January 23, 2025 — Regular Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2025-01-23
Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-28 17:56 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting
January 23, 2025 | 10:00 AM
These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript of the board meeting. They are intended to help the public understand what occurred and should not be treated as official minutes.
Meeting Overview
The meeting was rescheduled from the regular Tuesday evening slot due to a winter storm earlier in the week. All seven board members were present. The meeting convened at 10:00 AM and adjourned at 3:51 PM, with an executive session from approximately 2:44 PM to 3:51 PM.
Opening
- Prayer: Trustee Nelson
- Pledges: Trustee Duncan led the U.S. and Texas pledges
Special Recognition — School Board Appreciation Month (Item 2)
Dr. Terry Benson, Principal of Caney Creek High School, spoke on behalf of all CISD administrators, educators, staff, and students to thank the board for their service during School Board Appreciation Month. Students and campuses sent cards, posters, banners, and gifts to the board.
Superintendent Dr. Null acknowledged that board service is unpaid and demanding, calling it "the greatest public service you can do in your local community."
Board President Odenweller expressed gratitude for serving alongside the other board members and appreciation for student-created items.
Citizen Participation (Item 3)
Five speakers addressed the board:
1. Diane Daniels — Thanked the board for their work. Urged the district to follow "common sense" and conservative values. Referenced past concerns about mask mandates, vaccine coordination with Kelsey-Seybold, library books, and swim team swimsuits. Expressed hope that Dr. Null would align with the conservative views of the community.
2. Michelle Knuckles — Thanked Trustees Odenweller and Dawson for donating "Brave Books Saga 3" to Woodlands and Magnolia public libraries. Presented thank-you cards signed by children at a summer Story Hour.
3. Carolyn Nene — Referenced the January 7 Texas Senate joint committee study on effects of media on children. Expressed alarm at testimony about increased violent sexual acts among students, addiction to screens, and children being groomed to view explicit content as normal. Urged the district to research alternative teaching methods and not assume school computers are safe.
4. Tony Deleta — Addressed three topics:
- Opposed changing the 2025-26 spring break dates, citing families who planned trips based on the published calendar.
- Opposed joining Texans for Excellence and Education (TEE), calling it agenda-based and divisive, and contrary to anti-big government values.
- Opposed the Bluebonnet Learning curriculum, stating $60/student doesn't cover implementation costs and there's little evidence it improves academic outcomes.
5. Leslie Roberts — Parent of two CISD students. Encouraged the board to pass the attendance rezoning for Campbell and Iseler Elementary. Noted she followed the ABC Rezoning Committee's work and believed they thoroughly considered all options. Described her own experience trying to adjust geocoded zones and how difficult it is.
Three speakers who signed up did not appear: Ann Marie Kennedy, Dave Adams, and Erica Pack.
Consent Agenda (Item 4)
Items included: Minutes approval, budget amendment, and Human Resources report.
Vote: Approved unanimously (7-0)
Attendance Zone for Iseler Elementary and Campbell Elementary (Item 5A)
Iseler Elementary
Chris McCord presented on behalf of the District Attendance Boundary Committee, which worked for 14 months (6 months with community portal open) evaluating 18 scenarios. The committee recommended Scenario 4.1.
Key points:
- Multiple Woodlands-area elementary schools are significantly over capacity (Bush, Powell, Buckaloo, Gadus, Mitchell Intermediate)
- Many schools have limited or no room for additional portables due to tight footprints
- Bush Elementary is at 110% capacity and bounded by churches on both sides with no room for portables
- Bush needs enrollment relief to begin construction of a gymnasium (part of Bond 2023)
- Iseler opens at 779 students (target was 750) under Scenario 4.1
- Scenario 4.1 impacts the fewest number of currently enrolled students
- Iseler was built at 950-seat capacity, consistent with district standards
- The community feedback portal was open from September 1 through January; 8 meetings were held (in-person and virtual)
Significant Board Discussion:
- Trustee Horton raised concerns about split feeders (5 of 7 elementary schools would split in The Woodlands area under 4.1), long bus times for students (up to an hour reported by parents), and negative impacts on community-building and attendance.
- Trustee Horton asked about leaving the Powell-to-Bush and Gadus rezoning off 4.1 to preserve flexibility for future feeder cleanup. McCord cautioned this would leave southern Woodlands schools "flying without a net" regarding capacity.
- Trustee Simler raised concerns about Iseler being built too small given known growth in River's Edge and Fosters Ridge West, drawing parallels to Suchma Elementary (currently 443 over capacity, opened 2019). She advocated exploring adding a wing to Iseler for additional capacity.
