3 February | March 2017
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Contents ON THE COVER: The Buchanan Family
Serving the Community of Greater Fairfield including Lakes of Fairhaven, Fairhaven Estates, Saddle Ridge Estates & Villages of Cypress Lakes
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The Buchanan Family Strives to Achieve Their American Dream
10 Cypress Happenings 11 Cy-Fair Helping Hands Scholarship Awards 12 Primrose of Barker Cypress to Celebrate 20 Years 14 I “Just Love Coffee” Café For So Many Reasons...
16 The Social Media Cleanup 18 The Power of Positive Thinking 20 Canine Corner 21 Rotary Club of Cy-Fair Celebrates 50 Years 22 Cypress School News
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PINPOINTE RESIDENT PROFILE
Photo Credit: Eye Candy by Candace
By Patricia Hudson
L
ike most young couples, Tim and Madeline Buchanan are working hard to achieve the American Dream: a lovely house, nice cars, a beautiful family, and a good job, bringing in a comfortable income. Doing so in a pandemic has brought its own challenges, but together, with diligence, sleep deprivation and faith, the Buchanans are making it work.
Prior to becoming a mother, Madeline was the director of sales and marketing for a senior independent living community. She is currently staying at home with daughter, Aubrey, and is helping out with the business, Merica Metal. Tim has worked in the oil and gas industry for over 20 years. His primary positions have focused on quality control, inspection, fabrication, and 6 July | August 2021
project management. He is currently the Quality Lead for Total, Mozambique LNG project. Madeline first moved to Fairfield in 1998 with her parents, Zeffrey and Mindy Lucas, and siblings Merrick, and Maggie. “When we got married 10 years ago and were trying to decide where we wanted to plant roots and raise a family, the decision to be in Fairfield was a no brainer! The incredible sense of community and knowing that your neighbors will have your back is such a rare and wonderful thing,” comments Madeline. For Tim and Madeline, their two-year-old daughter, Aubrey, is their “biggest blessing and gift from God.” Madeline reflects, “She is so full of life and we love to watch her learn new things
every day. She is happiest whenever she is spending time outside, playing in water, with her babies, or hanging out at Da-Da’s shop with the beep-beep, aka the fork lift.”
Photo Credit: Eye Candy by Candace
Madeline’s mom, Mindy, is a talented seamstress who has handsmocked clothing for her daughter and granddaughter. Madeline’s fondness for this style of clothing ensures that Aubrey is usually dressed “Very Southern,” in smocked clothing and a big matching bow. “My motto is ‘The bigger the bow, the better the mom,’” laughs Madeline goodnaturedly. Tim’s grown daughter, Abby, lives in town and enjoys spending time with Aubrey. “Despite their significant age gap, Aubrey has a special bond and the sweetest love for ‘B,’” shares Madeline. With entrepreneurial aspirations, Tim started Merica Metal in 2017, “…with nothing more than
an idea in our 3rd car tandem garage. I jumped in full force researching and creating my own website and after countless hours and sleepless nights, I had something I liked. The next quest was purchasing a CNC Plasma machine. I had never operated a CNC Plasma machine, nor knew anything about the design side of things; I am 100% self-taught, based on my research and lots of trial and error. With the help of our best friends Derek and Carol Crandall, and working after-hours and on weekends, Merica Metal was able to grow extremely fast. I am also thankful for the support of my in-laws who have been my main business mentors. Most of our orders come from our website, www.mericametal.com. We have a wide variety of standard products, and have completed lots of
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custom projects for customers. One of my favorites was redoing the butterfly garden signs at Ault Elementary.” The pandemic brought a new set of challenges. “In 2020, I had to make a choice to step up the production, as the CNC Plasma machine was just not giving us the production speeds and overall quality we needed to process orders fast and continue to grow. The best option was to take a huge financial risk and purchase a CNC Laser machine, move out of the garage and into a commercial space. One of the main reasons we were able to do this is because 100% of all profits have been rolled back into the company; I have yet to pay myself a dime because the end goal was to build a business. This was especially risky since we were in the beginning of a global pandemic with so many uncertainties. We relied on our faith in God, and worked harder and longer hours than I have ever worked in my life. Unlike a lot of business during the pandemic, we did not slow down. We were extremely blessed to continue growth during such a difficult time. I am thankful that with a lot of Americans working from home, they had extra free time to find us and place orders,” comments Tim gratefully. “The dream and goal is for Merica Metal to be Tim’s only job in the near future,” adds Madeline. “During Covid, we started to do some additional and more aggressive marketing, and things took off more than I expected,” recalls Tim. “With orders piling up and working solo, I had many late nights at the shop. After completing a bunch of orders at 4 am, I was exhausted and needed to take a
