October 17, 2017 — Regular Meeting

Name: October 17, 2017 — Regular Meeting
Start: 2017-10-17

Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting

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Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2017-10-17

Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes

Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.

Generated 2026-03-27 21:22 UTC

Unofficial Meeting Notes

Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting

October 17, 2017

Note: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript of the meeting. They may contain errors or omissions. Official minutes should be consulted for the authoritative record.

Opening

Called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Board President Mrs. Bush. A quorum was confirmed.
Presentation of Colors by Conroe High School Junior ROTC (Captain Kevin Williams, Private Dearmore, Lieutenant Gonzales, Private Stoots, and Private Newman).
Invocation by Mr. Sanders (reflection on the life and prayer of Mother Teresa).
Pledges of Allegiance (U.S. and Texas) led by Mr. Kidd.

Public Comments

The public comment period was dominated by two major themes: a racial incident at The Woodlands High School and Hurricane Harvey tax reappraisals.

Racial Incident at The Woodlands High School / Anti-Bullying

Multiple speakers addressed a Snapchat incident in which a student at The Woodlands High School sent a racially threatening message (containing the N-word and referencing lynching) to an African-American student.

Dr. Enrique Rosero – Urged the Board to reject racism, intolerance, and white supremacy and to be decisive in confronting such behaviors. Noted the incident did not occur in isolation.

Deborah Leiber – Volunteer with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Shared her own daughter's experience with anti-Semitic bullying in CISD schools. Recommended the Board encourage all CISD schools to participate in the ADL "No Place For Hate" Initiative, noting that 365 Houston-area schools participated last year and that Cy-Fair ISD is encouraging district-wide adoption. Provided the ADL website for more information.

Amy Hamrick – Interracial family with children at Powell Elementary. Expressed concern that the district did not issue a strong independent public statement condemning the incident. Noted that high school students she's spoken with said such incidents are not uncommon. Encouraged the Board to push schools toward adopting the No Place For Hate program.

Jennifer Majors Baca – Co-founder of The Woodlands Coalition for Equality. Read a letter from community member Chris J. Miller detailing multiple racially charged incidents in the area, referencing SB 179 (David's Law on cyberbullying), and urging the Board to implement the No Place For Hate Initiative in CISD high schools.

Randall Kallinen – Civil rights attorney and former president of the Houston ACLU. Described the Snapchat message content. Criticized the school's response, stating the principal suggested the victim transfer schools and that no meaningful discipline was imposed on the offending student. Urged the Board, as the governing body above the superintendent and principals, to take decisive action.

RJ King – Father of the targeted student. Stated his family moved from Michigan over a year ago and that his daughter had previously experienced a racial comment at McCullough Junior High after the 2016 election. Described his daughter as traumatized by the Snapchat threat. Said the administration's response of rearranging the offending student's schedule was "clearly not enough." Called for zero tolerance, removal of the offending student, and a district-wide communication rejecting such behavior. Stated: "If you don't take action, guess what that says — you condone what's going on."

Cynthia Cole – Board member of the Greater Houston Coalition for Justice. Referenced SB 179 (effective September 1, 2017) requiring school districts to have cyberbullying policies and consistent disciplinary actions. Urged the Board to act, stating "Fix it. Because it can happen."

Other Public Comments

Matt Beasley – Presented a petition with approximately 1,200 signatures opposing the district's transportation policy, specifically regarding students who must walk up to two miles (through ditches, carrying instruments) without bus service. Referenced the district's $128 million in savings and asked for equal transportation services. Submitted petition for the record.

Jason Millsaps – Chairman of Montgomery County Young Republicans. Read a unanimously passed resolution calling on Conroe ISD to approve reappraisals of Hurricane Harvey-damaged properties. Noted that Willis ISD, The Woodlands Township, Montgomery County Hospital District, and others had already approved reappraisals. Referenced the district's $166 million unobligated surplus and urged the Board to provide relief to affected taxpayers.

George Young – Homeowner in Benders Landing. Complained about construction of Woodson's Reserve Middle School behind his home, including: removal of all buffer trees in violation of community setback rules, construction work occurring at 2–4 a.m. with floodlights and noise, and unresponsiveness from CISD's construction division. Stated police told him CISD is exempt from noise ordinances.

