November 28, 2023 — Regular Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2023-11-28
Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-28 16:19 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe ISD School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) Meeting
November 28, 2023 — Regular Meeting
Note: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript. They may contain errors or omissions. Official minutes are posted on the CISD SHAC website.
Attendance & Introductions
The meeting opened with introductions from all members present, including parents, teachers, administrators, district staff, and community members representing feeders across the district (Conroe, The Woodlands, College Park, Grand Oaks). Board member Misty Odenweller was recognized as a guest in attendance.
Members represented a wide cross-section of the district including:
- Matt Blake — CISD Chief of Police
- Dr. Bryce Spear — Parent, prior year SHAC Chair
- April KY — Parent, College Park feeder
- Wade Heymark — Coordinator for PE and Health
- Dina Graves — Athletic Specialist
- Mark Merle — Principal, College Park High School
- Paula Kesy — Principal, Mitchell Intermediate
- Lindsay Taylor — Mental Health Specialist, Guidance and Counseling
- Bridget Hodge — PE Teacher/Facilitator
- Mila Cobbler — School Nurse, Patterson Elementary
- Amber Bentley — Counselor, Clark Intermediate
- Clinton Doth — Principal, Coffman Elementary
- Melanie Brnck — Headmaster, Academy for Science and Health Professions
- Multiple parents from all feeder zones and community members
SHAC Overview (Dr. Bryce Spear)
Dr. Spear provided an overview of the SHAC's purpose and responsibilities under Texas Education Code §28.004, including:
- Ensuring community values are reflected in health education instruction
- The district must consider SHAC recommendations before changing health education curriculum
- Responsibilities include: hours of health education instruction, nutrition, mental health services, employee wellness, safe/healthy school environments, human sexuality instruction (grade levels and methods), daily recess policies, strategies to increase parental awareness
- Recent legislative additions include curriculum instruction on child abuse, family violence, dating violence, and sex trafficking
Governing documents: Texas Education Code §28.004, Texas DSHS SHAC Council Guide, and CISD SHAC Bylaws (amended the prior year).
Approval of Minutes
- Motion to approve prior meeting minutes
- Vote: Approved unanimously (all in favor, none opposed)
Community Feedback
Dr. Alex Harris addressed the SHAC:
- Emphasized that TEC §28.004 stresses abstinence from sexual activity as the primary objective
- Expressed concern about the National Sex Education Standards (NSES), stating they seek to introduce concepts such as hormone blockers by 5th grade and gender identity differentiation by 10th grade
- Argued that NSES violates §28.004 and requested that books aligned with NSES be removed from CISD libraries
- Stated this type of content is not the role of public schools
Two other individuals who had emailed were not present.
Website issue noted: A former "Contact SHAC" button on the SHAC website has been removed. A request was made to restore it so parents can email the SHAC directly from the website.
Subcommittee Updates
1. Compliance Subcommittee (April KY)
- Compliance is a standing subcommittee ensuring SHAC complies with bylaws, federal/state legislation, and CISD policies
- A compliance tracker (Excel spreadsheet) was created last year to monitor TEC requirements
- Topics tracked include: opioid addiction/abuse (Tucker's Law — HB 3908), suicide strategies, health education hours, recess/physical activity
Key Legislative Item — Human Sexuality Opt-In:
- TEC Section I-2 requires written parental consent (opt-in) before human sexuality instruction, with specific notice requirements
- This section expires August 1, 2024
- Last year, SHAC created opt-in forms (paper copies sent home) for Health 1 students (typically 8th graders); the process has been working well
- Over 5,000 students opted in (~97-98% return rate)
- The prior process was opt-out (default = instruction given unless parent objected); the current process is opt-in (default = no instruction unless parent consents)
Motion: April KY moved that SHAC recommend to the Board that the existing opt-in process be considered for adoption as formal district policy, so it continues regardless of whether TEC §I-2 is amended or expires.
