July 15, 2025 — Regular Meeting

Name: July 15, 2025 — Regular Meeting
Start: 2025-07-15

Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting

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Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2025-07-15

Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes

Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.

Generated 2026-03-28 18:49 UTC

Unofficial Meeting Notes

Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting

July 15, 2025

Note: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain errors. For official minutes, please refer to the district's published records.

Meeting Called to Order

Time: 6:01 PM
Quorum confirmed; all seven trustees present (Trustee Nelson participated remotely via Zoom from London)
Opening prayer: Trustee Duncan (included mention of families affected by Texas Hill Country flooding)
Pledges: Led by Trustee Horton

Human Resources

Item 2A: Principal for Reeves Elementary

Dr. Landry recommended Linda Brashler, a 25-year CISD veteran who served as teacher, instructional staff, and assistant principal at two campuses.
Motion: Horton; Second: Horton (noted after procedural delay due to Trustee Nelson's video lag)
Vote: 7-0. Approved.
Ms. Brashler gave an acceptance speech thanking mentors, family, and the Reeves community.

Item 2B: Principal for Mitchell Intermediate

Dr. Landry recommended Jeremy Williams, a 20-year CISD educator who served as math teacher and assistant principal at Mitchell.
Motion/Second noted.
Vote: 7-0. Approved.
Mr. Williams gave an acceptance speech thanking mentors, family, and the Mitchell community.

Special Recognition: Ambassador Awards

Transportation Department

Presented by Maria Gomez Johnson, Assistant Director of Transportation:

Greta Groman — Operations Supervisor, Conroe Center (since 2013)
Usuzman Khan — Special Needs Bus Driver, Conroe Center
Marilyn Singleton — Special Needs Bus Driver, Conroe Center
Francisco Longoria — Bus Driver, Conroe Center (handled medical emergency at bus stop)
April Man — Bus Driver, Conroe Center (handled medical emergency with composure)
Pamela Thomas — Operations Specialist, Caney Creek Center (since 2006)
Maria Bazan — Bus Driver, Caney Creek Center (not present)
Dwayne Jackson — Special Needs Bus Driver, Woodlands Center (not present)
Kira Downing — Bus Driver, Oak Ridge Center (not present)

Trustee Dawson made additional remarks recognizing transportation staff as "unsung heroes" and expressing appreciation for their unique and underappreciated role.

Administration Building Employees

Gina Diamond (Payroll Department, 23 years) — presented by CFO Karen Garza
Doug Holland (Technology Services/Security & Access Control, 23 years) — presented by Karen Garza
Jessica Gara (Teaching & Learning Administrative Assistant) — presented by Dr. Upshaw
Julia Wisowski (Teaching & Learning Administrative Assistant) — presented by Dr. Upshaw

Public Participation (6 speakers)

1. Susan [Last name not fully captured] (Woodlands Transportation): Thanked the board for the 6% raise but noted it won't cover health insurance increases. Stated transportation employees are being "left in the dark" compared to teachers. Noted competing districts start pay at $23/hour. Emphasized bus drivers work alone with 60 students and need better compensation.

2. Norman Keane (Student, Academy of Science and Health Professions): Requested the district revise its cell phone policy to allow flexibility for safety, emergency, and academic use. Cited Texas Education Code sections 31.004 and 25.904. Referenced a petition signed by over 3,000 students, parents, and community members. Proposed safety exceptions, academic use when school tech is unavailable, teacher discretion, and a student advisory panel.

3. Aggie Gambino: Shared experience with a special education due process case two years ago. Announced effort to create a Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) for CISD, modeled after SHAC. Working with Trustee May; goal is first meeting in September 2025.

4. Rihanna Mohler: Criticized the district's policy on teaching about controversial issues as "dangerously vague," specifically the lack of definition for "systemic discrimination ideologies." Argued restricting controversial discussions sets students behind academically and leaves them unprepared for AP exams and real-world engagement.

5. Diane Daniels: Advocated for allowing homeschool students to participate in CISD sports programs under the new state legislation. Argued the "best of the best" should be allowed to try out regardless of enrollment status.

6. Susan Scruggs: Cited an NIH study on screen time and health consequences in children. Urged the board to consider this research if exploring expansion of virtual teaching.

