{
  "id": "2025-03-18_regular",
  "meeting_date": "2025-03-18",
  "meeting_type": "regular",
  "meeting_types": [
    "regular"
  ],
  "title": "Conroe ISD Board Meeting — March 18, 2025",
  "date_display": "March 18, 2025",
  "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": "2026-06-18T19:45:21.468533Z",
  "highlights": "",
  "sections": [],
  "agenda_breakdown_md": "",
  "meeting_notes_md": "# Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2025-03-18\n*Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes*\n*Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.*\n*Generated 2026-03-28 18:09 UTC*\n\n---\n\n# Unofficial Meeting Notes\n## Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting\n### March 18, 2025\n\n> **Note:** These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript. They may contain errors or omissions. For official minutes, please consult the district.\n\n---\n\n## Meeting Called to Order\n- **Time:** 6:02 PM\n- **Quorum confirmed;** meeting posted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act\n- **Invocation:** Board President Oldenweller\n- **Pledge of Allegiance:** Led by Trustee Suler (spelling approximate)\n- **Colors presented by:** Conroe High School Army JROTC Color Guard under Captain Kevin Williams\n\n---\n\n## Item 2: Special Recognitions\n\n### The Woodlands High School — Swim & Dive\n- **Introduced by:** Jim Rapp, Athletic Coordinator/Head Football Coach (recently named Woodlands Hometown Hero)\n- **Head Swim Coach Jeremy Wade** (9 seasons) recognized the program's success and thanked support staff, Athletic Director Coach Ferris, and the Natatorium staff\n- **Coach Kevin Whit** (Aquatic Coordinator/District Diving Coach, named State Diving Coach of the Year):\n  - 12 CISD divers across all six high schools qualified for National High School All-America honors\n  - 6 state qualifiers (3 boys, 3 girls) — all from CISD; all 6 finaled at state\n  - **Shannon Waldren** (sophomore, The Woodlands): Won the **6A State Diving Championship**; undefeated in all meets this season; also won District 13, Region 4, and TISCA Gold championships; previously a National HS All-American as a freshman\n- *Note:* One additional Woodlands swimmer was to be recognized but was on a college visit; will be recognized at a future meeting\n- *Note:* Coach Rayome's daughter from The Woodlands was mentioned as a three-time state wrestling champion (114 lbs) but was not present\n\n### College Park High School — Wrestling (4 Individual State Champions)\n- **Introduced by:** Principal Robert McFarland\n- **Head Wrestling Coach Eric Spute** recognized assistant coaches Lindsay Spute and Kenneth Mark, and parents\n\n**State Champions recognized:**\n1. **Landry Von Goden** (sophomore) — **Two-time state champion**; 38-1 record; National Champion at preseason nationals in Des Moines; ranked 7th nationally; 3.95 GPA; opportunity to become school's first four-time state champion\n2. **Logan Milsaps** (junior) — **State champion at 150 lbs**; three-time state placer; 45 wins this season, 104 career victories; 4.2 weighted GPA; won state final in overtime vs. defending freestyle national champion\n3. **Anna Vote** (senior) — **Two-time state champion**; four-time state placer; ranked 13th nationally; eight-time USA Wrestling All-American; signed with Oklahoma City University (nursing); 3.5 GPA\n4. **Caillou Aaron** (senior) — **Two-time state champion**; three-time state finalist; five-time All-American; Brazilian national champion; Pan-American bronze medalist; 7th at World Championships in Spain; 4.3 weighted GPA; signed with California Baptist University (Big 12, biomedical engineering)\n\n- Girls team finished **2nd** at state; boys team finished **3rd** at state\n- Board President congratulated all athletes, praised their academic achievements and parental support\n\n---\n\n## Item 3: Public Participation (8 speakers)\n\n### Blue Bonnet Curriculum (7 speakers opposed)\n\n**Christina Smith** (parent of 4 special education/dyslexic students):\n- Concerned about lack of small group instruction in Blue Bonnet curriculum\n- Material doesn't appear grade-level appropriate\n- No teacher feedback was sought before approval\n\n**Melissa Martin** (25+ year CISD teacher, 3rd/4th grade):\n- Read