8 July | August 2021
Photo Credit: Eye Candy by Candace
nap before reporting to my ‘day job’ at 7 am. I went into work wearing the same clothes, (no one even noticed), got off work, and went back to the shop to wrap things up. I slept really well later that night!” Tim and Aubrey have a tradition of going to get donuts together most weekends. “She enjoys spending one-on-one time with him, and especially loves riding in Da-Da’s truck with the windows down and music on! My hobby is buying and selling Aubrey’s clothes on smocked Facebook groups. Smocking Hot Mama’s is one of my favorites! My favorite guilty pleasure usually includes a trip to Sonic for a Route 44 Diet Coke with lime wedges,” says Madeline. If you know of an exceptional Greater Fairfield, Towne Lake, Coles Crossing, Bridgeland/Blackhorse Ranch, or Cypress Creek Lakes individual or family that needs to be featured in an upcoming issue of PinPointe Magazine, please contact me via email at: texasteacher024@outlook.com.
ANDREA CURRAN Realtor® 832-707-4900 andrea@andreacurran.com
COMING SOON 16202 BRADFORD SHORES DRIVE One of a kind waterfront home in the highly sought after Fairfield community. This wonderful, 6,658 sq. ft. home, is situated on two spacious lots and features six bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, sparkling pool and spa, pool house and a gated driveway. Zoned to top rated Cy-Fair ISD schools. Quick access to 290 and 99 and all of the shopping and dining of Fairfield.
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832-707-4900 9945 Barker Cypress • Suite 215 Cypress, TX 77433 AndreaCurran.com PinPointe Magazine
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Cypress
HAPPENINGS S AV E T H E D AT E Saturday, August 21, 2021 • 6-10pm Bridal Oaks Venue 18224 Kz Rd. • Cypress, TX 77433
Cy-Fair Helping Hands presents our 1st Annual Stetsons & Stilettos Gala. Donations Needed: Sponsorships, Themed Silent Auction Baskets, Gift Cards. Merchandise, Trips, Sports Memorabilia, Services and monetary donations. Visit: www.cyfairhelpinghands.org and click on the Stetsons & Stilettos Gala Donate Tab to purchase tickets and for additional Gala information. Event proceeds will be applied to the Help Build Hope Building campaign for a larger facility. For questions and more information, please contact:
Jean Dreyer, Founder/ED Homeless Initiatives jean@cyfairhelpinghands.org Patricia Hudson, ED Community Outreach phudson@cyfairhelpinghands.org Lyndsey Theiss, Gala Chair 281.793.9943 or ltheiss@sayeplumbing.com Heather Swank, Gala Co-Chair 281.463.4968 or hswank@theissmotorsports.com To schedule a drop-off of donations at Saye Plumbing Contractors Inc, 9616 Telge Rd., call Monica, 281.373.4928 during business hours 8am–3pm
10 July | August 2021
Cy-Fair Fire Department crews provide fire standby for the “Freedom Over Cypress” firework display hosted by Second Baptist Church - Cypress Thursday, July 1, 2021. Photo: Capt. Daniel Arizpe, PIO/ Cy-Fair FD
Houston's First Baptist Church GoHouston Sports Camp July 12-15, 2021 • 6-8pm FREE houstonsfirst.org/cypress/event/go-houston-sports-camp-2021
Christ the Redeemer Vacation Bible School 101507 Huffmeister Road • Houston, TX 77065 • July 12-16 ctrcc.com/vbs
For more upcoming Cy-Fair events, visit: www.bestofcyfair.com
Cy-Fair Helping Hands Honors CFISD Grads, Awards Vocational Scholarships
Left to right: Celeste Galicia, Saransh Kumar, Stephanie Santibanos, Aliyah Hopkins
By Suzanne Vo Gilman
Cy-Fair Helping Hands awarded $10,000 in vocational scholarships to four deserving CFISD graduates: Stephanie Santibanos, (phlebotomy), Celeste Galicia, (cosmetology), Saransh Kumar (auto technician), and Aliyah Hopkins, (cosmetology). In its third year, the goal of the Cy-Fair Helping Hands Vocational Scholarship program is to assist students in acquiring the work skills needed to complete a certification and enter the workforce quickly. A festive brunch celebration was held at The Back Yard Grill in honor of the scholarship recipients. Dr. Linda Macias, CFISD Chief Academic Officer and Associate Superintendent, together with CFISD counselors, staff, and family members were in attendance to congratulate the honorees. Special guest, Jamie Scott, the first CFHH Scholarship recipient to have reached her goal, encouraged the scholarship recipients to “never give up on their dreams.” Jamie recently completed her vocational training and works for Right At Home as a Certified Nurse Assistant.
