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RECOGNITIONS
The Board of Trustees recognized the following students and staff members for their achievements:
· Mary Smith, secondary social studies coordinator, who was named as the Supervisor of the Year for Texas by the Texas Social Studies Supervisors’ Association;
· Six students who placed first or second or won special awards in State History Day competition. Ravanne Harris, Thornton Middle School, received a special award from the Institute of Texas Cultures. Melissa Mahoney, Goodson Middle School, placed second with her individual exhibit while Allie Chapman, Jennifer Grieger, Katie Unverferth and Lauren Atencio, Cypress Falls, captured first place in group performance;
· MSgt. Alfonso Banks, Cypress Ridge High School, who received the 2003-04 Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Outstanding Instructor Award; and
· First and second place winners from the state Destination Imagination Competition who advanced to Global Competition in Knoxville, Tennessee. Rebecca Norcini, Sarah Wheeler, Madeline Livergood, Candace Gooding, Pierce Franklin, Harry DiBenedetto and Bryan Griffith, Hamilton Elementary, placed first in the state. Kelsey Sallade, Erin Duhon, Bryan Gray, Lauren Falconi, Phillip Wozny and Matthew Wheeler, Hamilton Middle School, captured first in state. Sarah Wisterman, Carlos Balderas, Jordan Fauser, Jonathan, Abushear, Kurt Bilanoski, Kristin Baker and Matthew Caughman, Dean Middle School, finished second in the state.
Additionally, the superintendent designee recognized students and staff members for honors and achievements earned in recent weeks. Congratulations were extended to the following:
· Five Cook Middle School students who will be published in the Creative Communications Spring 2004 Poetry Anthology. Poems by Laura Adams, Regina Burton, John Williams, Kellie Jackson and Nene Okeudo have been selected for publication. Student entries are eligible for monetary awards after publication;
· Esther Robinson, a history teacher at Langham Creek High School, who was selected by Congressman John Culberson to attend the Humanities Texas Congress and American History seminar this summer in Austin;
· Tina Melcher, a history teacher at Cypress Ridge, who was awarded a Fulbright grant to study Chinese History, Geography and Ethnic Culture this summer in China;
· Goodson Middle School student Michael Graber, who made the State History Day finals in individual performance;
· Cypress Falls High School student Chris Kominczak, who placed fourth in the State History Day competition in individual performance;
· Cy-Fair High School student Susanna Alhorn, who advanced to the final six in the State History Day competition with her individual exhibit;
· Langham Creek High School students Shelby Hellums, Emily Taylor, Darcy Armstrong, Cameron Hinojosa and John McDaniel, who advanced to the top six in the State History Day competition with their group project;
· Goodson Middle School student Daniel Barina, who won fourth place for his historical paper;
· Bobbie Warner, retiring director of testing, planning and research, who received a letter of commendation for her contributions as a member of the TEA accountability focus group;
· Cypress Creek High School’s Adam Fretwell, who placed third in the long jump, and the Langham Creek 400-meter relay team of Nic Jesse, Aaron James, Alvin Adjei and Brandon Jones, who finished fifth at the state track meet while Cypress Falls High School student Alexis Rogers finished second in the state girls’ 100-meter hurdles;
· Cypress Falls High School’s baseball team, who advanced to the regional semifinals and ended a great season with a loss to Rockwall;
· Cypress Creek High School swimmer Tyler Hill, who was recognized by the Houston Athletic Club in May as the swimming Scholar Athlete of the Year ;
· Cypress Creek High School computer science students, who qualified to compete in the American Computer Science League All-Star Competition in Chicago in May. The Board will honor the first place intermediate division team in August. The team of Jeremy Higginbotham, Jess Randall, Cory Kolek, Julianna Edwards and Michelle Newton placed seventh at this competition in the senior division;
· Roy Sprague, senior director of facilities planning and construction, who received the 2004 Distinguished Service Award at the Council of Educational Facilities Planners International (CEFPI) Southern Region Conference in April. This year marks the third time Sprague has received this award for his dedicated service. He is currently serving on the Council’s International Board of Directors and the Southern Region’s Board of Directors; and
· Carlton Center director Lauren Black, who was recently selected to receive the 2003 Jack Staggs Dissertation Award from Sam Houston State University. This award is for the most outstanding dissertation work among the area cohort doctoral students this past year.
PERSONNEL
Following the Board’s approval of personnel transactions for June, trustees recognized four newly appointed directors. Rhonda Turns was named director of the Dorothy Carlton Center and will succeed Lauren Black; Margaret Reed was named director of information services and will succeed Marvin Costello; Lisa Cottle was named director for testing, planning and research and will succeed Bobbi Warner; and Teresa Hull was named director for curriculum and instruction, high school.
2004-05 BUDGET
After hearing a summary report on the proposed 2004-2005 operation budget, a public hearing was held during the June 10 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting to allow the community to offer comments or suggestions. No patrons elected to speak at the meeting.
The Board subsequently approved the district’s recommendation for the 2004-2005 operating budget in the amount of $539,733,301. Projected revenue to fund general maintenance and technology is $430,564,051 while projected expenses total $451,860,756. These figures represent a projected deficit of approximately $21 million. Interest and sinking costs as well as food service expenditures account for the additional $87,872,545 in the budget.