a 4th grade writing prompt she deemed not age-appropriate\n- Cited a 4th grade unit book (*Letters from Heaven*) with religious content as inappropriate for public schools\n- Stated zero teachers were allowed to give feedback; called the choice \"awful and damaging\"\n\n**Destiny Milton** (former teacher, CISD parent):\n- Alleged that board members' speeches supporting Blue Bonnet at the February meeting were generated by ChatGPT; offered printed copies\n- Cited concerns about asking kindergartners to sit for 30-minute lessons and inappropriate reading levels (e.g., Don Quixote for 5th graders)\n- Called on the board to recall the vote\n\n**Kimberly Kepler** (parent):\n- Cited an online petition with 1,256 signatures opposing Blue Bonnet\n- Noted $12 million budget shortfall and $2+ million cost to implement\n- Questioned board members' campaign pledge of financial responsibility\n- Raised First Amendment/church-state concerns about Bible-infused content\n- Asked how teachers of various faiths would handle religious questions from students\n\n**Diane Daniels:**\n- Stated the curriculum was not reviewed by teachers\n- Called vocabulary inappropriate for target ages\n- Alleged board members relied on talking points rather than personal review\n- Thanked Trustees Horton and Suler (approximate spelling) for voting no\n\n**Susan Scruggs:**\n- Criticized shutdown of teacher review committee\n- Alleged curriculum contains CRT, SEL, and DEI content\n- Noted 7 State Board of Education members voted against Blue Bonnet\n- Called for teacher input\n\n**Amy Poa** (CISD parent and teacher):\n- Was selected for curriculum review committee that was bypassed\n- Argued students need reading practice time, which Blue Bonnet lacks\n- Cited unrealistic 40-minute lesson expectations\n- Raised church-state separation concerns\n- Stated curriculum lacks adequate phonics, editing, and revising components\n\n### Other Public Comments\n\n**Jeff Zedler:**\n- Spoke about gender identity issues in schools\n- Referenced HB 2258 legislation on social transitioning\n- Praised Blue Bonnet relative to other content concerns\n\n**Michelle Knuckles:**\n- Read explicit passages from books *Queer F*** and *Wonderfully Made* (found at Grand Oaks and Oak Ridge high schools) and *Queer* (Grand Oaks)\n- Questioned why *Slaughterhouse-Five* was removed while these books remain\n- Stated a public information request yielded no specific explanation for removal decisions\n\n---\n\n## Item 4: Consent Agenda\n- **Motion:** Moved and seconded\n- **Vote:** Approved **7-0**\n\n---\n\n## Item 5: Human Resources — Principal Appointments\n\n### 5A: Bush Elementary Principal\n- **Recommendation:** Sarah Howard (current assistant principal at Bush)\n- Dr. Null noted Bush will be smaller after the Eiser Elementary split; sought a veteran educator\n- **Motion:** Moved and seconded\n- **Vote:** Approved **7-0**\n- Ms. Howard delivered acceptance remarks, thanking family, mentors, and staff\n\n### 5B: Collins Intermediate Principal\n- **Recommendation:** Chelsea Harness (current assistant principal at Collins)\n- Dr. Null praised Collins as one of the highest-achieving schools in the district; noted internal promotion\n- **Motion:** Moved and seconded\n- **Vote:** Approved **7-0**\n- Ms. Harness delivered acceptance remarks, recognizing 15 years in the district and mentors\n\n### 5C: Director of Health Services\n- **Recommendation:** Dana Fiser (current Health Services Coordinator)\n- Dr. Null recognized outgoing Director Barbara Robertson (retiring; previously named Texas School Nurse of the Year)\n- **Motion:** Moved and seconded\n- **Vote:** Approved **7-0**\n- Ms. Fiser delivered acceptance remarks, citing 27-year nursing career and commitment to student health\n\n---\n\n## Item 6: Teaching & Learning — NWEA MAP Assessment Suite\n\n### Discussion\nDr. Medford presented the recommendation to adopt the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth and Reading Fluency assessment suite district-wide, following an 18-month study and 6-campus pilot.