March 9, 2026 School Board Meeting

001I hit it hard on purpose just to call everybody's attention. Never, never angry. So I call this meeting of the Mesquite independent school district Board of Trustees to order Let the record show that a quorum of board members is present That this meeting has been duly called and that notice of this meeting has been posted in accordance with the Texas opens meeting act government code chapter 551 And we're on at this point We are going to call for invocation. And we have Reverend Sam Pendayala from the Pastor Inspiration Church. And after that, we will go with our students from Porter Elementary that are going to do the Pledge of Allegiance and the Texas flag. So if you would please stand. Let us bow our heads as we pray. Dear Heavenly Father, as we come to

002you today, Lord, we are lifting up the needs of your people. God, I am lifting up the board and the administration to you, God. Lord, they are tasked with a great responsibility of leading not only our children, but the community. God, we know that when people serve in leadership, everybody has an opinion, but they carry the weight and the burden, and many of them go to sleep. with that concern, only to wake up with more concern. God, we are praying that you bless them with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. We pray, Lord, that all those who serve in leadership at the board level or at the campus level, that you give them clarity of thought and discernment as decisions have to be made every single day. God, we lift up the teachers. Lord, your word speaks

003highly of those who teach. Teach life skills. And of course, teach your word, God. And we recognize the contribution that they make to society. And we lift them up, Lord, as they have needs to. We pray, God, that you give them grace and mercy as they have to work alongside parents and with students alike. Lord, we are lifting up the children. Lord, your word says that children are a gift from God. There are no mistakes. Every child was created for a purpose. And as parents and leaders, it is our role and responsibility given by God to train them and teach them to grow as upright citizens and, of course, in the Lord. God, we thank you for this time together. We pray that we bring glory to your name by what is said and done

004here today. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, one state, under God, one indivisible. Hi, my name is Gracie, and I'm in first grade. Hi, my name is Ezra, and I'm in second grade. Hi, my name is Mateo and I'm in third grade. My name is the Avani Davis Hill and I'm in fourth grade My name my name is Oscar Galindo and I'm in fifth grade. This is your kids from Porter Elementary And we want to thank miss Leanne and alert for bringing them in. Thank you Okay, but that next we're going to go to our team of eight moment board members. You have anything you want to

005share Mr. President, I'd like to share this Saturday over in this area, the vision room and the board room, we had emerging leaders from all six high schools doing all kinds of activities, critical thinking, having a great time. One of the things I did for the first time this year was to have a mock board meeting. And they actually had members that were playing each of the roles up here, plus superintendent and a recording secretary. But they did something that we never hear and see as a board. When the entire Emerging Leader Group was sitting out here, it was full. When that team walked in, they got the cheers like it was a football game. It was great. They were into it. They applauded them. But the kids that were playing or performing as board

006members did a fantastic job. You would have been very proud of them. And these are the future leaders of Mesquite and our state and our nation. And they did a great job. Excellent. Thank you, Robert. That was a great activity. We had several activities this weekend. I was just going to say, I attended Replay Talk. It was at Mesquite High School, and they do it each year, and it just seems to be better every year. I love going where all the games are. You find out what's going on in our district, and it welcomes kids of all ages. So it's a wonderful place, and again, We've done it many years and it just gets better and better. So it's good. Thank you. Thank you. That was another activity this Saturday. We also had an activity

007at Vanguard, Lessons Por Vida, where we talked to seniors and juniors about what to expect after graduation. We also bring kids that have graduated from Mesquite ISD, and they talk to these kids about their experiences and answer questions to them. You always have some questions before you graduate. these kids get an opportunity to really have those conversations. Saturday also we had the gala for the Mesquite Education Foundation. I have to tell you, Randy does a great job. He and Lori. really work hard to work this out. They work real hard with their board. They have a great board of leaders here in Mesquite. And it was a lot of fun. So for those that participated, I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you. Mr. Seward? I forgot to announce on the Emerging Leaders Program, I want

008a special thanks to Dr. LaDonna Gulley. and Dr. Jeffrey Blackwell for working with these kids for the mock board meeting, but there were a lot of other educators that were assisting that entire day with the Emerging Leaders Group, and they gave up their time and all that to make these kids, or have these kids have opportunity to be successful and talk about being leaders in the future. So they've done a great job and continue to do so. Thank you, Mr. Seward. Dr. Rivera. Yes, Mr. President, Mesquite is proud to celebrate 125 years of excellence. To commemorate the special occasion, the district will host a public anniversary experience. This immersive museum exhibit will showcase historic moments and meaningful artifacts from various time periods, including treasured items generously donated or lent to us by the community. We'd

