Safety & security in CFISD

The last several weeks have been difficult for many throughout our state. Our hearts remain with those impacted by the May 24 tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde CISD, and we join the Tomball and Cypress communities in mourning the members of the Collins family who lost their lives on June 2. 

Following the Uvalde tragedy, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for special legislative committees to be convened to prevent future school shootings. The governor requested for recommendations to be made in five key areas—school safety, mental health, social media, police training and firearm safety. This summer, we will be reviewing all of our safety and security measures in order to see if we are doing the best possible job of protecting students and staff. However, I wanted to take some time to summarize how CFISD has previously made efforts in each of these components.

School safety
In 2011, CFISD formed its own law enforcement agency to enhance safety and security throughout the district.

• The department, which recently celebrated its 10^th anniversary, has expanded to more than 100 fully commissioned, well-trained officers and has added four K-9s that specialize in narcotics and gunpowder / explosives detection.
• The current assignment of officers is two per high school, one per middle school and zoned support for elementary schools.
• During its June 13 meeting, the CFISD Board of Trustees approved a budget that included funding for six additional police officers to help expand districtwide patrol coverage.
• The CFISD police department (CFPD)’s upgraded telecommunication systems allow the department to maintain close communication with neighboring law enforcement agencies in the event of an emergency.
• The CFPD monitors and patrols the district 365 days a year. In addition, CFISD police dispatch can be reached 24/7 at 281-897-4337.

In 2017, we expanded the office of emergency management (OEM) to complement the CFPD.

• This department conducts districtwide security audits to ensure all campuses are adequately prepared for emergencies.
• In 2018-2019, we worked with an outside consultant (True North Consulting) to prepare for safety recommendations for the 2019 bond program.
• The CFISD OEM implemented Navigate 360 technology to house all campus floorplans and emergency operation plans (EOP) for quick access in facilitating a coordinated emergency response with other emergency response agencies and track emergency drills and training. The EOP also outlines Traumatic Injury Response Protocol.

The 2014 bond program dedicated $55 million to safety and security upgrades including:

• secured vestibules at all campuses;
• bullet-resistant glass at front entrances;
• additional security cameras;
• lockdown panic buttons;
• card reader access locks; and
• security intrusion panels.

The 2019 bond program dedicated $207.6 million to even more safety and security enhancements, including:

• segmentation of open-concept floor plans in elementary schools;
• fencing around portable buildings and playgrounds;
• classroom phones;
• impact-resistant glass on doors and high-traffic areas;
• secure vestibule enhancements;
• replacement of classroom door hardware;
• addition of door prop alarms; and
• additional lockdown buttons and card reader access locks.

We have made significant progress on these projects; for example, classroom phones have all been installed and campus fencing is scheduled for completion by the end of the year. Major renovation projects including security upgrades are being completed in seven phases, and the third phase is currently under construction.

In 2018-2019, we implemented a clear backpack policy for all secondary students as well as a clear bag policy for visitors to Pridgeon and Cy-Fair FCU stadiums.

All campuses have implemented procedures for limiting entry points for faculty, students and visitors before and during the instructional day as well as between main and portable buildings. Their specific procedures are updated annually within the campus emergency operations plan and submitted for review to CFPD and the OEM.

The CFISD Safety and Security Committee was expanded in 2018 to help plan for heightened security protocols while remaining in close communication with district and campus leaders, as well as district and local law enforcement agencies and first responders. The committee meets regularly throughout the year.

Mental health
Through collaborations and partnerships among three different departments—guidance and counseling, psychological services and CFPD—the district mental health intervention team (MHIT) was formed in 2018-2019.

• The MHIT is comprised of four licensed professional counselors, two licensed psychologists and two mental health police officers.
• This unique and creative team was established for the purpose of developing a more proactive, targeted, and safe approach to dealing with mental health issues in our district.

We know that positive relationships are key in deterring potential situations, and our counselors work to maintain these with students throughout our campuses.

