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FBISD Fort Bend ISD to host hiring event on Dec. 5 approves names for three new campuses Community Reports
Staff Reports The names of new FBISD campuses were approved at the district’s November 18 meeting with plans for one of the schools to bear the name of a legendary high school coach who recently passed away, according to a press release from the district. The newly constructed campus for Blue Ridge-Briargate Elementary School will be named after George Bush High School Head Football Coach and former NFL player Allen Aldridge Jr. who died in September age 52. Members of Aldridge’s family were present at the board meeting and said the beloved coach would likely blush to see his name on a school. “He would be happy, but he might have hidden his face,” upon receiving such recognition, his mother Cleotha Aldridge said. His wife Tajuana agreed. “This is not something he would ever have asked for because he was a very laidback person, but he would be so proud and excited about this,” she said. The school names were selected from a pool of more than 1,600 submissions that came in from the FBISD community. The new campus for Mission Bend-Mission Glen Elementary will be named Mission Elementary School to commemorate the community’s “spirit of empowerment through knowledge, inclusion and commitment to lifelong learning,” according to the release. The specialty campus Ferndell Henry Center for Learning, named after a FBISD high school biology teacher who served the district for almost 40 years, is being renovated and converted into an elementary school. It will become Ferndell Henry Elementary School. “Before my dad passed away, I asked him if there was anything in life he would have done differently,” Brian Henry said. “He answered, ‘no.’ He said he really enjoyed teaching.” With Brian at the board meeting was his daughter Brynne Henry, Ferndell’s granddaughter, who teaches art at Sugar Land Middle School.
SEE NEW CAMPUS PAGE 4
George Bush High School head football coach and former NFL player Allen Aldridge, Jr. died in September. On Nov. 18, the Fort Bend ISD board approved naming a new elementary school after him. Courtesy Fort Bend ISD
Fort Bend ISD will host a Teacher and Campus Hiring Event on December 5 from 5-6:30 p.m. at the James Reese Career and Technical Center, located at 12300 University Blvd., Sugar Land. The district is seeking certified teachers, paraprofessionals and nurses who are interested in starting 2025 with a new career. During the event, campus and department leaders will be ready to
conduct on-the-spot interviews for the following positions: • Certified teachers (all certification areas, including special education and bilingual teachers) • Paraprofessionals (general and special education) • Registered nurses • Counselors “Fort Bend ISD is a phenomenal district that offers many opportunities for growth and advancement, whether you are an experienced educator or just starting your career,”
said FBISD Dr. Jennifer Nichols, the district’s director of talent acquisition. “We are looking forward to meeting candidates who are ready to lead and support student learning, including university students who will receive their teaching degrees in just a few short weeks.” Registration for the event is open at fortbendisd.com/hiringevent. Candidates who register to attend are encouraged to bring several copies of their resume and come prepared for on-the-spot interviews.
The district also asks candidates to review all current job postings and apply for those of interest prior to attending the event. A list of open positions and links to apply can be viewed at fortbendisd.com/careers.
GIRL SCOUTS LEARN TO GARDEN Community Reports
Fort Bend County Master Gardeners shared their knowledge and experience with fourth- and fifth-grade Girl Scouts on a recent Saturday. Approximately 20 girls attended a Girl Scout Badge event hosted by the FBMG Youth Activity Committee at the Bud O’Shieles Community Center in Rosenberg. YAC Director Donna Blackburn of Sugar Land said requirements established by Girl Scouts for the badge include visiting a garden, exploring garden design, learning to choose garden plants, experimenting with seeds and then growing seeds in their garden. Master Gardeners Lynn Lucas of Fulshear and Annette Beadles of Richmond used the word “Plants” to underline the basics of what plants need: A place to live, light, air, nutrients, thirst for water and soil. Lucas discussed the different needs of plants. “Group like plants together. You don’t put a cactus with a fern in the same container,” she said, explaining a cactus wouldn’t need as much water as a fern. Plant labels and seed packets give instruction and guidance on what the plant needs to grow and thrive. The Scouts were given seed packets for a hands-on exploration on what information is on them, what it means and how to apply it to plants in the garden. For example, “The back of a seed package will tell you if you need full sun or part sun,” Lucas said. Tall plants go in the back of the flower bed and short plants in the front, she said. “You do that so they all get good sunlight.” Answering one Scout’s
Master Gardener Nancy Utech of Richmond helps Girl Scouts Ilyana and Illianna learn more about the seeds they just received. Courtesy Fort Bend County Master Gardeners
question, she said depth referred to how deep they need to plant the seeds in the soil. She talked about thinning plants if the seeds sprout and grow up too closely together. Fifth-grader Cassidy of Richmond had no problem spending her
Saturday morning at the center. “I’m excited about the part about garden design. I don’t know much about garden design. That’s why I’m here to learn about things.” She has a plant and flower encyclopedia at home. “It’s a big thing
filled with plants and flowers and lots of pictures.” She also has a manual for the gardening badge at home. “It just seems cool to me to
SEE GARDENERS PAGE 4
Tech hub to open flagship office in Sugar Land Community Reports Plug and Play recently took the stage alongside the City of Sugar Land Economic Development and Tourism team at the 2024 Silicon Valley Summit in Silicon Valley to announce the opening of its new flagship Houston-Metro location in Sugar Land Town Square. This marks Plug and Play’s fourth location in the state and includes a non-compete radius of 60 miles from the city limits, underscoring its strategic commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the region, according to a press release from the City. Plug and Play, which
helped accelerate more than 2,700 startups globally last year, aims to drive innovation by connecting entrepreneurs, corporations, investors, universities and governments worldwide. The company has more than 60 locations globally and over 550 corporate partners, including Dell Technologies, Daikin, Microsoft, LG Chem, Shell, and Mercedes. Their portfolio includes companies like PayPal, Dropbox, LendingClub, and Course Hero, with 8 percent of the portfolio valued at over $100 million. “We are excited to welcome Plug and Play to Sugar Land,” Mayor of Sugar Land Joe Zimmerman said in the
The tech accelerator firm Plug and Play recently announced the opening of its Houston-area flagship office at Sugar Land Town Square. Image via Plug and Play
release. “This investment will help us connect with corporate contacts and experts in startups and businesses that would take us many years to reach on our own. It allows us to create a presence, attract investments and jobs to the city, and hopefully become a base of operations for some of these high-growth companies.”
Leasing and hiring will begin between December and January, with an official launch in February or March, featuring approximately 15 startups announced on Selection Day. Plug and Play will hire four full-time equivalent (FTE) employees and accelerate two startup batches per year, focusing on “Smart Cities”, which in-
clude sectors such as energy, health, transportation, and mobility. Additionally, one Sugar Land City representative will serve as a board member, helping to set the program’s goals and mission. “By expanding to Sugar Land, we’re creating a space where startups can access resources, build partnerships, and scale rapidly,” said Sherif Saadawi, the company’s vice president for strategy. “This location will help fuel Texas’ innovation ecosystem, providing entrepreneurs with the tools and networks they need to drive real-world impact and contribute to the state’s technological and economic growth.”
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