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Primrose School of Barker Cypress to Hold 20 Year Celebration - August 2-28
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fter 25 years as a Senior Executive in the Refining and Marketing Business, Jim and Susan Tanner decided it was time for a career change, and began searching for a career that required less travel, “…one that we would be able to share, and most importantly, an opportunity to provide a valuable service to the community. In 2004, we discovered Primrose Schools and knew from experience in searching for quality care for our children Jake and Lily, that Primrose was unique in that it offered parents both an educational preschool environment and excellent child care services for working parents. The Cypress area is known for quality schools, and we knew Primrose was the right fit for the community,” explains the couple.
“Who children become is as important as what they know” is a belief that is at the core of the Primrose Balanced Learning approach. The exclusive early learning approach balances purposeful play with nurturing guidance from teachers to encourage curiosity, creativity, confidence and compassion. More than a curriculum, it is a life-changing early learning experience for children and their families. “After being part of the Primrose family for 17 years, we enjoy seeing and hearing the success of children who have experienced the foundation that a Primrose education provides. Many of our families have grown children and are still in touch with us. It is very rewarding to hear from parents that they attribute part of their child’s success to our Primrose School.” The Primrose School of Barker Cypress will celebrate its 20th anniversary in August 2021. Celebration events include 20 school days of fun giveaway items for the children, August 2 – August 27, and a “Birthday Party,” August 28, from 10 am – 12 pm, at the school. Current and past Primrose families are invited to attend. The Birthday Event will include: Balloon Twister Entertainer, Birthday Cookie Decorating, Cake Walk, Craft Projects, Face Painter, Professional Photo Booth, Toddler Play Zone, and Trackless Train Rides. Guests will be invited to view picture displays of Primrose of Barker Cypress through the years. Primrose School of Barker Cypress Awards Primrose President’s Award for school excellence. (Two-Time Recipient)
12 July | August 2021
Primrose Children’s Foundation Platinum Sponsor Award for Spring Fling fundraising activities, benefitting Save the Children, (National Level), and Cypress Assistance Ministries, (Local level).
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I “Just Love Coffee” Café for so Many Reasons . . .
