A WEEK TO GIVE LECTURES ON PERSONAL FINANCE TO CARTERRIVERSIDE HS ACCOUNTING STUDENTS.

GILLERMO GOMEZ S A L U TAT O R I A N , D I A M O N D H I L L-J A R V I S H S

Being a history major at Harvard University was

But his teachers saw something special and

not in Gillermo’s plans, but success was.

helped him apply to Harvard.

“I wanted to set myself up to do great things.

“I didn’t even know what it took to get accepted

I wanted to take the challenging courses and

to Harvard because no one around me had

make myself look good on college applications.”

ever been accepted there. So I wasn’t anxiously waiting to hear back. I didn’t think my chances

In fact, he doesn’t really feel all that special.

were very good.”

“I’m not so different from everyone else at my school. We’re in the same circumstances and

He was accepted. So, what will he take with him?

have the same resources. So, I hope other kids,

“I’ll take a picture of my family to remember

including my little sister, see me as an example.

them every day. I’ll also take the good work ethic

If you’re determined, set goals, and strive to

I developed at Diamond Hill-Jarvis. It may have

achieve them, you can make it.”

suffered a little due to a slight case of senioritis, but I’ll have it back in time for Harvard!”

“At Harvard, the floors creak, the sidewalks are brick. You can see the history. I love it.” 25

Expo for Early Planning

Español y Mas

A Middle School College and Career

In addition to getting ready to open

Dolores Huerta ES celebrated

Expo gave eighth-graders the

the District’s World Languages

its 10th anniversary with a

opportunity to start thinking seriously

Institute School of Choice, our

special visitor – the nationally

about their futures. Fort Worth ISD,

World Languages Department

recognized labor leader for

in collaboration with Tarrant County

oversaw the administration of

whom the school is named.

College, staged the Expo at the TCC

Spanish Placement exams to 2,500

Dolores Huerta told the

South Campus. Representatives

heritage Spanish speakers. That’s

students to always believe in

from colleges, military institutes,

an increase of 15 percent from a

themselves and persevere.

government agencies, and a variety of

year ago. Three more campuses

Ms. Huerta co-founded the

organizations handed out information

implemented Spanish for Spanish

American Farmworkers

and answered students’ questions.

Speakers courses, and Arlington

Association, now the

Parents were invited, too.

Heights HS and Paschal HS added

United Farm Workers.

American Sign Language courses.

CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION

EXTRA CREDIT Education and Training students at South Hills HS placed in the top 10 percent at the National Future Educators Association competition. Savannah Rogers and Yessenia Cuestas were among the top 10 finalists.

Trimble Technical HS Graphic Design students Eric Gomez, Graciela Mireles, and Melissa Moreno swept 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places at BNSF Technology Awareness Day.

Nine Arlington Heights HS Marketing students advanced to the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) Texas State Career Development Conference.

Fort Worth ISD Culinary Arts students received the first-ever Fort Worth Food and Wine Foundation Scholarships to Tarrant County College Southeast Campus. Blanca Gonzalez of North Side HS earned a full scholarship. Diana Estrada of Trimble Technical HS earned a $2,500 scholarship.

Approximately 923 students District-wide passed the exams needed to earn industry standard certifications, including Adobe, SolidWorks, Cosmetology, Microsoft Office Specialist, OSHA, and ServSafe.

Who Knew ... there were so many ways to learn cool stuff, develop

A 12-year study of FWAS found that students who

talent, and build character after school! Fort Worth

participated regularly were more likely to pass their

After School (FWAS) students competed in chess

classes, attend school, and avoid discipline referrals.

contests, played the stock market (virtually), designed

Our hats are off to FWAS’s 200 community partners –

websites, trained for 5k races, performed on stage, and

organizations and individuals – who help make it all happen.

much more.

Exceptional Athletes

Lights On!

Pre-K Round Up

FWAS students created art with

Committed to helping parents

Mayor Betsy Price and the Fort

extra meaning for the Lights

prepare 4-year-olds for

Worth City Council recognized

On! Afterschool Sidewalk Art

school, Fort Worth ISD held a

the FWAS Triathlon Club at

Celebration. The students used

District-wide Pre-Kindergarten

Daggett MS during a Council

chalk to illustrate things they

registration event in June 2014.

meeting. The club is believed

enjoyed most about FWAS. Lights

The event was held at a single

to be the only middle school

On! is a national event that calls

location, Dunbar HS. No matter

triathlon team in Texas.

attention to the importance of

where parents lived in the District,

afterschool programs.

they were told about available spaces nearest to their home, and they were able to register their child for Pre-K classes on the spot.

ACADEMIC HONORS

EXTRA CREDIT Fort Worth ISD honored 130 seniors and 16 juniors as Superintendent Scholars. Each received a certificate. The seniors were also given a stole to wear at graduation.

Texas Christian University awarded Polytechnic HS’s Brian Hernandez with the Chancellor’s Scholarship and Dean’s Scholarship. TCU also awarded Community Scholarships that cover full tuition, a value of approximately $246,000, to several District students: Diamond Hill-Jarvis HS Beatrice Castellanos, Christopher Rios Dunbar HS Adhali Frayre

North Side HS Lockheed Martin partnered with the District to Maria Ortiz, Raul Romero, Jose Vallejo, Khoa Vo award 457 Academic Sweatshirts to students who completed their sophomore year with a GPA of 3.8 Polytechnic HS Biak Cer, James Sang, Alphonso Rayford or higher. South Hills HS Isela Castro, Mustafa Ibrahim, Ariel LeonTen students received Chesapeake Scholarships Garcia, Crystal Molina-Lomeli that could potentially amount to $288,800 over four years for each student. Trimble Technical HS Zahra Amin Jose Barron, Ilse Espino, Manuel Hidic, Luis - Southwest HS/University of Texas at Arlington Ramirez, Daniela Sigala, Jose Tovar, Kendra LaQzaria Boney - O.D. Wyatt HS/Stephen F. Austin University Sangita Dahal - Polytechnic HS/Texas A&M University Paulette Dixon - Dunbar HS/University of Texas at Arlington Alison Hinostroza - South Hills HS/DePaul University Monica Kubala - Diamond Hill-Jarvis HS/University of Texas at Austin Erica Johnson - Eastern Hills HS/Texas A&M University Victor Olmos - Trimble Technical HS/University of Texas at Arlington Janette Palomino - Polytechnic HS/Texas A&M Commerce Michael Thomas Jr. - O.D. Wyatt HS/University of North Texas

Tucker O.D. Wyatt HS Shakeitha Gray, Ricky Musgrove III Texas Wesleyan University awarded full-ride scholarships valued at $92,576 per year to North Side HS’s Miguel Narez Jr. and Polytechnic HS’s Jazmine Ahumada, Rafael Barboza, Alejandra Gonzalez, Cesar Martinez, and Michelle Martinez. Paschal HS students scored coveted National Merit scholarships. John Heo and Katherine Nesser each received $2,500 scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Katherine Dillard received a National Merit Scholarship sponsored by Texas A&M University. Rebekah Long was selected to receive the National Merit James E. Casey Scholarship, which goes to children of United Parcel Service employees. The National Achievement Scholarship Program awarded Paschal HS’s Ihoma Owhonda with the $2,500 Achievement Scholarship Award. Southwest HS’s Selena Sanchez received a $1,500 scholarship from Altrusa International of Fort Worth, Texas, Inc. She will attend the University of Texas at Dallas.

Ford Motor Company Fund and North Texas Ford Dealers teamed up with the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to award $1,000 scholarships to North Texas students, including 10 Fort Worth ISD seniors: North Side HS Mercedes Palacios – Tarleton State University Polytechnic HS Alondra Belmonte – Texas A&M University Sangita Dahal – Texas A&M University Maria Delgado – The University of Texas at Arlington Alejandra Gonzalez – The University of Texas at Arlington Cesar Martinez – The University of Texas at Arlington Michelle Martinez – Texas Woman’s University Melody Te – University of North Texas Trimble Technical HS Juan Orona – Texas A&M University Luis Ramirez – Texas A&M University Paschal HS made the U.S. News and World Report 2014 Best High Schools list. Out of 1,492 high schools in Texas, 189 were numerically ranked. Paschal placed 85th. Fort Worth Sister Cities International selected Western Hills HS as a 2014 Ambassador School. Western Hills hosted 15 students and two educators from Bandung HS #5 in Indonesia. Washington Heights ES was selected as an Imagine Nation Super School. The designation recognized the school’s enthusiasm and innovative use of the Imagine Learning program for teaching language and literacy skills. In the interest of accelerating their learning, 473 students participated in the summer component of the Math Department’s Advanced Academics Immersion program. Offerings included Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-Calculus. At the end of the course, 276 students received a full year of Pre-Advanced Placement credit.