009like to invite all students, staff, alumni, and community members to join us in celebrating 125 years on Thursday, March the 12th, this week, this Thursday, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Linda Samples Technology Center. We hope to see you there to celebrate with us. Excellent. Excellent. Thank you. 125 years. Wow. Robert's been on all 125 of them. That's when he started. Okay. So with that, next item on the agenda is student and staff guest. Ms. Smith? Yes, sir, good evening. Thank you very much. We are honored to present each month two new inductees into the district's prestigious Apple Corps program. The Apple Corps award is made possible by a partnership between the Mesquite Education Foundation and Clay Cooley of Mesquite. We'd like to thank them both for their support of our amazing educators. Our

010first honoree tonight is Joseline Pita of Roonland Vanguard High School. Ms. Pita is a 10th and 12th grade social studies teacher with four years of teaching experience here in Mesquite ISD. Let's take a look at a video that will tell us more about what makes her an Apple Corps teacher. Miss Pita is more than deserving of this. She is truly a homegrown right here in Vanguard High School. We've seen her go from student teaching to teacher to where now she has been a mentor to others. She builds incredible relationships with her students, with her colleagues, and we would not be anything without more teachers like Miss Pita. And we're just so grateful and thankful that she's a part of our family. I think teaching is important because it is a career where we leave countless,

011or we leave impact on countless of students on a daily basis. And the career is one that demands growth and learning, not just for students, but for teachers as well. It's the most fulfilling aspect of teaching because we get to grow and learn alongside students and support them in their goals, just as others did for us. I hope to inspire my students every day in the classroom to be lifelong learners and also model that for them myself as we go throughout the year and see each other going and challenging each other along the way. Proclamation. Whereas the Mesquite Independent School District Board of Trustees seeks to honor outstanding classroom teachers who demonstrate leadership, innovation, and dedication to the students of Mesquite ISD. And whereas the Mesquite ISD Apple Corps consists of exceptional teachers nominated by

012their peers to receive the school district's highest recognition, therefore be it resolved that the board officially welcomes Jocelyn Pita into the Mesquite ISD Apple Corps on this ninth day of March 2026. Congratulations. We're very proud of you. Good evening everyone, Board of Trustees. Thank you for the opportunity to stand before you today. I am honored to be here, not only as a newly inducted Apple Corps member, but also as the result of countless efforts, support, and encouragement poured into me by the people in this room and those watching from afar. I would like to take this moment to thank those who have helped shape my educational and professional journey in Mesquite ISD. Without my parents' support and sacrifices, I wouldn't be standing here today addressing this audience. To my siblings, Junior and Shayla, who helped

013me paint my teacher parking spot on a hot July afternoon at 2 p.m. and volunteer in my classroom activities, thank you. To my husband, Jonathan Reyes. Thank you for your constant support from cutting Snoopy dust stickers to attending school functions during NFL football season. And to the rest of my family here today. Lastly, and most importantly, I want to thank my Vanguard. community and family. Your nomination is what made this possible. You have seen me grow from Ms. Pita, a student teacher from Texas A&M Commerce who was mistaken for a student on the first day of school to Mrs. Reyes Pita who won the teacher's superlative for most likely to be mistaken for a student for a second time. My journey and success in Mesquite ISD are rooted in support, love, and genuine care that

014Vanguard High School has provided me over, at the end of this year, five years. Brandy David, thank you for your mentorship, friendship, and support. I would truly not have survived that first year without you. To Mercy and Bethel, my lunchroom buddies, NHS sponsors, and Galleria Coltrotters, your friendship extends far beyond the school walls and into a lifelong connection. To my administrative team. Mr. Elsasser, Mr. Haney, Mrs. Jackson, Ms. Ordonez and Mr. Cabrera. Thank you for your constant support, meaningful conversations and encouragement through these past five years. Opening a brand new campus with you was such an incredible experience and has truly been an honor. And to the rest of my Vanguard family, you're the final piece of the mosaic that is Mrs. Reyes-Pita, a Vanguard US History and Mexican American Studies teacher in Mesquite ISD.

015Words cannot fully express how much you how much each one of you means to me, but I will continue to show my gratitude every day through my work and dedication. Mesquite ISD did not simply provide me with a job. It provided me with a career that has allowed me to grow beyond anything I could have imagined when I entered this classroom in 2021, during a time when education had dramatically changed by COVID-19. Five years later, my experience in Mesquite ISD has taught me patience, gratitude, and the importance of pushing beyond and into the extraordinary. I'm really honored to be a part of the Apple Corps class of 2025, 2026, and I leave you with this final remark. While the field of education and the world itself continues to face challenges and change, excellence always is

016the standard I would demand of myself and those around me. Thank you. All right, our second Apple Corps honoree for the month of March is Jennifer Miller of Kimbrough Middle School. Ms. Miller is a seventh grade science and eighth grade avid teacher with 27 years of teaching experience here in Mesquite ISD. Please turn your attention to the screens to learn more about Ms. Miller. So when I think about a teacher that deserves this award, I think of somebody who has that really special ability to connect with kids in the way that they want to take ownership and learn in a classroom. And that's what Jennifer Miller does. She has that ability to make learning. exciting in a way that kids say I want to buy in. She wants to make sure that when they're 40

