June 11, 2024 — Regular Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2024-06-11
Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-28 17:06 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe Independent School District – School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) Meeting
June 11, 2024 – Regular Meeting
⚠️ Disclaimer: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript. They may contain errors or omissions. Please consult official CISD records for authoritative information.
Key Topics Discussed
1. SHAC Membership / Bylaws Update
- Under newly adopted bylaws, the SHAC membership process has changed significantly:
- Each board member will appoint two parents
- The Superintendent (Dr. Null) will appoint seven people
- The SHAC itself is no longer involved in the membership selection process
- Total membership is now limited to 21 members (including 14 parents)
- A document/portal remains open for current SHAC members to express interest in returning
- Context provided by a member: The previous year, SHAC had recommended 31 members; the board increased it to 48 to avoid turning parents away. The new bylaws reduce this to 21, with only 14 parent slots.
- A member noted that SHAC's recommendations regarding the bylaws were not implemented — the bylaws remain as originally written by Miss Gadis, with no changes from SHAC's feedback incorporated.
- Dr. Spear and staff discussed forwarding the list of interested members to board members to assist with their selections.
2. Mental Health Subcommittee Update
- Project Mentor (through the Conroe feeder pattern) was highlighted:
- Currently 100 students on the wait list seeking mentors
- Members were asked to spread the word about volunteer mentoring opportunities
- Website: conroeisd.net/organization/pro-mentor
- Suicide Prevention Toolkit: A significant accomplishment of the SHAC this year, developed in collaboration with the district's Guidance and Counseling department (Lindsay, Dr. Taylor, and others). The toolkit:
- Addresses compliance requirements under Texas Education Code §28.004
- Will be distributed district-wide to principals and guidance counselors
- Provides a starting point for campus-level suicide awareness efforts
- Alternative and Supplemental Health Curriculum subcommittee did not meet during the year; this was noted for transparency.
3. Triennial Wellness Assessment — Detailed Presentation
Note: Mr. McCord's father passed away the previous day, so Dr. Spear filled in for the presentation.
Background
- Required by USDA for districts receiving federal nutrition funds
- Must be conducted every 3 years to assess compliance with the local school wellness policy
- History:
- 2017: First wellness policy established
- 2020: Assessment was due but deferred due to COVID (waiver granted, postponed one year)
- 2021: Assessment conducted during post-COVID period (acknowledged as potentially less accurate)
- 2024 (Spring): Current assessment — described as likely the "first most legitimate and authentic assessment"
Participation
- 66 schools participated (100% of district):
- 48 elementary, 7 junior highs, 10 high schools (including 9th grade campuses), 1 virtual school
- Virtual school (~1.5% of responses) was often marked N/A for food-related items
Assessment Methodology
- Principals answered questions for each wellness goal
- Scoring: Fully Implemented (3), Partially Implemented (2), Under Development (1), Not Implemented (0), N/A
Key Findings by Goal Area
Goal 1 – USDA Nutrition Standards:
- Largely compliant for cafeteria-served meals (controlled by Child Nutrition dept.)
- 34% compliance issue on Smart Snack guidelines — largely attributed to parent/PTO-provided items (e.g., birthday cupcakes) that don't meet guidelines
- Communication gap identified: Need to better distribute nutrition information to parents/community via newsletters, social media, websites
Goal 2 – Food Safety:
- Some principals were unsure about food safety protocols for non-cafeteria food service (e.g., PTO serving food without gloves)
- Handwashing promotion — noted as needing a post-COVID refresh
- 100% compliance on CPR/AED certification for PE instructors
Physical Activity:
- Physical activity not used as punishment across the district
- Used as a student reward (extra recess) — noted as a split response area
- 100% of PreK-elementary students receive 30-minute daily recess
- 7th-8th grade PE minutes below target — attributed to state requirements (full year for 7th grade, half year for 8th grade)
- Some schools report 130 minutes/week vs. the 135-minute goal
- Some elementary schools still have gym/cafeteria combo spaces, affecting PE time (being addressed through bond-funded construction)
- Some confusion about alternative-certified teachers counting as "certified PE instructors" — they do meet standards
School Environment:
- Dining areas: 95-97% compliance on adequate eating time
- 20-minute minimum eating time (from when food is received) is specified in the plan
- Food not used as punishment; allergy-safe areas available (with sensitivity to not singling out students)
Overall Results:
- 60% (22 of 33 objectives) were rated as fully implemented
