In this edition:

Fort Worth ISD >> Forward: Virtual Instruction Updates Offered At Let's Talk LIVE For Teachers Event | A Message from Dr. Scribner| Benefits Open Enrollment Ends Friday | Fort Worth ISD >> Forward: FWISD Board Approves 2020-2021 Early College High School Calendar Revisions | Helpful Honda Donates Supplies To 3 FWISD Schools | Fort Worth ISD Forward >> Educational Technology Launches Virtual Learning Support Page For Parents, Students | FWISD Celebrates Retirees With Up To 40 Years Of Service | FWISD Issues Re-Image Requirement To Campus Staff With District Laptops | Food Available At Multiple Sites Through October | Inside FWISD Briefs | Fort Worth ISD Snapshot | Community Resources | Calendar | View more stories throughout the week on the Inside FWISD Blog

Fort Worth ISD >> Forward: Virtual Instruction Updates Offered at Let's Talk Live for Teachers Event

FWISD teachers, be on the lookout for important messages on what to expect during the first weeks of classes. Those messages will start going out today as shared in Wednesday’s Teacher Town Hall meeting.

Starting this week, teachers may start receiving letters from their campus leaders about what the first week of school will look like. Within the next week, teachers will receive information about how to prepare for the weeks leading up to the first day of school on September 8 and details for teaching in a virtual environment.

The District hosted its fifth Town Hall, on Wednesday, August 19, designed just for teachers to ask questions about FWISD’s return to learning. This week’s session mostly focused on online instruction. Another virtual event is being scheduled at a later date to discuss the District’s plans for in-person learning.

Panelists for Wednesday’s event included Dr. Marcey Sorensen, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning; Dr. Raul Peña, Chief of Student and School Support; Dr. Cherie Washington, Chief of Student and School Support; Dr. Nikki Chamblee, Coordinator for Restorative Practices and Jerry Moore, Chief Academic Officer, as moderator.

Teachers asked questions about virtual instruction and much more as well as expressed concerns about the process.

“We know that some of you have fears … of the unknown that you’re considering and contemplating with. As we all come together, we all have these feelings,” Dr. Peña shared with teachers this week. “I think you can feel reassured that this [virtual instruction] is a plan that is not like what we did in the spring. This is really going to be a robust plan for our students, and you’ll have access to … documents so that you can begin crafting and designing those lessons.”

Coming this week

Dr. Washington told educators that starting today campus principals will begin sharing letters with teachers about preparation steps leading up to the first day of class. Teachers will receive information about upcoming training events, virtual meet-the-teacher events and what to expect when using Google Classrooms and websites and how to set up the platforms, she said.

Teachers are encouraged to contact campus principals for support and information. Dr. Washington also encouraged teachers to continue asking questions so that support given to them is fine tuned.

“Our principals are going to be your No. 1 source of information. Please know that you are our top priority,” Dr. Washington told teachers Wednesday. “We have worked throughout the summer to put together resources and tools. We’re not there yet, we’re not perfect but, we continue to upgrade and make our system better to support you. Even though it may be different, we are bound to work our hardest to make this the best school year for you and for our students that we can possibly have.”

In recent weeks, teachers, instructional coaches and administrators received an overview of the professional learning and instructional engagement resources available.

On the horizon

As early as next week, the District will start releasing pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade curriculum framework scopes and sequences, models for visual and performing arts classes, potential classroom tasks and assignments, Dr. Sorensen said. The resources offer up to six weeks of lessons and videos of exemplar educators teaching in synchronous and asynchronous settings.

Curriculum framework will be updated as a result of the change in the school start date and will be available to assist teachers with long-range planning, she said.

Every document put out by Teaching and Learning offers guidance and support, Dr. Sorenson said. As a mother to two children in this District, she said she understands the importance of getting virtual learning right for FWISD students so that they learn, grow and thrive.

