{
  "id": "2020-01-21_regular",
  "meeting_date": "2020-01-21",
  "meeting_type": "regular",
  "meeting_types": [
    "regular"
  ],
  "title": "Conroe ISD Board Meeting — January 21, 2020",
  "date_display": "January 21, 2020",
  "type_display": "Regular Meeting",
  "types_display": [
    "Regular Meeting"
  ],
  "item_count": 0,
  "has_agenda": false,
  "has_notes": true,
  "pdf_filename": null,
  "packet_url": null,
  "generated_at": "2026-06-18T19:45:20.650969Z",
  "highlights": "",
  "sections": [],
  "agenda_breakdown_md": "",
  "meeting_notes_md": "# Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2020-01-21\n*Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes*\n*Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.*\n*Generated 2026-03-27 22:16 UTC*\n\n---\n\n# Unofficial Meeting Notes\n## Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees\n### Regular Meeting — January 21, 2020\n\n*These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain errors or omissions.*\n\n---\n\n## Public Hearing: 2018–2019 Annual Performance Report\n\n**Presenter:** Dr. Chris Hines\n\n### Key Highlights:\n- **District Rating:** B from the state; met requirements for special education determination\n- **Enrollment:** 64,855 students with steady growth trend over several years\n- **Demographics:** 8.1% African American, 36.6% Hispanic, 47.2% White; 40% economically disadvantaged; 8.2% special education; 14.2% English Language Learners\n- **Languages:** Approximately 2,500 students speak a language other than Spanish or English (Arabic, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, and various Indian dialects among them)\n- **STAAR Performance:** 85% of all students at \"Approaches\" or above in all subjects; English Language Learners at 67% (below state average of 72%) — identified as area for improvement; economically disadvantaged students at 74% (above state average of 71%)\n- **Attendance:** 96.2% for the year (96.3% current year); upward trend over 10 years\n- **Dropout Rate (Class of 2018):** 0.2% annual rate (grades 9–12); 4-year cohort graduation rate of 95.3%; 5-year cohort graduation rate of 97.3%\n- **College Readiness:** 62.2% of 2018 graduates deemed college ready; SAT average 1,162 (state: 1,036); ACT average 23.6 (state: 20.6)\n- **AP Testing:** 34.4% of juniors/seniors took AP tests; 65.4% scored at criterion (state: 50.7%)\n- **Dual Credit:** 24.4% of graduates had taken dual credit courses\n- **Disciplinary Placements:** Down from 2% to 1% over 10 years\n- **Financial:** District received 5 stars and Texas Smart Schools Award for 10 consecutive years (one of only two districts along with Cy-Fair); tax rate at $1.23; 60.39% of spending on instruction (state: 55.79%); district administration at 1.64% (nearly half the state average)\n- **Staff:** 49.4% teachers; average teacher experience 10.9 years; teacher turnover 13.9% (state: 16.5%); average teacher salary $57,478 (state: $54,002)\n- **Criminal Incidents:** 53 reportable incidents at 11 campuses; 37 were felony controlled substance (THC vaping cited as significant uptick)\n- **Counselors/Librarians:** 142 total counselors and 63 total librarians across all campuses\n- **College Enrollment:** 1,418 graduates from Class of 2018 enrolled in higher education; top destinations: Lone Star College Montgomery, Texas A&M, UT Austin, Sam Houston State\n\n**Board member discussion** included questions about whether financial comparisons were apples-to-apples given district size differences, with Dr. Hines explaining the calculations use percentages of total dollars.\n\n**Public Comment on Annual Report:** None.\n\n---\n\n## Regular Board Meeting\n\n**Called to Order:** 6:19 PM\n\n**Quorum Present:** Yes (Members noted: Mr. Moore, Mr. Husbands, Mr. Williams [President], Mr. Hubert, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Eckman)\n\n**Invocation:** Mr. Moore\n\n---\n\n## Item 2: Awards and Recognition\n\n### 2A: Patriots Influencing Education Award — Education for Tomorrow Alliance (EFTA)\n- EFTA recognized for 30 years of partnership with CISD\n- Nonprofit grew from 1989 Woodlands Chamber of Commerce project\n- Sponsors STEM programs including SciTech Exposition, Career Connections, robotics, science fairs, engineering competitions, and more\n- Over 100,000 students have participated with 25,000+ educators and volunteers\n- EFTA President Monica Baumcamp and Program Director Corrine Coulter accepted the award\n- President Williams noted EFTA's broader role including dropout prevention programs (formerly called \"Choices\"), connecting the district's improvement from ~2% dropout rate to 0.2%\n\n### 2B: Board of Trustees Recognition (School Board Appreciation Month)\n- Mr. Chris McCord (McCullough Junior High principal) spoke on behalf of all CISD administrators, educators, staff, and students\n- Students