Mike Falick's Blog

Invitation to Tonight's Grand Re-Opening Ceremony of the Spring Branch Natatorium

The Grand Re-Opening Ceremony for the W. W. Emmons Natatorium is tonight (September 24).  The ribbon cutting will be at 6:00p followed by tours and refreshments at 6:30p, and then finally a diving exhibition, high school relays, and "big splash" contest at 7:00p.  (Click on the invitation below to enlarge).

Spring Branch Breaks Ground at Ridgecrest Elementary School

Today marks the groundbreaking for the new Ridgecrest Elementary School which will replace the original Ridgecrest, built in 1953.  The new Ridgecrest will be the District's first new 2 story school.  Below is more information from the District's website.

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The Spring Branch ISD Board of Trustees and leadership will break ground officially on the district’s first new, two-story elementary campus replacement project on Thursday, Aug. 27, at Ridgecrest Elementary School.

A library program will be held at 4 p.m. that day followed by an outdoor groundbreaking ceremony. Ridgecrest Elementary is located at 2015 Ridgecrest. The public is invited to this special Back to School Week event, but RSVPs should be made by phone at 713-251-2223 or online immediately at: https://springbranchisd.com/com_dept_forms/ridgecrest.asp

The new Ridgecrest Elementary School campus is the third of 12 elementary school replacement construction projects approved by voters in November 2007 as part of a $597.1 million bond issue that includes improvements to all SBISD campuses. A dozen elementary schools built between 1938 and 1967 will be replaced under the 2007 Bond program.

The new Ridgecrest Elementary, a modern Texas style, 100,000 square-feet, two-story facility with a brick and stone facade, will accommodate up to 800 students in two floors. The new school will include special music, art and science classrooms and a large modern library that will function as a campus hub for student learning and technology applications.

Students will remain housed at the current Ridgecrest Elementary during the multi-phase project while the new building is erected directly to the north and west of the present elementary building. Projections call for the current school to be demolished next summer; the new school opens in August 2010.

Project architect is Pfluger Associates Architects. The building contractor is Gamma Construction. Project cost is about $15.2 million. For details, phone SBISD Communications at 713-464-1511, ext. 2272.

Building for the Future

Inspiring Minds. Shaping Lives.

The new Ridgecrest Elementary School

Campus: Ridgecrest Elementary

Address: 2015 Ridgecrest

Principal: Patricia Thomas

Architect: Pfluger Associates Architects

Builder: Gamma Construction

Students: 800 students

Size: About 100,000 square feet

Details: Replaces building that dates back to 1953; New, two-story building includes a large library “hub” and special rooms for music, art and science instruction; projected opening is August 2010 for students and teachers.

Groundbreaking Ceremony for Hollibrook Elementary November 18, 2008, at 4:00p

Spring Branch's groundbreaking ceremony for the new Hollibrook Elementary is scheduled for November 18, 2008, at 4:00p at 3602 Hollister (Covered Play Area).  This is the first groundbreaking ceremony for the 12 new elementary schools authorized by the 2007 Bond election.

Spring Branch Board Appoints Bond Oversight Committee

As the Board indicated when it approved the Bond program last August, one of the critical components is the Bond Oversight Committee which will ensure that the District's Bond Program is implemented in a manner that is consistent with the Bond Plan approved by SBISD voters on November 6.  From the District's website:

The SBISD Board of Trustees has appointed an 18-member Bond Oversight Committee to ensure that the district’s upcoming projects remain faithful to the priorities of the Bond Plan approved Nov. 6 by Spring Branch voters.

The committee was appointed Dec. 20 during a special Board meeting. It will function in an advisory capacity to the district’s Board of Trustees and Senior Staff. More than half of the committee members served earlier this year on either the district’s Long-Range Facilities Committee or Bond Advisory Committee.

Committee members appointed to the new advisory group are David Slattery, Curt Martin, Diane Swan, Gregory Kreider, Sylvie Bucci, Jeff Wright, Jim Cuellar, Chuck Davidson, Chuck Waters, Mike Knox, Kathy Goss, Patty Busmire, Suzanne Doler, Camilo Diaz, Doug Demiano, Bruce Beeler, Bruce Shelby and Alan Deal.

Individual members’ areas of expertise or interest include architecture, bonds and finance, construction, community interest, and engineering.

The Bond Oversight Committee is charged with:

Providing advice to the Board of Trustees on ways to maximize potential of the Bond Plan and provide the best value to district patrons;

Reviewing and evaluating on a quarterly basis staff information and expenditures on all Bond Plan projects based on established project deadlines;

Working with district staff to assess key campus stakeholders’ satisfaction with the quality of work and to rate customer service;

Reviewing and evaluating a quarterly Bond Plan Budget Status Report, and;

Providing an annual Bond Plan Progress Report to the Board of Trustees.

The Bond Oversight Committee will meet at least once every three months. There is no term of membership. The district Board of Trustees will appoint new members should resignations occur.