The Best of Cy-Fair P L AC E S TO E AT Story and Photos by Metta Archilla-Ishida, Founder, Metta’s Local Eats & Metta’s Local Eats Dine Out for Charity
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ust Love Coffee Café owner, Tamara Hamilton, is a remarkable woman that comes from humble beginnings. An endearing and nostalgic memory rests in the wise, hard-working, yet gentle hands of her “Granny,” as Tamara spent the summers learning to cook from scratch. Tamara lovingly reminisces, “That coffee can full of bacon grease was a Holy Grail of sorts; we fried everything in it. It was Southern cooking at its best.” Recalling the nostalgic smells of that kitchen. Tamara’s greatest treasure is Granny’s handwritten recipes passed down to her, as she lovingly makes them for her own family. This hands-on background is exactly where Tamara cultivated her love for food. But what spurred her passion was an instance shared with her husband/co-owner of Just Love Coffee Café, Jon Hamilton. “While on a vacation cruise, Jon and I opted to do the Chef's Table dinner on the ship. Being in the restaurant business, I was in absolute awe of the kitchen aboard the ship; it was expansive and immaculate and impressive!” Pivotal food experiences throughout Tamara’s life paired with those shared with Jon, led to the realization that the food industry is where they would stake their claim. I asked Tamara, “Why Just Love Coffee?” She responded thoughtfully, “After being in the franchise business for over 21 years with a large firm in Houston, it was time to find
something for myself. The Just Love concept combines great coffee, tasty food, and a platform for our passion: to give back to our community.” As franchisees with Just Love Coffee Café, Tamara and Jon are free to customize the restaurant and menu to their liking, affording the pair the most control over product, flexibility over market drivers, a hand in creativity, and an intimate handshake with quality. While most coffee places have great coffee and mediocre food, and restaurants have fabulous food and “eh” coffee, Tamara wanted to offer the best of both worlds. The couple built their home in Cypress about two years ago, after falling in love with the community and its people. Residing at the very edge of Cypress at the cuff of Tomball, they delighted in the many walking and biking trails, but realized that there were no coffee shops or eateries in the area. When a “For Lease” sign appeared in a strip shopping center, Tamara laid it to prayer. Her answer became clear; this would make a great spot for a cafe!
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Giving back to the community is one of Tamara’s driving factors as a businesswoman. Her story is familiar and inspiring. Tamara explains, “There was a time in my life many, many years ago that I needed some help. Not much, but just a little help. I was behind on bills and
trying to raise a son on my own and I just couldn't seem to make ends meet. There was a sweet couple that helped me catch up on my electric bill and filled my fridge and pantry with groceries. That was just enough to help me get back on my feet. I think of them often and try to pay it forward as I can because I know that there are so many people out there in the same situation that I was.” I LOVE Just Love Coffee Café. It’s Food and Fellowship as its core of intent, Just Love Coffee Café started a “Love Fund” when the restaurant opened. This fund helps families out with small expenses like a trip to the grocery store, an unexpected prescription, a tank of gas to get to work, clothing, water bill, etc. Bingo Night Wednesdays’ and Trivia Night Thursdays’ proceeds go into the fund. Just Love Coffee Café recently partnered with Metta’s Local Eats Dine Out for Charity, benefitting Cy-Fair Helping Hands in serving the hungry and homeless. Just Love Coffee Café is a family-owned business with a houseful of boys, ages 19, 18, and 7. The 19-year-old runs the kitchen and is training to be a manager. Three
additional locations are planned over the next few years, a legacy for each son. Tamara explains, “I believe in leaving them a future and not just a sum of money. We do have stress; living and working together doesn't leave you with much alone time, and it's hard to leave work at work sometimes.” Tamara and Jon are God-driven; their strength and faith comes from their steadfast beliefs that anything is possible, and Just Love truly is. Just Love Coffee Café 13727 Sunset Canyon Dr. Tomball, TX 77377 281-547-6984 Justlovecoffeecafe.com
For more restaurant reviews visit: www.bestofcyfair.com. And follow us on facebook: Pinpointe Magazines - Cypress
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THE SOCIAL MEDIA CLEANUP U N F O L LOW E V E RY ACCO U N T T H AT D O E S N ’ T M A K E YO U B E T T E R .
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BY ALLISON OKUNEYE
nsecurities, we all have them. Some are self induced, others are generational gifts from our family, and some are brought on by society. We can’t avoid feeling it completely, but we can control what we consume in regards to our social media accounts. Being intentional about the people we let into our social worlds can make a huge difference on our daily mood and overall sense of worthiness.
I don’t typically wake up and instantly start feeling bad about myself. It can take only 5 minutes of scrolling Facebook or Instagram and the insecurity, mom guilt, and shame starts to creep in. Over the last year, I made a choice to unfollow ANY account (friend, family, acquaintance, or stranger) that was not adding value or positive energy in my life. Setting this boundary was a game changer. My social media became a place of joy, positive vibes, good energy and a bright spot in my day. It is no longer a daily reminder that I am not a good (or crafty) enough 16 July | August 2021
mom, or a savvy enough business woman, and I don’t feel the pressure to be the woman “doing it all flawlessly.”