- Dr. Null noted the district already knows Bartlett Elementary will face the same overcrowding conversation in ~3 years.
- McCord confirmed Foster Ridge West residents surveyed 2:1 (14-7) in favor of staying at Deretchin, though only ~14% of families responded.
- McCord noted the Old Conroe Road connection project depends on a county road bond (possibly May ballot) and would involve building bridges over the West Fork of the San Jacinto River and Lake Creek.
- Trustee Dawson expressed concerns about long travel distances impacting student relationships, community building, attendance (ADA), and access to tutoring/extracurriculars.
- President Odenweller recommended future conversations about capacity planning and feeder cleanup happen at a later time.
Leslie Roberts (public speaker) was invited back to the podium to discuss her perspective. She explained she followed the committee process and found 4.1 to be the best balance, avoiding leaving any schools severely underfilled.
Vote on Iseler Elementary Scenario 4.1: Approved 4-3
(Three trustees opposed; specific names not clearly identified in transcript)
Campbell Elementary
McCord presented the Campbell Elementary zoning, located in Evergreen subdivision (K-6).
Key points:
- Relieves overcrowding at Suchma Elementary and Oakridge Elementary
- Provides future growth mitigation for San Jacinto Elementary and Grangerland
- Oakridge's GaGa ball pit saved from portable placement
- Campbell opens at 704 students (target 750)
- Suchma gets close to 750 target
Trustee question: Can Suchma sixth graders stay at Suchma next year? Answer: Yes, with a transfer request.
Vote on Campbell Elementary: Approved unanimously (7-0)
FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Applications (Item 5B)
Chris McCord presented two separate applications to FEMA for hazard mitigation grants — the district's first FEMA applications ever (previously filed through insurance).
Grant 1: Reeves Elementary Water Intrusion
- Water from a hill intrudes into the cafeteria during average/significant rainfall
- Existing channel needs expansion; additional channel needed
- Temporary mitigation (Quick Dams) currently in place
- District's 25% match: ~$13,000 and change
Vote: Approved unanimously (7-0)
Grant 2: Generator Replacement (10 generators + wastewater/water well generators)
- Generators support freezers/coolers at multiple kitchen locations
- Generators failed during Hurricane Beryl after extended runtime
- Generators were at end of life despite proper maintenance
- Total grant request: up to $1,200,000; district's 25% match: $300,000
- Potential aggregate savings: $941,250
- $300,000 would come from capital projects fund
Vote: Approved unanimously (7-0)
2025-26 School Calendar Modification (Item 5D)
Dr. Upshaw presented information on a potential change to the spring break dates for 2025-26.
Key findings:
- Survey received 6,215 responses (5,893 completed) — significantly lower than the ~16,000 responses for the previous calendar survey
- 54% favored moving spring break; 46% favored keeping it
- The District Level Planning Committee recommended keeping the current calendar (no changes)
Committee reasons for no change:
- Additional week of instruction before state assessments
- Eight weeks of instruction for seniors before graduation (vs. seven with the change)
- Daylight Saving Time: The current calendar provides a buffer week over spring break. Without it, high school students would effectively start at 6:10-6:15 AM the Monday after the time change.
Board discussion: Trustees generally favored keeping the calendar as-is. The daylight saving concern was noted as particularly impactful for high school students.
Motion: Keep the calendar with no changes.
Vote: Approved unanimously (7-0)
District Improvement Plan Update (Item 5E)
Dr. Bethany Medford presented updates on board monitoring of the District Improvement Plan (DIP).
Social Studies (Goal 1 — Student Achievement)
- Monitoring emergent bilingual students, EOC performance for 11th graders, and ESL/special education students on 8th grade STAAR
- Quarterly assessment data (QA1 and QA2) was shared, showing vertical alignment strategies in action
- Focus on building knowledge progressively across grade levels
Student Support Services (Goal 4 — Safe and Collaborative School Culture)
- Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) monitoring behavior interventions
- Disproportionality monitoring in student removals from classrooms
- The district has not had to submit a corrective plan to the state in many years
- Foster student numbers are a small group; spikes relate to specific placements
Significant Board Discussion:
- Trustee Simler questioned why "expected result" language states placement rates should "become more balanced across all student groups," calling it "very DEI" and suggesting future DIPs amend this.
- Trustee Dawson reiterated that she prioritizes ensuring proper documentation and support over worrying about disproportionality numbers, stating she'd rather explain disproportionality to the state if proper procedures are followed than risk undermining learning environments.