7. Somaya Parachuri (Student): Criticized the controversial issues policy and lack of definitions for social emotional learning. Argued the board has ignored student testimony over the past year on mental health, menstrual products, and book access. Accused the board of pushing a personal agenda at the expense of education.

8. Lisa Hernandez: Spoke against book bans, specifically Perks of Being a Wallflower, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, Speak, All Boys Aren't Blue, and The Handmaid's Tale. Argued the bans silence students' lived experiences and remove representation.

Consent Agenda (Item 5)

Item 5F (Professional Development Clearing House) was pulled for separate discussion at Trustee Nelson's request.
Remaining consent agenda items approved.
Vote: 7-0. Approved.

Trustee Dawson gave kudos to CFO Karen Garza for the natural gas supply utilities contract expected to generate long-term savings.

Professional Development Clearing House (Item 5F — Discussed Separately)

Trustee Nelson raised concerns about potential DEI content in professional development programs and whether any are funded through Title II grants that have been frozen by the federal government.
Dr. Landry and Dr. Shaw confirmed this item is not Title II funded; it is the required staff development through Vector Solutions.
Mr. McCord explained Vector Solutions is required by Texas Senate Bill 1267 and board policy. Noted a one-sentence DEI reference in a sexual harassment module was removed in early summer 2024, reverting to the 2020 module. The platform is customizable by the district.
Vote: 7-0. Approved.

Administration

Item 6A: District Improvement Plan (DIP) 2024-2025 Update

Presented by Karen Garza and Dr. Upshaw:

Goal 2 — School Leadership & Fiscal Responsibility:

Superior rating on TEA's FIRST report for the 22nd consecutive year
First school district in Texas to receive all four stars for transparency from the Comptroller's office
Identified an error in hold harmless calculation resulting in significant additional funding
Bond 2023 technology projects underway
Multiple community workshops on school finance conducted

Goal 5 — Effective Instruction:

Early childhood: 85 pre-K teachers; 47 have completed 5-year coaching goals; 98% met/exceeded annual professional goals; 84% met coaching goals
Professional Learning Framework: Over 1,000 in-house professional development opportunities offered to teachers
Fine Arts: 80 of anticipated 101 sessions conducted
PE: New curriculum guides developed for intermediate and junior high PE teachers per SHAC recommendation
Languages Other Than English (LOTE): Over 75 languages served; 100% participation in content leadership PD; 90% expressed confidence in implementation

DIP Timeline:

Last update for 2024-2025 presented
District-level planning committee met to get feedback on Goal 1 (academic)
Final draft to be submitted to board for approval in September
STAAR preliminary results and accountability ratings planned for August board meeting (TEA target release: August 15)

Item 6B: Attendance Zones for New Schools

Presented by Mr. McCord on behalf of the District Attendance Boundary Committee.

Key context:

Bond 2023 included three new schools requiring initial attendance boundaries
In 2023, 39 campuses were over capacity; if approved tonight, combined with other efforts, that number drops to 11
Grand Oaks Junior High and Arnold Elementary zoning still to come (fall 2025)

Schools zoned:

1. Timber Mill High School — 3,800 students (9-12), North Loop 336 East, opening August 2027

- Relief primarily for Conroe High School and its 9th grade campus (both significantly over capacity)

- Caney Creek gets breathing room but will see explosive growth from Evergreen, Mava, and Arvilla developments

- Northeast area residents kept with Caney Creek per community feedback (faster travel time)

- Opening capacity target ~72% (near the 75% target)

2. Lynn Cartwright Junior High — 1,600 students, FM 1314, opening August 2027

3. Janine Fowler Intermediate — FM 1314 (south of junior high property), opening August 2026

- Critical relief for Bozman Intermediate (considerably over capacity)

Significant discussion points:

Trustee Duncan asked about travel times from northeast zone to Caney Creek (~14-16 min; ~27-28 min to Timber Mill during rush hour)
Extensive discussion about future overcrowding at San Jacinto Elementary and Patterson Elementary due to Mava, Arvilla, and other developments
District has land in Arvilla and Mava for potential future schools but would require a bond issue
A new demographic/passive study was last done in 2022; typically needed 1-1.5 years before a bond election (~$100K cost)
Mr. McCord noted Campbell Elementary will grow rapidly from Evergreen and Montgomery Creek Ranch development

Motion: Dawson; Second: May

Vote: 7-0. Approved.

