Inside FWISD December 8, 2022

In this edition:

FWISD Dec. 10 Career Fair to Offer On-the-Spot Jobs, Advancement Resources For All Job Levels | Staff Days Surrounding Winter Break | Fort Worth ISD Launches New Parental Consent Process for Surveys Taken by Students | Teaching Chair Honorees Share Inspirational, Wise Words In Acceptance Speech Videos | Get United and Invest In FWISD Students, Families | Central Administration Employees Encouraged to Prepare, Clear Clutter Ahead of Summer Move | Polytechnic Celebrates its 110th Year with Tours of New Campus Buildings | UPDATED: Join the Diamond Hill Pyramid For Its Community Resource Fair This Saturday | FWISD High School Whiz Quiz Teams Are Down to the Big Four for the Finals: Watch “The Sport of Knowledge” In-person or Online Tonight! | December 2022 IT Training and Compliance Sessions | FWISD Offers New Process for Requesting Academic Records | FWISD in the News | Photos of the Week | Video of the Week

FWISD DEC. 10 CAREER FAIR TO OFFER ON-THE-SPOT JOBS, ADVANCEMENT RESOURCES FOR ALL JOB LEVELS

Take your career up a notch with Fort Worth ISD.

Campus principals, hiring managers, and university and teacher certification partners are ready to meet with graduating college students, prospective hires, and current employees looking to elevate their careers at the District’s December Career Fair this Saturday. FWISD officials are prepared to interview and hire qualified applicants on-the-spot! Current employees in non-supervisory roles who refer a new teacher or auxiliary employee can earn $500 for the recommendation.

The following events are slated from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Teaching and Learning Center, 1050 Bridgewood Drive:

Teacher and Teacher Assistant Hiring Fair: Campus principals will interview and hire qualified teachers and teacher assistants on-site. Pre-registration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.

Campus Professional Hiring Fair: Hiring managers look forward to meeting and hiring qualified applicants who support students on their way to peak performance. Pre-registration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.

Operations and Auxiliary Fair: Hiring managers will interview and offer jobs to prospective campus security monitors, custodians, family engagement specialists, maintenance, transportation, and other prospective operations and auxiliary applicants. Pre-registration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.

Career Advancement Fair: University and Alternative Teacher Certification partners will be in attendance to meet with current FWISD employees interested in pursuing an advanced college degree or educator certification. Pre-registration is not required to attend.

2023-2024 Leadership Interest Sessions: Applicants interested in transitioning into a leadership role are invited to learn about the available job opportunities for the 2023-2024 academic year. Interest sessions are scheduled every 30 minutes for prospective counselors, data analysts, instructional coaches, campus principals and administrators. Pre-registration is not necessary to attend. This is the only application opportunity for internal candidates. Interested candidates should apply for 2023-2024 leadership opportunities before Jan. 4, 2023. No late applications will be accepted. Visit the Talent Management website for your desired information session.

“The new year is right around the corner and now is a great time to find not just a job, but your calling, in the Fort Worth Independent School District,” said Raúl Peña, FWISD Chief Talent Officer.

FWISD offers competitive salaries, incentives and signing bonuses.

Visit www.fwisd.org/careers to learn more about our job opportunities and incentives.

Call 817-814-HIRE (4473) or email teachfortworth@fwisd.org for additional Career Advancement Fair details.

Staff Days Surrounding Winter Break

Ready for the winter break? Don’t forget to write down the following staff days. Fort Worth ISD employees will observe a staff day the day prior to the start of winter break, Dec. 16, 2022, and the day after the break concludes, Jan. 3, 2023.

Teachers may finish grading and wrap up the fall semester Dec. 16, and prepare for the spring semester Jan. 3. Winter break officially begins for District employees at close of business Dec. 16.

Students will start their winter break at the close of the school day Thursday, Dec. 15, and return for classes Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.

District facilities are closed in observance of winter break Dec. 19, 2022-Jan. 2, 2023.

