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Inside FWISD February 24, 2022

In this edition:

Fort Worth ISD Will Operate on A Two-Hour Delay for Students on Friday, Feb. 25 | 2022-2023 Employee Calendar | Input Needed On Safe Return To Learning Plan: Take Survey Now Through Feb. 28! | Voluntary Teacher Transfer Applications Due March 1 | District Teacher of the Year Application Deadline Is Tomorrow | Remembering Natha Howell ES Teacher Edgar Silguero | Second Westpark Relief School Community Meeting Set For Feb. 28 In Benbrook | New Employee Service Award Survey Deadline Is March 4 | Homegrown Talent Signs Letter Of Intent To Teach | Board Approves Tablet, Laptop Purchases For FWISD Teachers | New Academy Prepares FWISD Assistant Principals To Lead | 2022 End Of Year Closing Deadlines, Information Revealed | Photos of the Week: Annual MBK/MSK Summit | Video of the Week: Unearth 1992 Time Capsule | View more stories throughout the week on the Inside FWISD Blog

Fort Worth ISD Will Operate on A Two-Hour Delay for Students on Friday, February 25

(UPDATE 7:30 p.m.) Editor's Note: The following story includes the District's inclement weather plan for tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 25, with an attached memorandum issued Wednesday, Feb. 23 from FWISD Deputy Superintendent Karen Molinar about the inclement weather plan for Thursday.

The Fort Worth ISD will operate on a two-hour delay for students and staff on Friday, February 25. Buses will run on a two-hour delayed scheduled as well.

Elementary schools will open at 9:50 a.m.; middle school will start at 11:15 a.m.; and high schools will begin at 10:25 a.m.

All non-UIL after school events on Friday are canceled, including the Fort Worth After School Program.

Head coaches will communicate with athletes about any change in schedule for games.

2022-2023 Employee Calendar

Editor's Note: The following documents provide details about the 2022-2023 FWISD Employee Calendar and Employee Start and End Dates.

INPUT NEEDED ON SAFE RETURN TO LEARNING PLAN

Take Survey Now Through Feb. 28!

The Fort Worth ISD seeks to hear from stakeholders on the Safe Return to Learning and Continuity of Services Plan, designed to provide structure and resources for the FWISD community following the COVID-19 District closure and the subsequent return to 100% in-person instruction.

The brief survey is now open to District stakeholders and available through Monday, Feb. 28. Survey responses are anonymous, and questions are available for review prior to taking the survey.

In the fall, Fort Worth ISD received more than $261 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER III) to address learning recovery and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds are designated for one-time or short-term spending over the next four summers and three full fiscal years.

In addition to a plan for the use of ESSER III funds, the District was required to create the Safe Return to Learning and Continuity of Services Plan. This plan must be reviewed and revised as needed every six months with input from District stakeholders.

Stakeholders can also provide feedback about the plan by visiting the FWISD Let’s Talk online platform. The Feb. 22 board agenda included a presentation with survey results and an update on the use of ESSER III funds and the Safe Return to Learning and Continuity of Services Plan. View the board meeting here at hour mark 2:06:12.

For questions about the survey, please email AskEval@fwisd.org.

Voluntary Teacher Transfer Applications Due March 1

Eligible Fort Worth ISD educators interested in moving to another campus for the 2022-2023 academic year have until Tuesday, March 1, to apply for a Voluntary Teacher Transfer.

The application can be viewed on the Talent Management career website by clicking the Voluntary Teacher Transfers panel.

Interested candidates must:

  • Be employed for a minimum of two years at their current school.
  • Perform at a level that “meets expectations” in their current assignments based on the educator’s most recent teacher appraisal. Teachers must rate as “Progressing” or “Proficient” or better in all T-TESS (Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System) domains thus far this year.

Talent Management officials say they expect all transfers to be completed by June 1.

Teachers who were involuntarily placed at their current school this academic year are eligible to apply. Granted transfers must serve a minimum of two years in their new assignment before requesting another transfer. Educators who are not approved for a transfer by June 1 will remain in their current assignment.

“Extenuating circumstances may necessitate transfers after June 1 and require approval of the requesting principal, current principal, the designated chief, and Talent Management,” writes Dr. Raúl Peña, Chief Talent Officer, in a recent memorandum to principals.