- Trustee Nelson noted Montgomery County has 65 group homes/foster care facilities, representing a significant population with high needs.
- Regarding the HB3 Goal (third-grade reading increasing from 52% to 56%): Dr. Medford explained this goal was already met but cannot be changed without a board-approved workshop to revise the five-year HB3 goals. This will be addressed in a summer workshop.
Break: 11:51 AM – 12:02 PM
Planning and Construction
Woodlands High School Renovations (Item 6A)
Matt Foster presented the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) amendment for The Woodlands High School renovation project.
- Construction Manager at Risk: POG Construction (selected February 2024)
- Design Team: VLK
- Requested approval: $9,695,000
- Total project footprint: ~487,000 sq. ft. (main building and band hall)
- Scope: New carpet, flooring, walls, wall coverings, HVAC improvements, new roof, building envelope, covered seating in lunch courtyard
- No additional seats being added — aesthetic and infrastructure improvements only
- Bond 2023 project — total budget allocation: $55.2 million for Woodlands campus
- On target with budget
Board Discussion:
- Trustee Simler questioned the $2.2 million carpeting cost and $300,000 floor protection cost. Foster explained the building is occupied during renovation, requiring phased work with floor protection.
- Trustee Simler asked about carpet quality — Foster confirmed lifetime warranty, same product as boardroom.
Vote: Approved unanimously (7-0)
New Junior High School — Conroe Feeder Zone (Item 6B)
- Construction Manager at Risk: Durk (selected January 2024)
- Design Team: DLR Group
- Requested approval: $8,595,823
- Total project budget: $138 million (construction portion: $108 million)
- Bond 2023 project — on target
- Three total fields (two practice, one competition), all natural grass
Board Discussion:
- Trustee Simler asked about bond rebates from contractors. Foster explained these are between contractors and their bonding companies, not returned to the district.
Vote: Approved unanimously (7-0)
Capital Improvement Update (Item 6C)
Matt Foster provided updates on numerous projects:
| Project | Status |
|---------|--------|
| Conroe High School (final phase) | Retaining wall system underway; new front entry construction progressing; on-site through 2026 |
| Iseler Elementary (Flex School #24) | Building envelope progressing; on schedule for August 2025 opening |
| Campbell Elementary | Building envelope/roof progressing; on schedule for August 2025 opening |
| Grand Oaks 7th-8th-9th Grade Campus | Structural steel and foundations underway; January 2027 delivery |
| Timber Mill High School | 300+ piers in ground; two drill rigs active; on schedule for August 2027 opening (~100 acres) |
| Conroe HS 9th Grade Tennis Courts | Nets going up today; first tournament this Saturday |
| Buckaloo & Haley (gym additions + Haley capacity addition of 100 seats) | Contractors mobilized; December 2025 delivery |
| Craton & Ford (Craton major overhaul + gym; Ford gym + 100-seat capacity addition) | Contractors mobilized; December 2025 delivery |
| Knox Junior High (interior renovation + additions) | Parking expansion opening this month; foundation work started; through August 2026 |
| Critical Infrastructure (multiple campuses) | Roofing, chillers, boilers, restroom modifications at various stages; on schedule through August 2025 |
| Agricultural Facilities | Woodlands/College Park renovation underway; Conroe facility mobilizing; third site (Grand Oaks/Oakridge area) in feasibility period with positive geotechnical results |
Board discussion:
- Trustee Simler asked about Timber Mill tennis courts — confirmed yes, room is available.
- Conroe High School sits on ~47 acres (currently has auxiliary game field + one practice field — decreased from prior); Timber Mill is on ~100 acres (total site with junior high/intermediate: 186 acres).
Chromebook Procurement — RFP 25-101 (Item 7B)
Request: Approve RFP award to CDW LLC for 14-inch Chromebooks with Google Educational Upgrade and charging carts.
- 12 vendor responses evaluated for best value
- Chromebooks necessary for classroom use and state testing
- Current inventory: 68,458 Chromebooks
- Anticipated aggregate spend: ~$5 million based on historical purchasing
- Replacement target: 12,000-14,000 per year to smooth out a replacement "cliff" of ~40,000 devices in 2031
- Chromebook lifespan: 5-7 years
- PreK-1st grade uses iPads; 2nd grade transitions to Chromebooks (3rd grade requires Chromebooks for testing)
Board Discussion:
- Trustee appreciated focus on equitable distribution across campuses
- Discussion about screen time concerns for young students; district noted PreK iPad use is minimal and supplementary
- Dr. Null noted the $40 million technology allocation in the bond covers devices over four years
Vote: Approved unanimously (7-0)
Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) — FY 2023-24 (Item 8A)
Karen Garza, CFO, introduced the ACFR prepared in-house by district finance staff. Sarah Roberts, Partner at Weaver (independent audit firm, serving CISD since 2008), presented the results.