“This is not a space that any of us have really navigated before, and so the concept of right is flexible and it’s evolving,” she said. “We have to give each other grace and we have to give ourselves grace, and we have to press forward. Figuring out what that looks like … it’s a journey, and the word for the year is flexible. That’s how we’re trying to meet the needs of our young people and our staff and our principals and our community and ourselves.”

Additional resources available to teachers include FWISD’s Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) calendar. SEL resources will be embedded in the District’s curriculum framework.

The calendar features SEL-building skills and activities teachers can do with students such as “brain breaks,” “check-ins” and 60-second release breaks,” Dr. Chamblee said. A three-part series on implementing relational practices in a virtual environment was released last week. Guidance counselors will offer SEL engaging and interactive activities, opportunities by grade level on their individual Google sites she said.

Dr. Chamblee added that relationship building between students and teachers is critical. Without it, student engagement with the content is difficult, she said.

The SEL resources are a collaborative effort of Counseling Services, Equity and Excellence, Intervention Services, Prevention and Crisis Response, Restorative Practices and special programs departments.

“We as a team are big advocates for putting our oxygen masks on before assisting others, so the Google Classroom contains resources we hope adults in the District will use as well as resources for using with students, “ Dr. Chamblee said. “We encourage principals and school leaders to complete check-ins with their staff and make self-care a priority as we begin to go into the virtual environment.”

Fort Worth ISD will host its 2020-2021 New Teacher Academy, August 24-28. New teachers will have access to the essential lessons covered during the academy through September 11, Dr. Sorensen said.

In addition to questions about what to expect in the upcoming weeks, panelists also answered questions about student devices; staffing; teacher dress code; FLEX time and protocols in the event a teacher or a loved one tests positive for COVID-19.

To view FWISD’s “Let’s Talk Live” event for teachers in its entirety, click here.

Dear Colleagues:

As we near the first day of instruction on September 8, we are all preparing to make the weeks ahead as productive --and safe – as possible. As part of our Fort Worth ISD Forward >> plan, we are requiring everyone to complete the Safe Schools Coronavirus online courses before they return to work. This is whether you are an employee who will deliver virtual instruction or support those who do.

Those mandatory trainings are:

• Coronavirus Awareness
• Coronavirus: Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Workplace

An email about the mandatory training began appearing in employee inboxes several weeks ago with a link to fwisd.tx.safeschools.com.

Employees may access the courses by using their employee email address and password.

For more course details, contact Aracely Chavez, Executive Director of Classified Learning, at Aracely.chavez@fwisd.org or visit the Classified Learning webpage at www.fwisd.org/Page/2807.

Sincerely,

Kent P. Scribner

Benefits Open Enrollment Ends Friday

To All Fort Worth Independent School District Employees:

REMINDER: The 2020-2021 Benefits Open Enrollment period will end on Friday, August 21, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time.

You will have access to enroll in your benefits for 2020-2021, with an effective date of September 1, 2020.

For safety precautions, onsite enrollment assistance will not be available for the 2020-2021 Open Enrollment Period.

Assisted Open Enrollment:

For safety precautions, onsite enrollment assistance will not be available.

If you need assistance, it will be provided via telephone only.

Refer to the attached postcard for your location’s call date.

Callers will be greeted by knowledgeable enrollers ready to walk you through your current enrollment, answer all benefits questions and assist with any changes.

Please call: 817-710-8135 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

If you have questions about benefits, please email Benefits@fwisd.org

Please take a few minutes to enroll at www.mybenefitshub.com/fortworthisd, or plan to phone in during your assigned Assisted Open Enrollment session.

The Benefits Open Enrollment period ends Friday, August 21, 2020.

Fort Worth ISD >> Forward: FWISD Board Approves 2020-2021 Early College High School Calendar Revisions

An updated 2020-21 Fort Worth ISD Early College High School calendar is now available online. The revised calendar -- approved by the FWISD Board of Education, Monday, August 17 -- reflects the new school start date for Early College High School students, August 24. ECHS staff returned to work this week.