017years old they look back and say I remember Miss Miller's classroom. You see it in the way she sets up her lessons, the way she builds relationships with the kids. I'm so happy for her and I am ready to honor her at the board meeting. I believe that teaching is important because it shapes how students will see themselves as learners. Beyond the content, we're helping build a foundation of confidence, curiosity, and critical thinking. Those are the things that students carry them long after they've left our classroom. Whereas the Mesquite Independent School District Board of Trustees seeks to honor outstanding classroom teachers who demonstrate leadership, innovation, and dedication to the students of MISD, and whereas the Mesquite ISD Apple Corps consists of exceptional teachers nominated by their peers to receive the school district's highest recognition. Therefore,

018be it resolved that the board officially welcomes Jennifer Miller. into the Mesquite ISD Apple Corps on this ninth day of March 2026. Congratulations. Good evening. It is truly an honor to be recognized tonight. My love for teaching began long before I ever stepped into a real classroom. As a child, I turned my bedroom into a classroom with a chalkboard, old teacher additions passed down from my great aunts, and a room full of stuffed animals as my students. I would play and teach for hours, and my students were always very well behaved. Thank you. They never forgot their homework. I was fortunate to grow up right here at Mesquite ISD attending Tosh Elementary, Wilkinson Middle School, and graduating from Mesquite High School. My grandmother was actually my school nurse during elementary and middle school and dedicated

01926 years to the district. Her 1970 school nurse uniform will even be displayed in Mesquite ISD's 125th anniversary exhibit. Education and service to this community have always been part of my family's story. My aunt and cousin also worked in the district, and my grandfather served Mesquite Police Department for 28 years before retiring as captain in 1991. So serving students and Mesquite has always felt like part of my family's journey. After completing my student teaching and internship in Mesquite ISD, I began my career teaching fourth grade at Tosh Elementary, the very school I attended as a child. One of the most special moments in my career was getting to teach alongside my own fourth grade teacher, Ms. Grant. Throughout my career, I've been blessed to work with many incredible teachers. Early on, I worked with Shawanda

020Davis and Rochelle Garcia at Moss Elementary. We were all young teachers at the time, and when we later helped open Gentry Elementary, we were known as the Three Musketeers. And I'm so very grateful for all the years that we shared together. Over the years, I've also had the privilege of mentoring new teachers and watching them grow in the profession I love. It is rewarding to now work alongside educators who were once my own students. I spent 20 years teaching elementary before transitioning to middle school when sixth grade moved to the middle school campus. I've also been fortunate to work alongside incredible science teachers and teammates, some of whom are here tonight. Their collaboration and support have strengthened our work and helped make me a better educator. I'm also grateful for the support of my family,

021my husband, who also serves in Mesquite ISD, and has supported my long evenings and early mornings as I work to prepare lessons and give the best for my students, my three children who have all attended Mesquite ISD. I'm also thankful for the leadership of my principal, Ms. Starnes, whose support and encouragement have helped me grow as a campus leader. In closing, I would like to thank the Mesquite ISD Board of Trustees and their continued support of teachers and students across the district. It has been a privilege to spend my career serving the same community that helped shape who I am. I'm grateful for the opportunity to give back to the district that first inspired my love of learning long before that little classroom in my bedroom ever became a real one. Thank you. Thank you

022very much, teachers. I would like Ms. Pita, if you would, do you have your family here that you could introduce? If you would stand, please, to be recognized. And do you have your Vanguard family? Come on, Clint. Excellent. Thank you. I will ask Ms. Miller the same, if you would introduce your immediate family. And do you have your Kimbrough family? Say hello. Stand up. Yeah. It's always a pleasure to have our Apple Corps honorees speak to us and see their families, immediate families. We thank you very much because I know you work hard as well as they do. And same for the school families. This is a great community when it comes to the school families. So I appreciate that very much. Good. Next in the agenda, we are going to go in now. We

023have our star power on our power. Are you ready? I think we have to go downstairs. All right. It's time for us to recognize our Outstanding Para Professional of the Month with the Star Para Award. MIC is excited to partner with First Financial Group of America to provide the Star Para recipient with a gift card. We're grateful to have a representative from FFGA here tonight. And if you would please join the Learning Center Principal, Dr. Valerie Nelson, with our March Star Para, Cynthia Fuentes. At the podium, Dr. Nelson will share a little bit about what makes Ms. Fuentes special. Oh, no problem. Good evening, everyone. I have the honor and privilege to recognize Cynthia Fuentes as our star parent. She's been a star for seven years for us, and I can gladly tell you why.

