FISD Announces Six New Career & Tech Programs for 2023-24
Several new programs have been added to the already robust career and technical education opportunities for high school students at Forney ISD. In the 2023-2024 school year, program selections have been expanded to the current list to include: Automotive Technology, Construction Management, Cosmetology, Emergency Services, Exercise Science and Wellness, and Fashion Design. All six of the new programs will be offered at The Opportunity Central (The OC) starting this Fall 2023.
The new program selections have been introduced to the current 8th and 9th grade students who will be enrolled at Forney High School or North Forney High School in the 2023-2024 school year. Most juniors and seniors are committed to their degree plan in order to complete their program in time for graduation.
Automotive Technology - NEW in partnership with Dallas College offered at The OC
The Automotive program teaches CTE learners how to repair and refinish automobiles and service various types of vehicles. CTE learners may learn to collect payment for services or supplies and perform typical vehicle maintenance procedures such as lubrication, oil changes, adding antifreeze, or replacement of accessories like wiper blades or tires. Students will be required to complete an application for Dallas College and Forney ISD, in addition to taking the college-ready assessment exam. Students in this program of study are working towards completion of the Chassis Service Technician Level I Certificate offered by Dallas College. The final courses in this Program of Study will culminate in a cooperative work experience with an automotive industry partner. *Please note that an application will apply to this program of study.
Cosmetology - NEW in partnership with Trinity Valley Community College offered at The OC
The Cosmetology and Personal Care Services program introduces students to knowledge and skills related to providing beauty and personal care services. Students may learn about or practice managing personal care facilities and coordinating or supervising personal service workers. To prepare for success, students must have academic knowledge, technical knowledge, and skills relative to the industry. Students will be completing their coursework through Trinity Valley Community College (TVCC) and will earn college CTE workforce credit. Students will be able to complete coursework towards the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) requirements for licensure. Prior to entry into the advanced courses, students will be required to take the college-ready assessment exams. *Please note that an application and student fees will apply to this program of study.
Emergency Services - NEW in partnership with Dallas College offered at The OC
The Emergency Services program focuses on training students to respond to emergency situations, such as medical and fire-based emergencies. Students will learn how to prevent emergencies, respond appropriately and in accordance with rules and regulations during crises, and investigate and delineate the source of the emergency. Entry into the EMT - Basics courses will require an application to Dallas College and students will be required to take the college-ready assessment exams.
Construction Management - NEW offered at The OC
The Construction Management and Inspection program explores the occupations and educational opportunities associated with cost estimates for construction projects or services to aid management in bidding on or determining the price of products or services. This program of study may also include exploration into inspecting structures using engineering skills to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes, and other regulations.
Exercise Science and Wellness - NEW offered at The OC
The Exercise Science and Wellness program introduces students to the fields that assist patients with maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health. Students will research diet and exercise needed to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle and learn about and practice techniques to help patients recover from injury, illness, or disease. Students will have the opportunity to intern as an Athletic trainer or with an industry partner in the Physical Therapy field.
Fashion Design - NEW offered at The OC
Students in the Fashion Design program will gain an understanding of design and construction techniques and the business aspects of fashion with an emphasis on promotion and retailing. Throughout this program of study, students will learn the history of fashion design, explain current practices, and predict future trends. A student completing this program will possess the technical knowledge and skills associated with fashion design, production and selection, wholesale purchasing, sales and promotion.
Career and Technology programs include a recommended sequence of coursework for college and career preparation based on a student's interest. The knowledge, training and skills developed in these programs will assist students in pursuit of their future jobs and career opportunities.
For the full list of programs offered at Forney ISD visit the webpage at www.forneyisd.net/CTE.
Students interested in Automotive, Cosmetology and Emergency Services must have completed an application by March 1, for consideration. Applications are available in each student’s Skyward account. Questions can be directed to high school counselors, or the Future Ready department.
Business leaders are taking on public education with Forney ISD
Five business leaders are the first to announce their partnership with Forney ISD (FISD) to create the latest innovative approach to education at The Opportunity Central (The OC).
