In this edition:

Friday Is Teacher Flex Day, Student Holiday | FWISD Trustees To Host Lone Star Governance Community Forums: General Public Invited - Forums Will All Be Online | Pre-K/K Registration What You Need To Know About Determining SPC Assessments | FWISD STAAR Testing Begins April 5 | Fort Worth ISD Congratulates Campus Teachers Of The Year With New Drive-Through Event | FWISD Accepts District Advisory Committee Nominations: Nominations Due By 5 p.m. April 16 | Inside FWISD Enforces Content Deadlines | FWISD Announces Time Change For Two Boys Soccer Playoff Games Friday | FWISD Day Of Service Inspires Participants To Serve | Insights Into Future FWISD Careers Available at Bi-Monthly Networking Event | 2021 FWISD Partner And Volunteer Appreciation Week: A Week to Recognize, Reconnect and Reimage | April Is Financial Literacy Month | Bright Spot- Moss Elementary : Sense of family and community nurtures culture of reading | FWISD Offers Teachers Online Promethean Training | FWISD Announces Recent Retirees | Food Available At Multiple Sites For FWISD Families, Community | Inside FWISD News Briefs | Fort Worth ISD Snapshot | Community Resources | Calendar | View more stories throughout the week on the Inside FWISD Blog

Friday Is Teacher Flex Day, Student Holiday

Friday, April 2 (Good Friday) is a teacher Flex Day, and there are no classes for students.

Flex Days are days in which educators have the option to take a day off or engage in professional learning. Flex days are not mandatory regardless of whether teachers have completed 30 hours of professional learning or not. Educators earn Flex credits hours for completing professional learning sessions throughout the academic year.

Teachers must earn their 30 Flex credit hours for the 2020-2021 academic year by April 15 or risk their compensation being docked in increments of half days (three hours) based on the number of earned Flex hours by the deadline.

View the available Flex sessions in Eduphoria using the Flex Content filter. Click here for additional Flex guidance.

Asynchronous or synchronous content sessions including Teaching and Learning (English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Languages, Health and Physical Education, and Fine Arts), Career and Technical Education, and Special Education are also available. With racial equity as a continued focus of the District, the Equity and Excellence Department has created self-paced courses which teachers can earn Flex credit for. The courses can be found using the Flex elective filter in Eduphoria.

“Fort Worth ISD is committed to the well-being of our teachers, and Student Support Services has developed options to help teachers with their social emotional needs,” said Sharolyn Chitwood, FWISD Professional Learning and Innovation (PLI) coordinator. “The strategies taught in these sessions not only help teachers but can be used with students in the classroom.”

For additional Flex details, visit the PLI website.

FWISD Trustees to Host Lone Star Governance Community Forums

General Public Invited - Forums Will All Be Online

The Fort Worth ISD Board of Education will hold a series of virtual community forums April 5-8 to share with the public how they are focusing on Lone Star Governance to improve student outcomes. Each night will focus on a specific stakeholder group.

Lone Star Governance (LSG) is a continuous-improvement model for governing teams, or boards in collaboration with their superintendents. LSG provides coaching and support that intensely focuses on the five pillars of the Texas Framework for School Board Development:

• Vision
• Accountability
• Structure
• Advocacy
• Unity

Working in teams, trustees will explain the role of Board members, their goals and commitments, and they will field some audience questions delivered via the Chat section of Zoom.

The Community Forums are scheduled for:

• Monday, April 5, 6 to 7 p.m. for Elementary School stakeholders

Hosted by Board 2nd Vice President Quinton “Q” Phillips, Trustee Ashly Paz and Trustee Norman Robbins

• Tuesday, April 6, 6 to 7 p.m. for Middle School stakeholders

Hosted by Board President Jacinto Ramos, Jr., 1st Vice President Toby Jackson, and Trustee Daphne Brookins

• Wednesday, April 7, 6 to 7 p.m. for High School stakeholders

Hosted by Board President Jacinto Ramos, Jr., Trustee Ashley Paz, and Trustee Anne Darr

• Thursday, April 8, 6 to 7 p.m. for Spanish-speaking stakeholders

Hosted by Board Secretary Anael Luebanos and Trustee C.J. Evans

All forums will be available online using Zoom – www.fwisd.org/LoneStarGov

PRE-K/K REGISTRATION WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW About DETERMINING SPC ASSESSMENTS

Fort Worth ISD Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten registration has officially opened.