024When we took over the Learning Center seven years ago, it was just her, myself, and a counselor. Don't know why everybody got on the transfer list. That's a story for another day. But Cynthia brought such a knowledge from the juvenile justice system in Dallas County, and she helped us build a tremendous program. So whatever I wanted to do, if it was in the budget and she thought it was good for kids, she found a way to make it happen. She does the same thing for parents. She does the same thing for our students. It's just a joy to come to work. And so we just love having Cynthia. She gonna make me cry, but I just, we love her. I love her. She took a chance on me. She didn't know me from anyone. And

025I told her, I don't know what I'm doing just yet, but we'll figure it out together. And we've done some amazing work at the Learning Center. And I'm just excited to celebrate Cynthia Fuentes as our star para for the Learning Center. This month, Mesquite ISD is recognizing two valued community partners for their generous support of students at Tosh Elementary School, Dee Dee's Discounts and PetSmart. In December, Tosh Elementary hosted a Reading Buddy event that was made possible by contributions from both of these businesses. We have a special video to show you more about these partnerships. This month, we're recognizing PetSmart and DeeDee's Discounts as our featured Mesquite ISD community partners. So every year we do a toy drive, and a few years ago we did multiple elementary schools. This year we decided to partner with

026the Children's Hospital, and Tosh was the only elementary school. And the reason why is we saw the impact that it makes to the children. From the first year, and then last year as well, they sent pictures of the program. We saw how much joy it brought to the kids, and then the fact that they partnered with reading was really cool, whereas some of the other elementary schools weren't doing that. This is our third year to get to do this for our students here at Tosh Elementary and every student gets to come through to the library and pick out a book and a reading buddy. and adopt them to read at home to them. They were really getting to partner with the importance of reading not only at school but at home as well. This event

027is so impactful for our students because they are talking about it as soon as we get here at the beginning of the school year. They're like, when is our free Reading Buddy and Book event? We could not do this if it weren't for DeeDees supplying our books and PetSmart supplying the stuffed animals for every child. Thank you PetSmart and DeeDees discounts for supporting our students. Next up, we have a special group here to recognize, which I actually am a part of. We've got about two dozen professionals, community members, business owners here with Leadership Mesquite. I'm going to invite you guys. Now, you should have told me to save some seats. You'd think I'd look out for my group here, but they're mostly standing around. If you guys want to come on forward, Christy Kroja is

028going to come up to the podium and tell us just a little bit more about the program, and we want to take a photo with Dr. Rivera and Ms. Mr. Carbo. So guys, come on up while she's speaking and I'll come join you. So Leadership Mesquite is a nine-month program that is, well, this is a big class. This is 23 or 24 this year. It starts in September. It's team building and it is getting to know all the different areas of the Mesquite community from businesses, the school district, and the city. So these people become friends. They start as strangers mostly and then they become friends at the end and it's been a great program. Do I want to be in the picture? We'll have applications posted probably the end of May. So be on

029the lookout. They are in the City of Mesquite, Leadership Mesquite part of that part of the website. So anybody can sign up. get in there and sign up. We want to have you in our class. Thank you. All right. Thank you. We'd now like to introduce you to some very, very special people who are representing this district this year as our principals of the year. First, I'm going to introduce you to our elementary principal of the year from Seabourn Elementary, Renee Kern. You'll come on up. Come on up. Come on up and then joining you is going to be our secondary principal of the year, Mr. Jeff Johnson from the Mesquite High School. Thanks to a generous partnership with Clay Cooley Auto Group and the Education Foundation, district officials have chosen these two principals to

030represent Mesquite ISD as the Elementary and Secondary Principals of the Year. They were already honored this past weekend at the Education Foundation Gala, where they were presented a check for $750 personal use and $1,000 for their campus. So thank you, Clay Cooley Auto Group and Education Foundation, and congratulations to our 2026 Principals of the Year. All right, next up, we have two amazing educators that are representing the district as our 2026 Teachers of the Year. Each year, each campus selects a Teacher of the Year. So we have 52 Mesquite ISD Teachers of the Year from the campus level. And from that group, there's selected an elementary and a secondary Teacher of the Year. And these guys will go on to represent the district at the Region 10 contest. So if you would please help me

031celebrate our elementary teacher of the year from Oxsiger Elementary, Kaylee Palmer. And joining her will be our 2026 Secondary Teacher of the Year from Poteet High School, Jeffrey Blackwell. These educators were also honored this past weekend at the Education Foundation Gala, where they were presented with $1,000 each from the Dr. David Verlin Endowment. So congratulations to our Teachers of the Year. All right, so now we get to recognize some outstanding students and excellence. We're gonna start with our fine arts achievements. First, we have two very special young artists who are being recognized because they were selected as winners of our 125th art competition. So on Thursday at the event from three to 6 p.m., you'll be able to see their winning artwork. This is Valerie Holmes and Elizabeth Rodriguez. Their sponsor is Roxanna Robinson. If