Ready to Rumba? Ballroom dancing is a workout. Students just know

More than 600 students, along with teachers,

it’s fun. That’s why we put the popular Dancing

staff, and even parents and neighbors, jammed the

Classrooms Program in three more elementary

basketball courts at Sagamore Hill ES and danced

schools: Benbrook, Carroll Peak, and Morningside.

to the music of Beyoncé. It was a Let’s Move! event

Kids learned to rumba, tango, foxtrot, merengue,

led by Physical Education teacher Joe Cocchiarella.

and swing. And they learned to compete. Elementary

Let’s Move! is the comprehensive initiative launched

students at Edward J. Briscoe, Cesar Chavez, Charles

by First Lady Michelle Obama to help solve the

Nash, North Hi Mount, and Versia Williams put

challenge of childhood obesity within a generation.

their best foot forward and advanced to the Dancing Classrooms North Texas final event at the University of Texas at Arlington. North Hi Mount took the gold!

HEALTH & P.E.

EXTRA CREDIT The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded Fort Worth ISD a five-year $2.1 million cooperative agreement designed to prevent HIV, STD, and pregnancy. The project includes exemplary sexual health education.

A grant from the Presidential Youth Fitness Program will upgrade the District’s fitness assessment system and provide incentives for students. We turned old pavements on campuses into enticing exercise areas simply by painting on colorful game boards and other markings.

The District provided recess training for 168 elementary school teachers. SHAPE America honored Georgi Roberts, the director of Fort Worth ISD’s Health & Physical Education Department, with the Joy of Effort award for her dedication.

NAMM Recognition

Spirited Sounds

We value music at Fort Worth ISD – so much so

That joyful noise raising the roof at Trimble Technical

that the National Association of Music Merchants

HS last February? It was the soaring sound of the

(NAMM) named us one of the Best Communities for

more than 300 high school students who attended

Music Education. The honor recognized the District’s

the Fort Worth ISD Gospel Festival. They sang under

“exceptional efforts to keep music education part of the

the direction of guest clinician Raymond Wise of the

core curriculum.”

acclaimed African American Choral Ensemble at Indiana University.

Big Sound in the Big Apple A trip to New York was a success in every way for the award-winning North Side HS Mariachi Espuelas de Plata. The group performed at Carnegie Hall and toured the city. Four students also competed in the New York Mariachi Conservatory. Alondra Morales and Yadira Triana earned 1st place awards. Ivan Oropeza took 2nd place, and Mario Macias placed 3rd. The trip was funded by the District, North Side’s alumni association, businesses, and individuals.

Link Up Two marching bands. Two starting points. One big finish.

“A dream come true,” one young student called Link Up.

The Paschal HS Panther Band got it all started and stepped

We call it an exceptional 10-year partnership with the

off at 9 a.m. from its campus. It was the Panther Band’s

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and Carnegie Hall’s

fifth annual March-A-Thon. A half-hour later, the Arlington

Weill Music Institute (WMI). Through Link Up, District

Heights HS Yellow Jackets Band began marching from

music teachers guided more than 6,500 fourth-graders

its campus on its very first March-A-Thon. Both bands

through a year-long music curriculum that included

wound their separate ways through neighborhoods to arrive

Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” and Beethoven’s

at the Trinity Commons Shopping Center at Hulen and

“Ode to Joy”. The program wrapped up with four spring

Bellaire streets about 11:30 a.m. A pep rally and “battle of

concerts that featured students singing and playing

the bands” followed, raising excitement for the Heights vs.

recorders, accompanied by the Fort Worth Symphony.

Paschal football game that night.

MANY OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL BANDS MARCHED IN THE FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW & RODEO’S ANNUAL ALL-WESTERN PARADE AND THE GREATER FORT WORTH MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY PARADE.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS HS BAND MEMBERS MARCHED THEIR WAY TO A BATTLE OF THE BANDS WITH THE PASCHAL HS BAND.

JROTC AND JCC STUDENTS ALSO TOOK PART IN MLK DAY CELEBRATIONS.

Azure pushed herself to do more than join

A soon-to-be biochemistry major, she’ll next

organizations.

push herself at the University of North Texas.

“I wanted leadership roles in them, too. It gave

“When I took my tour of UNT, I actually got

me the opportunity to show others, as well as

a glimpse of the science labs and the students

myself, what I could do. I felt I had something

doing their work. It gave me chills to know that

to offer, like my organizational skills. And

in six months that could be me.”

I encouraged others to offer their talents.” She thanks her parents for their guidance, which She has advice for students hesitant to try new things.

“Find a mentor and stick to them. It might be

“If you’re scared of what might happen and what

a friend on your block or your teacher. It may

people might think, I say don’t worry and go for it

even be the teacher who’s always on your case.

anyway. It’s your opinion of yourself that matters

But they’ll take you far. Stick to them like peanut

most. So join band, choir, sports, or whatever.

butter sticks to bread!”

You won’t have to wish someday that you had given it a try.”

brings her to offer more advice.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My parents taught me to push myself and take responsibility for my work.â&#x20AC;?

MUSIC

EXTRA CREDIT Fort Worth ISD hosted Mariachi Extravaganza de Fort Worth XIV at North Side HS, one of the largest and most competitive mariachi group and vocal events in North Texas. Trimble Technical HS and the Mexican American School Board Members Association (MASBA) hosted the Texas High School Mariachi Area Competition. North Side HS’s Mariachi Espuelas de Plata won 2nd place in 5A at the Texas High School Mariachi Competition in San Antonio. Polytechnic HS’s Mariachi Los Pericos placed 6th in 4A. Choral and General Music

All State Choir Jack Bellomy – Southwest HS John Roberts – Paschal HS UIL Concert and Sight Reading Sweepstakes Paschal HS – Treble Chorus Paschal HS – Mixed Chorus Southwest HS – Mixed Chorus McLean MS – Tenor/Bass Chorus The North Hi Mount ES Choir was chosen “Outstanding Choir of the Day” at the Sandy Lake Fun Fest Music Competition.

ART, THEATER & DANCE

EXTRA CREDIT North Side HS student Maria Gomez took Grand Prize in the Safe City Commission’s Imagine: No Violence “It’s not okay” art contest. She won a trip to Disney World for a family of four and $1,000 in Disney Bucks. Her art teacher is Takiyah Ford.

The Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) awarded financial grants worth $16,000 to 22 Fort Worth ISD elementary schools. The money went toward purchasing music, instruments, instructional software, and other music education tools. Instrumental

Fourteen Fort Worth ISD high school and middle school orchestras received the coveted Sweepstakes award by earning a Division 1 in UIL Region 7 Concert and Sight-reading contests: Eastern Hills HS Varsity Paschal HS Full Paschal HS Non Varsity Southwest HS Varsity Trimble Technical HS Varsity Western Hills HS Varsity Applied Learning Academy Varsity Benbrook MS Varsity Daggett Montessori Varsity McClung/Handley MS Non Varsity McLean MS Varsity Rosemont MS Non Varsity and Varsity William James MS Varsity Also earning 1’s

Concert or Sight-reading: Arlington Heights HS Full Carter-Riverside HS Varsity North Side HS Varsity Wedgwood MS Varsity

Southwest HS advanced to the State marching contest. Concert and Sight-reading: Southwest HS Non Varsity Southwest HS Varsity Trimble Technical HS Varsity Western Hills HS Varsity Benbrook MS Varsity McLean MS Varsity Concert or Sight-reading: Paschal HS Non Varsity Paschal HS Varsity Southwest HS Sub Non Varsity Forest Oak MS Non Varsity Wedgwood MS Non Varsity Wedgwood MS Varsity William James MS Varsity Seven band students From Southwest HS and Western Hills HS were named to the TMEA All-State Ensembles The famed One O’Clock Lab Band from the University of North Texas performed free for middle school students at the Bass Performance Hall. Thank you, Lab Band and the Children’s Education Program at Bass Hall. The District’s Fine Arts Department will become the Department of Visual and Performing Arts.

Marching Band: Southwest HS Western Hills HS

Rosemont MS student Agustin Alvarez won the Fort Worth Botanic Garden’s Butterflies of Asia logo contest. His entry was seen on billboards, in magazines, and in other communications about the exhibit. Elementary and middle school winners of the Expressions That Move You art contest will literally see their works all over town. The Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) put the artwork on the outside of 10 buses for the summer.

More than 200 District students and staff participated in the Festival of the Kid, an annual playwriting contest sponsored by Stage West. Jubilee Theater treated District students at several schools to performances, including scenes from “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “The Mountaintop,” and “NEAT.”

Color Them Happy

Just the Right Note

And talented. Nineteen Fort

North Hi Mount ES helped

Instructors from the Texas Ballet

Worth ISD student works of art

The Cliburn spread good cheer.

Theater taught the basics of ballet at

qualified for the Texas State Visual

The organization chose the

several District elementary schools.

Art Scholastic Event (VASE).

students’ artwork for its 2013

It was part of the world-class dance

They won nine state medals, and

holiday card. The kids originally

company’s CityDance Outreach

Arlington Heights HS student

created the painting as a banner

Program that provides free lessons

Ryan Kolowich brought home

for the 2013 Cliburn International

after school. At Westcliff ES

the Gold Seal award, the highest

Piano Competition. When it came

alone, 40 students participated.

VASE honor handed out. Their art

time to create its holiday card,

Instructors kept their eyes out for

teacher is Cheryl Evans-Rogers.

The Cliburn took another look

students who showed real promise.

at the banner and found it to be

The program occasionally offers

the perfect design for its season’s

scholarships so students can

greetings.

continue their ballet training.

