CLASS OF 2024 COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL: SUNDAY, MAY 26 | 3 PM CEDAR HILL HIGH SCHOOL: SUNDAY, MAY 26 | 9 AM 1110 W. DEBBIE LANE MANSFIELD, TX 76063
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THE CHISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES IS VISITING CEDAR HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THIS SPRING! SCAN TO SEE WHEN THEY WILL BE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
Longhorn
Press
The Voice of Cedar Hill ISD: Because it’s a great day to be a Longhorn!
M A R C H 2 02 4 | V O L . 1
CHISD.NET
CHISD SCHOOL BOARD CALLS FOR MAY 2024 BOND ELECTION If approved, the district will make improvements at every school, build a new transportation facility, and expand academic pathways for students. On February 12, the Cedar Hill ISD Board of Trustees voted to include a Bond Election on the May 4 ballot. Registered voters residing within Cedar Hill ISD boundaries will be asked to consider a $282.4 million proposal that will provide funding for capital improvements at every school, a new transportation facility and buses, and renovations to strengthen Cedar Hill ISD’s Academic Pathways in Fine Arts, Biomedical Science, and STEM. The proposal includes two propositions. Proposition A includes capital improvements at every school, new buses, a transportation facility and infrastructure to upgrade technology and improve safety and security. Proposition B includes technology devices such as laptops and tablets used by teachers and children as well as movable, interactive learning panels. Items in Proposition B have a shorter life cycle and will be financed on shorter terms. After the May 2023 bond proposal failed by 61 votes, the district gathered in-depth feedback from parents, community members, and staff; and then asked the Longhorn Futures Committee (LFC) to review the findings and develop a new bond recommendation. The committee had two aims: prioritize projects that impact all children and invest in high-demand programs at all grade levels. Their recommendation included capital improvements that will enhance the learning environments at all campuses and renovations that will expand access to fine
arts, biomedical science, and STEM as well as in-demand career education in culinary arts, welding, and graphic design. The LFC recommendation to the CHISD Board of Trustees included a request to increase the tax rate by half a cent to the debt service. The halfpenny increase will generate an additional $5 million to repay bonds over time and will cost a resident who owns a $325,000 home, an additional $10 a year in property taxes. Homestead Exemption for Residents Over 65 In addition to the new $100,000 homestead exemption approved in November, homesteaders 65 and older continue to qualify for the extra $10,000 exemption they are already allowed to receive — for a total exemption of $110,000. And for those seniors whose taxes were “frozen” when they turned 65 years old, the law has been revised to ensure that they can take advantage of this and any future increases to the exemption. Their school taxes are now “capped” rather than “frozen” so they can go down but they cannot go up. Scan here to learn more about the Homestead Exemption Continue reading about the May 2024 bond election on page 4
SCHOOL CHOICE EXPANSION PLAN FOR 2025-2027 During the February Cedar Hill ISD State of the District, Superintendent Dr. Gerald B. Hudson, announced the district’s plan to expand choice programs to every school in the district. Highlands Elementary School World Language Academy - 2026-27 The World Language Academy at Highlands Elementary School is scheduled to launch In the 2026-27 school year. This program will serve children in grades pre-k through 5th-grade and provide American Sign Language and Spanish courses to further prepare little Longhorns for the future. Waterford Oaks Elementary School Technology Academy - 2025-26 Waterford Oaks Elementary will exemplify the early portion of the STEMSpired integration with the launch of its Technology Academy in 2025-26. This program will support pre-k through 5th-grade children who have an interest in technology. Plummer Elementary School Biomedical Sciences Academy - 2025-26 Plummer scholars will experience new STEM courses in the elementary Biomedical Sciences Academy starting in 2025-26. This choice program will feed into the Biomedical Sciences program at Permenter Middle School and create a true pathway that supports STEM.
Permenter Middle School Biomedical Sciences Program - 2026-27 The Biomedical Sciences Program at Permenter Middle School will open in the 2026-27 school year. This will operate as a program within the school and offer interested 6th through 8th-grade students and families a chance to be exposed to STEM careers while in middle school. Bessie Coleman Middle School Fine Arts Program - 2026-27 To further support the award-winning Cedar Hill ISD Fine Arts programs, interested students and families can apply for the Fine Arts program at Bessie Coleman Middle School starting in the 202627 school year.
DID YOU KNOW? Cedar Hill ISD currently offers choice programs at Lake Ridge ES, High Pointe ES, Cedar Hill HS, Collegiate Prep and Collegiate Academy & High School
CHISD TO EXPAND PRE-K TO ADDITIONAL CAMPUSES Starting in the 2024-25 school year Cedar Hill ISD will expand Pre-K 3-year-old classes to additional elementary schools!
JOIN US AT: Pre-K Preview MEET ALL CHISD ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS AT ONE LOCATION
Saturday, March 23, 2024
9 am - 11 am
1533 High Point Lane, Cedar Hill
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Gayle Sims CHISD Board
President
Greetings Longhorn Community, Well, the new year is now in full swing. 2024 is another year for each of us to get up, get going, and get involved. As you know in 2023, with your help the district overwhelmingly passed the Voter Approved Tax Rate Election. Let me follow up by stating on January 24, the Trustees, Superintendent, and ISD leaders hand-delivered retention stipend checks as promised. The look on the staff’s faces and the emotion displayed made all the work on getting the Voter Approved Tax Rate Election (VATRE) passed worth it, I just can’t say thank you enough for the time you took to listen and vote yes for our teachers, counselors, nurses, librarians, and support staff. Also as a result of the passage of the VATRE, we are in the process of hiring nine additional police officers to support our campuses, we expect to be fully staffed by the end of March. We can celebrate our successes in 2023, and now 2024 places the focus on our facilities. Our Board has voted to place two bond propositions on the May 4 ballot. This bond proposal will provide needed funding for major capital improvements, a bus transportation facility, and expand academic pathways for future scholars. We invite you to get engaged and learn more through upcoming community and neighborhood meetings. We are grateful for all the support you lend to our district and most of all to every student in the district. Please take the time to consider how you can make a difference in our district and a student's life. We want to collaborate with you as we strive to unlock every Longhorn’s potential. Thank you for being a vital part of the CHISD family and remember “it’s always a great day to be a Longhorn.”