January 20, 2026 — Regular Meeting

Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting

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Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2026-01-20

Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes

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

Generated 2026-03-28 19:30 UTC

Unofficial Meeting Notes

Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting

January 20, 2026

Note: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript. They may contain errors in names, spellings, or details. Official minutes should be consulted for the authoritative record.

Opening

Meeting called to order at 6:01 PM by Board President Odenweller.
Quorum confirmed; meeting posted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act.
Invocation led by Marianne Horton; pledges led by Lindsay Dawson.

Oath of Office — New Trustee Aggie Gambino

Former Trustee Dale Inman administered the oath of office and anti-bribery statement to newly appointed Trustee Aggie Gambino.
Inman praised Gambino's qualifications, noting her work in the 88th and 89th Texas legislatures, calling her potentially "the most qualified that's ever assumed office." He stated he had also applied for the position but withdrew in her favor.
Gambino was sworn in and presented with a Bible.

Recognition of Outgoing Trustee Tiffany Nelson

Board President Odenweller formally recognized Trustee Tiffany Nelson for her service representing Position 1.
Nelson was praised for her dedication, integrity, and commitment to students.
It was noted she is leaving to seek election to the State Board of Education, District 6.
Nelson was presented with a recognition piece crafted by the CTE department.
In remarks, Nelson thanked the community, noted her children graduated from The Woodlands High School, and expressed confidence in the remaining board members.

School Board Appreciation Month

Superintendent Dr. Vinson offered personal remarks appreciating the board.
Principals Melissa Sciba (Gordon-Reed Elementary) and Dr. LaTory Jacobs (San Jacinto Elementary) presented remarks on the theme: Service, Leadership, Commitment.
Students across the district sent small gifts to board members.
Girl Scouts who traditionally attend were stuck in traffic and not present; the board agreed to recognize them if they arrived later.

Citizen Participation (Public Comments)

1. Jason Witchett — Spring Oaks Football/Basketball League: Spoke in support of the agenda item on discounted facility rates for youth sports organizations. Described the organization's growth (110 to 190 kids in basketball), noted 30 kids turned away due to cost/court time limitations, and emphasized the character-building aspects of their programs for CISD students.

2. B. Gasa — Reported on the first meeting of the International Parents (now "International Mothers") Committee: 23 mothers representing 12 nations from various CISD schools. Thanked district representative Iytzia Cardenas Camarena. Expressed the group's desire to give back to the community.

3. Mark Brooks — Spoke against the written challenge to the library book I Am Billie Jean King by Brad Meltzer. Noted the book's content is not sexually explicit or vulgar, described the opt-out process already available to parents, and asked the board to deny the challenge. (Board President Odenweller clarified the item would be addressed in open session after closed session legal consultation.)

4. Crystal Iger — Highlighted the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC), formed at the start of the school year. Noted momentum followed by a pause and asked the now fully seated board to make a collective decision on moving forward with SEPAC.

5. Penny Schwarzoff — Representatives from four Daughters of the American Revolution chapters presented copies of Texas Before the Lone Star for every CISD elementary school, donated by the Texas State Regent.

6. Alex Harris — Stated that science cannot explain the origin of the universe, cited TAC 66.28 requiring curriculum be free from factual errors, and announced a $10,000 reward challenge to be displayed at schools.

7. Michelle Knuckles — Donated a set of Tuttle Twins books and five of 20 "Brave Books" previously donated by Trustee Odenweller (reinforced). Commented on traditional censorship of certain books and the popularity of these titles in public libraries.

8. Teresa Kenny — Opposed the removal of I Am Billie Jean King. Called it age-appropriate, noted the complaint misidentified "heterosexuality" as a concern, and argued that parents already have the right to opt out under Texas SB 13 without removing books for all students.

9. Colleen Ellison — Conroe High School alumna (Class of 1990) reported observing a student openly using a cell phone in the front office during school hours with no correction from staff, and significant cell phone use between classes. Noted this violates state law and asked the board to review oversight at campuses.

Consent Agenda (Item 5)

No items were pulled for separate consideration.
Motion to approve: Made and seconded.
Vote: 7-0. Motion carried.

