Clear Creek Education Foundation News

Fashion Show Committee Gets Early Start

The third annual Galaxy of Stars Fashion Show committee has already been hard at work planning for the May 17th event to be held at the Nasa Hilton. Mark you calendar.

Front row (from left): Sam Loflin (SGT, Inc,), Lisa Holbrook (CCEF & State Representative John Davis), Sheri Leboe, Dinah Matthews (Fashion Show Chairman & CCEF), Tisa Foster and Angela Jenkins (CCEF) Back row: Laura Sukkar (Sukkar Aesthetic Plastic Surgery), Linda DeMasie, Kelli Baliker (Fashion Show Vice Chairman), Alice Jones (Gary Greene), and Janis Blizzard. Not pictured: Patti Goin, Dawn Kayser, Ronda Cook, Heather Rossiello, and Renee Ditta.

 

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Brightwell's Bistro Hosts CCEF Board Meeting

In the final board meeting of 2008, the CCEF Board was treated to lunch at Brightwell's Bistro in Goforth Elementary. Brightwell's Bistro was funded by a 2008 Teacher Innovative Grant. The bistro was set up by special education teacher, Julie Brightwell. The bistro's students help create menus, prepare food and serve food to guests at least four times a year. The bistro provides these wonderful kids the opportunity to learn valuable life skills.

Mrs. Brightwell, her staff and the students were gracious hosts. Each board member was met at the door by one of two hosts and led to their seat. After the board meeting, the students served dessert platters to each table consisting of seasonal goodies they had helped make. The bistro provided a wonderful backdrop for the board to honor three outgoing board members. Gloria Wong, James O'Malley & Janet Brown were all presented with service awards and the sincere appreciation for all their dedication and hard work which made programs like Brightwell's Bistro possible.

 

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Building Future Leaders Luncheon

The future in Clear Creek ISD looks a little brighter because of the support the community has shown in the wake of Ike. After much discussion and consideration, the Clear Creek Education Foundation Board of Directors voted to change the Gala event scheduled for October 4th to a luncheon which was held on November 7th at the NASA Hilton beginning.

It was a difficult decision, but appropriate in light of the widespread damage from hurricane Ike to some of our individual volunteers and the community as a whole. We agreed, as well, that it was insensitive to have a festive event with so much destruction in our midst. Our volunteers and staff, many of whom were under mandatory evacuation orders, have been busy with getting their homes and businesses back to normal. It seemed inappropriate to ask them to be involved in event preparations when they were needed by their families and co-workers.

The response from our sponsors and the luncheon attendees was tremendous. The attendees were treated to moving speeches from Jim "Mattress Mack" MacInvale and Citizen of the Year award winner Charlie Pond. Both men stressed the importance of education and how we need to continue to work hard as a community to ensure our children continue to receive the best education possible.

Dr. Smith gave a post Ike assessment of the district including the potential costs of insurance claims and offered praise to all of the district personnel who responded above and beyond immediately following Ike.

CCEF Chairman Olive Murphy Riker and Dr. Smith then surprised a group of invited teachers with checks to replace personal instructional items lost to the storm. Further funds were donated to some of the hardest hit schools.

The day ended with a wonderful white board and live auction. The many baskets donated by district schools helped make the silent auction extremely successful. The board would like to thank all involved for making this event such a success. Click here for more event photos.
 

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Thank You Building Future Leaders Luncheon Committee

The CCEF Board of Directors would like to thank the Building Future Leaders Luncheon committee for all their dedication and hard work. The luncheon was a huge success due to the committees efforts.

2008 Committee

Chairman
Jane Sweeney
Minuteman Press

Darla Billings
Billing’s Jewelers		 Janet Brown
Space Center Houston		 Michael Divine
Visiting Angels		 Terri Divine
Visiting Angels
Symantha Ferrando
Tietronix Software, Inc.		 Kimberly Fleming
Maxim Group		 Gene Hollier
CCEF		 Lisa Holbrook
CCEF
Angela Jenkins
CCEF		 Frank Law
Patriot Bank		 Joan McKinney
Norman Frede Chevrolet		 Olive Murphy Riker
DRDA, PC, CPA
Liz Muths Patty Cooper
CCEF		 Wendy Shaw Jim Sweeney
Minuteman Press

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Pond, CCISD volunteer, named Citizen of the Year

A successful school district is dependent upon the commitment, input and service of its community members. In recognition of the dedication of these volunteers, the Clear Creek Independent School District Board of Trustees established the Citizen of the Year award in 2005, which is managed through the Clear Creek Education Foundation.

Community member Charlie Pond has been named the 2008 Citizen of the Year. Pond has supported the district by serving on and leading many district committees, including boundary committees, long-term planning committees and bond committees.

