Coppell Chronicle Vol. 3, No. 42
Lewisville ISD Declines to Change Boundary • Kestrel Unofficially Named Coppell’s Bird • Cricket Pitch Planned in Valley Ranch • Campaign Filing Deadline is Tomorrow
One of the Coppell Chronicle’s newest subscribers made me laugh when he explained why he signed up: “My wife shows me your news articles every week. I can’t let her be more knowledgeable than me!”
Lewisville ISD Declines to Change Boundary
When Brandon and Megan Kleiman bought their brand-new Frisco house in 2016, they weren’t entirely sure where their kids would go to school.
“Our builder actually said there’s a lot of ambiguity in the lines,” Brandon said.
A map on the Texas Education Agency’s website indicates the Kleimans’ home on Amberly Place is just inside the Frisco ISD border. But a map on the Frisco ISD site and Google Maps both show their house is in Lewisville ISD.
The Kleimans got a definitive answer when they tried to enroll the oldest of their three children as a kindergartner at Hosp Elementary, the Frisco ISD school at the other end of their subdivision. They were turned away.
Megan said they bought their house after losing out on four others. When the school district question came up during that purchase process, they were told, “There’s a path to pursue a change when you’re ready to do it.”
The Kleimans said all of this on Monday night during a public hearing conducted by the Lewisville ISD Board of Trustees. The couple were indirectly responding to the only question posed by any of the trustees: “When you signed your documents to close on your home,” Board President Jenny Proznik asked, “were you aware you were in Lewisville ISD?”
The public hearing was the result of a petition filed last summer by the Kleimans and the owners of four neighboring homes. The group wanted their five properties to be detached from Lewisville ISD and annexed by Frisco ISD. Those are the only homes out of about 75 in their neighborhood that are at least partially within the Lewisville school district.
I tuned into this hearing for two reasons:
Curiosity: Until I read a legal notice publicizing the hearing, I wasn’t aware that such petitions were possible. In fact, the process is laid out in Section 13.051 of the Texas Education Code, “Detachment and Annexation of Territory.”
Possible precedent: Lewisville ISD includes portions of Coppell, including the Coppell Greens neighborhood. If these Frisco folks were successful, might those Coppell residents pursue annexation into Coppell ISD? And what about the residents of Coppell’s Riverchase subdivision, which is within Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD? Coppell ISD’s open enrollment policy allows kids in both neighborhoods to attend the district’s schools, but what if their parents wanted that access guaranteed?
“We are asking you to approve something that you might fear will set a precedent and create more petitions and more hearings,” Megan Kleiman told the trustees. “I’m sensitive to that, and I know that is a concern for you, but I can’t not fight for this if it’s what in the best interest of our families.”
Jeffrey Kajs, Lewisville ISD’s Chief Student Services Officer, began Monday’s hearing by presenting the facts of the case. He showed a slide that said the combined tax impact of the homes in question is $34,633. (That’s about half of the midrange salary for one Lewisville ISD teacher.) That same slide said only one of the properties housed Lewisville ISD students.
That would be the Kleimans’ property, which is numbered 62 on this map that Kajs displayed.
Kajs said a sliver of property 59 is on the Frisco ISD side of the boundary, so the kids who live there get to attend Frisco ISD schools. Nonetheless, its owners participated in the petition as a show of solidarity with their neighbors. However, during the research for this detachment effort, the Kleimans’ next-door neighbors to the west found out a portion of their property is also within Frisco ISD. Once they learned that, they withdrew from the petition.
The owners of property 61 don’t have school-age children. And the owners of property 60 include Pearson Middle School teacher Jennifer Kalinec, so her kids are allowed to attend Frisco ISD schools as an employment benefit.
Kalinec stood behind Megan Kleiman and nodded as Kleiman said, “No one wants to be in a neighborhood where they are the only ones who are pushed to another district. It’s undesirable.”
Kajs showed statistics demonstrating that the Kleimans’ children are zoned to a Lewisville ISD elementary school (Hicks) that is more than twice as far from their home as the nearest Frisco ISD campus (Hosp). The distance disparity is similar for the nearest middle schools in each district.
Megan Kleiman said her daughters would spend an hour riding the bus before and after school, getting picked up before 6:30 a.m. and arriving home at 4 p.m. She said her kids have experienced more absences than other students due to stress. But her biggest concern was their isolation from the other children in their neighborhood.