The calendar also shows grading periods, testing days, spring and winter breaks, holidays and other observances.

Helpful Honda Donates Supplies to 3 FWISD Schools

Families at Fort Worth ISD’s Clifford Davis Elementary School are the recipients of free school supplies, thanks to the North Texas Helpful Honda dealers’ campaign.

About 200 school supply pouches were distributed to families during the District’s Meals-To-Go service today. Representatives from the Helpful Honda campaign travel North Texas all year doing acts of kindness that give back to the community.

Clifford Davis Elementary is one of three FWISD schools receiving free supplies from Helpful Honda. Supplies are being distributed at Hubbard Heights and Manuel Jara elementary schools next week.

“Our families will be excited to have school supplies to start out the school year,” said Angélica Castañeda, principal at Manuel Jara Elementary School.

Fort Worth ISD Forward >> Educational Technology Launches Virtual Learning Support Page for Parents, Students

The Fort Worth ISD Educational Technology Virtual Learning Support page is the go-to resource for students and parents preparing for the first day of online instruction, September 8.

Get information and resources about common learning tools like Google Classroom, Google Meet, Seesaw, ClassLink, and much more all in one spot. Resources for troubleshooting technical issues are also available for students who have received a district-issued device.

Whether you're using a digital device or online application for the first time or need to learn more about how to use a resource, find what you’re looking for on the Virtual Learning Support page.

Once you’re done there, head over to the FWISD Families webpage for additional school resources. The 2020-2021 academic begins September 8 with online instruction for students the first four weeks.

FWISD Celebrates Retirees with Up to 40 Years of Service

The Fort Worth ISD is thankful for its 268 recent retirees and their years of service to the District.

While FWISD was not able to close the 2019-2020 academic year hosting the annual spring retirement recognition reception in their honor because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to acknowledge their contribution to the District and wish them well as they start a new chapter in their lives.

This week, FWISD celebrates the 56 retirees with 21-40 years of service. They are:

