Board Highlights - 02-13-2014
RECOGNITIONS
The superintendent recognized students and staff members for honors and achievements earned in recent weeks. Congratulations were extended to the following:
- The Cy-Fair High School literary magazine, Voices in Ink,first edition, for receiving a superior rating by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) 2013 Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines (PRESLM). This program recognizes students, teachers and schools for producing excellent literary magazines;
- CFISD principals Ana Diaz, Becky Koop, Sandy Trujillo, and Sherma Duck, for being among 26 selected from seven Houston-area school districts to participate in the Raise Your Hand Texas (RYHT) Rice University Education Entrepreneurship Program (REEP) Business Fellowship for School Leaders. The program empowers principals with leadership, innovation, organizational, marketing and financial management tools to be successful campus CEOs;
- CFISD students who raised nearly $800,000 during the CFISD Livestock Show and Sale, held Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the CFISD Exhibit Center. The community once again displayed an overwhelming amount of generosity and support in the live auction, freezer sale and via additional monetary contributions to students. The live auction was up more than $100,000 from last year. The high seller was the Grand Champion Steer, raised by Cy Woods freshman Alison Wooten and purchased by Crane Rental Division for $50,000; and
- Langham Creek, Cypress Falls and Cypress Woods high schools, for finishing first through third in the district Science Olympiad tournament in January. Each high school will have a team advance to regionals.
- Langham Creek High School assistant baseball coach Corey Cephus, who was named the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association (THSBCA) Class 5A Assistant Coach of the Year. Cephus has served 13 years with the Lobos;
- the Cypress Ridge and Cypress Woods girls’ wrestling teams, for placing first and second, respectively, in the Texas High School Wrestling Coaches Association State Duals Championship. This is the first time CFISD has had a first-place team. The Cypress Ridge girls’ team also won its 12th consecutive district championship and also claimed the regional title. Cypress Woods placed second in both district and regionals and Cypress Falls placed third in district. The Jersey Village boys’ team clinched the Texas High School Wrestling Coaches Association State Duals Championship, with Cypress Woods placing second and Cypress Creek third; and
- the Cypress Creek boys’ and Cypress Ranch girls’ swim teams, for winning the District 17-5A Swimming and Diving Championships. The Cypress Woods boys placed second and Cypress Ranch placed third. The Cy-Fair girls placed second and Cypress Woods came in third.
LONG-RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE PRESENTATION
The Long-Range Planning Committee reported on the results of the long-range planning process and presented a recommendation for a bond referendum in the amount of $1,209,280,000.
As a result, the Board approved calling a special-called meeting for Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014.
SUPERINTENDENT’S BRIEFING
The PTO Presidents Council Annual Vendor Fair provides an opportunity for booster clubs, sports associations, school supply and school spirit chairpersons to view the goods and services our fund raising vendors have available. All CFISD approved fund raising vendors have been invited to display their products at this event at the Berry Center on Tuesday, Feb. 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.
February is Black History month, and we would like to recognize and acknowledge the contributions of Black Americans to our country. Curriculum activities and some cultural arts programs will focus on the influence of Black history and its impact on the diversity of our nation and world.
Dr. Henry congratulated high school students who have been identified as National Merit Scholars. One-hundred seventy-one students and their family members attended a special-called Board meeting on Feb. 3 to be recognized for their achievement of academic excellence. The National Merit ceremony will be rebroadcast throughout February and March on CFTV Comcast Channel 16. You can also view the entire program on the district website, www.cfisd.net.
Dr. Henry reminded the community that Monday, Feb. 17, originally a student holiday, will be a make-up day for inclement weather as identified on the school calendar.
AGENDA ITEMS
In other action, the Board approved:
- bids and contracts and/or authorized purchase orders as recommended in the posted agenda item;
- external auditors Hereford, Lynch, Sellars and Kirkham, P.C., to perform the annual audit of the district’s financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014;
- the budget amendments for the period of Oct. 1, 2013 through Dec. 31, 2013;
- on second reading additions, revisions or deletions to district policies:
- DBAA (LOCAL) Employment Requirements and Restrictions: Criminal History & Credit Reports
- DC (LOCAL) Employment Practices (revise)
- DEC (LOCAL) Compensation and Benefits: Leaves and Absences (revise)
- DPB (LOCAL) Personnel Positions: Substitute, Temporary and Part-Time Positions (delete);
- tax refunds of $500 or greater for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD;
- the 2014-2015 Official Board Meeting Calendar;
- the attendance boundaries for Anthony Middle School effective for the 2014-2015 school year;
- the rezoning modifications of multiple campus attendance boundaries effective for the 2014-2015 school year; and
- on first reading additions, revisions or deletions to district policies:
- BBE (LOCAL) Board Members: Authority (revise).