“Friendships are forged in the classroom and in playgrounds, creating a childhood network of relationships within the homes that exist in their physical neighborhood,” she said. “The closest neighborhood that feeds into Hicks Elementary School is 3 miles away from us, eliminating the ability to knock on friends’ doors and set up lemonade stands or feed the ducks in the pond.”
The Kleimans received support from Leslie Knutson, who also resides in both the City of Frisco and Lewisville ISD. However, Knutson’s entire subdivision is within the Lewisville school district.
“My son and Megan’s son have gone to the same schools, and they don’t have exactly the same experience,” Knutson said. “The difference is, when my son goes home, his friends are there.”
By now, you might be thinking, “Why don’t the Kleimans just move?” Well, their house is on the market, and the listing is with Frisco-based Monument Realty Group. One of the firm’s owners, Tiffany Burns, also addressed the trustees on Monday.
“It’s not about the particular ISD. It’s about interest from the buyers. They love the home,” Burns said, “but when they start finding out that they would be excluded from the entire neighborhood, they don’t put an offer in. It’s been a major problem.”
After Proznik asked her one question, the trustees went into a closed session to consult with their attorney. That lasted about 45 minutes. When they returned to the dais, they unanimously adopted a resolution disapproving the petition, without a public debate.
Kestrel Unofficially Named Coppell’s Bird
Aamir Tinwala addressed the Coppell Parks and Recreation Board on Monday for the second time in as many meetings, and he got a lot of laughs with his opening line: “You know why I’m here.”
As you might recall from an article published last month, Tinwala has proposed designating the American kestrel as Coppell’s official bird. Doing so, the St. Mark’s sophomore said, could help the local ecosystem, promote awareness of conservation, and boost civic pride.
Callie Willis, a recreation supervisor at the city’s Biodiversity Education Center, said staff research revealed no national or state requirements to designate an official bird at the municipal level. Director of Community Experiences Jessica Carpenter said City Secretary Ashley Owens confirmed that there are no local rules on the books either.
So, Carpenter said, that left the decision up to the Parks and Recreation Board. Although no officially recorded vote was taken during Monday’s meeting, the volunteers all gave the American kestrel a thumbs-up and a round of applause. Board member Margaret Bryan then asked whether the designation needed the City Council’s approval.
“There’s nothing in their bylaws or charter that is a mechanism to designate, but we can certainly unofficially do that,” Carpenter said.
Willis gave props to Tinwala, who developed an interest in birds and conservation during the COVID quarantine era. He’s since built nearly 200 nesting boxes to protect small birds such as Carolina chickadees, Carolina wrens, and Northern cardinals.
“Overall, this really just started with Aamir having a passion for birds. He has educated us throughout the process,” Willis told the board members, who include Aamir’s mom, Zainab Tinwala. “We have gotten to really, I guess, pave the way for designating something in Coppell with this.”
Willis said her team has been in touch with University of North Texas researchers who are trying to document and preserve the American kestrel population. They discussed how establishing more nesting boxes in Coppell could provide data for the university’s efforts.
“It has really opened a lot of doors for us, provided some new knowledge,” Willis said, “and been able to connect us with these researchers who are trying to help the [kestrel] population and gives us a really great opportunity to aid them in their research.”
Carpenter said a marketing campaign will be created to spread the word about the American kestrel’s designation as the city’s bird, because — believe it or not — not everybody in Coppell reads this newsletter. Once that campaign is up and running, the Biodiversity Education Center will offer programs at which residents can build nesting boxes that could be placed in their yards, in the Coppell Nature Park, or in one of the Andrew Brown parks.
Meanwhile, Carpenter gave Aamir an unofficial homework assignment. She wants him to provide updates to the board once or twice a year, at least until he goes to college. On a similar note, Bryan unofficially put some work on Wes Mays’ plate.
“It might be nice if the mayor gave a proclamation at a certain point,” she said.
Cricket Pitch Planned in Valley Ranch
The Irving City Council has greenlit more than $425,000 worth of cricket-related expenses, and the biggest chunk of that money will build a new pitch in Valley Ranch.
Irving already has cricket pitches in four locations, but the new one proposed for Sam Houston Trail Park will be the city’s first north of Interstate 635. It will be set up for “tape ball,” which is a less-formal version of cricket played on a smaller field.
A couple of cricket enthusiasts who did not provide their full names told the council that the north side of Irving desperately needs a pitch. The sport’s fans have resorted to playing in a Target parking lot, they said. I’m no cricket expert, but that doesn’t sound very safe to this novice.
