[caption id="attachment_216249" align="aligncenter" width="700"] The Cy-Fair ISD board of trustees will vote on new elementary school boundaries at tonight's meeting.[/caption] Update: To learn more about how the board voted on these decisions, read our follow-up story.  Cy-Fair ISD Board of Trustees met at a Jan. 19 board work session to discuss attendance boundary changes and changes to the instructional calendar for the 2017-18 academic year. The board will vote on the following decisions at tonight’s 6 p.m. meeting at the Cy-Fair ISD Instructional Support Center, 10300 Jones Road, Houston:

Attendance boundaries for Cypress Ranch High School and the new Bridgeland High School campus

With Bridgeland High School slated to open for the 2017-18 school year, many Cypress Ranch students and parents have expressed concern over impending boundary changes. Last month, the board presented four options to be voted on tonight. At last week’s board work session, the administration recommended an option that would approve a set number of voluntary transfers for current Cypress Ranch freshmen to stay at their current campus. Transportation would not be provided to these transfer students through the district, and younger siblings of approved students would not be eligible for the transfer option. “We want to make sure that students who have opportunities at [Cypress] Ranch have opportunities at Bridgeland,” Superintendent Mark Henry said. “We’re trying to look out for the best of the most students possible.” Administration would determine the number of transfers and method for implementation based on the number of transfer requests and enrollment projections, which will be released at the beginning of February. Current projections show Cy Ranch with about 386 10th graders next year, and Bridgeland with about 542 10th graders.  

Attendance boundaries for Hoover Elementary, Wells Elementary and Matzke Elementary’s replacement campus

Kristi Giron, director of general administration, presented recommendations regarding these three elementary campuses, which have not changed since December’s board meeting. The proposal would affect 3,329 elementary students (6 percent of the total elementary population) and about 40 middle school students, she said. These recommendations were made based on the need to populate the new campuses and relieve overcrowding at other campuses. Find a detailed explanation of the proposed changes here. “In not one instance did we move kids just to move kids,” Giron said. “I lived in the same house for 18 years, and my kids went to three elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools. Obviously, I’m a little biased, but they turned out fine.” Elementary students will move from: Pope to Wells Andre to Hoover/Jowell Postma to Andre Postma to Walker Rennell to Postma Hancock to Matzke Matzke to Hancock Matzke to Millsap Moore to Hamilton Swenke to Ault Keith to Ault Ault to A. Robison Keith to A. Robison A. Robison to Sampson A. Robison to Farney Owens to Hairgrove Danish to Bang Lowery to Holmsley Holmsley to Lowery   About 40 middle school students will move from: Bleyl to Hamilton   While hundreds of parents have expressed concern over the attendance boundary changes, board members reminded the audience that when a child moves to a different campus, they will not receive a lesser education. Several trustees explained how they went through boundary changes themselves or have children dealing with the same situation. “These changes, in a loving environment like all of our schools have, can actually…help these students to mature and learn how to deal with things later in life,” Trustee Christine Hartley said. Elementary students affected by the changes who are entering fifth grade in the 2017-18 school year can stay at their current elementary schools if their parents provide transportation. Similarly, incoming eighth graders can stay at their current middle schools next year if their parents provide transportation. In either case, this opportunity will not be available for younger siblings.  

Middle and high schools moving from six to four annual grading periods in 2017-18

In 2009, the board approved moving from six to four annual grading periods in all elementary schools across the district. Linda Macias, associate superintendent of curriculum, instruction and accountability, said this has been a positive move, and her department supports doing the same in middle and high schools. Secondary principals unanimously requested this change after roundtable discussions in December. Elementary schools in 2017-18 will follow this grading period schedule: Aug. 28-Oct. 27, Oct. 30-Jan. 19, Jan. 22-March 29 and April 2-June 1. Middle and high schools would end the first semester just before winter break, and the third grading period would end just before spring break. The fourth grading period would be the longest to accommodate for STAAR, EOC, AP and final semester tests, officials said. Teachers would continue to report grades every three weeks, but students would have more time to respond to each progress update before grades became final on report cards.