{
  "id": "2023-11-30_regular",
  "meeting_date": "2023-11-30",
  "meeting_type": "regular",
  "meeting_types": [
    "regular"
  ],
  "title": "Conroe ISD Board Meeting — November 30, 2023",
  "date_display": "November 30, 2023",
  "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": "2026-06-18T19:45:21.154342Z",
  "highlights": "",
  "sections": [],
  "agenda_breakdown_md": "",
  "meeting_notes_md": "# Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2023-11-30\n*Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes*\n*Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.*\n*Generated 2026-03-28 16:21 UTC*\n\n---\n\n# Unofficial Meeting Notes\n## Conroe ISD School Safety and Security Committee\n### Regular Meeting — November 30, 2023\n\n> **Note:** These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript of the meeting. They are not official minutes and may contain errors or omissions.\n\n---\n\n**Meeting Called to Order:** 4:01 PM\n**Adjourned:** 5:15 PM (following closed session)\n\n**Next Meeting:** Spring 2024 (March or April — to be announced)\n\n---\n\n## Item 1: Approval of Minutes\n\n- Minutes from the previous meeting were emailed out in advance.\n- No corrections or changes were raised.\n- **Motion to approve:** Ethan (last name not stated)\n- **Second:** Chief (last name not stated)\n- **Vote:** Approved unanimously by show of hands.\n\n---\n\n## Item 2: Staying Safe School Safety Response Training (Texas School Safety Center)\n\n**Presenters:** Captain Hook (referenced), Chief Blakelock\n\n**Background:**\n- The Texas School Safety Center developed a curriculum called \"Staying Safe\" — a school safety response training focused on alert/run/hide/fight concepts (avoid, deny, defend) aimed at **students**.\n- The district currently uses the CRASE (Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events) model to train **staff and community members**, but has not taught a similar curriculum directly to students.\n- Committee approval was required before district personnel could attend the train-the-trainer session.\n\n**Key Discussion Points:**\n- The training would be a **6-hour train-the-trainer session** held at a regional center (Huntsville).\n- At least three staff members would need to attend (tiered for high school, junior high, and elementary implementation).\n- **Attending the training does not commit the district to implementing the program.** Multiple districts have declined the program after review.\n- Chief Blakelock emphasized the importance of ensuring that if students are trained, it does not undermine teachers' ability to control and direct students during an emergency.\n- Concerns were raised about **overtraining students at secondary campuses** where threats are typically internal, potentially giving bad actors insight into response protocols.\n- No students would attend the training — this is for adult district staff only.\n\n**Motion:** Dr. N. (last name unclear) moved to approve sending staff to the training.\n**Second:** Received (name unclear)\n**Vote:** Approved unanimously by show of hands.\n\n---\n\n## Item 3: Bond Funding for Districtwide Safety and Security\n\n**Presenters:** Mr. McCord, Mr. Foster, Dr. Winkler\n\n### Overview of Funding Sources\n\n**Bond Funds:**\n- **$35 million** allocated for safety and security in the November 2023 bond referendum.\n- Covers approximately 75 campuses over four years.\n- **Key limitation:** Bond funds **cannot** be used for personnel/salary — only capital improvements.\n- Reminder that even $35 million will not cover everything; decisions on priorities are necessary.\n\n**State Grant — School Safety Standards Grant:**\n- Awarded **$2.8 million** (spring 2023) — used to encapsulate **27 elementary schools** with 6-foot black galvanized slatted fencing and made progress on 3 additional schools.\n\n**State Grant — SAFE Grant Cycle 1:**\n- Awarded **$10.1 million** (recently announced).\n- **Planned uses:**\n  - Install **impact-resistant film** on all exterior glass doors and immediate adjacent windows district-wide (all schools) — achieving full **Chapter 61 compliance** well ahead of the August 2024 deadline.\n  - Remaining funds to complete 6-foot slatted fencing at all remaining elementary and intermediate schools.\n- **SAFE Grant Cycle 2** expected in spring 2024 (formulaic, non-competitive); district hoping for approximately $1 million.\n\n### Chapter 61 Compliance (Commissioner's Rules — School Facilities)\n- Effective August 2024, all exterior perimeter doors with glass inserts and immediately adjacent windows must have either impact-resistant film or be behind a secure enclosed area.\n- The fencing creates anti-scaling enclosed areas (not full perimeter — typically back/side of schools).\n- Egress gates are required for emergency exit.\n\n**Impact-Resistant Film Testing:**\n- Before demolishing an end-of-life building at Conroe High School, the district applied the film and had officers test it with metal bars, rocks, and other tools.\n- Officers found it **virtually impossible** to breach in a timely manner — described as phenomenal in delaying unauthorized entry.\n\n### Proposed Uses of Bond Funds (Mr. Foster)\n\n| Category | Details | Estimated Cost |\n|---|---|---|\n| **Access Control (Exterior)** | ~20 additional card readers per campus to eliminate physical keys from exterior doors | ~$5,000 per door opening |\n| **Parking Lot Gates** | Pipe gates to secure parking lots during emergencies/weekends | ~$5,000–$6,000 per driveway |\n| **Security Camera Lifecycle Replacement** | Replace aging cameras, servers (~$18–20K each), and components | ~$25,000–$30,000/building for partial; ~$200,000/elementary for full system upgrade |\n| **Secure Corridors (New Concept)** | Retrofit hallways to create secured grade-level \"pods\" at elementary/intermediate schools, allowing doors to open within secured zones | ~$15,000 per opening; 6–20 openings per campus depending on layout |\n| **Safety & Communications Equipment** | Police radios (~$5,000 each), in-car radios (~$5,000), radio repeaters (~$1/sq ft), lifecycle replacements | Varies; repeater system ~$500,000+ for large campus |\n\n**Note:** If all items were pursued across all campuses, costs would **exceed $35 million**.