In an effort to equip FWISD employees with essential information for a successful registration process, Inside FWISD will run “What You Need To Know” segments throughout the month of April.

The following information provides campus employees with details for determining whether a prospective pre-K or K student needs to be assessed.

Diana De La Paz, Student Placement Center (SPC) director, has provided a registration Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) FAQ and a registration LPAC chairperson checklist.

Employees with questions about SPC assessments are encouraged to contact the admission adviser assigned to their respective campus. The list below indicates the advisers and the FWISD campuses they’re assigned to.

FWISD STAAR TESTING BEGINS APRIL 5

The Fort Worth ISD will begin state-mandated STAAR testing, in person, during the week of April 5-8, 2021. All eligible FWISD students, including virtual students, are encouraged to take part in STAAR testing.

While the Texas Education Agency will not issue district A-F ratings for the 2020-2021 school year because of the disruptions associated with COVID-19, the STAAR testing results will still help provide valuable information that will allow educators, students, and parents to prepare for next school year.

Another TEA change for this year does not require students in the fifth and eighth grades to pass the STAAR reading and math tests in order to be promoted. However, high school students must complete their End of Course (EOC) exams in order to graduate.

All STAAR tests must be administered in-person, even if a student has been learning virtually. Although some student testers may actually be taking the test online at a campus, they cannot take the test online at home or anywhere other than an approved testing campus.

The Fort Worth ISD will strictly enforce all COVID health and safety protocols during STAAR testing to make sure that all students are safe at each testing location.

Testing dates are as follows:

• STAAR Writing and English I EOC - all students in grades 4 and 7 and all students enrolled in English I + English I re-testers

April 6 - with make-ups through May 4

• STAAR English II EOC - all students enrolled in English II + English II re-testers

April 8 - with make-ups through May 4

• STAAR Algebra I EOC - all students enrolled in Algebra I + Algebra I re-testers

May 4 with make-ups through June 11

• STAAR Biology EOC - all students enrolled in Biology + Biology re-testers

May 5 with make-ups through June 11

• STAAR U.S. History EOC - all students enrolled in US History + US History re-testers

May 6 with make-ups through June 11

• STAAR Grade 8 Science - all eighth graders

May 6 with make-ups through June 11

• STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies - all eighth graders

May 7 with make-ups through June 11

• STAAR Math - all students in grades 3-8

May 11 with make-ups through June 11

• STAAR Reading - all students in grades 3-8

May 12 with make-ups through June 11

• STAAR Science - all students in grade 5

May 13 with make-ups through June 11

All students should report to their campus on the day of STAAR testing. Students who are absent on the day of testing will be given a make-up test when they return to campus in-person.

Parents with questions about STAAR testing, are encouraged to contact their child’s campus principal for additional information.

FORT WORTH ISD CONGRATULATES CAMPUS TEACHERS OF THE YEAR WITH NEW DRIVE-THROUGH EVENT

Fort Worth ISD may not be able to host the annual Campus Teacher of the Year reception this year, but that is not stopping the District from recognizing 134 dedicated teachers in a big and unique way. These teachers have been invited to attend a drive-through celebration featuring music, balloons, and special gifts from CTOY sponsor Central Market.

Campus Teachers of the year will divide into two groups, alphabetically, and attend the drive-through celebration from 3:30 – 5:15 p.m., Tuesday, April 6 and again Thursday, April 8.