provided cards, posters, banners, drawings, and candy\n- President Williams thanked everyone and asked that appreciation be conveyed back to students and staff\n\n---\n\n## Item 2C: Citizen Participation / Public Comments\n\n### Nicole May — Dyslexia\n- Discussed HB 3 implementation and new dyslexia allotment (~$2 million expected for CISD)\n- Noted the district is under-identifying dyslexic students (4.3% vs. expert estimate of ~20%)\n- Urged the district to use the allotment to hire more dyslexia teachers\n\n### Anne-Marie Kennedy — Trustee Dale Inman's Public Behavior\n- Referenced a Golden Hammer radio recording from October 26, 2019, where Trustee Inman was a guest\n- Alleged that during the show, the host called CPS on parents who made a Facebook post they disagreed with, repeating a child's name and address on air; Inman did not object\n- Stated Inman reportedly refused to sign the CISD code of conduct\n- Alleged the host assigned tasks to Inman regarding board meeting agendas and resolutions\n- Noted Inman did push back when the host called Dr. Noll a \"dictator\"\n- Objected that Inman claims not to represent CISD while publicly identified as a trustee\n\n### Jennifer Nix — Trustee Dale Inman / Other Issues\n- Called for Trustee Inman to resign, citing need for someone more \"equality friendly\"\n- Requested policy changes to allow food delivery to schools\n- Requested Wi-Fi settings be changed to allow social media access in the building\n\n### Rachel Walker — Trustee Dale Inman's Social Media Posts\n- Referenced a Facebook post by Inman equating the LGBTQ community to pedophiles\n- Highlighted a threatening comment on the post (\"put a bullet in his head\")\n- Stated Inman has not publicly apologized\n- Urged that elected officials hold themselves to a higher standard and stop inciting hate\n- *Note: Trustee Inman was not present at the meeting*\n\n### Christy Svoboda — Conroe TSTA\n- Thanked the board for their service\n- Announced the 2020 Salute to Education event: Thursday, May 7, 7 PM, The Woodlands United Methodist Church\n- Event honors campus Teacher of the Year, Rising Star, Humanitarian of the Year, and Friends of Education\n\n---\n\n## Item 3: Consent Agenda\n\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously (no items removed)\n- Motion: Ms. Eckman; Second: noted\n\n---\n\n## Item 4A: Application for 2019–2021 TEA School Safety and Security Grant\n\n**Presenter:** Jim Kay, Assistant Superintendent for Operations\n- Senate Bill 500 authorized TEA school safety grants; CISD eligible for $1,016,765.02\n- Grant period ends May 31, 2021; no matching funds required\n- Largest anticipated purchase: conversion to digital two-way radios for campus communication\n- **Vote:** Approved unanimously\n\n---\n\n## Item 4B: Waiver for Exemption from Full-Day Pre-Kindergarten (2019–2020)\n\n**Presenter:** Dr. Phillips\n- HB 3 requires full-day pre-K; districts may request waivers if classroom facilities need construction\n- CISD solicited partnership applications (Nov 20–Dec 9); five partners applied\n- Committee determined CISD can implement full-day pre-K for 2020–2021 without partners\n- Anticipated 1,600–1,700 pre-K students with 10% growth factor for full-day enrollment\n- Plan involves portable buildings, program shifts between campuses, and possible intra-district transfers\n- Currently serving ~1,600 half-day students; only Houston Elementary (~115 students) and Hauser (~80–90 students) offer full-day\n- Portables already ordered; older students will use portables while younger students remain in permanent buildings\n- Waiver approved by District Level Planning Committee on January 15\n- Requesting one-year waiver only (current school year)\n\n**Board Discussion:**\n- Questions about transportation (provided within zone; not for intra-district transfers)\n- Confirmed pre-K students will not be placed in portables — older elementary students will be moved to portables instead\n- One-year waiver; full-day pre-K expected to launch fall 2020\n\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously\n\n---\n\n## Item 4C: Missed School Days Waiver — Knox Junior High\n\n**Presenter:** Rebecca Colon\n- Knox Junior High closed January 9–10, 2020 due to electrical transformer fire causing significant damage\n- Sprinkler system deployed, causing water damage to mechanical room\n- All missed minutes for the year already used (Tropical Storm Imelda)\n- If TEA approves, students won't need to make up estimated 380 minutes\n- Waiver approved by District Level Planning Committee\n\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously\n\n---\n\n## Item 4D: 2020–2021 School Calendar\n\n**Presenter:** Dr. Hines\n- Timeline: survey in October (30,660 responses), two draft calendars published for feedback (~1,650 responses), committee developed hybrid