\n\n**Key points from administration:**\n- MAP would replace approximately 20 days of ELA assessments and 12-15 days of math assessments\n- Provides diagnostic, individualized data on student needs\n- Predictive of STAR performance (better than previous interim assessments)\n- Would **not** replace quarterly curriculum assessments\n- Funded through Instructional Materials Technology Allotment (does not affect general fund)\n- Every K-8 principal supported full adoption\n- Cost described as a \"Cadillac\" assessment (~$800,000 implied)\n\n**Trustee concerns raised:**\n- **Trustee Horton:** Wanted to see correlation between pilot MAP scores and actual STAR results before full adoption; noted lack of teacher feedback survey; concerned about test duration (some pilot teachers reported students taking all day)\n- **Trustee Suler:** Concerned about adding another new initiative alongside new curriculum; wanted extended pilot with more training time and teacher feedback\n- **Trustee Dunan:** Asked whether MAP could replace quarterly assessments (administration said no — different purposes)\n- Multiple trustees raised concerns about teacher training adequacy and implementation timeline\n\n**Administration responses:**\n- Training plan: instructional coaches in May, administrators in July, teachers at start of school year\n- Time limits will be better communicated (diagnostic nature means extended time doesn't improve results)\n- Pilot feedback was \"overwhelmingly positive\" after initial adjustment period\n- Neighboring districts that use MAP have had sustained success\n\n### Motions and Votes\n\n1. **Trustee Suler moved to amend** Trustee Horton's motion to extend the pilot (rather than table) to allow more time for teacher feedback and STAR correlation data — **Motion died for lack of a second**\n\n2. **Trustee Horton moved to table** until after STAR results are available (approximately May/June)\n   - Seconded\n   - **Vote: 4-3 — Motion to table CARRIED**\n   - *Item tabled until after STAR results*\n\n---\n\n## Item 7A & 7B: Campus Mascots for New Elementary Schools\n\n### Middy J. Campbell Elementary\n- Colors: Red and blue (honoring Oak Ridge HS and Caney Creek HS)\n- **Mascot selected by families: Cardinals** (59% of 156 families)\n- **Vote:** Approved **7-0**\n\n### Robert Eiser Elementary\n- Colors: Green and gold (Woodlands HS feeder)\n- **Mascot selected by families: Eagles** (58% of 256 families)\n- **Vote:** Approved **7-0**\n\n---\n\n## Item 7C: Intruder Detection Audit Update (Mr. McCord)\n- 51 campuses audited to date (via Region 6 and TEA)\n- **48 campuses (94%)** had desired outcome (no findings)\n- **1 campus** had a finding during an outside assessment in early March\n  - Corrective action already in motion\n  - Details to be shared in closed session and with the District Safety & Security Committee in April\n\n---\n\n## Item 7D: Attendance Boundary Committee Update — Timber Mill HS, New Junior High & Intermediate (Mr. McCord)\n\n### Key Information:\n- **Objectives:** Establish boundaries for Timber Mill High School (and by extension its feeder pattern), new Conroe-area junior high, and new Conroe-area intermediate, while preserving room for future growth\n- Determines which campuses feed into Timber Mill HS, Caney Creek HS, and Conroe HS feeders\n- Builds on 2023-2024 elementary rezoning that addressed overcrowding at 7 campuses (including Creighton at 150% capacity)\n\n### Process & Timeline:\n- **Committee meeting:** March 20 (Thursday)\n- **Community presentations:** Next Tuesday and Thursday (Conroe HS and Caney Creek HS feeder communities)\n- **May 13:** Board check-in\n- **July 15:** Three zone scenarios to be presented to the board\n- **Boundary process website launched at 4:00 PM on March 18** — includes maps, current scenarios (8 in play), community feedback portal, FAQs, and ability to submit custom zoning scenarios\n- Letters to all parents in affected feeder zones (English and Spanish) to be sent March 19\n\n### Campus Capacity Context:\n- **Conroe HS:** 112% capacity (physically full-grown students)\n- **Conroe 9th Grade Campus:** Over capacity; no room for additional portables; no available electricity for expansion ($550K+ to add); can manage through \"floating\" until 2027\n- **Caney Creek HS:** Facing incoming growth from Sweetwater Ridge, Artavia, Mavera, and Evergreen developments\n- **Bosman Intermediate:** 117% capacity, growing exponentially (second biggest concern)\n- Special