New Fort Worth school leader promises ‘workforce-ready graduates’

The city’s top two public education leaders pledged to work closely with local business leaders to create programs that nurture “technologically skilled, workforce-ready graduates” in a special speech to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

“Each and every one of you is making a difference in the lives of our children,” interim Superintendent Pat Linares said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the future of FWISD, especially with Kent Paredes Scribner at the helm,” Linares said.

Linares and Scribner delivered the 12th annual State of Education address told to about 200 people at Cendera Center in west Fort Worth.

Scribner, 49, was hired Sept. 8 to lead the district of 87,000 students. The bilingual educator is expected to begin work on Oct. 15. Linares is expected to stay on until Nov. 13 to assist with the transition.

“As go the schools, so goes the city,” Scribner said. “If we don’t have good, strong schools, then our upward growth will be halted. My responsibility is to build a sustainable system over time that has high quality as its primary outcome.

“We are preparing students for success not only in college but in careers and in life.”

Scribner said he hopes the district will focus on making graduates “workforce-ready” and a “technologically skilled workforce.”

These students “will come out of high school with more refined skills, employable skills than any of the previous generations that we’ve had,” he said.

This story was originally published October 8, 2015 at 7:21 PM with the headline "New Fort Worth school leader promises ‘workforce-ready graduates’."