• Our Board of Trustees approved an additional elementary counselor allocation beginning in the 2020-2021 school year.
• Currently, CFISD has allocated 288 counseling positions. Depending on enrollment, each elementary school has 2-3 counselors, each middle school has 3-4 counselors and each high school has 8-9 counselors.
• Other initiatives include Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) methodology and campus mentoring programs.

All campus staff are required to complete mental health assessment training. CFISD elementary and secondary counselors are trained on completing threat assessment interviews using information compiled from recognized national curriculum.

Social media
Besides being available to respond in the time of a crisis, CFPD officers provide many proactive measures, such as:

• investigating all potential threats;
• monitoring social media through a collaboration with the Fusion Center;
• fielding Cy-Fair Tipline reports;
• making home visits;
• mentoring students; and
• providing classroom presentations.

Campus administrators, CFPD and our student services department routinely investigate social media tips and threats, and our students are continually reminded that if they see something, say something!

Police training
The CFPD routinely undergoes annual training and professional development for all officers and command staff, adapting to the latest state and local law enforcement standards.

• CFPD officers have attended “Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT)” and have also completed the state-mandated “TCOLE Active Shooter Response For School-Based Law Enforcement (#2195) Training,” and many officers will complete the trainings this summer.
• In addition, officers train yearly for “Use of Force/Active Shooter” incidents and often use campuses. This summer, officers will attend an active shooter response refresher course.
• In the summer of 2021, the OEM held “Active Incident Training” for CFPD officers.
• The OEM also conducted a “Reunification Functional Exercise” for a CFISD campus in the spring of 2022. This functional exercise is planned for all CFISD campuses.
• All CFPD officers will join health services staff in becoming certified in “Stop the Bleed” training, and will train campus staff during August professional development week to prepare for bleeding emergencies.
• All officers are trained in ALERRT’s “Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events,” or CRASE, and will provide the training to all campus staff in August.

Firearm safety
In addition to the CFPD’s regular internal training on firearm safety, the district posts signage outside of every campus reminding the public that firearms are not permitted on CFISD property. Campuses received updated signage the last week of school that will be displayed in time for the 2022-2023 school year.

 

As we have demonstrated over the last decade, CFISD will continue to review and evaluate and determine further safety and security enhancements and/or modifications that are needed moving forward.

We are determined to keep our schools the safest possible environments for students and staff.

~ Mark Henry, Ed.D.

Back to School 2019-2020

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We are thrilled to launch the 2019-2020 school year on Monday, Aug. 26! As you may know, the first week of school can present challenges as we work to efficiently transport more than 80,000 students to and from school while welcoming thousands of parents on campus for drop-offs and pick-ups. As we fine-tune these processes, I ask for your patience while we work together for our 117,000 students.

Several departments have collaborated throughout the summer to improve your child’s learning environment this year. Dozens of renovation projects, like The Leonard Brautigam Center (formerly Windfern School of Choice), were completed and some will continue through the fall. Meanwhile, new facilities like Harold R. Rowe Middle School (#19) are under construction for future opening dates. I am so appreciative that this community continues to invest in our facilities through school bonds like the one that passed in May.

The Leonard Brautigam Center, formerly Windfern School of Choice, opens Aug. 26 at 13102 Jones Road

Harold R. Rowe Middle School (No. 19) will open in August 2020 on the Cypress Park multi-campus site.

In 2019-2020, you will continue to see improvements to our facilities that enhance student safety, including secured vestibules at each campus and additional fencing in strategic areas. Policies such as ID badges for every student and our Z Pass tracking system on each school bus help ensure that your child is as safe as possible on the way to, during and home from school each day. Our CFISD police department even added a fourth K-9, Scout, to assist in threat deterrence.

Meet Scout, our newest CFPD K-9 who is a Shepherd/Malinois mix.

Thank you for your continued support of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. Our goal in 2019-2020 is to provide quality service to this community, plus give a little lagniappe, which means “a little extra, on purpose.”

