March 26, 2024 — Regular Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2024-03-26
Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-28 16:46 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe ISD School Health Advisory Council (SHAC)
Regular Meeting — March 26, 2024
These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain errors or omissions.
Attendance & Administrative Notes
- Meeting opened with microphone/audio checks and introductions from members representing various campuses including Grand Oaks feeder, Academy for Science and Health Professions, College Park High School, and others.
- Dr. Upshaw has been reassigned by Dr. Medford to shift her priorities toward ordering instructional materials (furniture, technology, FF&E) for new campuses opening, as well as instructional materials adoptions (science this year, reading upcoming). She will no longer serve as SHAC co-chair/district coordinator. A replacement recommendation will be forthcoming.
- Co-chair indicated she will work with Dr. Medford on the transition until a new district liaison is appointed.
Approval of Minutes
- Motion to approve minutes from the previous meeting.
- Discussion: A member requested a language change — replacing "splitting into subcommittees" with "separated into work groups" under the mental health section, to clarify there is still one mental health subcommittee that simply organized into work groups by topic.
- Vote: Approved unanimously with the proposed amendment.
Community Feedback
- One email was received via the SHAC email address regarding the use of Rank One and physicals. The matter was determined to be outside SHAC's purview and was redirected to the appropriate district personnel.
Subcommittee Updates
1. Compliance Subcommittee
- Did not meet since the last full SHAC meeting.
- Three focus areas (from Texas Education Code):
1. Opioid instruction — Underway; to be discussed under Tucker Law update.
2. Parental awareness on suicide — Underway; discussed under mental health subcommittee.
3. Daily recess policy — Data on daily recess time for each K–5 campus was requested in January. Mr. Heymark reported the data is being collected and will be provided in June.
- Vaping remains an ongoing goal but has not progressed significantly yet.
2. Membership Subcommittee
- Met once since the last full SHAC meeting.
- Membership selection timeline (same process as prior year):
- May 1: CISD advertises applications on campuses and social media
- May 1–June 30: Application window
- Beginning July 1: Membership subcommittee reviews vacancies and applications
- Will continue using the electronic application format (positive feedback from last year).
- Caney Creek feeder historically has lower representation; the subcommittee plans targeted outreach to Caney Creek principals and PTOs.
- Attendance expectations: Members are expected to attend at least half of meetings (3 out of 5 this year). Membership status may be reviewed by the subcommittee if expectations are not met. Quorum has not been an issue yet.
- Members were reminded that all subcommittee work groups are open for participation at any time.
3. Mental Health Subcommittee
a. Bullying Work Group
- Met four times since the last SHAC meeting.
- Focused on improving closed-loop communication for families involved in bullying investigations.
- Reviewed Policy FFI (the district's bullying investigation flowchart/algorithm).
- Identified that after a bullying determination is made, there is no clear, standardized communication/closure process, contributing to anxiety for students and parents.
Proposed Steps for Closure (6 steps):
1. Educate all parties on definitions and terms (what constitutes bullying and what does not)
2. Statement of findings given to both parties, as permitted by law (recommended adding reference to FERPA)
3. School's plan to remediate/prevent future occurrences shared with victim and student who bullied (as allowable by law)
4. Appropriate teachers/admins notified of ongoing precautions; flagging system for campus transitions (stay-away form)
5. Parents notified of who has been contacted to reduce risk of future events
6. Campus principal confirms all steps have been completed
Dr. Morrell shared information about a new electronic stay-away agreement system implemented district-wide (piloted at his campus last spring, rolled out district-wide approximately 6–7 months ago):
- Notifies all relevant staff (teachers, administrators, counselors) automatically
- Alerts parents with necessary information
- Identifies if students share classes or may cross paths during the day
- Replaces the prior paper-based system
- Can carry over year-to-year and across campus transitions (though beginning-of-year notification processes are still being refined)
Discussion highlights:
- Clarification that FERPA limits what student information can be shared between parties
- Stay-away agreements require both students to avoid contact, which can feel punitive to the victim's family
- Acknowledged that handling can vary across 70+ campuses and administrator experience levels
- If a stay-away agreement is breached, it becomes a defiance-of-authority issue with consequences, giving administrators clearer enforcement tools
Vote: Motion to move the proposed closure steps to Dr. Taylor's group for collaboration on workability and strengthening at the district level. Passed unanimously.
b. Language Barriers Work Group
- Working on a proposal related to language barriers and student anxiety on CISD campuses.
- Not yet ready to present to full SHAC; still in development.
c. Girls' Academic Success Work Group
- Originated from a parent concern about the ratio of female vs. male National Merit Scholars.
- Recently received data from the district on three data points:
1. Students graduating in the top 10% over 5 years, broken down by gender
2. Students taking advanced math (algebra 1 or geometry) in 8th grade, by gender
3. 5th grade math STAAR scores, by gender
- Meeting scheduled for the following week to review the data.
d. Staff Wellness Work Group
- Committee chair (Maryann) was absent; update given on her behalf.
