We, the undersigned, respectfully request the FBISD Board of Trustees rescind the motion made on May 14th, 2018 to build a twelve-classroom addition on Fort Settlement Middle School that will increase the school’s capacity from 1399 to 1699 students.

According to the PASA data provided to the Board, Fort Settlement will reach 1537 students (110% capacity) in 2018-19, 1601 students (114% capacity) in 2019-20, and 1675 students (120% capacity) in 2020-21, and then will continue to increase for the next several years to 1898 students in 2027-28.

THAT IS THE STUDENT POPULATION OF A HIGH SCHOOL STUFFED INTO A MUCH SMALLER BUILDING, EVEN WITH AN ADDITION.

Let’s present this data in a different way.  The school has a capacity of 1399.  The Board approved building an addition for 300 students, and then on top of that, 200 more students will be put in portable classrooms outside the building.  That is the Board’s long-term solution.  This plan is absolutely unacceptable!

Some questions for the Board:

1. Why would the Board approve a COSTLIER SOLUTION? If there were an addition on Fort Settlement, there is the cost of core modifications, an addition for 300 students, AND the cost of portables due to enrollment being higher than capacity even after the addition.  If there were an addition on First Colony, there is the cost of core modifications and an addition for only 250 students; NO PORTABLES would be needed.  Given there has not been a cost analysis of expanding either school, the Board must assume the cost is the same to build per student.  Since an expansion at First Colony would be for 250 instead of 300 at Fort Settlement, the district would save money by adding onto First Colony.  Again, there is also the cost of portables at Fort Settlement when none would be needed at First Colony.

2. Why wasn’t this idea presented during engagement for COMMUNITY FEEDBACK?  The first public mention of adding onto Fort Settlement was at the FBISD Board Agenda Review meeting on May 7, 2018.  Given the Board approved the Fort Settlement addition one week later, that certainly did not allow enough time for the community to respond and provide feedback to the Board.  Please realize more than half of the students that attend Fort Settlement do NOT reside in Riverstone.  The Board did not afford that majority population the courtesy to address the proposal to add-on to Fort Settlement.

3. Why does Fort Settlement have to take on a DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN when compared to the rest of the district?  The average FBISD middle school capacity (not enrollment) is 1430 across the district, and the Board would like to increase Fort Settlement’s capacity from 1399 to 1699.  First Colony Middle School has a capacity of 1198.  Then there is the projected enrollment.  Fort Settlement has a projected enrollment of 1900, but First Colony has a projected enrollment of 979 students.  Why does Fort Settlement require an addition while First Colony has almost 250 open seats?  The decision to build an addition on Fort Settlement is not a long-term solution and does not provide any certainty or stability to any neighborhoods zoned to Fort Settlement.

4. What about the SAFETY of the students?  FBISD is spending millions of dollars updating schools with bullet proof security vestibules, yet the Board essentially voted to intentionally, and indefinitely, house portable buildings at Fort Settlement.  Portable buildings are not secure.  Portable buildings are not bullet proof.  Locking the door on a portable building is not even close to being as secure as inside a school building.  Building a short, thin mesh wire fence is not even close to being as secure as inside a school building.  There is a solution that would not require any portables, now and in the future, and would keep all the students safe – balance enrollment between First Colony and Fort Settlement.  That is only safe solution for our kids.

5. And the biggest question of all, where did this idea come from?

The FBISD community was not given any opportunity to provide feedback on the idea of adding onto Fort Settlement because the first mention of this idea was on May 7, 2018.  Below is a timeline of events:

• Spring 2014 – The 2013-14 Steering Committee made a recommendation to construct an addition on First Colony Middle School.
• April 2014 – FBISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the 2014 Facilities Master Plan which included an addition on First Colony Middle School.
• November 4, 2014 – Voters approved a 2014 FBISD Bond which included funds to construct an addition on First Colony Middle School.  (The addition was never built.)
• Spring 2018 – During the 2018 Facilities Master Planning process, FBISD Administration recommended an addition be constructed at First Colony Middle School and then enrollment be balanced between First Colony MS and Fort Settlement.
• May 1, 2018 – The 2018 Steering Committee voted to again recommend an addition be constructed at First Colony Middle School and then balance enrollment between First Colony MS and Fort Settlement.
• May 7, 2018 – FBISD Board Agenda Review meeting where the first public mention of constructing an addition on Fort Settlement became part of the discussion.
• May 14, 2018 – FBISD Board of Trustees went against all recommendations and made an “Original Recommendation” to “build a twelve-classroom addition on Fort Settlement.”

We, the undersigned, request the FBISD Board of Trustees uphold the logical recommendation of adding onto First Colony Middle School and balancing enrollment.  If this appropriate decision were made, Fort Settlement and First Colony would each have 1438 students in 10 years instead of 1900 students and 979 students respectively.

BALANCING ENROLLMENT BETWEEN THE TWO SCHOOLS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT REZONING A CHILD FROM ONE SCHOOL TO ANOTHER.  Neighborhoods would be rezoned, but you would not have to rezone any students.  When a child is rezoned, that means he or she would begin at one school and finish at another.  All existing Fort Settlement students can be grandfathered into the school and would never need to be put under the stress of rezoning.  Those children not grandfathered into Fort Settlement would begin 6th grade at First Colony and be able to stay at that same school all three years of middle school.

We would like to remind the FBISD Board of Trustees of a few ethical standards written in the Board of Trustees Policy Manual.  We feel the following ethical standards were not upheld:

• I will work to ensure prudent and accountable use of District resources.
• I will do my best to weigh all factors and make informed decisions.
• I will refuse to surrender my judgment or my responsibilities to any individual or group at the expense of the District.

Given all the information presented above, why would the FBISD Board of Trustees make a motion to build an addition onto Fort Settlement?  We, the undersigned, respectfully request the FBISD Board of Trustees rescind the motion to construct an addition to Fort Settlement.  The recommendation given by the FBISD Administration and both the 2013 and 2018 Steering Committees should be upheld, which is to balance enrollment between Fort Settlement and First Colony Middle Schools.

We are registered voters, with most of us residing in the most active voting district in Fort Bend County, and we do not support the decision to build an addition at Fort Settlement.  Therefore, we will be forced to vote “no” for the upcoming FBISD bond proposal.  Please reconsider the motion made on May 14, 2018 regarding building an addition onto Fort Settlement Middle School.

Concerned FBISD Voters