Class Acts Drama students at Carter-Riverside HS produced

Students at Handley MS now have the acting bug, too.

a Fall One Act series of plays that starred students from

They presented the school’s first theater production,

Riverside MS’s new Zero Period theater class. The first play

a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer

staged was “Check, Please,” directed by Carter-Riverside

Night’s Dream.” New theater teacher Yvonne Duque comes

drama teacher Clyde Berry.

from Artes De La Rosa, which provides opportunities for District students to see professional productions at no cost.

ATHLETICS

EXTRA CREDIT Student Athlete State Finalists

Cross Country Ivan Hernandez – Arlington Heights HS Grasiela Navarro – Arlington Heights HS Golf Grayson Benavidas – Paschal HS Powerlifting Jennifer Martinez – North Side HS Swimming Heather Campbell – Paschal HS Track & Field - 4x200m Relay Deadrii Bradley, Keuna Chatman-Nelson, Ky’oshia Swancy-Clater, Revonne Timms, Isis Woods, – Dunbar HS Track & Field – Discus Jackie Young – Arlington Heights HS Track & Field – Long Jump Avanti Nichols – Arlington Heights HS Track & Field – Shot Put Patrick Jones – Arlington Heights HS Jasmine Carter – Polytechnic HS Wrestling Dayna Hernandez – Paschal HS Adrienne Elizondo – Trimble Technical HS

Academic All-State

All-State Team

Basketball Diamond Hill-Jarvis HS – Gillermo Gomez Paschal HS – Amanda Fees Trimble Technical HS – Crystal Allen

Basketball Dunbar HS – Dennis Jones

Football Arlington Heights HS – Jacob Guerra Paschal HS – Benjamin Anderson, Dakota Crossin, Gibson Duwe, Joey Hammond, Davonte Johnson, Reed McDonald, Paul Messman, Austin Permann, Josh Widger Polytechnic HS – Miguel Morales Soccer Paschal HS – Elizabeth Carr, Susan Clark, Taylor Fox, Conner Harwood, Katherine Kroll, Haley Posey, Cameron Ramsey, Kathryn Roberts, Claudia Sandell-Gandara Swimming & Diving Paschal HS – John Bergamini, Summer Campbell Track & Field Western Hills HS – Christian Allen Volleyball Paschal HS – Katherine Dillard, Madison Jo DuVall, Alexandra Howell, Emma Morris, Ihoma Owhonda South Hills HS - Isela Castro, Crystal MolinaLoneli, Savannah Rogers, Yvette Salas Western Hills HS – Erica Johnson Wyatt HS – Khabirah Patterson, Anastasia Turner Wrestling Western Hills HS – John Laughman

Football Dunbar HS – Stepfawn Hughes Paschal HS – Darrell James Southwest HS – Semaj Thomas Swimming Paschal HS – Summer Campbell All-Region Team

Basketball Dunbar HS – Dennis Jones Trimble Technical HS – Carrington Brown, Spencer Franklin, D.J. McMillan, Revonne Parks Regional Wrestling Champion Carter-Riverside HS – Joseph Bunyavong Nineteen Fort Worth ISD Special Olympians competed in the State Summer Games at the University of Texas at Arlington. Gold – Cedric Harris, Takara Ingram, Johnny Kimbrough-Cummings, Zachary Madison Silver – Martin Alaniz, Jacob Eaby, Joseph Galvan (2), Tomisha Hollie, Xavier Juarez, Santiago Laredo, Zachary Madison, Teresa Radilla, Eric Whitman Bronze – Allison Berg, Vanessa Delgado, Valerie Godines, Cedric Harris, Takara Ingram, Teresa Radilla, Autrione Wade (2)

With medals polished, shoes shined, and uniforms

Almost 200 Fort Worth ISD cadets learned leadership skills in a

immaculate, Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps

challenging military environment during the week-long Junior

(JROTC) and Junior Cadet Corps (JCC) cadets marched

Cadet Leadership Challenge (JCLC) camp at the District’s Outdoor

at Farrington Field in the Final Review event. Students

Learning Center – Leadership Learning Center in Azle. A highlight

received awards and scholarships during the ceremony that

was the full ropes course, including a zip line. Another big hit was

wrapped up the school year. Activities concluded with a

the food. District Culinary Arts students provided meals for the

Change of Command ceremony and a Pass in Review.

cadets, instructors, and chaperones. Fort Worth ISD’s JROTC has one of the best JROTC JCLC camps in the nation. It will be utilized this year by 26 different school district JROTC programs.

FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR, DISTRICT JROTC AND JCC (JUNIOR CADET CORPS) PARTICIPATED IN ACTIVITIES SURROUNDING THE BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL GAME AT TCU’S AMON CARTER STADIUM.

AS PART OF THE DISTRICT’S NEW U.S. MILITARY HISTORY CLASS, CADETS TOOK A FIELD TRIP THAT INCLUDED TOURS OF BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE IN BOSSIER CITY, LA., AND VICKSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK IN VICKSBURG, MISS. THE TRIP WAS SUPPORTED BY THE VETERANS NATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

PASCHAL HS 11TH-GRADER ISELA VELAZQUEZ WAS NAMED THE NATION’S TOP ARMY JROTC SPORTER SHARPSHOOTER AT COMPETITION IN ANNISTON, ALA.

JROTC CADETS LEARNED LEADERSHIP SKILLS DURING A CAMP AT THE DISTRICT’S OUTDOOR LEARNING CENTER — LEADERSHIP LEARNING CENTER IN AZLE.

Jeffery joined the JROTC his freshman year just

His instructors helped guide him toward the

to check it out.

next chapters – college and a military career.

“I thought, ‘what the heck? I’ll give it a try.’ At the

“They set me down and talked me through all

very first practice, I was hooked. Seeing the older

I needed to do to go to college. We talked about

kids in the Color Guard and their precise and

scholarship opportunities and application

deliberate movements just left me in awe.”

processes.”

He grew in more ways than he ever imagined. “It helped develop my leadership skills and my

Inspired, he applied to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Best move ever.

communication skills. I used to be nervous talking

“Thousands of kids apply from all over. And

in front of crowds, but I can do it pretty much with

I was one of the ones selected. I found out

ease now.”

through a call from Representative Kay Granger’s office a week or two before I received the actual paper notification. It was so exciting. I couldn’t believe it really happened.”

“Unbelievable. I didn’t think anything like this would happen to me.”

Checkmate! Fort Worth ISD students took top honors at the annual Spring Chess Championship at Lily B. Clayton ES.

Individual 1st Place Winners Elementary – Zachary Marcus, Lily B. Clayton ES Middle School – Trien Do, Wedgwood MS High School – Kevin Wolfskill, Southwest HS

In all, 45 elementary students, 29 middle school students, and 33 high school students from 17 public schools competed.

Team Standings Elementary – Kirkpatrick ES Middle School – Wedgwood MS High School – Eastern Hills HS

Anyone old enough to remember can tell you in a heartbeat.

In the video, community leaders and former educators and

And because President Kennedy spent his last morning

students, including Superintendent Dansby, shared their

in Fort Worth, many people with ties to Fort Worth ISD

recollections and the impact the visit and the assassination

can tell you much more. On the 50th anniversary of the

had on their lives. The documentary was shown in classes and

assassination, the District’s Social Studies Department and

made available to the community. Students said they were

Communications Department produced “Fort Worth ISD

surprised to learn their city and District played such

Remembers JFK: An Oral History Project,” a documentary

an important part in the events of that November day.

to preserve these memories and underscore the historical

The documentary earned a Worthy Award of Excellence from

significance of President Kennedy’s visit to Fort Worth.

the Public Relations Society of America/Fort Worth Chapter.

JFK COMMEMORATION

EXTRA CREDIT Polytechnic HS alumni helped the news media cover the milestone anniversary. The Poly Marching 100 band was at the Tarrant County Courthouse on November 22, 1963, awaiting the

President’s motorcade. As it approached, the Poly drum majors saluted and the drummers issued a flourish. The president’s car stopped, and JFK stood and returned the salute. A school photographer captured it all. Former band director James Smith and former band members shared the photos with the media. The Junior Cadet Corps from J.P. Elder MS provided the Color Guard for the Fort Worth

Chamber of Commerce’s JFK Commemoration. The Chamber held an honorary breakfast in the Hilton Hotel where President Kennedy spent his last night and delivered one of his final two speeches. The Fort Worth ISD Social Studies Department added a special category to honor the legacy of JFK in its annual Elementary History competition.

OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS 42

This was the year the entire District began seeing what

• District administrators began working in Continuous

a journey of continuous improvement looks like. Our

Improvement Professional Learning Clusters. Each

Department of Program Efficiency, Effectiveness and

department met twice each month to address action

Sustainability led the charge as we worked to align our

planning, QPRs, and customer service.

organization, following the Malcolm Baldrige model,

• For the first time, Fort Worth ISD developed

with our Strategic Plan and our Motto, Mission, Vision,

a customer service model “by employees, for

and Values (MMVV).

employees.” It comprises six standards for customer service.

• We implemented the Quarterly Progress Review

• The District produced a customer service training

(QPR). These checks help us identify early strategies

video for all employees that featured District

that are producing positive results and those that

employees and professional actors depicting service

are not.

at its best and worst.