For additional information, email teachfortworth@fwisd.org.

District Teacher of the Year Application Deadline Is Tomorrow

Editor's Note: The following memorandum from the Department of Community and Strategic Partnerships provides information about the upcoming District Teacher of the Year Application deadline.

Remembering Natha Howell ES Teacher Edgar Silguero

The Fort Worth ISD (FWISD) is saddened by the recent loss of Natha Howell Elementary School teacher Edgar Silguero.

Mr. Silguero died earlier this month. He was 52. Natha Howell Elementary School plans to remember the fifth grade teacher with a memorial service soon.

Earlier this month, his colleagues selected him as the school’s 2021-2022 Campus Teacher of the Year. Mr. Silguero will be acknowledged at FWISD’s Campus Teacher of the Year reception April 7 at the Kimbell Art Museum.

A native of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Mr. Silguero earned an electro-mechanical engineer degree in Mexico before deciding to teach in the United States. Despite a difficult start in a new career, he had a desire to inspire young children to reach their full potential.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of your child's educational journey,” he wrote in his teacher’s biography on the school website. “My goal is to help each and every one of my students gain a love of reading and become the leaders of tomorrow.”

Mr. Silguero joined the FWISD more than seven years ago and has taught at Natha Howell Elementary the entire time. The last five years, the beloved educator taught fifth grade.

Natha Howell Elementary assistant principal Robyn May said Mr. Silguero is remembered as someone who challenged people intellectually, expected the best and inspired others to envision a brighter future.

“His students appreciated a classroom community where he fostered meaningful relationships and taught valuable life lessons while maintaining high standards. He concentrated on reframing their perspectives and reassuring confidence,” Ms. May said. “His students and coworkers alike will miss his wisdom, humor, and guidance.”

The Fort Worth ISD extends its deepest sympathy to Mr. Silguero’s family and everyone impacted by his life.

Second Westpark Relief School Community Meeting Set for Feb. 28 in Benbrook

The Fort Worth ISD (FWISD) will host a second community meeting Monday, Feb. 28, to share updates about the new Westpark Relief Elementary School project being developed in the Ventana neighborhood.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at Westpark Elementary School, 10202 Jerry Dunn Parkway in Benbrook.

Attendees will learn proposed boundary options for the new school based on public feedback received from the Jan. 19 meeting, and next steps for the construction project. They will also view proposed campus design renderings. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about the project.

Voters approved construction for the new elementary school as part of the Nov. 2, 2021, bond election.

>> View District updates regarding boundary options.

>> View architect Glenn Partners’ presentation and renderings.

A committee is being developed to facilitate project work and the naming of the new school.

Community members are encouraged to share ideas, questions, and feedback about the project via the District’s Let’s Talk platform: www.fwisd.org/feedback>>General Feedback>>Westpark Relief School.

New Employee Service Award Survey Deadline Is March 4

Fort Worth ISD's Talent Management division has created a new service award to show appreciation for you, our great employees, and recognize your major career milestones. The service award program will be implemented this school year.

To ensure the correct information is captured, identified employees recently received a brief survey via email from AskEval@fwisd.org. Employees are encouraged to take the survey by close of day, Friday, March 4. The survey helps Talent Management verify the employees’ FWISD Internal Years of Service and provide the correct spelling, punctuation, and accents they would like to appear on their name if provided an award or plaque.

Talent Management thanks you for your cooperation.

Homegrown Talent Signs Letter of Intent to Teach

Coraima Saenz is a homegrown Fort Worth ISD educator.

Recently, the District surprised the Westpark Elementary School pre-kindergarten teacher assistant and Western Hills High School alumna with a letter of intent to become a FWISD teacher starting the 2022-2023 academic year.

Ms. Saenz’s children proudly stood by her side as she signed the intent letter Thursday, Feb. 17, at Westpark Elementary. “I’m really proud of her,” said Ms. Saenz’s daughter Klarissa, a sixth grader at Benbrook Middle-High School.

Ms. Saenz’s success story was shared with the FWISD Board of Education and meeting attendees during a Feb. 22 presentation about the District’s efforts to recruit and retain quality educators.