Discussion:
- Some new members suggested tabling the motion to allow time to research
- KY noted the timeline concern: board policy changes take months, and waiting until January could push implementation past the August 2024 expiration
- District staff confirmed the process could also be maintained as an administrative process without board policy, but KY argued SHAC should formally voice its recommendation
- A member noted that while opt-in could disadvantage students without involved parents, the 97-98% return rate suggests the process is working
- Clarification provided: this is a recommendation to the board, not a binding policy decision by SHAC
Vote: Motion passed (show of hands, no opposition noted in transcript)
2. Tucker's Law (HB 3908) Update
- New legislative requirement adds synthetic opioid/fentanyl addiction and abuse to SHAC's recommendation responsibilities for grade-level curriculum
3. Membership Subcommittee (April KY)
KY provided a detailed account of the September 2023 board meeting controversy regarding SHAC membership:
Timeline of events:
- November 2022: Membership subcommittee formed; created a documented recruitment and application process
- February 2023: Process unanimously approved by all SHAC members (Dr. Upshaw present)
- May 2023: District posted flyers and social media advertisements for applications
- July 2023: Membership subcommittee reviewed applications; recommended every applicant including Dr. Upshaw
- Late August 2023: Dr. Upshaw requested adding 12 additional district resources to the recommendation; KY and Spear stated they lacked unilateral authority to modify the approved process
- September 2023: Dr. Spear submitted the SHAC recommendation to Dr. Upshaw for board book inclusion; Dr. Upshaw altered the recommendation without consent — removed facts, changed tone, implied SHAC didn't want district personnel, and added the 12 members
- The original SHAC recommendation was never provided to the board as written
Specific claims KY refuted:
1. Dr. Upshaw stated she was "kept from participating" — KY noted Upshaw was at every meeting, present for every vote, advertised the application, and applied herself
2. Dr. Upshaw stated she was "shut out from SHAC activities" — KY noted Upshaw was not appointed by the board that year and was treated as any non-member per bylaws (non-voting, not on subcommittees)
3. Dr. Upshaw stated Board President Hubert appointed her as district liaison in January — KY noted this was never communicated to SHAC leadership publicly or privately
Multiple members supported last year's SHAC work:
- Dr. Spear expressed that the situation felt like an "us vs. district" dynamic, which was never her intention; she felt accusations were "hurled" that didn't reflect the SHAC's work
- Samir Zedi (multi-year member) confirmed last year was the most transparent SHAC he'd experienced
- Garrett Castello praised Dr. Spear's leadership and the open, respectful nature of meetings
- Another member who attended the September board meeting stated parents were "mistreated" at that meeting and called it "shameful"
Dr. Upshaw apologized publicly: "I do apologize for how everything went down... all I can say is I am sorry."
Bylaws discussion: A member asked whether bylaws are binding. KY clarified that bylaws are binding on SHAC but the board is not bound by SHAC bylaws and can make its own decisions.
4. Mental Health Subcommittee (Dr. Spear)
- Originated from a member affected by student suicide in the district
- Generated the cell phone policy recommendations to the board, which catalyzed district-wide engagement
- Call for new topics — the following were proposed for the mental health subcommittee's work:
1. Library books related to gender identity — concern about books in 5th-6th grade libraries that "glorify" hormone treatments/puberty blockers without discussing irreversible effects (raised by a member)
2. Bullying, violence, school safety — risk assessment and personal safety
3. Substance abuse/overdose deaths — a member (Jesse Frasier) passionately spoke about students dying from overdoses, noting it's a leading cause of death in the district; urged the committee to prioritize life-and-death issues over controversial debates
4. Girls' confidence and self-esteem — concern about gender disparity in National Merit finalists (90% male); encouraging girls from a young age
5. Support for children of divorce/family change — Clark Intermediate has introduced a program; desire to expand to elementary ages
6. Mentorship programs — connecting older students (athletics, band, choir, etc.) with younger students
7. Teacher/staff mental health — not just student-focused
8. Students feeling "invisible" in a large, growing district — ensuring every child is seen and known by name
