001[Music] Are we ready officially? >> We are. We are. >> Okay. The time is now 6:01 5:01 p.m. And I will call this special meeting of the board of trustees meeting to order. The date is September 30th, 2025. Mrs. Guy, do we was this meeting properly posted? >> Yes, it was. And do we have a quorum? >> We do. >> Thank you so much for that. Miss Garcia, has anyone signed up to speak under citizens participation? Thank you so much. Let the record show we do not have any uh speakers signed up to speak tonight. We'll move on to item three, action items, consider and review report from search firm on superintendent search community focus group comments. At this time, I'll welcome Dr. Moses and Mr. There's two Davids. I'll get it right. Welcome, gentlemen.
002Thank you. We're excited to hear what y'all have to say. We understand you spend a lot of time with our community today. >> Well, thank you, Mr. President. Members of the board, it is good to be here. Thank you for setting this time aside, too. Um, I did spend the night here last night, so I didn't go early this morning. Um, drive back tonight, but thank you so much for taking the time to do this today. Also, um, I'll let David tell you, we did have we had a really good day today. Thank you for the people appointed and invited to serve as members of the focus group. They were um they were all thoughtful and everybody got to speak at least four times today in every meeting which I told them I said if
003there's there were 20 people in the room at most of our sessions. I said if you get to speak four times that means you get to listen 64 times. So listening skills but that's the beauty of this you get with other people in your community I think. So it's I think it was a pretty pretty good discussion. A couple of things this is beautiful. So congratulations. Really nice facility. David and I walked down this morning and it was really made for perfect for what we wanted to accomplish today and so thankful facility and I think this is obviously served served the district and community well for a long time. Uh I don't know if she's still here or not but Kim also was great. Uh everything very well organized. couldn't have been put together any
004better. Our communications with her over the last two or three weeks since we saw you last outstanding followup has been outstanding. So I don't I don't know how there I thought we were having fun today. But >> stay prepared. But anyway, those those points I would make. Maybe you want to talk. Then we'll we'll both talk a little bit about some of the things we heard today. And then after we've done that, we'd probably like y'all to go around and tell us kind of what you're thinking and and your your hopes and aspirations uh for a new superintendent since we haven't done that yet. We probably do that session, Mr. Chairman. And then we'd like to probably have a few minutes to go into close session, talk maybe about some potential candidates and that kind
005of thing. So anyway, David, >> Mike, thank you, Mr. President. Members of the board, I I would echo Mike's comments. Outstanding facility, something you should be very proud of. Very nice, very functional, excellent place to meet today. And Kendall Davis was just wonderful, adapted in support for us today. And um and we very much appreciate her. Um and thank you for the individuals that you nominated. We had excellent participation turnout in all of the groups was uh it wasn't perfect because people do have issues come up but we had high high participation in all of the groups and in particular the students that you know the adults I think always appreciate hearing other adults comments but to hear the students comments is particularly meaningful. Um remember our operating rule we talked about when we met
006with the board previously the four Ps process is public people is private we give you a little feedback here of what we heard during the course of the day we have a couple of other process things Mr. president at the board lecture. Uh we can go to close session and have an appropriate close session discussion about recruitment and how the search is is proceeding. Um in our focus groups we started early this morning with Dr. Stole day met with the media over over met with her senior staff later this afternoon. So it really has been very full day and we hope you've received some some feedback and some comments that we always welcome you may have heard. Uh but we try to make these uh sessions uh constructive, positive and conversational. Uh we want people
007to feel free to tell us what they want to hear and then through us what they want you to hear. And what we'd like to do this evening is simply give you a little flavor of some of the comments that we heard during the day. But as soon as we have an opportunity and probably be I'm going to I'm going to promise first part of next week all the comments typed up organized and you will see every single comment uh in writing. Uh but we will give you just a taste of it so that you get a sense of flow and what the questions were. By the way, the questions that we went over today with focus groups, uh, Kendall will now, your staff is going to have a survey on October 2nd so that
008anyone in the community who wants to give their thoughts and will have an opportunity to do so. The first question we always start with, what are the strengths of the district or the community that you are proud of and that you would want any person who is considering applying for this job to know about? What's our elevator speech? You should consider the superintendency at Creek and what's important to us. we're proud of. What are our strengths? And and we could spend the whole time in every session obviously talking about our strengths, but we'll give you a little taste of some of the ones that and what we particularly want to bring to your attention are the comments that came up over and over. What naturally emerges when we do this process is you see certain
