Archive for February, 2009

By ELIZABETH LANGTON / The Dallas Morning News
Frisco is projecting a $3 million gap in this year’s budget, prompting immediate spending cuts and a hiring freeze, officials said this week.
While the city’s property and sales tax revenues remain at or near projected ranges, earnings from building permits and interest are well below budgeted levels, Assistant City Manager Nell Lange said.

In response, city staff has been directed to cut 4 percent from each department’s budget and freeze 28 open jobs. The cuts will not require layoffs, Lange said.

Full Story

February 25, 2009, Austin Business Journal

A February survey of public and private builders across the country from John Burns Real Estate Consulting shows that Texas saw new home sales, traffic and expectations pick up in January. The survey gathered information from 236 home building industry executives.

“I spent several days in Texas this month and can confirm that the pick-up is real and is driven by lower mortgage rates in an area where home price appreciation was insignificant and the economy is still OK,” said John Burns, CEO of Irvine, Calif.-based John Burns Real Estate Consulting.

However, Burns said, new home prices are still trending downward everywhere, including Texas.

Full Story

Faces of Frisco ISD is a monthly feature highlighting some of the untold stories of FISD and the people who make FISD special.

Hamlin Jones of Riddle Elementary, had never run a competitive race in his life until the Gary Burns Fun Run of 2005. But that was the first step into a life-changing adventure.

The Gary Burns is the major fundraiser for Frisco Education Foundation and campuses often bring teams to run in the event. Some campuses take their running more seriously than others. Superintendent Rick Reedy regularly takes employees who beat his time to lunch after the event.

“Mia Bennett (principal of Riddle at the time) said you’ve got to run Gary Burns! I had never run a 5K. But I ran it in 20 minutes and took 20th place,” Jones said.

Full Story at FriscoISD.org

The following Centennial High School Orchestra members received Superior and Outstanding marks at the Region 24 UIL Solo & Ensemble Contest on Saturday, February 21st at Creekview High School in Carrollton. They are:

Juniors: Sarah Park and Susan Yi

Sophmores: Shane Andrews, Alysia Chen, Emma Chibnall, Alex Gamez, Min Ji Kim, & Sophia Miao

And

Freshmen: Christina Clawson, Josh Davila, Kirsten Roberts, Roger Tang and Tara Thomas.

Eleven Centennial Orchestra students distinguished themselves by qualifying on Saturday for the state UIL solo & ensemble competition to be held in Austin in May. To achieve this honor and represent the students had to perform a grade one solo from memory or perform a grade one work with an ensemble and receive the highest rating by their judge.

Soloists advancing to state competition include: Shane Andrews, Alysia Chen, Min Ji Kim, Roger Tang and Tara Thomas. Ensembles advancing to state include: The Varsity Quartet: Alysia Chen, Alex Gamez, Susan Yi and Sophia Miao, violinists

AND

The Freshmen Quartet: Christina Clawson, Kirsten Roberts, Roger Tang and Josh Davila, violinists.

FriscoISD.org