FORT WORTH ISD LAUNCHES NEW PARENTAL CONSENT PROCESS FOR SURVEYS TAKEN BY STUDENTS

Fort Worth ISD parents: we hear you, and we have created a process that gives you a greater say in the District surveys your child takes.

The Fort Worth ISD's Parental Consent to surveys launched Monday, Dec. 5. The service, powered by online registration system PowerSchool, is open through Jan. 6, 2023.

Earlier this fall, District officials met with parents and other stakeholder groups regarding districtwide surveys administered to students. Based on the feedback, District officials found that parents want:

• Advance notice of districtwide surveys administered
• The ability to review survey questions and determine their child’s participation in the survey
• A clear understanding of why the District conducts surveys and how the data is utilized
• Transparency in District protocols

The result was the creation of a new Parental Consent process in which parents determine their child’s participation in District surveys.

Here’s how Parental Consent works:

Parents are asked to make selections either opting their child in or out of individual, grade-specific Districtwide surveys administered for the remainder of the 2022-2023 academic year. The District defines opt-in/out as the following:

• Opt-in: Students will participate in the survey if the box is checked to participate.
• Opt-out: Students will automatically participate unless the box is checked not to participate.

Parental Consent documentation for the following academic year will be included in the 2023-2024 student registration process.

The following are 2022-2023 surveys parents and guardians will be asked to agree to and acknowledge or provide consent for:

• Acceptable Use
• Texas Education Code Section 38
• Texas Senate Bill 9
• FWISD District Surveys
• YRBS from CDC
• Rhithm Check-ins

Families will receive an email with a unique Snapcode for each child they have enrolled in the District and instructions on how to complete the Parental Consent process.

Upon parents acknowledging and giving or declining consent for their child to participate in surveys, the information will be placed in the Focus Student Information System and shared with their child’s home campus. Any changes made to the Parental Consent of surveys after the online documentation is submitted must be done in-person by a parent or guardian at the child’s school.

Surveys are a formal method utilized by the District to collect individual student opinions, perceptions, feelings, and thoughts on various topics. Survey results help District leaders, school administrators, teachers, and support staff:

• Improve the overall school experience for FWISD students
• Better understand the resources needed by students to be successful
• Comply with state and federal law in cases where student voice is required for specialized funding

Parents will soon have the option to review survey questions prior to distribution to students and survey outcomes via a webpage that will be accessible via fwisd.org.

Students whose parents or guardians do not complete the online Parental Consent documentation by Jan. 6 will be automatically enrolled or opted out depending on the individual District survey.

Parents with additional questions about the Parental Consent to surveys are encouraged to view our Family FAQ page or contact their child’s school. For technical support, submit your questions to Let’s Talk!

TEACHING CHAIR Honorees SHARE INSPIRATIONAL, WISE WORDS IN ACCEPTANCE SPEECH VIDEOS

The Fort Worth ISD recently recognized its 2022-2023 Academic Chairs for Teaching Excellence honorees.

Now and through the remainder of the semester, view inspirational acceptance speech vignettes from this year’s 16 recipients via www.fwisd.org, FWISD social media channels, and the Community and Strategic Partnerships website.

The Academic Chairs for Teaching Excellence recognizes outstanding FWISD teachers in 15 categories, each with a $5,000 honorarium sponsored by community partners, the title for one year, and a flag to display in a prominent location.

Get United and Invest in FWISD Students, Families

There is still time to make a pledge to the 2022-23 Get United campaign. The last day to donate is Dec. 9.

Support United Way of Tarrant County in continued efforts to invest in FWISD students and families and to help our neighbors in need. In this short video, Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Angélica M. Ramsey explains the impact giving makes on the Tarrant County community.

Check your email inboxes for a link to a secure pledge website where you can decide on making a payroll deduction or a one-time gift. Giving is strictly voluntary.