009themes that just sort of naturally emerge during the day. There may be some some individual comments that aren't repeated, but we do have some that um that just recur in every session and from different perspectives. Um and I'll mention a couple that Mike can add to them. Uh number one, outstanding teachers and administrators. Uh and the comment there was that many people on your staff who had worked here for a long number of years and and also there was a recognition that you people who grow up in the district to go away perhaps for college or education return to teach and work here. So there was a recogition about that and it was identified very quickly as as one of your greatest friends. of the academic opportunities for children. Uh the themies, the different programs
010uh that prepare students not only for college but for career training and job uh were were mentioned over and over and over in every session is one of your great strengths. and and there was a I think a a recognition that uh in many of these areas uh your district is a leader instead of standard for other diversity was mentioned as a strength um that you have a variety of of students and families and and kids and all students are welcome in this and that the district works hard to provide educational opportunities for all students. Uh your community partnerships, the community support, the business partnerships, uh the industry partnerships uh were all mentioned as students. Um Lee College, your your dual credit programs uh and your partnerships with the college were mentioned multiple times. Um,
011and then several people commented that uh the community still has a family or small town feel even though uh it's quite a bit different. Uh Mike, I'm going to stop there and see if there are anything you want to add. But again, that'll just give you a flavor of the kind of positives that we started with our in our discussions today. >> I think you hit the ones that have heard the most. Uh uh that I thought as you would suspect there's a lot of pride in the district a lot of pride people um and you know I thought that uh the district was innovative I heard some shout outs a couple two three times about district working technology too that there was recognition of uh efforts being made there but I think I think
012Dave has hit the high So, as I say, we could spend all our time talking about the the positives, things we like. Um, the next question we say a little harder. The next question, turn it around. And Mike and I are always very careful to say districts do not have problems. Districts have challenges. All organizations, every one of us has challenges. We all have things we can work on and get better at and and that's the the context in which we try to phrase it. So then we turn it around and say, "Okay, what are some of the challenges facing the district in the community in the next one to three years that a new superintendent ought to know about." And Mike uses the example, it's sort of like marrying into a family. There's an
013upgoing story. doesn't start just because you married the family, but you have to learn about it and get up to speed with what's going on with the family once you're part of it. And so, what are some of the challenges in front of the district in the next year to three years that each superintendent should know about and come prepared to address? And again, I'll mention some of the ones that have recurred over and over and u and you'll see all of them. Um number one, uh there was a recognition that we've got work to do on test scores activities and state accountability. Goose Creek doesn't want it should not put yourself in a position where you are are able to deal with for EA interventions to address issues and performance issues and uh and
014so that's that's that's a challenge that's approach coupled with that uh there was a recognition every single group noted that there are challenges around financing budgets the state has put quite money into education in this last session we're appre appreciated that. But most of that money was already parted by the state into specific areas. It was not flexible money given to districts where the district had control over capital. was really more targeted from the state of sometimes that fits well. Sometimes that that still doesn't address some of the other that issue of of budget finance all of the funds were at the end of those and so dealing with budget issues and minimizing the impact of classroom doing the hard work around prioritization. um and making sure that budget decisions and finance decisions uh to
015the extent possible minimize the impact on students in the classroom. changing demographics. That is a a news creek issue. That is a statewide issue. It is just a fact. Our demographics as a state that creates challenges uh for schools uh that we maybe didn't have to deal with in the past. Diversity was also mentioned as a challenge. It was a strength. It's also a challenge because if you have a more diverse population and you're trying to provide quality education across a wider range of of of students that that creates a challenge example I would use Henry Ford when he started assembly line you can color you want as long as it's black if you're making one if you're making one model in one color with one color interior. Pretty straightforward process. When his assembly line