Item 6: Approval of Principal for Washington High School

Dr. Vinson introduced Chris White as the new principal of Washington High School, an alternative campus. White previously served as assistant principal at Washington and was previously a principal at Huntsville Alternative Campus.
Nina Norman, previous Washington principal, was quoted praising White as a "calm, compassionate, and student-centered leader."
White's wife is a CISD teacher; they have five children enrolled in the district.
White delivered remarks outlining his vision for Washington High School, emphasizing re-engaging at-risk students, preventing dropout, accelerating credit attainment, and preparing students for graduation and post-secondary success.
Motion to approve: Made and seconded.
Vote: 7-0. Motion carried.

Item 7A: Transition of Conroe ISD Education Foundation to District-Affiliated Foundation

Presenter: Andrew Stewart (Communications)

Key Points:

The Education Foundation has been led by a volunteer board independently for nearly 25 years. The current board approached the district to request transitioning back to a district-affiliated organization.
What would change: Administrative/staffing support from the district's communications department; formalized MOU.
What would not change: Foundation remains a separate 501(c)(3); donor funds remain restricted; existing scholarships continue; funds do not become part of the district's operating budget.
Two new positions requested (Director of Communications and Education Foundation; Social Media Specialist), funded 51% district / 49% foundation.
Transition process: Letter of intent, future joint meeting, current board votes in new members then resigns.
Trustees Odenweller, Horton, and May expressed interest in supporting the foundation during transition.
The current foundation was $100,000 in the red when the volunteer board took it over; they are turning over $1.7 million.
Clarification: This vote authorizes the superintendent to negotiate and execute the transition documents; significant changes would be brought back to the board.

Motion: "I motion that the board authorize the superintendent to negotiate and execute a memorandum of understanding or similar document to transition the Conroe ISD Education Foundation to the district."

Vote: 7-0. Motion carried.

Item 7B: Mascot for Janine Fowler Intermediate School

Presenter: Dr. Kesky

Community vote results: Over 70% chose Falcons (from nominees: sea turtle, sea lion, dolphins, falcons).
A graphic rendering of the falcon mascot was presented.
Falcon characteristics highlighted: fastest animal on earth, exceptional vision, resilience, loyalty, protective nature — reflecting the namesake Janine Fowler's qualities.
Notable: January 20, 2026 was Janine Fowler's birthday (she would have been 62). She was also a certified skydiver with over 40 jumps, connecting to the falcon's flight.
Motion to approve: Made and seconded.
Vote: 7-0. Motion carried.

Item 7C: Adoption of 2026-2027 School Calendar

Presenter: Hedith Upshaw

Key Points:

Community survey (11,548 responses): 75% preferred 3-4 day weekend options over a fall break.
District Level Committee recommended Draft A (175 instructional days).
An Optional Draft A was also presented (173 instructional days), incorporating board feedback:

- January 6 spring semester start (Wednesday start preferred for better attendance)

- January 5 added as a teacher professional learning day (staff development waiver minutes)

- Easter Monday (April 29) designated as an inclement weather makeup day using banked minutes

- Additional professional development time in August for teachers

Exchange days reduced from 5 to 3 due to TEA changes in staff development waiver guidance (asynchronous learning no longer allowed; early release days before breaks no longer count as staff development).
Teachers remain on a 187-day contract regardless of instructional day count.
TEA requires 180-day calendar at 420 minutes; CISD operates as a District of Innovation allowing flexibility through staff development waiver minutes (2,100 minutes).
Discussion about the challenge of implementing 180-day curriculum (EL K-5 reading; upcoming math adoption) on fewer instructional days.
Board members emphasized protecting teacher work/planning time and not filling all professional days with PD.
Trustee Dawson requested more robust future community surveys focused on whether time is being used effectively for student learning outcomes, not just scheduling preferences.

Motion: To adopt Optional Draft A with 173 instructional days.

Vote: 6-1. Motion carried.

- (One board member voted against; specific dissenter not identified in transcript.)

Additional Discussion:

The district is working with Montgomery County to potentially reduce the November Election Day school closure for future calendars.

Item 7D: Attendance Zones for Casey Arnold K-6 Elementary and Grand Oaks Junior High

Presenter: Robert McCord

Key Points:

The Attendance Boundary Committee (ABC) voted unanimously on recommended scenarios.
135 community comments received; strong support for the proposed scenarios.
46 scenarios were considered and whittled down to the final recommendations.