recognition of **Tasha Smith** (Conroe HS principal) for patience during years of renovation while operating the 4th largest high school in Texas\n\n### New Campus Locations:\n- **New intermediate (Flex 26) and junior high:** Same contiguous property on FM 1314 (east side), near Creighton Road, behind Wilkinson Elementary\n- **Timber Mill HS:** East Loop 336, near Stockton Junior High\n- **Caney Creek 9th Grade Campus:** FM 1485 near 242 — opens August 2027\n\n---\n\n## Item 7E: District Improvement Plan (DIP) Update (Dr. Medford)\n\n### Dyslexia Services (Goal 1, PO5):\n- Targeting 5% growth at \"meets\" level for students receiving dyslexia services\n- K-2 data showed student reading level progression (e.g., 1st grade: 52 students at level A at BOY → 18 at MOY)\n- Trustee noted 2nd grade percentages trending down; expressed concern about meeting the 5% increase goal\n\n### Special Education Collaboration (Goal 5, PO3):\n- Caney Creek feeder receiving training this year on general ed/special ed teacher collaboration\n- Observations and facilitator support ongoing across campuses\n\n### Secondary Math (POs 8-10):\n- 7th and 8th grade focused on high-priority TEKS (rational numbers, linear relationships)\n- QA2 results trending above goals in several targeted TEKS\n- Algebra 1 special education students: close to goal in QA1 but saw a dip in QA2; administration reviewing instruction and accommodations\n\n### Science (POs 14-15):\n- Tracking 5th grade, 8th grade, and biology masters-level growth\n- Release STAR scores expected to be lower than QA scores (measures entire curriculum including untaught content)\n- Extension opportunities: Science/Engineering Fair (244 projects to regionals), new junior high robotics, FIRST Lego League team going to state, all high schools in biotechnology competition\n- RDA accountability tracking for economically disadvantaged, emergent bilingual, and special education subgroups\n\n---\n\n## Item 8: Planning & Construction\n\n### 8A: CM-at-Risk for Bush & Pohl Elementary Additions\n- **Selected:** Teal Construction (best value)\n- 10 RFQ responses → 5 invited to Step 2\n- **Vote:** Approved **7-0**\n\n### 8B: CM-at-Risk for Giesinger, Singer & Reeves Elementary Additions\n- **Selected:** Angelo Bryant (best value; lowest price)\n- 9 RFQ responses → 5 invited to Step 2\n- Angelo Bryant submitted same team for both 8A and 8B packages, so could only be awarded one\n- **Vote:** Approved **7-0**\n\n### 8C: CM-at-Risk for Irons, Peet, York & Conroe 9th Grade Renovations\n- **Selected:** Angelo Bryant (different team than 8B; lowest bidder)\n- 6 RFQ responses → 5 invited to Step 2\n- **Vote:** Approved **7-0**\n\n### 8D: Capital Improvement Updates (Mr. Foster)\n\n| Project | Status | Target Opening |\n|---|---|---|\n| **Conroe HS Renovation** (new front entry) | Final phase; steel arriving soon | Ongoing |\n| **Eiser Elementary** | Nearing dry condition; interior work underway | **August 2025** |\n| **Campbell Elementary** | Slightly ahead; interior work in progress | **August 2025** |\n| **New Intermediate (Flex 26)** on FM 1314 | Mobilized on site | **August 2026** |\n| **New Elementary (Flex 27)** Grand Oaks feeder | Mobilized on site | **August 2026** |\n| **Grand Oaks 7-8 & 9th Grade Campus** | Slab 90% complete; parking 95% | **January 2027** (9th grade early opening) |\n| **Timber Mill High School** | Drill pier foundations complete; parking lot underway | **August 2027** |\n| **New Conroe Junior High** (FM 1314) | Clearing in progress | **August 2027** |\n| **Caney Creek 9th Grade Campus** (FM 1485) | Clearing in progress | **August 2027** |\n| **Knox Junior High Renovation** | Phase 1 classrooms opened post-spring break; new driveway; summer phases ahead | **August 2026** |\n| **Buckalew & Haley** (gym additions) | Dirt work and building pads | **December 2025** |\n| **Creighton & Ford** (gym additions) | New bus loop opened at Creighton; utilities at Ford | **December 2025** |\n| **The Woodlands HS Renovation** | Roofing and interior work | **December 2026** |\n| **Oak Ridge 9th Grade Renovation** | Contractor mobilizing; approved last month | **August 2026** |\n| **Snider, Tough & Collins** (critical infrastructure) | Roofing and bathroom improvements | **August 