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Beat the heat!

MagazineCOMMUNITY

July 2012

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Volume 2, Number 5July 2012

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Harbour Community Magazine is published each month by Yellowbook Inc. and delivered without subscription to local residents.

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This month’s cover shotIt’s July and we’ve got all the info you need

on how to beat the heat and have a little fun this summer.

There’s a little something for everyone the calendar of events on the following page, including the Bay Area Art Walk on July 14. If you’re looking for big food, fun and fireworks, look no further than page 2, where we pro-vide a round-up of all the ways possible to celebrate this Independence Day. (And, if you’re curious about the inner working of

those amazing, colorful bursts, don’t miss the write-up by Ray Robinson, lead pyrotechnician at Celestial Displays, on

pages 18 and 19. If you need to add some activities to your child’s schedule this sum-

mer, the Clear Creek Independent School District has developed a website just for you. Check page 26 for more information on how this resource will make you Supermom or Superdad this summer.

Above all else, have some fun – just don’t forget the sunscreen.

Want to see your high resolution photo on the cover? Email it to [email protected] – and don’t forget to give us all the details!

Here’s what is inside Community Calendar •••••2Texas sized Celebrations •••••5Robotics team goes national •••••10American dream comes to life •••••15Secrets behind the booms •••••18Read what you want •••••26

MagazineCOMMUNITYH A R B O U R

2 July 2012 • Harbour Community Magazine

July Calendar of EventsWednesday Night Sailboat Races

All Summer 6:15 p.m. Villa Capri Italian Restaurant

Fireworks Fridays at Kemah BoardwalkJune 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29

Market at 5 PointsEvery 1st Saturday of the month, Five Points Plaza

Rock the Dock Concert Every Thursday 6:30 -10:30 p.m. Kemah Boardwalk

Vans Warped TourSunday, July 1

Sam Houston Race Park

Disney’s The Lion KingJuly 10

7:30 p.m. Hobby Center

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus July 12

7:30 p.m. Reliant Stadium

Boot Scootin’ Longhorn SocialJuly 13

6:30 p.m. Butler Longhorn Museum

Bay Area Art WalkJuly 14

10 a.m. -4 p.m. The Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake

Fire on the Strings Bluegrass FestivalJuly 20 & 21

South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center

Boardwalk Shark Week - Celebrate National Shark WeekJuly 29, 30, 31

July 2012 • Harbour Community Magazine 3

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Local SchoolsClear Creek High School.....281-284-1700Clear Creek Intermediate......281-284-2300Clear Springs High School....281-284-1300Clear Falls High School......281-284-1100Creekside Intermediate........281-284-3500I W and Eleanor Hyde Elem..281-284-5800James H Ross Elementary.. . .281-284-4500Lloyd R Ferguson Elem........281-284-5500League City Elementary..... . .281-284-4400League City Intermediate.....281-284-3400Art and Pat Goforth Elem....281-284-6000Ralph Parr Elementary.........281-284-4100Sandra Mossman Elem........284-284-4000Bay Area Christian................281-332-4814St. Mary Catholic School.......281-332-4014

Local Government NumbersCity of League City................281-554-1000Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.........281-488-7676City of Clear LakeShores...................................281-334-2799City of El Lago.....................281-326-1951City of Kemah.......................281-334-1611City of Nassau Bay................281-333-4211City of Seabrook...................281-291-5600City of Webster.....................281-332-1826

Miscellaneous NumbersLibrary..........................281-554-1111Post Office.............................281-557-0781

Receive via email by contacting us at [email protected]

Emergency NumbersAmbulance/Fire....................................911Police...................................................911Poison Control......................800-222-1222

Non-Emergency NumbersFire......................................281-554-1465Ambulance..........................281-554-1200Hospital..............................281-332-2511Police..................................281-332-2566

Utility NumbersElectric (Centerpoint)..........409-765-4165Electric (Reliant)..................713-207-7777Gas (Centerpoint).................409-945-3927Gas (Entex)...........................713-659-2111Water Authority....................281-488-1164

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Community News

Celebrate the 4th - Texas styleTexas style means big food, big fun and big fireworks! If you’re staying in town over the 4th there are plenty of activities to keep the whole family entertained. Here are just a few of the July 4th celebrations that will be happening in and around the Houston area.