Even the Mom Blogger accounts that claim to be “authentic” and “transparent” and “hot mess moms” are still doing it all while having makeup/perfect messy bun/clean clothes/ showered all while taking photos of their kids that magically fall into their online aesthetic.
What we forget in this socially connected world, is that we CAN have someone in our lives, and still NOT follow them on social media. It IS possible to be friends in real life, and NOT on Facebook. Having a relationship with someone DOES NOT MEAN you also have to subscribe to their 2AM thoughts. I know this may seem harsh, drastic and controversial and in doing this I have had to have that awkward conversation about if and why I unfollowed. My response has been this,
HOW DO I KNOW WHAT ACCOUNTS ARE GOOD FOR ME? Does this account post content that encourages, inspires, and energizes me? Does this account make me feel bad about myself? Is this account using my insecurities to sell a product? (Frequently uses buzz words like, “boss babe”, “financial freedom”, “supportive community”, “build your own business”, etc.)
“Yes I did unfollow on social media, the (political/emotional/negative/argumentative/mom guilt/constant sales) posts were just too much. No hard feelings, I just had to minimize and be more intentional with the content I am consuming”.
Guess what? The world didn’t end. Solid relationships are still fully intact, and my social media is now a more positive and fun place to be! My hope is that you find the courage and confidence to set boundaries for yourself and choose to follow accounts and people that are adding value to YOU, and encouraging you to grow! Don’t forget that giving someone unfiltered access to your free time and mental space is an HONOR. You should be selective about who and what has access to that space. Stay fearless,, and SELECTIVE friends!!
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Using Positive Affirmations to Improve Our Well-Being by Liz Arrington
fter a year and a half of a life put on hold, we have found ourselves in a position of looking forward for the first time in a long time. And, personally, I have found it to be a struggle. It’s been hard to make decisions, re-engage in social interactions that are entirely different now, and cope with daily reminders of our changed society.
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I wouldn’t even be sharing this in such a public way, except I have a feeling that I am not alone in this. I see this exhaustion, weariness, overwhelm, all around me. Studies are showing that parents are burned out, exhausted, uncertain, and weary. Cautiously optimistic at best. And, to be honest, it's a feeling that has dominated so much of my mental space that it’s really hard for me to be compelled to write about anything else. So, if you’re like me and looking for a little help in turning the negatives into positives; read on, friend. Going into this summer, I felt deeply disaffected and discouraged. I found myself back in the position of balancing responsibilities as a mom of two boys on a summer schedule, a wife, a business owner, friend, 18 July | August 2021
and just my own SELF. I felt like I was spinning way too many plates, and dropping all of them. I needed a mindset adjustment. When a friend reached out about setting positive affirmations for a new month, I took that as my sign to recharge my mindset. I spent some time exploring the areas of my life where I felt like I was drowning, and created a list of about 8 affirmations to focus on over the course of the month. I attempted to be realistic and specific, I knew that if I took on too much at once I would become overwhelmed immediately and give up. I challenged self-defeating beliefs by replacing “I can’t...” with “I Am...” I focused less on what I couldn’t control, and more about what skills I possessed to manage my circumstances. Here’s the crazy part. This shift in thinking actually worked! Out of the blue, several opportunities fell into place. I was prepared with a plan for balancing out the different areas of my life in a way that worked so much better for me and my family. I was happier, less stressed out, and seeing actual results. Was it perfect? Not at all. But, it was so much better.
Before I dive into the specifics of setting intentions and affirmations, I want to be clear about one thing. It’s part of my nature to be a generally positive person, I tend to just look for ways to see the bright side. However, I am extremely cautious about oversimplifying positive thinking. Toxic Positivity is an extremely harmful way to avoid or minimize “bad” or “negative” feelings, and is not a valid solution to your problems. If you are struggling at this moment, there is most likely a valid reason for this. The last thing any of us needs is some stranger telling us to just “be happy and look on the bright side!” I would literally be tempted to start a fight with that stranger. So, if we know that having a positive outlook improves our mental health and well being, and even opens us up to opportunities for growth, how do we incorporate a positive outlook in a healthy and supportive way? For myself- I started with positive affirmations. Positive affirmations are defined as statements that affirm something to be true. Affirmations allow you to elevate your level of optimism, without having to immediately change your circumstances. The more specific you can be about setting affirmations, the
greater sense of control you begin to gain over your own experience. You open yourself up to reconnecting with your strengths, rather than fighting against your weaknesses. There is an art to this process. There are so many resources to guide and support you in the practice of setting positive affirmations, created by people who are much more qualified than myself. I’m here to encourage you to explore and set your own affirmations, focusing on the messages you need the most in your life to reignite your energy and point you in a positive direction. Start as small and specific as you need to be, share the journey with trusted friends or your partner. Together, we can move ourselves forward through this period of time, with our own sense of autonomy and growth. We can do this! Liz Arrington combines her background in working with children and families with her love of music, to provide early childhood music and movement classes to the families of Cypress. Online music classes also available. See more at www.songfulbeginnings.com.