032you guys will go on up here. These guys are first place in the district 125th anniversary art competition. Next up, we're going to recognize some students for earning a spot in the TMEA, that's Texas Music Educators Association, All-State Choir and TMEA All-State Band. We're going to start with our All-State Choir students from North Mesquite High School. We have Leonardo Pereira. Sorry. Come on up. With sponsor Ryan Fortner. Allstate Choir. Now we have TMEA Allstate Band, Jacob Costanza from North Mesquite High School here with sponsor Scott Reeves. Also from North Mesquite High School, Fabian Perez, TMEA Allstate Band. Come on up. All right. If you'll help me welcome Lynette Andrade from West Mesquite High School. This is a state vase qualifier. She's here with sponsor Kelly Weeks. VASE is our visual arts scholastic event and these

033are state qualifiers. Another state VASE qualifier is Courtney Sandell from Vroonland Vanguard High School with sponsor Susan Barcella. And help me welcome Tallulah Thompson from Vroonland Vanguard High School. She's here with sponsor Soroya Burgos, also a state VASE qualifier. All right, we're gonna switch gears from fine arts excellence to academic excellence. And we're gonna start with a student who was named a National Merit Finalist. This is a student that earned the distinction scoring in the top 1% nationally on the PSAT and demonstrating exceptional academic performance throughout grades nine through 12, as well as any college level coursework. Candidates must be fully endorsed and recommended by their high school principal and complete the National Merit application process, which includes a written essay. So ladies and gentlemen, hang on one second. I want to get it right.

034This is Jessica Abadiba from Mesquite High School, your National Merit finalist. She's also an AP scholar with distinction and a member of FFCLA, BPA, and UIL academics. Busy, busy, busy young person. Allie Clements is our sponsor. Come on up. Congratulations. Next we have a team that placed in the UIL 5a district 14 cross-examination speech and debate contest These guys have advanced to state Competition from North Mesquite High School, please welcome Camila Silas and Leslie Estrada Come on up. That is first place in UIL 5a district sponsor is Angie Johnson All right, also second place in UIL 5A District 14 Cross-Examination Speech and Debate Contest. Also advancing to state, we have Camila Ramirez and Nubia Ramirez. Sponsor Angie Johnson. Alternates are Alondra Mancha and Diana Cardona. All right, congratulations. We're going to switch gears now to

035our student athletes who are recognized for their excellence achievement. First up from Mesquite High School, we have Troy Slater, member of the varsity swim team and a regional qualifier. Coach Stephanie Bernier. All right, and another regional qualifier, this time North Mesquite High School, Harmony Fisher, regional qualifier, sponsor Stephanie Bernier. All right, another regional qualifier, varsity swim, Makai Hopkins from North Mesquite High School. All right, Coach Muneer has another varsity swim regional qualifier from North Mesquite High School, Marlon Martinez. And another stallion swimmer regional qualifier, Rebecca Martinez. All right, also a stallion swimmer, Alyssa Yip is here. She's a regional qualifier. And come on up. The Girls 200 Free Relay Team is also a regional qualifier. So, Coach Muneer, here's another outstanding swimmer. Oh, you guys are waiting on me. Okay, we have another relay, medley

036relay, 200 medley relay team regional qualifier, Coach Bernier. You guys coming up for a picture? All right, and a swimmer from Poteet High School, Sophia Collins, also a regional qualifier. And another Poteet swimmer, regional qualifier, William Keltner. And we have a varsity diving state qualifier, Carolyn Van Heist from Poteet High School. All right, we're going from the pool to the wrestling mat. We have a regional qualifier from Mesquite High School, Anna Bergeron. She's here with Coach Brett Barnes. All right, Coach Barnes has another one coming. Hugo Estrado, a regional qualifier in wrestling from Mesquite High School. Another from Mesquite High School, Elias Nunez, regional qualifier. And Cesar Rodriguez, regional qualifier from Mesquite High School. All right, from North Mesquite High School, Kingston Barker is a state qualifier in wrestling. Also from North Mesquite High School,

037Leo Lopez, state qualifier and finished fourth in state. Leo Lopez. Going to North Mesquite High School, Naomi Alvarez is also a regional qualifier in wrestling. Another stallion wrestler, Emmanuel Horta, regional qualifier. And over from West Mesquite High School, Karen Monset Parada, get it right, regional qualifier. And Jalen Salazar from Poteet High School, state qualifier, finished second in the state wrestling. Congratulations. How about that wrestling program? Here we got another one. Jamie Canaday, Poteet High School, state alternate. And Diana Davila from Poteet High School is a regional qualifier in wrestling. So is Dylan Lopez from Poteet High School, regional qualifier in wrestling. Trent Villareal, Poteet High School, regional qualifier. This is Horn High School Jaguar Darius Grignion, state qualifier in wrestling. Help me welcome Chaska Martin, also a Jaguar regional qualifier. All right, and what do

038you guys think? More wrestlers or have we changed sports here? This is your Horn High School boys basketball team. They were regional semifinalists. They're here with Coach Bradley Washington. Come on down, guys. All right, and from the West side, congratulations guys. West Mesquite High School boys basketball 14-5A district champions and regional finalists here with the coach PJ Randall. All right, from Poteet High School girls basketball 14-5A district champions and bi-district champions. These ladies are here tonight with coach Jonathan McKinney. Congratulations on a great season. All right, and from Poteet High School, our boys basketball team for the Pirates were area qualifiers here tonight with Coach Corey McIver. All right, and this concludes our staff and community and student recognitions for this evening. At this time, we'll take a five-minute break. We're gonna be, now that