Friendswood’s Sounds Of Freedom

Where: Daytime-Stevenson Park/Evening-Centennial Park When: Wednesday, July 4, 2012, Parade Begins At 10:00 A.M. Music: The Big Time Price: TBDFireworks Time: 9:20 P.M.

Daytime activities include the grand parade that travels down Friendswood blvd. This year’s parade expects over 100 entries. The parade ends at Stevenson park where festivities include, booths, rides, food, games, and live entertainment. The evening venue is Centennial park where a fireworks extravaganza is choreographed to patriot music and touted to be one of the largest displays in the Houston area. For more information see http://www.Ci.Friendswood.Tx.Us/special-events/

Red Hot & Blue Festival

Where: Waterway Square, 2099 Lake Robbins Dr, When: Wednesday, July 4, 2012, 6:00 P.M. Music: TBAPrice: Admission Is Free Fireworks Time: 9 P.M.

Celebrate America at the 15th annual red, hot & blue festi-val & fireworks extravaganza! The festival, produced by the woodlands convention & visitors bureau, is free and open to the public. The festival will feature live music, face painting, strolling performers, games, hot dog and watermelon eating contests, vendor booths, concessions and much more! Also, be sure your kids enter the little firecracker essay contest to win great prizes for the summer. The waterway square loca-tion will only have children’s entertainment, live music, and concessions. For more information see http://www.Thewood-landscvb.Com/redhotblue/

Houston Star-Spangled Salute

Where: Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Drive When: Wednesday, July 4, 2012, 8:30 P.M. Price: Free And Open Seating On Miller Theatre’s Hill. Covered Seating Sold Day Of Event. Fireworks Time: 9:30 P.M.

Enjoy the ever-popular 1812 overture complete with booming cannons! The Texas tenors will join the performance to sing patriotic favorites. This celebration concludes with a mag-nificent display of fireworks provided by the city of Houston through the miller theatre advisory board. Come early to claim your spot on the hill. For more information see http://milleroutdoortheatre.Com/events/133/

Freedom Over Texas 2012

Where: Eleanor Tinsley Park, 500 Allen Parkway When: Wednesday, July 4, 2012, 4:00 P.M. – 10 P.M. Music: TBA Price: Admission Is Free Fireworks Time: 9:30 P.M.

This is one of the city’s signature events as it celebrates Independence Day with live entertainment and the largest land-based fireworks display in the us. A number of stages during the day feature bands playing country, zydeco, jazz, pop and Latin music. In addition there is a freedom market, beer garden and display of military vehicles. The annual event is held on Wednesday, July 4, culminating with a fireworks extravaganza lighting up Houston’s skyline and set to a per-fectly timed selection of patriot and current music. For more information see http://www.Freedomovertexas.Org


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Community News

His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo thanked the sold-out crowd of more than 700 generous guests who attended the 2012 Spirit of Charity Gala on May 3, raising $1.4 million for Catholic Charities and helping those in need in the community.

The Cardinal blessed all those in attendance, offering a special blessing for the honoree Mrs. Raye White and in mem-ory of her late husband Mr. Ed White, recipients of the presti-gious Monsignor John J. Roach Recognition for their faithful commitment to Catholic Charities and the people it serves.

“Bless her 100,000 times over and those who share our care and concern for all those in need,” Cardinal DiNardo said in his opening prayer at the InterContinental Hotel ballroom.

The funds raised assist Catholic Charities in providing social services to more than 90,000 people each year across the Greater Houston and Galveston regions with a variety of programs that promote self-sufficiency.

Blanche Earthman Morello and Charlie Morello, and Ginger and John Niemann served as gala chairs and Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza, and Cathy and Giorgio Borlenghi were honorary chairs for the 2012 gala.

