A p r i l 2 0 1 1 Vo l u m e 1 0 Is s u e 4Klein Distr ict News Magazine

A Texas Recognized Distr ict

In th is Issue:

Budget News Update

Bond Funds at Work

Klein Builds GoodCitizens

Zoning

Graduation & Prom

Summer School

Calendar

Special Education Records

Message From the Superintendent

2

3

4

6

6

6

7

7

8

Klein District News

Cultural Celebration

Klein schools encourage students to appreciate

diversity.

Budget News Update

Staff Reductions

At its April meeting, the Klein ISD Board of Trustees voted to reduce staffing for the 2011-2012 school year to help with the $19 million in potential cuts, or 6% of the district’s general revenue budget, that are required as a direct result of the anticipated shortfall in state funding for public education over the next two years. With personnel costs making up 88 cents of every general fund dollar, the district simply could not avoid the elimination of some employees. The district will save about $12 million through attrition and reduction.

ConsiderationsWhen looking at staff reductions, Klein ISD made every effort to limit reductions impacting the classroom. The district did not consider reductions in nurses, clinic assistants, crossing guards, police officers or parking lot attendants for the health and safety of our students. The number of bus drivers and aides were not reduced because the district needs the current number we have to run the district bus routes. Also, food service employees were not considered because they are not paid through general fund revenues.

Other CutsIn addition to staffing reductions, the district also plans to eliminate the optional teacher work day, the longevity plan (stipend for employees who have worked in the district for ten years or more) and the TERRP plan, which is a retention and sick leave program rewarding employees for good attendance and retirement contributions. Klein ISD also plans to further reduce department and campus budgets and use a portion of the district’s fund balance.

Give Us Your InputThe district will continue to provide updated budget information and take budget-cutting suggestions from community members on the Klein ISD website, www.kleinisd.net.

2

Employee Category Total

Current Employees

Employee Positions Eliminated for the 2011-2012 School Year

Leaving Through Attrition

Reductions by District

Total Reduction

% Reduction

Teachers 3050 111.5 52 163.5 5.4% Campus Administration 154 2 9 11 7.1% Non-campus Administration 61 5 0 5 8.2% Campus Support 996 38 56.5 94.5 9.5% Non-campus Support 1709 54 5 59 3.5% TOTAL 5970 210.5 122.5 333 5.6%

Thanks to SHW Group LLP Architects and Tellepsen Construction for partially underwriting the costs associated with the April edition of the Klein District News Magazine.

33

On FM 2920 east of Stuebner-Airline Road, the district will build a multi-purpose center. The initiation of construction will be this spring. This facility will provide space for staff development, educational technology training labs, department offices for food service and plant operations, and a livestock auction arena and show barn that will be used for courses in agriculture, food, and natural resources. The food service and plant operation departments currently reside in a building at Klein High School that will be demolished as the rebuild progresses.

Early Childhood and Pre-Kindergarten Center

Bond Funds at Work

Klein ISD will construct an early childhood/pre-kindergarten center adjacent to McDougle Elementary School (10410 Kansack Lane, Houston 77086) to serve young learners who live south of FM 1960. This center was part of the 2008 Bond Plan approved by voters.

The center can serve 500 students in each of its two daily sessions. By constructing this building, the district can delay constructing another elementary school in the southern portion of the district for approximately ten years. The expected completion date is 2012.

Instruction at this center will build academic readiness for greater educational success when students enter kindergarten.

Why are we opening new schools i f we are facing a

budget short fa l l?

Multi-Purpose Building

Even during this economic downturn, the district’s enrollment continues to grow each year. The district constantly monitors enrollment data and population projections while doing all that it can to delay construction projects when appropriate. That said, some schools are at or over capacity, and even with the addition of temporary buildings, cannot accommodate additional students. In addition, schools are built with bond funds that cannot by law be used to pay teachers' salaries.

