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Fort Bend Independent School District: Sayavedra Sums It Up (9/24/2021)

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Press release from Fort Bend Independent School District:

9/24/2021

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Hello again, I’m Acting Superintendent Diana Sayavedra and right off the bat I want to thank Oyster Creek Elementary 5th grader Martin Nguyen who led us in the Pledge of Allegiance at Monday’s Board Meeting. He did a great job!

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I am also proud to report that three Fort Bend ISD Destination Imagination teams competed internationally and earned 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards at this year’s Global Finals. Congratulations to our students on the D.I. Dominators, Radicals, and Trailblazers teams.

Congratulations are also in order to our Child Nutrition Department for recognition from the Texas Department of Agriculture for their achievements in the Spring Farm Fresh Challenge.

For more details, you can access our Recognitions video through the Fort Bend homepage.

At Monday’s meeting, the Board approved two new Directors of Talent Experience, Stacie Gibson and Page Moyer. Congratulations to both of them and welcome to the Fort Bend ISD Family!

A primary focus of the meeting was a COVID-19 response update provided to the Board by the Administration., Highlights included:

  • Rapid testing, which is now being offered by the District for staff members who have symptoms or have been identified as a close contact. The testing location is at the Reese CTE Center. Testing takes place Monday – Friday from 6 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. The District will expand testing to include more locations for staff. In addition, testing for students is currently being explored.
  • Presently, close to 60 percent of Fort Bend ISD staff members are vaccinated. We continue to share information about vaccinations for both students and staff offered at no-cost by health care providers in our community.
  • Pivoting classrooms and/or individual students from face-to-face to remote learning through remote conferencing is determined through analysis of data within the Incident Command Structure. The number of positive cases in a classroom or school is just one of the factors that is considered.

    • The Board also voted on some important financial matters at the Monday night meeting. Trustees approved a new tax rate of $1.2101 for every $100 of property valuation. The new rate is 3-cents lower than the current rate and it takes effect in January of 2022.

    Trustees also approved required budget amendments due to revenue shortfalls tied to a drop in enrollment of about 2,600 students. A District task force is working to recapture as many of these students as possible.

    In addition, the Board approved the District’s first public-private partnership to open a Fueling Brains Academy for pre-K students within the Edison Lofts in the Briargate Community. Fueling Brains is an award-winning early brain development program that enables children to plan, prioritize, focus and think abstractly.

    Last but not least, I want to thank the Board for the lovely flowers and words of appreciation I received at the meeting. I also want to thank district and campus leaders and everyone in the Fort Bend ISD family who has expressed such kindness and gratitude. It has been a true honor and a privilege to serve as the Acting Superintendent for one of the best school districts in the nation. I could not have done it without you.

    I’m Diana Sayavedra and that Sums it Up!

     

    This press release was produced by Fort Bend Independent School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.

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