Also attending were Bishop Vincent Rizzotto and newly ordained Bishop George Shelz. Another of the evening’s high-lights was a performance by “America’s Got Talent” contestant Barbara Padilla with her soaring soprano adding to the beauty of the gala.

An exciting live auction included a dinner prepared by chef Johnny Carrabba in his own home and one-of-a-kind dia-mond and ruby cross necklace designed by Mark Herfort of the Herfort Diamond Jewelry Factory – all for a great cause.

Spirit of Charity Gala raises $1.4 million for community


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Harbour Community Magazine 9

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Did You Know?July

July 1The first adhesive postage stamp was offered for sale, 1847

July 2Amelia Earhart and her airplane were lost in Pacific Ocean, 1937

July 3Singer Jim Morrison of the Doors died in Paris at age 27, 1971

July 4The Declaration of Indepen-dence was approved, 1776

July 5 The bikini bathing suit made its debut in Paris, France, 1946 July 6The first All-Star baseball game was played in Chicago, 1933

July 12Roman Emperor Julius Caesar was born, 100 B.C.

July 14William H. Bonney “Billy the Kid” was shot by Sheriff Pat Garrett, 1881

July 15The Boeing Company, was founded in Seattle, 1916

July 16The first atomic bomb was detonated in New Mexico, 1945

July 17Disneyland opened in Ana-heim, California, 1955

July 18Professional baseball great Ty Cobb hit safety for 4000th time, 1927

July 20The first man (Astronaut Neil Armstrong) to set foot on the moon, 1969

July 23The ice cream cone was in-vented by Charles E. Menches, during the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, 1904

July 25The Central Intelligence Agency was created, 1947

July 27Bugs Bunny made his cartoon debut, 1940

July 29First telephone conversation occurred from New York to San Francisco, 1914

July 30First color motion pictures were exhibited, 1928


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Robots Shooting Hoops?

From Left : Mason Markee, NASA Engineer team mentor, David Knerr Driver, 11th grade Clear Falls, and Adam Pettinger Driver, 11th grade Clear Brook during the competition.

The FRC challenge was “Rebound RumbleSM,” where match-es are played between two Alliances of three teams each. Each Alli-ance competes by trying to score as many of the basketballs in the hoops as possible during the two-minute and 15-second match. Balls scored in higher hoops score more points.

FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) Championship – FRC combines sports excitement with the rigors of science and technol-ogy. Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams are challenged to fundraise, design a brand, exercise teamwork, and build and program robots to perform tasks against competi-tors.

Over the weekend of April 25-28, more than 30,000 partic-ipants, fans, families, educators and industry leaders celebrated students’ engineering and robotics prowess at the 2012 annual FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Tech-nology) Championship, held in St. Louis, Missouri at the Edward Jones Dome. The Clear Creek ISD robotics team, The Robonauts, qualified to participate in the FRC championships after winning the Lone Star Regional competition in Houston.

Twelve thousand students and their robots from 32 coun-tries competed. CCISD’s team was comprised of students from Clear Brook, Clear Creek, Clear Horizons, Clear Falls, Clear Lake and Clear Springs high schools. The NA-SA-Johnson Space Center served as men-tor.

The Robonauts along with their alliance partners, team 548 Robostang, from Northville Michigan and Team 2194 Fondy Fire from Fond du Lac, WI, were able clinch the Newton Division Title af-ter defeating the opposing alliance with a score of 90 to 75. This victory gave the Newton Alliance the opportunity to com-pete with the winners of the other three divisions for the title of World Champi-ons.

“Unfortunately due to some tech-nical difficulties The Robonauts and their robot ‘Endeavour’ were eliminated during the Einstein semifinal,” explained CCISD Robotics Coordinator Luis Medina, “This was the team’s best season in its 16-year history and we are extremely proud of our students.”

Area robotics team takes regional win to nationals


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It’s that time of year again ~Prepare your yacht or boat now for hurricanes

Advanced planning is the best protection. Knowing what to expect from a hurricane and when to secure your vessel will help increase chances that will withstand a possible damage.