Casey Arnold Elementary (K-6) — Scenario C2.1:

Opens August 2026
Serves K-6 (a "flex school"), providing elementary AND intermediate relief
Draws primarily from Hines Elementary zone and new growth areas
Provides relief to Cox Intermediate (perennially over capacity) and Clark Intermediate
Estimated 5-7 years before reaching capacity
1,300 homes coming to Woodson Reserve East area near the school

Grand Oaks Junior High (7-8) — Scenario B:

Opens August 2027
Line of demarcation: Birnham Woods Drive
Expected to add 30-40 students per year
The 9th grade portion of Grand Oaks campus opens January 2027 (mid-year)

Additional Discussion:

Cox Intermediate currently has 5-7 portables; rezoning should provide some relief
Traffic concerns raised by Trustee Gambino regarding the Grand Oaks area with multiple campuses opening on limited road access
District is working with the county commissioner and TxDOT on road improvements (Riley Fuzzel lane extension, Townsen connection to Imperial Promenade expected Q1 2027)
The Reicho/Scarboro property (7,000 potential homes) remains uncertain — Commissioner Wheeler and Governor Abbott's office exploring wildlife refuge purchase
District has rights to 16+ acres of "layaway land" near the area for future use
Demographic study coming; first look expected at March master facilities plan meeting
Students may apply for transfer to remain at current schools

Motion: To adopt both Casey Arnold Elementary zone (C2.1) and Grand Oaks Junior High zone (Scenario B).

Vote: 7-0. Motion carried.

Item 8: Approval of Library Materials (Texas Education Code 33.026, Board Policy EFB, Senate Bill 13)

Presenter: Hedith Upshaw, with Mindy Harding (Assistant Director of Education Technology)

September through November acquisitions list; thousands of books.
All materials went through 30-day public access review.
All books have appropriate ISBN numbers as required by state law.
District attested all materials are in accordance with the recently adopted book policy.

Motion to approve: Made and seconded.

Vote: 7-0. Motion carried.

Item 9: Approval of 2024-2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR)

Presenter: Karen Garza (CFO) and Sarah Roberts (Weaver, independent audit partner)

Audit Results:

Single audit performed (financial statements + federal award compliance)
Unmodified (clean) opinions on financial statements and compliance
No material weaknesses, no significant deficiencies, no material non-compliance, no audit findings, no questioned costs, no instances of fraud
District expended approximately $54 million in federal awards

Financial Highlights:

General fund balance: ~$164-165 million (consistent year-over-year)
Unassigned fund balance: ~95% of total
Total expenditures: $721.8 million (slight increase)
Ratio of unassigned fund balance to expenditures: 21% (slight decrease from 22%)
ACFR prepared in-house — estimated only 5-10% of Texas school districts have this capability

Board Discussion (Trustee Dawson):

District net position increased $18.7 million (primarily due to capital construction/assets, not liquid cash)
Taxpayers paid $517 million in taxes (increase of $33 million from prior year)
Property values have grown 86% in the last decade
Trustee Dawson expressed interest in a no-new-revenue tax rate; CFO Garza explained this would result in losing tens of millions of dollars because the M&O tax rate is set by TEA, and lower local collections trigger reduced state funding
Total long-term debt is at 5% of assessed valuation (under the 10% guideline) but is the highest percentage in 10 years
Conroe High School construction: approximately $200+ million total for construction across 2015 and 2019 bond projects (current contract ~$162 million)

Motion to approve: Made and seconded.

Vote: 7-0. Motion carried.

Item 10: Job Order Contracting for 2026 Summer Kitchen Renovations (McCullough Junior High)

Presenter: Easy Foster (Planning & Construction)

Three-in-one approval: procurement method (Job Order Contracting/JOC), vendor selection, and superintendent authorization.
Project: Kitchen equipment and installation for McCullough Junior High renovation (kitchen being physically expanded by incorporating an adjacent classroom into the renovation done by Tellepsen).
JOC method explained: Pre-qualified pool of vendors compete using a Gordian task catalog; lowest of three proposals selected.
Vendor: Construction Managers of Southeast Texas
Cost: $1,685,000 (child nutrition funds)
This complements the broader McCullough renovation project by keeping the main construction contract lower.

Motion to approve: Made and seconded.

Vote: 7-0. Motion carried.

Board Break

8:05 PM – 8:23 PM

Item 11: Board Policy Discussion — First Readings

All items are first readings/discussion only; no votes taken. Second readings with possible action planned for February meeting.

