Commercial real estate shifts northwest with residential growth

22 | July 2010 Community Impact Newspaper • Northwest Houston Edition
19708 Northwest Frwy., Ste. 500
Houston, Texas 77065
713.957.2020
www.nightlightpediatrics.com
Open Mon.-Fri. 5 p.m.-11 p.m.
Weekends & Holidays Noon-7 p.m.
Providing quality urgent care for your
child when your doctor’s office is closed.
Molly Ryan
Education Focus
Superintendent, Cy-Fair ISD
Dr. David Anthony
Cy-Fair ISD
Experience with CFISD: Superintendent since
July 2004
Career: Superintendent in McKinney ISD, Texas
City ISD, Mount Pleasant ISD and High Island ISD
Education: Bachelor of Arts in secondary
education, East Texas Baptist College; Master of
Education in administration and supervision,
Northwestern State University; Doctor of
Education, Northwestern State University
Contact: 281-897-4077 or
david.anthony@cfisd.net
You have worked for school districts
all around Texas. What is special about
CFISD?
I think that the one thing that makes
Cy-Fair unique is the commitment of the
staff to the district. This is the smallest
large school district that you will ever see.
Everyone works together, and the staff
goes above and beyond to help each other
professionally and personally.
What is your most important role as
superintendent?
The main thing is to prepare students
and maximize student potential. Our job
is to help people perform better—both the
students and the adults.
What is your favorite role?
The most enjoyable thing is to visit a
campus. It’s the thing that you don’t get to
do most of the time but that you enjoy the
most. I especially like reading to kindergarten
classes—they inspire you.
As the superintendent for such a
large—and still growing—school
district, how do you ensure that each
school receives individual attention?
It comes down to one factor: You have
to have good people, people who are
committed to the district. Our only job
is to make it easier for the teachers to do
their job.
How do you feel about the fast growth
of the school district?
Growth is a challenge. We have grown
by 3,500 students in a down year, and we
still have improved our performance. No
other district grows numerically as fast as
us. You have to focus on the big picture—
it’s like eating an elephant one bite at a
time.
How has the district changed since
you have been here?
The change has been that we have more
students, and student demographics have
changed. Still, student performance has
increased every year. There have also been
financial changes and a lot of retirements,
but we continue to hire quality teachers.
We use data to make good decisions
and focus more on specific areas where
student needs are.
What is your proudest achievement as
superintendent in Cy-Fair?
Earning the recognized accountability
rating [for the past two years] for such a
large district—that is hard. But I’m most
proud of the staff. I’ve never had a staff
that works harder. I’m proud to be a part
of a group that works that hard for the
students and district.
How do you deal with criticism about
the recent budget cuts and stay
positive about the future?
There is only so much money that the
state has. Even with the budget cuts,
nothing has changed in our mission. How
our mission is achieved will change. Business
as usual is not possible anymore. The
financial problem will have to be solved
logically through budget cuts or tax rate
increases. Everyone is frustrated, but if
you want something, you have to be willing
to pay for it.
Why do you have such a passion for
education?
I grew up in an economically disadvantaged
area in Louisiana, and I saw how that
impacted the students. I want every student
to have choices when they graduate and
have the opportunity to work in a field they
enjoy. Every child needs a quality education.
You can look into the eyes of the kindergarten
classes and see their dreams—I
want to keep those dreams alive.
Comment at more.impactnews.com/9025
Interview by Molly Ryan