• We developed and began using a new Action Plan

• We implemented a new link on the District website

template for departments and a new Campus

that allows everyone to comment on the quality of

Educational Improvement Plan template.

customer service received at any department

• Superintendent Dansby introduced the On Purpose/

or campus.

MMVV campaign in August 2013. It emphasizes deliberate, intentional actions to support student achievement and stakeholder awareness of MMVV.

MMVV

EXTRA CREDIT Superintendent Dansby handed out On Purpose mugs to staff and students who could recite the District’s MMVV. Lowery Road ES students rocked the MMVV in a video created with teacher Christopher Cantrell.

Carter-Riverside HS’s Jasmine Huynh was named grand champion in the #MMVV2ME Vine and Instagram video contest. Her six-second video earned her a $250 Target gift card. Fort Worth ISD was one of only two Texas school districts recognized by the Quality Texas Foundation Performance Excellence Program for demonstrating good performance and commitment to a systemic approach to organizational management and performance improvement.

Our District hosted the Baldrige Superintendents’ Meeting at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. District cabinet, executive staff, and other senior staff visited other districts that participate in Baldrige, including Keller ISD, Weatherford ISD, Mesquite ISD, HEB ISD, and Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland.

It’s All in Focus 96% of teachers believe Focus is an efficient tool for

A successful pilot program wrapped up in June 2013.

reporting attendance

Our Division of Technology looked at feedback, made

90% of teachers believe Focus is an efficient tool for

adjustments, and rolled out training to all teachers

reporting grades

and staff before implementing Focus District-wide last

Focus is the District’s new Student Information System that makes it easier for teachers to post grades, attendance, and other information online and also manage the data for making timely, effective decisions.

fall. Next year, we will launch the Focus Parent Portal to provide parents with their child’s data in real time. Parents with validated accounts will be able to access the information from any device.

Dig In You’ll be seeing and hearing these two words, or a play on these words, often in Fort Worth ISD language. Dig In stands for Digital Instruction. It’s the broad umbrella that will cover the many ways the District works to give all students digital access, thus, more ownership, in their learning. In today’s world, their success in college and the workplace depends on it.

First up under the Dig In umbrella is the new 1:1 (one to one) initiative for Digital

HS, McClung MS, McLean MS, De Zavala ES, and

Intelligence. That means one laptop,

Natha Howell ES. We also distributed more than 70

tablet or other digital device for every

new laptops to members of the Student Education

student. In April 2014, we kicked off the

Advisory Council, a select group of high school

1:1 pilot program and gave devices to all

DIGIN

EXTRA CREDIT 46

students at six campuses: Western Hills HS, Dunbar

student leaders.

Our “digitally inspired” Division of Technology began building three Distance Learning Model Classrooms: two at the Professional Development Center and one at the I.M. Terrell Technology

Center. The rooms will be used for educational technology trainings. Each will have a Touch Promethean Whiteboard, a wide-screen TV, and a wide-lens camera.

New Foundation for Fort Worth ISD We welcomed a special new partner: the Fort Worth ISD

In addition to Mr. Ritterbusch and Ms. Moss, founding

Education Foundation. Board of Education President

members are Walter Dansby/Fort Worth ISD, Cynthia

Christene C. Moss and founding Foundation President

Fisher-Miller/Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce,

Todd Ritterbusch of JP Morgan Chase made the

Marilyn Jones/United Way of Tarrant County, Nancy

partnership official in May.

Jones/Community Foundation of North Texas, Olga

Priorities for the Foundation include:

• Innovative Learning Grants • Recognition of Academic Achievement and Teaching Excellence

Naranjo/Keller Williams, Bob Pence/Freese & Nichols, Jacinto Ramos/Fort Worth ISD Board Trustee, Jeremy Smith/Rainwater Charitable Foundation, and Jamal Williams/Tarrant County College District.

• Student Scholarships

Grant Funding $137 million = amount of grants awarded Fort Worth ISD in 2013-2014

Cabinet on Course The superintendent’s cabinet worked as a team to improve

Kyle Davie, Chief of Information & Technology; Barbara

how Fort Worth ISD does business and to move the

Griffith, Senior Communications Officer; Dr. Sharon

District toward its goals: Hank Johnson, Deputy Supt.,

Meng, Assistant Supt., Advanced, Accelerated & Innovative

Business, Finance & Operations; Robert Ray, Deputy

Learning; Sammy Monge, Chief of Human Capital

Supt., Program Efficiency, Effectiveness & Sustainability;

Management; Maria Sanchez-Silbas, Assistant Supt.,

Dr. Michael Sorum, Deputy Supt., Leadership, Learning

School Leadership & Learning - Learning Network 1; Elsie

& Student Support Services; Margaret Balandran,

Schiro, Senior Officer, Budget & Finance; Mauro Serrano,

Asst. Supt., School Leadership & Learning - Learning

Assistant Supt., School Leadership & Learning - Learning

Network 2; Sherry Breed, Chief of Leadership, Learning

Network 3; Michael Steinert, Exec. Director, Student

& Student Support Services; Valerie Carrillo, Chief

Support Services.

Legal Counsel; Art Cavazos, Chief of District Operations;

Pete Geren sees the changes in his hometown.

He sees the responsibilities.

“Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing cities in

“Investment in our children’s future is a top priority

America and that poses some challenges we never

of the Sid Richardson Foundation and others in the

imagined 50 years ago, when our population was

non-profit community. Being part of this work and

less than half what it is today.”

partnering with the Fort Worth ISD is something I enjoy. It’s both a responsibility and a privilege.”

And in the economy. “Today, for a child to grow up to be self-

And the opportunities.

supporting and lay claim to the middle class,

“Fort Worth ISD is doing some incredible, innovative

a good education is absolutely essential. A strong

things. But like all school districts, it’s caught in the

back just won’t get you where a strong back once

budget crunch. That’s where foundations can come

got you.”

in and support new and different programs such as single gender schools, Gold Seal Programs of Choice, and other efforts to meet the needs and fulfill the dreams of our children.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The education of our children is the most important investment we can make.â&#x20AC;?

Business Matters

Together We Stand

Despite years of severe economic downturn and cuts

Four Fort Worth ISD schools came together for an

in state funding, our Division of Finance, Business

It’s Not Okay (INOK) anti-bullying event: Monnig MS,

and Operations successfully worked to achieve

Como ES, M.L. Phillips ES, and Ridglea Hills ES.

financial stability. Seeing the strides the District made

The event, Together We Stand, included an art show,

in proving fiscal responsibility, rating agencies issued

essay competition, music video, and an anti-bullying

strong bond ratings. The District sold the initial

message from U.S. Congressman Marc Veasey, a Fort

$122.8 million of the $489.9 million in bonds that

Worth ISD graduate. The goal of the event was to help

will finance the new Capital Improvement Program,

families feel comfortable talking about bullying.

yielding a favorable 3.96 percent interest rate. And for the fourth year in a row, the annual external audit review resulted in no findings, qualifying the District as a low-risk auditee.

BUSINESS & FINANCE

EXTRA CREDIT The rebate from our Procurement Card Program more than tripled this year to approximately $250,000, thanks to the implementation of an e-Payables initiative to pay vendors with credit cards instead of checks.

We were proud to receive the Texas Association of School Business Officials’ Award of Merit for Purchasing Operations for the fifth year. The award recognizes our commitment to the “highest professional standards in the acquisition of goods and services.” Fort Worth Business Press named Hank Johnson, Fort Worth ISD Deputy Superintendent for Finance, Business and Operations, Education CFO of the Year.

For the 27th consecutive year, our Budget and Accounting Departments received both the Association of School Business Officials’ Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

VISITORS AT EVERY SCHOOL WERE MET BY TIGHTER SECURITY: THE NEW RAPTOR TECHNOLOGIES VISITOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

FORT WORTH ISD EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COORDINATOR MARK BETHANY RECEIVED A NATIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY AWARD BY THE NATIONAL ADVOCACY COUNCIL.

THE DISTRICT HOSTED SKYWARN, A SEVERE WEATHER/STORM SPOTTER SCHOOL AT SOUTH HILLS HS. PARTNERS INCLUDED THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, THE FORT WORTH/TARRANT COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE, AND TARRANT COUNTY RADIO AMATEUR CIVIL EMERGENCY SERVICE.

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY 52

We’re hooked on “ReadyRosie.” These are the new daily short video messages that give parents great ideas for adding learning to everyday life and preparing little ones for school. The District partnered with United Way of Tarrant County to provide the videos that parents receive for free on their cell phones and home computers. With just a click, parents can see real families sharing creative activities in the home, car, grocery store, restaurants, and all the places real life happens.

Parent Grads

Raiser’s Edge

Diplomas were handed out in May at Manuel

Fort Worth ISD has more than 500 school and

Jara ES – not to students, but to some dedicated

District partnerships. To help make sure they – and

parents. They were the first graduation class of

we – are all on the same page, our Community and

the school’s Parent University, an 11-week course

Strategic Partnerships Department implemented a

created to give parents confidence, tools, and skills

new fundraising and donor management software

for building stronger, healthier families. The parents

system called Raiser’s Edge. The system allows the

met every Wednesday evening. School partner

District to gather and manage data regarding all of

Primera Baptist Church helped fund the project.

our business and community partnerships and volunteers.

