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LupitaHinojosa named lone nalist for Spring ISD superintendent
District leaders continue to combat stang shortages Cy-Fair ISD had approximately 1,063 vacant positions at the start of the 2021-22 school year, including about 300 teachers, 150 bus drivers and nearly 180 paraprofessionals. According to data from the district, there were about 38% more job openings at the start of this school year than one year earlier. Teacher vacancies have remained consistent throughout the school year with 286 positions open as of Dec. 13, said Chairita Franklin, assistant superintendent of human resources. Additional paraprofessionals, bus drivers, food service workers and custodians are also needed. The district saw a 4% higher substitute ll rate from 2020-21 to 2021-22, but Franklin said there is still a need for substitutes. CFISD has about 549 substitutes working daily, while the average teacher absence and vacancy rate is 812. Franklin said when teacher absences outnumber substitutes, campus principals may use substitutes from other classes on their o periods; send an instructional specialist, interventionist or administrator to cover classes; or split classes at the elementary level. A SHORTAGE OF STAFF When students returned to classes at the start of 2021-22, Cy-Fair ISD had more than 1,000 job openings—a roughly 38% increase from the previous year.
BY EMILY LINCKE
MAKING HISTORY On Feb. 1, Lupita Hinojosa will become the rst female Hispanic superintendent in Spring ISD’s nearly 90-year history, as all of her predecessors have been male.
SPRING ISD The Spring ISD board of trustees named Lupita Hinojosa as the lone nalist for the district’s vacant superintendent position in a unanimous vote Jan. 6. Hinojosa, who serves as SISD’s chief of innovation and equity, will replace former Superintendent Rodney Watson, who resigned eective Jan. 1 for a position with the nonpro t Texas Association of School Boards. Hinojosa began working for SISD as the district’s chief academic ocer in 2014. Upon assuming her new posi- tion Feb. 1, Hinojosa will be the rst Hispanic woman to hold the superintendent title in SISD’s history. “My career started in the classroom, and that’s the perspective I like to take when making any decisions or formulating any strategies for helping our students achieve success,” Hinojosa said in a statement. “As superintendent of Spring ISD, I hope to build on the successes we’ve accomplished but also build capacity for new avenues of transformation.” Hinojosa has a doctorate in education and a master’s degree from the University of Houston. She began her education career more than 30 years ago as a teacher
James H. Goettee: 1930s-1939 Willard Frandolig: 1939-40 John A. Winship: 1940-73 Joseph S. Beneke: 1973-80 Gordon M. Anderson: 1981-97 John Folks: 1997-2002 Michael Hinojosa: 2002-05 Ralph H. Draper: 2005-14 Rodney Watson: 2014-22 Lupita Hinojosa: Feb. 1, 2022
SOURCE: SPRING ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
with Houston ISD. School districts are required by state law to wait 21 days after naming a lone nalist for superintendent positions before ocially hiring them; Hinojosa’s new role will become eective Feb. 1.
New intermediate school, athletics stadiumamongKlein ISDbond recommendations
BY HANNAH ZEDAKER
requirements and opportunities to add new capital assets,” White said. “We worked very hard to weigh our interests as community members with what would be a good option for learners as well as teachers.” The committee recommended three bond package options with price tags at $1.1 billion, $994.4 mil- lion and $973.5 million. Among the projects recommended throughout the packages were the construction of Intermediate School No. 11; a new athletics stadium; an academics, ne arts, athletics, and career and techni- cal education event facility; and Klein Memorial Stadium upgrades. According to the presentation, a $1.1 billion bond would have a projected tax rate increase of $0.085 per $100 valuation, or an additional $196 in annual property taxes on a home valued at $255,000. Similarly, a $994.4 million bond would result in a tax rate increase of $0.0639 per $100 valuation—about $147—and a $973.5 million bond would result in a tax rate increase of $0.0597 per $100 valuation, about $137. The committee’s report comes just as KISD ocials wrap up the last of the
projects included in its $498.1 million bond referendum, which was approved by voters in 2015. The board of trustees will now review the committee’s recommen- dations and consider the scope and timing of any potential future bond referendum to be put before voters. 2004 Student population: 36,800+ Total campuses districtwide: 32 Bond program: $223 million Tax rate increase: $0 2008 Student population: 43,600+ Total campuses districtwide: 38 Bond program: $646.9 million Tax rate increase: $0.18 2015 Student population: 50,300+ Total campuses districtwide: 44 Bond program: $498.1 million Tax rate increase: $0.04 SOURCE: KLEIN ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER Abrief history of bonds Klein ISD has completed three bond programs over the last two decades.
KLEIN ISD The construction of Klein ISD Intermediate School No. 11 and a new athletic stadium were among the recommendations presented Jan. 11. for a potential bond package valued at up to $1.1 billion. A committee of about 70 parents, employees and other community stakeholders met ve times in late 2021 to discuss KISD’s current and future needs. “For our community to maintain a strong economy, Klein ISD must continue to provide a well-educated, well-trained workforce to attract businesses and new jobs,” said Julie Stevens, a bond steering committee member and KISD parent. “These proposed bond packages will make sure we continue to ourish for future generations.” On behalf of the KISD bond steering committee, Stevens along with committee members Dennis Boyter and Stephen White presented the committee’s nding to the KISD board of trustees Jan. 11. “Our committee has studied what makes up a bond, including the nancing, infrastructure
Teachers
Operations Transportation
Paraprofessionals
STAFF VACANCIES, CYFAIR ISD Start of 2019-20
773.5 total vacancies
Start of 2020-21
770 total vacancies
Start of 2021-22
1,063.5 total vacancies
NOTE: VACANCIES INCLUDE FULL AND PART TIME POSITIONS; 0.5 INDICATES A PARTTIME POSITION VACANCY.
SOURCE: CYFAIR ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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SPRING KLEIN EDITION • JANUARY 2022
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