TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome to Fort Bend Independent School District. In addition to being the largest employer in Fort Bend County, Fort Bend ISD is also situated in one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. Families from around the world move here daily drawn by the District’s reputation of providing students with a quality education.
Fort Bend ISD focuses on making a positive and significant difference in students’ academic performance, while stressing achievement and excellence at all levels. The District’s curriculum is balanced with extracurricular activities that offer students the opportunity to explore their various interests as well as develop and sharpen their skills and talents. The effectiveness of these programs relies on key people like YOU – the Fort Bend ISD employee – who give students the desire to learn and excel. The purpose of this handbook is to provide information that-will help with questions and pave the way for a successful year. Not all district policies and procedures are included. Those that are have been summarized. Suggestions for additions and improvements are welcome and may be sent to the Department of Human Resources.
This handbook is neither a contract nor a substitute for the official District policy manual. It is not intended to alter the at-will status of employees in any way. Rather, it is a guide to a brief explanation of District policies. District policies and procedures can change at any time. For more information, employees may refer to the policy codes that are associated with handbook topics, confer with their supervisor, or call the appropriate District office. Policy manuals are located in school libraries, the principal’s office, Staff Attorney’s office, the Human Resource Department and Fort Bend ISD Home Page Policy on Line from the Internet and are available for employee review during normal working hours.
Our Beginnings
What began on April 18, 1959 as the consolidation of two small schools districts has grown today into the 7th largest public school district in the state of Texas. When Board members in the Missouri City and Sugar Land school districts made the decision to consolidate, it was to ensure that their schools could offer students the best educational opportunities available. Today Fort Bend ISD carries on that mission.
A Fourth Consecutive Schools FIRST Superior Rating
FBISD is proud to have received a fourth consecutive rating of “Superior Achievement” under Texas’ Schools FIRST financial accountability rating system. The Superior Achievement rating is the state’s highest, demonstrating the quality of Fort Bend ISD’s financial management and reporting system.
Schools FIRST (Financial Accountability Rating System of Texas) is a financial accountability system for Texas school districts developed by the Texas Education Agency in response to Senate Bill 875 of the 76th Texas Legislature in 1999. The primary goal of Schools FIRST is to achieve quality performance in the management of school district financial resources, a goal made more significant due to the complexity of accounting associated with Texas’ school finance system.
Accolades All Around!
Among its many honors, FBISD had 51 National Merit Semifinalists in 2006-2007. The FBISD graduates of the Class of 2006 received over 425 million in both academic and athletic college scholarships. Governor Rick Perry named FBISD as the Fittest School District in Texas in 2005-2006. Four Fort Bend ISD schools--Fort Settlement Middle School, Sugar Land Middle School, Elkins High School, and Hightower High School, are included in Texas Monthly magazine’s list of 574 “top public schools,” only 7% of the 7,908 Texas public schools. The Texas Business and Education Coalition (TBEC) named three Fort Bend ISD schools as 2006 TBEC Honor Roll schools. Clements High School, Fort Settlement Middle School and Sartartia Middle School are among only 3% of Texas schools to receive this honor. Four Fort Bend ISD schools—Briargate Elementary, Goodman Elementary, McAuliffe Middle School and Willowridge High School, will receive a total of $575,000 as part of the Texas Educator Excellence Grants (TEEG) program. Created by the Texas Legislature, the TEEG incentive program awards educators who demonstrate the ability to achieve higher levels of student academic performance at their campuses. And, the District has been named one of the Top 100 School Districts in the Nation for a Fine Arts Education, according to a nation-wide survey of public and private school programs conducted by the American Music Conference (FBISD has been named for this honor three times in the past four years.)
Solid Business and Community Support
Parent and community support plays an integral role in the district’s commitment to academic excellence. The district’s Community Partnerships program, a coordinated effort of Volunteers in Public Schools, the Community-Business Partnership, and the Fort Bend Education Foundation, continues to win numerous state awards and serves as a catalyst to develop new and creative ways for our community to partner with our schools to help all of our students be successful. Through the program, volunteers join forces to provide a myriad of services to the district and its campuses. Since its inception in 1992, The Fort Bend Education Foundation has awarded over $1.5 million to Fort Bend ISD teachers and schools to fund innovative teaching ideas. Last year alone, $258,807 was awarded for innovative educational grants.
What Makes Us Different Makes Us Fort Bend ISD
Fort Bend ISD is proud of the fact that we are one of the most diverse school districts in Texas and in the nation. FBISD is a majority-minority school district, and students come from around the world, and speak over 80 different languages in their homes. In the Fort Bend Independent School District, recognizing and appreciating cultural difference is a way of life. All students and personnel are valued members of our unique family, each playing a significant role in our success. While the world around us may often face stereotyping, FBISD encourages staff and students to embrace that which makes us different. By supporting an environment that facilitates and encourages safe and open dialogue on diversity, and by empowering our students to embrace diversity, we are striving to ensure that our students will be sincerely open and equipped to work and live in a diverse world.
The Growth Continues!
Fort Bend ISD continues to be one of the fastest growing districts in Texas. The district has seen a sustained growth of over 2,000 new students enrolling each school year for the past 10 years. In 1969, Fort Bend ISD had just over 4,700 students. Ten years later, in 1979, the enrollment had climbed to over 18,000 students. By January 2006, the enrollment was more than 66,000 students. By 2010, officials project the Fort Bend ISD enrollment to reach nearly 80,000 students. To serve its growing population, the district has 10 high schools, 13 middle schools and 41 elementary campuses. To address a variety of vocational interest as well as special learning needs, the district also has a Technical Education Center, the M.R. Wood Alternative Education Center, and the Progressive High School.