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Canine Corner
By Patricia Hudson and Sophia Hudson, the Rescue Yorkiepoo
Harris County Seeks Pet Fosters, Adopters, and Funds for Heal a Heart Program
“Like so many other shelters across the country, Harris County Pets has faced an increase in its animal population over the last several months, as this is typically the time of year that many cats and dogs are breeding,” Eddie Miranda, Senior Public Information Officer reports. “Our facility is over its capacity to comfortably house our cats and dogs on a daily basis since May, and we are encouraging everyone to foster, adopt, volunteer or donate to Harris County Pets.” For information, as well as photos of adoptable pets, go to: www.countypets.com. Appointments are required, and may be made by calling 281-999-3193. Interested fosters should call the main number or email foster@phs.hctx.net.
Julia
ID# A576584
Donations of canned and dried pet food are needed. A list of additional items can be found on the webpage: www.countypets.com/donate/.
Heal a Heart: Harris County Pets Counts on Community Support to Sustain its Life-Saving Program for Heartworm-Positive Dogs
Summer is the time when heat, humidity, and wet conditions combine to create the perfect storm for mosquito breeding in a coastal area like the Houston region. Mosquitoes are capable of transmitting numerous diseases to both humans and pets. For dogs, no other mosquito-borne illness is more prevalent than heartworm disease.
Currently, about a quarter of the dog population at the Harris County Pets facility is heartworm positive. Heartworm disease can be fatal to animals, especially dogs, but it is highly treatable with a 95% success rate, according to Veterinary Centers of America Inc. At least one out of every three dogs currently at the Harris County Pets Resource Center is heartworm positive. Monetary donations to the Heal a Heart program provides free heartworm treatment to select heartworm positive dogs adopted at the facility. Friends of County Pets, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit, administers the funds for this program, made possible by the support of caring residents. The program covers the cost of heartworm treatment at the Harris County Pets Clinic. Typical cost for heartworm treatment can range from $300 to over $1,000. “We have numerous heartworm-positive dogs at our facility that are highly adoptable and would make great companions in a forever home,” said Michael White, DVM, MS, director of the Harris County Veterinary Public Health Division, which operates HCP. “The Heal a Heart program removes this costly barrier to adoption by funding the treatment of many deserving heartworm-positive pets in our shelter.” 20 July | August 2021
Amelia
ID# A571856
Rocko
ID# A575242
Harris County Pets & Harris County Public Health 612 Canino Road • Houston, TX 77076 (832) 927-1133 • www.countypets.com
Rotary Club Of Cypress-Fairbanks Celebrates 50 Years Of Service In Cypress Community The Rotary Club of Cypress-Fairbanks hosted its 50th anniversary celebration at Juergen’s Hall Community Center on Saturday, May 15. The event included recognition of community partners, club milestones, special presentations by local officials, followed by dinner and live music by Horizon. Community partners The Living Legacy Center, Cy- Fair Helping Hands, Cypress Assistance Ministries, CyHope, Reach Unlimited, Shield Bearers and Boy Scout Troop 939 were on hand to share information about their organizations. Dinner by Carl’s Barbeque, and homemade desserts by the Rotarians were followed by live entertainment.