Overall the Marina is a well-protected by storm levees, which surround each basin. Linda Dimitropoulos, said,” We feel properly secured vessels will have a good chance of surviving a hurricane with minimal damage. Our ‘pilings are extra high and have which stood the test of hurricanes in the past. Strong dock lines and chafe gear properly installed will keep a line from breaking loose. Plan ahead change your old lines now and offer help your neighbor is in your best interest that your neighbors’ vessel is also properly secured.

Making preparations before a hurricane hits is important in fact it is a very good idea to have a plan of action ready before each hurricane season begins including precautions for things other than boat making last-minute preparations can be dan-gerous.

Properly preparing a boat or yacht before a hurricane strikes is critical in order to minimize or even eliminate potential damage. On average, there are two hurricanes each year which affect coastal areas of the U.S. Hurricanes have a tremendous ef-fect on watercraft. Properly preparing a boat or yacht before the hurricane strikes is critical to minimize or even eliminate poten-tial damage to your watercraft.

Studies have found that boats stored ashore receive much less damage than boats stored in the water during a hurricane.

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Claudio & Mattia’s A Local Taste Of Italy

outdoors with its sound. In the dining area, Claudio’s first piano sits off in a decorative arch with a beautiful mural above it. The bar features house wine on tap along with a variety of beers. A unique feature is the wine lockers you can rent yearly for a fee, to keep your favorite wine at your fingertips. There are wine racks throughout the restaurant that adorn the walls.

There is a veranda for those who prefer to dine alfresco. The stone fire and water fountain was designed by Vern Ander-son of “Perfect Palapas.” There is an outdoor bar and massive cedar pergola to give privacy & relief from our Texas heat.

Although you are in one of the finest dining establish-ments, you instantly feel like family when you are warmly welcomed by Claudio & Mattia and their family of wait staff.

All are invited to share in a fine dining expe-rience. Families are welcome, too, and whether you’re looking for a quaint evening out with your significant other or a special location to celebrate, Claudio & Mattia’s Tratto-ria Piano Bar will not disappoint.

And don’t forget your danc-ing shoes - Sereni smiled and said the dance floor is filled every night and free dance lessons are offered on Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Reserva-tions are recom-mended for those interested in dining at Claudio & Mattia’s Trattoria Piano Bar, but they are not mandatory. For reservations call 281.334.7445 or visit us online at ItalianPiano-Bar.com

This restaurant is the American dream come to life.

Claudio & Matthia’s Trattoria Piano Bar & Italian Restaurant is now open in League City at 3202 Marina Bay Dr. Claudio Sereni &

Mattia D’Errico have been great friends for over

12 years. Mattia a retired builder, with a passion for cooking Ital-

ian food, has always dreamed of owning a restaurant. Claudio hails from the enchanted city of Rome and has been in America since 1982. Claudio began his music training at the age of eight and he sang for the Sistine Chapel Choir in the Vatican City.

The restaurant serves classic Italian Cuisine, I highly recommend the Risotto Salmon Cake with an orange reduc-tion, and it’s on the appetizer menu but enough for two to share. The Salmon cake has a really nice fried crunchy exterior. Inside was some delicious Risotto and salmon. The creaminess of the risotto with the crunchy exterior was a great combo. The reduction and arugula really brought it all together. The lobster bisque is a hidden gem, very creamy so good it tastes like velvet in the tongue. The menu features everything from fresh lobster bisque to penne vodka to lamb T-bone and much, much more.

There are many things about the food that make it stand out from the rest. Claudio & Mattia’s boasts the finest, freshest ingredients, beautiful presentation and large portions that will leave you satisfied, but not miserable. There is so much more to Italian food than just lasagna, meatballs and pasta, and for those who have room for dessert, the baby grand piano tiramisu is a knock-out, featuring decadent tiramisu in a white chocolate piano with a side of mixed berries drizzled in a chocolate sauce. It’s a dessert truly fit for a king.