9. Academic pressure — "the goal line keeps moving"
5. Cell Phone Policy Update (Dr. Medford)
- The SHAC's cell phone recommendations were approved by the board and led to a district-wide committee
- PreK-6 guidelines: Approved and in progress/being implemented
- Secondary (7-12) guidelines: Approved at the November 2023 board meeting (passed unanimously)
- Secondary implementation planned for start of second semester (after winter break) to coincide with new schedules
- Campuses currently working on communication plans for teachers and students
6. Alternative and Supplemental Health Curriculum (Garrett Castello)
- SHAC is required by state law to review health curriculum annually
- Currently using Goodheart-Willcox curriculum
- Subcommittee reviewed scope and sequence last year; more work needed
- SBOE recently removed Goodheart-Willcox from approved list — clarification needed on whether this applies to health curriculum specifically or only science (follow-up required)
7. Physical Activity and Fitness (Wade Heymark)
- No formal updates; last year parents brought ideas for expanding programs
- Committee documented all existing K-12 programs across campuses
- Working on additions for next school year
- Encouraged new members to join
Community Events & CISD University (Lindsay Taylor)
Fall 2023 events completed:
- Talk Saves Lives — Suicide Prevention introduction
- Bullying Prevention (Region 6 speaker)
- Hidden in Plain Sight — Substance Use Awareness
- College Readiness for K-6 (held same evening as this meeting)
Spring 2024 events planned:
- Jan 30 — Healthy Relationships (Montgomery County Women's Center)
- Feb 6 — For the Sake of Our Youth (Tessa Stucky) at JET facility
- Feb 22 — Webinar: Technology Shaping the Brain (Dr. Crystal Collier)
- March 2 — CISD University at JET facility, 10am-2pm (topics: technology safety, digital citizenship, self-esteem, managing emotions, Tessa Stucky presentation)
- March 7 — Screenagers documentary viewing (in works)
- March 26 — For the Sake of Our Youth (Grand Oaks feeder zone)
- April 9 — Anxiety presentation via T-CHAT (Texas telemental health)
Volunteers requested for CISD University and event promotion via social media.
Officer Elections
SHAC Parent Chair
- Nominated: Dr. Bryce Spear (nominated by a member citing her qualifications and inclusive leadership last year)
- Vote: Approved unanimously — Dr. Bryce Spear elected SHAC Parent Chair
SHAC Secretary
- Nominated: Sam Tor (self-nominated)
- Vote: Approved unanimously — Sam Tor elected SHAC Secretary
Subcommittee Sign-Up Process
- Members will receive a Google Form link via email to sign up for subcommittees
- Available subcommittees: Compliance, Membership, Mental Health, Alternative/Supplemental Health Curriculum, Physical Activity and Fitness, Bylaws
- No limit on number of subcommittees; flexible participation encouraged
- Subcommittee meetings can be virtual; regular SHAC meetings preferred in-person (live-streamed on CISD YouTube)
Future Agenda Items
- Additional meeting dates likely needed — only 3 regular meetings remain this school year; Google polls will be used for scheduling
- Agendas finalized 72 hours before meetings (Friday); preliminary agendas shared the Monday before
- Members can email Dr. Spear or Dr. Upshaw with agenda item requests (CC both)
Specific future agenda item requested:
- Bullying response process transparency — What happens after bullying is reported? What should parents expect? How does information follow students across campus transitions? When do police get involved vs. administrators? How does the process vary campus to campus? (Action item: district to provide the process before next meeting)
Closing Remarks
- "Conroe swag" gift bags distributed to members (district theme: "Growing")
- Dr. Spear reminded members she is approachable and available via email
- Next meetings: dates to be determined via polling
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn: Made and seconded
Meeting adjourned at 6:06 PM
Key Action Items
| Item | Responsible Party | Status |
|------|------------------|--------|
| Recommend opt-in human sexuality consent process to Board as policy | SHAC → Board | Approved by SHAC vote |
| Restore "Contact SHAC" button on website | District/Web team | Requested |
| Clarify Goodheart-Willcox removal (health vs. science) | District | Follow-up needed |
| Provide bullying response process documentation | Dr. Upshaw/District | Action item for next meeting |
| Subcommittee sign-up Google Form | SHAC leadership | Forthcoming via email |
| Schedule additional meeting dates | Dr. Spear | Forthcoming via poll |
| Share compliance tracker with all members | April KY / Dr. Spear | Forthcoming |