{
  "id": "2020-10-20_regular",
  "meeting_date": "2020-10-20",
  "meeting_type": "regular",
  "meeting_types": [
    "regular"
  ],
  "title": "Conroe ISD Board Meeting — October 20, 2020",
  "date_display": "October 20, 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": "2026-06-18T19:45:20.787272Z",
  "highlights": "",
  "sections": [],
  "agenda_breakdown_md": "",
  "meeting_notes_md": "# Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2020-10-20\n*Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes*\n*Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.*\n*Generated 2026-03-28 13:17 UTC*\n\n---\n\n# Unofficial Meeting Notes\n## Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting\n### October 20, 2020\n\n> **Note:** These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript of the meeting. They may contain inaccuracies due to transcription errors. For official minutes, please consult the district's records.\n\n---\n\n## Call to Order\n- Meeting called to order at **5:59 p.m.** by Board President Datren Williams.\n- A quorum was confirmed present.\n- Trustee Kia led the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, sharing a passage from Galatians 6:9 as encouragement.\n\n---\n\n## Awards and Recognitions\n\n### 2A — Texas PTA Grant Presentation\n- **Susie Kennan**, President of the Texas PTA, presented Conroe ISD with a **$279,200 check** for the purchase of **three clean-running school buses** through the Clean School Bus Grant program, in partnership with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).\n- Executive Director of Operations **Chris McCord** introduced the presentation.\n- The grant was made possible because **Bonnie Wilkinson Elementary** has a PTA, making the district eligible.\n- Principal **Melinda Stewart** and volunteer leader **Candace Armstrong** from Bonnie Wilkinson were recognized.\n- Kennan noted Texas PTA has paid out over **$2 million** in clean school bus grants since 2008 and encouraged growth of PTAs across Conroe ISD.\n\n### 2B — Dyslexia Awareness Month Proclamation\n- **Trustee Moore** read a proclamation he authored honoring **October as Dyslexia Awareness Month**.\n- The proclamation recognized the gap between the estimated 20% of students who may be dyslexic and the approximately 3.5–4% identified statewide.\n- It honored students, parents, educators, specialists, and researchers working with dyslexic students.\n- Moore thanked district staff **Dr. Upshaw**, **Tracy Landis**, and **Dr. Henry**, as well as parents from **Better Education for Dyslexia** for keeping the issue in focus.\n- The proclamation was to be signed by President Williams and placed in the official record and displayed at the district office.\n\n### 2C — Barbara Robertson, RN — 2020 TSNO Administrator of the Year\n- **Dr. Chris Heinz** recognized **Barbara Robertson**, Conroe ISD Coordinator of Health Services, as the **2020 Texas School Nurses Organization (TSNO) School Nurse Administrator of the Year**.\n- Robertson has served as coordinator for six years and previously served 10 years as nurse at Caney Creek High School.\n- Heinz highlighted her integral role in the district's COVID-19 pandemic response and her recent profile in **U.S. News & World Report**.\n- Robertson thanked the board and district for supporting school health and recognized the work of all nurses and clinic assistants.\n\n---\n\n## Citizens Participation (Public Comment)\n\n### Speaker 1 — Parent (Dyslexia Advocacy)\n- Introduced her fourth-grade son **Devin**, a student in the dyslexia program at Bush Elementary.\n- Thanked the board for recognizing Dyslexia Awareness Month and thanked district dyslexia staff.\n- Presented **STAAR score data** from 2018–2019 highlighting campuses with below-state-average reading and writing scores across multiple grade levels.\n- Argued that the district needs to do more for struggling readers, citing concerns about:\n  - Fidelity of dyslexia program implementation (minimum time and maxed-out group sizes)\n  - Under-identification of dyslexic students (3,125 identified out of 64,000 total students vs. estimated 20%)\n  - Lack of dyslexia training for RTI and SPED teachers\n  - Financial inequity — families without resources for private tutoring ($40–60/hour, 3–4 times/week) are disadvantaged\n- Urged the board and Dr. Knoll to prioritize struggling readers.\n\n### Speaker 2 — Justin Vaughn (Parent of Dyslexic Student)\n- Shared his international experience with dyslexia education for his son James.\n- Compared the comprehensive language intervention his son received overseas (full language arts block of 1.5–2 hours covering pronunciation, comprehension, fluency, and reading) to the **20-minute reading-only intervention** he observed in Conroe ISD.\n- Made two requests:\n  1. **Better parent education** — Give parents clear resources on what the school provides and what parents can do to support building blocks of literacy.\n  2. **Transparency on funding** — Help parents understand how state dyslexia funding is allocated; advocated for **Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALTs)**.\n- Acknowledged the addition of a fifth day of intervention compared to prior year as a positive step.\n\n### Speaker 3 — Stuart Schroeder (Boy Scouts of America)\n- Vice Chairman of the George Strait District, Sam Houston Area Council.\n- Introduced **Carla Martinez**, the new district executive for scouting in the area.\n- Highlighted Eagle Scout service projects in Conroe ISD (Oak tree planting at Oak Ridge HS, campus garden maintenance at Oak Ridge Elementary, lending library construction at Lamar Elementary).\n- Noted COVID-19's impact on scouting activities and the transition to virtual programming.\n- Requested continued district support for scouting partnerships.\n\n### Speaker 4 — CISD Teacher (Job Description Concerns)\n- Spoke on behalf of herself and fellow teachers who contacted her with concerns about a **new job description** sent out that teachers were expected to sign by Friday.\n- Noted new terminology beyond what was described as simply adding online teaching language, including references to:\n  - Standard and prolonged/irregular work hours\n  - Communication during standard and prolonged work hours\n  - Exposure to biological hazards\n- Expressed frustration that this was being required **10 weeks into the school year** rather than having been addressed in May 2020 or at contract time.\n- Said teachers feel **frustrated and demeaned**, and are already doing their best under difficult circumstances.\n\n### Speaker 5 — Charles Bircher (Parent)\n- Parent of a fourth grader and sixth grader; father is in hospice care at home.\n- Expressed deep gratitude for the **virtual education program**, which allowed his children to continue learning safely without bringing potential exposure into their home.\n- Praised the district for providing laptops within two days of his request and for the quality of online instruction.\n- Raised two concerns:\n  1. **Canvas errors** — 11 instances across both children in nine weeks where correct answers were marked incorrect in the Canvas system.\n  2. **Transition issues** — His son's transition to new teachers in the second nine weeks resulted in less than an hour of instruction initially, with the new schedule showing only 1.5 hours/day total across all teachers.\n\n### Speaker 6 — Steven Johnson (Parent)\n- Parent of a 13-year-old at Peet Junior High.\n- Argued against the district's **mask requirements for children under 10**, stating the governor's order does not require masks for that age group.\n- Cited zero fatalities ages 0–20 in Montgomery County.\n- Called mask requirements for face-to-face instruction \"unconstitutional\" and \"separate and unequal.\"\n- Urged the board to remove mask requirements and return to normal operations.\n\n---\n\n## Consent Agenda (Item 4)\n\n**Vote: Approved unanimously.**\n\n---\n\n## Public Hearing — District of Innovation Plan Renewal (Item 5)\n\n### Presentation by Dr. Chris Heinz\n- The district's **District of Innovation (DOI) designation** expires in January 2021 and must be renewed.\n- Current plan only provides for a **flexible start date** (before the fourth Monday of August).\n- A potential new addition to the plan may include a **waiver for CTE certifications** for hard-to-fill positions (welding, collision repair, automotive technology, health science, computer science).\n- Outlined the timeline:\n  - October 20: Public hearing, committee designation, resolution adoption\n  - October 21: District Level Planning Committee begins developing plan\n  - Plan posted on website for 30 days for public feedback\n  - November 18: Committee reviews feedback\n  - December 2: Plan finalized\n  - December 15: Board vote on final plan\n\n### Public Comment During Hearing\n- A **TSTA Conroe representative (Carrie)** urged the board to maintain high teacher quality standards when considering CTE certification waivers and not to undermine teachers.\n\n---\n\n## Item 5B — Designation of DOI Plan Committee\n\n- Board designated the **District Level Planning and Decision-Making Committee** as the District of Innovation Plan Committee (same committee used in 2015).\n- Trustee Moore asked a governance question about why re-designation was necessary; Dr. Heinz explained the statute requires the full process to restart when a plan expires.\n- **Trustee Hughman** expressed confidence in the process and in protecting teachers.\n\n**Vote: Approved unanimously.**\n\n---\n\n## Item 5C — Resolution to Renew District of Innovation Designation\n\n**Vote: Approved unanimously.**\n\n---\n\n## Item 6 — Teaching and Learning: Instructional Materials Selection Process (Information Item)\n\n- **Dr. Upshaw** presented information about the state adoption of **pre-kindergarten instructional materials** in Spanish and English.\n- A committee of campus representatives will evaluate materials and make a recommendation.\n- A publisher showcase and community review period will be held at the instructional warehouse.\n- Board recommendation expected in **March**.\n\n**No vote required — information item only.**\n\n---\n\n## Item 7A — Guaranteed Maximum Price for New Teacher Training Center at Woodforest Stadium\n\n- **Mr. Foster** presented the GMP of **$15,552,314** for the new Teacher Training Center.\n- **Brookstone** is the construction manager at risk; **PBK** is the design firm.\n- The building is approximately **49,000–50,000 square feet, two stories**, with multi-use/multipurpose ballroom space.\n- Located on the **north end of Woodforest Stadium** property (opposite the natatorium).\n- Board members noted the efficiency of the location — existing parking, central location for the district, reduced teacher travel.\n\n**Vote: Approved unanimously.**\n\n---\n\n## Item 7B — Capital Improvement Update (Information Item)\n\nMr. Foster provided updates on multiple projects:\n\n| Project | Status | Target Completion |\n|---|---|---|\n| **Hope Elementary School** (Granger Lane area, Caney Creek feeder) | ~50% complete; roof ¾ done; dry by end of December | August 2021 |\n| **Runyan Elementary** (PE classroom, pre-K, library additions) | Pre-K and additions approaching dry condition | Pre-K and major spaces: Winter break return |\n| **York Junior High** (building addition for increased capacity) | Slab nearly complete; structure going up | August 2021 |\n| **Woodlands College Park HS** (classroom addition to reduce portables) | Slab/structure in place; working on upper floors | August 2021 |\n| **Woodlands High School** (3-story building addition to reduce portables) | Slab/structure in place; 2nd floor deck in progress | August 2021 |\n| **Safety & Security 2020** (district-wide) | Wrapping up first responder radio systems; financial closeout pending | 2021 project to be bid in spring |\n\n**No vote required — information item only.**\n\n---\n\n## Public Hearing — Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST Report)\n\n### Presentation by Karen Garza\n- Conroe ISD received a **superior \"A\" rating** — **98 out of 100 points** (the state's highest rating).\n- Based on 2018–19 school year data and fiscal year ending August 31, 2019.\n- Key highlights:\n  - **119 days cash on hand** (Indicator 6: 10/10)\n  - Only deduction: **Indicator 7** (current assets to current liabilities) scored **8/10** due to $50 million strategically invested in longer-term instruments with TCG (ratio still a strong 2.53)\n  - **Unmodified (clean) audit opinion**\n  - Administrative cost ratio of **.0416** — less than half the state cap of .0855\n  - All other indicators scored 10/10 or passed\n  - Student enrollment increased by **3,073 students** from FY17–FY19\n  - Indicator 5 not scored this year (TEA reviewing due to GASB 75/net pension liability)\n\n### Public Comment\n- No public comments received.\n\n---\n\n## Item 8B — Award RFP 20-08-06: New and Used Vehicles\n\n- Recommended award to attached vendors for estimated annual expenditure of **$500,000**.\n- Five vendors submitted bid responses.\n- Evaluated by maintenance, transportation, technology, and CISD police departments.\n\n**Vote: Approved unanimously.**\n\n---\n\n## Item 8C — Award RFP 20-08-07: Auto Fleet Parts\n\n- Recommended award for estimated annual expenditure of **$1.2 million**.\n- 25 vendors submitted responses.\n- One-year term with automatic annual renewal for two additional years (through October 2023).\n\n**Vote: Approved unanimously.**\n\n---\n\n## Item 8D — Final Results: Refunding and New Money Bond Series 2028\n\n### Presentation by John Roebuck, BOK Financial Services\n- Bonds sold on **October 6, 2020**, with closing scheduled for **November 17, 2020**.\n\n**Refunding Portion:**\n- Refunded **$199,630,000** in outstanding bonds\n- Issued **$163,235,000** in new refunding bonds\n- All-in true interest cost: **1.285%** (down from 4.478% on refunded bonds — a ~3.2% reduction)\n- **Net present value savings: $50,067,485** (22.385% PV savings)\n  - Annual savings of approximately **$3,575,000/year for 14 years**\n- Roebuck noted that historically, 3% PV savings was considered good and 5% was great; 22.3% is extraordinary.\n\n**New Money Portion:**\n- Issued **$165,090,000** in bonds\n- Generated **$189 million in project proceeds**\n- All-in cost: **2.478%** (estimated had been ~4%)\n- **$13 million less** in total interest costs than presented in July\n- **$38 million less** in interest costs than estimated when the bond program went to voters in 2019\n\n**Combined savings: approximately $88 million** versus original estimates.\n\n- Board members praised the timing strategy — Roebuck and Mr. Rice waited several hours on the morning of the sale when rates ticked up slightly, which improved results significantly.\n\n**No vote required — information/receive item.**\n\n---\n\n## Item 8E — Monthly Financial Report (September 30, 2020)\n\nPresented by **Karen Garza**:\n\n| Category | Amount |\n|---|---|\n| **Total General Fund Assets** | $622.1 million |\n| **Total Liabilities** | $393 million |\n| **Total Cash & Investments (General Fund)** | $229.4 million |\n| **Year-to-Date Revenues** | $58.8 million |\n| **Year-to-Date Expenses** | $4.8 million |\n| **2019 Bond Referendum — Sold to Date** | $122.5 million |\n| **Encumbered to Date** | $104.1 million |\n| **Estimated to Complete** | $532.4 million |\n| **Self-Funded Insurance — Monthly Revenue** | $4.4 million |\n| **Self-Funded Insurance — Monthly Expenses** | $4.052 million |\n| **Self-Funded Insurance — Net Positive** | $384,000 |\n| **Wellness Center Participation (September)** | 373 visits |\n| **Combined Portfolio Yield** | 0.437% |\n| **90-Day T-Bill Benchmark** | 0.105% |\n\n**No vote required — information item.**\n\n---\n\n## Item 11 — Board Continuing Education Announcement\n\n- President Williams announced that **all board members exceeded** the required continuing education for their year of service.\n- Trustees **Sanders, Hubert, Kia, Husbands, Inman**, and **Williams** exceeded requirements by **one hour**.\n- Trustee **Moore** exceeded requirements by **23 hours**.\n\n---\n\n## Executive Session\n- No executive session was held (no items requiring it).\n\n---\n\n## Adjournment\n- Meeting adjourned following a motion and second (passed unanimously).\n\n---\n\n*These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain errors. For official records, please consult the Conroe ISD Board of Trustees.*"
}