April 25, 2023 — Regular Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2023-04-25
Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-28 15:34 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe ISD Student Health Advisory Council (SHAC) Regular Meeting
April 25, 2023
Note: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain inaccuracies. They are not a substitute for official minutes.
Meeting Called to Order
- Time: 4:31 PM
- Chair: Bryce (last name unclear from transcript)
- Members introduced themselves at the start of the meeting.
Approval of February 28 Meeting Minutes
Discussion: A correction was noted — Dr. Upshaw had been listed as a member but should be listed as a subject matter expert who attended the February 28 meeting. The chair also requested that going forward, unapproved minutes carry a "Draft" watermark until formally approved.
Vote: Motion to approve minutes as corrected — Passed (details of vote count not clearly stated).
Subcommittee Updates
1. Bylaws Subcommittee
- Bylaw revisions were based on Texas Education Code §28.004 and the Texas DSHS School Health Advisory Council guide.
- Multiple meetings were held with input from SHAC members, district counsel, and district administrators.
- District counsel reviewed and confirmed the bylaws were legally sound.
- Bylaws are governing documents of the SHAC; they do not require board approval.
Vote: Motion to approve the revised bylaws — Passed unanimously, 17-0 (one abstention noted: 17-1-1, though transcript is slightly unclear).
2. Compliance Subcommittee
- Presented a working compliance document (spreadsheet) mapping all SHAC responsibilities under TEC §28.004.
- Document was developed by the subcommittee chair (Miss Kerszy) and Dr. Upshaw.
- For each section, the document identifies: legal requirements, compliance status, and any gaps.
- The document will be shared via link for all members to review.
- Opioid crisis was identified as an emerging area of concern tied to campus safety and mental health. The committee is working to gather data, and Mr. Chiefly is expected to present opioid-related information at a future meeting.
No vote taken — informational update only.
3. Membership
- The previously approved paper membership application has been converted to an electronic Google Form.
- The form is identical to the paper version; it will be posted on the SHAC's internal website (managed jointly by district staff and the SHAC chair).
- The electronic application will go live May 1.
- Paper applications will still be accepted.
Vote: Motion to approve the electronic membership application — Passed (unanimous by show of hands; exact count not stated).
4. Mental Health Subcommittee
Presenter: Benori (filling in for Lindsay Taylor, who was absent due to illness)
Cell Phone Use Discussion
- The subcommittee identified cell phone use in schools as a major mental health concern.
- Current status: Cell phone policies are a campus-level decision, determined by each campus's Foundations Committee.
- The subcommittee's plan was to research other districts' policies and eventually make recommendations to the Foundations Committees.
Video Presentation by Tessa Stucky, LPC
- A ~21-minute video was shown from Tessa Stucky, a Licensed Professional Counselor in The Woodlands and author of For the Sake of Our Youth.
- Key points from the presentation:
- Teen suicide is at an all-time high; it is the second leading cause of death for adolescents nationally and in Texas.
- Average screen time for teens is 7–9 hours/day; some clients average 17–18 hours.
- Average age of first exposure to pornography: 8 years old.
- Screens provide dopamine but lack oxytocin needed for genuine human connection.
- Technology use is linked to increased anxiety, depression, loneliness, self-harm, and suicidal ideation.
- Sextortion and cyberbullying are serious and growing threats.
- Not all technology is bad — the key is teaching purposeful, balanced use.
- Recommended approach: delay social media access, teach responsible use, prioritize sleep, allow boredom, build resilience.
- Upcoming event: Tessa Stucky will present at Grand Oaks High School on May 15 at 6:30 PM.
Extensive Member Discussion on Cell Phones
Key points raised by various members:
- Variation in current campus policies is significant — some campuses use shoe racks or clear pouches; others have few restrictions. Some allow phone use at lunch; others do not.
- Support for "Away for the Day" approach: Multiple members voiced support for phones being turned off and stored in backpacks during school hours (not locked away), preserving access in true emergencies.
- Safety concerns: Several members noted the importance of students being able to reach parents in genuine emergencies (e.g., active shooter situations). The "Away for the Day" model was seen as addressing this — phones remain in backpacks, accessible if needed.
- Enforcement concerns were raised — teachers already struggle with enforcement. Members discussed the need for clear, meaningful consequences.
- Parent education was emphasized as a critical component — parents need to understand why restrictions are in place and that classroom phones are available for non-emergency contact.
- Statistics shared: 35% higher suicide risk for teens spending 3+ hours/day on devices; 27% higher depression risk for heavy social media users; 80% of principals report negative academic/social impact of cell phones.
- Equity concern: Not all students can afford cell phones; school-provided devices (Chromebooks) should be used for academic work rather than relying on personal devices.
- Members noted that phones at lunch prevent genuine social interaction and enable cyberbullying, including incidents of photo-based bullying/blackmail occurring in the district.