Item 6C: Contract with Communities in Schools (CIS)

Presented by Dr. Taylor.

Discussion:

President Odenweller requested the contract be amended to:

- Explicitly state CIS will fully comply with all Texas Education Code and local district policies

- Revise procedures so parents receive specific, informed consent about which records CIS can access (rather than blanket authorization via student handbook)

Noted that in 2.5 years, she has not found a parent who understood the blanket handbook authorization
Trustee Nelson asked about funding source; confirmed CIS is funded from the general budget, not grant funding
District pays a portion of CIS site coordinator salaries; CIS pays the remainder
Deadline concern: contract needed by July 31; determined to be achievable

Motion (as amended): To approve the CIS contract contingent upon inclusion of language requiring CIS compliance with TEC and CISD policies, and revised procedures for explicit informed parental consent prior to record sharing.

Vote: 7-0. Approved.

Planning and Construction (Item 7)

Item 7A: Prevailing Wage Rate Resolution

Presented by Mr. Foster. Three-year cycle adoption required by Texas Government Code. District adopts its own rates (via PBK survey of Gulf Coast region) rather than defaulting to federal Davis-Bacon rates, yielding cost savings. Average change: less than $1/hour increase across trades from previous cycle.

Vote: 7-0. Approved.

Item 7B: Development Cost Sharing MOU — City of Conroe/MUD 207/Bradberry Development (Lift Station)

For sanitary sewer lift station serving Cartwright Junior High and Fowler Intermediate on FM 1314
Significant change since March: City of Conroe's share went from 21% to 0%; CISD's share went from 4% to 25%; developer covers remainder
Worst-case scenario: ~$900,000 for CISD
District has meeting scheduled later in July to continue negotiations; requesting authority for Dr. Landry to execute once best deal is reached
Board expressed concern about the shift but acknowledged construction timeline pressure (Fowler opening August 2026)
Vote: 7-0. Approved.

Item 7C: Development/Annexation Agreement — City of Conroe (Gravity Sewer Line)

50/50 cost sharing with city for public gravity sewer line serving campus and neighboring developments
Worst-case CISD share: up to $2.5 million; combined with lift station: $3.4 million total
Some overlap with existing construction contracts should reduce actual cost
City's request includes off-site work beyond CISD property boundaries that Mr. Foster intends to negotiate
District previously sent letter supporting city's grant application for these utilities; outcome unknown
Vote: 7-0. Approved.

Item 7D: Guaranteed Maximum Price — Bush and Poe Elementary Gym Additions

Teal Construction (CMAR selected March 2025) with Stantech (designer)
GMP: $25,250,279 against project budget of $27,014,881
Includes critical infrastructure improvements (chillers, boilers, roofs, safety/security upgrades)
Vote: 7-0. Approved.

Item 7E: Guaranteed Maximum Price — Giesinger and Reeves Elementary Gym Additions

Ansco & Bryant (CMAR) with Stantech
GMP: $21,454,039
Same scope as above (gym additions plus critical infrastructure)
Vote: 7-0. Approved.

Item 7F: Change Order — Ag Barns (Prop C)

Change order to Brookstone Construction for Robinson Road Ag Barn (serving Grand Oaks HS and Oak Ridge HS)
Change order: $4,430,079; brings total contract to $15,484,590
Funded from Prop C of Bond 2023; slightly above original target but fits within Prop C funding
Booty Road ag barn permit cleared commissioner's court (pending confirmation)
Vote: 7-0. Approved.

Business/Finance

Item 8A: 2025-2026 Employee Compensation Plan

Presented by CFO Karen Garza.

Veteran Teachers (5+ years):

House Bill 2 Teacher Retention Allotment: $5,000 raise for 5+ years; $2,500 for 3-4 years
Additional district increase: $300 for 5-9 years experience; $500 for 10+ years
Average increase for veteran teachers (5+ years): 8.2%

Novice Teachers (1-2 years): $2,100 increase

Starting Teacher Pay: $63,500

Non-Teaching Staff Increases (midpoint of pay grade):

6% — Auxiliary, Administrative Support, Instructional pay groups
4% — Police Department, Technology pay groups
3.5% — Administrative Education, Administrative Business pay groups

Substitute Pay: $5/day increase for teachers; $10/day increase for paraprofessionals

Total cost: Estimated at $33.1 million; results in a balanced budget.

