Cy-Fair High School

History

Establishment of the Cypress and Fairbanks's separate school systems, Cypress School, and Rural High School No. 5

When the New Orleans Railroad Company's track line to Houston was built in 1856, two towns were established, with Cypress on one side of the track and Fairbanks on the other. Cypress and Fairbanks remained being two separate towns with separate school systems throughout the early 1900s. Though both of their school systems had schools for children up to eighth grade, once they reached high school, students in Fairbanks had to travel to Houston every day for school, and the Cypress high school students had to travel to Addicks.

A 20-acre plot of land was handed out to the district by Louis Telge, also known as the grandfather of the previous School Board members John and Chester Telge. On the newly donated land, a school called, "Big Cypress Schoolhouse, No. 2. Dist. 6", was built in the year of 1884, in Cypress, Texas. It was also called the "Cypress School". When it was first built in 1884, the building was a one-room school, however, over the years, new rooms were built on, and soon enough, the Cypress School later consisted of seven rooms, a superintendent's office, a library, and a wood-framed schoolhouse for high school students by 1937. By that year, however, was when elementary and high school students who went to this school were divided up, and the high school students transitioned to a separate facility. The facility they were transferred to was Rural High School No. 5, built in 1937, which was part of the Fairbanks School District. In December, 1939, the citizens living in the area voted to combine the two districts into one united district.

The opening of Cy-Fair High School, Racial Desegregation, Carverdale Students, and Jersey Village High School

Finally, a few years after Cypress and Fairbanks had officially consolidated, Cy-Fair High School was officially opened in the Spring of 1942, and students from Rural High School No. 5 were transferred to the new school. First lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, visited the school on the day it opened. The school received its accreditation less than a year after opening. According to Community Impact, Jane Ledbetter with the Cypress Historical Society had said that the school "really solidified the two districts coming together" and that it was "symbolic". Meanwhile, the wood-framed schoolhouse at the Cypress School burned down that same year.

In 1944, CFISD’s Cypress Agriculture and Rodeo Program was established. The next year, the program brought in $12,000.

The Cypress area was quite rural at the time of the school's grand opening, however, in the latter half of the 20th century, Cypress was transitioning from rural to suburban.

Somewhat close to Cy-Fair High school was the Carverdale School for African-American students, which was founded in 1925 when a German dairy farmer donated his farmhouse, which was first used as a Baptist church and school for younger students. The next year, it was given the name, "Fairbanks Colored School". There were very few teachers working there at the time. In fact, at one point, from 1928 and stretching all the way to 1951, there was one sole teacher of the entire school. Her name was Clara Scott.

Soon enough, by 1956, it was serving students ranging from first grade to 12th grade, was relocated to Clara Road (named after Clara Scott in her honor in 1937). This was also the year the school got its final name change to "Caverdale School". Additionally, the school already had a choir room, band hall, and library by that point. Eventually, the school gained a gymnasium, a home economics department, auto mechanics shop class, and a science lab. Like Cy-Fair, the school was progressing rapidly and embracing the open model concept for schools. Later on, in 1967, 800 of the students at Caverdale school began enrolling at Cy-Fair High School, under the "Freedom of Choice" option.

School Renovation starting in the 1990s, 2016 Flood, 2017 Super Bowl, Rezoning, and Hurricane Harvey

For 1999–2001, the school was renovated and expanded, adding 20 classrooms and a new library. Plans were made to renovate the school in 1998, due to the school becoming increasingly cramped over the years and the desire to update the classrooms to make way for advancing technology. Voters approved for a bond issue that granted the school more than $29 million in funding for the restoration of the building. They started in the summer of 1999. The roof of the main corridor at the school was soon removed, and the old Cy-Fair Brigade gym was taken down.

Following heavy rainfall, Cy-Fair High School was flooded on April 18, 2016, as a result of the April 2016 North American storm complex, sometimes referred to as the "Tax Day Flood" by some., which has affected many parts of the greater Houston area The flood left some damage to Cy-Fair High School. The carpet had to be replaced in twenty classrooms, and the school library, and the tile floor of the school's weight room had to be replaced. as well Cy-Fair was one of the 57 campuses in the Cypress Fairbanks District damaged by the flood. Unsurprisingly, all of the schools in the district were closed from April 18 to 22.