As a former FWISD student and an educator who has committed early to teach at the District, Ms. Saenz is eligible for several one-time teacher bonuses. Learn more about the District’s Teacher Sign-On Bonus opportunities here.

Ms. Saenz has served the Westpark community as a pre-K TA since 2016. In 2021, she earned a degree in general studies with a concentration in education and sociology/psychology from Tarleton State University. She is currently enrolled in the alternative teacher certification via iTeach.

“I couldn’t have come this far without the support of the people that I am surrounded by... [and] I cannot thank them enough for this,” Ms. Saenz said. “Having my daughters there to share this amazing news with me meant the world to me, and for them to see that as long as you have perseverance, anything is possible!”

Ms. Saenz starts a kindergarten teaching position with Westpark Elementary this August.

Board Approves Tablet, Laptop Purchases for FWISD Teachers

In the last two Fort Worth ISD (FWISD) Board of Education meetings, trustees have approved the purchase of approximately 5,100 new devices for teachers.

The board approved iPad tablets for all teachers at a total not to exceed $2.5 million on Jan. 25. On Tuesday, Feb. 22, the board authorized the District to buy laptops for teachers and high school students not to exceed $26.5 million. General funds will be used to acquire the devices.

“It is time to provide teachers with updated technology to enhance the learning/teaching experience,” said Marlon Shears, FWISD Chief Information Officer. “Often, teachers work with students on a one-on-one basis during class, and mobility is important. The tablet will allow teachers to move freely around the class without having to carry a laptop around with them.”

District officials say the tablets, which are being bought this school year, equip and empower the educators for instructing the 21st-century mobile learner and provide them with updated mobile devices that support curriculum and delivery of instruction.

The new laptops will also support student learning and program needs and replace devices that are out of warranty and support. The District will buy and distribute laptops based on feedback from the FWISD’s Instructional Readiness Committee. District leadership is still discussing which laptops will be purchased.

Various professional development opportunities will be scheduled for teachers to become familiar with the new technology.

New Academy Prepares FWISD Assistant Principals to Lead

Fort Worth ISD (FWISD) is partnering with Texas Christian University (TCU)’s College of Education, Neeley School of Business, and other organizations to form a free of charge Assistant Principal Leadership Development Academy.

Plans are underway to launch the academy this August.

Recently approved by the FWISD Board of Education, the academy seeks to prepare the District’s highest-potential assistant principals (APs) to lead their own school.

“The academy will provide our best and brightest APs with a unique opportunity to expand their leadership toolkit, ensuring that they are ready to successfully lead a campus with intentionality and purpose from day one,” said Dr. Raúl Peña, FWISD Chief Talent Officer.

Twenty to twenty-five current APs are expected to participate in the first eight-course cohort over the 2022-2023 academic year. Each AP will receive a certificate upon completing the program and will have opportunities to take on principal responsibilities that will help develop their leadership skills.

The academy’s application and selection process are still being developed. Once finalized, it will be announced this spring.

Last fall, FWISD sought proposals from consultants interested in developing the academy. Proposals were evaluated, and TCU met the District’s needs for developing the academy.

FWISD is using $316,000 in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to contract with TCU over the next three years.

Additional details about the academy will be forthcoming in a few months.

2022 End of Year Closing Deadlines, Information Revealed

Editor's Note: The following memorandum provides details about the 2022 End of Year Closing Deadlines and Information. If you have questions about this memorandum, please call 817-814-2171.

Photos of the Week: Annual MBK/MSK Summit

FWISD hosted its Annual My Brother's Keeper (MBK)/ My Sister's Keeper (MSK) Summit on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at Tarrant County College-Trinity River Campus.

Video of the Week: Unearth 1992 Time Capsule

Lily B. Clayton Elementary School excavated a 30-year-old time capsule in celebration of its centennial anniversary last week.

The event is one of a series of centennial anniversary events being hosted this month.

Share your story ideas, successes, calendar items, photos, questions and feedback with us at Inside@FWISD.org. Content submissions are due no later than 10 a.m. Fridays for the next edition. Check the Inside FWISD blog, www.fwisd.org/insidefwisd, regularly updated throughout the week with additional content and features.

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