“Our children are our future and I believe in investing in that future. Dr. Smith, the Board of Trustees and all the teachers are dedicated to providing the best education possible. They realize that these kids will become the next scientist, astronaut, doctor or leader of our communities,” Pond said.

As part of the award Pond is the recipient of an endowment that will be given to a Clear Creek ISD program in his honor. Pond has chosen the Adaptive Physical Education (APE) program for special needs students across five different campuses.

Pond has a special needs daughter who has been helped tremendously by CCISD and the special education department. Throughout the many ARD meetings that he attended, he learned that APE coaches can benefit greatly by small donations. By splitting the endowment equally among these five campuses; those students will have an enriched experience in the area of physical education.

When asked why he volunteers, he cites several reasons. First and foremost is for the pleasure of giving back to the district and ultimately the community. Second is for the feeling of satisfaction in knowing that he has contributed. Third, he has always felt a deep debt to the district for the job they did in educating his children. Fourth – his family is full of those who pursued a career in education. His mother-in-law and mother were both teachers. His wife is also a teacher. Pond has seen firsthand what a quality program can do for kids. He believes that a quality school district needs community involvement.

“Charlie lives and breathes CCISD,” Stuart Stromeyer, CCISD Board of Trustees president, said. “He has centered his life on what is happening in our district; he is out there promoting our district both in written communications and personal visits with community leaders. Charlie Pond would ‘give the shirt off his back’ for our district.”

“Charlie Pond is completely dedicated to equal education of every student in the Clear Creek Independent School District,” said Dee Scott, CCISD Board of Trustees vice president. “He continues to support the district whether the program will directly effect his family or not. He "gets" the meaning of "public" education. He understands the importance of education not only to the family but to the region and our nation. I wish we could clone his support of the district; no job is too small or too large.”

The Citizen of the Year Award has been awarded twice before; to the late Bob Forde and Sandy Johnson, Barrios Technology CEO. The 2008 recipient will build on their legacy. “Charlie has been such an advocate for CCISD over the years,” echoes Ann Hammond, CCISD Board of Trustees member. “We can count on him to volunteer for committees, write supportive editorials or letters to the editor to clarify and correct misinformation in the community. I also appreciated his support and encouragement when I ran for the Board of Trustee position. It means a lot to me that he is getting this award since he nominated my good friend, Bob Forde, the first recipient of this award. My only regret is that Bob is not able to see Charlie receive this well-deserved award.”

Pond salutes the countless number of people who volunteer on a daily basis and recognizes there is no adequate way to measure their contributions. As the third recipient of this award, he is truly honored to be counted among those who came before him.

For those individuals who are seeking ways to become involved in the district, Pond encourages participating in local PTAs initiatives, seeking out opportunities to serve on district committees and learning more about the Clear Creek Education Foundation.

“Do it!” Pond said. “Once you start it's, like eating a Lay’s® potato chip – “you can't eat just one”. It doesn't take a special talent - just the desire to help and contribute.”

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Lexus continues to support the Clear Creek Education Foundation


Lexus continues to support the Clear Creek Education Foundation with a $10,000 donation to the 2008 Reach for the Stars Gala. Pictured from left to right is Jamieson Mackay, CCEF Treasurer and VP of Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union; Gene Hollier, CCEF Fund-raising Chairman; Joey Dupuis and Jerry Foyt with Lexus of Clear Lake; Jane Sweeney, Gala Chairman and owner of Minuteman Press - Bay Area; and Janet Brown, CCEF Vice Chairman and Finance Director for Space Center Houston.

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Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott L.L.P. Donate to Foundation


Pictured are Dr. Greg Smith - CCISD Superintendent, Jane Sweeney - Minuteman Press (Gala Chairman), Gene Hollier (Fundraising Chairman), Jason Bailey and Donald Roseman with Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott L.L.P., Olive Murphy-Riker - DRDA CPA's (Foundation Chairman), and Angela Jenkins - Foundation Coordinator.

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PBK Architects Help CCISD Students Reach for the Stars


Gene Hollier and Olive Murphy-Riker, board members of the Clear Creek Education Foundation, thank Rene Lewis and Roy Montalbano from PBK Architects, for their generous Diamond level sponsorship for the 8th annual Reach for the Stars “Building Future Leaders” Gala to be held on October 4, 2008 at Space Center Houston. Pictured from left to right: Gene Hollier (Foundation Fundraising Chairman), Olive Murphy-Riker-DRDA CPA’s (Foundation Chairman), Rene Lewis and Roy Montalbano (PBK Architects), Angela Jenkins (Foundation Coordinator).

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