August 1999
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
- The following Cypress Creek High School students were recognized for winning first or second place at the International Thespian Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska: Joel McDonald, first place in monologue, and Stewart Landon, Jeff Taylor, Robbie McDonough, Rachel Landon, Agnes Sekowski, Leslie Sinclair, Katy Hooper, Jenny Stone, Natalia Sinotora, Mollie Milliet, Allyson Organ, Libby Lemmerz, Bonnie Milliet, and Melissa Smolenski, second place in group musical.
- Cy-Fair High School athletic trainer Arnold Thomas was recognized for receiving the Southwest Athletic Trainers' Association "Texas High School Coaches Association Athletic Trainer of the Year Award."
SITE DESIGN FOR HIGH SCHOOL NO. 7
The Board heard a report regarding the progress of the site design of High School #7. The school is located on a 97-acre tract of land across from Traders Village Houston Inc. on Eldridge Parkway. The preliminary plans include the high school occupying 63.5 of the 97 acres, with 26 acres designated for a future middle school and the remaining 8 acres for some other type of facility. The high school's design is very similar to Cypress Springs High School, a two-story facility with a central mall-type corridor and administrative offices located at the entrance of the building. It is expected that traffic lights will be installed on Eldridge Parkway at both ends of the school.
1999-2000 BUDGET
A public hearing on the 1999-2000 budget was held to provide residents of the District an opportunity to provide input. No one signed up to speak to the Board. The budget includes the following:
- goals discussed by the Board of Trustees at its February goal-setting retreat;
- salary increases for all employees;
- new positions to accommodate student growth;
- funding for at-risk and TAAS programs; and
- money to implement a variety of new security measures.
Because the District continues to grow at a rapid rate, payroll represents 88.45 percent of the budget. Enrollment for the 1999-2000 school year is expected to be 60,823. Despite rapid growth, the District's administrative costs continue to be the lowest in the Gulf Coast region.
HARRIS COUNTY CONSTABLE CONTRACT
The Board approved a security contract of approximately $356,000 that will include the services of 20 Harris County constables. The 20 constables represent an increase of 6 officers over the District's previous contract, which will allow the District to assign a deputy to each middle school and its feeder schools. Included in the new contract will be a lieutenant, a position that will provide more on-site decision-making. Also included in the new contract will be a nitrate- and explosive-sniffing canine that will be available to the District 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS
The Board approved several staff recommendations, inclusive of the naming of Ralph Gonzales as the new assistant director of security. A native Houstonian, Gonzales has 30 years of experience in law enforcement. He worked for the Houston Police Department for 25 years, 16 of which were as a supervisor. Most recently, Gonzales worked in the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
1999 SPRING TAAS RESULTS FOR GRADES 3-8 AND EXIT LEVEL
A report on the 1999 spring Texas Assessment of Academic Achievement (TAAS) results for grades 3-8 and exit level was presented to the Board. The following information provides an overview of district results.
- Elementary school results for "All Students Not in Special Education" range from a low of 94 percent passing to a high of 97 percent passing. Elementary results for "All Students" range from 93 percent passing to 97 percent passing. The percent of elementary students passing improved in every area.
- Middle school results for "All Students Not in Special Education" range from a low of 92 percent to a high of 94 percent passing. Middle school results for "All Students" range from 91 percent passing to 93 percent passing. The percent of middle school students passing improved in every area except sixth- and seventh-grade reading, which remained steady at 92 percent passing.
- Senior high school results for "All Students Not in Special Education" range from a low of 90 percent passing to a high of 96 percent passing. Senior high results for "All Students" range from 88 percent passing to 95 percent passing. The percent of high school students passing improved in every area. During the past three years, the percent passing at all grade levels improved. A comparison of area school districts is included in the following table.
