SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE
By Paula Patterson
Crosby ISD Superintendent
Hello East Harris County and Crosby ISD families,
We are on the cusp of a new year! 2024 presents a new chance for new opportunities and new connections.
I have some important financial news to write about, and an item that the Board of Trustees and my administration are so proud to share. Crosby ISD achieved its highest School FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas) rating in more than five years, scoring a 96 or Superior Achievement for the 2021–2022 fiscal year. The state’s accountability rating system ensures Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management. It is important to note that School FIRST ratings are given for the prior fiscal year, meaning 2021-2022 ratings are issued during the 2023 – 2024 school year. Crosby ISD Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Yvonne Johnson, shared the 2023 report during a public hearing at the Board of Trustees meeting last month. CFO Johnson shared the ratings and historical data for the past 5 fiscal years. Board members pointed to the growth, in particular from the financial hardship year of 2017-2018 and the 6-point increase from 2020–2021 to 2021–2022. Until now, the School FIRST reports were based on the work of prior administrations. The 2021-2022 school year was our first year, so I want to say kudos to CFO Johnson and her team. Our first year here and the team was able to increase our rating by 6 points. This is great news for taxpayers.
The new year will include further progress on the expansion of Crosby High School. I wanted to share an update presented to the Board of Trustees on December 18th from our project manager. We made tweaks to the original plans drawn up after voters approved the 2017 bond. My desire was to get rid of any flex space that wasn’t being used directly for instruction and make room for additional classrooms. The plans from 2017 included: 30 classrooms, 6 labs, and room for 816 students. The spacesaving measures we’ve implemented boosted the number of classrooms from 30 to 34, making room for 912 students. We are actively selecting materials that are significantly less expensive in today’s dollars than materials used in 2013-2016. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress at CHS.
Now, allow me to brag on our students. What a joy it was to spend a day with our Superintendent for the Day, Mr. Taren Thompson, from Barrett Elementary School. Taren was the winner of the auction from the Crosby Education Foundation gala in August. He had a chance to spend the day with me performing superintendent duties, including meeting with principals, walking campuses for security checks, and signing important proclamations. He even frosted cookies with Culinary Arts students and handled a snake and lizard in Dr. Melissa Gable’s science class. I so enjoy these close interactions with students.
This is the season when so many student groups and extracurricular organizations give back to the Crosby and Barrett Station Communities. Student- athletes in baseball, softball, football, and basketball have been adopting families by the dozens. The looks on the faces of the children are truly extraordinary. Our Crosby kids are the best kids in Texas! I couldn’t be prouder when students help students.
I hope our families have enjoyed the holiday performances at each of our campuses last month. From the kindergartners singing their hearts out to the senior band and choir students, we should all be proud of the talent that comes from the classrooms of our schools. The best gifts of the holiday season are watching students share their gifts with all of us.
Happy New Year! We’ll see our students back in class on January 8!
We are Moving Forward! Go Coogs!