When you walk into Claudio & Mattia’s, you are instantly transported to a rustic Italian setting. The charm of the res-taurant immediately envelopes you. The murals and custom paintings which adorn the walls were created by local talent Sherry McClendon of “The Finishing Touch Studio.” With the warm lighting, the extensive detail work can be seen through-out the restaurant. There is beautiful water fountain displayed in the dining room that adds a soothing touch of the leisurely

Harbour Community Magazine 15


Real Estate 101 for 77573This introductory course is going to tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the current state of the market in 77573

but didn’t know to ask. The following information is provided monthly by the Houston Association of Realtors. The most recent data available, prior to

the publication of this issue of The Harbour, compares statistics gathered during March, 2012 to those from March, 2011. Since this is a basic course, comments are given on some of the categories for both clarification and learning purposes. So, let’s dig right in and see how we fared.

In March, 2012 a total of 187 New Listings hit the market. This number is down from 228 new listings in March, 2011. Tip: If you have the luxury of waiting to list your home call your Realtor in January and be ready for your home to come out of the starting gate between February and April for optimum exposure to the spring market.

In March of 2012 there were 149 Pending Sales. A pending sale is typically a property that has passed inspections and is on its way to the closing table. March, 2011 had 43 fewer pending sale for a total of 106. This is a positive sign that the market is strengthening.

Closed Sales are transactions that are finalized at the closing table where title to the property is conveyed from seller to buyer and the sale is completed and funded. A stronger market in March of 2012

produced 106 closed sales vs. 89 closed sales in March, 2011. This increase is also good news!

What does Average Days on Market mean? From the closed sales in any given month, the number of days a property remains on the market in Active status is recorded from the day the property hits MLS to the day it becomes a pending sale. An average of those days is taken to determine how slow or fast homes are selling compared to other points in time. In March, 2012 the average days on market was 112 days compared to 121 days for that same timeframe in 2011 showing us that homes are selling at a faster pace.

Before we get into Median Sales Price let’s talk about the definition of ‘median’ so as not to confuse it with the word ‘average’. We all know how to average num-bers. Add them all up and divide by the number you added up. Think of ‘median’ as the ‘mid’ price. It’s the price right in the middle. Half of the total sales are more

than the median price and half of the total sales are less than the median price. In March, 2012 the median sales price for a home in 77573 was

$189,000. For that same month in 2011 the median sales price was $185,000, again, another sign of a strengthening market.

That brings us to Average Sales Price per Square Foot. March, 2012 shows an average

sales price of $84 psf compared to $81 in March 2011, another good indicator of improvement in the market.

Last, but not least, we have the Sales Price to Original List

Price Ratio. These are big words for “what you started out asking vs. what you

ended up getting”. On average in March, 2012, sellers garnered 92% of their original list price compared to 90% in

March, 2011. A steady increase of this number over 2012 will be a good sign the market is recovering.

The lesson learned here is that 77573 is a great place to live. Any questions? Call your favorite Realtor!


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FIREWORKS HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

If any time during the year brings the thought of fire-works, it would be the Fourth of July. All across this nation, fire-works of all kinds will be used to celebrate our nation’s inde-pendence. Even though there are many varieties of fireworks manufactured, let’s talk about those used to decorate the skies in the wonderful patterns that excite our eyes, awaken our hearing and warm our hearts.

Whether the fireworks are purchased at the corner stand for your personal use or the larger pieces used in community celebrations, all aerial fireworks are basically the same and have two parts to them. The first part is the lift charge which is used to propel the second part of the shell skyward. The second part is the display portion that provides the wonderful effect in the sky. This is the basis whether the pyrotechnic is a single aerial shell or a collection of smaller aerial shells fused together and produced as one pyrotechnic piece called a “cake”. Some cakes have as few as 9 shots to them and some have 100’s. Each shell or shot works basically the same.