016expanded to making three models in four colors with two different interiors, that is a different and more complex process. And so the diversity is absolutely strength, but it also creates some challenges. student behavior um was was recognized in every group included by some of the students as as being content. Um and we've seen this statewide. Again, this is not a a problem for Goose Creek or main. I think in a postco world some behaviors have courses a little bit. Uh that created stress system issues for teachers. Uh and that's kind of and then related to teachers, teacher recruitment, teacher retention. Uh trying to make sure you have high quality teachers uh in in all of the classes and all of your campuses was identified as a child. Uh and then there was a comment in
017all groups there was a comment that they have they're growing in some parts of the district. Other parts of the district are declining. That creates issues around facilities about around exposing the most efficient use of facilities against newer facilities and older facilities. And so just just dealing with those different uh aspects of different parts of the district will be a challenge for your new superintendent. Um and and several people said following Dr. Proider in itself will be a challenge. So I thought that was was worth there was an appreciation of the work that the board and Dr. Brian took that together over the years and so simply following you know business I think the words you heard was big shoes to fill I think David's probably highlighted but I do think the financial position of
018the district well understood concerned about uh having to uh do deficit budgeting was concerned. Uh there's still some people who reflected on the fail bond issues and that uh facilities is is a concern and and they were kind of I think uh reflecting that they wish that things had been different. Uh and some said we thought thought that that was still going to be an area that was going to have to be addressed. uh at some point um heard a little bit about uh mental health but I would say mental health concerns for teachers and students but I would say David u the concern about teacher about student behavior student conduct as David said we hear this all over the state legislature passed a bill this last session to help address some of that in
019house bill six but uh with regard to student conduct student behavior, teachers leading, why teachers lead, teacher retention. We had quite a healthy discussion almost every group, well, not almost in every group about teacher retention and about um the need to be have a thoughtful plan to address that. We talked with senior staff about that too as well. But um I thought what was interesting uh was the level of understanding I'll even say in some cases level of sophistication that people you pointed had about some of these issues. It's not like they and I were just listeners. They were they were actually talking about things that showed some knowledge and understanding that was pretty impressive for later. Uh so any event uh not probably not a big surprise to you probably areas you up to
020speed on but I think there are community out there that are as well probably know that these are things you're going to have to address and it will require some courage to address them. We talked about the courageous decision making a little bit too. So anyway, but a good these were nobody was throwing bombs. Nobody was saying these are beating on the table, you know, it was it was a very constructive um thoughtful offer that people made. >> One other several people noted I was just looking at my notes was I say misinformation of social media and conversations that don't accurately reflect always what is occurring in the district. That is not a issue. We've heard that in other communities. Social media has changed the environment in many ways. Some some is positive. I've reconnected
021with Greensburg High School that I have long lost touch with. So there certainly are are powerful positive things. But it also began have a negative impact. Several people did discern about that and about how the district is perceived which may not always with what's actually occurring in the schools and with your students. Um so that's kind of a snapshot. Think of that as just kind of a template. Here are our strengths. Here are some challenges we're going to be dealing with. And and we always kind of close this section by saying, you know, the challenges are real. It's not not like we can wish them away. >> They're going to have to be addressed. But don't forget the strengths that we started with because it is the strength that we're going to have to depend
022on to allow us to address the challenges. And if we don't keep our strengths in mind, we're doing this program to address. So that's kind of way we close that first portion. Then we turned our attention to what kind of person should the board have in mind as you look at all the applications, as you go through materials, as you prepare to conduct interviews. Uh and we divided this into a couple of sections. Uh the first section is what are what are uh think of resume factors things about somebody's professional career or pathway that would be given on a resume on an application. uh because the board will start by reviewing a lot of reading materials. And we talked about things like u uh is is this a job that requires prior superintendent experience or