2025** |\n| **Armstrong, Austin, Burnham Woods & Broadway** | Roofing in progress/mobilizing | **August 2025** |\n| **Deretchin, Kaufman & Oak Ridge** | Roofing progress | **August 2025** |\n| **Milam & Houston** | Roofing nearly complete (Milam) | **August 2025** |\n| **Agriculture Facilities** (Boothe Road & North facility) | Cattle barn demolition begun; North facility in permit process | **Spring 2026** (North) |\n| **Natatorium Renovations** | Materials arriving this week | **End of July 2025** |\n\n**Safety & Security upgrades** across all bond campuses include:\n- Secure interior hallways (elementary/intermediate) to allow teachers to open classroom doors\n- Card reader access on all exterior doors (eliminating physical keys)\n- Additional exterior cameras for license plate capture at driveways\n\n---\n\n## Item 9: Financial Reports (Miss Garza)\n\n- **Tax collections:** ~94% collected (on target)\n- **Debt service:** First payment of ~$128 million made February 15; next payment August 15\n- **2023 Bond funds** encumbered/expended life-to-date: **$562.1 million**\n- **Self-funded insurance:** $200K deficit for February; **$4.8 million deficit year-to-date**\n  - Employee Benefits Committee working on plan design and premium options\n  - Recommendations to come in **April**\n- **Investments (as of Jan 31):** $1.5 billion (elevated due to tax collections and second bond sale)\n  - Portfolio yield: 4.52% vs. 4.18% benchmark (90-day T-bill)\n\n---\n\n## Item 10: Tabled/Pulled Items\n\n- **10A: Resolution regarding MCAD vote** — **Tabled** until special meeting on **Friday, March 21 at 1:00 PM**\n- **10B: Development and cost-sharing MOU** — Deferred until after executive session\n- **10C:** Pulled from agenda\n\n---\n\n## Executive (Closed) Session\n- **Entered:** 8:53 PM\n- **Purposes cited:**\n  - §551.074 — Staff employment, evaluation, and reassignment; board governance\n  - §551.076 — Security personnel/devices deployment\n  - §551.071 — Consultation with board attorney; deliberation regarding security audit findings from 2024-25 intruder detection audits\n\n---\n\n## Return to Open Session — 9:54 PM\n\n### 10B: Development and Cost-Sharing MOU\n- Consider and approve MOU with City of Conroe, Montgomery County MUD #207, and Bradbury Development relating to a lift station and force main to serve CISD campuses\n- **Motion:** Moved and seconded\n- **Vote:** Approved **7-0**\n\n---\n\n## Future Agenda Items\n- No requests from trustees at this time\n\n---\n\n## Adjournment\n- **Time:** 9:55 PM\n- **Motion to adjourn:** Carried\n\n---\n\n## Summary of All Votes\n\n| Item | Description | Result |\n|---|---|---|\n| Consent Agenda | All consent items | **Approved 7-0** |\n| Bush Elementary Principal (Sarah Howard) | | **Approved 7-0** |\n| Collins Intermediate Principal (Chelsea Harness) | | **Approved 7-0** |\n| Director of Health Services (Dana Fiser) | | **Approved 7-0** |\n| NWEA MAP Assessment — Motion to table | Until after STAR results | **Carried 4-3** |\n| NWEA MAP — Motion to amend (extend pilot) | Trustee Suler | **Died — no second** |\n| Campbell Elementary Mascot (Cardinals) | | **Approved 7-0** |\n| Eiser Elementary Mascot (Eagles) | | **Approved 7-0** |\n| CM-at-Risk: Bush & Pohl (Teal Construction) | | **Approved 7-0** |\n| CM-at-Risk: Giesinger, Singer & Reeves (Angelo Bryant) | | **Approved 7-0** |\n| CM-at-Risk: Irons, Peet, York & Conroe 9th (Angelo Bryant) | | **Approved 7-0** |\n| MCAD Resolution | | **Tabled to March 21 special meeting** |\n| Development/Cost-Sharing MOU (City of Conroe/MUD 207) | | **Approved 7-0** |\n\n---\n\n## Key Items to Watch\n- **Blue Bonnet Curriculum:** Significant public opposition continues; multiple speakers requested the board reconsider/rescind the February vote; allegations that board speeches were AI-generated; no board action taken this meeting\n- **NWEA MAP Assessment:** Tabled 4-3 pending STAR results; will return to a future agenda\n- **MCAD Resolution:** Tabled to special meeting March 21 at 1:00 PM\n- **Health Insurance:** $4.8M year-to-date deficit; plan design and premium recommendations coming in April\n- **Attendance Boundary Process:** Website live; community presentations next week; 8 scenarios under consideration; board action expected July 15"
}