App Avalanche How do you take your app from 3,000

goal just after the Winter Holiday break. The big

downloads to 29,000 in just a few

boost came when weather events drove families

months? Aggressive marketing, timely

to our App for school closing notifications. We

information, and Mother Nature!

also upgraded the App, adding a feature called Stream that consolidates information.

Our goal was 25,000 downloads of the Fort Worth ISD Mobile App by the end of the school year. We hit the

www.fwisd.org Facelift All stakeholders who visited the District website and any of our school websites likely enjoyed a more engaging, professional, and user-friendly experience. We completely redesigned our website, a five-month process that wrapped up in summer 2013 with the migration of more than 100,000 pages of content to the new site. The move was made with barely a blip in the flow of information.

Schooled in Social Media Our social media participation numbers exploded. We chalk this up to adjusting our communication channels to meet the needs of the audiences we want to reach. For instance, we knew that students were using Instagram more than other social media platforms such as Facebook. So we began posting engaging photos with captions, many featuring our students.

Here are the results: Instagram – 745 followers, 1,556% increase Facebook – 12,690 likes, 67% increase; Facebook Engagement increased by 404% Twitter – 8,235 followers, 151% increase Pinterest – 193 followers, 157% increase LinkedIn – 3,678 followers, 51% increase Vine – started this year, 107 followers

Nothing Says Independence … like your first car. Generous partners gave away cars to reward students’ accomplishments and provide transportation for continuing their education journey.

Perfect Attendance Incentive Paschal HS senior Safa

Arlington Heights HS sophomore

Petrie Auto Sales and perfect

Khawaja is driving a brand new

Paxtyn Watkins held the right key

attendance put North Side

Honda Civic LX as the winner

to win a Chevy Sonic. She was one

HS’s Gilberto Gallardo in the

of the Words for Wheels essay

of 17 District students with perfect

driver’s seat of a Ford Focus ZX2.

contest. Fort Worth ISD, Frank

attendance who took turns trying

The company sponsored a car

Kent Honda, and the City of Fort

to unlock the new car in the

giveaway contest just for North

Worth sponsored the giveaway.

giveaway sponsored by Moritz

Side students. There were 10

Credit union EECU donated the

Chevrolet and Score a Goal in

finalists who had not missed a day

tax, title, and license fees, and the

the Classroom. Paxtyn was the

of school.

Steer Fort Worth organization

11th student to test her key, and

judged the essays.

it clicked!

A Partnership “MINT” to Be!

Driven to Support Success

4,000 = the number of volunteer hours provided by

Fort Worth Nissan kicked off its new partnership

new partner Junior M.I.N.T.S.

with Fort Worth ISD with a lot of horsepower. The company committed to giving our schools a total of

The Junior M.I.N.T.S., a volunteer group from the

$100,000 for the school year. Most of the money was

Junior League of Fort Worth, mentored, read with

awarded in a Facebook contest held each month for

students, and helped with all kinds of special events in

four months. Each winning school received $2,000. All

support of three campuses: Eastern Hills ES, Western

other campuses received $271 for participating. The

Hills ES, and Western Hills Primary. M.I.N.T.S stands

contest will continue next fall so that all campuses will

for Mentoring, Inspiring, Nurturing, Tutoring, and

have been included. Fort Worth Nissan also gave the

Supporting. And this group delivers it all!

District’s Teachers of the Year new cars to drive for a full year.

VOLUNTEERS FROM LOCKHEED DESCENDED ON LUELLA MERRETT ES, DOING SOME “MAKEOVER MAGIC” ON THE GROUNDS.

CBS 11 (KTVT) PARTNERED WITH POLYTECHNIC HS’S ADVANCED MEDIA PROGRAM TO BEGIN PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH MENTORS, INCLUDING NEWS PRODUCERS, EDITORS, AND REPORTERS.

BAG IT NIGHT AT UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH’S CLOTHING CLOSET PROVIDED NEW UNIFORMS AND OTHER CLOTHING TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AT 33 FORT WORTH ISD CAMPUSES.

Supplies by the Bus Load

Making Holidays Brighter

The library at M.H. Moore ES is

Kroger’s Stuff the Bus campaign

Employees of OmniAmerican

looking good and overflowing with

was a huge success for the third

Bank delivered truckloads of

books. Target Corp. and The Heart

year in a row and a windfall for

board games, dolls, sports gear,

of America Foundation renovated

Fort Worth ISD schools. Kroger

small electronics, and other

the library, adding 2,000 books

encouraged customers to buy

goodies to Luella Merrett ES just

and new technology, including

school supplies and drop them

in time for the holidays. The gifts

iPads. Each student was given

in special bins at Kroger stores

were distributed to 26 families.

seven books to take home for their

across Tarrant County. The

This was the fifth consecutive

own library. Target also unveiled

supplies, valued at $95,000, were

year of the program. Employees

a food pantry at the school that will

distributed to 41 District schools.

also visited classrooms to teach

provide fresh produce and staple

students basic financial lessons.

foods to students and their families each month.

Behind the Scenes Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation showed its support

Our partnership with Artes De La Rosa opened an

once again for Fort Worth ISD’s music programs.

exciting door to theater arts for many District

The foundation donated $294,766 worth of musical

students. The organization provided free tickets and

instruments and repairs, thanks in part to generous

transportation to professional productions at the Rose

funding from the Amon G. Carter Foundation. The

Marine Theater in Fort Worth. Students saw such

orchestra and band instruments – almost every kind

plays as “Into the Woods,” “In the Heights,” and

you can think of – went to 10 secondary schools. Last

a Spanish adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet.” Theater

year, the foundation donated instruments to

visits included Q&A sessions with the director and

six schools.

cast after the performances.

Freddie Jones gives away several trumpets to students each year.

It doesn’t end there. “We sit down and talk about what the student

“They agree to practice every day, keep the

plans to do with the horn and what level they

trumpet in good shape, and spread the music,

want to get to. And I challenge them to be who

either performing or teaching others kids.”

they are.”

But he rarely gives away beginner trumpets.

Or there.

“A lot of these kids have already had to settle for

“There was one young girl who had some

less in their lives. This shows them we value them,

serious challenges and missed a lot of school. I

trust them, and believe they can do something.

gave her a trumpet. She’s been in the band ever

Plus, a kid is more likely to take better care of a good

since, has hardly missed a day of school, and

horn than a low-end one.”

is set to graduate. I gave horns to two students who were actually getting ready to quit school. They’ve both now graduated from high school.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Bible mentions the trumpet dozens of times. This instrument is still needed.â&#x20AC;?

Fourteen Fort Worth ISD teachers were selected as 2013-2014

•

Academic Chairs for Teaching Excellence. Each received $5,000 from District partners who recognize the value of

Kroger Chair for Teaching Excellence in Special Education •

great teachers.

Bayard H. Friedman Chair for Teaching Excellence in

Lockheed Martin Chair for Teaching Excellence in

Performing Arts •

Crescent Real Estate Chair for Teaching Excellence in

Sewell Lexus of Fort Worth Chair for Teaching Excellence

Career and Technology Education •

Freese and Nichols Chair for Teaching Excellence in

Angela D. Paulos Chair for Teaching Excellence in

Secondary Mathematics •

XTO Energy Chair for Teaching Excellence in Early

Devon Energy Chair for Teaching Excellence in Secondary

Childhood Education •

Outreach Communications Chair for Teaching Excellence

RadioShack Chair for Teaching Excellence in Acquisition

in Elementary Reading •

Donna Warner, South Hills HS

Lindsey Hammonds, Trimble Technical HS

Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP Chair for

Target Chair for Teaching Excellence in Library Science

Teaching Excellence in Health & Physical Education

The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce

The award winners were Albertson’s, Cinemark

honored 15 Outstanding Employers

Northeast Mall 18, City of Fort Worth, Fiesta Mart,

of Fort Worth teens. Superintendent

Fort Worth ISD, Fort Worth Museum of Science and

Dansby thanked the companies and

History, In-N-Out Burger, Lost Creek Golf Course,

organizations for their interest in the students’ classroom performance.

Tamara Thomas, Morningside ES

Ian Connally, Paschal HS of Language

•

Jennifer L. Terry, Bruce Shulkey ES

Andrew Brinker, Paschal HS Science

•

Ryan Peterson, Benbrook MS

Erin R. Blythe, Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences Visual Arts

•

Shannon Oden, Trimble Technical HS

Clyde Berry, Carter-Riverside HS in Humanities

•

Eric M. Mullins, Western Hills HS and Benbrook MS

Julianne Barrett, Learning Network 1 Specialist Elementary Science

•

Michael Tyler Mimms, Arlington Heights HS Chase Chair for Teaching Excellence in Secondary English

• •

Tiya Major, Boulevard Heights

Lowe’s Home Improvement, Main Event, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Schlotzky’s, Walgreen’s, and Wendy’s.

