July 18, 2017 — Regular Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2017-07-18
Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-27 21:17 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting
July 18, 2017
Note: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain inaccuracies. Please consult official board minutes for the authoritative record.
Call to Order
- Meeting called to order at 6:00 PM by President Bush.
- Quorum confirmed; meeting properly noticed under the Texas Open Meetings Act.
- Invocation led by Mr. Hubert; Pledges of Allegiance led by Mr. Williams.
Item 2A: Special District Recognition — District Support Staff Ambassador Awards
Dr. Stockton introduced Dr. Hines, who presented the 2017 Ambassador Award recipients for administrative departments:
- Sondra Richardson — Athletics Department (Administrative Assistant, 5 years; manages departmental budget, game officials, supplies; coordinates workers at Moorhead Stadium football games)
- Sandra Vaughn — Curriculum & Instruction Department (8 years; supports RTI, PBIS, CPI, secondary language arts, LOTE, AP, and special education; mentor to new administrative assistants)
- Patricia Morais — Finance Department (10 years with district; Accounts Payable Clerk since 2013; previously served at Deretchin)
- Sandy Facemire — Human Resources Department (1 year; Employees' Records Specialist; instrumental in the department's transition to paperless employee records)
- Doug Holland — Technology Department (with CISD since 2002; progressed from warehouse driver to network technician to systems IT specialist to Media & Security Supervisor; handles all day-to-day security systems, cameras, and media)
President Bush congratulated all recipients on behalf of the board, noting the common themes of positive attitude and servant leadership.
Public Comment
No one signed up to address the board.
Item 9A (Taken Out of Order): Naming of Principal — Grand Oaks High School
Dr. Stockton recommended Dr. Chris Povich as the first principal of Grand Oaks High School ("the head Grizzly"). Dr. Stockton noted he had worked with Dr. Povich for 20 years.
- Motion to approve Dr. Chris Povich as principal of Grand Oaks High School.
- Vote: Approved unanimously (no opposition noted).
Dr. Povich addressed the board, noting he had completed his 20th year in Conroe ISD. He thanked his wife Victoria Waters (24 years married), sons Brandon and Joseph (ages 2 and 9), and family, friends, and co-workers. He expressed excitement about being the first principal and living, working, and having his children attend school in the district.
Item 3: Consent Agenda
Item 3I was pulled at the request of Mr. Sanders for further discussion.
- Motion to approve the Consent Agenda minus Item I.
- Vote: Approved unanimously.
Item 3I: Consider Award of RFP 17-01-01(A) — Contracted Educational Services, Professional Development, and Educational Consulting Services
Mr. Sanders requested the item be pulled due to the large contract size, wanting transparency and more information.
Staff explained:
- The majority of these contracted services are special education services, which accounts for the large dollar amount.
- The process qualifies vendors to ensure they meet required criteria; the special education director evaluates each response.
- Approximately 37–38 separate contracts are involved; the total dollar amount is spread across all of them.
- The process is ongoing — new groups of vendors are brought to the board monthly as needs change.
Mr. Sanders expressed satisfaction with the explanation.
- Motion to approve Item 3I.
- Vote: Approved unanimously.
Item 4A: Information — Naming Process for New Conroe ISD Campus (Flex 18)
Dr. Curtis Null presented the naming process for a new intermediate school in the Grand Oaks feeder zone ("Flex 18"), scheduled to open August 2018.
- The public input process launched that evening via the CISD website and will run through August 11, 2017.
- Public can submit name suggestions with rationale through an online form.
- Principals, local media, and social media (Twitter, Facebook) will be used to publicize the opportunity.
- Timeline:
- August: Submitted names shared with the board
- September: Action item to officially name the school
Information item — no vote required.
Item 4B: Capital Improvements Update
Mr. Easy Foster provided a comprehensive update on district construction and renovation projects:
Life Cycle Projects (Summer 2017)
| Campus | Project | Status |
|--------|---------|--------|
| Buckalew Elementary | Gym floor replacement | Complete |
| Bush Elementary | Roof replacement | Essentially complete; minor details remaining |
| Galatas Elementary | Roof replacement; gym floor & library carpet | Nearing completion |
| College Park HS | Competition gym floor refinished; tennis courts refinished | In progress |
| Conroe HS | Tennis courts refinished; track surface refreshed | Complete/in progress |
| Creighton Elementary | Parking lot/bus loop replacement | On schedule; down to curbs, sidewalks, and islands |
| David Elementary | Gym floor replacement | Complete |
| Ford Elementary | Gym floor replacement | Complete |
| Hailey Elementary | Roof replacement | ~50% complete; on schedule but won't be fully complete by school start due to earlier start date; plan being made to accommodate open house |
| Hauke Alternative HS | Gym floor repairs/refinishing | Complete |
| Oak Ridge HS | Track refresh | On schedule; awaiting striping |
| Washington Junior High | Main gym refinished | Complete; in curing period |
| The Woodlands HS | Tennis courts refinished | Complete |
Other Projects
- Network Operations Center: On schedule; transitioning from old to new data center; equipment populating racks; recovering old office spaces for new staff.
- Knox Junior High Science Classroom Additions: On schedule for August completion; installing casework and lab equipment; tight schedule. Board member asked about the Knox gym roof — Mr. Foster reported it is a separate item also in process, with remedies discussed with the roofing manufacturer that day; goal to have it ready before first open house.
- Field House: Building envelope essentially done; installing plaster ceilings for showers and wet areas.
- Transportation Facility: Addition complete; expanded parking area; concrete placed and curing for striping.
- Safety & Security Project: Vestibule installation shown at Travis Intermediate; most work is above ceilings.
- Lucille Bradley Elementary: Substantially complete — district took possession June 28; furniture being delivered and set up; will be ready for staff return.
- Grand Oaks High School: On schedule for August 2018 opening; brickwork becoming visible from Grand Parkway; athletic venues (bleachers, light stands) progressing; interior tile work beginning in fine arts/gym areas.
- Flex 18 Intermediate School: On schedule for August 2018 opening; currently in "dirt" phase; structural steel arriving August 1 and will go vertical immediately.
- Conroe High School Addition/Renovation: On schedule; creating bus loop around new building; working with City of Conroe on inspections; installing underground piping infrastructure and central plant for energy-efficient mechanical system (combined chillers, boilers, pumps).
Information item — no vote required.
Item 5A: Financial Reports
Mr. Darrin Rice presented the June 2017 financial statements:
General Fund — Balance Sheet
- Total cash and investments: $206 million
- Cash: $500
- Bank deposits: $322,000
- State pool investments: $80 million
- Short-term investments (<1 year): $74 million
- TCG Investment Advisors: $51 million
- Property tax collections running ahead of prior year; confident of reaching 100% collections.
Fund Balance Projections (No Change from Prior Month)
| Fund | Projected Change |
|------|-----------------|
| General Fund | +$8.9 million |
| Debt Service | +$4.6 million |
| Child Nutrition | +$692,000 |
Self-Funded Insurance
- June: Revenues $3.77M vs. Expenses $3.67M = +$102,000 (back on track)
- Year-to-date: Revenues $37.6M vs. Expenses $34.3M = +$3.3 million revenue over expenses
- Prior year transfer from general fund was approximately $2.5 million
- Board member noted that claims trail by approximately 3 months, so summer claims may show up in September/October; current surplus may not be as large as it appears.
- Wellness Centers: 453 visits in June; North County facility newly opened with 20–25 visits.
- Memorial Hermann rebate: District will receive approximately $1 million rebate due to Memorial Hermann not meeting ACO performance targets.
Investments
- Par value: $429 million
- Combined portfolio yield: 1.14% vs. 90-day T-bill benchmark of just over 1%
- Pool yields: ~1.1%; Short-term: 1.28%; TCG: 1.21%
- Pool investment earnings have risen approximately 75 basis points in the last six months.
Information item — no vote required.
Item 8A: Board Policy Manual Update 108 (Information)
Mrs. Carrie Galatas presented Update 108, describing it as largely routine:
- Terminology changes to align with administrative rules (E-series)
- Credit by examination clarification — board must approve examinations given
- Deletion of old/obsolete law language
- Changes to campus charters policy (district does not currently have one)
- DH Policy (Employee Reporting): Changed requirement so employees involved in criminal activity outside of work now report to HR directly rather than supervisors, addressing concerns about information reaching HR. A new state law also now requires principals to notify the superintendent of criminal activity within seven days.
- GKB Policy: Name changed to standard policy to reduce costs.
These policies will come back for adoption as an action item in August.
Adjournment
- Motion to adjourn: Approved.
- Meeting adjourned at 6:33 PM.
These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and are intended for informational purposes only. For official records, please refer to the approved board minutes available from Conroe ISD.