BBE Local — Board Members Authority

Aligns with current statute. No concerns raised.

CH Local — Purchasing and Acquisition

Not driven by legislative changes; requested by district staff.
Key change: Raising the threshold for board approval of uncontracted purchases from $10,000 to $100,000 (aligning with SB 1173 competitive procurement threshold).
HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) carve-out: Board President Odenweller expressed concern that the HUB point structure could conflict with the district's anti-DEI stance (policy EM). After discussion, it was clarified the HUB language was added by TASB, not requested by the district, and the district does not use or intend to use it. All board members agreed to strike the HUB language.
Extensive discussion about balancing operational efficiency with board oversight:

- CFO Garza explained that aggregate spending by commodity code reaches $100,000 quickly (e.g., office supplies by September/October)

- Legal counsel outlined options: approve all purchases, carve out specific categories, or add language requiring compliance with other board policies (EM, EFA, etc.)

- Board generally expressed comfort with $100,000 threshold given existing guardrails

Procedural note: This was technically a second reading but was noticed only as "discussion," so action must wait until February meeting.

CKC Local — Safety Program, Risk Management, Emergency Plans

Aligns with statute. No concerns raised.

CK Local — Program Risk Management, Security Personnel

Discussed whether to authorize the chief of police to hire reserve officers without returning to the board for permission each time.
Chief of Police explained reserve officers are traditionally used for large events; unlikely for daily campus use but could be useful in the future.
Board consensus: Amend policy to grant the chief of police standing authorization to hire reserve officers. Amendment to be incorporated and voted on at February meeting.

CL Local — Buildings, Grounds, and Equipment Management

Implements Senate Bill 8 ("bathroom bill"): Individuals use restrooms matching biological sex on all school property.
District policy goes beyond statute by:

- Applying to all extracurricular activities (law applies only to sports)

- Specifying sex on birth certificate "around the time of birth" (consistent with other district policies)

Notable: Trustee Dawson discovered the board had previously passed a similar CL policy (possibly summer 2025) that was never posted to the district website. Board members initially could not locate it; Dawson eventually found it and sent it to legal counsel.
Board emphasized the need to compare old and new versions to avoid conflicting policies.

DGC Local — Employee Rights, Privileges, and Immunity

Aligns with statute. No concerns raised.

EIA Local — Academic Achievement, Grading, Progress Reports to Parents

Requires parents to sign progress reports every 12 weeks (per SB 12).
District is working with PowerSchool to implement digital signing capability — currently the only area of non-compliance.
Discussion about the requirement for at least two in-person parent-teacher conference opportunities per year — confirmed this is in the law, not an additional district restriction.

FFAC Local — Wellness, Health Services, Medical Treatment

Aligns with statute.
Proposed amendment: Add "unexpired" to medication requirements (pill bottles must be unexpired) — required by law but omitted from TASB template.
Board consensus to add this language. Caution expressed about avoiding unintended consequences with medication policies.

FFB Local — Student Welfare, Crisis Intervention

Deals with threat assessment teams per campus (House Bill 6).
Discussion about whether the policy is overly prescriptive about who must serve on threat assessment teams; law requires one team per campus but may allow more flexibility in membership.
Board consensus: Amend to provide more flexibility in team composition while maintaining one team per campus.
Flag: Trustee Dawson noted this policy appears nearly identical to one already on the website (previously approved with parent notification amendments). Board agreed to verify and avoid approving a duplicate policy.

FFG Local — Student Welfare, Child Abuse and Neglect

Aligns with current board policy and statute. No changes needed.
Will proceed to second reading in February with no amendments.

General Policy Discussion Notes:

Board requested verification that a hard copy policy manual with tracked changes exists and is maintained.
Dr. Vinson confirmed the district is compliant with all discussed statutes except CH Local and the EIA digital progress report signing.

Closed Session

Entered closed session at approximately 9:08 PM under Texas Government Code 551.071 and 551.076.
Returned to open session at 10:32 PM.

Action from Closed Session

Item A: Written Challenge to Library Material — I Am Billie Jean King by Brad Meltzer

Presenter: Ted Landry

This is the district's first written challenge under Senate Bill 12/13 procedures.
Challenge received in October; board required to act at the first regular meeting 90 days after receipt.
Board members were provided a copy of the book and summary.