recommendation on January 15\n- Key survey findings: 67% wanted later start; 78% preferred ending semester before winter break over starting later; Thanksgiving week off and October holiday popular\n\n### Calendar Highlights:\n- **First day of instruction:** August 12, 2020 (District of Innovation status allows early start)\n- **75,600 minutes of instruction** with buffer for inclement weather\n- **175 instructional days** (2 fewer than current year, offset by 2 fewer early release days)\n- **187 staff work days**\n- **Two early release days** converted to staff development days (October 9, March 12)\n- **Thanksgiving break:** November 23–27\n- **October holiday:** October 12 (four-day weekend for students)\n- **February holiday:** February 12–15\n- **First semester ends:** December 18 (84 instructional days)\n- **Second semester begins:** January 6 (91 instructional days) — within 10-day balance\n- **Spring Break:** March 12–19 (same as Lone Star College, Texas A&M, UT, Klein, Humble)\n- **Last day of instruction:** May 26, 2021\n- **Election Day (November 3):** Staff development day, no students — noted as important for voter access\n- **Ends before Memorial Day** (May 31) for the first time in years\n- Requires renewal of 2,100-minute waiver for staff development\n\n**Board Discussion:**\n- Board member expressed appreciation for Election Day accommodation\n- Question about graduation venue availability (Sam Houston, The Pavilion) — informal conversations indicate flexibility; will confirm\n- Discussion about early August 12 start date — acknowledged as earliest ever but necessary trade-off for ending semester before winter break\n\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously\n\n---\n\n## Item 4E: Attendance Zone Boundary Changes — Stockton Junior High and Intermediate Schools\n\n**Presenter:** Dr. Hines\n- Stockton Junior High opening August 2020 (1,450-student capacity, grades 7–8, located at 2750 Excellence Avenue)\n- Committee included representation from schools and geographic areas across Conroe feeder\n- Developed ~20 scenarios, narrowed to 3 for public feedback, committee recommends **Junior High Scenario B and Intermediate Scenario 2**\n\n### Junior High Scenario B:\n- **Pete Junior High:** Currently at 1,450 (capacity), 52% economically disadvantaged → projected 1,177 students, 62.5% economically disadvantaged\n- **Stockton Junior High:** Projected 1,243 students, 75% economically disadvantaged\n- **Total impact:** 492 current students (114 moving Washington→Pete; 378 moving Pete→Stockton)\n- Largest impacted areas: River Plantation, Stewart's Forest, Crystal Forest\n\n### Intermediate Scenario 2:\n- Moves ~32 students in Robinwood area from Cryer to Bozman to keep students on the same site as Stockton\n- Acknowledged Bozman will be tight but future intermediate school will provide relief\n\n**Board Discussion:**\n- Question about Title I funding impact — secondary schools don't participate in Title I; state compensatory funds used instead and can be adjusted\n\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously\n- Board thanked the committee for their extensive work\n\n---\n\n## Item 4F: Update on Elementary/Intermediate Attendance Zones (Woodlands/College Park Feeders)\n\n**Presenter:** Dr. Winkler\n- Committee established to address overcrowding at elementary/intermediate campuses\n- **Wright Elementary:** 131% capacity, 12 portables\n- **Lamar Elementary:** 111% capacity, 6 portables\n- **Bush Elementary:** Currently under 110% but projected to reach 136% in 5 years due to River's Edge development (~1,100 lots)\n- Committee met 6 times, reviewed 26 scenarios, narrowed to 3 for community feedback\n\n### Three Scenarios Presented (Information Only — No Vote):\n\n**Scenario A (impacts ~702 students / ~7%):**\n- Jacobs Reserve moves from Wright to Gladys (entire community stays together)\n- Lakeland/North Lane Oaks from Lamar to Wright\n- Some zones from Gladys to Tough, Bush to Buckelew\n\n**Scenario B (impacts ~746 students):**\n- Jacobs Reserve from Wright to Bush\n- Lakeland/North Lane Oaks from Lamar to Wright\n- Some zones from Bush to Buckelew\n- Powell area to Gladys\n- Some zones from Bush to Derechen (would change intermediate feeder pattern)\n\n**Scenario C (impacts ~790 students):**\n- Jacobs Reserve from Wright to Gladys\n- Lakeland area from Lamar to Wright\n- River's Edge to Buckelew\n- Some Gladys zones to Colson/Tough\n\n### Community Input Process:\n- Knox Junior High: January 22 (6–8 PM)\n- McCullough: Friday at noon\n- The Woodlands High School: following Monday\n- Online feedback also available\n- Final recommendation to board in February\n\n**Board Discussion:**\n- Significant discussion about whether these scenarios would cause the same families to be rezoned again in coming years\n- Dr. Hines noted the last rezoning (10 years