Teachers will enter from Shotts Street and wind around the administration building. They will receive their gifts in front of the main entrance. There, they will be greeted by student entertainment, balloons, and enthusiastic FWISD employees to cheer them on as they parade through the parking lot. We encourage all employees in the administration building to take some time to join the celebration.

In a school year unlike any other, Fort Worth ISD teachers were tasked with electing from among their peers a Campus Teacher of the Year who stood head and shoulders above the rest. Campus principals specifically expressed the need to recognize teachers who expertly pivot back and forth between virtual and in-person learning; are problem solvers; lead others in innovation; and who make a positive difference across their campus.

This year’s Campus Teachers of the Year are:

Alice Carlson Applied Learning Center- Melissa Owens

Alice D. Contreras Elementary- Olivia Olalde

A.M. Pate Elementary- Jo-Ann Deisinger

Amon Carter-Riverside High School- Jana Garcia

Applied Learning Academy- Raven Saqer

Arlington Heights High School- Felicia Hobson

Atwood McDonald Elementary- Hollie Hewitt

Benbrook Elementary- Ava Moreno

Benbrook Middle-High School- David Koenig

Bill J. Elliott Elementary- Arrhonda Bowie

Bonnie Brae Elementary- Hannah Montanez

Boulevard Heights Elementary- Sarah Garcia Lawson

Briscoe Elementary- Barbara Hollingsworth

Bruce Shullkey Elementary- Stephanie Kelley

Burton Hill Elementary- Victoria Bergman

Carroll Peak Elementary- Erik Guarneros

Carter Park Elementary- Deborah Johnson

C.C. Moss Elementary- La'Tandra Hicks

Cesar Chavez Elementary- Amanda Kemp

Charles E. Nash Elementary- Aidyl Andreas-Torres

Clifford Davis Elementary- Terri Lewis

Como Montessori- Kailee Reed

D. McRae Elementary- Keila Wierzbicki

Daggett Elementary- Clare Ellis

Daggett Middle School- Laura Norman-Smith

Daggett Montessori- Erin Bury

David K. Sellars Elementary- Xavier Smith

De Zavala Elementary- Sonia Garcia

Diamond Hill Elementary- Diana Pios

Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School- Dillon Metzgar

Dolores Huerta Elementary- Angela Andrews

Dunbar High School- Denise Smith

East Handley Elementary- Tina Rundles

Eastern Hills Elementary- Anthony Smith-Wright

Eastern Hills High School- Aminchi Asake

George C. Clarke Elementary- Angelica Ortiz

Glen Park Elementary- Alejandra Chiapa

Greenbriar Elementary- Susan Alexander

Handley Middle School- Jeffery Duffey

Harlean Beal Elementary- Jasmine Gore

Hazel Harvey Peace Elementary- Trudy Wooldridge

Hubbard Heights Elementary- Mireya Leva

H.V. Helbing Elementary- Matt Huitt

I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA- Christen Williams Reyes

International Newcomer Academy- Ema Alatini

Jean McClung Middle School- Troy Mazarello

JJAEP- Vicki Delgado

Jo Kelly School- Mary McKinnie

J.P. Elder Middle School- John Valle Jr.

J.T. Stevens Elementary- Courtney Vineyard

Kirkpatrick Elementary- Agatha Agyemang

Kirkpatrick Middle School- Corrie Scott

Leadership Academy at Como Elementary School- Emily Bialas

Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Middle School- Jasmin Williams

Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade- Arlene Alejandro-Mace

Leadership Academy at John T. White Elementary School- Wendy Poole

Leadership Academy at Maude I. Logan Elementary School- Tonya Jackson

Leadership Academy at Mitchell Boulevard Elementary School- Nichole Hickson

Leonard Middle School- Bobby Cowan

Lily B. Clayton Elementary- Lupita Olazaba

Lowery Road Elementary- Angela Ferguson

Luella Merrett Elementary- Chantel Fontenot

Manuel Jara Elementary- Brenda Valdez

Marine Creek Collegiate- Savannah Beall

McLean Sixth Grade Center- Keri Hill

McLean Middle School- Sarah Hunt

Meacham Middle School- Hali Mischo

Meadowbrook Elementary- Jill Rhea

Meadowbrook Middle School- Nicholas Cordray

M.G. Ellis Primary- Alicia Martinez

M.H. Moore Elementary- Jill Fox

Middle Level Learning Center/Metro Opportunity- David Vucina

M.L. Phillips Elementary- Janette Chairez

M.M. Walton Elementary- Angela Baker

Morningside Elementary- Vicki Saunders

Morningside Middle School- Sabrina Bone

Natha Howell Elementary- Heather Faaborg

North Hi Mount Elementary- Sam Hobbs

North Side High School- Marcum Tubbs

Oakhurst Elementary- Aaron Wyatt

Oaklawn Elementary- Lisa Wheeler

O.D. Wyatt High School- Larry Petite

Overton Park Elementary- Jessica Patterson

Paschal High School- Casey Kirchner

Polytechnic High School- Ann-Denise Anderson

Richard J. Wilson Elementary- Elizabeth De la Cruz

Ridglea Hills Elementary- John Wyatt

Riverside Applied Learning Center- Natalie Prieto

Riverside Middle School- Kisa Allen

Rosemont Sixth Grade Center- Brittany Salt

Rosemont Elementary- Lara Ladarola

Rosemont Middle School- Vernon Washington Jr.

Rufino Mendoza Elementary- VyVy Nguyen

Sagamore Hill Elementary- Cristina Dressler

Sam Rosen Elementary- Joe Gonzales

Seminary Hills Park Elementary- Shelley Buie

South Hi Mount Elementary- Yahaira Aguilera

South Hills Elementary- Abbey Stodghill

South Hills High School- Diana Hernandez

Southwest High School- Judy Taylor

Springdale Elementary- Mike Elizondo

S.S. Dillow Elementary- Nea Dean

Stripling Middle School- Kevin Johnson

Success High School- Truong Le

Sunrise-McMillan Elementary- Clara Williams

T.A. Sims Elementary- Alice Emmert

Tanglewood Elementary- Kimm Payne

Tarrant County College South/ FWISD Collegiate- Dr. Barbara Stone

Texas Academy Biomedical Sciences- Spencer Spivey

Transition Center- Gilbert Casas

Trimble Technical High School- Antonio Regalado

Van Zandt-Guinn Elementary- Madison DeJarnett

Versia L. Williams Elementary- Alicia Sadel

Washington Heights Elementary- Carmen Yesenia Castillo

Waverly Park Elementary- Candis Segars

Wedgwood Sixth Grade Center- Sarah Coddington

Wedgwood Middle School- Hector Landeros

West Handley Elementary- Marisol Martin

Westcliff Elementary- LaTasha Tinnell

Westcreek Elementary- Moises Moreno Rangel

Western Hills Elementary- Alando Moore

Western Hills High School- Matthew Posey

Western Hills Primary- Brigit Lopez

Westpark Elementary- Rebecca Clements

William James Middle School- Rosalind Clark

William Monnig Middle School- Vanida Chanthaphone

W.J. Turner Elementary- Ashley Tejeda

W.M. Green Elementary- Michael Mangrum

Woodway Elementary- Katherine Abbey

World Languages Institute- Anabelle Lugo-Pagan

Worth Heights Elementary- Carol Lockhart

Young Men's Leadership Academy- Tobie Moser

Young Women's Leadership Academy- TeNeal Metcalf

FWISD Accepts District Advisory Committee Nominations

Nominations Due By 5 p.m. April 16

The Fort Worth ISD is currently accepting staff nominations to join its District Advisory Committee (DAC) in Places 1-12.

