Fort Bend ISD re-structured their instructional framework for students and simultaneously reimagined their professional learning plan to shift from more face-to-face traditional professional learning to offer more asynchronous, online learning opportunities as their team explained during a session at the TASA Midwinter Conference. Their design team worked together to create more opportunities for communication and collaboration, even including support for parents through videos and campus-based trainings so that parents could more effectively support their students. They “renovated and innovated,” according to the presentation by Stephanie Williams, Executive Director for Organizational Transformation; Dr. Kwabena Mensah, Assistant Superintendent; Melissa Hubbard, Executive Director of Teaching & Learning; and Dr. Ashley Causey, Director of STEM Curriculum and Instruction.

The campus support teams especially wanted to recognize principals, who anchored the efforts of campuses to reopen safely this year, making extraordinary efforts to follow state and district guidelines while meeting the needs of their staff, students, and parents. This letter was sent to each principal expressing gratitude—a letter that was shared during their TASA session.  Gratitude is one of the best ways to support SEL needs, and the sentiments in this letter apply to every educator and staff member in every district in the Texas and the nation.