Closing out 2018

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As we close the book on another calendar year, I am proud to look back on the many successes of 2018 and the way we demonstrated Opportunity for All throughout Cypress-Fairbanks ISD.

That #CFISDspirit was evident starting in January, when we partnered with the Houston Health Department to bring free eye exams and eyewear to thousands of students through the See to Succeed program. Our health services department is already expecting more than 1,000 students to utilize this life-changing program in January 2019!

We celebrated many fine arts successes, like the 38 TMEA All-State musicians who performed in San Antonio in February. The Cy-Fair and Jersey Village high school marching bands both qualified for the state championship in November, finishing among the top 33 groups in Texas.

Athletics achievements were all around us. We celebrated the Cypress Ranch High School girls’ wrestling team as they won their first-ever UIL state championship last February. Cypress Woods High School basketball standout Cate Reese was named a McDonald’s All-American. We even cheered on an Olympian, as Cy-Fair High School alum Sam McGuffie competed in bobsled in South Korea.

Our educators continued to set themselves apart in 2018. Cypress Falls High School New Arrival Center instructor Pamela Broussard was named an H-E-B Excellence in Education award finalist. Lamkin Elementary School visual arts specialist Jeanna Peña was recognized as Region 4 Teacher of the Year.

I was overwhelmed by the way the community came together for the fifth annual Superintendent’s Fun Run in March, raising a record $100,000 for the Cy-Fair Educational Foundation. Save the date for the sixth annual event on March 2, 2019 at the Berry Center!

It was truly a year of outstanding highlights. There were 27 National Merit honorees. More than $700,000 was given to Livestock Show and Sale projects. Our voters had great turnouts at the polls. Our Camp Summit summer literacy program won a prestigious national award. We handed out a record number of diplomas to Class of 2018 graduates.

CFISD was once again the largest district in the state to have all our campuses meet the state’s academic standards. But as you can see, we are defined by much more than our test scores. We are a district that gives students with the most challenges and the most potential the same first-class education. We are a place where every student can succeed no matter what their gifts or challenges may be. We provide opportunities to become a great athlete or artist, to be involved in robotics, to transition into an Ivy League school or the workforce. 

We had an incredible year, but we look forward to 2019 and the promise it brings for our entire community. On behalf of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, I wish you a safe and restful holiday break. See you in January!

~ Mark Henry, Ed.D.

Back to School 2018-2019

I hope that you have enjoyed a restful summer and spent some quality time with loved ones during the break. In less than two weeks, we are expecting more than 117,000 students to walk through our doors as the 2018-2019 school year kicks off on Aug. 27.

When they enter those doors, the students will be greeted by a professional staff of educators committed to developing positive relationships while enhancing their educational and extracurricular experience. Opportunity awaits your children through top-tier athletic and fine arts programs, unique CTE and robotics advancements and an early college program that move them years ahead of peers. From the most gifted students to those who need the most support—there is a place for everyone in CFISD.

We have a lot to cheer about and celebrate as we approach 2018-2019. One of our success stories will be the “new and improved” Moore Elementary School, which will open for students and staff following a year at the former Matzke campus after sustaining damage from Hurricane Harvey. Many other campuses received building, athletic and parking renovations as part of the 2014 Bond Program. In CFISD we stand by our commitment to Opportunity for All, and we believe that translates into access to high-quality facilities in every corner of the school district.

Opportunity abounds for UIL participants, as Bridgeland and Cypress Park high schools will compete in Class 6A competition this year. Our tradition-rich athletics program will spread its wings into Region II and III, as we compete in both District 14-6A and District 17-6A. Imagine how exciting it would be to have up to eight playoff football or volleyball teams, or two baseball or softball teams meeting in the state tournament!

We have spent a large part of the summer refining our school safety plan and have unveiled some enhancements that can be found on our district website. We have received much input in preparing the plan, which will be fluid as we continually evaluate and research new security methods. We understand that no single measure is the answer, but that a layered approach will help in the prevention, identification/intervention and response to potential school threats.

Opportunity is here in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. Thank you for partnering with us as we provide the best possible protection, education and enrichment for our children in 2018-2019. It’s going to be a great year!

~ Mark Henry, Ed.D.

A Memorable School Year

Nine months ago, we were preparing to open our doors to students and staff. Instead, we opened them to first responders, displaced flood victims, volunteers and even the National Guard.