| |
|
Grade 3 |
Grade 4 |
Grade 5 |
Grade 6 |
Grade 7 |
Grade 8 |
Grade 10 |
| District |
Enrollment
10/98 |
R |
M |
R |
M |
W |
R |
M |
R |
M |
R |
M |
R |
M |
W |
R |
M |
W |
| Aldine |
49,500 |
87 |
83 |
89 |
91 |
88 |
81 |
88 |
85 |
88 |
84 |
87 |
90 |
88 |
86 |
86 |
80 |
88 |
| Alief |
41,100 |
84 |
78 |
89 |
87 |
85 |
86 |
89 |
86 |
85 |
83 |
80 |
89 |
82 |
84 |
82 |
68 |
84 |
| Conroe |
32,356 |
93 |
90 |
93 |
92 |
91 |
93 |
93 |
92 |
93 |
88 |
88 |
89 |
86 |
86 |
93 |
87 |
93 |
| Cy-Fair |
58,191 |
95 |
93 |
96 |
95 |
95 |
95 |
97 |
91 |
93 |
91 |
92 |
93 |
92 |
92 |
94 |
88 |
95 |
| Ft. Bend |
49,200 |
90 |
87 |
94 |
92 |
93 |
93 |
93 |
88 |
87 |
86 |
86 |
91 |
86 |
88 |
92 |
86 |
93 |
| HISD |
210,499 |
78 |
69 |
74 |
75 |
84 |
72 |
80 |
71 |
71 |
72 |
71 |
78 |
74 |
77 |
83 |
76 |
86 |
| Katy |
30,371 |
96 |
93 |
97 |
96 |
94 |
96 |
96 |
94 |
94 |
94 |
95 |
95 |
92 |
93 |
95 |
92 |
95 |
| Klein |
31,223 |
92 |
88 |
93 |
89 |
92 |
92 |
92 |
92 |
93 |
90 |
91 |
95 |
91 |
90 |
92 |
86 |
93 |
| Spring Branch |
31,169 |
90 |
87 |
92 |
90 |
92 |
90 |
93 |
81 |
84 |
85 |
87 |
89 |
89 |
84 |
88 |
87 |
90 |
| TEXAS |
1,835,133 |
88 |
83 |
88 |
87 |
88 |
86 |
80 |
84 |
86 |
83 |
84 |
88 |
86 |
85 |
88 |
81 |
90 |
PROCESS FOR CHANGING ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES APPROVED
The Board approved an administrative recommendation to implement a new process for changing attendance boundaries. The changes to the attendance boundary process include the following:
- The Board will approve detailed charges to guide the boundary change process.
- An administrative committee will be appointed that will be composed of individuals with detailed knowledge of district demographics and will include representatives from transportation, bilingual education, and curriculum.
- Two community advisory committees will be appointed to provide input to the administrative committee. These committees will be composed of the principal and two community representatives from the schools that might be affected by a boundary change.
- If it appears additional elementary schools may be affected that are not represented on one of the advisory committees, the principal of that school and two representatives will be asked to serve on the appropriate advisory committee.
- Before any boundary change options are developed by the administrative committee, the community advisory committees will meet with the administrative committee to discuss issues relating to the charges provided by the Board, as well as issues of importance to stakeholders. These meetings will be posted and open to the public.
- The administrative committee -- using the input from the community advisory committees, current demographic information, and the charges from the Board -- will prepare initial boundary change options.
- The administrative committee will present the boundary options to the advisory committees for feedback. These meetings will be posted and open to the public. Based on input from the advisory committee, the administrative committee will have the opportunity to make changes to the boundary options.
- The boundary options will be made public via school newsletters, newspapers, and television. The public will be informed of opportunities to give input regarding the boundary change options, which will include Group Systems sessions, writing letters, and e-mail.
- Group Systems sessions will be scheduled to allow the public to give input regarding the boundary options. Separate Group Systems sessions will be held for each of the four elementary schools, and additional sessions can be scheduled as needed.
- The administrative committee will consider all input and will have the opportunity to make changes to the boundary options.
- The administrative committee will meet with the community advisory committees to review and discuss the boundary options. These meetings will be posted and open to the public.
- The administrative committee will develop boundary change recommendations that represent at least 80 percent agreement among the committee members. The boundary change recommendations will be presented at a scheduled board meeting no later than December 1999, where the Board will make the final decision.
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