Pinpointe Towne Lake by Intown Magazine

3 February | March 2017

PinPointe Magazine

Contents ON THE COVER: Greg & Sarah Swindell

Serving the Community of Towne Lake

The Swindells: A Family Strengthened Through Struggles

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 23 Rounding Home

e Swindells

PINPOINTE RESIDENT PROFILE

A Family Strengthened rough Struggles

By Patricia Hudson For Sarah, a model/actress, and husband, Greg Swindell, an MLB pitcher, life resembled a fairy tale. By 2002, however, a series of unforeseen events found the couple in a downward spiral. Sarah’s account of how their lives unraveled before she discovered forgiveness is documented in her book, “Rounding Home.” They share their story in this interview. Where did the two of you meet? How long before you fell in love? We met in Houston in 1993. My brothers had known Greg from the University of Texas and he has just signed with the Houston Astros. Greg had asked one of my brothers for my phone number after seeing me at a party, and well, we eloped seven weeks later during Spring Training in Florida, so I guess you could say it was absolutely love at first sight! Sarah, you have been a commercial actress and model for thirty years. What led you to this career path? Being almost 6 feet tall, it's sort of a given that it would be a route I would go down and absolutely loved it. As I got older, it sort of morphed into more commercial-type things which were also fun to do being that I loved acting. I don't do it anymore but I do enjoy working part-time for a new home builder in Towne Lake where we live. Very easy to sell a place you love so much! 6 July | August 2021

Greg, you etched some remarkable numbers in the baseball record books at the University of Texas, and your career in the Major Leagues spanned 17 years. What are your most cherished memories? Being able to play a sport that I love with my friends who loved baseball, too. Getting a scholarship when my family couldn’t afford college was huge. Playing in the college World Series twice was definitely a highlight. Developing into a young man during my three years at Texas. And at the major league level, playing against and with players I admired as a kid. Winning the 2001 World Series is my favorite baseball moment ever. Who were your baseball heroes? My heroes were Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, any Astro at the time. I was an Astro Buddy growing up and my Buddy was Cesar Cedeno. I played in the 1989 All Star game and Nolan was on my team. Steve Carlton actually was my teammate for a year in Cleveland. Talk about surreal. Of what baseball accomplishment in your career are you most proud? Playing 17 years in the MLB. Since retiring as a player, you have continued your baseball career in several roles. How have you sought to fill your love of the game?

I coached two years at Texas. And one at Texas State. I have been broadcasting Texas Longhorn Baseball games for 10 years. Cypress is a hotbed of baseball talent. What advice would you give to high school baseball athletes with dreams to play in the Majors? Stick with it and have fun. I wasn’t always the best pitcher and never the fastest runner, but believing in myself and respecting the game is what means the most. Listen to your coaches and work hard. Hard work does pay off, (Ty Madden), it literally pays off $$$, (laughing). Play other sports. Team work and learning to win and lose helps eventually. Sarah, in 2001, Greg and the Arizona Diamondbacks had just won the World Series, and you had just had your son, Dawson. Following his diagnosis of autism, your lives took a downward spiral, affecting your children, and dissolving your marriage. You decided to write “Rounding Home,” a “self-help book on what not to do.” Could you share about this life-changing experience and how your family ultimately survived this time?

It's crazy how one minute your life is quite literally a fairy tale, then the next, a horrible nightmare. 2001 was such a magical year for us. Winning the World Series against the New York Yankees which was truly unbelievable being in that city only a couple of months after 911. The love and patriotism that was in the air, even in Yankee Stadium as the opposing team was indescribable. Seeing how much our county came together after such devastation is something I will never forget. I still get chills thinking about watching our President, George W. Bush, throw out the first pitch after the anthem played...not a dry eye in the stadium that is for sure. That year, we also had our 4th child and first son, Dawson, so we were over the moon to have a boy and remember feeling as though life could not get any better. Then in 2002, we were hit with the blow that Dawson had severe autism at just 18 months old. From that

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day on, we quickly learned how unprepared we were for this and how differently Greg and I handled it. It seemed like after that, we completely unraveled in every way possible. Through it all, I journaled a lot; it was my therapy. Without giving it all away,

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I knew almost 20 years later I had a story to tell. It was scary dishing out all our deep dark secrets but my entire family was so supportive. I look back and honestly can’t believe how close we all are now and how empowering forgiveness truly is. Not only are you an author, but you are also a podcast host; are these podcasts related to autism or multiple topics?

back to it soon but for now, we have over 27 episodes that you can dive into!