Board Discussion:

Trustee Dawson noted HB2 represents the largest single-year boost in Texas public education history ($8.5 billion statewide; $41 million for Conroe); thanked state legislators, particularly Senator Brandon Creighton
President Odenweller thanked HR team (Paula Green), payroll department, and technology staff for implementation work
Trustee May thanked Garza; highlighted special education position increases (~95 positions), sped stipends; urged continued focus on veteran teachers, paraprofessionals, ISS teachers, year-round coaches, and transportation; asked about TIA expansion timeline
Garza noted TIA expansion will continue as assessment data improves; MAP assessment will help; largest remaining challenge is fine arts, CTE, and similar areas
Trustee May called for an efficiency audit to find additional savings; Trustee Dawson confirmed audit committee has discussed next steps
Multiple trustees acknowledged the district is not yet at market rates but is making progress

Vote: 7-0. Approved.

Item 8B: Financial Reports (as of June 30)

Presented by Karen Garza:

General fund: Total revenue $655.4 million; total expenditures $496 million (partial figures as fiscal year-end approaching)
Bond 2023: All projects begun except one; $988.3 million expended/encumbered; $777.8 million remaining to sell; third bond sale planned for fall
Self-funded insurance: $9.83 million deficit for year; $7.8 million fund balance; June was rough ($4.5M revenue vs $6M expenditures); projecting ~$5-5.5 million transfer needed from general fund (already included in projections)
Investment portfolio: $1.2 billion par value; combined yield 4.45% vs 4.20% benchmark

Legal (Item 9)

Item 9A: Policies FD and FM Local — Homeschool Students in UIL Activities

Presented by Dr. Povich.

Per Senate Bill 401 (89th Legislature), districts may opt out of allowing non-enrolled (homeschool) students to participate in UIL activities. Administration recommended opting out due to large student enrollments already limiting participation opportunities.

Significant discussion:

Trustee Duncan expressed reservations about opting out; noted legislation passed with two-thirds majority in both chambers; argued the district should be proactive in finding solutions rather than joining the ~1,000+ districts opting out; emphasized these are taxpayer families who lobbied for this opportunity; sees competitive benefits
Dr. Povich noted only 46 entities opted in statewide last year (24-25); only large 6A district was Hutto ISD; no neighboring districts opted in
Concerns raised about: security issues with non-enrolled students coming and going; inability to verify academic standards (parents self-report grades); differing accountability standards for team members; no provision to limit number of homeschool participants; if neighboring districts opt out, their homeschool students could come to CISD
Trustee Nelson asked about neighboring district decisions; UIL deadline is September 1 for this year (pushed back from typical August 1)
Trustee Horton noted concerns about displacing enrolled students who benefit academically from extracurricular involvement
Multiple trustees expressed interest in studying the issue further for potential future changes

Motion: To approve policy revisions declining to grant non-enrolled students the opportunity to participate in UIL activities.

Vote: 5-2. Approved. (Trustees Duncan and one other opposed)

President Odenweller noted the board should study this issue over the coming year.

Item 9B: Policy EM (Miscellaneous Instructional Policies)

Presented by Trustee Dawson — third reading.

Legislative context: 89th session passed 120+ education bills; 35-40 mandatory policy updates coming.

Changes from previous reading: Removed sexually explicit content section (will be updated separately with legislative updates).

Policy sections:

1. Critical Race Theory — Language taken from HB 3979 and SB 3 (87th session)

2. Social Emotional Learning — Continues teaching positive aspects per SB 123 (87th session)

3. Gender Fluidity/Pronoun Usage — Aligned with new SB 12 (89th session) prohibiting social transitioning

- Reporting/investigation process: Parent or employee may report suspected violation to board; board investigates; if violation confirmed, must report to TEA Commissioner

Two amendments adopted:

1. Amendment 1 (Trustee Dawson): Changed investigation language from "The board shall investigate" to "The board shall oversee an investigation conducted by the superintendent for any suspected violation and determine whether the violation occurred."