Blackshear Elementary School (11211 Lacey Road, Tomball 77375) will open in August 2011. Like the Early Childhood and Pre-Kindergarten Center, it is a CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools) building for its efficient use of resources and energy. The Blackshear opening will relieve Frank, Kohrville, Krahn, and Brill elementaries.

Blackshear Elementary School

4

Klein Builds Good Citizens

Classroom Guidance:

Ms. Joyce Davis - Counselor "Elementary classroom guidance lessons help children grow emotionally and socially." Krahn Elementary School

Ms. Paula Maeker - Teacher

"Ms. Maeker teaches character lessons so we can make the right decisions." Madison Bagwell, student, Ehrhardt Elementary School

Habitat for Humanity:

"Commitment to others is internally rewarding, especially since we met the family who will eventually live there.” William Huang, student, Klein Oak High School

Students in the Klein ISD receive instruction and guidance to be good citizens. Classroom instruction, lessons taught by guidance counselors, involvement in extracurricular activities, peer mediation, mentoring, and special events are some of the myriad of ways the district provides

5

Peer Mediation:

Mr. Sydney Rushing - Teacher

"By teaching mediation skills I build character by helping students learn to problem solve and use the correct terminology to articulate their feelings." Klein Forest High School

Adult Mentors:

Mr. Thomas Neal - Community Volunteer

“Three years as a mentor have convinced me that this time investment favorably impacts both lives in ways that are not easily measured.” Strack Intermediate School

Antony Santiago - Student Volunteer: “My experience as a former ESL student at Mittelstädt Elementary helps me mentor a fourth grade student where I went to school.” Student, Klein High School

Campus Special Events:

Mr. Aric Bostick - Motivational Speaker

"Aric taught me that I can be myself without letting anyone bring me down by calling me a loser. He taught me to stand up for my friends and not be a bystander." Brittany Derromger, student, Krimmel Intermediate School

We All Eat Bread - Cultural Event "The Culture Museum gives all students at Doerre a chance to learn about other countries and to understand them." Suchithra Nagarajan, parent, Doerre Intermediate School

No Place for Hate - Valentine Project"It (giving a Valentine card to a cafeteria worker) makes me feel like I did something nice for someone who works hard every day for us." Nicolas Lewis, student, Nitsch Elementary School

Klein Builds Good Citizenscharacter education. Staff development training provides teachers and counselors with new skills for implementing character education, and support from parent volunteers reminds students that making good choices is important.

6

New Elementary Zones

During its regular meeting on February 14, the Klein ISD Board of Trustees approved new elementary attendance zones for the fall of 2011. The plan affects the following schools: Frank, Kohrville, Krahn, Brill, and Blackshear which is scheduled to open in 2011.

Current fourth grade students who are zoned to a different school may remain at their current school for fifth grade if families provide transportation.

A map of the new attendance zones is on the Klein website, www.kleinisd.net. Click the Zoning button to view the map and subdivision breakdown and to find additional information regarding zoning.

District Addresses High School Attendance Zones

Klein Oak High School is over capacity, meaning that the district has begun studying attendance zone changes that will go into effect for the 2012-2013 school year. Some Klein Oak students will be included in the Klein Collins zone and others will be included in the Klein High zone, creating a more balanced enrollment for these schools from 2012 until 2019 when High School #5 is projected to open. By beginning the high school zoning process now that will become effective in the fall of 2012, the district provides families and students a full year to prepare for the changes. Klein Forest will not be affected by the zoning changes.

The High School Zoning Committee concluded its three meetings in April. To assist parents with scheduling issues, the district held the meetings in the afternoons and evenings.

On May 9, members of the Klein ISD Board of Trustees will hear a report on the work of the committee. The district will seek online feedback from May 10-June 30. The district will hold a zoning forum at Klein Oak High School, 22603 Northcrest Drive, Spring, TX 77389 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on May 31, 2011. A proposed zoning plan will be presented to the school board on July 11.