039I have my microphone on. Okay. Ms. Smith, first of all, thank you. You did a great job with all the students and everything. Do we have anybody from the audience who wishes to speak? No? Okay, thank you very much for that. Next, we will go to the consent agenda. Are there any items that any of the board members want to pull? Mr. Perez, I move to approve. Second. Okay. Have a motion by mr. Everett a second by mr. Seward to accept the consent agenda as it sits any comments Being there none all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye aye Oppose same sign eyes have it motion carries Next we're going to the reports of the superintendent force one being an action item for approving the campus athletic coordinator, head football coach for Horne

040High School, Dr. Rivera. Yes, Mr. President, I sent you guys the information on the recommendation from administration. This is an action item, I'll pass it back to you. Can we postpone this till next month? Absolutely. Did I make a motion that we approve the coordination? I move to approve the motion. There's a motion by Mr. Seward, a second by Ms. Collier to approve the campus athletic coordinator, head football coach for Horn High School. All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Opposing sign? Ayes have it. Motion carries. What have we done? What have you done? Let me bring up Mr. Cody Groves and he'll tell you what you just did. There you go. Well, thank you for what you just did. President Carbo, Board of Trustees, Dr. Rivera, Cabinet, thanks for being here

041tonight. And tonight we recommended Robert Boone for the head football coach and campus athletic coordinator at John Horne High School. And Coach Boone joins Mesquite ISD as the new John Horne High School head football coach and athletic coordinator with more than a decade of experience in education and athletics. Coach Boone has recently served as the athletic coordinator and head football coach at Newman Smith High School and Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD, where he has led the program to three consecutive playoff appearances and has helped establish the highest winning percentage in school history. During his tenure, the team recorded multiple winning seasons, produced numerous all-district and academic all-state athletes, and Coach Boone was recently named the Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD Coach of the Year. Prior to his time at Newman Smith, Coach Boone served as the associate

042head coach and offensive coordinator at McKinney High School and has previously coached at McKinney-Boyd High School and Estacado High School in Lubbock, Texas. Throughout his career, he has emphasized student success both on and off the field, helping implement recruiting strategies for student athletes and supporting leadership development programs. Coach Boone earned his bachelor's of science in kinesiology and sports studies from East Texas A&M University. and holds a teaching certificate in physical education and health. And I've gotten to work side by side with him. He's been in a district we've competed against, so he's in our same district executive committee. And so he's very well thought of in this profession, and we're really excited to have him in Mesquite ISD. Ooh, here we go. Here we go. Good evening. Good evening. What what an opportunity to be

043here I am I am overly Blessed and and and so grateful for for what I consider to be my dream job in being here. I've competed against Mesquite ISD athletes as a player. I've also competed against Mesquite ISD teams as a coach, and I know the excellence. I can see it from afar. And so I'm super, super excited. I want to thank God for this opportunity. Without him, without my faith, without the way that he molded me to be ready for this moment, to have so many great people, In my life, the grit, the ups, the downs, everything in between has prepared me for the moment that you guys presented me to for today. And so I want to give thanks to God. Also, I want to thank Dr. Rivera for choosing me and selecting

044me. I also want to thank the whole board of trustees for your... your faith in me as well. I also want to thank Coach Groves who I admire greatly, a legend in my eyes for selecting me and Miss Brown, our leader of Horn, Texas. I'm super excited to lead the campus with Miss Brown. I told Miss Brown in the interview that we're like LeBron and Dwyane Wade when they were in the Miami Heat. And so we were able to go win a whole bunch of games. We're going to win a whole bunch of games. We haven't decided who's going to be LeBron and who's going to be Dwyane Wade. But we'll figure that out later. Most importantly, I want to recognize this group of people on my right right here. This is my family, my

045rock, my supporters. I have my mother right here. In the back, stand up. That's my mother. My nephew right there, he came along for the ride. My uncle, Uncle Chris, please stand and be recognized. Also, I have my grandfather, my pawpaw. Oh, nice. Right there. And then I have my grandmother. I call her Maumau. And then I have my aunt Consuela right there. So please give them a round of applause. You're going to see them at all of the games. I believe, I mean, even from my playing days and my coaching days, I believe that my mother and my Uncle Chris, I don't think they've missed a game. And so they're going to be a really, really big supporter. But I want to get to exactly what you're going to get from Robert Boone. I'm