1. Gloria Cary, campus monitor, J. P. Elder Middle School – 21 years

2. Curtis Ingram, PM service person, Small Equipment – 21 years

3. Gerald Magin, assistant principal, Marine Creek Collegiate High School – 21 years

4. Laurie Stillwell, librarian, Burton Hill Elementary School – 21 years

5. Sheri Young, teacher-grade 1, Charles E. Nash Elementary School – 24 years

6. Janet Cook, TA I-special education resource, Leonard Middle School – 22 years

7. Debbie Litke, program assistant, Transition School – 22 years

8. Lasandra Stroman, assistant principal, Dolores Huerta Elementary School – 22 years

9. Maria Zamudio, TA I-bilingual, International Newcomers Academy – 22 years

10. Nancy Champion, counselor, Manuel Jara Elementary School – 23 years

11. Karen Severson, principal, Rosemont Middle School – 23 years

12. Lynn Skinner, teacher-inclusion, Riverside Middle School – 23 years

13. Lynda Traugott, librarian, Natha Howell Elementary School – 23 years

14. Larry Vasquez, bus driver, Transportation West Lot – 23 years

15. Kenneth Weinert, teacher-grade 6-8, Daggett Middle School – 23 years

16. Winnie Whiteside, nutrition services manager I ES, West Handley Middle School – 23 years

17. Jose Serrano, PM service person, Transportation Central – 24 years

18. Stephanie Kirby, teacher-grade 2, Lily B. Clayton Elementary School – 25 years

19. Sandra Knadle, teacher-grade 4, W. M. Green Elementary School – 25 years

20. David Shaver, teacher-grade 9-12, Eastern Hills High School – 25 years

21. James Bell, counselor, Arlington Heights High School – 26 years

22. Lorena Perez, assistant principal, Bonnie Brae Elementary School – 26 years

23. Prince Agent, custodian IV (HD), South Hills High School – 27 years

24. Robert Sibley, counselor, Daggett Elementary School – 27 years

25. Jacqueline Allen, nutrition services manager III, O. D. Wyatt High School – 28 years

26. Rose Garcia, teacher-grade 2, Oakhurst Elementary School – 28 years

27. Dale Grissom, teacher-inclusion, R. L. Paschal High School – 29 years

28. Juanita Gutierrez, nutrition services manager I, Springdale Elementary School – 29 years

29. Patricia Hardy, counselor, David K. Sellars Elementary School – 29 years

30. Christopher Hunt, campus monitor, W. A. Meacham Middle School – 29 years

31. Sharon Miles, custodian II (HD), J. T. Stevens Elementary School – 29 years

32. Mary Ray, teacher-grade 6-8, McLean 6th Grade – 29 years

33. Leslie Riddell, principal, Jo Kelly School – 29 years

34. Bonnie Bell, TA III-Learning In Natural Communities (LINC), J. Martin Jacquet Middle School – 30 years

35. Rosemary Robinson, teacher-general elementary, Professional Learning and Innovation – 30 years

36. Deborah Bland, assessment/data analyst, J. T. Stevens Elementary School – 31 years

37. Paula Ellis, school nurse-N00, Health Services – 31 years

38. Frieda Flanagan, TA III-SEAS, William James Middle School – 31 years

39. Mark Reid, plumber II, Plumbing – 31 years

40. Robert Wingham, plumber II, Plumbing – 31 years

41. Rose Elliott, teacher-grade 5, Carter Park Elementary School – 32 years

42. Teresa Timmons, nutrition services manager III, Arlington Heights High School – 32 years

43. Wagonal Chapman, diagnostic evaluation specialist, Special Education – 33 years

44. Lori Gill, teacher-grade 4, H. V. Helbing Elementary School – 33 years

45. Ernest Franklin, teacher-grade 9-12, Young Men’s Leadership Academy – 34 years

46. Allan Quear, teacher-vocation and business, Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School – 34 years

47. Elizabeth Smith, spec IV-intervention, Intervention – 34 years

48. Phyllis Torres, counselor, Green B. Trimble Technical High School – 34 years

49. Alice Burns, teacher-juvenile center, Student Discipline and Placement – 36 years

50. Kathleen Everson, audiologist, Speech Therapist – 35 years

51. Linda Tyrone, nutrition services manager I, Benbrook Elementary School – 35 years

52. Martin Sullivan, HVAC journeyman-chiller, Air Handling/Heating/AC – 36 years

53. Aretha Livingston, teacher-grade 5, Lowery Road Elementary School – 37 years

54. Veronica Meeks, teacher-grade 9-12, Tarrant County College South Collegiate High School – 38 years

55. Michael Brown, foreperson, General Building – 39 years

56. Donita Warner, counselor, Arlington Heights High School – 40 years

Look out for the names of more recent FWISD retirees in future editions of Inside FWISD.

FWISD ISSUES RE-IMAGE REQUIREMENT TO CAMPUS STAFF WITH DISTRICT LAPTOPS

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following memorandum issued by the Operations and Technology departments to FWISD campus staff with a District laptop is in reference to the District's laptop re-image requirement.

Check www.fwisd.org/forward regularly for District updates on Return to School and virtual learning

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

FWISD “Meals To Go,” Available from Noon-1:30 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays

Online Pre-K/ Kindergarten Registration Currently Underway

Online Registration Underway

Gold Seal Programs and Schools of Choice Late Applications being accepted

Benefits Open Enrollment Make-Up Sessions, Through August 21

Open Enrollment for Employee Benefits, Continues through August 21

New Teacher’s Academy, August 24-28

Board of Education Meeting, August 25

Employee benefits take effect, September 1

Labor Day, September 7

School Begins (first four weeks virtual), September 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.