June 2, 2026 — Special Meeting
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Conroe ISD Board of Trustees – Unofficial Meeting Notes
Date: June 2, 2026
Type: Special Meeting
Time: Called to order 5:02 PM; Adjourned 8:38 PM
Meeting Highlights
Summary generated 2026-06-03 16:25 UTC
- The board approved the full consent agenda 7–0, including authorization to apply for the TEA's 2026–2027 RLA Blended Learning Pilot Grant and approval of routine professional personnel employment.
- Five new elementary and campus principals were named: Tanya Smith (Birnham Woods Elementary), Amy Barber (Gordon-Reed Elementary), Angela Akin-Fonville (Giesinger Elementary), Lara Vasquez (San Jacinto Elementary), and Dr. Barbara Solberg (Oak Ridge 9th Grade Campus).
- The board received a discussion item on student safety policy direction; no vote was taken, but trustees indicated a slate of safety-related policies will be brought for a vote at the June 16th meeting.
- General counsel noted the June 16th policy slate will include provisions required by Senate Bill 571, which mandates affidavits and sexual predator registry checks for employees and vendors and prohibits hiring individuals with records of inappropriate conduct.
- The superintendent announced the district will consolidate all communication platforms into a single system (ParentSquare) to improve safety, security, and traceability of staff-to-family communications.
- The board recognized UIL 6A state champions Camden Gibson (College Park High School, 1600-meter run) and Aiona Chowry (Woodlands High School, girls tennis singles).
- The board held two closed sessions covering principal candidates, board governance training, and legal matters; no action was taken in either session.
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.
Overview
This was a special meeting of the Conroe ISD Board of Trustees held on June 2, 2026. The meeting included two closed sessions, recognition of state champion student athletes, introduction of newly named campus principals, a consent agenda vote, and a discussion of student safety policy direction.
Closed Sessions
The board entered the first closed session at approximately 5:05 PM and returned to open session at 6:12 PM. Topics noticed for closed session included:
- Team of 8 training (Texas Government Code §551.074)
- Discussion of principal candidates (§551.074)
- Legal update (§551.071)
- Consultation with attorney regarding pending or contemplated litigation (§551.071)
A second closed session began at 6:44 PM for the continuation of state-mandated Team of 8 training, focused on board governance, board and superintendent roles and responsibilities, communication, and the performance of official duties. The board returned to open session at 8:38 PM.
The board president noted that no final action, decisions, or votes would be taken in either closed session, and confirmed upon returning from the second session that no action was taken.
Special Recognitions
State Champion Student Athletes
Dr. Murrell presented recognition to two student athletes who won UIL 6A state championships.
- Camden Gibson – College Park High School senior; won the UIL 6A 1600-meter run state championship (May 16, 2026) with a time of 4:11.38. His father, Mike Gibson, also serves as his coach. Camden will attend Tulsa University in the fall.
- Aiona Chowry – Woodlands High School senior; won the UIL 6A girls tennis singles state championship (May 7, 2026). She attended the state tournament all four years of high school and was a semifinalist the prior two years. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Science and Math Honors Society, and will attend Carnegie Mellon University in the fall to study psychology.
Board President Odenweller offered remarks commending both athletes for balancing academics and athletics, and praised their coaches for managing individual and team demands.
Newly Named Campus Principals
Dr. Winkler and Dr. Murrell introduced five newly named campus principals:
| Campus | New Principal | Background Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Birnham Woods Elementary | Tanya Smith | 13 years as assistant principal at Broadway and Buckoo; teacher of the year at two campuses; humanitarian of the year (2019) |
| Gordon-Reed Elementary | Amy Barber | Longtime educator at Giesinger; experience in special education, PBIS, and data-driven instruction |
| Giesinger Elementary | Angela Akin-Fonville | Nearly two decades of campus leadership; classroom teacher, behavior/data specialist, summer school principal; described her approach as relationship- and data-driven |
| San Jacinto Elementary | Lara Vasquez | 29 years in education; literacy coach, educational diagnostician, assistant principal at Renan Elementary; helped achieve two consecutive B ratings and implemented the Bluebonnet curriculum |
| Oak Ridge 9th Grade Campus | Dr. Barbara Solberg | 31 years in education, 19 years at administrative level; currently associate principal at Conroe 9th Grade Campus; credited with advances in algebra and TELPAS results |
Family members of each new principal were present and recognized during the ceremony.
Citizen Participation
No speakers were registered for public comment. This portion of the agenda was briefly noted and skipped.
Consent Agenda
The board voted to approve the consent agenda as presented. The vote was 7–0.
The following items were included in the consent agenda:
- VI.A. Consider and Approve Submission of an Application to Participate in the TEA's 2026–2027 RLA Blended Pilot Grant — Authorizes the district to formally apply to a Texas Education Agency pilot grant program focused on Reading/Language Arts instruction using a blended learning approach.
- VI.B. Receive Human Resources Report and Consider and Approve Employment of Professional Personnel — Routine approval of the HR report and hiring of professional staff as required by Texas law.
Note: There was brief procedural discussion about whether a formal motion was required. A motion and second were ultimately made and the agenda carried 7–0.
Action Item: Direction to Superintendent Regarding Student Safety
The board discussed student safety policies and direction to the superintendent. No formal vote was taken on this item; it was a discussion and policy direction item.
Key points raised:
- The board president noted that several safety-related policies had recently been brought forward and that multiple trustees had contacted the superintendent about strengthening them. She also mentioned that she and Trustee May had attended TOMA training at the DA's office, which offered assistance in reviewing and improving safety and security policies.
- Dr. Vinson (Superintendent) referenced a recent communications audit, noting the district would be consolidating multiple communication platforms into one unified system (identified as ParentSquare) to improve safety, security, and traceability of communications. He acknowledged the transition may not be immediately popular but expressed confidence it would unify the district and support student and teacher safety.
- General Counsel (Ms. Belew) noted that the board will consider a slate of safety-related policies on June 16th, including provisions required by Senate Bill 571 from the recent legislative session. SB 571 requires employees and vendors to complete affidavits and be checked against the sexual predator registry, and prohibits hiring anyone with a history of inappropriate conduct.
- Trustee May delivered an extended statement emphasizing the district's commitment to student safety. Key points included:
- Protecting students requires strong policies, transparent communication, parent visibility, administrative oversight, and a culture of immediate reporting.
- Technology supports safety, but accountability and vigilance are what ultimately protect students.
- She directed a warning to anyone who would seek to harm children: "Conroe ISD is not the place for you."
- She committed to ensuring district policies go above and beyond legal requirements.
- She noted: "No position, title, winning record, or reputation is more important than the safety of a child."
No other trustees offered additional statements on this item.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 8:38 PM. The board president confirmed no action was taken from the second closed session.
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.