- Chrome cart/Chromebook allocations: Investigated but decided not to pursue at this time due to varying reasons for different allocations at different campuses.
- Shifting focus to:
- Teacher retention — exploring exit interview data to identify why teachers resign and how to be proactive
- Mental health helpline for teachers — improving communication about available services
- Discussed teacher frustration over students being pulled from class for various services; acknowledged this is campus-level/site-based and not something the committee can effectively tackle.
Additional note from SHAC chair: A principal reached out after Chromebook data was shared at the board meeting, clarifying that the numbers on the district's inventory website include outdated, broken, and non-functional devices. The actual number of working Chromebooks is significantly lower than listed. The chair emphasized that the SHAC had incorrectly assumed all listed Chromebooks were functional.
e. Family Changes Work Group
- Previously called "divorce support group" — renamed to encompass broader family changes (separation, divorce, adoption, fostering, etc.).
- Worked with Amber Bentley (6th grade counselor, Clark Intermediate) and a 5th grade counselor.
- At Clark Intermediate, the group operates during SMART time (not instructional time), is counselor-driven, and requires parental permission.
- The group is confidential and allows students experiencing family changes to share with peers.
- Would like to explore expanding to other campuses as appropriate.
f. Anxiety, Testing, and Suicide Prevention Work Group
- Lindsay Taylor (presenter) was at another district event; update given on her behalf.
- Focus areas from Texas Education Code §28.004:
- Recommendations to prevent mental health concerns including suicide
- Recommendations to increase parental awareness on suicide risk factors, warning signs, and community resources
Key points:
- STAAR performance is no longer tied to promotion for 3rd and 5th grades. Only end-of-course exams in high school impact graduation (with specific rules).
- Lindsay is working with campus counselors to provide resources to alleviate testing anxiety.
- Discussion about STAAR-related stress among students, including from a member who teaches a college course where former Texas students still report anxiety from standardized tests years later.
- Discussion of the state's 30-year contract with Pearson for STAAR testing (a member planned to research the contract details).
Mental Health Toolkit — Created for May (Mental Health Awareness Month) with a similar toolkit planned for September (Suicide Prevention/Awareness Month):
- Facts and statistics for campus newsletters
- Social media posts (with images, captions, hashtags, and resources)
- Printable flyers for high-traffic areas (for parents, students, and staff)
- Community resources (local, national, and CISD-specific)
- Local speaker resources, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention ("It's Real" program for grades 6–12)
- Elementary/intermediate resources (including "Gizmo the dog" materials)
District mental health efforts (clarified by Dr. Taylor and Dr. Morrell):
- District follows separate TEC codes requiring programs on mental health, suicide, and substance abuse
- Education delivered through TEKS, guidance and counseling model, PBIS, and Vector Solutions (formerly Safe Schools)
- Annual staff training on suicide prevention is required and built into staff development (confirmed as non-negotiable at elementary level)
- CISD has a new mental health webpage (not widely known yet)
Next steps: Toolkit to be distributed to campus counselors and principals for use in May, with a goal of at least two social media posts per campus during May and posting flyers in high-traffic areas. No objections raised.
4. Alternative and Supplemental Health Curriculum Subcommittee
- Has not met this entire year. No action items for this group.
5. Physical Activity and Fitness Subcommittee
- Reviewed a list of approximately 50 current activities, programs, and best practices available across CISD campuses.
- Topics discussed:
- Benefits of Active Start programs on elementary/intermediate campuses (not required district-wide; campus-dependent based on staffing and scheduling)
- Access to community facilities and activities
- Variety of programs: drum fit, bowling, skating, pickleball, etc.
- Pre-athletics in 6th grade; crossover events (soccer/football tournaments)
- Nutrition education for all students (parent request)
- AED training — noted as recent legislation (HB 4375, passed summer 2023), requiring instruction on AED use in grades 7–12 alongside CPR requirements
- Class size concerns (addressed via staff-to-student ratios)
- Basic first aid instruction (addressed per TEKS, staff, and grade level)
- Overall assessment: The PE/Health department is actively focused on student, staff, and community well-being.
6. Bylaws Subcommittee
- Has not met.
- Significant discussion regarding statements made at the March 26 CISD Board of Trustees meeting that the SHAC chair characterized as inaccurate and damaging to SHAC's credibility.