The 2.39 percent employee salary increases previously approved by the Board in May created a portion of the deficit in addition to the new expenditures mandated by the state and federal government. Any deficit would be resolved by utilizing the general fund balance, which was estimated at $83 million at the close of the 2003-04 school year.
Payroll and benefits will consume approximately 89.98 percent of the total operating budget while 6.01 percent will be spent on contracted goods and services, 2.86 percent on supplies and materials, 0.98 percent on other operating expenses, and 0.17 percent for capital outlay.
BOND UPDATE
Trustees approved an order authorizing the issuance of $100 million of CFISD Unlimited Tax Schoolhouse Bonds, Series 2004, to Merrill Lynch at an interest rate of 5.164 percent. The district anticipates that proceeds from the sale of this bond series will be deposited into the district’s account in July. This sale represents the fifth installment of bonds originating from the December 2001 referendum. To date, $389,445,000 of the $470,545,500 in bonds approved by voters has been issued.
The Board also approved and executed subdivision plats for the Telge Road Agriculture Facility, the new Transportation Center and the Eldridge Road Agriculture Facility as reviewed and recommended by CLR Architects and the Richard E. Berry Educational Support Center and new Athletic Stadium as reviewed and recommended by Brooks and Sparks, Inc.
In other construction-related agenda items, the Board approved a request from the Metropolitan Baptist Church of Houston to construct a paved parking area at Bleyl Middle School at the church’s sole expense for the shared use of both the church and the district. The superintendent was authorized to complete final negotiations of the terms of this agreement and execute the documents on behalf of the district pursuant to the terms discussed in closed session.
Additionally, the Board approved the recommendation to grant a .1827 acre waterline easement extension and a .1755 acre temporary construction easement extension, which are located adjacent to Taylor Road, to the West Harris County Regional Water Authority (WHCRWA) for the cost of the appraised value of $911 plus all related costs incurred by the District as described in the written agreement between the district and the WHCRWA.
WEST ORANGE COVE VS. ALANIS LITIGATION
After many months of reviewing facts around the lawsuit filed by West Orange Cove Consolidated School District challenging the public school finance system in Texas, trustees voted 4-3 in favor of joining several other school districts in the litigation. As a joint plaintiff in the lawsuit, the district will contribute $50,000 in legal fees that will cover the trial phase, which is expected to begin this summer and last approximately six weeks. It is anticipated that the losing party on either side will file an appeal, at which point the Board would be asked to consider further participation of the district in the suit as well as any additional costs.
SUPERINTENDENT DESIGNEE’S BRIEFING
Ms. Wells reminded the audience that the final TAKS test for third grade reading is scheduled for June 24, 2004. Tutorials for this test are being provided in summer school instruction.
A special-called Board meeting is scheduled for Monday June 28, for the purpose of approving budget amendments. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Boardroom of the ISC. There will be no Board meeting in July. August meeting dates are Thursday August 5 for the Committee of the Whole meeting and Monday August 9 for the formal Board of Trustees meeting.
Graduation ceremonies for summer school will be held July 16 at 7 p.m. Students whose home campus is Jersey Village, Cy-Fair, Cypress Creek or Windfern will attend the graduation ceremonies at Cypress Ridge. Students whose home campus is Cypress Falls, Cypress Springs or Langham Creek will attend the graduation ceremony at Cypress Falls.
The facilities planning and constructions department is currently managing seven construction contracts totaling approximately $40 million for major renovations at various campuses and support facilities. These projects include: Jersey Village and Cypress Creek high schools, Dean and Arnold middle schools, Matzke Elementary, the Food Production Center, Pridgeon Stadium and construction of 15 new portables and relocation of 20 others.
Ms. Wells thanked the maintenance and operations department, school services and administrators and staff who have prepared these buildings for the summer construction. She also introduced Derrick Sanders, who joined CFISD in March and will be serving as construction manager overseeing construction of both new facilities as well as various renovation projects.
Teachers will return for the 2004-05 school year August 5 and the first day of classes for students will be August 11. Ms. Wells wished all students and staff members a safe and restful summer.
AGENDA ITEMS
In other action, the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Board of Trustees:
· received a 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 on the results of the management review of the district’s information services department, which included a response to the report’s recommendations;
· received a report summarizing the 2004 TAKS results for grades 3-11, SDAA results for grades 3-8, and a TAAS overview for graduating seniors;
· received a written report on the student dress code guidelines at campuses for 2004-05;
· received a written report on revenues generated through the district’s Internet auction held May 7-12, 2004;
· approved on second reading a revision to the policy concerning investment revenue;
· approved on first reading revisions to two policies, the first concerning suspension/termination of contracts and the second pertaining to student activities;
· approved budget amendments for the period January 1, 2004 through March 31, 2004;
· approved the list of financial institutions and broker/dealers eligible to provide investment services to CFISD;
· approved the list of students for Off-Campus Physical Education, Category I, for the school years 2004-05 (fall) through 2006-07;
· approved the administration’s recommendation for out-of-district tuition for the 2004-05 school year;
· selected CFISD Board members Al Martinez, Jr. and John Ogletree, Jr. to serve as delegate and alternate delegate, respectively, for the Texas Association of School Boards annual delegate assembly;
· authorized tax refunds $500 or greater for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and/or the Harris County Education District in the amount of $397,359.03;
· approved bids and contracts from recommended vendors for goods and services; and
· approved 567 personnel recommendations, resignations, retirements, promotions, terminations and discharges.
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