The difference in the pattern of the effect is how the shell maker constructs the display portion of the pyrotechnic and what pattern is desired. Some shells are designed to project equally in all directions, others form designs such as rings or stars, while others may open and fall down similar to a waterfall. And then some combine patterns such as a ring with the middle opening to another color and design or one color shooting out in all directions and the middle erupting into another color and design. The brilliant colors that you see, the reds, greens, blues, purples, whites, yellows and oranges are produced by burning metals of different types.


This year, many communities will be celebrating our na-tion’s independence with large commercial fireworks displays. These displays will be the result of hours of work in the organi-zation and set-up to produce the aerial artistry that will last the ten, fifteen, or in some cases the twenty minutes of the fireworks display.

Originating as an ancient Chinese art form, fireworks have improved and evolved over the years. Many of the shows up to early 2000 were hand lighted because electronic ignition systems were prohibitive in price. This meant that each shell was hand lit similar to the way people light their consumer purchases. Today, the cost of electronics is substantially less expensive and most shows are electronically ignited, allowing for more shells in the air in a shorter amount of time. In fact, most of our shows are computer programmed and choreographed to music, with the pyrotechnics and music combining to enhance the experience of the audience while the pyrotechnician paints images in the sky with color and sound.

As you watch your community’s celebration and let your senses experience the aerial artistry, remember that fireworks are an art form that has been used for thousands of years to cel-ebrate great events all over the world – and tonight you are at-tending such an event. Many man-hours have gone into the pro-duction of this celebration. Sit back a safe distance and enjoy the spectacle with all of your senses.

Pyrotechnic expertise provided by Ray Robinson, [email protected], Lead Pyrotechnician at family owned Ce-lestial Displays, LLC, www.CelestialDisplays.com

Summer Plumbing Solutions Some of these plumbing problems can be easily fixed while others require a bit more effort:• Wire hangers and plungers are useful for getting rid of

some toilet clogs.• It may be best to shut the water off at the main source to

stop further water waste until a professional can access the damage.

• Regularly inspect all taps, pipes, and equipment for signs of water leaks. Many can be easily fixed.

Summer Plumbing Help• There are some situations when it’s best to call on a pro-

fessional:• Plumbing clogs may be the result of a foreign object or the

system is backed up.• It is best to get a professional to help with clogs or toilets

that are backing up, when your home is on a septic system.• Water main breaks can only be fixed by a professional who

has video inspection and leak detector equipment. • If you think you may have leaks in pipes within the inte-

rior walls or it involves swimming pool equipment, best course of action is getting professional assistance.

Summer Maintenance and Usage TipsTo avoid some of the above summer plumbing problems, schedule regular maintenance. This can lead to less problems and lower repair costs. Here are some quick tips • Check all appliances hoses and lines like the refrigerator

and washing machine for bulges, cracks, and wear.• Hire a licensed plumber using video inspection equip-

ment to check sewer lines and other pipes that are not easily reached.

• Reduce your water usage. Many of summer’s problems with plumbing are the result of overuse. Unfortunately this is very hard tip to stick too considering the extreme draughts south Texas has seen over the last year.

• If you have a pool, regularly clean the filter to get rid of debris that might otherwise push the filter pressure up and burst pipes.

Tips, tricks for common summertime plumbing woes

The issues• Clogged Toilets: With Kids being out of school, those

summer parties, kids play dates; your toilet can get a real workout and not be so productive.

• Water Main Breaks: You might not think of what happens underground, but once you start experiencing low water pressure or you notice water pooling in your yard, this could be a sign of a water main break caused by tree roots or simply old pipes.

• Leaks: Leaks are definitely not a seasonal thing and occur any time of the year. This can happen indoors or outdoors. A lot of leaks will appear around sprinkler heads and even pool equipment. You may even see issues around washing machine hoses and ice maker lines over time.

Most people think that the brutal cold of winter is the only season for having major issues with your homes plumbing. However, those extreme summer months in south Texas offer its own unique issues when it comes to your plumbing.



School News

From Left: Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Alex Torrez, CCISD Volunteer of the year Lisa Boulais & Clear Falls High School Principal Karen Engle.

