April 2000

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS

• The Board recognized the following high school students for participating in the Board Shadowing Project: Katie Benjamin and Jennifer Martinez, Jersey Village; Dee Newberry, Cypress Falls; Ryan Gerlich and Jacob Majors, Cy-Fair; Shaun Baker and Shanna Wayhans, Cypress Creek; Chad Whited and Sarah Shahmehri, Cypress Springs; Monica Sanchez and Jessica Rocha, Windfern; and Abigail Mesina and Landon Nickerson, Langham Creek.

• The Board recognized the following students for earning membership in various All-state organizations:

-- Cy-Fair High School student Aubrey Fraser, orchestra; Kevin Svatek, band; Kristilyn Woods, band; Denny Yu, band; and Alicia Broussard, choir;

-- Cypress Creek High School students Ben Schatte, jazz band; Darren Smith, band; and Tony Ramos, Choir;

-- Cypress Falls High School students Erica Chung, orchestra, and Audrey Ramos, orchestra;

-- Cypress Springs High School students Rachel Frimmel, choir; Patrick Kelley, choir; and Faith Jones, orchestra;

-- Jersey Village High School students Erin Bales, choir; Jerry Barnfield Vandeventer, choir; and Jennifer Norris, choir; and

-- Langham Creek High School Garrett Bredenkamp, band; Amy Heidbreder, band; Steve Hicks, band; Michael Kleinecke, orchestra; Brian Martin, orchestra; Matt Menger, orchestra; Johnny Salinas, orchestra; Danny Struzick, band; Eric Weisinger, band; Kelvin Wilkes, band; Aimee Winkler, orchestra; Daniel Rivas, choir; and Melissa Zabriskie, choir.

• The following students were recognized for winning first and second place at the state swim meet:

-- Cypress Creek High School student Lisa D’Olier, first place in 100-yard butterfly;

-- Cypress Falls High School students Liz Hoffman, first place in 500-yard freestyle; Leslie Lunsman, second place in 200-yard individual medley; Carli Watts, second place in 200-yard freestyle relay team; Liz Hoffman, second place in 200-yard freestyle relay team; Karen Peters, second place in 200-yard freestyle relay team; Aubrey Desquin, second place in 200-yard freestyle relay team; Leslie Lunsman, second place in 200-yard freestyle relay team; and John Patterson, second place in 500-yard freestyle; and

-- Langham Creek High School students Matt Wheeler, first place in 200-yard individual medley, and Mitch Loper, second place in 100-yard backstroke.

• Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Volunteers in Public Schools were recognized for their dedication and service to staff and students.

NEW PORTABLE BUILDINGS

The Board approved a $446,716 contract with Stone Building Systems to build eight new portable classrooms for the 2000-2001 school year. District principals requested a total of 28 portable buildings in addition to the 29 portables that will be needed to accommodate renovation work at Cy-Fair High School. Of the 28 portables requested, 17 were approved in addition to the 29 that will be used at Cy-Fair for a total of 46 portables. Thirty-eight portables will be relocated.

PROPOSED FREEPORT EXEMPTION

Additional information on a proposed freeport exemption was provided to the Board.

The freeport exemption applies to inventory shipped out of the state within 175 days, allowing 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. Long-term revenue losses are offset by increased state aid and additional property value from new businesses. Local school districts that offer the exemption include Fort Bend ISD, Alief ISD, Klein ISD, Spring ISD, Humble ISD, and Stafford MSD. The majority of school districts in Texas do not offer freeport exemptions because they are small and do not have businesses with freeport inventory within their boundaries. In an informal survey of Texas school districts that do offer the exemption, most reported that the exemption resulted in economic development but did not have data to support their opinion. The Board is expected to consider a resolution regarding the exemption in May. A public hearing will be scheduled prior to the Board's vote on the resolution, and if the resolution is approved, another public hearing will be held prior to authorizing a contract to implement the freeport exemption.

EMPLOYEE PAY RAISES

The Board approved an administrative recommendation for a 6 percent of midpoint salary increase for all teachers and nurses, which will result in a total raise of $2,387. In addition, the entry-level teacher salary will be raised to $33,000. All other employees will receive a 5.5 percent of mid-point salary raise, and employees who are at or above the top of their salary schedule will receive a 2.75 percent of mid-point salary increase. To address disproportionate differences in the salary structures for teachers and nurses, additional salary increases were approved for some experience levels. As part of the pay raises, the Board also approved stipend increases for academic and extracurricular areas.

SCHOOL SITE

The Board approved the purchase of 162.5 acres at Skinner Road and Spring Cypress just north of U.S. Highway 290. The District will pay approximately $3 million for the property, which could be used to build a high school, a middle school, and an elementary school.