Greetings Hawk Nation Parents and Students,

As we continue through the 2nd nine weeks, we ask that you keep the following important updates in mind:

• Progress Report 3 grades close this Friday (10/28)! Please review your student's Skyward account and make sure that all grades are passing (70 and above). We are encouraging students to strive for A's & B's as we know that our Hawks are more than capable of high academic success. Should you have a question or concern about your student's grade, please contact the classroom teacher.

• Please remember our cell phone policy! Parents we really need your help with cell phones and earbuds. Students are not allowed to have them seen or heard from 8:25am to 4:10pm. Please assist us by speaking with your student and reminding them that their phone and earbuds should be put away while at school. Should you need to reach your student during the day due to an emergency, please call the school and ask to speak with their grade-level administrator; please do not call or text your student. Below is our phone policy should your student's phone be seen/heard.

• Attendance Matters! Each instructional day is filled with new material and additional opportunities for student growth. It is essential that we have our Hawk Scholars in attendance each and every day, for the entirety of the day. Please remember that Texas has a 90% rule that states that a student must be in attendance 90% of the time to receive credit for a course. Should an emergency or illness arise and your student must be out, please be sure to send a note to Ms. Katrina Taylor, CMMS Attendance Clerk, at Katrina.Taylor@fortbendisd.com, so that the absence can be excused.

Let's continue to work together, and please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or concerns. Remember, we are Hawk Nation... Hawk Proud!

Mr. Trevor Lemon

Principal, Christa McAuliffe MS

Basketball season will soon be here. All 7th and 8th grade students interested in playing this season must have a physical and Rank One form filled out before tryouts.

Girls tryouts were last week.

Boys tryouts will be October 26th -28th

See any coach for physical forms and a QR code for Rank One.

During its Monday night regular business meeting, the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees approved a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) for the November 8, 2022 election.

The state legislature requires voter approval of a tax rate increase that generates additional revenue for public schools.

Voter approval of the proposed tax rate of $1.2101 (the same rate as last year) will generate additional revenue. The District is planning to use the additional revenue to:

• Address the deficit
• Provide funding for safety measures, including assigning police officers to every elementary school campus
• Allow increased compensation for teachers, raising starting pay to $60,000 for 2022-23
• Allow for increased compensation for auxiliary staff and paraprofessionals
• Allow for long-serving staff to receive years-of-service supplemental pay for their commitment and dedication to FBISD

Fort Bend ISD has a $47 million deficit due to lower than projected student enrollment growth, increased staffing for special education students, past decisions about budgeting for innovative academic programs, expiration of government funding received during the pandemic, and inflation.

A VATRE is one component in a two-part approach to eliminate the District’s deficit. The other component is strategic budget tightening. FBISD has already reduced its spending by $15.4 million as of June 2022.

With a successful VATRE, the tax rate will be $1.21 for every $100,000 of property valuation. That’s $1,210 per year or $101 per month per $100,000 of valuation.

There would be $0 impact on the property taxes for those with over 65 or disabled exemptions, although taxes may increase because of any new improvements made to homesteads (such as an addition or pool).

Visit www.fortbendisd.com/vatre for more information.