This fall, The OC – a career, college and community center – will open with a variety of retail shops, service providers and eateries operating on the bottom floor of the 3-story campus. The mall-like setting will be an extension of the traditional classroom where business professionals will offer students practical experiences to gain industry knowledge, training and mentorship to be successful in their chosen program of study and insight to future careers.
“The best way to learn is through experience,” said Dr. Justin Terry, superintendent of FISD. “The OC will bring student learning and business together to provide relevant and real-world applications for students.”
The following businesses are the first to commit to this new initiative with Forney ISD with five more to be announced in the coming weeks:
Eddie Deen’s featuring Mary Sue’s Nashville Chicken and BBQ. Owners: Eddie & Allison Deen
Forney Taqueria featuring an authentic menu of handmade tortillas, tacos, salsas and more. Owners: Virginia & Gabriel Rodarte
Martin’s Automotive specializing in car diagnostic and repair services. Owners: Joe & Nancy Martin
Pine and Ivy featuring home decor and custom light fixtures. Owners: Mark & Meg Wagner
White Rhino Coffee featuring craft coffee and made-from-scratch eats. Founder & CEO: Chris Parvin
The partnering businesses will work with select FISD students to build their skills and complement classroom instruction. Career programs being offered to 10th, 11th and 12th grade students at The OC include Automotive Technology, Entrepreneurship, Marketing/Sales, Hospitality/Event Planning, Design/Multimedia Arts, Culinary Arts, Digital Communications, Fashion Design, Healthcare, Education and Engineering. Partner businesses agree to open and operate their business and involve students learning different aspects of each business in exchange for a facility use fee.
Joe and Nancy Martin, owners of Martin’s Automotive, a full-service auto repair center located in Kaufman County will open a satellite location inside of The OC. “I have spent years dedicated to learning the automotive trade and have run Martin’s Automotive for the last 22 years. Sharing real experiences and passing along this knowledge to students interested in this industry is where I am willing to invest my time and money. I can’t imagine a greater impact to have on their future,” said Jo Martin.
Pine and Ivy, a retail and online home decor and custom lighting business, is opening a retail location inside The OC. “As an educator and experienced interior designer and influencer, I am thrilled to offer an environment where I can share my passion and knowledge with students and serve clients,” said Meg Wagner, owner of Pine and Ivy.
“Our students and community are worth investing in,” said Forney ISD Board President Greg Pharris. “Creating experiences that will positively impact our students’ future is a shared philosophy that will change the world of education as we know it.”
The OC will open this fall for students and businesses will open in phases as their construction build-out is completed. The dedication and official ribbon cutting will include a series of events beginning in February 2024. For more information, visit www.theOC.net.
Pine and Ivy to Open Retail Store in The OC
Pine + Ivy, a home decor and lighting design company, is opening a retail store in The Opportunity Central (The OC) - a career, college and community initiative by Forney Independent School District. Pine + Ivy is the latest business to announce its partnership with the district that includes students enrolled in practicums who will learn all the aspects of what it takes to make the businesses successful.
Pine + Ivy started in 2014 as a side business where Meg Wagner and her husband, Mark, curated both handmade and wholesale decor items and sold them at First Monday Canton Trade Days. They soon outgrew their space at home and opened a warehouse and retail location in Forney. The couple started a website and began online product sales and shipping utilizing an e-commerce platform.
Through the use of social media, Meg has become an influential home decor expert. As drastic changes to the small business and retail world fluctuate, the Wagners have been able to scale their business accordingly.
“We are excited to have this opportunity to partner with Forney Independent School District,” said Meg. “The Keith Bell Opportunity Central aligns with our desire to serve the community and we look forward to providing real life, hands-on experiences for the students.”
Pine + Ivy will provide opportunities for select FISD students studying marketing, entrepreneurship, digital communications, multimedia arts and event planning to learn the business from the inside out.