ago) was successful in lasting a decade without building a new campus\n- Concern raised about long bus rides in some scenarios (~40 minutes for some routes)\n- Question about interaction with full-day pre-K plans — acknowledged that pre-K program placement will be determined after zoning decisions finalized\n- Board members expressed preference for one-time comprehensive shifts rather than incremental changes that may need to be undone\n- Dr. Hines emphasized the committee is working to avoid moves that would need to be reversed\n\n*No vote taken — information item only; recommendation expected in February*\n\n---\n\n## Item 4G: Selection of Construction Manager at Risk — Runyan, Wilkerson, and Collins\n\n**Presenter:** Mr. Foster\n- Result of 2019 bond referendum; DLR Group is architect\n- Four companies responded to RFQ; all four invited to second step\n- **Recommended:** GTT General Contractors (determined best value)\n- Projects are PE classroom additions; Runyan first (starting summer 2020 due to pre-K mandate impact), ~8–9 months per campus, sequential construction\n- Portables not used for young students; older students temporarily relocated\n\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously\n\n---\n\n## Item 4H: Selection of Construction Manager at Risk — Conroe High School Master Plan Phase 2\n\n**Presenter:** Mr. Foster\n- Continuation/completion of Conroe High School master plan (2019 bond)\n- Architect: PBK; three firms responded to RFQ\n- **Recommended:** Alsор Constructors (also completed Phase 1)\n- Scored substantially higher on proposed personnel; same staff from Phase 1 proposed\n- Board authorized Dr. Noll to negotiate and execute contract\n\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously\n\n---\n\n## Item 4I: Acceptance of 2017 Lifecycle Project\n\n**Presenter:** Mr. Foster\n- Contract value: $8,167,886\n- **Savings returned to district:** $77,984.08\n- Project accepted as complete\n\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously\n\n---\n\n## Item 4J: Acceptance of Clarke Intermediate Construction Project\n\n**Presenter:** Mr. Foster (referenced as Flex Goal #18)\n- Contract value: $25,491,428\n- **Savings returned to district:** $581,823.26\n- Project accepted as complete\n\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously\n\n---\n\n## Item 4K: Capital Improvement Update — Stockton Junior High\n\n**Presenter:** Mr. Foster\n- Final project of 2015 bond referendum; **on schedule** for August 2020 opening\n- Solar panels producing power; glass installation ongoing\n- HVAC system flushing began; building to be conditioned over next month\n- Interior finishes, ceiling grid, and casework underway\n\n---\n\n## Item 5A: Award of CSP 19-10-01 Maintenance Repair and Operations Job Order Contract\n\n**Presenter:** Rick Reeves\n- Maintenance, repair, and operations job order contract program\n- Estimated annual expenditure: $1,000,000\n- Pricing based on Gordian Group catalog; firm through January 31, 2021, with four optional one-year renewal terms through 2025\n\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously\n\n---\n\n## Item 5B: Approval of 2018–2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR)\n\n**Presenter:** Daren Rice (Finance) and Sarah Roberts (Weber & Tidwell)\n- Audit Committee reviewed and recommended approval on January 8\n- **Single audit** conducted (financial statements + federal awards)\n- **Three reports issued:**\n  1. Financial Statements: **Unmodified (clean) opinion** — highest level of assurance\n  2. Yellow Book Report: No material weaknesses, no significant deficiencies, no compliance issues\n  3. Uniform Guidance (Federal Awards): **Unmodified opinion**; no findings\n- Major program audited: Special Education Cluster (~25% of federal expenditures)\n- Next cycle anticipated to review Title I\n- Board asked about best practice recommendations beyond required audit standards; auditor confirmed they proactively identify improvement opportunities as standard practice\n\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously\n\n---\n\n## Executive Session / Closed Hearing\n\n- Board convened in executive session at **8:03 PM** under Texas Government Code §551.071, §551.074, and §551.082\n- **Purpose:** Complaint appeal of former CISD employee Donald Grant against officers in the district's police department\n- Reconvened in open session at **8:40 PM**\n\n### Board Action:\n- **Motion:** Uphold decisions of Level 1 and Level 2 hearing officers; deny all relief requested\n- **Vote:** Approved unanimously (by show of hands)\n- Mr. Grant to receive written notice confirming the decision\n\n---\n\n## Adjournment\n\nMotion to adjourn approved.\n\n---\n\n*Note: Trustee Dale Inman was not present at this meeting. Multiple public commenters addressed his conduct and social media activity.*"
}