The DAC is a 21-member group that meets four to six times a year advising the superintendent and Board of Education on educational plans, goals, performance objectives, and major classroom instructional programs. The committee annually evaluates the District’s academic progress and assists staff in making appropriate changes in the District Educational Improvement Plan, according to FWISD Policy and Planning officials.

Nominations are being accepted April 1-16. District employees will vote for DAC members, in their peer groups, April 19-30. Nominations and self-nominations are due no later than 5 p.m. April 16 here.

The committee includes representatives from the District’s professional staff, parents with children enrolled in the FWISD, business and community partners. Terms on the committee are two years.

Have additional DAC questions? Contact Dr. Amanda Coleman, director of Board policy, governance and strategic support/elections officer in the Policy and Planning Department at 817-814-1956 or email amanda.coleman@fwisd.org.

Inside FWISD Enforces Content Deadlines

Inside FWISD is implementing new content deadlines, effective Thursday, April 8, 2021.

All content submitted for inclusion in the newsletter must be sent to the Inside FWISD inbox, Inside@fwisd.org, no later than 10 a.m. Friday. For example, content requests submitted for the April 15, 2021 Inside FWISD edition are due no later than 10 a.m. Friday, April 9, 2021.

Exceptions will only be made after the deadline for content submitted by the FWISD superintendent or a department chief. All submissions received after the deadline will be considered for a future Inside FWISD edition.

Persons interested in submitting content for Inside FWISD must complete a News Release Worksheet and return it to Inside@fwisd.org.

Additional questions about the content deadline may be emailed to the Inside FWISD team at Inside@fwisd.org.

FWISD Announces Time Change for Two Boys Soccer Playoff Games Friday

Start times have changed for two Friday playoff boys soccer matches including teams from Fort Worth ISD’s Diamond Hill-Jarvis and Trimble Tech high schools.

The following boys’ soccer playoff games have changed start times:

Trimble Tech versus Grapevine

When: Friday, April 2, 2021

Time: 2 p.m.

Where: Midlothian

Diamond Hill-Jarvis versus Midlothian Heritage

When: Friday, April 2, 2021

Time: 2:30 p.m.

Where: Southlake Carroll

Also slated Friday is a 5 p.m. girls soccer playoff match between FWISD’s Benbrook and Midlothian Heritage at Southlake Carroll.

FWISD Day of Service Inspires Participants To Serve

This week, nearly 300 Fort Worth ISD community members and more than 2,000 Facebook followers tuned-in for the first-ever virtual "Dolores Huerta & César Chavez Day of Advocacy & Service."

The opening ceremony included remarks from Superintendent Kent Paredes Scribner and Board President Jacinto Ramos, Jr. The keynote speaker was Dr. Jóse Ángel Gutiérrez, the 2019 Hispanic Hero Award recipient. The North Side High School Mariachi Band presented two performances, and FWISD Equity Specialist Jonathan Perez provided a video presentation.

FWISD student volunteers distributed 300 family meal boxes and served hot lunches to more than 100 school-aged children in the Las Vegas Trail community. Watch highlights of the day in this video.

The FWISD Board of Trustees established a “Day of Service” in 2018 to honor Dolores Huerta and César Chàvez.

Organizers say special thanks are due the community partners who helped make this year’s “Day of Service” such a success. Those partners include the Tarrant Area Food Bank, LVT Rise, Sodexo, Girls Inc. of Tarrant County, My Brother's Keeper, and My Sister's Keeper.

“On behalf of the entire FWISD Division of Equity and Excellence team, we would like to extend a heartfelt 'thanks' to all who participated, partnered, presented, and helped pull this event together,” said Mia Hall, Equity and Excellence executive director.

The opening session and workshops are available for viewing on the FWISD Division of Equity and Excellence Facebook page for those unable to participate in the live presentations.

Insights Into Future FWISD Careers Available at Bi-Monthly Networking Event

Spring into success and receive insight into a future career with the Fort Worth ISD by attending a District Networking Event.