Audit Results:
- Unmodified (clean) opinion on financial statements
- No reportable findings in Yellow Book compliance report (no material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, or non-compliance)
- Clean opinion on federal award compliance (major program: Child Nutrition, ~32% of federal expenditures)
- No material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in any area
Financial Highlights — General Fund:
- Total fund balance: ~$165 million (prior year: ~$164 million)
- Unassigned fund balance: ~$156 million (95% liquid)
- Total expenditures: $710 million (up from $650 million, primarily due to payroll growth/salary increases)
- Unassigned fund balance to expenditures ratio: 22% (~2-2.5 months of operating expenses; benchmark is 2-3 months)
Notable:
- CISD is one of only a handful of districts that prepares the ACFR document in-house
- District participates in GFOA and ASBO award programs; has received awards dating back to at least 2008
- Due date for TEA submission: January 28, 2025
Dr. Null emphasized that a clean audit of a billion-dollar organization should be celebrated, not assumed.
Vote: Approved unanimously (7-0)
Student Behavior Management Coalition (Item 9A)
Presented by: Trustee Horton
Trustee Horton introduced information about the Student Behavior Management Coalition, which advocates for changes to Texas Education Code Chapter 37 (student discipline restrictions).
Key points:
- Chapter 37 limits how districts can discipline students
- Some restrictions can be lifted with District of Innovation waivers
- Coalition focuses on: local control, flexibility, safe classrooms, parent rights, training/resources
- Membership: $3,500 (covers attorney/advocacy fees)
- Members include CC-ISD, Katy, Montgomery ISD
- Other districts (Spring Branch, New Caney, Tomball) have put Chapter 37 reform in their legislative priorities
- No bill language exists yet
Board Discussion:
- Trustee May expressed hesitancy about joining without seeing bill language, noting concerns about putting the district's name behind unknown legislation. She suggested hearing from the coalition when they have more concrete information.
- Trustee Dawson noted federal regulations also create limitations, not just state law.
- Board agreed to potentially invite the coalition for a brief presentation at a future workshop, contingent on them having new information (bill language) to present.
Outcome: No action taken; item effectively tabled pending more information from the coalition.
Board Policy AE — Educational Philosophy Revisions (Item 9B)
General Counsel Miss Gadis presented a draft revision to Policy AE (Educational Philosophy), developed by Dr. Medford and Trustee Dawson. This was a first reading — no vote taken.
- Policy hasn't been updated since 2008
- Addresses each major district department with goals
- Guides development of the District Improvement Plan
Proposed additions discussed:
- Trustee Dawson: Add "develop critical thinking skills" to Goal 1 (Student Achievement) — board receptive
- Trustee Simler: Revise Goal 4 (Fiscal Stewardship) to reference creating a "balanced budget" that is "classroom first centered" — board asked to see in writing
Outcome: Board will review proposed amendments; revised draft to return at February workshop, with approval vote at February board meeting.
Texans for Excellence and Education (TEE) Membership (Item 9C)
John Petri (President) and Hava Armstrong presented TEE's services as an alternative/supplementary school board association to TASB.
TEE Overview:
- School board association offering policy services, training, insurance/risk management, HR services, board meeting software, and trustee mentorship
- Emphasizes trustee-focused approach, customization, local control, and transparency
- Claims not to be a lobbying organization
- Current members include Carroll ISD (Southlake), Keller ISD, Katy ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Sherman ISD
Key Service Differentiators from TASB (as presented by TEE):
- Policy: Legal reference shows actual law text rather than attorney interpretation; policy audit included with membership
- Common Sense Policies: Include HB 3979 requirements, bathroom protections, library materials standards, EFA/EFB updates
- Training: Online credentialed courses beyond required training (Robert's Rules, executive session, etc.)