Chair's clarifications on statements made at the board meeting:
| Board Meeting Claim | SHAC Chair's Response |
|---|---|
| SHAC is creating an abundance of work for district staff | Only 6 total data requests have been made spanning two years, all tied to Texas Education Code requirements. A table was presented showing each request, its timeline, and delivery status. |
| Individual committees/members can dictate work to district staff | False. A formal process exists through Dr. Upshaw as the designated point of contact. |
| SHAC needs to establish a point of contact in the district | Already established — Dr. Upshaw was appointed by the board to this role. |
| The board admits members to SHAC, then SHAC removes their voting rights | False. No voting rights have been removed from any current member. In prior years, non-voting members existed, but that was not under the current SHAC's bylaws. |
| There are 10 SHAC subcommittees | False. There are 6 subcommittees (one inactive), with the mental health subcommittee using work groups for efficiency. |
| Parent substitutes can no longer serve on SHAC | TEC requires a majority of parent members not employed by the district but does not specify whether substitutes are "employees." If the board wishes to recategorize, the roster can simply be updated. |
Additional context:
- Current bylaws were approved 17–1 (the one dissenting vote was from a parent) after multiple feedback meetings.
- The chair reached out to Board President Hubert and Ms. Gaddes to understand concerns but was not taken up on the offer. Ms. Gaddes indicated she would draft revised bylaws and send them for comment in mid-to-late April.
- The chair expressed concern that SHAC's access to information/data could be limited going forward based on the board discussion.
Member reactions were mixed:
- Several members expressed they did not want board politics to consume SHAC meeting time and preferred to focus on the committee's work.
- Others argued that transparency about what is said publicly regarding SHAC is important and should be addressed each time it occurs.
- Dr. Morrell (administration) suggested that issues with district employees should be handled through appropriate district channels, not in SHAC meetings.
- A member who attended SHAC meetings in 2018–2019 noted that the current SHAC operates very differently — with genuine parent involvement, parent-driven agendas, and collaborative problem-solving — compared to the prior model of one-way information presentations.
- General consensus: SHAC should focus on its mission but maintain awareness of external discussions that could affect its ability to function.
Tucker Law (House Bill 3908) — Fentanyl & Drug Abuse Prevention
- HB 3908 was passed September 2023; Fentanyl Awareness Month will be in October (coinciding with Red Ribbon Week).
- Mr. Heymark presented current CISD resources that address Tucker Law components, including links to specific materials (e.g., "One Pill Kills," "Opioids: What You Need to Know").
CATCH Program (fentanyl-specific component):
- CISD already has CATCH licenses for all K–8 campuses (entering year 3).
- CATCH released "Fentanyl Fax" module in early 2024, covering all required Tucker Law components:
- Suicide prevention
- Prevention of fentanyl abuse and addiction
- Awareness of local/community resources
- Health education on substance use/abuse
- Grade-level breakdown: Two 45-minute sessions each for grades 6, 7–8, and high school
- Benefits: Teachers already trained on CATCH; no steep learning curve; already paid for (though additional licensing cost for the new module would apply)
SHAC's role per HB 3908: Recommend appropriate grade levels and curriculum for opioid instruction (grades 6–12 specifically).
District's next steps:
- Survey sent to campus leadership on current practices
- District will determine districtwide instructional plan (not SHAC's responsibility, but SHAC should parallel and collaborate)
Discussion:
- A member with substance abuse expertise offered to help review the curriculum for age-appropriateness, particularly for grades 6–8
- Interest expressed beyond just the compliance subcommittee; chair proposed sending a Google Form to gauge who wants to participate in the review process
- Noted overlap with mental health topics
Target: Bring recommendation to full SHAC for a vote in April.
Votes Summary
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Approval of minutes (with language amendment) | Passed unanimously |
| Motion to move bullying closure steps to Dr. Taylor's group for collaboration | Passed unanimously |
| Motion to adjourn | Passed unanimously |
Items Deferred or Pending
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Daily recess data | Data collection underway; expected June |
| Vaping subcommittee work | Underway but no significant progress to report |
| Language barriers proposal | In development; not ready for full SHAC |
| Bylaws revision | Ms. Gaddes to draft and send for comment mid-to-late April |
| Tucker Law/CATCH curriculum recommendation | Targeted for April SHAC vote |
| Girls' academic success data analysis | Meeting scheduled for following week |
| SHAC district liaison replacement | To be determined (Dr. Upshaw reassigned) |
Notable Statements
- SHAC Chair expressed being "blindsided" by the board meeting discussion, stating the claims made were false and that she had tried to engage with board members to understand their concerns.
- Mr. Fraser stated firmly that he does not want board politics consuming SHAC meeting time: "I show up here to help people and I'm being forced to participate in politics and I detest it."
- Dr. Morrell (administration) agreed that issues with district employees should be handled through proper district channels and that SHAC should focus on its tasks.
- A member who attended 2018–2019 SHAC meetings noted the dramatic improvement in parent involvement and collaborative work under the current structure.
- Multiple members expressed pride in the work being accomplished and concern that external dynamics could impede SHAC's effectiveness.
Meeting adjourned. Next meeting expected in April 2024.