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Tomball ISD Chief Financial Officer Jim Ross can still smile, even as the district faces a budget shortfall due to state cuts in education funding. That’s because Ross, along with Superintendent John Neubauer and the Tomball ISD school board have prepared for this likelihood for the past several years.

“The fact that the board has been conservative and held surpluses has kept us in a better position than many districts,” Ross said.

While other districts, including Magnolia and others in the area, have had to cut back and layoff staff and teachers, Tomball has been able to hold steady and even hire additional staff, with the opening of new schools.

Ross said the district set aside $16 million through the 2014-2015 school year, to prepare for the added expenses of opening Tomball Memorial High School (TMHS) and the new Timber Creek Elementary (TCE) in The Woodlands, as well shortfalls from state funding sources. Ross called it fiscal stabilization.

“Some of it was a planned deficit and dollars were set aside for that,” Ross said.

The district plans to hire more than 100 additional staff members and give a nearly three percent pay raise for all employees. More than 40 of those additional employees will be new teachers, mainly at TMHS and TCE.

The district expects total expenditures for the upcoming school year to be around the $86 million mark, with local and state revenues of $81.5 million, leaving a $4.5 million shortfall.

The state shortfalls are due to a poorly-designed revenue source that the state legislature designed to buy down local tax rates, while forcing districts to lower those rates, officials said. While the state promised to replace those dollars, it was only a one time payment during the 2011-12 school year. Ross recommended saving that one-time payment, which the board did.

Before the new law lowered Tomball’s operating tax rate to $1.01, the district was operating on a rate of $1.44 for every $100 in assessed valuation. The housing crisis also hurt, as property values plummeted. To top it off state funding has dropped from a high of more than $28 million in 2009-10, to what Ross expects will be just under $19 million this school year.

Even with the savings and careful financial planning, Tomball could see an even bigger crunch next year, something Ross said they have been planning for, but could still be difficult given the lack of state money and the restriction on local funding sources placed on districts by the state.

Another thing helping the district was the sale of Tomball Regional Medical Center to a private company.

Ross said the sale allows the district to receive tax dollars for the entire Medical Complex area, something which allowed for an increase of more than 13 percent in the districts tax base.

Tomball Memorial High School Silver Stars Captain Rachel Stephenson, junior (front, left); Tomball High School Cougar Charms Major Karley Emmott, senior (front, right); (second row, from left) Silver Stars Lieutenant Maddie Gray, junior; and Cougar Charms Captain Hannah Valentin, junior, performed together during the 32nd Annual Patriotic Show, which was held during halftime of the inaugural football game between the Tomball Cougars and the Tomball Memorial Wildcats.  Approximately 1,500 students in choir, drill team, cheerleading, band, JROTC, LOTC, and Student Council from Tomball High School, Tomball Memorial High School, Tomball Junior High, and Willow Wood Junior High performed honoring veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces.   

The sounds and smells of goats, pigs, turkeys, cows and other farm animals will fill the air this weekend, as students from both Tomball high schools diligently prepare for the annual Tomball Future Farmers of America (FFA) project sale and show.
This year brings the 37th incarnation of the event, which allows FFA members to show and hopefully sell the animals they spent all year raising, feeding and caring for. The event will be held Jan. 25 and 26 at the Tomball ISD Project Center, at 30330 Quinn Rd.
"It gives kids the opportunity to become involved in FFA and teaches them a lot about responsibility and handling money," said Jimmy Vaculin, former Tomball FFA teacher and president of the Tomball High School FFA Booster Club.
Vaculin said the program also helps students build friendships and teaches them how to be a part of an organization.
'They develop camaraderie with one another," he said.
Tomball Memorial FFA Booster Club President Lesley Chronister agreed and said the students look forward all year to the show.
"It's a huge deal," she said. "The kids raise their animals all throughout the year with this show as the goal."
The show and its live auction provide funds for both schools FFA programs, as well as a majority of the funds for the Tomball FFA college scholarship program.
"The kids are able to get a lot of the money back they spent raising the animals and a lot of the funds go directly towards the scholarship fund for seniors," Chronister said.
Last year the show brought in more than $500,000 for the program and scholarship fund and the group hopes to do at least that this year.
Chronister's son Colby said that FFA has taught him lessons he will be able to carry throughout his life.
"I wanted to raise animals because I thought it would be fun, but doing this has taught me responsibility, how to care for an animal and motivated me to keep my grades up so I can show my animals," he said.
Colby Chronister said the show is not only hard work, but fun as well.
"It's fun meeting all the new people and the competition it brings, as well as seeing everyone else's projects." he said.
The show's schedule for Jan. 25 includes rabbits being shown at 11 a.m., followed by broilers at 1 p.m., with turkeys to follow, then market swine at 4 p.m. On Jan. 26 market lambs will be shown at 8 a.m. and market steers at 10:30 a.m. The Buyer's Barbecue will be open from 3:30-5 p.m., with the live auction to immediately follow.
For more information visit www.tomballffa.net.