Prom Schedule

Klein Oak - May 7 Klein High - May 14 Klein Forest - May 21 Klein Collins - May 21

Graduation Schedule Saturday, June 4, 2011

Reliant Stadium

Klein Forest - 9:00 a.m. Klein Oak - 12:00 noon Klein Collins - 3:00 p.m. Klein High - 6:00 p.m.

Summer School Infor mation

Registration will open on May 1 for all general education students.

Case managers will coordinate registration for all special education students.

Parents should contact a student's HOME campus for specific dates, times, and other details.

Note : Only cash, cashier's checks, and money orders will be accepted for payment

For more information, please visit the Klein ISD website, www.kleinisd.net, and look in the blue "Parents" box for a Summer School link.

7

Calendar

Special Educat ion Records Update

CALENDAR2010-2011

May 30 Memorial Day Holiday June 2 LAST DAY OF CLASSES June 3 Staff Development Day June 4 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION CALENDAR2011-2012

August 16-19 Staff Development August 20 SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, 2011 August 22 FIRST DAY OF CLASSES September 5 Labor Day Holiday October 10 Staff Development/Student Holiday/Elementary Conference November 21-22 Staff Development/Student Holiday November 23-25 Thanksgiving Holiday December 19-30 Christmas/Winter Holiday January 2 Staff Development/Student Holiday January 3 Classes Resume January 13 END OF FIRST SEMESTER January 16 Martin Luther King Holiday January 17 SECOND SEMESTER BEGINS March 12-16 Spring Break April 6 Easter Break April 9 Staff Development/Student Holiday May 28 Memorial Day Holiday May 31 LAST DAY OF CLASSES June 1 Staff Development June 2 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION

The Special Education Department of the Klein Independent School District will soon dispose of the confidential records of students who have not received special education assessment, instruction, or related services since May 2001. These records will be destroyed in August of this year unless a request is received requesting otherwise.

The district feels that destruction of unused records is the best protection against improper or unauthorized disclosure. However, special education records may be of future importance for purposes such as applying for social security benefits. Therefore, if parents or adult students (or former students) do not want confidential records destroyed, they should make that request in writing.

Requests are to be forwarded by August 31, 2011, to Dr. Mary Rosenberg, Executive Director of Student Services, Klein Independent School District, 4411 Louetta Road, Spring, Texas, 77388.

Klein Independent School District7200 Spring-Cypress RoadKlein, Texas 77379 - 3215www.kleinisd.net

Klein District News Magazine

Non-ProfitOrganizationUS Postage

PAIDKlein Independent

School District

Klein District News Magazine is a publication of the Office of the Superintendent, produced by the Communications and Planning Dept.

Update From the Super intendent

Dr. Jim Cain

8

Klein ISD faced difficult times this spring as potential funding cuts by the state legislature forced us to look at $19 million in reductions to our budget. This included informing some employees we unfortunately did not have a job for them next school year. These were not easy decisions, as we know these are faces and families in our

community.

Inside this newsletter, you will find more detailed information about the budget and staff reductions.Despite the looming cutbacks, Klein ISD students and staff continue to excel and bring recognition to the district. The spring musicals from three high schools garnered 22 nominations for Tommy Tune awards sponsored by Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS). We also have five Destination ImagiNation teams advancing to the Global Finals in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The Klein Education Foundation will recognize the top ten graduates from each high school at the annual academic banquet. Klein ISD is proud of the more than 2,700 graduates this school year. We had 18 National Merit Finalists, 2 National Achievement Scholarship winners and 17 National Hispanic Recognition Program Finalists this year.

At the annual staff recognition banquet, we will recognize teachers of the year, principals of the year, retirees, and other employees of the year.

During the summer, we hope to learn that the shortfall from the state will not be as bad as anticipated. Perhaps more difficult decisions may lie ahead, but as always, Klein ISD will continue to provide the quality education for our students that our community has come to expect. I want to thank SHW Group LLP Architects and Tellepsen Construction for partially underwriting the costs associated with this news magazine. Thank you for your continued support of the students and staff of Klein ISD.

To view the Klein District News Magazine in color, please visit www.kleinisd.net.