Yes! I am a true-crime podcast junkie along with my daughter, Brenna, so not related to autism at all. It actually is sort of my escape from the autism world in a morbid way! During COVID and the lockdowns, my daughter and I decided to start our own true-crime podcast, Fight or Flight, focusing on survivors of horrible crimes. We are taking a little break since our editor, my other daughter, is having her first baby soon and we have no idea how to do all that technical stuff. Hopefully, we will get

I remember driving around Towne Lake years ago and thinking to myself, someday I am going to live there! Power of positive thinking!

How/when did you end up in Towne Lake?

You recently took some time for a longneeded get-away. Highlights of your trip? It was amazing! Just a quick trip to Cancun but I was so proud of Greg who planned the whole thing perfectly. When you have a special needs adult child who is nonverbal, getting away even for a night should be considered an Olympic sport. But we have been so incredibly blessed to have daughters that have been more than willing to step in to help when they can. Now that two are moms and our youngest daughter is having her first, she stepped right up to help out before her own little one is born. FYI we are taking applications for any interested baby-sitters!

If you know of an exceptional Greater Fairfield, Coles Crossing, Towne Lake, 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

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832-707-4900 9945 Barker Cypress • Suite 215 Cypress, TX 77433 AndreaCurran.com PinPointe Magazine

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

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

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!

14 July | August 2021

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 .

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.

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

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.”

22 July | August 2021

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

Rounding Home: A Memoir of Love, Betrayal, Heartbreak, and Hope with an Intimate Look into Raising a Child with Severe Autism An excerpt by Sarah Swindell

Dawson was sitting on the floor staring intently at a spec of paper, as if it were a treasure he would not take his eyes off it. Both of us knew what we would probably hear, but just below the surface, we were intently praying to be wrong. We prayed for a magic pill that would take him back to the Dawson he was just a few months earlier, we would wake up and it would just be a bad dream. I was desperately holding onto hope with every inch of my being, hope that we would walk out of that awful place smiling, relieved at how wrong we were. I told myself that Dawson would look back at old videos and say, “WOW, what the heck was wrong with me back then?!” We all would sit around and joke about how silly we were to be so scared that anything was ever wrong. I was swiftly yanked from my hopeful thoughts as I heard his name called by the stone-faced nurse standing in the doorway. Dawson didn’t even look up from his beloved tiny piece of paper – not responding to his name anymore was now the new normal. We scooped him up and followed the nurse to the Child Psychologist’s office. It was a tiny dull office made to look like a playroom with colorful blocks and brightly colored toys. Greg and I sat down on an uncomfortably small sofa, across from a wooden desk where the doctor sat. She looked over the notes that I assumed our pediatrician had sent over, as well as the paperwork I’d filled out in the waiting room. She asked us a few questions that I don’t even remember answering, I just wanted the whole event to be over as soon as possible. What I do remember about the endless hour while Dawson was being tested, is that I could barely keep it together, his whole future hung on what that one doctor would say. I remember every task she tried to get Dawson to do, each felt like a strike against him, over and over again. It broke my heart to see him struggle with the simplest requests. It broke my heart even more that he was being put through such scrutiny, it was an unnatural kind of observation. I choked back tears, as I silently cheered Dawson on to do the very best he could. I willed him to fool her into thinking nothing was seriously wrong and we didn’t need her stupid opinion after all. When the test was over, she sat at her desk with her arms folded and started to speak, at that moment everything faded to black. My ears were ringing and I felt my throat swell as I tried to push back the sobs that were forming deep within my soul.

I remember thinking, so this is what an out-of-body experience is. I wanted to grab Dawson off the floor and run out of that office as fast as I could, but Greg had beat me to it. He picked up our son without saying a word and quickly walked out the door. I just sat there, my ears still ringing and silent tears streaming down my face, realizing that she had actually said what we so desperately did not want to hear, but already knew. The doctor across the table spoke. “Your son has autism and I believe it is a severe form, there are places for kids like him as he gets older,” and “He will most likely never speak or go to a regular school and will probably need lifelong care.” How the hell did she know all this about our 18-month-old son after only one hour with him!? To hear someone say that Dawson had autism, to say it out loud and then continue on to tell me how severe it was, was a blow I was not prepared to receive. She handed me a single sheet of paper with all the therapies he needed and a bundle of pamphlets with information for newly diagnosed families. Was this real? It felt like my son had just died but there would be no funeral or memorial service to mourn the life we dreamed he would have. That dream was now, in a matter of one hour, gone forever. The doctor gently patted my back, told me she was sorry, wished me luck, and said to call with any questions. Seriously? Any questions? As I slowly walked through the parking lot to the car where Greg and Dawson were waiting, a movie of Dawson’s short little life played on fast forward in my head. I climbed into the passenger seat of our SUV, while the sobs I had stuffed down for over an hour suddenly came pouring out of me like dark, heavy rain.

Rounding Home, by Sarah Swindell is available on Amazon and Audible (Narration by the author) PinPointe Magazine