Our teachers and staff are ready to partner with parents and guardians in order to provide Opportunity for All through a quality education to your children. I wish you an enjoyable last few days of summer as we transition into the routines of the school year.  

~ Mark Henry, Ed.D.

Reflecting on 2018-2019

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It’s hard to believe, but today we wrapped up the 79^th school year of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. Each year that passes, I grow prouder to lead our school district and live in our wonderful community, and 2018-2019 did not disappoint.

We began planning this school year last summer by instituting some major safety initiatives including the purchase of three K-9s and a Mental Health Intervention Team. We know our schools’ bolstered safety and security measures were effective threat deterrents.

As the year kicked off, we celebrated our own Jeanna Peña of Lamkin Elementary School winning Region 4 Teacher of the Year. I was also humbled to accept the region’s nomination for Superintendent of the Year, representing the best district in Texas!

Students and staff at Moore Elementary were delighted to return to their freshly renovated campus on the first day of school, Aug. 27. Moore was flooded by Hurricane Harvey a year before, but the Armadillos stayed strong and had a great year in their “new” old home.

CFISD is the home of Opportunity for All, where students thrive through fine arts. Marching bands from Cy-Fair and Jersey Village high schools placed among the top 33 in the state, and 46 students earned TMEA All-State recognition. Cypress Ranch High School theatre students won two Tommy Tune awards this spring for their amazing production of The Little Mermaid.

Every year, students enter our doors as athletes and leave as champions. Two Cypress Creek High School students, swimmer Hayden Miller and wrestler Amanda McAleavey, captured individual state championships in their respective sports in February. Today, the Cypress Ranch baseball team is competing for a chance to return to the state tournament for the fourth time in eight years.

Our students continued to achieve at the highest possible levels academically. Eight students were accepted into MIT, including four from Langham Creek High School—the most from a single comprehensive school in the entire nation! We celebrated 17 National Merit semifinalists at the Berry Center in March. 

Community members supported a $1.762 billion bond referendum in May that will address district needs through the year 2025 with a telling 70-percent approval rate. 

We could not have achieved all we did this year without a supportive and involved school board. One of our trustees, Christine Hartley, announced her resignation earlier this month after eight years and will be dearly missed.

It’s easy to see why I’m so proud of this district and community. For eight decades we have worked together to produce successful citizens, and there is no better portrait of that than the 8,000-plus graduates walking our stage at the Berry Center from Wednesday through Saturday.

As the final set of caps are tossed on Saturday evening and we start to set our sights on 2019-2020, we’ll take pride in a year that gave us so many incredible things to cheer about.

~ Mark Henry, Ed.D.

Board approves bond election for May 4

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Last night, Feb. 11, during their regularly scheduled monthly meeting, our Board of Trustees unanimously voted to call a bond election for May 4, 2019. Community members living within Cypress-Fairbanks ISD will vote on the $1,762,000,000 referendum this spring.

The election was called after a community long-range planning committee (LRPC) presented a recommendation to the Board during a Feb. 4 special-called meeting. The 50-member LRPC met regularly throughout November-January and formulated a plan that will meet the following needs for the school district through 2025:

·       instructional and support facilities;

·       safety and security;

·       transportation;

·       technology; and

·       facilities renovations and additions.

Community members collaborate during a January long-range planning committee meeting.

More information on what is included in the referendum, as well as the detailed recommendation given to the Board, can be found on the LRPC webpage. I encourage you to review the information to help prepare you for an informed vote in May.

The projected impact of the bond on our debt service tax rate (also called the Interest and Sinking tax rate), would amount to an incremental change of up to 3 cents over a seven-year period. A home valued at $200,000 would have a maximum annual I&S tax increase of $40.50 by the year 2025. Remember that this is only a projection. Prior to the 2014 bond election, we forecasted a maximum tax increase of 4.5 cents and it actually decreased by one penny.