Twice monthly, prospective employees and current employees looking to enter a new District role are invited to participate in the FWISD Networking Event. From 1-2 p.m., prospective employees may sign up for an exclusive 15-minute one-on-one virtual meeting with Central Office Staffing Coordinator Patrick Taylor or a Human Capital Management representative. In the sessions, attendees receive information on what to expect when applying with the District, a resume review and feedback, insights for a future career with FWISD and much more.

The next scheduled FWISD Networking Events are April 15 and April 29.

Limited slots are available for the FWISD Networking Events and are first come, first serve. Visit the Fort Worth ISD Careers pages on Facebook or Twitter for additional details on how to register for an available slot at a future network event.

Fort Worth ISD offers many career paths to help you spring into success. Hop into a career with FWISD today.

2021 FWISD PARTNER AND VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION WEEK

A Week to Recognize, Reconnect and Reimagine

The Fort Worth ISD will celebrate, recognize, and thank our partners and volunteers during the 2021 Partner and Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 18-24. This observance coincides with the National Volunteer Week and Public-School Volunteer Week. A wide range of virtual and drive-through recognition and appreciation celebrations will be held at many FWISD schools.

After an extraordinary year of challenges, recognizing and reconnecting with our partners and volunteers is more important than ever. We are all focused on reimagining new and creative ways to collaborate in our schools and communities.

The Fort Worth ISD is grateful to those partners and volunteers who have been patiently waiting until it is safe to volunteer in person. In so doing, they are serving our students and schools as they contribute to our community's overall health. The 2021 Partner and Volunteer Appreciation Week is a springboard to reconnect gradually, safely, and meaningfully with one another and our community groups in the future.

Need an idea for volunteering safely? Help us make this a community-wide event by thanking any school partner or volunteer with a call, an email, photo, or a testimonial on our social media accounts. We are counting on you! Thank You!

Bright Spot: Moss Elementary

Sense of family and community nurtures culture of reading

Editor's Note: The following content is from Read Fort Worth

Growing up around Fort Worth ISD educators left an impression on Charla Staten that she continues to pass forward. As the principal at Christene C. Moss Elementary, Mrs. Staten’s perspective on her community and students comes from a place of home.

“I knew that I wanted to make an impact within FWISD,” Mrs. Staten said. “I remember many times sitting at the football games and track meets with my dad at North Side High, helping my mom with her classroom at Diamond Hill Elementary, and assisting my sister with her lessons at West Handley Elementary. Those memories made such an impact on my decision to come back to FWISD after graduating college.”

Mrs. Staten is a proud product of FWISD having attended Greenbriar Elementary School, Glencrest and Forest Oak middle schools, and O.D. Wyatt High School. Her professional career spans 18 years in the District at two schools, including the last 11 at Moss. She spent seven years as assistant principal at Moss Elementary before moving into her current post.

As of the 2019-2020 school year, Moss had 406 students with approximately 96% either African American or Hispanic. According to data from Texas Education Agency (TEA) of that year, 62.1% of students at Moss are considered at risk of dropping out of school, 92.9% are economically disadvantaged, and 37.4% were enrolled in bilingual and English language learning programs.

The socioeconomic realities at Moss are a hurdle, not a barrier, for Mrs. Staten and her team of dedicated teachers to nurture a culture of reading.

“We really believe that we must do whatever possible to ensure that all of our students are reading on or above grade level,” Mrs. Staten said. “By exposing them to high quality vocabulary and reading instruction, we are creating future leaders who will be able to lead the way. Every day, we strive to make literacy instruction a priority while making it engaging and fun.”

The theme this year at Moss is “Rise to the Challenge!” That applies to the Moss’ entire community, with the focus always on students and their growth.

“Students always learn best when they know the ‘why’ and when it is engaging,” Mrs. Staten said. “The students, parents and administration believe in the staff at Moss Elementary. Throughout the year, we continue to build authentic and positive relationships with all of students.