Tomball High School (THS) senior Christi Gamble showed her lamb, Luna, at the 37th Annual Tomball ISD FFA Project Show. This was Gamble's second year to raise a lamb. She was one of 275 Tomball ISD students showing chickens, turkeys, lambs, rabbits, swine, and steers. The live auction brought in a total of $313,500. Grand champion results were Rabbits - freshman Bailey Wargo, Tomball Memorial, $3,500; Broiler - junior Casey Smith, Tomball, $2,800; Turkey -  senior Megan Vaculin, Tomball, $4,500; Lamb - senior Stephanie Ludwig, Tomball, $5,000; Swine - senior Landon Folkerts, Tomball, $14,000; Steer - sophomore Kathryn Lewandowski, Tomball, $27,000. Reserve champion results were Rabbits - freshman John Leibham, Tomball, $3,000; Broiler - junior Thomas Reeves, Tomball, $6,500; Turkey - senior Chase Johnson, Tomball, $5,000; Lamb - senior Austin Boggs, Tomball, $5,000; Swine - junior Sydney Breaux, Tomball, $22,000 and Steer - junior Shayla Arvizu, Tomball, $19,000.

After defeating Spring Woods in an extra game to squeak into the playoffs for the first time in school history, the Tomball Memorial Wildcats shocked high school baseball fans by defeating Milby in the bi-district round of the Texas 4A playoff recently.

Behind some timely hitting and defense, the Wildcats eeked out a 6-5 win to open the best-of-three series against Milby.

Milby was able to get on the board first, plating two runs against Tomball Memorial starting pitcher Jared Sienkiewich. Sienkiewich was able to battle while not having his best stuff, as the Wildcat bats were able to keep pace with Milby.

Sienkiewich left the game with the Wildcats up 6-5 and Dylan Murrell was able to close the door, sealing the win with a 1-2-3 inning.

Milby traveled to Tomball for the second and what would be final game of the series.

Both teams could not push across a run in the first two innings, but Milby broke through after Wildcats starter Kyle Larson drilled their leadoff hitter, who eventually advanced and scored on a two-out single.

The Wildcats answered in the bottom half of the third, however, by loading the bases. They would tie the game on a wild pitch and eventually broke it open with a two-run single by Brady Kainer. Kainer later scored on an error, giving Tomball Memorial a 4-1 lead.

The Wildcats were able to extend the margin to 9-1 by the last inning, before Milby attempted a furious comeback.

A couple of base hits forced Larson out of the game and reliever Brandon Shoemaker was tagged with three quick runs. Some steller defense helped the Wildcats end the rally, as Sienkiewich made a great throw from center field to home plate, catching the runner off guard, who was eventually tagged out in a rundown.

Lefty pitcher Michael Cugini entered the game and promptly struck out the Milby batter to secure the win for Tomball Memorial.

The series win pushes the Wildcats to the area round of the playoffs, where they faced Galveston Ball in a best-of-three games series. The Wildcats were downed in two straight and were eliminated from the playoffs. Look for a full recap in the May 20 edition.

The Tomball Memorial High School (TMHS), Northpointe Intermediate and Willow Wood Jr. High School bands will hold a fundraiser, Dinner With The Wildcats, Feb. 11, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the TMHS auditorium. There will be dinner and a live performance from all three bands. Tickets are $7.50 for adults and $4 for children in advance. For details visit www.tmhsband.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .