April 19, 2023 — Regular Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2023-04-19
Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-28 15:32 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe ISD School Safety and Security Committee
Special Called Meeting — April 19, 2023
These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain errors or omissions.
Opening Remarks & Caney Creek High School Bomb Threat Incident
The meeting was called to order and recognized as a specially called session of the Safety and Security Committee.
Dr. Noel and Chief Matt provided a detailed account of a bomb threat received at Caney Creek High School earlier that day. Key details:
- The threat was a phone call, believed to be part of multiple similar calls made nationally — not from a local caller.
- The school was fully evacuated (~2,600 students, ~3,000 people total moved outside).
- Responding agencies included:
- Conroe ISD Police Department
- Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management
- Montgomery County Fire Marshal (bomb dog and bomb techs)
- ATF (with explosive detection dog)
- Conroe ISD's own explosive detection canine
- A total of 8–9 explosive detection canines were on scene
- Caney Creek Fire Department
- Montgomery County Hospital District
- Precinct 2 Constable's Office
- Montgomery County EMS
- Campus staff, administration, athletic trainers, and nurses all supported the evacuation effort (providing water, shade, medical standby, etc.)
- On the investigative side, CISD detectives traced the phone number to Little Rock, Arkansas, pinged the cell phone on a street there via the cell provider, and contacted Little Rock Police who took over the investigation. The FBI is involved given the interstate nature of the threat.
- Potential charges include false alarm/report, which could be a federal crime due to the interstate element.
Item 1: Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
- Motion made and seconded to approve the minutes from the last committee meeting.
- Vote: Approved unanimously.
Item 2: Student ID Badges — Discussion
Mr. McCord presented previously shared information on student ID badges for continued committee discussion. This was not a formal vote but a feedback/consensus-gathering session.
Current Status:
- Conroe ISD already provides badges to all students and will continue next year.
- Grades 7 and up: Badges include student photos (functioning as ID badges).
- Pre-K through 6th grade: Badges function primarily as bus passes and do not currently include photos (though this could change).
Survey of Other Districts:
- A wide-ranging survey of Texas districts was presented (Katy, Spring, Georgetown, Southlake, HEB, Dallas-area districts, and Montgomery County districts).
- Requiring student ID badges is very common, particularly at the junior high/middle school level and above.
- Conroe High School previously required ID badges when Dr. Noel served as principal there.
Committee Discussion:
- A teacher/parent committee member (who teaches at Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus) strongly supported requiring badges across the board, citing safety benefits — particularly for campuses with T-buildings (portable buildings) where students move between structures and may not be easily identified.
- Mr. Hubert raised concerns about enforcement and discipline, asking how other districts handle non-compliance, given that discipline issues are already a significant burden on staff.
- Dr. Noel acknowledged enforcement challenges but noted that ID badges can serve as an early, low-stakes boundary for students — establishing structure before more serious behavioral issues arise. He shared that when Conroe High implemented badges, they saw overall improvement in behavior. He noted the importance of positive reinforcement (e.g., bringing donuts to classrooms with 100% compliance).
- Kim (committee member) noted the importance of teaching the system consistently, recognizing that adolescents will forget badges and some may not have the $2 replacement fee, so systems and grace periods need to be in place.
- Discussion acknowledged that this would be "one more thing" for administrators and staff to manage.
Outcome:
- The committee expressed general support (no opposition voiced) for moving the ID badge discussion forward.
- Mr. McCord confirmed the item will be brought to the full Board of Trustees for consideration and decision in a future meeting.
Item 3: Rave 911 App — Information
Mr. McCord presented information on the Rave 911 app, which Montgomery County is providing to all school districts in the county.
Key Features:
- Any staff member can download the app to their phone and register to their specific campus.
- In an emergency, a staff member can instantly alert 911 through the app.
- The app simultaneously notifies all other staff on that campus of the emergency.
- It automatically routes to appropriate responders based on emergency type (e.g., medical emergencies notify Montgomery County Hospital District; active attacker scenarios notify local law enforcement including CISD police and sheriff's department).
- The app works via cellular or Wi-Fi (noted that Wi-Fi is "extremely robust" in CISD buildings, important for areas like Grand Oaks High School where cellular signal is weaker).
- Uses geofencing — the app is campus-specific and works within the geofenced area. Traveling employees are covered at whichever campus they are physically located.
- Also useful for non-emergency, discreet staff communication (e.g., power outages, general notifications without using the PA system).
A promotional video (~2 minutes) was shown to the committee.
Implementation Details:
- Montgomery County is paying the majority of the cost; CISD's share (the "delta") is approximately $20,000, which has been earmarked from the existing safety/security budget.
- Significant setup work is required, including geocoding (much of which was already completed by Mr. Barton previously), technology integration, training, and addressing logistics for substitutes, Child Nutrition workers, custodians, and other traveling staff.
- Willis ISD has already used Rave 911; their communications director was consulted.
- Target implementation: Start of the 2023–2024 school year, contingent on overcoming remaining hurdles.
- Mr. McCord described the project as being on approximately "the 20-yard line" — significant work remains.
Closed Session (Items under Texas Government Code)
The committee moved into closed session at 4:29 PM to discuss:
- §551.076: Deployment or specific occasions for implementation of security personnel or devices
- §551.089: Deliberation regarding safety/security devices or security audits
The committee reconvened in open session at 4:47 PM.
Item 5: Approval of Multi-Hazard Emergency Operations Plan (2023–2024)
- Motion made, seconded.
- Vote: Approved unanimously. (No discussion.)
Item 6: Texas School Safety Center Intruder Detection Audits & Training Plans
- Information was received regarding intruder detection audits from the Texas School Safety Center.
- Motion made and seconded to approve training plans.
- Vote: Approved unanimously. (No discussion.)
Other Notable Items Mentioned
- Safety technology: The district is actively evaluating various safety devices including AI-based tools, sound detectors, and various types of metal detectors (including those used at venues like Disney World and Minute Maid Park). These are complex due to procurement/bid processes and funding.
- Bond Committee: A bond committee is currently working on a potential future bond and has approximately $35 million earmarked for safety and security, in addition to safety features built into new construction.
Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned after Item 6.
- This is anticipated to be the final committee meeting of the school year unless a special need arises.
- Next meeting expected in early June (for the new year cycle). The committee will be notified.