Fort Worth teachers get pumped up to begin a new school year

They call it a “convocation,” but that word is a little staid for the gathering that rocked Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center on Friday morning.

This was a raucous pep rally with teams in school colors waving signs and spirit sticks, singing and dancing in the aisles.

And there was one new player on the team this year whom everyone wanted to see: Kent Paredes Scribner, the prospective Fort Worth school superintendent.

Scribner smiled widely and shook hands as he walked to the stage about 9:30 a.m. to the cheers of thousands of district employees gathered for the annual back-to-school convocation.

Scribner, superintendent of the Phoenix Union High School District in Arizona, is expected to be hired officially as Fort Worth superintendent at the school board’s meeting Sept. 1.

He told the crowd that he planned to spend the weekend meeting with city leaders, including Mayor Betsy Price.

“I can’t wait to get started and to hear from you,” Scribner said.

“I want to hit the ground listening and get to know Fort Worth as quickly as possible. … I want to visit schools, visit with community leaders, talk to the kids, learn about what your dreams are, what your hopes are, what your expectations are, where the challenges are and where I should focus my energy.”

School starts Monday for tens of thousands of youngsters who attend North Texas public schools, including 85,000 in the Fort Worth district.

Beverley Nelms, a nurse at Westcreek Elementary School, was a little older than the average person at the convocation.

“I’ll be 80 in a few months,” she said.

While she acknowledged that she was “here because we were told we have to be here,” it was also for the “enthusiasm, camaraderie and for making new friends.”

The district’s future looks promising to Delilah Edmondson, a counselor at I.M. Terrell Elementary School.

“I’m very excited, very excited about the changes and a new superintendent,” she said.

Three students in the crowd said they are eager to begin classes.

“We’re ready to graduate,” said Jacob Reyna, a senior at South Hills High School. Sitting near him were seniors Sheila Duron of South Hills and Maxion Guinyard of Arlington Heights High School. All are 17.

“We are here because we wanted to get our teachers hyped up” for the start of school, Guinyard said.

This story was originally published August 21, 2015 at 12:26 PM with the headline "Fort Worth teachers get pumped up to begin a new school year."