Jul 19, 2011 - William M. Broderick, Head of School of Fort Worth Academy since 1999, has decisively lead the small private K-8 school into the global arena with its recent recognition as an international model of 21st century education.  

Stewart Crais,  Director of the Lausanne Laptop Institute, an international think tank event that attracts educators from around the world, cites Bill Broderick as “truly the kind of innovator that implements learning initiatives that advance not only Fort Worth Academy, but also contribute to education worldwide.” Broderick accepted the LLI Spotlight School Award on behalf of FWA at the opening ceremonies on July 10, 2011, in Memphis Tennessee.

Following the acceptance of their award, FWA kicked off the LLI conference with a flash mob dance before an unsuspecting audience.  Broderick said “what made the event so humanly spectacular is that a diverse group of educators from around the world came together as participants and showed what happens when you combine  creativity, talent and 21st century initiative. Our flash mobs were a huge hit!”

Passionate about learning, this is the second time in less than a year that the small K-8 school in Fort Worth Texas has been called out as an international model for 21st century education.   Profiled in Schools for All Kinds of Minds for their expertise in the science of learning, Broderick explains “Every decision made at Fort Worth Academy is student-centered and based on the following question:  What is best for this child at this time?”  

Answering that question under the leadership of Broderick, has earned Fort Worth Academy a place in the international spotlight of education today. 

Read the press release at: http://www.prlog.org/11590780-spotlight-award-elevates-fort-worth-academy-international-profile.html

They received the following communication the next day.

Dear Bill and Nancy,

What a wonderful morning!  First, thank you for the good visit and the splendid tour of the campus.  How impressed we were with its growth, attractiveness and utility.  Everywhere we went Susie and I saw happy, polite, and engaged students.  You have every reason to be proud. I sure am proud of what I experienced.  You made Susie and I feel very special.

It was clear to me, Bill, that you have mastered the art of progress.  How beautifully you have preserved order and tradition amid change and, too, you have preserved change amid order.  That is the mark of effective leadership!

I always believed that we had the capacity to do something at the moment that would make tomorrow better.  Moreover, I believed strongly in the capacity of our educational and collective heart, head and soul to make a better world for Fort Worth Academy students.  It is very apparent this is happening, and in grand style!

To you, the faculty, staff, students, parents, and trustees, I offer my sincere congratulations.  The future is yours to influence.  It is evident to me you have continued to work each day to instill in the students the values and characteristics that are part of the Academy’s rich history and which will continue to provide the foundation for their success in the future.  You have it right!

I am pleased and grateful,
Raymond E. Johnson

Students at ALL grade levels participated in a wide array of international collaborative learning ventures.  Teachers at FWA and their colleagues in Canada, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, France, Spain, and the Virgin Islands planned and coordinated a series of fascinating projects.

Ning became a tool for learning.   Ning is an online platform for people to create their own social networks around special topics or needs and caters to specific memberships.  Supervised use of Ning allows FWA to safely experience the world of social networking WHILE offering learning opportunities through electronic communication among students all around the globe. 

A well-known author visited, virtually!  Avi, author of more than 60 books for children and young adults and recipient of numerous accolades including the Newbery Award, spent an hour Skyping with FWA sixth graders from his New York home.

To be presented in perpetuity as an expression of enormous gratitude to individuals and entities who provide the highest of meritorious service to Fort Worth Academy, the Board of Trustees created the Christopher Howe Award.  The award honors attorney Chris Howe, who devoted two-plus years of pro bono service, ultimately winning a suit for FWA and gaining a sizable settlement.

FWA hosted the Region II Chess Championship.  Over 150 students from 17 schools participated, fully utilizing both the gymnasium and the cafetorium from dawn to dusk on a winter Saturday.

FWA partnered with SLANT-45 (Service Learning Adventures of North Texas) as an outreach to the less fortunate and in coordination of the region’s hosting of Super Bowl 45.  Third, fourth and fifth grade students volunteered at Touch-a-Truck 2010 collecting 800 pounds of food for the Tarrant Area Food Bank.

Following a sumptuous dinner featuring Persian specialties, the Diversity and Equity Committee shared the fruits of their year-long association with the National Association of Independent School’s AIM Project (Assessment of inclusivity and Multi-culturalism). 

All students, faculty, staff and administration collaborated to produce a flash mob.  The flash mob was filmed and later presented to an enthusiastically appreciative audience of nearly 600 following the announcement of Fort Worth Academy’s status as Spotlight School 2011 at the Laptop Institute in Memphis.

Dax Loy is Fort Worth Academy’s first Texas State Champion.  Dax, a sixth grader, placed first in the Blitz Tournament at the State of Texas Chess Championships held in Houston.

Fort Worth Academy became the first private school in the city to qualify to host foreign exchange students through Fort Worth Sister Cities, and will host Japanese students during the 2011-12.

Charlotte Stephenson, second grade, was awarded first place in the Star-Telegram’s Stock Show Art Contest.  Her painting was displayed at the National Cowgirl Museum.

Valerie William, kindergarten teacher, received the Iota Pi Chapter Award from Delta Kappa Gamma international, an organization of women educators.

Donald Porter, middle school mathematics teachers, was appointed to the Board of Directors of Courage and Renewal - North Texas, a non-profit organization offering one-day and extended retreats to educators and other professionals designed to rekindle their passion to work and commitment to serve.