Photo (L to R) Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education Holly Hughes, CCISD Volunteer of the year David Brady, Armand Bayou Elementary Principal Robin Williams and the volunteer of the year’s wife , Cindy Brady. (not joking… Cindy Brady).

The Clear Creek Independent School District is proud to announce the 2012 Elementary and Secondary Volunteers of the Year.

“Our Elementary Volunteer of the year is someone who does it all. He leads his campus’ Watch DOGS Program, leads an enrichment cluster, writes blurbs for the school newsletter, has served as a science fair judge and volunteers in the Science Lab,” said Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Educa-tion Holly Hughes.

Armand Bayou is fortunate to be home to our Elementary volunteer of the Year, David Brady. He is described by teachers as a dad who is commit-ted to helping every grade level and every special program.”

The CCISD Secondary Volunteer of the Year is yet another parent who does it all and never ex-pects much in return. Lisa Boulais helped “boost” a booster club to an exemplary level. She serves on the executive board of the Clear Falls High School PTSA and on the Clear Creek Community Council of PTA’s as Second Vice President.

“Lisa has done in months what can take years to do,” said Assistant Superintendent of Second-ary Education Alex Torrez,. “She opened Clear Falls as the Band Booster Club president, growing its membership to more than 200 members. There’s no question she’s set the bar high for all who follow her. The Clear Falls Knights are happy to have Lisa Boulais at their table.”

Congratulations to both CCISD Volunteers of the Year!

CCISD celebrates 2012 Volunteers of the year


Great ideas improve classroom learning –

School News

percent of the students meet one of the four target population criterion defined for Early College High Schools (ECHS) by the Texas Education Agency (TEA): 1) students are first generation college goers, 2) students are from minority groups traditionally underrepresented on college campuses, 3) students are economically disadvantaged, and/or 4) students meet one of the thirteen Texas at-risk indicators.Clear Horizons Early College High School is a CCISD open enrollment charter school serving approximately 400 students, 100 per grade level. As defined by TEA, an ECHS may only service about 100 stu-dents per grade level. An ECHS is small by design.

meet serious intellectual challenges. Since 2002, the partner organizations of the Early College High School Initiative have started or redesigned more than 200 schools in 24 states and the District of Columbia. There are more than 40 early college high schools in Texas. The schools are designed so that low-income youth, first-generation college goers, English language learners, students of color, and other young people who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education can simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an Associate’s degree or up to two years of credit toward a Bach-elor’s degree—tuition free. The majority of the students at Clear Horizons claim a minority group membership. Eighty-seven

Education Foundation Supports Innovative High School with $40,000

The Clear Creek Education Foundation passionately supports innovative programs in Clear Creek ISD. Later this month the foundation will provide funds to teach-ers with great ideas to improve classroom learning. One of the most innovative ideas in CCISD is the Clear Horizons Early Col-lege High School. This year CCISD super-intendent Dr. Greg Smith asked the foun-dation to support this innovative school with $20,000 to offset tuition costs. The foundation was able to double that with a $40,000 contribution which was made on the CHECHS campus to Dr. Smith and the school’s principal Dr. Jennifer Morrow.

Clear Horizons Early College High School was established in 2007 on the campus of San Jacinto College South on Beamer Road and has earned a TEA Exem-plary rating four consecutive years. Students graduate each year with an Associate’s De-gree from San Jacinto College three weeks before walking across the stage and receiv-ing a high school diploma from CCISD. Prior to 2007, the program operated under the name Project Excel with a focus on advanced stu-dents. Beginning in 2007, the program shifted to the early college high school concept.

Early college high school is a bold approach based on the principle that academic rigor, combined with the opportu-nity to save time and money, is a powerful motivator for students to work hard and

Foundation chairman Scott Rainey and executive director Doug Frazior present a $40,000 donation to CHECHS principal Dr. Jennifer Morrow and CCISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Smith.