046super stoked about this opportunity. You're going to have somebody that's passionate, somebody that's been sculpted to be a winner. I had a lot of great people in my life that inspired me, that's molded me, that's helped me persevere. And so it's my... opportunity and my responsibility to do the same thing for our young kids in the community of Mesquite Horn. And so that's what you're going to get. You're going to get a passionate coach that knows what he's doing with some charisma, with some swagger, but also going to be somebody that's going to love our kids, is going to develop our kids. On top of that, going to inspire and motivate our coaches. and help our teachers and serve our administration and be in the community. And so that's what I'm gonna constantly pursue. I

047wanna tell you what my vision is for Horn Athletics across the board. The first thing is to build a complete student athlete mentally, physically, and emotionally. That's what we're going to do. The second thing, we're going to provide an avenue for our kids to be successful in life beyond high school because that's what really matters. We prepare them for that. And then lastly, we're going to provide an avenue for our kids to dominate in all they do, in competition and out of competition. We're going to pursue excellence in all of those things. And what you're going to see is you're going to see the wins will be the byproduct of those things of building our kids. And so I'm super excited for the opportunity. I can't wait to see everybody all tomorrow morning. And, you

048know, my favorite color is red. So I'll be back in the business and making sure that I'm buying up a whole lot of red and wearing that. But thank you, thank you so much. I look forward to adding to the excellence of Mesquite ISD. And Horn, Texas, I'm coming home, JFL. There you go. Coach Boone, Coach Boone, I like your vision. I think you're right on target. But I got a couple other matters. So you're saying you're going to be 10-0 in football, 15-0 in basketball, right? Those are some high expectations. Let's work towards it. Well, the last thing is. Hey, I'm not going to back down from it. The last thing is I noticed that your papa has a cane. Does he use that when he doesn't agree with your calls? Let's just sit

049him up at the very top. Okay. We'll put him in VIP. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Tony, if he's going to put up with that, you should at least build him a new field house. Oh, thank you. Thank you. So generous. I appreciate it. I'm just going to keep doing right, and we're just going to keep building around there. There's a whole lot of land, too, and I have a whole lot of ideas. Okay. Thank you again. Look forward to meeting you guys. Thank you. Thank you. Excellent. Now I understand why Ms. Brown likes them so much. That's good. Okay. Let's go to item number two. It's also an action item. To approve directors, assistant directors, managers, coordinators, assistant principals, counselors, diagnosticians, licensed skills specialists. Amen. So moved. Second. Okay. There's a

050motion by Miss Hornsby second by mr. Bingham For action item number two approved directors assistant directors managers coordinators assistant principals counselors agnosticians license skills specialists any comments or questions All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye Opposing sign. Let's have it motion carries For in case everybody's asking the question We have to read the whole motion. So No matter how long it is. Yeah. Scott's not here tonight. No, I still have to follow the law. He charged me with the responsibility. Yeah. Are we doing good so far? So far, so good. So we're going to action number three, approved termination of employment for designated employees at the end of school year in the best interest of the district. Yes, Mr. President, this is the application of the saving strategies that we have discussed before

051in our budget discussions. Excellent. Any question, board members? Okay. Any second? Bingham? Okay, there's a motion by Mr. Everett, second by Mr. Bingham, approved termination of employment for designated employees at the end of the school year in the best interest of the district. Any other comments? Being there none, all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Opposing sign. Ayes have it. Motion carries. Excellent. Next, we're going to construction. And construction, the first seven items are similar. So Mr. Seward, I'm going to... Mr. President, if it's okay with the rest of the board, I'd like to make a motion that we... take action on items one through seven because all are approving the construction method for the various schools, Galloway Elementary, Hodges Elementary, the new Pre-K Center, Verung Elementary, Rugo Elementary, Smith Elementary, and Thompson

052Elementary. These are all CMAR, right? Yes. Yes. Have any comments since you're up there? Well, if we're going to approve it like that, no. There you go. All good. All good. Board members, you just heard it. Is it? So moved. There's a motion by Mr. Everett, second by Ms. Holmesby to approve items one through seven in the construction. Any questions or corrections? All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Opposed, same sign. Motion carries. We have another item and it's item number eight to ratify award of general contractor CMAR for package two AC new middle school McDonnell middle school horn high school field house of the multiple renovation packet. Well, thank you president Carbo dr. Rivera school board cabinet This was the details of this is we had good faith negotiations that began

053in November of 25 today The district has not been able to negotiate a satisfactory contract with Crossland construction company formal written notice has been sent to crossland construction company ending negotiations The district will proceed with the negotiations with the offeror in order of the selection ranking per 2269.254 of the Texas government code. The administration recommends the ratification of ending negotiation with Crossland Construction Company Inc. for RFP capital improvement CEM. at risk package 2025 package two, middle school renovations and field house addition project and delegate authority to the superintendent or designee to negotiate and execute the contract that is in the best interest of the district with the next highest ranking proposer. In the event that the contract cannot be negotiated in the best interest of the district with the next highest proposer. the delegation of