On Sunday, February 5, 2017, the Cy-Fair High School Brigade, along with many other dance teams from the school district, performed with Lady Gaga at the Super Bowl LI Halftime show that took place at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

As part of high school rezoning, a portion of Cy-Fair's attendance zone, as well as portions of Cypress Falls High School and Cypress Woods High School's attendance zones, was to be reassigned to Cypress Ranch High School in 2017.

On August 26, 2017, the school was, once again, flooded as a result of Hurricane Harvey. All of the schools in the Cypress Fairbanks District postponed the opening of the school year of 2017–2018 for two weeks before reopening and setting its new first day of the school year on September 11, 2017. Shortly after the hurricane hit, Cy-Fair High School's rugby team volunteered to clean out the flood-damaged homes within their community, twenty-seven homes being the total amount that they helped to clean out. As a result, they were honored with a plaque for their contributions to the community.

Covid-19 Pandemic, 2021 Snow Storm, Firearm in Bathroom Trashcan, Budget Cut for School Buses

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that started COVID-19 lockdowns during the spring of 2020, all the schools in the Cypress-Fairbanks School District shut down their campuses, cancelling all in person classes for the rest of the 2019–2020 school year and transitioning them to an online learning option that was created for students and teachers to use online without being on campus.

When the new school year 2020–2021 rolled around, teachers and some students returned to campus for a traditional classroom setting, although students had the option to continue to use online learning at home that year as well. Some officials have said that they believe that the students benefited with the in-person option rather than the newer online option. For 2021–2022, though Cy-Fair students would stop using the online remote learning program, this program that was put for the 2020–21 school year would be held on to for students after the COVID-19 pandemic in case remote learning is needed in the future due to an emergency. Linda Macias, also known as The Chief Academic Officer, said that because of CFISD needing to create the online learning program due to the pandemic, the school district had broken down innumerable technological barriers that had been in the way of students and teachers before.

In February 2021, all district schools were shut down when Texas was hit with a snowstorm, caused by the February 2021 North American cold wave, that lasted from February 11 until February 20, which resulted in the 2021 Texas power crisis. It left dozens of district campuses with massive water damage, some suffering with burst pipes caused by power outages and extremely low temperatures. The students were able to return to school on February 22, with the damages being fixed.

In the school year 2020–2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cy-Fair High School students, staff, and teachers were required to wear a face mask on campus to protect each other from contacting COVID-19. Although Governor Greg Abbott made his announcement that went effective on March 10, 2021, which stated that Texans will no longer be required by state law to wear a mask in public, the school and the other schools in the district were still legally allowed to implement mask mandates.

Academics

For the 2018–2019 school year, the school received an A grade from the Texas Education Agency, with an overall score of 90 out of 100. The school received a B grade in two domains, School Progress (score of 87) and Closing the Gaps (score of 85), and an A grade in Student Achievement (score of 92). The school received one of the seven possible distinction designations for Top 25%: Comparative Academic Growth. Cy-Fair was one out of the thirteen CFISD schools have been named to the 2018–2019 Texas Honor Roll, which is an award that recognizes public elementary, middle and high schools that demonstrate high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement over time, and reduction in achievement gaps. For high schools, Honor Roll recognition includes measures of college readiness in students.

The average SAT score at Cy-Fair High School was 1177 for 2018–2019 graduates. The average ACT score was 20.5.

Athletics

Cy-Fair competes athletically in District 17-6A of the University Interscholastic League.

Football

In 1976, the Bobcats clinched the 16-4A Conference Championship with one of the most electrifying offenses in the Houston area, racking up an impressive average of over 30 points per game. Despite their stellar season, the Bobcats' run ended in the state playoffs, where they fell to a powerhouse Temple Wildcats squad that advanced to the state championship game.

The 1985 football team finished with a 13–1–1 record, losing to perennial power Permian High School 7–10 in the 5A state semifinals.

In 1987, a third-round playoff game against North Mesquite High School ended in a 28–28 tie, with Cy-Fair advancing to the next round due to a 6–5 advantage in penetrations within the 20-yard line. They lost to the eventual champion Plano Senior High School 21–24 in the 5A state quarterfinals.

In 2017, the football team was undefeated with a 15–0 record, winning the 6A Division 2 State Championship over Midway High School.

Boys' Basketball

The 1969–70 boys' basketball team advanced to the 3A state championship game, losing in the final.