Hurricane Harvey certainly dealt us an unexpected blow at the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year, but as usual, we all came together and put Opportunity for All into action. Many heroes of the classroom, like Duryea Elementary School Principal Kenneth Henry, turned into heroes of Harvey.

The district showed its resilience no matter the obstacle or weather event (Mother Nature even threw a little freeze at us!). We came together, we rebuilt, we grew stronger as a result.

Our students never slowed down, earning incredible accomplishments in the classroom, concert halls and playing fields. While fine arts students gave gold performances…

The Cypress Falls HS honor choir performs as a TMEA Honor Choir at the state convention on Feb. 15. 

…UIL state champions tested the strength of gold medals!

Cy-Fair HS football players celebrate winning the state title at AT&T Stadium Dec. 23. 

Cypress Creek HS senior Samantha Billings won first place in feature writing at the UIL Academic State Meet May 4-5.

One of the stabilizing forces for CFISD this year was an award-winning school board, whose members are always seeking the best for our students, staff and taxpayers. It continues to be a pleasure to work with this group.

Our amazing Trustees celebrated the Bobcats’ state football title at the January 2018 Board meeting. 

While I don’t know what challenges await us in 2018-2019, I know that in November you will have the opportunity to select members of our own legislative body as well as state leaders who will determine the future of public education. I encourage you to become engaged. Keep tabs on our Community Leadership Committee. Vote for candidates who support universal public education!

Despite all the challenges the community has experienced, I encourage everyone to finish strong as we head toward the summer—then enjoy time with family, be safe and relax! We still have a lot to cheer about in this district, including 12 high school graduation ceremonies that are currently in progress! 

As 8,000 seniors walk the stage at the Berry Center, a school year that began with devastation will end with hope for a brighter future. That’s what I call #CFISDspirit.

~ Mark Henry, Ed.D.

2017 in Review

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The year 2017 is nearly in the books, and boy was it one to remember. Opportunity for All was on display as many student groups excelled in a variety of the areas that public education has to offer.

We celebrated our winter and spring state champions like the Cypress Falls High School boys’ basketball team, Langham Creek High School hurdler Eric Edwards and the Cypress Ranch High School mixed doubles team of Varun Thachil and Melissa LaMette. We also cherished the runs by our state runners-up, like the Cypress Ranch Lady Mustang basketball team last March and the Cypress Ranch team tennis squad this fall.

Langham Creek’s Eric Edwards taking gold in the 110-meter hurdles at the state track meet.

Here’s hoping we celebrate another state champion soon, as our Cy-Fair Bobcat football team plays for the 6A trophy this Saturday in Arlington!

We relished our fine arts successes, like the 42 all-state musicians who performed in the TMEA honor concerts last February. We were proud to be the largest district where all campuses Met Standard. Computer science students from Cypress Woods High School won state championships at the UIL Academic State Meet in April, the same month that our Jersey Voltage and Cy-Borgs robotics teams represented the district at the FIRST World Robotics Championships.

We walked a record 8,000 graduates across our stage in May. And on a broader scale, we cheered together as the Houston Astros won their first-ever World Series title.

 

Cy-Fair HS graduates pave the way for the next generation at Danish ES last spring.

Indeed, it was a year of ups and downs. We will never forget the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey upon our community, city and region. However, we can look back with pride on how we all came together and gave or received a helping hand that ultimately made us all stronger.

Volunteers pass out towels at the Berry Center shelter following Hurricane Harvey.

There have been many more ups than downs in our “littlest big district” we call home. You can trace nearly every success story in our community back to Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. I appreciate everyone’s efforts to make sure we fulfill our mission of improving the lives of our students and families.

This time of year I am thankful for my wife of 35 years, Cindy. She been the anchor that has kept our family stable and moving forward. Similarly, I feel that CFISD has been an anchor for this community. In 2017, there was a lot of evidence for how this school district held this community together.

My wife, Cindy, and three of our four grandchildren.

As we move into 2018 with the promise of a new year and primary election season, it is my hope that our community and our educators’ voices will be heard across this state and nation.

Before you know it, we will have 8,000 more students receiving their high school diplomas and entering into colleges, careers or the military. Ultimately, just like in 2017, CFISD will be the rock that this community can stand upon for a better tomorrow.

I hope that all of you have a happy and safe holiday season. I’ll see you in 2018!