“The partnership with Pine + Ivy is a huge asset to our students and community. The Wagners’ desire to provide valuable insight for students to learn through the operation of their business is the best experience our students can have,” said Dr. Justin Terry, Superintendent of Forney ISD.
Pine + Ivy is part of the growing list of business partnerships joining Forney ISD to open The OC in order to provide the latest innovative approach to teaching, learning and developing students’ skills in partnership with industry professionals.
The OC, a 350,000 sq ft, three story, multipurpose facility will feature select business partners who are dedicated to student career education and providing experiences for real-world skills training and career development. Joining Pine + Ivy, FISD has announced partnerships with White Rhino Coffee and Eddie Deen’s Catering Co. with more partnerships to be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, visit www.theOC.net.
BBQ Master and Catering Expert, Eddie Deen, partners with Forney ISD
There is no doubt that good food can be linked to unique experiences. For Eddie Deen, the moments when he and his catering company have served thousands of people at once have created unforgettable experiences driven by massive amounts of planning and flawless execution. Those experiences, combined with his passion for community, have built a barbecue legend.
Forney ISD is proud to announce that Eddie Deen & Company has signed on to bring their catering and barbeque expertise to help guide and teach students in The Opportunity Central (The OC), a Forney Independent School District initiative. Slated to open in the fall of 2023, their eatery will feature barbeque and Mary Sue’s Chicken in honor of Eddie Deen’s mother’s famous recipe.
The OC is a career, college and community center to feature select business partners who are dedicated to student career education and providing experiences for real-world skills training and career development.
"We will be setting the stage for Forney ISD students to believe they have the power to create the outcome they want. There are laws that govern these outcomes including how to feed 15,500 people in 38 minutes at a gubernatorial inaugural, 32,000 people during a presidential inauguration or feed 13,000 people with only a 7 hour notice for evacuees at the Dallas Convention Center during Hurricane Katrina,” said Deen.
“There are equal laws that govern successful businesses and entrepreneurs such as courage, neutrality, willingness, acceptance, reason, love, joy and peace of mind,” Deen continued. “We look forward to helping make The Opportunity Central a place of entertainment, a place of enlightenment and to shine a light on the education of the future."
While Deen is well-known for mastering the art of barbecue, his passion is for community outreach. He has been instrumental in helping students and others towards the path of success through mentorship as well as work and training opportunities. Through his partnership with FISD, Deen strives to provide students with an educational experience unlike any other.
“Eddie Deen is a barbecue legend with a servant’s heart. His approach to cooking BBQ includes time-tested cooking methods along with applied science, chemistry and engineering,” said Forney ISD Superintendent Dr. Justin Terry. “Our students will have the opportunity to learn and engage in real-world experiences from a legendary chef and business professional.”
The OC includes 350,000 sq ft of space and is three stories tall. The first floor of the facility will feature a mall-like setting where students earn class credit by participating in real-world practicums led by business leaders. The community will have access to the first floor to patronize the shops, eateries and other services offered by partner businesses. The second and third floors of The OC have secured entries for student classroom instruction and labs during the school day
The OC will offer a variety of multipurpose spaces for events and continuing education. The facility will be open extended hours, seven days a week. Dallas College and Texas Tech University will also provide higher education classes available to the public in the evenings and weekends. Other spaces include an early childhood academy, fine arts theater, automotive workshop, construction lab, cosmetology suite, esports lab, and several other exciting learning spaces.
For more information, visit www.theOC.net.
White Rhino Coffee (WRC) and the Forney Independent School District (FISD) have joined forces to offer students and the community a robust coffee experience while teaching students the trade and building skills of future graduates. Forney ISD’s Opportunity Central opening this fall is the newest education model to feature innovative career training, college programs and community engagement events. White Rhino Coffee is the first to announce their partnership with the district.
The OC, a 350,000 sq ft, three story, multipurpose facility will feature select business partners who are dedicated to student career education and providing experiences for real-world skills training and career development.
“The concept of providing every high school student with real, hands-on experience from professionals in the field, is the greatest opportunity for our students and their future,” said Forney ISD Superintendent Dr. Justin Terry. “We are excited to have White Rhino Coffee as a partner in this venture.”