- Several objectives improved from partially to fully implemented since last assessment
- Areas of decline: Food safety adherence and physical activity minutes (particularly 7th-8th grade and some 5th-6th grade)
WellSAT Evaluation
The district used the WellSAT tool (recommended model) to evaluate the wellness plan itself (not campus results):
- Compares district plan against a "model school" using federal/national guidelines
- Scoring: 0 (not mentioned), 1 (vague mention), 2 (specific, clear, detailed)
WellSAT Scores by Section:
| Section | Comprehensiveness | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrition Education | 88 | 13 |
| USDA Child Nutrition/School Meals | 50 | 20 |
| Nutrition Standards (Competitive Foods) | 62 | 46 |
| Physical Education & Physical Activity | 63 | 31 |
| Wellness Promotion & Marketing | 50 | 25 |
| Implementation, Evaluation & Communication | Higher (described as "one of our stronger ones") | -- |
Key WellSAT observations:
- Some federal guidelines differ from Texas state standards (e.g., PE minutes), resulting in lower scores where the district follows state but not federal requirements
- A member asked whether state standards were lower than federal — it was confirmed that in some areas (like PE minutes), the state standard is lower than national recommendations
- Dana (staff member involved in the evaluation) noted the WellSAT is a tool for strengthening the plan, not a punitive measure
- Several items scored zero simply because they were not addressed in the district's wellness plan, not necessarily because the district wasn't doing them
Next Steps
- Fall 2024: District will provide SHAC with recommendations
- SHAC will review triennial assessment data and recommendations
- Development of a new, improved Wellness Plan for board review and adoption
- Goals include:
- Rewriting assessment questions to be more specific and targeted
- Improving communication of wellness information to parents/community
- Ensuring the plan addresses all relevant WellSAT objectives
- Better education of principals/staff completing future assessments
Notable exchange: A member stated for the record that they had "no recollection of any reports going to the board about any triennial assessment" during their time on SHAC. Discussion clarified that the question in the assessment related to general SHAC recommendations to the board (which have occurred, including policy recommendations), not specifically a triennial assessment report.
4. District Curriculum Review — HB 3908 (Suicide Prevention)
Presented by Mrs. Taylor (who missed the previous meeting but watched remotely):
- HB 3908 requires suicide prevention education and awareness of local/school/community resources
- Resources align with positive character traits education (coping skills, problem-solving, self-esteem, relationship skills, empathy)
- Components include:
- Suicide prevention PowerPoint covering preventative measures
- Health TEKs discussing suicide risk factors, protective factors, and prevention resources
- Stickers in schools listing crisis resources
- Required resources on the backs of student IDs
- CATCH program will include a suicide prevention component
- "Are You OK?" program uses softer language for 6th graders (addressing concerns about terminology for younger students)
5. Closing Remarks — Acknowledgment of SHAC's Work
- A SHAC member made significant remarks expressing concern about the new bylaws and recognizing the committee's accomplishments:
- Stated that none of SHAC's recommendations regarding the bylaws were adopted
- Noted the committee accomplished more in two years than in the five previous years combined
- Commended all volunteers for their hard work
- Dr. Spear thanked all members for their participation, noting the positive changes the committee has produced for students
- Uncertainty expressed about what the committee will look like in the fall under the new structure
- Additional comment from a member: Emphasized the importance of school nutrition since many students (particularly from low-income families) eat two of their three daily meals at school, and noted the obesity epidemic and changing wellness guidelines for children
- Another member raised the issue of high fructose corn syrup in foods as a national concern contributing to obesity
Votes Taken
| Item | Motion | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Adjourn Meeting | Motion made and seconded | Passed (voice vote, unanimous "all in favor") |
Items of Note
- Mr. McCord's father passed away the day before the meeting; Dr. Spear filled in for his presentation
- SHAC membership/structure significantly changing under new bylaws — reduced from 48 to 21 members; SHAC removed from membership selection process; SHAC's recommendations on the bylaws were not incorporated
- Triennial Assessment results and WellSAT evaluation will be made available on the SHAC website (pending confirmation)
- New Wellness Plan development to begin in Fall 2024 — represents a major undertaking for the coming year
- Uncertainty about the future composition and direction of SHAC under the new bylaws was a clear undercurrent throughout the meeting