Consent Agenda

Motion: Mr. Sanders moved to approve; Mr. Moore seconded.

Vote: Passed unanimously (no dissent noted).

Item 4A: Texas Accountability Summary — SAT, ACT, AP, TELPAS Results for 2017

Presented by: Dr. Curtis Null, Deputy Superintendent

Key Highlights:

TEA Accountability:

District rating: Met Standard (highest possible rating)
Index 1 (Student Achievement): 85 (state: 75; target: 60)
Index 2 (Student Progress): 45 (state target: 22)
Index 3 (Closing Performance Gaps): 49 (state: 40; target: 28)
Index 4 (Post-Secondary Readiness): 82 (state: 76; target: 60)

System Safeguards: Met 74 of 86 standards (86%). Target areas remain Special Education and English Language Learner performance — noted as a common challenge across comparable districts.

District Distinctions: Scored 32% of total measures (55% needed for distinction). Campuses earned 37% of total possible distinctions.

TELPAS (English Language Learners):

Students in early-exit bilingual/ESL model outperform monolingual peers on English STAAR tests in their first and second monitored years.

Graduation Rate:

Believed to be the highest ever in district history; Class of 2015 rate was 95.7%.
Students on more rigorous graduation plans continue to increase.
All current seniors now on the new Foundations plan with endorsement and distinguished designation as default.

SAT: District outpaces state and national averages (test was renormed).

National Merit Scholars: 24 semifinalists to be honored at the next meeting.

ACT: Composite score of 23.5 (very high for a district). 45% of testers deemed college ready vs. 26% statewide.

Advanced Placement: 4,544 students took 9,367 exams. Average score of 2.89 exceeded state and national averages. Most popular: World History, with AP Human Geography notable as primarily a freshman course.

Dual Credit (Lone Star College): Enrollment continues to rise without sacrificing AP participation. English is the top dual-credit course.

CTE/Workforce: Programs include welding, phlebotomy, CNC, auto-tech, and EMT. Students earn industry certifications (e.g., ServSafe).

Post-Graduation Plans: Majority plan four-year college; Texas A&M and UT remain top destinations.

Upcoming Events:

College Night recently held (~150 universities, ~5,000 attendees)
Career Expo: October 26, 6–8 p.m. at Lone Star Convention Center

Mrs. Bush asked about the number of dual-credit students; Dr. Null committed to providing that figure.

Campus administrators and teachers present were recognized and thanked.

Item 5A: Design-Build Firm for Stadium Scoreboard Replacement

Presented by: Easy Foster, Director of Planning & Construction

Project replaces end-of-life scoreboards at both stadiums and the Natatorium.
Three firms responded to RFQ; two (Daktronics and NEFCO) were interviewed.
Daktronics selected as best value based on published criteria.

Motion: Dr. Stockton moved; Mr. Sanders seconded.

Vote: Passed unanimously.

Item 5B: Capital Improvements Update

Presented by: Easy Foster

Network Operations Center: Final update; project complete. Former data center space reclaimed for district personnel.
Safety & Security Project (Phase 2): On schedule through end of December. Phase 3 to be brought for approval in early spring.
Grand Oaks High School: On schedule to open August 2018. Building substantially closed in; interior finishes progressing; athletic venues developing.
Katherine Johnson Clark Intermediate School: On schedule to open August 2018 alongside Grand Oaks. Roof decking and masonry underway.
Conroe High School Renovations: Central plant foundations installed; classroom addition underway. Major mechanical system upgrades planned for main campus through December 2019.

Item 9A: Naming the Headmaster for the Academy for Science and Health Professions

(Moved up on the agenda at Mr. Moore's request)

Recommendation: Dr. Stockton recommended Dr. Terri Benson as the new Headmaster.

Motion: Mr. Husbands moved to approve (with enthusiastic stumble); seconded.

Vote: Passed unanimously.

Dr. Benson addressed the Board, thanking Dr. Papadimitriou (predecessor), district leadership, family, and supporters. She committed to furthering the Academy's culture of academic excellence. Her family members (husband Matt, children Sage and John, mother Linda Cabbell — a CISD educator, and in-laws) were present and recognized.

Mr. Moore offered personal thanks to Dr. Benson on behalf of the Board and as a parent.