WORLD LANGUAGES STUDENTS LEARNED ABOUT ART AS THEY USED THEIR LANGUAGE ABILITIES DURING GLOBAL GALLERY NIGHT. THE STUDENTS SERVED AS DOCENTS AT THE EVENT SPONSORED BY THE KIMBELL ART MUSEUM AND FORT WORTH ISD.

SOUTHWEST HS’S MUSIC PROGRAM WAS THE RECIPIENT OF A GRAND GIFT: A GRAND PIANO FROM THE ROCKLEY FOUNDATION AND METROPLEX PIANO.

CLEBURNE-BASED PLAZA THEATRE COMPANY DONATED DOZENS OF THEATER SEATS TO CARTER-RIVERSIDE HS’S BLACK BOX THEATER.

Vital Internships

Reading in OverDrive

The District’s Vital Link program helped incoming

Summer reading got a lot easier with OverDrive,

seventh-graders make vital connections in the

a digital library distributor. It allowed staff and

workplace. Students interned half-days for one

students to borrow eBooks and audio books from

week with local companies, working side-by-side

the Fort Worth Library and other libraries simply

with employees. Teachers were on-site to supervise

by using their District Active Directory logins

and incorporate school lessons into workplace

and internet browser, or by downloading the free

responsibilities. A total of 26 partner businesses and

OverDrive app. The digital books can be read on

organizations helped make the summer program

a computer, tablet, or smartphone. At the end of the

a success in Vital Link’s 23rd year.

lending period, books automatically expire, so there are never any late fees.

Neighborhood Transformation The Morningside Children’s

And, we added more partners. The Miles Foundation

Partnership (MCP), created

and the Morris Foundation will center their efforts

to improve education and

on parent engagement, reaching out to parents of

the overall quality of life

children 5 years old and under.

for children in southeast Fort Worth’s Morningside

Early partners, the Rainwater Charitable Foundation

neighborhood, grew significantly in its first full year.

and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, continued

All four elementary schools in the partnership –

their generous support. Other partners included

Edward J. Briscoe, Carroll Peak, Morningside, and

ACH Child and Family Services, Botanical Research

Van Zandt-Guinn – met state standards for Index 1,

Institute of Texas and the Green Revolution, Boys

Student Achievement. Briscoe ES and Carroll Peak ES

and Girls Club of Tarrant County, Catholic Charities,

earned Distinction Designation. Morningside MS

Cornerstone Assistance Network, Fort Worth

also met standard. O.D. Wyatt HS increased

Museum of Science and History, Tarrant NET,

in achievement.

Tarrant County Housing Partnership, Trinity Habitat for Humanity, United Way, the University of North

MCP grew in other ways, too. Van Zandt-Guinn ES

Texas Health Science Center and Pediatric Mobile

became the fourth elementary school to join the MCP.

Unit, and 56 faith-based organizations.

MAYOR BETSY PRICE READ TO STUDENTS AT WESTERN HILLS PRIMARY SCHOOL TO KICK OFF JUMPSTART’S READ FOR THE RECORD.

PERSONALIZED PAVERS GAVE THE ENTRANCE OF POLYTECHNIC HS A NEW LOOK. THE POLY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, ACME BRICK, AND THE DISTRICT’S MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT WORKED TOGETHER ON THE FUNDRAISING PROJECT.

PIANO MAKER STEINWAY & SONS TREATED O.D. WYATT HS STUDENTS TO GRAND PERFORMANCES BY ACCLAIMED ARTISTS ON A CONCERT GRAND PIANO.

TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH CELEBRATED THE SUCCESS OF ITS READING PROGRAM WITH A BRUNCH FOR MCLEAN 6TH GRADE CENTER STUDENTS AND THE CHURCH VOLUNTEERS WHO MENTORED THEM.

DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL SORUM INFORMS PARENTS OF NEW GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS DURING THE DISTRICT 3 COMMUNITY RALLY AT DUNBAR HS.

The National Math and Science

It provides open enrollment in AP math, science,

Initiative (NMSI) joined forces with

and English classes for all students, intensive

the District to boost scores. The

training for teachers, and incentives for teachers and

partnership implemented a nationally

students. Students who participate in the program

recognized Advanced Placement program at North Side HS and Trimble Technical HS.

earn significantly higher scores on AP exams compared to the national average.

The Challenge Continues Ten District students were winners in the What

Fort Worth ISD, Tarrant County College (TCC), and

Drives Your Dream? essay contest sponsored by

the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) re-signed

Ford Motor Company, the North Texas Ford Dealers

an agreement that could potentially pay most college

Association, Dallas ISD, and Fort Worth ISD. Prizes

costs for students at Charles E. Nash ES. The Nash

consisted of laptops and gift certificates. The essay

Academic Challenge, created in 2009, provides

contest was part of the Ford Driving Dreams Tour,

a full tuition scholarship to TCC for each current

an education initiative for North Texas high schools

Nash student who satisfies the conditions of the

with significant Latino populations. The program

challenge. Once those students complete an associate

provided $60,000 in scholarships and $30,000

degree at TCC, UTA will then cover tuition and fees for

in grants.

Pell Grant-eligible students for two years.

Funding for Health A $2.1 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control will go toward helping the adolescent population of our District stay healthy and make choices that promote good health. The District will partner with the Tarrant County Public Health Department, JPS Health Network, AIDS Outreach Center, and Santa Fe Youth Services in administering the funds. They will be used initially to evaluate and adopt new health materials into the secondary curriculum, support health teachers, and gather data on adolescent health choices and behaviors.

Planting the Seed

Chipping In for College

Scholarship money is putting college in focus for

Everyone in the District came together to raise more

fifth-graders at Daggett ES. They received $500

than $50,000 in scholarship money for the MACE

Mexican American College Education Fund (M.A.C.E.)

Fund. Cesar Chavez ES and Morningside MS

scholarships, which will be distributed to the students

were the two schools that brought in the most

when they enroll in college. The scholarships totaling

money. Since 1970, MACE has awarded more than

$12,000 were paid for by the Miles Foundation, the

$775,000 in scholarships to eligible students in

Rainwater Foundation, Pier One Imports, and Chadra’s

Tarrant County.

Grill. A similar program has been in place for 12 years at George C. Clarke ES, and many of the earliest recipients have graduated from college.

Way to Give!

United for Literacy

District students, staff, and retirees dug deep into their

The United Way of Tarrant County awarded the

pockets to collectively pledge $226,520 to United Way.

District’s early-grade Leveled Literacy Intervention

The agency will distribute the money locally to provide

Reading Camp $486,724 to serve at-risk kids in 11

crucial services to people in our community, and in our

selected elementary schools. The camp was held three

District. Shout-outs for highest giving (per capita) go to:

days each week for 26 weeks. Most of the students

Elementary students – Springdale ES Elementary staff – J.T. Stevens ES

who participated gained five reading levels during that time.

Secondary students – Middle Level Learning Secondary staff – McLean 6th Grade

Patricia Schutts is passionate about music education.

She worked to make it happen. “We went to the Fort Worth ISD and talked to

“I feel very strongly that the performing arts,

them about a partnership. The District agreed,

music in particular, is basic education. For

and now all children – grades one through five

everyone. They don’t all have to be musicians, but

– come to one of our performing arts programs

they need to experience the best music.”

every year. And it’s all free.”

In Fort Worth ISD. “When Bass Hall was built, we knew we wanted to share it with the children in Fort Worth.”

And every year, her favorite part of the students’ visits is the moment the lights go down. “You hear a collective “ahhhh.” It’s students, literally on the edge of their seats, so excited to see what’s about to happen on that stage.”

“They walk into Bass Hall knowing they’re coming to something special.” 69

ACTRESS JENNIE GARTH SHOWED UP WITH THE ESSILOR KIDS VISION VAN AT R.J. WILSON ES. THE VAN SERVED 40 ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES THIS YEAR, GIVING STUDENTS FREE EYE EXAMS AND GLASSES.

PARENTS AND FORT WORTH ISD PARTNERED WITH THE OFFICES OF U. S. CONGRESSMAN MARC VEASEY AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE LON BURNAM TO HOST THE MLK

DAY OF SERVICE HEALTH FAIR AT POLYTECHNIC HS. JOHN PETER SMITH HOSPITAL PROVIDED FREE MEDICAL EXAMS TO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, A REQUIREMENT FOR THOSE WANTING TO PLAY SPORTS.

THE HUMANA FOUNDATION DONATED $10,000 FOR THE ANNUAL FORT WORTH ISD DISTRICT WALK. THE WALK WAS HELD AT ALL THE HIGH SCHOOL TRACKS FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.

Many Partners Singly Focused

Learning to Bounce Back

Several community partners came together with

The District became one of 15 organizations piloting

the District three times during the year to find ways

the Reaching Teens Initiative to build resiliency

to combine their efforts for literacy development.

in teenagers and help them overcome adversity

The committed partners who pooled their resources

and stress. The program guides teens in using

included Tarrant County College, Score A Goal in the

their strengths to address problem behaviors. The

Classroom, United Way, Tarrant NET, Clayton YES!,

initiative is a partnership with the Mental Health

Fort Worth Library, and Boys & Girls Club of

Connection of Tarrant County, in collaboration

America.

with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the acclaimed Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, director of Covenant House of Pennsylvania.