White Rhino Coffee has 9 shops across the DFW Metroplex serving exceptional craft coffee + scratch eats, and a Coffee Roastery providing coffee subscriptions to individuals and businesses across the country. White Rhino is uniquely positioned to provide Forney ISD’s students with insight into entrepreneurship, retail operations, accounting, marketing, customer service training, the art of craft coffee, and more.
“We are thrilled to be an integral part of shaping future generations of Forney ISD students,” said Chris Parvin, Founder & CEO of White Rhino Coffee. “We are more than just a coffee shop; we’re a coffee shop on a mission to create community around coffee, and The OC aligns perfectly with that mission."
“This new concept will change the way we educate students,” said Terry. “We are grateful to WRC for their shared vision and investment in our students’ future.”
The OC will open in phases with the first phase opening this August 2023. The first floor of the three story facility will operate a mall-like setting where students earn class credit by participating in real-world practicums led by business leaders. The community will have access to the first floor to patronize the shops, eateries and other services offered by partner businesses. The second and third floors of The OC have secured entries for student classroom instruction and labs during the school day.
Dallas College and Texas Tech University will provide admissions counselors as well as classes for students enrolled in dual credit classes while in high school. After school hours, the second and third floors will open for community access to college classes and other community enrichment offerings.
The OC will offer a variety of multipurpose spaces for event and meeting rentals. The facility will be open extended hours, seven days a week. Other spaces include an early childhood academy, fine arts theater, automotive workshop, construction lab, cosmetology suite, esports lab, and several other exciting learning spaces.
White Rhino Coffee & Forney ISD Now Serving Opportunity
Forney ISD delivering the future of education - Opportunity Central
State-of-the-art, innovative campus designed for career, college and community opportunities breaks ground
Keith Bell family and FISD Board of Trustees
Texas Tech President Dr. Schovanec and Admin with FISD Board
FISD Board and Dallas College Eastfield President Dr. Tealer and Admin
Forney Independent School District Board of Trustees joined with city, county and state officials and leadership from Dallas College and Texas Tech University for the official fanfare and groundbreaking ceremony of The Keith Bell Opportunity Central (The OC).
The OC is a 350,000 sq ft, three-story building designed to bring career training, college access, and community integration into one campus. Scheduled to open in 2023, students from Forney High School and North Forney High School will enroll in innovative programs offered on the campus and will be bused in throughout the day.
“This facility is designed with flexible spaces that can be transformed to accommodate future career and college programs, various sizes of events, student-led initiatives and business partnerships to give students real-world experiences,” remarked Dr. Justin Terry, superintendent of Forney ISD.
The facility will operate extended hours and weekends for various events and recreational opportunities including classes for adults and the community. Business opportunities are available for eateries, retail and service providers interested in extending learning experiences for students in addition to offering services to the community.
Programs to be offered at The OC include: automotive, construction technology, computer coding and e-sports, fine arts, entrepreneurship, fashion design, horticulture/floral design, digital arts and communication, marketing, health sciences, emergency services, cosmetology, early childhood education, hospitality, event planning, theater, visual and performing arts, music production and more coming soon.
Dual credit enrollment continues to grow at FISD. Currently, 600 students are enrolled in classes where they are receiving high school and college credit through Dallas College. Dallas College will continue dual credit classes to high school students in addition to other offerings such as Welding and HVAC courses currently being offered to students and the adult community.
“We are delighted to continue our services with Forney ISD and the community,” said Dr. Eddie Tealer, president of the Dallas College Eastfield Campus. “It is our mission to bring career and academic services for advancement and enrichment of the students we serve.”
The Texas Tech regional site at the OC will function differently than other sites because it will offer new and innovative degree programs and certifications that cater to future job markets. While no specific programs have been announced yet, TTU is looking forward to undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels in Forney. In addition to academic programs, TTU will offer continuing education classes and certificates, as well as classes through Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) for individuals 50 years of age and older.