- One member cautioned against putting "all eggs in one basket" — cell phones aren't the only contributor to mental health issues.
- Discussion about the need for phones as organizational tools (calendar, notes) for high schoolers was also raised.
Vote on District-Wide Cell Phone Policy
Motion: That the SHAC supports and recommends a district-wide cell phone policy (without specifying the details of the policy at this time).
Vote: Motion carried (by show of hands; exact count not clearly stated in transcript).
Important clarifications following the vote:
- The motion is a consensus statement that the SHAC believes a district-wide policy is needed.
- The details of the policy have not been determined and will be developed by the Mental Health Subcommittee.
- Per the Texas DSHS SHAC guide, any formal recommendation to the board must include: understanding of community values, evidence of effectiveness, consideration of fiscal impact, and assessment of school community needs.
- The SHAC offered to work with the board on developing policy details if requested.
- There was some debate about whether this motion should go directly to the board or be further developed first. The chair clarified that the consensus statement is public record and can be communicated, but the detailed recommendation will be developed before a formal presentation to the board.
Alternative and Supplemental Health Curriculum Subcommittee Update
Presenter: Mr. Costello
- On April 13, the subcommittee met to explore alternatives to the Goodhart-Wilcox health curriculum.
- 34 Texas districts have adopted Goodhart-Wilcox; many districts and the SBOE representative do not recommend it and are searching for alternatives.
- Esteem curriculum was identified as a potential alternative — used in 60 Texas districts.
- Esteem CEO Tanya Way is invited to present on May 2 at 10:00 AM (in-person with Zoom option available).
- The subcommittee is open to exploring other alternatives that meet TEKS requirements.
- Discussion about making health class optional for graduation: A survey of local districts indicated many do not require health for graduation. However, certain mandatory topics (e.g., CPR) are embedded in health curriculum, so a plan would be needed to ensure those are still covered.
- Subcommittee consensus: The goal is to make health curriculum meaningful and impactful, not just a graduation requirement.
No vote taken — informational update.
Consent Form Update
- A single sentence was added to three consent forms (6th grade, and 8th–12th grade dating violence and human sexuality forms).
- New language: "Parents may use this link to purchase a copy of the curriculum materials from the publisher at the price that does not exceed the price per unit paid by the district." (with link included)
- This addresses a gap where parents lacked clear information on how to access/purchase Goodhart-Wilcox materials.
Vote: Motion to approve the additional sentence on the three consent forms — Passed (unanimous by show of hands).
SHAC Email Update
- The SHAC email is operational with 7 emails received to date.
- Two parent emails received on April 6:
1. Procter & Gamble video concern: A parent raised concerns about the use of a P&G-branded video for 5th/6th grade growth and development, suggesting it could appear as an inadvertent brand endorsement. This concern was referred to the Alternative and Supplemental Health Curriculum subcommittee.
2. Off-campus PE / club sports concern: A parent inquired about policies for students who play competitive sports outside of school and their access to training time vs. on-campus PE requirements. The chair has begun preliminary discussions with Mr. Haymark; this will be revisited at future meetings.
- Process improvements needed:
- Adding an attestation/consent so emailers understand their name and email may be shared with non-district SHAC volunteers.
- Adding pop-up education to clarify the SHAC's purpose and redirect HR-related inquiries to appropriate channels.
- Adding an auto-reply to acknowledge receipt of emails.
- Clarifying who responds to SHAC emails (currently the chair).
- Discussion about improving public awareness of the SHAC — ideas include QR codes on campus linking to the SHAC website and email.
New Business
- None raised.
Meeting Adjourned
- Time: 6:12 PM
- Motion to adjourn passed unanimously.
Summary of All Votes
| Item | Outcome |
|------|---------|
| Approval of Feb. 28 minutes (as corrected) | Passed |
| Approval of revised bylaws | Passed unanimously (17-0) |
| Approval of electronic membership application | Passed (unanimous) |
| SHAC support for district-wide cell phone policy | Passed |
| Addition of sentence to three consent forms | Passed (unanimous) |
| Motion to adjourn | Passed |
Key Action Items / Follow-Ups
1. Mental Health Subcommittee to research and develop recommended details for a district-wide cell phone policy, including review of other ISDs' policies and best practices.
2. Alternative Curriculum Subcommittee to hear presentation from Esteem curriculum CEO on May 2 at 10:00 AM.
3. Tessa Stucky presentation at Grand Oaks High School, May 15 at 6:30 PM — open to the public.
4. Opioid data presentation expected at a future meeting.
5. SHAC email process improvements to be implemented (attestation, auto-reply, pop-up education).
6. Off-campus PE policy — preliminary discussions ongoing; to be revisited at future meeting.
7. Compliance document link to be distributed to all SHAC members.
8. Electronic membership application to go live May 1.
9. Draft minutes to carry "Draft" watermark until approved going forward.