In the 1970–71 season, the team won the 4A State Championship, and were given the honorific title of "National Champions". The 1970–71 season was the first in 4A for Cy-Fair High School It is worth noting that Cy-Fair only used five players in the State Championship game against Wheatley. The five were twin brothers Ronald and Donald Dunlap, Jerry Mercer, Bobby Metcalf and Andrew Jones. Jones transferred to Cy-Fair from Carverdale, when Carverdale was closed in the summer of 1970. The other four starters played on the 1969–1970 State 3A runner-up team.

It's worth noting that Cy-Fair's head coach, Ronnie Truitt, has a special connection to basketball history. He was a member of the 1954 Milan (Ind.) High boys basketball team, the very team that inspired the classic film "Hoosiers".

The team advanced to the 4A state semifinals in the 1977–78 season. Led by all state selection Alan Howard.

Boys' basketball was the first co-district champion in over a decade in the 2019–20 season achieving a 25–9 overall record and 13–2 in district.

Girls' Basketball

The girls' basketball team won the 5A state championship in the 2007–08 season, defeating DeSoto High School in the final with senior All-American Nneka Ogwumike and her sister sophomore Chiney Ogwumike. The team won another 5A state championship in the 2009–10 season.

Volleyball

The 1986–87 girls' volleyball team were the 5A state champions, defeating Amarillo High School in the final.

The 2007–2008 girls' volleyball team competed in 5A Region III District 17, achieving a 45–3 overall record with an undefeated district season at 15–0. The team ranked 5th in the state of Texas and 49th nationally.

The 2013–14 girls' volleyball team competed in 5A Region III District 17, achieving a 45–4 overall record with an undefeated district season at 18–0. The team ranked 8th in the state of Texas and 47th nationally.

Cross Country

The Cy-Fair high school girls’ cross country teams placed among the top 15 teams at the UIL Class 6A Cross Country State Championships, held on November 8, 2014, at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock. Cy-Fair placed 10th overall with a score of 235.

Swimming

The 2021–2022 girls’ swim team claimed the District 17-6A titles, with 140 points, on February 2, 2022.

Music

Band

On October 14, 2017, the Cy-Fair High School marching band claimed the grand champion award, or first place in Enrollment Class V, repeating in earning the top award at the third annual Battle at the Berry Marching Contest at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium. It was hosted by the Cypress Springs High School marching band. It featured 19 bands from across the Houston area competing in four different classifications based on marching band enrollments.

On April 2, 2022, at the Texas Color Guard Circuit Percussion/Winds State Championship Finals that was held at Texas A&M University's Reed Arena, Cy-Fair High School's indoor percussion ensemble won in its distinct division, known as the Percussion Scholastic Open division. They were first place in the Percussion Scholastic Open. They performed their winning performance at 7:35 pm on April 2.

On September 30, 2023, the Cy-Fair High School marching band won their first Bands of America Shenandoah regional, or first place in Enrollment Class AAAA, at the North Houston Bands of America regional Marching Contest at Woodforest bank stadium. They won with 81.000 as their score. It was hosted by the College park High School marching band. It featured 33 bands from across the Houston area competing in two different classifications based on school enrollment.

Just shortly after, on October 30, 2023, at the Alamodome, in San Antonio, the Cy-Fair High School marching band competed at the UIL Class 6A State Marching Band Championships. The following day, on October 31, 2023, at 3:30 pm, the CFHS marching band performed, "Caging the Swarm" in the Finals Round. The significance of the band's placement in the final round is that, since the establishment of the 6A classification in 2006, this was the first time the band made it to the final round for 6A in the school's history, and the Cy-Fair and Bridgeland bands were the school district's first ever participants in the Finals Round.

Almost a year later, on September 28, 2024, at the Bands Of America North Houston Regional located at Woodforest Bank Stadium in Conroe, Texas, the school's band earned a second place spot for their production, “Gravity.”

Choir

On March 2, 2019, the Cy-Fair High School's Cy-Fair Singers won first place at the prestigious Madrigal & Chamber Choir Festival at the Coker United Methodist Church in San Antonio. They were crowned first-place winners out of 38 competing ensembles. They were named as the 2020 honor choir.

JROTC

In the second Marksmanship and Drill Meet, Cy-Fair High School won 10 trophies in 2018.

