Board Highlights

March 2000

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS

• The Board recognized the following students for receiving Gold Key Awards in the regional Scholastic Art Awards competition:

-- Cy-Fair High School students Teresa Henry, Joel Kelly, Stacey Landino, and Steven Wetherell;

-- Jersey Village High School students Noora Abdulwahab, Josh Batilla, Amanda Martin, and Janna Williams; and

-- Langham Creek High School students Michaela Dixon, Erin Gonzales, Diana Hare, Ellen Hatleberg, and Rebecca Skov.

• The Board recognized the following students for receiving Gold Key Awards in the Scholastic Writing Awards competition:

-- Cypress Creek High School students Sheima Mojtahedi, Andrew Rothschild, and Adam Rutledge (two awards);

-- Cy-Fair High School student Raven Blanchard;

-- Jersey Village High School student Florence Chen;

-- Langham Creek High School student Jessica Hooten;

-- Hamilton Middle School students David Frederick and Caleb Talbot; and

-- Labay Middle School student Sarah Taylor.

PROPOSED FREEPORT EXEMPTION

The administration presented a report to the Board regarding the possible implementation of a freeport exemption, a measure that applies to inventory shipped out of the state within 175 days. The freeport exemption allows companies to remove a significant portion of their inventories from tax rolls. Texas is one of the few states in the nation that taxes inventory, therefore, many manufacturers and distributors may locate elsewhere. Many governmental entities within the state, like municipalities and school districts, offer freeport exemptions to facilitate economic development; the exemption is a tool that is used to attract new businesses and retain existing ones. School districts that offer freeport exemptions typically require businesses to compensate for short-term losses in revenue. If an exemption were approved, projections indicate Cypress-Fairbanks ISD would lose approximately $10.5 million during the first year (based on $500 million in freeport inventory). Long-term revenue losses are offset by increased state aid and additional property value from new businesses.

SCHOLARS PROGRAM

The administration presented a report on the Scholars Program, a new PSAT preparation initiative designed to improve students' selection index scores on the PSAT/NMSQT and to increase the number of students eligible for scholarships based on their PSAT performance. An overview of the program follows.

• Current tenth-grade students' PSAT selection index scores will be used to identify students who will be invited to enroll in a 40-hour summer program and a subsequent zero-hour course.

• The 10-day summer program will be taught by master math and English teachers at each high school. The four-hour classes will be held from July 18-31, 2000.

• Students will attend a zero-hour course that will be held August 10-October 13, 2000.

• Five Saturday sessions will be offered prior to the PSAT administration.

• Smith and Dewar Preparation Program materials will be used.

• One-half credit of college prep H or K will be awarded, depending on participation in all sessions.

2000-2001 LONG-RANGE PLAN

The Board approved the long-range plan priorities established for 2000-2001 at the recent goal-setting workshop. The Annual Action Plan for 2000-2001 will be developed from the identified priority needs.

HIGH SCHOOL #7

The Board awarded the construction contract for High School #7 to SpawGlass Construction Corporation in the amount of $41,912,200. Based on the project's established budget of $45,775,000 -- as presented to voters in the October 3, 1998, bond election -- the construction contract represents a total savings of $3,862,800. The contract includes several upgrades, including a chilled water storage tank, skylights, acoustical panels, a ceramic cooling tower, and shop tools/equipment. SpawGlass is a Houston-based general contractor that has completed many school construction projects throughout Texas.

WATKINS MIDDLE SCHOOL RENOVATIONS

The Board awarded a contract for pool renovations, re-roofing, and carpet replacement at Watkins Middle School to Beck-Ford Construction, Inc., in the amount of $2,280,000. Based on the project's established budget of $3,454,101, the contract is $1,174,101 under budget.

SUMMER SCHOOL

The Board approved the following summer school locations: Bane, Horne, Millsap, Willbern, and Lamkin Elementary Schools; Truitt, Thornton, Labay, and Campbell Middle Schools; and Cypress Falls, Jersey Village High Schools, and Windfern High School.

SECONDARY SUMMER SCHOOL COURSES

In addition to the regular summer school program approved in January, the Board approved the following summer opportunities for secondary students:

• TAAS Remediation for eleventh and twelfth graders who failed TAAS will be held June 23-July 10 at Windfern High School;

• Ninth-Grade Summer Academy (includes Algebridge) will be held July 18-31 at all six high schools for eighth-grade students who are currently failing math, science, and/or language arts/reading;

• Scholars Program will be held July 18-31 at all six high schools;

• ESL Summer School will be held June 8-July 12 at Thornton, Truitt, and Campbell Middle Schools for ESL students from all middle schools;

• Accelerate to Algebra will be held June 5-23 at Thornton, Truitt, and Campbell Middle Schools for seventh graders with an "A" in level 2 math who want to advance to Algebra I in eighth grade;

• Summer Academy, a head-start program for high school, will be held May 30-31 and June 1-2 at Cypress Falls High School;

• AVID Summer Seminar will be held June 5-9 at Cypress Falls High School for eighth graders who have not previously been enrolled in honors or K-level courses;

• AVID Summer Academy will be held June 19-23 at Watkins Middle School for fifth graders who are not performing up to their potential;

• Pre-AVID Summer Academy will be held June 19-23 at Dean Middle School for fifth graders not performing up to their potential;

• Carverdale Summer Reading Program will be held June 13-27 at Macedonia Baptist Church for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and TAAS remediation for students in grades three through eleven;

• Science Olympiad Summer Camp will be held May 30-31 and June 1-2 at the Science Resource Center for sixth and seventh graders; and

• Enhancing Classroom Skills for At-Risk Students will be held June 5-9 at Arnold Middle School for selected at-risk students from Arnold.

2000-2001 SCHOOL TRANSFER STATUS

The Board approved the 2000-2001 student transfer status for each school.

• Schools designated "open" for transfers include Gleason, Hancock, Holmsley, Jowell, Kirk, Walker, and Wilson Elementary Schools; Campbell Middle School; and Cypress Springs High School (subject to UIL regulations and district policies regarding extracurricular activities). Open enrollment is from April 1 to May 1. After May 1, the regular transfer process will go into effect.

• Schools designated "closed" for transfers except for children of district employees include Adam, Bane, Fiest, Hairgrove, Lamkin, Matzke, Reed, Sheridan, and Willbern Elementary Schools and Cook, Dean, and Watkins Middle Schools.

• Schools designated "closed (N)" for all new transfers, unless an exception is made by the superintendent or his designee, include Ault, Bang, Copeland, Emmott, Farney, Lieder, Metcalf, and Yeager Elementary Schools; Arnold, Hamilton, Labay, Thornton, and Truitt Middle Schools; and Cy-Fair, Cypress Creek, and Jersey Village High Schools.

• All other schools will follow the regular transfer process.

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