These cricketeers would love for the pitch in Valley Ranch to be full-sized, but Scott Crossnoe, the assistant director of Irving’s Parks and Recreation Department, said that wouldn’t be possible. Sam Houston Trail Park used to be the site of a concrete batch plant, and there’s still a lot of debris on the property. Making a nearly 4.5-acre field safely playable would have required almost 500 loads of dirt, Crossnoe estimated.
City Manager Chris Hillman added that such work would require approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, given the park’s proximity to the Elm Fork of the Trinity River.
“We would be moving and increasing the amount of dirt over and above what’s already in there, thus coming under their purview and control,” Hillman said.
The feds are still passively involved, as Irving will spend $429,000 worth of American Rescue Plan Act funds on the new pitch at Sam Houston Trail Park, a similar new pitch at the Mountain Creek Preserve, and irrigation improvements for its existing pitches at W.O. Harrington Park and near the Las Colinas Polo Club.
Crossnoe said some cricket enthusiasts asked whether it might be possible to create multiple youth fields at Sam Houston Trail Park instead of one tape-ball field.
“What we do like about the tape-ball field is it’s a very versatile way for them to be able to rent the property for what they need,” Crossnoe said. “We think the whole cricket community will be able to utilize them, whether it is for youth play or adult play, but also for development and practice.”
Campaign Filing Deadline is Tomorrow
The 2024 campaign season is already getting spicy. Last Monday, Cassandra Hernandez — a Democrat seeking to succeed Julie Johnson as Coppell’s primary representative in the Texas House — included John Jun’s face in a graphic Hernandez shared on social media and in targeted text messages. Coppell’s mayor pro tem was pictured alongside former President Donald Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott, and Attorney General Ken Paxton above these words: “They want to go backwards.”
As of this morning, Jun was the only Republican moving forward with a candidacy in Texas House District 115, which includes most of Coppell and the portion of Irving north of State Highway 114. Assuming Jun ends up as the GOP nominee, Hernandez won’t be able to take him on in November’s general election unless she gets past fellow Democrats Scarlett Cornwallis and Kate Rumsey in the March primary.
The deadline to file a candidacy for the primaries is 5 p.m. tomorrow. Here’s a look at who’s running in other districts that overlap with the City of Coppell or Coppell ISD. Each district’s name is linked to a map of its boundaries. You may want to click them just to laugh at some of the absurd gerrymandering.
Congressional District 24 includes almost all of Coppell and portions of Irving. Incumbent Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Irving) is seeking a third term. She has one primary opponent, Heather Burlison. I know of three Democrats who want to face her next November: Kamal Al Mahesh, Sam Eppler, and Francine Ly. A fourth Democrat, Sandeep Srivastava, decided to pursue a different Congressional seat after sending postcards to District 24 voters.
Congressional District 26 includes the Denton County portions of Coppell. Incumbent Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Pilot Point) is retiring after 11 terms. Former Denton County Judge Scott Armey — the son of Burgess’ predecessor, Dick Armey — is one of several Republicans vying for his dad’s old seat. Others include Luisa Del Rosal, Brandon Gill, John Huffman, Joel Krause, and Doug Robison. Democrats Kelvin Leaphart and Ernest Lineberger III are also running.
Congressional District 33 includes Cypress Waters, Valley Ranch, and other portions of Irving. Incumbent Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth) is seeking a sixth term. He’s facing at least three Democratic challengers, including Carlos Quintanilla, who has run for this seat multiple times and also yelled at me one time. Clint Burgess, Patrick David Gillespie, and Kurt Schwab are Republican candidates.
Texas Senate District 12 includes all of Coppell and portions of Irving. Incumbent Sen. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) is seeking a second term. He has a Democratic challenger named Stephanie Draper.
Texas Senate District 16 covers a big chunk of Irving, including the southern end of Coppell ISD. Incumbent Sen. Nathan Johnson (D-Dallas) is seeking reelection. I’m not aware of any challengers.
Texas House District 63 encompasses the Denton County portions of Coppell. Incumbent Rep. Ben Bumgarner (R-Flower Mound) is seeking a second term, and he has a primary challenger named Vincent Gallo. Two Democrats — former District 65 Rep. Michelle Beckley and Denise Wooten — are also running.
Texas House District 105 includes most of Irving south of State Highway 114. Incumbent Rep. Terry Meza (D-Irving) is seeking a fourth term. I’m not aware of any challengers.
State Board of Education District 11 includes portions of Irving south of Interstate 635. Incumbent Pat Hardy (R-Fort Worth) is seeking reelection, but she’s facing a primary challenge from Brandon Hall.