“Many of your colleagues have answered the call, but there is still more work to do to create meaningful change - change that helps more students graduate, more local families become financially stable, and more of our neighbors live healthy lives,” states a United Way of Tarrant County message recently sent to FWISD employees. “Your decision to support United Way of Tarrant County means a more equitable, healthy, and educated Tarrant County, for all.”

Central Administration Employees Encouraged to Prepare, Clear Clutter Ahead of Summer Move

Polytechnic Celebrates its 110th Year with Tours of New Campus Buildings

Join Polytechnic High School in celebrating a momentous occasion this Saturday, Dec. 10, as alumni, current students, and neighborhood leaders come together to honor both the past AND the future of this remarkable east Fort Worth landmark. Indeed, 1912 was the year that the first students graduated from the institution. Now 110 years later, students, alums, teachers and staff have much to be proud of when they walk through the halls of Poly!

These include the new “600 building” that houses new classrooms for mathematics among other subjects, a second building dedicated to fine arts, and a third building focused on science. Moreover, $65 million in bond funds helped to improve existing structures, making the school truly resemble a college campus. The improvements come just as this neighborhood and community are experiencing a renaissance with major improvements to Texas Wesleyan University and other revitalization projects.

FWISD is delighted to be a partner in this renaissance as we invest in our future: our young people. We hope to see you Saturday for some legendary Poly Pride!

Join the Diamond Hill Pyramid For Its Community Resource Fair This Saturday

UPDATED AT 3:28 P.M. DEC. 8 -- Show your love for the Diamond Hill pyramid at its Community Resource Fair this Saturday, Dec. 10. The Proud to be An Eagle Parade, scheduled originally prior to the fair, has been postponed due to inclement weather.

The Diamond Hill community fair, taking place from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School, 1411 Maydell Drive, offers a variety of resources. Nearly 20 healthcare, city, community outreach, county food bank, county public health representatives, among others, will be on hand to meet with the community.

FWISD HIGH SCHOOL WHIZ QUIZ TEAMS ARE DOWN TO THE BIG FOUR FOR THE FINALS

Watch “The Sport of Knowledge” In-person or Online Tonight!

The top four Fort Worth ISD high school Whiz Quiz teams go head-to-head in the big finals matches tonight, Dec.8. The teams are:

• Semi-Final Match 1 - Paschal vs. I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM & VPA
• Semi-Final Match 2 - North Side vs. Benbrook
• Championship Match 3 – the winners of the above semi-finals

The first semi-final gets underway at 5 p.m. at the M.G. Ellis Building (formerly M.G. Ellis Elementary School), 215 NE 14th St., Fort Worth. The second semi-final is immediately after, followed by the championship match. Watch the matches in-person or live on Charter/Spectrum channel 192, ATT U-verse 99, or the Fort Worth ISD Live YouTube channel.

Southwest High School alumnus and WFAA anchor Marc Istook will ask the questions. Mr. Istook is a Whiz Quiz veteran who competed while a student at Wedgwood Middle School.

Award-winning students from Southwest’s Advanced Media Program will host and take on other roles in the live production, and the Paschal Jazz Ensemble 1 will entertain. And, audience members test their brainpower too in the “Are You Smarter Than a Whiz Quizzer” segment sponsored by Pizza Snob. A longtime Whiz Quiz supporter, Pizza Snob provides dinner for the award-winning jazz band and student production crew.

Tonight, we will also celebrate the FWISD Sixth Grade and Middle School Whiz Quiz teams, who recently held their finals competitions.

DECEMBER 2022 IT TRAINING AND COMPLIANCE SESSIONS

Take advantage of these training opportunities and many more being offered by FWISD's IT Training and Compliance Department and the DFW Microsoft Training Hub.

Visit Eduphoria! today to view a complete listing of training sessions and to sign up. For additional information, visit the IT Training and Compliance webpage.

FWISD Offers New Process for Requesting Academic Records

Editor's Note: The following Business Intelligence Department memorandum offers details about the District's new process for former students, corporations and post-secondary institutions to access academic records via the Student Records website.