- Insurance: À la carte options (not all-or-nothing); February 28 enrollment deadline for 25-26 pool
- Board Connect: Alternative to TASB's BoardBook (partnership with Diligent)
- HR Services: Forms, job descriptions, compensation studies; adhere strictly to state/federal law requirements
- Pricing: Claims to never charge more than TASB for comparable services; first-year membership fee waived through August 31, 2025
Board Discussion:
- Trustee May requested a side-by-side comparison of TEE vs. TASB products and services
- Dr. Null expressed no concern about a trial period running parallel to TASB, but would be "very concerned" about fully replacing TASB services given the district's size and HR/legal needs without first evaluating
- President Odenweller noted she had an attorney review the membership agreement and found it straightforward
- Dr. Null offered to review and execute the membership agreement, bringing any red flags back to the board
- Membership agreement expires August 31, 2025; non-renewal means no charges ever incurred
Motion: Enter into a non-binding trial membership agreement with TEE, with Dr. Null having oversight of the membership agreement.
Vote: Approved unanimously (7-0)
Legislative Priorities for the 89th Legislative Session (Item 9D)
Led by: Trustee Nelson
Multiple versions of legislative priorities were presented (Version 1A, 1B, and Version 2). Discussion was extensive.
Discussion Summary:
Basic Allotment:
- All versions called for increasing the basic allotment to account for inflation since 2019
- Trustee Simler expressed concern about building automatic inflation increases into formulas, suggesting instead asking the legislature to review allotments regularly
- Trustee Dawson advocated for language about ensuring teacher/staff pay increases and moving from ADA to enrollment-based funding
- Board agreed to keep the basic allotment section largely as written in 1A
- Discussion about inclusion of language requiring legislative review of basic allotment each session
Special Education Allotment:
- District-specific data included showing CISD exceeds its special education allotment
- Board supportive of keeping this as a standalone section
Safety and Security:
- Chapter 37 local control language included
- Board supportive
Transportation Allotment:
- District deficit of ~$30 million
- Some trustees questioned whether this was widely supported by other districts
Accountability and Assessment Reform (from Version 2):
- Trustee Dawson advocated replacing the Transportation section with Accountability and Assessment Reform
- Proposed bullet points: Reduce STAAR tests from 20 to federally mandated 17; defer online STAAR testing from 3rd grade to 5th grade
First Vote — Version 1A as written:
Failed 2-5
Second Motion — Version 1A modified: Remove "Who Represents Me" section; add Accountability and Assessment Reform section with two bullet points (reduce STAAR from 20 to 17 tests; defer online STAAR from 3rd to 5th grade); keep all other sections.
Vote: Approved unanimously (7-0)
Executive Session (Items 10A & 10B)
Board entered closed session at 2:44 PM for:
- Item 10A: Private consultation with board attorney regarding Conroe ISD v. Marcela Ruiz (Case No. 4:24-cv-01590, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas)
- Item 10B: Deliberation on purchase/exchange/lease/value of real property in Grand Oaks feeder zone
Board returned to open session at 3:51 PM.
No action taken following executive session.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn: Approved
Meeting adjourned at 3:51 PM
Summary of All Votes
| Item | Description | Result |
|------|-------------|--------|
| Item 4 | Consent Agenda (minutes, budget amendment, HR report) | Unanimous (7-0) |
| Item 5A | Iseler Elementary Attendance Zone (Scenario 4.1) | Approved (4-3) |
| Item 5A | Campbell Elementary Attendance Zone | Unanimous (7-0) |
| Item 5B | FEMA Grant Application — Reeves Elementary water intrusion | Unanimous (7-0) |
| Item 5B | FEMA Grant Application — Generator replacement | Unanimous (7-0) |
| Item 5D | Keep 2025-26 school calendar unchanged | Unanimous (7-0) |
| Item 6A | Woodlands High School Renovation GMP ($9,695,000) | Unanimous (7-0) |
| Item 6B | New Junior High School GMP — Conroe Feeder ($8,595,823) | Unanimous (7-0) |
| Item 7B | Chromebook RFP Award to CDW LLC | Unanimous (7-0) |
| Item 8A | FY 2023-24 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report | Unanimous (7-0) |
| Item 9C | TEE Non-Binding Trial Membership | Unanimous (7-0) |
| Item 9D | Legislative Priorities Version 1A (as written) | Failed (2-5) |
| Item 9D | Legislative Priorities Version 1A (modified with accountability/assessment reform) | Unanimous (7-0) |
Items Deferred or Tabled
| Item | Description | Status |
|------|-------------|--------|
| Item 9A | Student Behavior Management Coalition | No action taken; board will revisit when bill language is available |
| Item 9B | Policy AE (Educational Philosophy) Revisions | First reading only; returns at February workshop with revisions, vote at February board meeting |