Cy-Fair High School Air Force JROTC unit has won the Distinguished Unit Award for four years in a row, starting from the school year 2016–2017 and until 2019–2020.

Journalism

The school won two awards for their student-produced publications, one of which was recognized at the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Spring Scholastic Convention, held March 16–18 at Columbia University in New York City. Journalism students at Cy-Fair High School receive a Silver Crown Award at the 2016 CSPA Spring Convention for their 2014–2015 student newspaper, The Reporter. The Reporter was one of 14 schools nationwide to receive the Silver News Print Crown. Prior to the CSPA convention, the 2014–2015 Cy-Fair yearbook, The Bobcat, won the gold medalist Certificate. In addition, the Reporter staff won third place in the Typography: Overall look of the entire paper category.

The school has a newspaper website with articles written by students, called Daily Maroon.

Art

For the art contest held by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, in 2021, three Cy-Fair students won the 2021 Blue Ribbon Award, and one student even made it into the 2D finalist category, receiving a special merit award.

Foreign Language

In the 25th annual Texas State German Contest that happened in 2007, held at the University of Texas at Austin, Cy-Fair High School was placed in second place, followed by Austin Westwood High School. Because Cy-Fair had made it into the top 5, they received a plaque and a monetary contribution.

Clubs

Cy-Fair High School has many after school clubs, such as:

Book Club

Computer Science Club

Science Olympiad

Animation Club

Spanish Club

Carpe Diem Poetry Club

Key Club

HOSA

Asian Student Association

PALS

Paws For A Cause

BCTV (Bobcat TV)

Physics Club

Future Business Leaders of America

Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica

Drama Club

Environmental Action Committee

Rubik's Cube Club

Future Farmers of America

Anime Club

Girls That Code

Guitar Club

Magic: The Gathering (MTG) Club

Destination Imagination

Chess Club

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America.

Demographics

Students

The demographic breakdown of the 3,414 students enrolled for 2023–24 was:

White: 31.6%

Hispanic: 38.0%

African American: 17.6%

Asian: 8.6%

Native American: 0.5%

Pacific Islander: 0.1%

Two or More Races: 3.6%

47.9% of students attending Cy-Fair High School are economically disadvantaged.

38.4% of the students were eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch in the school year of 2019–2020.

For the class of 2020, the four-year graduation rate at Cy-fair High School is 94.2%, and the dropout rate for all students, regardless of grade level, was 0.9% in the school year of 2019–2020.

In 2018–2019, 3.5% of the students were enrolled in bilingual and English language learning programs. This increased in the school year 2020–2021, with the percentage being 4.2%.

Teachers/Staff

The average number of years a teacher has been employed in any district, whether or not there was an interruption in service, is 12.5 years.

The average teacher salary at the school is $55,737.

Feeder patterns

All Arnold Middle School and some Hamilton Middle School students are within Cy-Fair High School's attendance boundary.

There are four elementary schools that feed into Arnold Middle School:

Adam Elementary

Danish Elementary (partial)

Lamkin Elementary (partial)

Millsap Elementary (partial)

There are two elementary schools that feed into Hamilton Middle School within Cy-Fair's attendance boundary:

Black Elementary (partial)

Hamilton Elementary (partial)

Notable alumni

Austin Deculus — National Football League (NFL) player

Sandy Duncan — Actress, comedian, singer, and dancer.

Robbie Grossman — Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder

Lindsey Harding — professional basketball player

Jonathan Horton — gymnast

Braden Mann — National Football League (NFL) player

Sam McGuffie — National Football League (NFL) player, Olympic bobsledder

Cal McNair — National Football League (NFL) owner

Chiney Ogwumike — Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) professional basketball player

Nneka Ogwumike — Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) professional basketball player

Tony Oller — actor/musician, was on Disney Channel for the show As the Bell Rings and other shows such as CSI: NY and Gigantic

Cody Risien — National Football League (NFL) player

Molly Searcy — Anime voice over and stage theatre actress

Carlene Watkins — actress, was on shows such as Best of the West, Tough Enough, and Tortellis

Hayden Wesneski — Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher

Notable faculty

Dan Kubiak, member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983 and again from 1991 to 1998, taught and coached at Cy-Fair from 1963 to 1968

Ed Pustejovsky, head football coach from 2004 to 2020 and campus athletic director at Cy-Fair High School. Seven district football titles and 13 playoff trips. 6A Div II state championship title in 2017