GIVING BACK

EXTRA CREDIT

The Fort Worth Latino Police Officers Association and LoveMySupplies donated school supplies to four schools to support District teachers and kids.

Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead delivered pizza and words of inspiration to students at Handley MS, Middle Level Learning Center, and Rosemont MS.

Former Dallas Cowboys player and Super Bowl champ Larry Brown taught District kids all the right moves at his free football clinic at Clark Stadium.

Back-To-School Info Shopping We partnered with Ridgmar Mall for our first-ever Parent

testing, Gold Seal Programs of Choice and Schools of

Event. It was one-stop shopping for school preparation

Choice, college readiness, Parent Portal. the Fort Worth

needs. Parents talked to District representatives and

ISD mobile app, PTA/PTO membership, and JROTC.

gathered information about STAAR and End of Course

Star Power at Tech Actress Candy Clark was the star of the day at Trimble Technical HS’s Central City Fall Festival and Classic Car Show. Ms. Clark grew up in Fort Worth, graduated from Trimble Tech, and left soon after for Hollywood. She starred in “American Graffiti” and “The Man Who Fell to Earth.” Ms. Clark is among the more than 135 alumni who have earned a place on the District’s Wall of Fame.

Tradition of Excellence We added six new faces to the Fort Worth ISD Wall of Fame, located in the administration building. New honorees include: •

– Central Intelligence Agency technical

Business Press CFO of the Year

Richard Goode (North Side HS, 1933) – The first director of the U.S. Fiscal Affairs Department in 1965 and consultant for the U.S. Treasury Department Darrow Hooper (North Side HS, 1949) – College All-American and winner of a silver

– Chief financial officer for Freese and Nichols engineering and architecture firm and a Fort Worth

of the agency’s most valuable operatives

•

• Cindy Milraney (Southwest HS, 1976)

David Coffey (Diamond Hill-Jarvis HS, 1957) operations officer recognized as a Trailblazer, one

•

medal in shot-put at the Olympics in Helsinki in 1952

• Rosa Navejar (Diamond Hill-Jarvis HS, 1974) – First woman to lead the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and recipient of numerous civic awards

• Marc Veasey (Arlington Heights HS, 1990) – U.S. Congressman on the House Armed Services Committee and the Science, Space and Technology Committee

WORKFORCE

Jay Kurima wants students to learn to learn.

Each day he tries to meet their needs.

“I want my students to be knowledgeable inside

“I try to remember that students are individuals

and outside the classroom. I want them to have

with complete lives outside of school. This makes

the skills and the confidence to take on problems,

me stop and really see them and hear them. It

buckle down, and push through to a solution.”

makes me think, ‘what do they need right now? How can I help them right now?’”

And leave class expanded in mind and spirit. “These days when students say they want to be a

For growth.

doctor, it isn’t for the money. They really want to

“An orange, for example, looks like other oranges.

help people. My job is to nurture that spirit while

But each orange has great potential. The seeds

teaching them everything they need to know.”

inside can grow into other trees and make all these other great oranges. I want students to know their singular life can grow throughout the world and make it a better place.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each student is an individual with great potential.â&#x20AC;? 77

A Great Place to Teach Fort Worth ISD got down to the business of fulfilling our

• We re-launched www.teachfortworth.org to provide

new strategic goal to develop a workforce that is student

all the information prospective teachers need to

and customer-centered. We created Teach Fort Worth, an

know about teacher certification, the District’s hiring

initiative to make sure we hire the best teachers in the state

process, substitute teaching, and living in the city of

– and keep them. The first step was to begin thoroughly

Fort Worth.

reviewing how we recruit, develop, and retain our teachers.

• We held our first-ever Fort Worth ISD Teacher Hiring

To help us with the review and other phases of the

Week in May in order to be fully staffed well before the

initiative, we brought on board The New Teacher Project

first day of school. Our Human Capital Management

(TNTP), a non-profit organization founded by teachers.

team identified more than 700 pre-certified,

Once the review is complete, we will craft a five-year plan

pre-qualified teaching candidates.

to improve these processes. More early Teach Fort Worth highlights include:

• Many of these qualified applicants were then hired at a Teacher Job Fair that wrapped up Hiring Week.

Teacher Express Lane

Fair and Competitive Pay

Our District and Fort Worth

A second grade teacher and a high

For the first time since 2008,

Teaching Fellows streamlined

school science teacher were named

the District undertook a detailed

the interview and application

Fort Worth ISD’s 2014 Teachers of

employee compensation study.

process for prospective bilingual

the Year. Meagan Bolton is a dual

It looked at data to make sure

teachers by hosting the Fort Worth

language teacher at Van Zandt-

the District’s wages, salaries, and

ISD Bilingual Teacher Job Fair

Guinn ES. Jay Kurima teaches

other pay practices were equitable

in March. It welcomed certified

Physics and Advanced Placement

internally and competitive

teachers, non-certified career

Environmental Science at the Texas

externally. The Texas Association

changers, and recent college

Academy of Biomedical Sciences.

of School Boards conducted

graduates across all academic

Each received a $5,000 honorarium

the study.

majors who were interested in

from Central Market, along with

becoming bilingual teachers in our

a new car to drive for one year,

highest-need schools.

courtesy of Fort Worth Nissan.

Hope for History

O.P.E.N. Doors

The District wrapped up Project HOPE, a four-year

Staying in school and focused on learning can be

$1 million Teaching American History Grant designed

hugely challenging if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re homeless. This school

to raise student achievement by improving teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

year, 1,964 District students were identified as

knowledge of, and appreciation for, United States history.

homeless and at-risk. Our O.P.E.N. Doors program

Professors in the history departments at Texas Christian

was there to make education goals reachable. The

University and the University of Texas at Arlington worked

program provided clothing, supplies, tutoring,

with fifth, eighth and 11th-grade teachers. Preliminary

transportation assistance, school fees, nutrition,

results for the spring 2014 STAAR End of Course tests

and even eye glasses. O.P.E.N. Doors also held

showed 90 percent of District students passed U.S. History.

workshops for parents in meeting space donated by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

Keeping Kids on Track Taking a proactive approach to student discipline paid off for everyone. The number of student referrals to the Alternative Education Program decreased by 45 percent from last year. Our Department of Student Discipline and Placement gives much of the credit to the Review360 program. It provided teachers and administrators with professional development in school and classroom management, including tips for helping students make positive behavior choices. Timely interventions kept more students on campus and engaged in learning.

EDUCATORS

EXTRA CREDIT

Fort Worth ISD staff and community volunteers knocked on doors to encourage students not to give up on school. The annual Prevail to Graduation Walk targeted students who re-enrolled in school the previous spring but did not show up once classes began in the fall.

This school year, our 114 registered nurses and 19 health assistants served 130 campuses. They provided first aid and prevention education. They also held a few hands, sometimes the best medicine.

Students joined Superintendent Dansby in delivering the 2013-2014 Convocation message. For the third year in a row, teachers, principals, and staff watched a videotaped “welcome back” address at their own campuses rather than gather at a large centralized location. In the video, Mr. Dansby gave employees a look at exciting changes and opportunities that awaited them in the school year. Helping him out were students Ty Sims/Eastern Hills HS, Mia Cruz/ Trimble Technical HS, and Grace Gunn/Benbrook MS.

What Teachers Had to Say The 2014 Fort Worth ISD Teacher Survey provided helpful

Principals were widely viewed as reachable and visible.

insights into teachers’ perceptions of school climate and

• 93% said principals were most effective in using

District policies. Some 3,751 responded to the survey, a

data to identify areas of improvement

72 percent response rate. Here are some of the findings:

• 92% were familiar with the District’s Mission

Many of the teachers surveyed said they felt positively challenged at work. They also would recommend Fort Worth ISD to a friend.

and Vision

• 89% were proud to work at Fort Worth ISD • 72% said they believed that schools regularly

We also conducted surveys of students and parents to measure their perceptions on a wide variety of topics,

communicated with parents on how to assist

including campus safety, teacher quality, and parent

with learning

engagement. The results were not available at the time our report went to print.

Superintendent Honored The Greater Fort Worth Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America named Superintendent Walter Dansby Communicator of the Year. Both Fort Worth ISD and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce nominated Mr. Dansby for the award. He also received a Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas. Earlier in the school year, Mr. Dansby was appointed to the Legislative Council of the University Interscholastic League (UIL).

Hero for Kids

Taking a Bow

The Dallas Mavericks and the Score A Goal in the

The Dallas Theater Center (DTC) recognized

Classroom school incentive program awarded

Polytechnic HS theater teacher Nancy Montague for

Trimble Technical HS head basketball coach

her participation in the DTC’s nationally recognized

Wendell Ivory the Bayard H. Friedman Hero

Project Discovery program. It provides free tickets,

Award. The award was presented at a Mavericks

transportation, and performance guides to DTC

vs. Brooklyn Nets game in the American Airlines

performances. Students also get to attend pre-show

Center in Dallas. Mr. Ivory has also been named the

workshops for each play. Ms. Montague attended

District’s basketball Coach of the Year

professional development workshops at the DTC and

three times.

created lesson plans for her students on the ideas and processes behind each production.