Motion (read by a board member): To grant the challenge request, stating: "It is developmentally inappropriate to provide explicit explanations of sexual orientation and adult marital relationships to this age group. Additionally, the book's description does not provide parents with notice that it includes content about sexual orientation or gender identity, limiting parents' ability to make informed decisions... Though this book looks at the story of an inspiring woman, this does not negate the developmentally inappropriate concepts contained in the story."

Vote: 7-0. Motion carried. (Book challenge granted; book to be removed.)

Item B: Public Hearing Date for Detachment and Annexation Petition

A petition was submitted for a section of CISD to be detached and annexed into Montgomery ISD.
Montgomery ISD has a hearing scheduled for February 17.
CISD is required to hold its own hearing.

Motion: To establish March 3, 2026 as the date for the CISD hearing on the detachment and annexation petition.

Vote: 7-0. Motion carried.

February Agenda Requests

1. Trustee (unnamed): Consideration for formal recognition and partnership with the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC).

2. Trustee (unnamed): Student lockdown procedure process for discussion.

3. Previously identified: Second readings on all discussed board policies, including CH Local with action.

Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 10:37 PM.

Summary of All Votes

| Item | Result |

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

| Consent Agenda | 7-0, Approved |

| Principal for Washington High School (Chris White) | 7-0, Approved |

| Education Foundation Transition Authorization | 7-0, Approved |

| Janine Fowler Intermediate Mascot (Falcons) | 7-0, Approved |

| 2026-2027 School Calendar (Optional Draft A, 173 days) | 6-1, Approved |

| Attendance Zones (Casey Arnold Elementary & Grand Oaks Junior High) | 7-0, Approved |

| Library Materials (Sept–Nov acquisitions) | 7-0, Approved |

| 2024-2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report | 7-0, Approved |

| JOC for McCullough Jr. High Kitchen Renovation ($1,685,000) | 7-0, Approved |

| Written Challenge — I Am Billie Jean King (Challenge Granted) | 7-0, Approved |

| Public Hearing Date for Detachment/Annexation (March 3, 2026) | 7-0, Approved |

⚑ Items to Watch

2026-2027 School Calendar (Item 7C): Approved 6-1 — the only non-unanimous vote of the meeting. The dissenting trustee was not identified in the transcript. The reduction from 175 to 173 instructional days, combined with TEA's elimination of asynchronous learning for waiver minutes, may affect curriculum pacing for new EL K-5 reading and upcoming math adoption.

Written Challenge — I Am Billie Jean King (Closed Session Item A): The board's first formal book challenge under SB 12/13 procedures resulted in removal of the book. Multiple public commenters spoke against the challenge. This sets a precedent for future library material challenges in the district.

CH Local — Purchasing Threshold Increase ($10,000 → $100,000): Significant change in board oversight of uncontracted purchases. Action deferred to February due to procedural notice issue. The board unanimously agreed to strike HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) scoring language.

CL Local — Bathroom/Biological Sex Policy: Trustee Dawson discovered a previously approved version of this policy was never posted to the district website. Board must reconcile old and new versions before the February vote.

FFB Local — Threat Assessment Teams: Trustee Dawson flagged this policy as potentially duplicative of one already approved and posted. Board agreed to verify before February action.

Detachment/Annexation Petition (Closed Session Item B): A petition to detach territory from CISD and annex it into Montgomery ISD will be heard at a public hearing on March 3, 2026. This could affect district enrollment, funding, and boundaries.

Education Foundation Transition (Item 7A): The superintendent was authorized to negotiate and execute transition documents bringing the independent Education Foundation under district affiliation. Two new staffing positions (split-funded 51%/49%) are part of the plan. Foundation assets total $1.7 million.

Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC): Public commenter requested the board take formal action on SEPAC's future. A trustee requested this be placed on the February agenda.

Attendance Rezoning (Item 7D): New zones for Casey Arnold Elementary and Grand Oaks Junior High were approved. Traffic concerns in the Grand Oaks area (multiple campuses on limited road access) remain unresolved pending county/TxDOT road improvements. The Reicho/Scarboro property (potential 7,000 homes) adds significant uncertainty to long-term planning.

McCullough Junior High Kitchen Renovation (Item 10): $1,685,000 approved via Job Order Contracting from child nutrition funds.

Cell Phone Enforcement: A public commenter reported uncorrected student cell phone use at Conroe High School during school hours, citing state law violations. No board action taken, but may prompt future oversight discussion.