023are you open to someone for whom this would be their first super maybe a deputy in Washington? And and I would say we got a mix of responses. Mike, I felt like the majority of the responses would have favored prior superintendent experience, but we got quite a bit of comments both ways on that one. Um, several people were careful to say we want successful experience with a diverse population similar to population. In other words, we don't want you can be unsuccessful for multiple years in a row. That doesn't necessarily equate to uh to good standing for for this position. So there was several people said demonstrated successful experience with similar demographics. That's that would be one way I would phrase it. uh and people who have faced some of the issues that we identified that
024that this district is going to be facing and can demonstrate that not just not just talking but but have some way to do it objectively show that they touched touched on some of those issues. teacher experience, principal experience. We know that in our accountability system in Texas, we eventually start by rating districts. We rate campuses and then district ratings or amalgamation of campus rating. That's that's the way our system works. Leaving a campus is is was viewed as pretty important. We got a lot of comments about if somebody's career path having had an experience was pretty critical and get the teaching experience. Mike, >> you already told that I don't think there was a consensus about being No, I think the consensus was >> it's not it's not important. Um, you know, I I think
025there were some healthy discussions, I guess, about um whether or not the district needed this person to be more of a disruptor of >> at least one. >> Yeah, there were a couple people thought great disruption was needed. Others were not not quite so sure that more incremental change >> maybe change was needed but it needed to be thoughtful change but that was kind of a u healthy discussion I think the uh I think David has hit the others you know that the question was about um can a super somebody that's never been super do I think as a as a discussion on we talk about some of the complexities that you have the largest budget community, the largest uh number of employees, you have the largest food service operations, you have the largest um
026transportation system, the largest maintenance program. Uh you have a $278 million budget. Is this a starter job? Uh and I think you know there there's people that have just reflecting on that about what what that might mean. And that is not to say that you know we we talked about recruiting uh outstanding leaders who may not necessarily be superintendent but I think I made the statement the board will have to consider careful you know what's what is what's brought to the table and the experiences that are that are there. But again, um, good comments. I think people were thinking very carefully. >> Um, several people did say that they would prefer someone who whose experience is in Texas. Uh, Texas has our accountability system is fairly unique. Our funding system is fairly unique. Uh and
027so uh and the jobs obviously posted people from anywhere who who see the posting and well are welcome to apply for will certainly see those um individuals but I think there was a number of comments that Texas experience would would be preferred couple Texas experience >> we'll We'll we'll see. Um so that's kind of those think of those as kind of resume or career path criteria. Then the last question we thought about what are what are the nonres what are you looking for? What would you like the board to personal? I'll mention a couple or a few that might someone who's personable and approachable, inspirational, forward thinking, accountable, highly visible, involved on campuses and in the community. And a couple people said not just involved in the community when they're wearing their superintendent but in
028their own personal lives. They're involved in more character. somebody who builds trust and builds a culture based on that clear understanding, integrity several times. Integrity again several times. Uh somebody that offers some charisma uh and energy and enthusiasm. uh communicator uh of course the honest statement of things said moral character um somebody that interpersonal understands interpersonal relationships they they're very important uh champion for children champion for our community our school district uh I think those uh those were probably the ones that kept kept coming out >> so um President members, that's just a flavor of what we heard here today. You will see within the next few days all of the comments that kind of a taste of what we we heard. We would welcome at this time if you have any questions or frankly
029you've heard any comments back. We always like to hear what people participate >> or if you would like to help. Okay. >> Oh, I I think I've told you already, but just for everyone to know, I did hear from one of my the people that I had recommended for the the committee and um they were very impressed. They thought the questions were great. They were impressed uh by Dr. Moses and Mr. Thompson and um so I think it it seems to have gone very well on their end as well. >> Good. Thank you. I had two uh constituents contact me as well uh with similar comments. Uh it was very well organized. It was the input was valued. They feel valued by coming here. Uh I want to backtrack. I should have talked about this