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School News

CCISD launches summer fun

The Clear Creek ISD Office of Communications just launched a new resource for parents looking to plan and book their kids’ summer activities: www.ccisd.net/SummerFun .

This website features great information and direct links to many camps and activities available throughout the Bay Area during the summer months. The website is www.ccisd.net/Sum-merFun and is also available through a link off of CCISD’s home page.

Parents: Plan Early for Summer Fun!

There are 86 days in summer 2012! If you are looking to keep your kids active and entertained over the summer months www.ccisd.net/SummerFun brings together the many camps and activities available to kids and teens in our area. Activity cat-egories include Academic & Arts; Athletic & Dance; Day Camps; Entertainment; and CCISD Camps. Camp dates, rates, contact in-formation and links to registration forms are all available from one website resource. Be sure to check back often as new camps are being added every day!

The “Read What You Want” program at Clear Brook High School was started last year with a grant from the Clear Creek Education Foundation. The program which is the brain child of CBHS Librarian Camille Sullivan has been a huge success in getting students interested in books and reading outside of the classroom. Over 570 students participated in the program where students were allowed to read books they wanted to read and then engage other students and participating teachers in discus-sions about the books. The idea was to promote reading for en-joyment. She received numerous requests for books and series not available in the school library. Sullivan would purchase those books using funds from the grant to make sure the kids stayed engaged.

The first year of the program exceeded Sullivan’s expecta-tions and she was looking for a way to reward students for their efforts. She approached Deanna Law, the store manager of the Kroger on FM 518 & FM 528 to see how the store could help reward the students. Deanna and several volunteers from the store’s community outreach group served the students ice cream sundaes with all of the ice cream, toppings and labor donated by the store.

Since being founded 20 years ago, the education founda-tion has funded over $1.5 Million in innovative CCISD programs. This year the foundation received over 130 grant requests. The foundation is looking for community partners to invest in fund-ing available grants.

Successful Clear Brook High School program fosters love of reading

Representatives from Kroger including store manager Deanna Law (second from right), the education foundation’s executive director Doug Frazior (far left), Clear Brook High School Principal Michele Staley (second from left) and Associate Principal Sharon Lopez (far right) helped librarian Camille Sullivan (third from right) reward the students that participated in the Read What you Want program


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Photo (L to R) Bill Cyrus, ESGR Eastern Regional Director, Captain Matt Paulson, Ed White Principal, Holly Hughes, CCISD Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education, CCISD Superintendent Greg Smith, Ph. D. , Stephanie McBride, Mossman Elementary Principal and Jim Stoa, Employer Outreach/Miliatary Outreach Volunteer.

The Department of Defense Em-ployer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) presented its own ‘Patriot Award’ to CCISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Smith, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education Holly Hughes and Mossman El-ementary Principal, Stephanie McBride for their exemplary backing of their military employees.

Chief Mark Starck, a former teach-er at Mossman Elementary, along with Ed White Elementary Principal Captain Matt Paulson, nominated CCISD leadership for their extraordinary support and service to military families. Bill Cyrus, ESGR East-ern Regional Director, also presented Clear Creek ISD with the ESGR’s ‘Over and Be-yond Award’.

The presentations were made during CCISD’s annual Volunteer & Partnership Breakfast on May 4, 2012 at the Nassau Bay Hilton Hotel.

CCISD leadership honored for support of military families

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National Merit $2500 Scholarships winners were recently announced by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

The Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program. They were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors. These Scholars may use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university. These awards are supported by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s own funds.

Clear Creek ISD is proud to have 5 winners from Clear Lake High School and Clear Horizons Early College High School:

Kevin Chen Probable career field: Mechanical Engineering

Clear Lake High School

Ashley N. Cubley Probable career field: Pharmacy


Gordon Kwong Probable career field: Medicine


Vivek Ajay Koshti Probable career field: Health Science

Clear Horizons Early College High School

Alexander F. Dwyer Probable career field: Music


Congratulations to all CCISD scholarship winning students!

National Merit

scholarship winners named

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