APRIL2007

H i L ife

April 2007

Vol. 81/Issue 6

2305 East Main League City, Texas 77573

CCISD 2007 bond benefits growing student population

Tori Wycoff

When driving around League City on any given day, it is apparent that this area is growing rapidly. Just a few years ago, there were not any neighborhoods or grocery stores along Highway 96. In fact, there was not even a Highway 96. South Shore Boulevard stopped at FM 518 and did not extend into oblivion as it does now. This does not even account for the growth that can be found district-wide from Friendswood to Clear Lake to Kemah. As the area becomes more populated, there is a growing need for more schools. High school classes average thirty students and almost four thousand students attend Clear Creek High School. Due to this overcrowding, the Clear Creek Independent School District is putting a bond proposed for $183 million up for a vote on May 12, 2007. District enrollment has increased by 900 to 1,000 students each year, and by 2020, it is projected that our district will serve 52,000 students. This is a huge increase from the 35,500 that are currently attending school in CCISD. In recognizing this problem, the school board formed a Citizens’ Bond Planning Committee to ensure the wise use of funds and to review the district’s long-range strategic plan, demographic information and financial data. This group consists of forty members that are from all over the district. The passing of this bond would pay for the construction of one new high school, one intermediate school and two elementary schools. One of the elementary schools, the intermediate school and the high school would be built on the CCISD Education Park site at Highway 96 and Highway 146. The fifth high school would be scheduled to open in 2010. On top of that, it would fund the transformation of the two existing ninth grade centers back to intermediate schools and increase the number of science and math classrooms in the district high schools by twenty-four. This is necessary due to the bill passed by the Texas Legislature that requires all students to now take four years of science and math. Buses would be added to the CCISD fleet to allow decrepit ones to be eliminated and old air conditioners would be replaced. Buses that are 23 years or older would be

replaced. The average life expectancy of a bus is only fifteen years. The CCISD transportation department needs these buses since it serves over 20,000 students and logs about 2.5 million miles a year. Roofs that are damaged would be fixed and security devices would be installed. Surveillance cameras and keyless entry systems would be used to help with campus security. This equipment would be installed within a year. The surveillance equipment is necessary to deter vandalism and other unlawful activities on school grounds. The building of the new schools is necessary. Right now, 2,960 students attend class in a portable building and there are 35 portables at elementary schools, 40 at intermediates and 73 at the district high schools. The use of these portables allows the district to assess the growth carefully before constructing new campuses. A school bond issue is a contract to repay borrowed money on a given date and to pay interest at an agreed rate. These bonds will be sold over a period of years to match the cash-flow requirements of the construction. The district uses 25 years for the repayment of bonds for the construction of facilities. A school bond, however, cannot be used to pay teacher salaries. Though our community is growing and there are more tax payers, those taxes do not mean that the district receives any of those funds. The bond would increase the taxes of a home valued at $100,000 by $1.33 a month or $16 a year. A house valued at $200,000 would see an increase in taxes of $2.62 a month or $35 a year. Senior citizens who are 65 or older and can file for a “freeze” on their taxes and not experience this increase. If the bond fails, the district would need more portable buildings to aide the overcrowding and the construction costs and interest rate would raise substantially due to inflation. Bonds have been put up for voting in the past with the last being in 2004. This passed and funded the construction of Clear Springs High School, the Clear Creek High School rebuild, Gilmore Elementary and Westbrook Intermediate. A bond was defeated, however, in 1994 which would have allowed the building of a fourth high school. Because of this, two intermediate schools were converted into what is now the Clear Creek and Clear

Creek track hits the ground running at district. Read more on page 16. Photo by Albert Nkansah

Lake Ninth Grade Centers. The 2007 bond is necessary to aide the growing population of students attending CCISD schools. Permanent Early voting will be located at Clear Brook High School and the Clear Creek and Clear Lake High

School Ninth Grade Centers from April 30 to May 8. Other early voting sites will be moving around the district on the same dates. For more information about Bond 2007, please see www.CCISD.net/bond.

In the past year, there have been a few changes at Creek. From the construction continually changing paths to the new building to the location of the new portable that blocks walkways, the Wildcats have had to adapt. However, the most notable of these changes is the changing of principals. There have been three so far this year, but now, as of May 1, Clear Creek will have a full-time, noninterim principal by the name of Scott Bockart. Mr. Bockart graduated from Friendswood High School and received his Bachelor’s Degree from Abilene Christian. He has taught math and coached basketball for thirteen years. He went on to obtain a Master’s Degree from St. Thomas in Houston. Mr. Bockart was named the assistant principal at Victory Lakes Intermediate for four years followed by the principal of League City Intermediate for the 2006-2007 school year. Mr. Bockart chose education because he loves working with kids. Outside of school, Mr. Bockart loves to bass fish, although, according to him, he does not get to go fishing “near enough.” He also enjoys spending his free time with his wife, daughter and son. Mr. Bockart’s immediate plans for Creek are to collect all possible information about the staff, campus and programs that are already in place and assess what changes need to be made. His long term plans would be to ensure that Creek maintains academic success and to see consistent improvement in all areas.

“I hope that CCHS will continue to be an elite school in this area as it has been,” Bockart said. At the beginning of this year, Mr. Bockart met with students at League City to outline expectations both academically and behaviorally. He also made sure that any situations were handled consistently which allowed for fewer distractions in the classroom. This type of meeting might be implemented at Creek so that from the beginning of school, all students are aware of the expectations and how they should represent Clear Creek High School. When asked to describe himself in five words, Mr. Bockart replied, “professional, courteous, integrity, hard-worker and organized.” Mr. Bockart is very excited to be working at the high school, although he has enjoyed the intermediate schools. During the transition of Mr. Bockart to the

Creek’s New Principal

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