This year the district opened David Crockett Middle School located at 19001 Beechnut near Harlem Road. In addition, the Hodges Bend Middle School Annex, which housed Hodges Bend sixth-grade students and Arizona Fleming Elementary fifth-grade students, opened as Mary Austin Holley Elementary School; and Rosa Parks Elementary School opened near Hightower High School in the Winfield Estates Subdivision.
For more information about Fort Bend ISD, visit our website at www.fortbendisd.com or call the Community Relations and Partnerships Department at 281 634-1100.
By Teaching Every Child and Learning Every Day Fort Bend ISD will provide the best educational opportunities to ensure that all students are successful.
Board of Trustees
Policies
BA,
BAA,
BBA,
BBB,
BBE,
BE,
BEC,
BED
Fort Bend ISD Meetings take place the second and fourth Mondays of most months in the Board Room of the Administration Building, 16431 Lexington Blvd., in Sugar Land. Meetings begin at 7 pm and are open to the public. Called meetings are scheduled on an as-needed basis, although Texas law does not allow the Board to call an emergency meeting in a crisis situation.
In accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, the Board has the privilege to meet privately in closed session to discuss matters related to personnel, student discipline, security, land acquisition or to consult with legal counsel. No action, however, may be taken during a closed session.
To address the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees, an audience participation form must be completed and turned in by 6:45 pm on the night of the Board Meeting. This form is available online at www.fortbendisd.com/board or from the Community Relations Department.
The Board of Trustees, comprised of seven local citizens, provides an important public service to the Fort Bend community and serves without compensation. In accordance with the Texas Elections Code, Fort Bend ISD calls Board elections for the second Saturday in May of each year. Vacancies occurring after the election are filled by appointment until the next election is conducted. Trustees are elected to three-year terms on a rotating basis. Two are elected each year, one from each side of the district (Position 1, 2 and 3 on the West, and Positions 5, 6, and 7 on the East). Also every third year, the “at large” Position 4, is elected. The seven Board of Trustee Members are voted on by all residents of the district, and represent all residents of the district.
Board Members:
Cynthia Knox……………..President
Steve Smelley…………Vice- President
Sonal Bhuchar……………Secretary
Bob Broxson…………… .Member
Laurie Caldwell…………..Member
Stan Magee……………….Member
David Reitz ………..… Member
Dr. Timothy R. Jenney, Superintendent
Administrative Cabinet Members
Chief Academic Officer
Dr. John Frossard
Chief Communications Officer
Mary Ann Simpson
Chief Operating Officer
Mike Seale
Assistant Superintendents for School Administration
Michael McKie, High Schools
Lance Hindt, Middle Schools
Dr. Marc Smith, Elementary Schools
Dr. Susan Wey, Elementary Schools
Executive Directors
Olwen Herron-Accountability and Organizational Development
Dr. Anthony Pope-Curriculum and Instruction
Dana Cooper-Human Resources
TBD-Information and Technology Services
Lee Petros-Support Services
2007 - 2008
|
August |
February |
|
20 Staff Returns |
15 Staff Development Student Holiday |
| 20-23 Staff Development Days |
March |
| 24 Teacher Prep Day | 11
Parent Conf. Elem Early Dismissal |
| 27 First Day of School |
17-21 Holidays - Spring Break |
| September | May |
|
3 Holiday - Labor Day |
9 Staff Development Student Holiday
|
|
28 Holiday – County Fair Day |
26 Memorial Day/Holiday |
| October |
June |
|
4 Parent Conference Elem./Early Release |
5 Last day of school |
| November | 6 Teacher Workday |
|
9 Staff Development/ Student Holiday |
6, 7 Graduation |
|
19-23 Thanksgiving Holiday |
Inclement Weather Day |
| December | January 21 |
|
20-31 Winter Break |
May 26 |
| January |
|
|
1 Holiday |
|
|
2 Staff Development Student Holiday |
|
| 3 Students Return | |
| 18 Early Release (Middle & High Schools) | |
|
21 Holiday - M. L. King Day |
|
| 22 First Day of 2nd Semester |
Superintendent
Dr. Timothy R. Jenney, Superintendent
Lindsay Shepherd, Executive Assistant -41009
Cindy Graham, Administrative Assistant-41008
Dominga Salazar, Executive Secretary-41007
Administrative Cabinet
Chief Academic Officer
Dr. John Frossard
Mary Ashcraft, Secretary-40091
Chief Communications Officer
Mary Ann Simpson
Karen Fontenot, Secretary-41104
Chief Operating Officer
Mike Seale
Brenda Preiss, Secretary - 41163
Assistant Superintendents for School Administration
Michael McKie, High Schools
Sue Marshall, Secretary-41025
Lance Hindt, Middle Schools
Brenda Melton, Secretary-41031
Dr. Marc Smith, Elementary Schools
Norma Perez, Secretary-41028
Dr. Susan Wey, Elementary Schools
Becky Kolaja, Secretary-41037
Accountability & Organizational Development
Olwen Herron, Executive Director
Mary Ashcraft, Secretary-40091
Curriculum & Instruction
Dr. Anthony Pope, Executive Director
Rhonda Yamauchi, Secretary-41062
Human Resources
Dana Cooper, Executive Director
Jackie Kendrick, Secretary-41056
Support Services
Lee Petros, Executive Director
Evelyn Chisenhall-41043
Alpha by Department
Accountability Director
Dr. Jan Moore - 41244
Athletics Director
Keith Kilgore
Carolyn Ordeneaux, Secretary-41900
Benefits (Insurance) Director
Dorine Craig-41418
District Budget Manager
Sean Bogle-41050
Building Manager
Gloria Nunez-41095