“Many teachers will purchase books for their students because they have expressed the love for a new book that was read during the class. Exposing students to reading early creates a genuine love for reading.”

Each morning, the entire student body recites Moss’ Learner’s Creed to begin the day with a positive affirmation. Mrs. Staten ends the morning announcements with a quote from Christopher Robin, “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, but most importantly loved so much more than you know.”

“Whenever you walk through the doors at Moss, you are greeted with so much love,” Mrs. Staten said. “At Moss, we really strive to be a strong family unit. Many times, we may be the only family that they may have. It’s important that our students feel that are empowered to go above the norm regardless of their zip code.”

Mrs. Staten also makes it a point to praise teachers publicly for their hard work, and willingness to go above and beyond.

“It is important for the teachers and staff to know that we are in this together, so we make sure to work and model the expectations for our teachers and staff,” she said. “The leadership team ensures that we support our teachers by coaching, modeling, and providing feedback for improvement. Being transparent and building trust is pivotal for any successful team.”

Mrs. Staten calls Moss a “magical place” because of the students and community. She genuinely believes that “zip code doesn’t determine your success,” and will always make sure that Moss students are cared for.

“This is a family atmosphere,” she said. “We strive every day to ensure that our students have the best even when their home environment cannot provide. We are an extension of our families and want to ensure that we support them in all endeavors. We have many community partners that believe in our magic as well. We are so very grateful to our partners because it shows our students, teachers and families that others believe in the work that we are doing here.”

April Is Financial Literacy Month

April is National Financial Literacy Month. It’s a great opportunity to review and upgrade your knowledge of how to manage your money. In partnership with our Financial Wellness Program provider, FinPath, we have a few activities designed to improve your financial literacy throughout the entire month.

The Challenge: improve your financial confidence with simple and engaging content

• Explore easy money management tips
• Learn helpful financial life hacks
• Unlock program features each week

On April 30, we will announce the winner for the Financial Literacy Month Challenge GRAND PRIZE. To enter, login each week to your FinPath account and unlock a program feature. Each week you unlock a new feature that will get you one ticket for the drawing, with the last week worth double points!

Register for your FREE account now at www.finpathwellness.com

FWISD OFFERS TEACHERS ONLINE PROMETHEAN TRAINING

Four self-paced Promethean e-Courses are currently open to teachers. District officials say the training is relevant to classes where new campus construction includes the installation of Promethean ActivPanel Titanium.

The following memorandum from Education Technology offers details about the courses, available through April 14.

FWISD Announces Recent Retirees

The following are Fort Worth ISD employees who have recently retired, according to Human Capital Management:

• Tony Lytle, bus driver, Transportation- 19 years
• Maximina Nava, Child Nutrition Service worker, Morningside Elementary School- 13 years
• Candace King, diagnostic evaluation specialist, Special Education- 23 years
• Sherry Osman, teacher, William James Middle School- 39 years
• Refeater Warren, bus driver, Transportation- 20 years
• Antonio Castro-Aybar, JROTC instructor, Amon Carter-Riverside High School- 15 years

FOOD AVAILABLE AT MULTIPLE SITES For FWISD Families, Community

Multiple organizations across Fort Worth are offering food to help families through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since March 2020, the Fort Worth ISD has partnered with multiple organizations to share information and organize food distribution events for families.

Curbside Meals To Go breakfast and lunch service is available at more than 20 designated FWISD locations for FWISD virtual learners. Meals To Go is available three times weekly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. FWISD students participating in virtual learning may pick up a combination of breakfast and lunch meals for the week and weekend at any of the designated meal pickup sites. For more information, contact the FWISD Child Nutrition Department at 817-814-3500.

The Fort Worth ISD has compiled a list of locations to find free and nutritious food here.