“When Dr. Terry presented the vision of The OC, we [Texas Tech] responded enthusiastically to his invitation to partner with Forney ISD and Dallas College to bring innovative programs to this area,” said Dr. Lawrence Schovanec, president of TTU.
Forney residents will have access to space on The OC campus for meetings, recreation, tournaments, concerts, trade shows, banquets, college classes, theater productions and businesses operating inside. Local families will also be able to take advantage of an early childhood center, a 600-seat blackbox theater, a coffee shop, and more.
The community integration aspect is what makes this facility unique. “The more opportunities we can provide to involve our community into creating experiences for students to learn will produce the best possible outcomes for everyone,” said Greg Pharris, president of the Forney ISD School Board.
The facility namesake, Keith Bell, and his family and friends were present for the ceremony in addition to Gallagher construction and Huckabee architects.
Eighty students from Forney High School and North Forney High School under the direction of Cody Newman and Jim Gist performed the Texas Tech fight song while confetti cannons added to the festive celebration.
During the evening, lighting and projections were choreographed on a large screen, engineered by FHS technical theater teacher Jacob Thomas and theater students. The projection show featured the highlights of The OC. Clay Honeycutt the floral design teacher and his students who operate Blooms at Forney ISD created the floral arrangements, balloon structure and assisted in the event set-up and take-down.
In addition to remarks by FISD Superintendent Dr. Justin Terry and FISD Board President Greg Pharris, the program included dignitaries from Dallas College including Dr. Eddie Tealer, president of the Dallas College Eastfield Campus; Dr. Lawrence Schovanec President of Texas Tech University; and Forney Mayor Amanda Lewis.
The OC is being built across from the newly opened Jackson Middle School and Rhodes Intermediate campus on Innovation Blvd.
Forney ISD’s Opportunity Central reaches milestone in construction
Gray skies provided the picture perfect setting for a Topping Out celebration on Thursday, Dec. 8 at the site of the new Keith Bell Opportunity Central, or The OC. The construction team and contractors with Gallagher, along with the architecture team at Huckabee, Forney ISD officials and others gathered to celebrate as one of the final beams of steel, painted bright green and adorned with signatures and messages from those in attendance, was hoisted with a crane and secured in place at the highest point of the building's frame.
FISD Superintendent Dr. Justin Terry addressed the audience of workers in hardhats and safety vests, “There are so many of you who are working day and night to make this vision a reality. Managing tight deadlines, crunching numbers, organizing skilled labor, adjusting schedules - the work you do is remarkable.”
The OC is designed with three main components focused on student success - career, college and community. The facility will include innovative career programs, access to college programs, and provide select businesses the opportunity to operate, work with students and integrate with the community to develop relevant future-ready skills.
“You are all a part of something really special. This concept is one-of-a-kind and designed to change the way we think about education,” stated Terry. “I am so grateful to be a part of this community dedicated to student success.”
The OC is set to open in August of 2023. The 350,000 sq ft, three-story facility will open to students first. High school students in 10th-12th grade from both Forney High School and North Forney High School will take courses throughout the day at The OC. In addition, a Pre-Kindergarten center is being built to accommodate 500 three and four year olds while helping to develop future teachers.
Several other key features of the facility include a 600-seat theater, a prep kitchen, an indoor playground, and an arena for sporting events, tournaments and concerts. The facility, large enough to accommodate FHS and NFHS graduations, will have space available for special events, trade shows, tournaments, and meetings.
Unlike a traditional school, this facility will have extended open hours to include nights and weekends. Several businesses including eateries and a coffee shop will open to the community and operate from the first floor of the facility. Similar to a mall concept, the bottom floor will welcome the community to patronize the local shops, eateries and student-run businesses. The second and third floors will have secured student access to classrooms. Texas Tech at Forney and Dallas College at Forney will offer programs spanning from associates degrees through senior adult continuing education.
For more information on The OC, please visit www.theoc.net, or call the FISD Partnerships Office at 469-762-4104.