LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Michael Maness

Position: Principal
School: Cypress Ranch High School
School District: Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
City, State: Cypress, TX

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Michael Maness was nominated by Patricia Holloway, the parent of a student.

Mr. Maness needs no introduction in the Cypress-Fairbanks School District. His impeccable reputation, on paper and in the community, speaks for itself. Holloway and her husband had a set of triplets who encountered challenges at school. After struggling to find help, they researched specific school districts and schools, and decided on CFISD.

"We uprooted the family to Warner Elementary School, where Mr. Maness served as Principal. My girls would start at the beginning of their fourth grade year. I really did not know much about Warner, but just walking up to the door and meeting parents, they would say 'You are really going to love this school,'" Holloway said. "I placed a call to the school after-hours in the summer and Mr. Maness himself answered. I will never forget his calming voice saying 'Ms. Holloway, don't worry about it. We got this! Enjoy your summer.'"

Mr. Maness' leadership helped steer Holloway's daughters in a better direction.

"For that, I am forever grateful! There is nothing that I can give to equal the value that his leadership has provided. Mr. Maness continuously proves his ability to make a beneficial difference in the lives of students, teachers, parents and the community," Holloway said.

Holloway's daughters are now juniors in high school, and this is Mr. Maness' second year as principal at Cypress Ranch High School. His presence fosters a positive atmosphere conducive to teaching and learning. His leadership speaks for itself; he is in demand because of his ability to make positive change for all while remaining professional. His schools have always had a high performance success rate.

"Mr. Maness made a magnificent difference for my triplet girls who are all now positioned for great success," said Holloway. "There is no way that I could ever repay Mr. Maness for what he has done for my family, as well as other families in the CyFair ISD District. Therefore, I hope that this nomination will help "pay-it-back" to encourage his continued character. Because of his high morals, ethical standards and professionalism; along with his nurturing and caring spirit, Mr. Maness is a LifeChanger in our community."

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Comments (11)

Roxana Bryant Posted over a year ago

Mike Maness Is truly a Life Changer. He is passionate about our children and their success. He is also a huge advocate for his teachers and staff. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to work with him!

Makenzie Kellgren Posted over a year ago

Mr. Maness is such an incredible educator not only for students, but also for teachers. He took me from being a completely inexperienced teacher, to an educator who is about to graduate with their masters.

Lindsey Dodds Posted over a year ago

I worked with Mr. Maness when I taught at Spillane Middle School, where he was the building principal. He is the perfect balance of a leader who holds his staff to high standards of excellence yet builds a community that feels like family out of that same staff. He manages to laugh and have fun, yet he is driven to better himself and those around him. I am honored to have had the opportunity to work and grow under his leadership, and I know that I am a better leader myself because of the example he sets.

Darien Ball Posted over a year ago

I work with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, and the Northwest Harris County Cooperative for the Hearing Impaired includes students from multiple districts. When the program was moved to Spillane, I worked on another campus that collaborated with Spillane and I was impressed with how Mr. Maness welcomed our students and staff. After moving to Spillane, my respect for Mr. Maness and the incredible cultural climate that he created grew infinitely. Our students represent a wide range of abilities, from academically gifted students with hearing loss to students with additional severe disabilities. Mr. Maness was incredibly supportive of our staff and students, and all decisions that were made were focused on what was best for each individual student rather than what was easy or what looked better to others unfamiliar with the situation. Needless to say, my team and I have seen incredible growth in our students that is directly attributed to Mr. Maness's leadership. Even though Mr. Maness is now at Cy-Ranch High School, the campus climate and the student-centered focus he created continues to flourish. Our students are not only given equal access to all aspects of their education, they are equally expected to be successful and the staff is empowered in creating innovative learning opportunities.

Tracy Boeker Posted over a year ago

One of the things I appreciate about Mr. Maness is that he is willing to do anything for his students and teachers. He does not hesitate to dress in costume or act silly to make teachers excited about doing their job and kids excited about learning. He is a strong leader with high expectations of his staff, and he provides us with the tools and guidance needed to be successful, while giving us the freedom to find our way to help reach students their potential without following a script or being afraid to make mistakes. He realizes that the growth mindset starts with teachers believing in themselves, questioning their practices, and constantly looking for ways to better themselves first before they can encourage students to do the same.

Drew Vaughn Posted over a year ago

Mr. Maness saw something in me and gave me the opportunity to be an educator. Not only did he believe in me, but he helped support and facilitate my teaching style. He never made me feel inadequate and believed in the power of relationship building. He never says no; he does help us to find an alternative path that can lead to a more successful outcome. Mr. Maness changed my life and I am forever thankful.

Sherry Jones Posted over a year ago

I met Mike last year when applying for a position at Spillane Middle School. Upon leaving the panel interview I was very excited and felt instantly "at home" with several of the staff, one being Mike. His kind demeanor was settling but it was very clear that he was very serious about picking the right person to fill the position. When he called a couple of days later to offer me the job he instantly made me feel like I belonged to the Spillane family. Over the course of my first year I watched as he led the staff with integrity, sincerity, and most of all dedication. His desire to do what was right for each student was evident and this was very inspiring. He treated the students and staff with the utmost kindness yet challenged each and everyone of us to do our very best. Although I only worked with him for 1 semester, the impact he made was tremendous. As a "new" teacher (year 2), I aspire to become half the educator and life changer that he is!

Morgan Banks Posted over a year ago

I was blessed to have been under Michael Maness’s supervision and care my first year of teaching. I could not have asked for a greater experience to start off as an educator. Having Mr. Maness visit my class during my first few years helped me grow tremendously. When I was hired, I was told by many how lucky I was to have him as a principal, and now I truly understand those words. It must have been difficult for Mr. Manes to leave this home of Spillane, but I know he is touching many more lives at Cypress Ranch High School. I honestly hope that I will have the honor of working for him again in the future.

Gayle Callahan Posted over a year ago

Mr. Maness is one of the most positive and supportive leaders in our community. He makes a difference in the lives of teachers, staff, and students every day. I had the privilege of working directly with him as his campus' school psychologist for several years and I can assure you that he always had all students' well being, education, and overall development as the center of his decision making and interactions. His compassion is contagious and permeates throughout the communities that he nurtures. Mr. Maness deserves your special recognition.

Tina Guest Posted over a year ago

I worked for Mr. Maness at Spillane Middle School. What I loved about working under him is that he always did what was best for students, even if it was the harder road to travel. I had one student in particular that got into some serious trouble. There were many options available to Mr. Maness about how to handle the infraction. He could of let authorities handle it and wash his hands of the difficulty, but he didn't. He followed protocol to ensure the student knew the seriousness of the crime which meant multiple meetings with parents, personnel and officials, all so the student could get on the right path. I admire him a great deal and trust that he has the students' best interests at heart in all he does.

Mark Henry Posted over a year ago

Mr. Maness has been a difference maker in the lives of young people for over two decades. When I arrived in CFISD he was an elementary principal. Due to his leadership skills, he was promoted to Spillane MS where he continued to succeed. This past January, he assumed the principal's position at CyRanch HS. He has already had a positive impact on the culture of the school and the lives of its students! Mike is a true leader that changes lives!! MH