On April 28, school district Superintendents of Fort Bend County gave a State of the School Address to the Fort Bend community, hosted by Central Fort Bend Chamber at Safari Texas Ranch.
Curtis Rhodes, Needville ISD Superintendent; Dr. Thomas Randle, Lamar CISD Superintendent; and Dr. Charles E. Dupre, Fort Bend ISD Superintendent shared their enthusiasm for growth, academic achievements, innovative certification programs, and more.
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- (Left to right): Jim Russ, EHRA Engineering; Regina Morales, Central Fort Bend Chamber; Trey Reichert, Johnson Development Corporation; Ray Aguliar, Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land; Dr. Charles Dupre, Fort Bend ISD; Curtis Rhodes, Needville ISD; Dr. Thomas Randle, Lamar CISD; Shellye Carpenter, Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union
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- Dr. Charles Dupre, Fort Bend ISD (left) and Andy Wei, Clements High School senior (right)
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- (Left to right): Lamar CISD, Valerie Vogt, Jill Lugwig, Dr. Kathleen Bowen, Leslei Haack; and Kay Danzinger, Lamar CISD Board Secretary
Rhodes shared a video saying, “The video was created by the videography class at Needville High School and is a great summary of our district from the eyes of the students.” Rhodes, who has been the Superintendent of Needville ISD since 2006 also expressed, “Many of our [High School] students receive college credits or industry-level certifications by the time they graduate preparing them for the real world”.
Since 2001, when Dr. Randle became Superintendent of Lamar CISD, the district has doubled in population. He spoke about the expansion of community developments in the district and a bond planning program upcoming in November 2017. “With the growth of student enrollment, we will need 12 new elementary schools in the next decade,” he says.
Celebrating his 4 years as Superintendent on the day of the luncheon, Dr. Dupre opened his presentation saying, “Fort Bend County school districts have a strong alliance. Our academic success impacts the economic success and the quality of life in the community.” Dr. Dupre invited students Andy Wei, a senior at Clements High School, and Taliyah Butler, a 4th grade student at Briargate Elementary School, to the luncheon to share their stories about how they are “inspired and equipped to pursue a future beyond what they can imagine”.
Wei is an award-winning artist at the Houston Live Stock Rodeo and is in the process of deciding on a college to attend following high school graduation. Butler dreams of being a scientist when she grows up and sees a trip to Jupiter in her future.
Presenting Sponsors Shellye Carpenter, Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union; Ray Aguilar, Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land; and Trey Reichert, Johnson Development Corporation helped emcee the program with Chamber Chairman Jim Russ, EHRA Engineering. Lead Pastor Jimn Kyles conducted the invocation. Underwriters were First Southwest Company, Linebarger Attorneys at Law, PBK, OakBend Medical Center, Texas State Technical College and Wharton County Junior College.