To learn more about the 2007 Bond Plan, click here.

Providing advice to the Board of Trustees on ways to maximize potential of the Bond Plan and provide the best value to district patrons;

Reviewing and evaluating on a quarterly basis staff information and expenditures on all Bond Plan projects based on established project deadlines;

Working with district staff to assess key campus stakeholders’ satisfaction with the quality of work and to rate customer service;

Reviewing and evaluating a quarterly Bond Plan Budget Status Report, and;

Providing an annual Bond Plan Progress Report to the Board of Trustees.

The Bond Oversight Committee will meet at least once every three months. There is no term of membership. The district Board of Trustees will appoint new members should resignations occur.

To learn more about the 2007 Bond Plan, click here.

Here are the OFFICIAL Precinct-by-Precinct Results of the Bond Election

Harris County has certified the election results from last week's bond election.  Here are those results:

• Precinct-by-Precinct (Detail)

• Precinct-by-Precinct (Summary)

• Election Total

The (Unofficial) Precinct-by-Precinct Results from the Spring Branch Bond Election

As you know, on Tuesday, Spring Branch voters overwhelmingly approved our Bond election.  And our voter turnout was the highest of any election in Harris County with the exception of the election in the City of Bellaire.

The summary election results are available on the Harris County website (our results are on page 22).

Below are the precinct-by-precinct results.  Click on the chart to enlarge.  The results are also available as a .pdf here sorted by total votes and here sorted by precinct number.

Thank you for your continued support of SBISD and our kids, teachers and schools.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you would like any additional information.

Spring Branch ISD Bond Passes By Substantial Margin!!

The election results have come in and your overwhelming support for the Spring Branch Bond has positioned the District to continue to deliver the high quality education for which Spring Branch has always been known.

(Click the chart below to see the details of the results)

Our voter turnout was the highest of any election in Harris County with the exception of the election in the City of Bellaire.

Full election results are available on the Harris County website (our results are on page 22).

Thank you for your continued support of SBISD and our kids, teachers and schools.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you would like any additional information.

Countdown to the November 6 Bond Election

For more information, please see my prior Bond posts, the VoteYesSBISD website, and the Spring Branch ISD website.

 

Every Vote Counts! Please Vote Tomorrow FOR the SBISD Bond

Tomorrow is Election Day. If you did not get the chance to vote early, please take the time to vote tomorrow FOR the SBISD Bonds.

Election Day

Voting takes place on Nov. 6 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Click here to get the voting locations.

How to locate your polling place by precinct number

How to locate your polling place by precinct number(Spanish)

How to locate your polling place and precinct from your address

The ballot proposition for the Spring Branch bond is as follows:

THE ISSUANCE OF $597,150,000 BONDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, ACQUISITION, AND EQUIPMENT OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS, INCLUDING TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES, SCHOOL SITES, AND SCHOOL BUSES AND THE LEVYING OF A TAX IN PAYMENT THEREOF.

Sound Plan

• The Bond Plan was created after careful analysis by over 125 representatives from across the community.
• The Bond Plan addresses serious infrastructure needs in all parts of the district, while remaining fiscally sound.
• The Bond Plan is a wise investment to preserve and enhance our neighborhood schools.

Conservative Tax Impact

• The Bond Plan will not affect the taxes of senior homeowners.
• The Bond Plan's impact on all other homeowners will be more than offset by the tax cut approved by the Board of Trustees in October 2007.
• 100 percent of the bond funds approved by district voters will remain in SBISD to directly benefit our children. Bond funds are not subject to the state's current “Robin Hood” funding formula which has sent millions of Spring Branch tax dollars elsewhere.

Great Benefit

• The Bond Plan will enhance the safety and security of all schools, equip our students for college and a competitive workplace through upgraded technology, upgrade high school science labs to satisfy unfunded state mandates, replace aging buildings experiencing high maintenance costs, replace outdated air conditioning, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems across the district, and modernize a 20 year old bus fleet.
• The school improvements made possible by the Bond Plan will maintain the quality of our neighborhoods and preserve residential property values.

Broad Support

• The Bond Plan is supported by a large, broad-based, bi-partisan group of your neighbors from all parts of Spring Branch ISD.
• To see who is supporting the Bond Plan and to get more information visit www.voteyessbisd.com.

Join those supporting strong schools and a stronger community by voting YES on the SBISD bonds this Tuesday, November 6.

For more information visit www.voteyessbisd.com

Political ad paid for by Vote YES Spring Branch ISD Bond Election, Warren Matthews, Treasurer.

Community Leaders Support the Spring Branch Bond

I received this letter today from VoteYesSBISD.  Signed by community leaders Barry Abrams, Larry Kellner, Oliver Luck, Patty Busmire, Curt Martin, James Shaddix, Gary Junek, and Warren Matthews, the letter clearly states the reasons that you should vote on Tuesday, November 6 FOR the Spring Branch Bond.

Click on the letter to enlarge.