- Trustees discussed that this keeps governance role with the board while placing operational investigation with administration

- Dr. Landry confirmed the intent of the amended language

2. Amendment 2 (Trustee Simler): Removed the paragraph allowing teachers to comply with parental written requests for pronoun usage inconsistent with biological sex.

- Trustee Simler argued the exception potentially conflicts with SB 12's prohibition on social transitioning and federal executive orders regarding federal funding

- Trustee Dawson noted potential parental rights argument but accepted the amendment

- Vote on Amendment 2: 6-1. Approved.

Final vote on Policy EM (with both amendments): 7-0. Approved.

Item 9C: Vendor Contracts — Policy Services, Board Book, TASB/TE

Presented by Trustee Simler.

Context: TASB (Texas Association of School Boards) services subject to auto-renewal; TE (Texans for Excellence in Education) free membership also up for consideration.

Key discussion points:

CISD has been with TASB policy services since 1976 and HR services since 1990
Ongoing legal dispute between TASB and TE regarding policy coding/copyright
Trustee Simler expressed concern about losing historical policy references if coding system changes
Board discussed keeping TASB membership for non-policy services (HR, procurement/BuyBoard, insurance, etc.)
BuyBoard reimbursed CISD $71,840 last year against $41,420 in total TASB spending (net positive ~$30,000)
Board Book (TASB product) currently used for all board meeting agendas/backup; cost ~$2,500/year; a competitor called "Diligent" exists at similar base price with additional features
Dr. Landry recommended keeping Board Book for now but exploring alternatives over the next year

Three separate votes taken:

1. Continue all TASB services EXCEPT policy hosting and policy services:

- Vote: 6-1. Approved. (Trustee Nelson opposed)

2. Continue free TE membership for one more year (membership benefits, not policy services):

- Vote: 6-1. Approved. (Trustee Nelson opposed — appeared to be lag/communication issue but vote recorded)

3. Switch policy services and policy hosting (Policy Connect) from TASB to TE:

- Trustee Dawson argued for steering away from "taxpayer funded lobbyist organizations"

- Trustee Simler raised ethical concerns about taking TASB's copyrighted organizational system

- Motion: Dawson; Second: May

- Vote: 5-2. Approved.

Closed Session

Entered at 9:35 PM pursuant to Texas Government Code §551.129 and §551.071 (consultation with attorney)
Returned to open session at 10:10 PM
No action taken from closed session.

Future Agenda Items

President Odenweller requested discussion and possible action on naming the virtual school (including branding and mascot) for the August meeting.

Adjournment

Motion: Dawson; Second: Duncan
Meeting adjourned at 10:11 PM

Summary of All Votes

|------|-------------|------|--------|

| 2A | Principal — Reeves Elementary (Brashler) | 7-0 | Approved |

| 2B | Principal — Mitchell Intermediate (Williams) | 7-0 | Approved |

| 5 | Consent Agenda (minus Item F) | 7-0 | Approved |

| 5F | Professional Development Clearing House | 7-0 | Approved |

| 6B | Attendance Zones (Timber Mill HS, Cartwright JH, Fowler Int.) | 7-0 | Approved |

| 6C | CIS Contract (with amendments) | 7-0 | Approved |

| 7A | Prevailing Wage Rate Resolution | 7-0 | Approved |

| 7B | MOU — Lift Station Cost Sharing | 7-0 | Approved |

| 7C | Development Agreement — Gravity Sewer Line | 7-0 | Approved |

| 7D | GMP — Bush & Poe Elementary Gyms ($25.25M) | 7-0 | Approved |

| 7E | GMP — Giesinger & Reeves Elementary Gyms ($21.45M) | 7-0 | Approved |

| 7F | Change Order — Ag Barns ($4.43M) | 7-0 | Approved |

| 8A | 2025-2026 Compensation Plan | 7-0 | Approved |

| 9A | UIL Opt-Out (Policies FD/FM Local) | 5-2 | Approved |

| 9B | EM Policy (final, with amendments) | 7-0 | Approved |

| 9C-1 | Continue TASB services (except policy) | 6-1 | Approved |

| 9C-2 | Continue TE free membership | 6-1 | Approved |

| 9C-3 | Switch policy services to TE | 5-2 | Approved |