The Board of Trustees recognized
the following students and staff members for their achievements:
· Seven CFISD secondary students were honored as recipients of Gold Key
Awards in the Scholastic Writing competition. Those students were Aaron Blackmore
of Cypress Creek High School, Andrea Syzdek of Cypress Springs High School,
Amanda Braddy, Meagan Palagi and Kathryn Scholten of Jersey Village High School,
and Joanna Kondrat of Hamilton Middle School.
· Ten CFISD high school students were honored as recipients of Gold Key
Awards in the Scholastic Art regional competition. Those students were Lana
Kelley and Clinton Whitehead of Cy-Fair High School, Andrew Boren and Candice
Jones of Cypress Falls High School, Rachel Cunningham, Beth Fulmer and Renee
Valdres of Jersey Village High School, and Matt Brinker, Chris Martin and Ebere
Osemele of Langham Creek High School.
· Cypress Falls High School teacher Theresa Douglas was chosen as this
year's NOVA award winner by the Texas Council for the Social Studies. The NOVA
Award is given to the outstanding new teacher in the state who contributes to
the advancement of social studies education within the school and community.
· The CFISD Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) Executive Board received
the Outstanding Parent Involvement Partnership Award at the Texas Association
of Partners in Education State Conference. The 21 members of the VIPS Executive
Board were honored for their work in overseeing 56 volunteer programs in the
district.
Trustees approved an order authorizing the issuance of $80 million as the first series of bonds to be sold from those approved by voters in the December 2001 bond election. After receiving several competitive bids, the bonds were sold to RBK Dain Rausher at an interest rate of 5.2261 percent, which is below the originally bid estimate of 5.5 percent.
Mr. Berry encouraged all patrons to vote in the March 12, 2002, primary election and reminded everyone that the most convenient voting location for Cy-Fair residents is located at the Jersey Village Civic Center.
The superintendent also announced that Bud Campbell had passed away. A former member of the Board of Trustees from 1965 to 1977, Mr. Campbell and his wife, Corky, are the namesakes for Campbell Middle School. The former trustee's contributions to the district included the acquisition of the first district mainframe computer, which was purchased from Tenneco for $500. On behalf of the district, Mr. Berry extended condolences to the Campbell family.
Mr. Berry shared with Board members a complimentary letter he had received from a parent of a kindergarten student expressing gratitude to the district and its business partners. The young student has a rare condition that required extensive window tinting around the school to protect her from ultraviolet rays. The tinting material was donated by 3M and installed by Solar-X at labor costs. Additionally, Mr. Berry extended his appreciation to the business partners for their assistance in this matter.
Anticipating a formal announcement within days of the Board meeting, Mr. Berry reported that he had received word that the governor was expected to appoint Dr. Felipe Alanis as the state's commissioner of education. Dr. Alanis previously served as TEA deputy commissioner.
The Board awarded a contract to Drymalla Construction Company in the amount of $9,384,657 for the construction of elementary school #37. The unnamed school will be built near the intersection of Skinner and Spring-Cypress roads. The bid drew eight proposals and came in $115,343 under budget. The contract includes $566,500 to develop the property at the school site.
Trustees approved the administration's recommendation for employee health care benefits. Under the new plans, the two existing PPO plans will be consolidated under one new plan administered by Aetna while the HMO coverage will continue with Cigna. The district will also maintain the hospital/indemnity plan offered only to employees at no charge. Beginning September 1, 2002, the state will provide an additional $1,000 a year to each eligible employee in an effort to offset the cost of health care.
The annual enrollment period for employee benefits will be March 18 through April 9, 2002. The district's insurance department has scheduled meetings in late March/early April to provide employees with more details about CFISD benefits and will begin issuing newsletters about the meetings and changes in health care plans. Additionally, the communication department will publish an update to the Employee Connection about the health care benefits that was distributed in late February.
The district has projected that costs of health care benefits for CFISD employees will increase by more than $12 million next year, which represents a 40-percent gain over this year's figures. New state laws in addition to other uncontrollable factors associated with the current state of the health care industry necessitated changes to the district's medical insurance plans.
Following the Board's approval of personnel recommendations, Kathy Dixon was named as the new principal for Hancock Elementary; Donna Guthrie was named as the new principal for Ault Elementary; Jamie Schwartzott was named as the new principal for Willbern Elementary; and Tom Strother was named as the new principal for Langham Creek High School. Additionally, Jan Price of Houston ISD was hired as the new director of ancillary personnel, effective April 1, 2002.
In other action, the Cypress-Fairbanks
ISD Board of Trustees:
· approved the district textbook committee's recommendations for the
2002-03 school year;
· approved the student transfer status and guidelines for the 2002-03
school year;
· received a written report on the 2001-02 Reading Recovery program;
· received a written report on legislative issues and the activities
of the State Board of Education, Texas School Alliance and the Fast Growth School
Coalition;
· received a report from the superintendent on the proposed building
plans related to projects approved in the 2001 bond election;
· approved the revised list of financial institutions and brokers/dealers
eligible to provide investment services to the district;
· approved bids and contracts from recommended vendors for goods and
services;
· approved on first reading a local policy regarding out-of-state travel
for student activities;
· approved on second reading the deletion of eight local policies, the
revision of six local policies, and the update or introduction of three local
policies related to various topics;
· approved the long-range plan priorities established for 2002-03 at
the annual Board Goal-setting Workshop
· approved the superintendent's administrative, support staff, paraprofessional
and teacher contract recommendations for the 2002-03 school year;
· authorized the superintendent to execute the necessary actions related
to the purchase of the Kitzmann property;
· discussed the sale, purchase or receipt of donated property;
· authorized tax refunds of $500 or greater for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
and/or the Harris County Education District; and
· approved 92 personnel recommendations, resignations, retirements, promotions,
terminations and discharges.
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