The Fort Worth League of Neighborhood Associations held its Fall General Membership Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 at University Christian Church. The focus of the program for the Sept. 1, 2016, meeting was: “How can neighborhood leaders use their communications network to let people know the needs of the 22 FWISD schools that were rated in August as ‘Improvement Required’?”
Our distinguished guest speaker was Dr. Kent Scribner, Superintendent of the FWISD.
Dr. Scribner’s presentation gave facts and figures about the district as a whole and then demographics of the students in the district. Dr. Scribner’s motto is that “students are not a problem to be solved, they are an asset to be invested in”. Our future depends on these students and they must be provided with an education that increasingly extends beyond a high school diploma.
Twenty-two schools needing improvement is down from twenty-eight a few years ago, but with creative community support, the number could go down faster. The role of the League is to establish communication between the ISD and the neighborhood organizations where the targeted schools are located. To start this collaboration, the league invited the Trustees, the City Council, and representatives of all neighborhood organizations where the 22 schools are located. We were pleased to have two trustees, one Councilman, several FWISD personnel, a city staff member, and many neighborhood representatives attend the meeting.
Most neighborhood leaders work with their respective Council Members. We hope they will also establish a working relationship with their FWISD Trustees, if they have not already done so.
This is not the sort of initiative the Fort Worth League of Neighborhoods has undertaken in the past; however, it makes sense in that “education and community success are inextricably linked,” in the words of Superintendent Kent Scribner. The League will serve as a catalyst.