Job Fair for Grads The Fort Worth ISD Hiring Fair was the place to be for students just out of school and needing a career and/or cash for college. The event for recent graduates, hosted by our Career & Technical Education Department, has been recognized for two decades as one of the largest employer-attended job fairs in Tarrant County. This year, more than 100 employers came looking to fill positions. The event was open to our senior class of 2014 and recent graduates of the District, ages 17 to 21.

EDUCATORS

EXTRA CREDIT Four of the six winners of this year’s Fort Worth Hispanic Heritage Awards were District employees: Danna Diaz/director of Student Engagement and School Completion, Pamela Hayes/teacher at New Lives Program, Ramon Nino/director of the North Side HS Mariachi Program, and David Warren Rush/teacher at George C. Clarke ES.

June Davis, the District’s director of Special Programs, was awarded the 2013-2014 Trailblazer Award by the Fort Worth Alliance of Black School Educators. Out of 800 North Texas educators who applied for a Project Fit America grant, Cesar Chavez ES physical education teacher Kelley Podsednik was selected to participate in a Coach’s Cook Off at AT&T Stadium. It was held in conjunction with the NCAA Final Four basketball games. She won a TV, video monitors, and a refrigerator for her school.

Score a Goal in the Classroom awarded Trimble Technical HS Principal Omar Ramos the Bayard H. Friedman Hero Award for Best Principal in North Texas. Mr. Ramos was recognized for his leadership following tragedies affecting his students.

Yvonne Garcia can sum up in five words

Another?

the District’s initiative to deliver exceptional

“If someone looks lost, introduce yourself and ask if

customer service.

you can help. Then, don’t just point the way toward

“Do that little bit extra. Your customer – that

a particular office. Take a few moments to escort the

means students, parents, co-workers, and visitors

person to where they need to go.”

– will feel valued and respected, you’ll feel good about yourself, and it will send a positive message

Customer service, she says, empowers the giver

about Fort Worth ISD.”

as well as the receiver. “Just imagine if you’re a bus driver, front office

Need an example?

staff, a teacher, or someone else who is the first

“Here’s an easy one. Smile when you answer the

point of contact for our students and parents. You

phone. Your customer will hear that smile.”

have an immense power to set the tone for the day for so many.”

“You can hear a smile over the phone.”

LOOKING AHEAD 84

The Building Begins Some of the major construction projects

Westpark ES. We will also start work on Dunbar HS’s

in the 2013 Capital Improvement

new Aviation Education Center, a state-of-the-art

Program will start taking shape in

hangar with all the planes, parts, and professional

2014-2015, including two elementary

technology to give flight to Dunbar’s Aviation

schools. We will break ground on the

Technology Gold Seal Program of Choice.

new Washington Heights ES and the new

Pledge to Improve Achievement Fort Worth ISD joined with 60 big-city school districts in

better serve males of color. Fort Worth ISD will put

committing to a Pledge by America’s Great City Schools

special emphasis on this issue in the coming school

to improve the academic and social outcomes of boys

year as we continue rolling out District-wide Pre-

and young men of color. The pledge contains 11 actions,

Kindergarten, part of our 2013 Capital Improvement

including taking steps to ensure that pre-school efforts

Program.

Fort Worth ISD will debut a new School of Choice. It’s the World Languages Institute (WLI), almost two years in the making. WLI is the District’s first secondary school devoted to continuing the education path of students from the Spanish Immersion and Dual Language Enrichment programs. WLI will also serve other students interested in pursuing careers with an international focus. WLI students will continue their study of Spanish and English and have the opportunity to begin studying a third or fourth language, including French and Latin.

Lessons for the Whole Child Children’s school supplies at selected District campuses will include tools for emotional as well as academic growth. It’s a pilot project between the Fort Worth ISD and the Momentous Institute, powered by the Salesmanship Club of Dallas. The project will be funded by a grant from the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. For the next two school years (2014-2016), the Pre-Kindergarten classes will integrate a social emotional health curriculum to unlock children’s potential while reducing stress.

Benbrook Middle-High School The new Benbrook Middle-High School will officially open – and right off will have its own Gold Seal Programs of Choice: Government and Law and Business and Marketing, with an entrepreneurship emphasis. Principal Richard Penland says the new school already has a strong PTA and active community partners in Devon Energy and Pinnacle Bank. Restoration Church, the school’s faith-based community partnership, will sponsor a mentoring program for 40 students. Go, Bobcats!

Boardroom Redo

Keys to Success

Whether you attend a meeting of the Fort Worth

Because music makes everything better, the District

ISD trustees in person or watch it at home, you

will offer formal piano training to students at

will see and hear a big difference in 2014-2015.

O.D. Wyatt HS, under the direction of choir director

We’re upgrading all the technology, which will

Brian Stratton. The school will integrate the Keys

mean higher quality audio and video. The upgrade

to Success piano curriculum, which is designed to

includes replacing the rear projection screen in the

enrich students’ education and open more doors

room with a large flat-panel monitor, putting in

for successful future careers. Famous piano maker

new microphones for board members, and adding

Steinway & Sons is partnering with the District to

a camera in the board conference room to provide

make the program possible.

video during the consent agenda portion of the public meetings.

Principal Guadalupe Barreto is on a mission to build.

Better bilingualism skills. “We are continuing their bilingualism. Later,

“WLI is one of the best education opportunities

they will have the opportunity to add a third

we can give students. We are truly turning the

and perhaps fourth language. It’s important to

tide of education to prepare students for the

be bilingual, but it’s even more important to be

global marketplace.”

multilingual and multicultural. These students will have a key advantage in the marketplace.”

A powerful pathway to success. “This year we start with sixth and seventh-

And better brains.

graders, those coming out of our elementary

“When you are bilingual, you are gifted, whether

Spanish Immersion and Dual Language

or not you are officially identified as such. Your

Enrichment programs and those showing

mind starts thinking differently. And when

an early interest in pursuing careers with an

you add a third or fourth language, say French,

international focus.”

Chinese, or Arabic, it is a lot easier to learn, and it will open the doors to a number of careers.”

“This School of Choice will absolutely open new doors of opportunity.”

E L E M E N TA RY

Hubbard Heights

Seminary Hills Park

Como Montessori

Beal, Harlean

Huerta, Dolores

Shulkey, Bruce

Daggett

Benbrook

Jara, Manuel

Sims, T.A.

Daggett Montessori

Bonnie Brae

Kirkpatrick, Milton L.

South Hi Mount

Dunbar 6th

Briscoe, Edward J.

Logan, Maude I.

South Hills

Dunbar

Burton Hill

Lowery Road

Springdale

Elder, J.P.

Carlson, Alice ALC

McDonald, Atwood

Stevens, J.T.

Forest Oak

Carter Park

McRae, D.

Sunrise-McMillan

Glencrest 6th

Chavez, Cesar

Meadowbrook

Tanglewood

Handley

Clarke, George C.

Mendoza, Rufino

Terrell, I.M.

James, William

Clayton, Lily B.

Merrett, Luella

Turner, W.J.

Kirkpatrick, Milton L.

Como

Mitchell Boulevard

Van Zandt-Guinn

Leonard

Como Montessori

Moore, M.H.

Walton, Maudrie M.

McClung

Contreras, Alice D.

Morningside

Washington Heights

McLean, W.P.

Daggett, E.M.

Moss, Christene C.

Waverly Park

McLean 6th

Daggett Montessori

Nash, Charles E.

West Handley

Meacham, W.A.

Davis, Clifford

North Hi Mount

Westcliff

Meadowbrook

De Zavala

Oakhurst

Westcreek

Monnig, William

Diamond Hill

Oaklawn

Western Hills

Morningside

Dillow, S.S.

Pate, A.M.

Western Hills Primary

Riverside

East Handley

Peace, Hazel Harvey

Westpark

Rosemont

Eastern Hills

Peak, Carroll

White, John. T.

Rosemont 6th

Elliott, Bill J.

Phillips, M.L.

Williams, Versia L.

Stripling, W.C.

Ellis, M.G.

Ridglea Hills

Wilson, Richard

Wedgwood

Glen Park

Riverside ALC

Woodway

Wedgwood 6th

Green, W.M.

Rosemont

Worth Heights

Young Men's

Greenbriar

Rosen, Sam

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Helbing, H.V.

Sagamore Hill

Applied Learning Academy

Howell, Natha

Sellars, David K.

Benbrook

Leadership Academy

HIGH SCHOOLS Arlington Heights Carter-Riverside, Amon Diamond Hill-Jarvis Dunbar, P.L. Eastern Hills North Side Paschal, R.L. Polytechnic South Hills Southwest Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences Trimble Technical Western Hills Wyatt, O.D. Young Women's Leadership Academy OTHER SCHOOLS Boulevard Heights International Newcomer Academy Jo Kelly School Metro Opportunity School Middle Level Learning Center New Lives School Success High School

Young Women's Leadership Academy

We wish to thank Principal Mia Hall and her staff at the Young Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leadership Academy for providing the location for our annual report photography shoot.

This report was produced by the Fort Worth ISD Communications Department. View the report online at www.fwisd.org.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 100 N. University Drive Fort Worth,TX 76107 817.871.2000 â&#x20AC;˘ www.fwisd.org