030at the very beginning of the meeting. Every member of this group was placed there by someone sitting up here by a trustee. It was not placed by administration and I do want to publicly thank Miss David uh and her team. Uh they worked feverishly behind the scenes to make it happen. They they got this together. There were some that we had to replace and such. Uh and as David, you and your team did amazing job to make that happen in such a short time. I'm gonna get you to start helping me schedule you with 60 some odd people. It's hard to do a big matter on that. >> But the feedback I received was >> Sorry, we're trying to get the mic. >> Can't you can't hear you. >> Mine is very hard to hear,
031but if I do this, you can hear it sounds creepy. >> That's what you're going to need to do. Do I need to speak like this? >> Sound always better. >> I can't see y'all now. >> There we are. >> Just get closer. people, [Music] >> but but I go on to say that the the process is what people talk about the most and professionalism [Music] was recognized. [Music] I receive the same feedback one session has been a good session. So yeah, some of the simple braces that's all feedback I've received today has been very positive. We did ask every crew to spread the word that there will be a simple survey going up on October 2nd so that anyone in the community who wants to provide their will have an opportunity to address the
032same questions that the focus group test. So there will be an opportunity for others to provide input. receive that as well. will be on our website on Thursday and send to all students and staff. I think it'd be a good time as president you or trustees to offer any uh book regarding attributes, professional characteristics, personal characteristics that are important to you. You may have already heard them included in a lot of comments that we shared with you that if you did, that's great. If there's any really about this anything you didn't hear that was said to talk about this please share with us >> I think I've heard most of mine I mean I think my main things are going to be you know that being visible in the community um and a champion for
033our schools. I love that. Um, but also very student, I guess, academic focus. >> I I want a big academic focus. >> Challenge. >> The academics is the the academics is the biggest issue I think really facing our school district and everything else just falls in line with that. But I think it's important to find that balance. We need to find someone that will come in and look at our academics, keep that as on the forefront, but how do you get 28,000 students and employees to come on board and improve in that direction? That's going to take a little bit of work and it's going to take a special person to do it. And then I will I can't go this meeting without saying integrity. Integrity of this process, integrity of the people we hire.
034That's the most highest paramount feature that I'd like to see. Superintendent that has the highest of integrity and compass other than the four qualities that we've been through areas that our community said. I'm going to dive a little deeper into the leads in this guy. We've invested lots and lots of time, money, blood, sweat, and tears in our secondarymies and pathways for kids. But I truly believe that we must start in the primary grades and invest just as much time, energy, and money because if we get kids started a good foundation, then what we do in secondary is going to be easy. Great. That was easy. >> Well, as a a former person that had responsibility, I would I think your cabinets are great. I love the comments we heard about CP programs, about job
035certification programs, TV school had to really focus on that. But early intervention, early intervention with 5y olds, six year olds, four year olds, um teaching, you know, we don't teach kids about >> uh and I I spent a lot of time when I was commissioner of education on this and it's every commissioner has worked on this and I know y'all working on this, but I would just I would underscore that is I think you're doing some really good work at secondary level, but it appears some of your challenges right now grade level. And I would say, yeah, look at your your investments, what we do about early investments, early amen. My my feelings are similar to everyone and I went through this once before but you know the moral character of individuals that we uh
036accept is more important and it's less important and it's the most important thing that we'll do because morally you can't go wrong if the person we give has a moral understanding that they're here for the education, the pressing of our students to be the best. And when they leave here, they know how to read. If you can read, you can learn. They know the character they need to have. And most of all they go back to that one thing morally in the world it becomes something special. >> Sure. Um there's been a lot of um importance placed on the students and I absolutely agree that that is um very important for a superintendent to focus on. Um but I also think it's important for the uh superintendent to support teachers just as much as students
037because teachers are the ones in the classroom. And so supporting them and um really helping them will will increase the students education and the quality of that. Mike Houston about Southwest Airlines. >> Yeah. Southwest Airlines was headquartered for headquarters in Dallas, Texas. And uh they were the largest taxpayer tax that we had when I was in school in Dallas. Her Keller was the one of the founders. I had privilege to get to know him, had lunch with one. He used to always say, "We love, we love, we love our employees. We love all our employees. We love our employees." And I asked him, I said, "You're always talking about loving your employees." I said, "What's the deal?" And he said, "Well, I want to love on my employees because I want love on my customers."