Tom S. Ramsey, P.E., Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner
Juergen’s Hall is located at 26026 Hempstead Road, Cypress, Texas 77429. The Cypress-Fairbanks Rotary Foundation assists local and international organizations with support for literacy, hunger, disaster assistance and peace initiatives. The men and women of Rotary pledge “Service Above Self” to improve the lives of others. To learn more about the Rotary Club of Cypress-Fairbanks including local meetings and events, visit www.RotaryCypressFairbanks.org. Dr. Seelpa Keshvala, President of Lone Star College Cypress
Donna McCarty and Michelle Kohl
A $20,000 endowment check was presented to the Cy-Fair Education Foundation PinPointe Magazine
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CYPRESS SCHOOL NEWS Source: CFISD News Media Board Adopts 2021-2022 Budget, Including 5% Salary Increases The Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Board of Trustees adopted the 2021-2022 budget in the amount of $1,086,291,898 during its regularly scheduled meeting on June 24. The proposed budget was presented during the June 21 committee-of-the-whole meeting. The general fund budget includes local revenues of $563,251,591, state revenues of $414,378,331 and federal revenues and other sources of $20,200,000. CFISD’s total revenues amount to $997,829,922. The estimated, proposed tax rate for 2021-2022 of $1.3356 is a decrease of 1.99 cents from the 2020-2021 school year. The 2021-2022 tax rate is scheduled to be adopted at the September 2021 board meeting.
CFISD plans to provide raises for all staff for the 10th consecutive year. The district’s 2021-2022 budget proposal calls for a salary increase of 5% on the greater of midpoint or base for all staff; stipends for hourly and paraprofessional staff, and an increase in the teacher starting salary from $56,000 to $58,500. In addition to payroll and other administrative costs, the 2021-2022 budget proposal provides for hotspot Wi-Fi and Amazon Web Services and a net increase in Teacher’s Retirement System of Texas (TRS), software licenses, consultants and other miscellaneous increases.
Senior Walks Connect CFISD Graduates with Elementary Students Among the growing and continuing traditions graduating seniors celebrate and take part in over the final months of the school year, one connects them back to their beginnings in education. Numerous Class of 2021 graduates took part in senior walks and graduation walks over the final weeks of the 2020-2021 school year, donning their caps, gowns and honor cords and walking the hallways of the elementary and middle schools they Cypress Woods High School graduate Hunter Ybarra interacts with A. Robison Elementary School students attended years before. The walks weren’t simply seeing the campuses again—seniors were greeted and cheered on by the elementary and middle school students, many who lined the halls and made congratulatory signs. In some cases, the graduates were joined by the fifth grade students, who were celebrating their final days in elementary school before “graduating” to their respective middle schools. But the events were centered around the graduating seniors, giving them special recognition in their former stomping grounds days or weeks before crossing the stage and receiving their high school diplomas.
CFISD Students Qualify for 2021 Academic All-District Teams for Spring Sports More than 1,200 CFISD student-athletes qualified for the Academic All-District 10-6A, 16-6A and 17-6A teams in their respective spring sports, released earlier this month. All 12 high school programs were represented by the students who earned the academic all-district recognition. Those who earned the honor finished the 2020-2021 season in good standing and earned a composite weighted grade point average of 5.5 or higher for all classes for the two identified six weeks that make up the majority of their regular season. “We are very proud of the extreme commitment and actions of the over 1,200 CFISD athletes that made academic all-district teams representing our spring athletic programs,” said Ray Zepeda, CFISD director of athletics. “Their effort and performance exemplifies our program ideals and values.” The following academic all-district athletes were among those recognized:
“It puts things into perspective of what the culmination of all of our hard work is,” said Lamkin Elementary School Principal Gale Parker, whose campus hosted Cy-Fair and Cypress Ranch high school graduates on May 26. “I love to see their smiling faces. I love to see them come back to the school, enjoy it and just remember they’re alumni from here. The elementary kids talk about this for weeks and it makes a point to them too that they’re going to be in those shoes one day.” “It’s like going down memory lane. Three of my former teachers came up and talked to me and it was just great to reminisce,” said Cypress Ranch High School graduate Jacob Martone after visiting Lamkin Elementary School on May 26. “I haven’t been here since fifth grade so everything looks a lot smaller. I couldn’t even remember where the gym was.”
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Bridgeland High School senior Cole McClellan qualified for the 16-6A Boys’ Golf Team
Cypress Ranch High School senior Emily Strupp qualified for the 16-6A Softball Team
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