Please note that there would be no tax increase for those 65 years of age or older or who are disabled and who qualify for an over-65 homestead exemption, according to Texas Property Tax Code Section 11.26.

We will continue to post more information on the district website (www.cfisd.net) and our social media channels (search #CFISDBond) in the coming weeks to answer potential questions and supply voting information to our community members. We will also deliver a series of presentations at upcoming events to help inform the voting public.

Thank you in advance for committing to making an informed vote in the 2019 bond election.

~ 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.

Clear Backpack Policy for 2018-2019

As promised in a message I sent toward the end of the school year, our district safety and security committee has already begun meeting to plan for the 2018-2019 school year.

In an effort to improve the safety measures currently in place, one of the decisions that came out of our meetings is to require all high school and middle school students to use clear backpacks beginning in the fall. Band and athletic bags, as well as drill and cheer team bags, will still be permitted.

Additionally, the maximum purse size permitted in grades 6-12 will be 6” x 9.”

Elementary school students will be allowed to continue using traditional backpacks.

More details about these new policies can be found on a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on our district website.

We are living in a difficult time requiring difficult decisions from school districts. While these changes present an inconvenience to our students and parents, we must continue to be vigilant to protect the safety of our students and staff.

The safety and security committee will continue to meet throughout the summer. Further plans and decisions will be communicated to the community as soon as possible.

Have a great summer!

~ Mark Henry, Ed.D.

Working Together for a Safer Future

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The last week has presented some challenges for educators as we evaluate our school safety protocols and seek ways to strengthen security measures. Many of you have sent me questions and concerns via email, and I appreciate the feedback as we work together to better protect CFISD students and staff.

In light of two major school shootings since February, I have already started meeting with district leadership and law enforcement officials to review current procedures and discuss potential changes for the 2018-2019 school year.

I continue to stress how fortunate we are in CFISD to employ approximately 100 well-trained, professional police officers who work diligently 24/7 with every campus to provide a variety of safety measures to prevent what occurred in Parkland, Fla., and Santa Fe, Texas. Besides being available to respond in the time of a crisis, CFPD officers provide many proactive measures, such as investigating all potential threats, monitoring social media and tip line reports, making home visits, mentoring students and providing classroom presentations.

We will continue to look at ways to enhance our campuses in order to make them even safer. We ask for everyone’s patience, understanding and support as we make modifications to practices and procedures for how our students, staff, parents and community members access our campuses next school year.

As always, we encourage use of the tip line and if you hear or see something, say something. While no plan is perfect, we will all have to work together as a team to keep our campuses as safe as possible.

Thank you for your continued support.

~ Mark Henry, Ed.D.

Finishing Strong, Finishing Safe

This is the time of year when I typically prepare an end-of-year message reflecting on the successes of the school year and the exciting future ahead. I had this message queued up for Friday, but could not bring myself to push send. In light of the horrific news out of Santa Fe ISD, the tone felt insensitive. 

There will be a time for that message, surely, because we have had an overwhelmingly successful school year. But it has not been without its challenges. I include the two major public school shootings in Parkland, Fla., and Santa Fe, Texas, among those challenges, because when one school community suffers, we all share in their grief and seek ways to eliminate future threats to our students and staff.

In an effort to end the year on a positive note, I have asked our chief of police, Eric Mendez, to increase police presence on every campus. I was pleased to learn from Chief Mendez that the CFPD’s thorough recruiting efforts recently resulted in a fully-staffed police force. This will be a tremendous help in bolstering the protection of each of our 91 campuses and support facilities.

I have also communicated to each principal the need for a strict enforcement of dress code. Through the end of the school year, we are asking that no students wear trench coats or other heavy clothing that could potentially conceal weapons. While we want students to dress in clothing that is comfortable in their learning environment, we feel any extra safety measure that assists our officers and administrators should be utilized.

I ask that you assist us through this transition by communicating these efforts to your students. During these anxious times, vigilance is key.

Thank you for your continued support.

~ Mark Henry, Ed.D.