038>> Well, we love on our teachers. We love our teachers love kids. what said so we talked about that today about support of teachers and making these pretty deep desired locations not because of the money but because of the environment why we you know the question is we got into this question today a little bit too I might divert just kind of people feeling those parents support teachers that teachers are you know that sometimes they make mistakes but if the culture is and I don't care whether it's law enforcement whether it's nurses doctors it's people in helping professions that could be healthcare that can be law enforcement that could be teaching but they are not they don't feel it they and it's not always about money it's about I think what you want to do.
039I want to get in the car going. I want to go to the street. I want to be a good school. I I want to have some energy. I want to teach those kids. They support me. They encourage me. There is a feeling, hey, we're going to do good stuff, but we're not going to put up with a lot of things. We're going to teachers feel like, then you're going to get to hang up to them. And I don't care what's going on with Spring Rail or all those places. Can we make our district the place that is with the energy, enthusiasm, excitement that people want to be here and we're going to support it? Yeah, they make the state but we're not going to we're not going to live on social media and feeding
040that very hurting this district our community long term. So, support teachers. I didn't hear I think there was a lot of lot of people that take Sorry, I got a little carried away there, but I guess I like I like the people that want to make their the exciting place to be. Mr. >> Yeah. My I guess my number one thing would be uh somebody having somebody from Texas that knows our values that knows that grew up in the district not maybe not this district but you know in Texas. Uh academics would probably be my number one priority. I think that you know we need somebody that is focused academically or helping our kids to uh progress especially right now the situation that our school district is in. I think we need somebody that that
041really can focus on academics. Uh I I'll say something that, you know, I thought we should have did from the get-go was I think we need somebody in house. That's that's how I feel. But, you know, not everybody feels that way, but I I I really would like to see somebody in house. We work, we build our they say we grow giants, we we mentor our teachers, we we we actually teach some of our, you know, our our teachers to become get their masters and their doctorates and you know and then I think they should have an opportunity to progress here you know so I'd like to see somebody in house u I'd like to see the credentials it should be a doctor without a doubt without a doubt somebody who's a doctor uh somebody
042that has experience somebody that is honest I didn't hear that word at all. But you know, right now, uh you can call it social media, you can blame it on whatever you want to, but right now, uh you know, there's a trust issue. So, I'd like I'd like to see all those things and maybe a few of the others, you know, being held accountable, uh being involved in the public, like I said, which it goes with your job. That's your territory. Those are just some of the thoughts. >> Those are brief. >> Mr. President, this this kind of includes the kind of open sense of what we did today that we want to cover. It's the board's pleasure going close session. We have a a little more focused conversation about about the recruitment process and
043how that's going. >> All right. Very good. Thank you for the uh report. Before we go to close session, are there any questions for our panel from >> I didn't bring my iPad, so I'm working off my >> I'll get through it. All right. So at this time the board will now recess into close session pursuant to one or more of the following sections of the Texas government specifically 551.071 and 551.074. All right. Very good. No action will be taken while the board is in close session. The time is now 5:46 p.m. will now reconvene into open session. Time is now 6:55 p.m. No action was taken while the board was in closed session. >> Having no further business before the board, we are adjourned. The time is 6:55.