Cypress Digest šŸŒ² 5.20.25

48 Events this week, The power grid is under pressure, and TX Senate bills to watch

Author

Ashlyn Brooks
20 May

Welcome Back to Cypress Digest! Your Weekly Guide to News, Events & Exclusive Deals in Cypress, TX.

My realization for this week? Iā€™m suffering from a major issueā€” I am unable to successfully tell a joke without bursting into laughter before the punch line. šŸ˜‚ Truly an embarrassment. (Spoiler, its gotten worse with age.)

Cheers! - Ashlyn

Community News

The Texas grid Is taking a hit ā€” What about Cypress?

The Texas power grid has been under increasing pressure, and it's not just because of the summer heat. Our growing population, rapid industrial expansion, and rising digital demand are all pushing the stateā€™s energy infrastructure to its limits.

Now, Cypress may be standing at the edge of an even greater challenge. A colossal new projectā€”Stargate, a $500 billion AI and data center initiative backed by OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracleā€”is planting roots across Texas. With 20 data centers planned and the first already under construction in Abilene, this initiative could dramatically reshape power usage statewide. (Read the full story here)

While this positions Texas as a tech titan, it also means more demand on a grid already nearing capacity. So what does that mean for communities like Cypress? Itā€™s time to ask the big questions: Are we prepared? Who will foot the bill for expanded energy infrastructure? And can our local systems withstand what's coming?

Stay tunedā€”weā€™ll be watching how this unfolds for our corner of the state.

CFISD News

Graduation Traffic prep

Donā€™t say I didnā€™t warn you because I am sending this out a week early to prep you all. CFISD released the graduation schedule and it will be held at the Berry Center on Wednesday through Saturday of next week.

Now, the Berry Center rests in the smack middle of an already congested Barker Cypress so if you need to plan an alternate route for after work, nowā€™s the time. You can read the full schedule of graduation ceremonies here but basically if youā€™re traveling down Barker Cypress between 12pm- 8pm (or 9am-5pm on Sat.) ā€” allocate some extra time.

Texas Senate education Bills to watch

Thereā€™s been a lot of focus in the Texas Senate around the $8B bill that could effect teachers pay, plus public school financing and private school vouchers, but there has been a long string of other bills that could have big impacts on the public school system. Including CFISD. The Texas Tribune did a full write up but hereā€™s the key takeaways.

K-12 DEI Ban (Senate Bill 12)

  • Would extend the DEI ban from higher ed to K-12 schools.

  • Prohibits DEI-related training, student groups, and employment considerations.

Book Bans and Library Oversight (Senate Bill 13)

  • Gives school boards/parents greater control over library content.

  • Targets books deemed ā€œindecentā€ or ā€œprofane.ā€

Religious bills

  • Ten Commandments Bill (SB 10): Mandates display in every classroom.

  • School Prayer Bill (SB 11): Sets time for voluntary prayer.

  • Both have passed the Senate and face House debate.

Testing and accountability overhaul

  • HB 4 (House) and SB 1962 (Senate) aim to replace the STAAR with a shorter test given three times a year.

  • HB 4 allows courts to challenge accountability changes; SB 1962 consolidates TEA authority.

Teacher certification (SB 2253)

  • Requires certified teachers in core subjects by 2029ā€“30.

  • Offers a one-time $1,000 stipend for uncertified teachers who get certified.

  • Passed Senate, headed to House.

Student discipline reform

  • HB 6: Increases school discretion to suspend students for major disruptionsā€”rolls back protections for young and homeless students.

  • SB 1872: Mandatory expulsion for students who assault staff, including off-campus incidents.

  • SB 1925: Streamlines truancy referrals, removes intervention requirement.

  • SB 1871: Expands telehealth access and remote participation for disciplined students.

School Safety Funding

  • SB 260: Boosts funding to $28 per student and $30,000 per campus.

  • SB 598: Proposes $100 per student and $60,000 per campus.

  • Both aim to strengthen funding for safety upgrades beyond 2023ā€™s HB 3, which mandated armed officers.

Literacy & Numeracy (HB 123 / SB 2252)

  • Mandates early screening in reading and math from Pre-K to 3rd grade.

  • Provides targeted tutoring and funds for teacher training.

  • Addresses critical skill gaps: Over half of Texas third graders are below grade level.

Cellphone Ban in Schools (HB 1481)

  • Would let schools restrict phones, tablets, smartwatches, etc.

  • Supporters cite mental health and focus; critics worry about limiting emergency communication.

  • Flexibility built in for storage policies or after-hours use.

Free Resource List šŸŒ²

Looking for more resources? Hereā€™s the Cypress Digest Resource List. Exclusive to subscribers of Cypress Digest. Enjoy!

  1. I compiled this list of 35+ camps in the Cypress area for kids of all ages. I grabbed a little of this and that mixing in science, sports and art (of course). Give it a read here!

  2. A short list of all your neighborhoodā€™s favorite businesses and service providers (Over 200 and counting). Check it out here!

  3. Lawn Maintenance Cheat Sheet. This includes the product(s) and schedule weā€™ve used when we knew nothing at all. Read it here!

Together With

Looking for a new way to get moving and shape your body this summer? PVOLVE Cypress is now open for business. PVOLVE offers functional fitness that can cater to any age or fitness level. They employ equipment that was developed in-house and gives you a constant progressive resistance challenge. They also offer Teacher, Military and Nurses Discounts!

Events Roundup

šŸ—“ļø Tuesday, May 20

šŸ—“ļø Wednesday, May 21

šŸ—“ļø Thursday, May 22

Discounts & Specials

Tuesday Specials

Wednesday Specials

Thursday Specials

*Keep in mind, these are subject to change at the discretion of the location and business.

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