Education
BY DAVE MANNING
Cy-Fair ISD board President Tom Jackson participates in Read Across America Day 2022.
TONY BULLARDCOMMUNITY IMPACT
COURTESY CY FAIR ISD
Cy-Fair ISD board President Tom Jackson retires from trustee service after 12 years Cy-Fair ISD board President Tom Jackson has been a trustee since 2011 and did not seek re- election in November.
sub-population. There are several other areas: • Language immersion • Summer academic camps • Layers of safety • Higher salaries for teachers and sta • Enhanced technology capabilities of the district • Attractive and functional security fencing • Enhanced academic focus for athletes Is there anything you would have changed about your time on the board? If I had more time to give, I would spend even more time cultivating relationships with elected ocials to advocate for appropriate funding for the district. What sets CFISD apart from other school districts? Like all schools, we believe in opportunity for all. The dierence is how you implement the concept. We are somewhat unique in that we believe in asset protection, which translates into renovations at older campuses so that facilities provide similar benets irrespective of where you live. For example, we have librarians and pro- fessional nurses at all campuses in addition to reading and math specialists. The large campus footprint means we have no need for specialty campuses. For example, every high school has well developed [career and technical education]
oerings [including] welding shop, culinary department and cosmetology department. Every high school oers advanced placement and dual- credit opportunities for students. What are the pros and cons of having newer faces on the board following the Nov. 7 election? A benet is you have a completely fresh view. In my experience, it takes at least two years for a trustee to understand their job, and the scope of their job is much larger than their talking points on the campaign trail. Across the state, new board members are challenged by the concept that they’re part of a team with the superintendent. This takes time. What led to you serving the Cy-Fair community in so many capacities? As a child, I observed my parents and grandpar- ents helping others and being active in the com- munity. They never said, “This is what you should do.” But since they were active, I understood that this was [an appropriate path].
A certied public accountant by trade, Jackson said he devoted hundreds of hours of annual ser- vice for the district while serving as president of Green River Oil. He has been a member of several boards in the Cy-Fair community, and his three children attended CFISD schools. Jackson reected on his time on the board in a September interview. Why did you not seek re-election? When I rst ran as a trustee, I had already predetermined in my mind that I would serve either two or three terms, if the voters wanted me to serve. Three terms—or 12 years—is the academic cycle of a student. What are some of the accomplishments of the board during your tenure for which you are most proud? For the entire 12 years that I’ve been on the board, this district has been identied by an independent third party as among the top three districts in the state for being both eective and ecient ... based on funding provided over that time period [and] given its demographic makeup. In addition, the district—when compared to its peer group of very large districts, the state and the region—has outperformed in graduation and testing categories in every grade and every demographic
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .
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CYPRESS EDITION
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