\n\n### Secure Corridors Discussion (Dr. Winkler)\n- Current locked-door policy creates **isolation** for teachers and students, reduces instructional time (lost minutes unlocking/relocking doors), and limits collaboration during intervention periods.\n- New elementary prototype features secured \"pods\" by grade level with keycarded entry points, interior bathrooms, and visibility.\n- Some existing campuses (e.g., Ford Elementary, Haley Elementary) could be **retrofitted** with this concept relatively easily.\n- Benefits: Added security layer, improved community/collaboration, better temperature regulation, increased instructional time.\n\n### AI-Based Weapons Detection Discussion\n\n**Raised by:** Jason (committee member)\n\n- Described **Zero Eyes** and similar AI weapons detection software that overlays on existing camera systems.\n- Technology detects weapons via AI, then a **human reviewer** confirms before triggering alerts (~3-second detection).\n- Cost: ~$100 per camera (subscription-based); estimated ~$150,000/year per high school campus.\n- District has approximately **15,000 cameras** currently used primarily for recording/deterrent — not actively monitored in real-time at most campuses.\n- Multiple vendors exist (Zero Eyes, 21st Century AI, and 12+ others).\n- **Bond funds cannot be used for software subscriptions** — would need to come from operating budget or potentially grant funds.\n- Committee expressed strong interest in exploring further.\n\n**Action Items (No Formal Votes — Direction Given):**\n- Mr. Foster received direction to proceed with planning for:\n  - 100% exterior door access control on new builds and retrofits\n  - Secure corridor retrofits at applicable campuses\n  - Continuing camera lifecycle replacements\n  - Parking lot gates\n  - Communications equipment lifecycle management\n- District will explore AI weapons detection vendors through proper procurement/RFP process; potential subcommittee may be formed.\n- Staff to investigate whether grant funds could offset subscription-based costs.\n\n---\n\n## Item 4: Fentanyl Awareness Update\n\n**Presenters:** Miss Robertson, Miss Rodriguez\n\n**Actions Taken:**\n- Health Services and Guidance & Counseling websites contain substance use information for families.\n- Developed **\"One Pill Kills\" information cards** using TEA toolkit — distributed to high schools, junior highs, and intermediate schools.\n- Collaborated with the **American Heart Association** on an informational flyer distributed to all school nurses.\n- **Narcan (naloxone) expanded to ALL Conroe ISD campuses** this school year (previously only junior highs and high schools since January 2023).\n- October **social media campaign** using TEA toolkit shared district-wide.\n- **\"Hidden in Plain Sight\"** community presentation on substance use warning signs and prevention.\n\n**Key Context:**\n- Narcan has been used on **at least two occasions** in the district.\n- Dr. N. emphasized fentanyl is a significant real-world issue and praised the team for being proactive ahead of any legislative mandate.\n- Compared Narcan deployment to the district's AED program, which has had **four successful life-saving deployments** in district history, including a recent incident at an elementary school where a student with no prior medical history went into distress and was revived through CPR and AED use. The student was taken to ICU and recovered.\n\n---\n\n## Item 5: Rave 911 Implementation Update\n\n**Presenters:** Captain Hook (referenced), Chief Blakelock\n\n**Status:** Fully implemented district-wide.\n\n**Key Details:**\n- All teachers and substitutes can download and access the Rave 911 app.\n- All district facilities are **geofenced** within the system.\n- **Over 5,000 employees** have fully completed the app download (approximately 50%+ of staff).\n- The system has been **used effectively multiple times** since implementation — including for athletic injuries at football games, demonstrating improved communication.\n- Successfully tested at three different campuses with three different alert types (including active assailant), coordinated with 911 dispatch.\n\n**Concerns Raised (by Jason/911 perspective):**\n- A **rash of false alarms** is occurring across the region (not at CISD) — including two false active assailant button presses at other districts/private schools.\n- Employees should be discouraged from testing the system without coordination; a test mode can be activated by notifying 911 dispatch.\n- CISD's training approach appears to be working — no false alarm incidents from CISD.\n\n**Phase 2 — In Progress:**\n- Working with 911 and outside law enforcement to extend active assailant alerts to **external law enforcement agencies** within the geographic area, enabling faster multi-agency response.\n\n---\n\n## Item 6: Closed Session\n\n- Committee entered closed session at **5:05 PM** pursuant to Texas Open Meetings Act Sections 551.07 and 551.089 (security-related matters).\n- Returned to open session at **5:15 PM**.\n- **No action or votes were reported** from the closed session.\n\n---\n\n## Item 7: Adjournment\n\n- Meeting adjourned at approximately **5:15 PM**.\n- Next meeting scheduled for **Spring 2024** (March or April — date TBD).\n\n---\n\n## Summary of Key Outcomes\n\n| Item | Outcome |\n|---|---|\n| Minutes Approval | **Approved unanimously** |\n| Staying Safe Training | **Approved unanimously** — Staff authorized to attend train-the-trainer session; no commitment to implement |\n| Bond Funding Direction | **Direction given** (no vote) — Proceed with access control, secure corridors, camera lifecycle, parking gates, communications equipment; explore AI detection through procurement process |\n| Fentanyl Awareness | **Information received** — Narcan expanded to all campuses; multiple awareness initiatives underway |\n| Rave 911 | **Information received** — Fully implemented; 5,000+ users; Phase 2 (multi-agency alerts) in progress |\n| Closed Session | No reportable action taken |"
}