Chronicle Crumbs
• Lori Ring announced on Facebook that “Michael’s Trains” — which I wrote about in Vol. 1, No. 44 — will not be running in her yard on Cardinal Lane this year due to “family emergencies.” But “Santa on Havencrest” — which I wrote about in Vol. 2, No. 42 — will start hearing kids’ Christmas wishes in Danny Vrla’s yard this Friday evening.
• The Kid Country playground outside The CORE will be closed to all tykes on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday while a slide is replaced.
• Wednesday afternoon is the deadline to submit nominations for the Coppell Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards gala. Nominations can be made in four categories: Large Business of the Year (more than 50 employees), Small Business of the Year (50 or fewer employees), Emerging Business of the Year (no more than two years in existence), or Volunteer of the Year.
• I didn’t notice until Saturday morning that Crescent City Seafood Grill has vacated its spot on the northeast corner of MacArthur Boulevard and East Belt Line Road. That apparently happened right before Thanksgiving. It’s been replaced by a vegetarian Indian eatery called Arunachala.
• Coppell resident Ted Emrich will be the play-by-play announcer for three state championship football games this week on Bally Sports Southwest. He’ll call the Class 3A Division I game at 3 p.m. on Thursday, the Class 4A Division I game at 11 a.m. on Friday, and the Class 5A Division II game at 11 a.m. on Saturday. His partner for Thursday’s game will be Coppell High School graduate Greg Tepper, the managing editor of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, who will also work the Class 2A Division I game at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
• This unfinished house at 551 Arbor Brook Lane has been in limbo for more than a year. Coppell’s Building and Standards Commission had scheduled a public hearing on the stalled project for last Thursday, but that hearing was delayed until this Thursday.
• On Thursday, the Irving City Council approved spending $359,000 to replace the roof of the Valley Ranch Library on Cimarron Trail.
• On Monday, the Lewisville City Council approved a permit that will allow Costco to double the number of pumps at its gas station on State Highway 121.
• The lengthy agenda for Tuesday’s Coppell City Council meeting includes public hearings on three matters covered in recent articles: “Senior Living Proposed Near DART Bridge” in the Oct. 22 edition, “Dream of Ice Cream Shop May Melt Away” in the Nov. 19 edition, and “Plans Call for Overhead Transit of Chemicals” in the Nov. 26 edition.
Community Calendar
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: Theatre Coppell will stage four more performances of this Christmas comedy at the Coppell Arts Center. The next show is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. today.
Ho-Ho Holiday Showcase: The Coppell Community Orchestra will present an enchanting afternoon of music and merriment at 3 p.m. today at the Coppell Arts Center.
Knit Wits gift wrapping: In exchange for a small donation, the Coppell Senior and Community Center’s group of knitting/crocheting/sewing enthusiasts will wrap your gifts between 1 and 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, Dec. 19, and Dec. 21.
Teen Crafternoon: Teenagers are invited to get crafty by making marshmallow snowmen and decorating coffee/cocoa mugs between 4 and 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Cozby Library and Community Commons.
Four Day Weekend: The acclaimed improv comedy troupe returns to the Coppell Arts Center for their monthly engagement at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Get there early for Fun, Food & Grooves starting at 5 p.m.
Wreaths Across America: Coppell’s Rolling Oaks Memorial Center is among more than 4,100 cemeteries nationwide where volunteers will place remembrance wreaths on veterans’ graves. This year’s ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday.
A Jolly Holiday: The Coppell Community Chorale invites you to sing along as they celebrate the holidays at 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Coppell Arts Center.
Guided Bird Walk: A Cozby Library and Community Commons staffer will help participants observe winter bird species between 9:30 and 11 a.m. on Dec. 17. If you go to the library that morning, keep your eyes peeled for the American kestrel, Coppell’s unofficially designated bird.
I feel very badly for the family whose children can’t attend Frisco ISD with the rest of their neighbors. Shame on Lewisville ISD for not putting g children first! It’s only 4 homes! What is wrong with people? Do they just love the power? Seriously, those children should be enjoying their neighborhood friends in the Frisco school!
My exact thoughts, Donna. If it’s not power, it’s definitely the $34,633. At least it seems this family can afford to sell and get their kiddos reestablished into a new home and ISD while still young. It’s a wonderful thing that Coppell ISD allows open enrollment for all Coppellians.
I’m cool with Hedgehogs & American Kestrals,