Item 6A: Discussion — Possible Reappraisal of Property Damaged by Hurricane Harvey

Presented by: Darrin Rice, CFO

Updated Information:

Damaged properties reduced from initial estimate of 6,000 to 2,278 (not expected to exceed 2,300).
TEA will treat the loss as a state exemption (not local), meaning the district is held harmless: revenue lost in 2017-18 is recovered in 2018-19.
Total tax revenue decrease: ~$1,065,000 (General Fund) + ~$245,000 (Debt Service)
Appraisal district fees: ~$83,000
Net district cost over two years: Less than $350,000 (down from initially feared $3.5 million)
Total tax savings to residents: ~$1.3 million (~$540 per average household valued at $269,000)

Mr. Husbands confirmed the significant change in facts since the prior vote, noting the reduction from 6,000 to ~2,300 properties, from $3.5M to $350K in costs, and the new hold-harmless determination from TEA.

Item 6B: Resolution Authorizing Reappraisal of Harvey-Damaged Property

Motion: Mr. Moore moved; Mr. Sanders seconded.

Vote: Passed unanimously.

Mrs. Bush thanked staff for continuing discussions with TEA, Tammy McCray, and Tony Belinoski.

Note: This reverses the Board's previous 5-2 vote on September 19, 2017 rejecting reappraisals, based on significantly updated information.

Item 6C: Information — RFP for Naming Rights (Woodforest Bank Stadium & Natatorium)

Presented by: Darrin Rice

Current naming rights agreement with Woodforest National Bank expires October 31, 2018.
District preparing an RFP for naming rights to the south county stadium and/or the Natatorium (could be split into separate naming agreements — a new approach).
Proposals due in December; evaluated on monetary value, contract length/terms, advertising content, and other relevant factors.
Minimum contract term: 10 years with renewal options.

No vote required — information item only.

Item 6D: Award of RFP 17-01-01A — Contracted Educational Services

Presented by: Darrin Rice

Recommended awarding to 20 vendors for contracted educational services, professional development, and consulting.
Estimated annual expenditure: ~$40,000 (included in previously approved $1.5 million annual estimate).
136 of estimated 350 vendors awarded since June 2017.
Contracts firm through October 31, 2018 with four one-year renewal options through October 31, 2022.

Motion: Dr. Stockton moved; seconded (speaker unclear).

Vote: Passed unanimously.

Item 6E: Financial Reports — September 2017

Presented by: Darrin Rice

General Fund Cash & Investments:

Cash on hand: $13,300
Bank deposits: $151,000
State pool investments: $93.6 million
Short-term investments (<1 year): $29.7 million
Longer-term investments (TCG Investment Advisors): $51.6 million
Total General Fund cash & investments: $175 million

2015 Bond Referendum Status:

Expended and encumbered: $302.2 million
Project forecast: $514.8 million
Estimate to complete: $212.6 million
Contingency remaining: $5.4 million

Self-Funded Insurance (September):

Total revenues: $3,964,000
Total expenses: $2,858,000
Net positive: $1.1 million (possibly helped by reduced claims during hurricane week; October trending well also)
Wellness center visits: 470 patients
Conroe wellness center "slow but getting better" as awareness grows

Investment Portfolio:

Par value: $324 million
Combined portfolio weighted average maturity: 84 days
Combined yield: 1.25% (vs. 90-day T-bill benchmark of 1.05%)

Executive Session

The Board entered closed session at 7:28 p.m. under Texas Government Code sections 551.071, 551.074, 551.082, and 551.0821 (covering legal matters, personnel, and related items).

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:45 p.m.

Summary of Votes

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Notable Items & Flags

Racial incident at The Woodlands High School drew extensive public comment (6 of 9 speakers). Multiple speakers urged adoption of ADL's No Place For Hate Initiative. The Board did not discuss or act on this matter as it was not a posted agenda item, per Board policy.
Hurricane Harvey reappraisal resolution passed unanimously, reversing the Board's prior 5-2 rejection on September 19, 2017. The reversal was driven by significantly updated data: properties reduced from ~6,000 to ~2,300, costs reduced from ~$3.5M to <$350K, and TEA's hold-harmless determination.
Transportation petition with ~1,200 signatures submitted for the record by Matt Beasley; no Board action taken.
Construction noise complaint regarding Woodson's Reserve Middle School construction raised by George Young; no Board action taken.