Food is available at these locations:

Food Distribution

1. Monday through Thursday, 8:30-11:30 a.m., 4:30-6 p.m.; Friday (by appointment only)

Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County Panther Branch

1500 Hemphill St.

Boys and Girls Club of Greater Tarrant County opens a daily food pantry to families that includes fresh groceries and dry goods. Additionally, drive-through food distribution events will continue each month. Contact La Toyia Greyer at LGreter@bgcgtc.org for more information.

2. Every Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to noon

LVTRISE

8201 Calmont Ave.

Every Tuesday and Thursday LVTRise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living in the Las Vegas Trail area, distributes nonperishable food items to the community. For additional details, email Amortimer@lvtrise.org.

3. Every Tuesday, 3:45-5:30 p.m.

South Hills High School

6101 McCart Ave.

South Hills High School is offering free curbside, ready-made meals for children while supplies last. Meals are provided to families that show proof of children under age 18 in the household or if a child is present at pickup. Children do not have to be enrolled at South Hills High or a Fort Worth ISD school to obtain food.

4. Every Friday, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Eastside YMCA – Centralized Youth & Family Programs

1500 Sandy Lane

The YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth is offering Grab and Go Meals at the Eastside YMCA until the end of the 2020-2021 school year. It is open to all youth ages 18 years and under ─ no qualifications required. For additional details, call 817-571-3371

5. Wednesday, April 7, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (every Wednesday)

Bethlehem Baptist Church

1188 W. Broad St., Mansfield

Free, drive-thru food distribution open to everyone. For additional information, call 817-473-1236 or visit https://www.bethlehemmansfield.org/events/

6. Friday, April 9, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Herman Clark Stadium

5201 CA Roberson Blvd.

Fort Worth ISD is partnering with Tarrant Area Food Bank to host a Mega Mobile Market food distribution event. Approximately 1,000 boxes of nonperishable food will be provided to families on a first-come, first-served basis. Each family will receive 100 pounds of fresh produce, meat dairy and groceries. For additional information, visit https://tafb.org/megamobilemarkets/

7. Friday, April 16, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Herman Clark Stadium

5201 CA Roberson Blvd.

Fort Worth ISD is partnering with Tarrant Area Food Bank to host a Mega Mobile Market food distribution event. Approximately 1,000 boxes of nonperishable food will be provided to families on a first-come, first-served basis. Each family will receive 100 pounds of fresh produce, meat dairy and groceries. For additional information, visit https://tafb.org/megamobilemarkets/

For the complete Tarrant Area Mobile Food Pantry Schedule, visit https://www.tafb.org/wp-content/uploads/mobile/mobile-pantry-schedule.pdf. Need food delivered? Call 817-857-7100 to speak with a live representative about how to access nutritious food.

Other food resources are also available:

• Find Food – Call 817-857-7100 or visit https://tafb.org/find-food/ or https://www.facebook.com/tafoodbank
• Seniors and Homebound Individuals – Call 817-336-0912 or visit https://mealsonwheels.org/programs or https://mealsonwheels.org/refer/
• Community Resources- Visit https://tafb.org/community-resources/ or speak with a Community Resource Specialist at 1-866-430-6143 for help with applying for the programs
• Go Healthy! Recipe Library - https://tafb.org/recipes/

Follow COVID-19 updates from the City of Fort Worth at fortworthtexas.gov/COVID-19/

Spring Trainings For Teachers

Pre-kindergarten/Kindergarten Registration Begins, April 1

Registration for April 2 Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Open

Registration for April 10 Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Ends, April 2

Teacher FLEX Day, April 2

Lone Star Town Hall for elementary stakeholders, April 5

Lone Star Town Hall for middle stakeholders, April 6

STAAR Testing (Grades 4 and 7, English I and II), April 6-9

Lone Star Town Hall for high school stakeholders, April 7

Lone Star Town Hall for Spanish speakers, April 8

Share your story ideas, successes, calendar items, photos, questions and feedback with us at Inside@FWISD.org. Check the Inside FWISD blog, www.fwisd.org/insidefwisd, regularly updated throughout the week with additional content and features.