054authority of the superintendent or designee to negotiate and execute a contract that is in best interest of the district with the next rank proposer. Okay. Mr. Stewart. Can you divulge the contractor? Sir? Can you divulge the contractor? Yes, Lee Lewis Construction. Okay. Any other questions? There's a motion by Mr. Seward, a second by Mr. Bingham to ratify a ward for general contractor Seymour for package two, AC New Middle School, McDonald Middle School, Horn High School Fieldhouse of the multiple renovation packet. And there are no comments. All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Opposed, same sign. Aye. As have it, motion carries. Thank you very much, Mr. Poole. Thank you. Next, we're going to Section C, Effectiveness Report on the Federal Title Program. Dr. Rivera. Yes, Mr. President. Mr. Prater, I believe, is

055your area, but I think Ms. Chappelle is doing the report, correct? Come on down, Ms. Chappelle. President Carbo, Superintendent Rivera, and members of the board, this evening I will provide the overview of how grant funding supports Mesquite ISD and how the district manages these funds responsibly. Grant funding plays an important role in helping the district support its students and campuses. When we talk about grant effectiveness, we are looking at how well the district manages and uses these funds to strengthen services while maintaining strong financial oversight. Effective grant management means that funds are aligned to district needs and priorities, used as intended with proper documentation, monitor for compliance with federal and state regulations, and maximize to expand district capacity while protecting the general fund. School district grants generally fall into three main categories. First are formula

056grants. These are allocated based on student data such as enrollment, poverty indicators, special populations. Programs like Title I and IDEA-B fall in this category. These grants are ongoing but highly regulated. Second are discretionary or competitive grants which are awarded through an application process and support targeted initiatives. Examples include the School Stop Violence Grant and the McKinney-Vento Grant. Lastly are stimulus grants which are temporary federal funding of funds provided during national emergencies. These funds are designed to help school districts maintain operations and support recovery efforts. In fiscal year 2025, grant funding supported over $30 million in district activity. This chart shows the composition of grant funding for last fiscal year. Federal grants made up the largest share of funding at approximately $29 million. Title I and Idea B made up 80% of the grant funds. State

057grants totaled around $1 million and supported targeted initiatives such as the Safe Cycle II grant, which made up 96% of our state grants. Local grants totaled approximately $417,000. These grants are generally smaller and are often tied to partnerships with nonprofits and community organizations. Grants from the Mesquite Education Foundation made up 68% of local grants. Together, these funding sources supplemented district resources and supported programs that directly benefited our campuses and students. Federal funding trends over the past fiscal years reflect the temporary impact of COVID-19 relief. Due to the COVID pandemic, school districts received significant one-time stimulus funding through federal relief programs such as ESSER and the American Rescue Plan. As shown in the chart, stimulus funding for the district peaked in fiscal year 2023 and has now completely phased out. What remains consistent for the district

058are its core federal programs, which continue to provide stable support for required student services. Beginning in fiscal year 2023, the district started requesting indirect cost recovery from its federal grants. Since indirect cost is based on federal grant expenditures, the amount recovered has declined as federal spending has declined. Now looking ahead there are several federal developments the district is continuing to monitor There have been discussions about the restructuring the US Department of Education Including potential shifts in how certain federal programs are administered While overall funding levels are expected to remain relatively stable these changes could impact the timing of allocations reporting guidance and monitoring processes a key question for fiscal year 2027 will be whether federal allocations are issued on time to support plan staffing and services if allocations are delayed planning will be required by

059the district to manage cash flow needs and make decisions regarding the timing of of federally funded activities. Now grant funding directly supports many services for students across the district. Approximately 57% of our grant funds support staffing including approximately 350 federally funded positions. These positions include special education teachers, classroom assistants, diagnocticians, speech therapists, and social workers who support our most vulnerable student population. Grant funding also supports transportation for our homeless students, counseling services through the care clinic, instructional materials for the dyslexia program, and district initiatives like the annual back to school fair. Grant management within the district is supported by two complementary functions. The federal and state grants department manages the day-to-day administration of the grants. This department ensures expenditures are allowable, properly coded, and spent within required deadlines. They also support compliance reporting and audit

060readiness. The strategic funding function focuses on identifying new grant opportunities and supporting departments and campuses with grant applications. Together, these functions. secure additional funding through grant research, writing, and application support, monitor spending to ensure alignment with approved grant budgets and requirements, protect the general fund by ensuring federal reimbursements are drawn down regularly and indirect costs are recovered when allowed, and ensures the district maintains strong compliance practices. Behind this work is a dedicated team. The federal and state grants department consists of four members, which is led by Dolores Jackson. The other four members are Diana George, Melissa Herrera, and Laura Lopez. The strategic funding function is led by Dr. Jennifer Hammond. Together, this team helps maximize funding opportunities while maintaining strong financial oversight across the district. In closing, grant funding plays an important role in supporting

061our students by providing opportunities, services, and resources to help them succeed. Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening. Thank you. Board members, any questions? Thank you very much for that report. And you dropped the pen. Okay. Good job. Okay, next we are going to administration. First item in administration is to approve the facilities naming committee for the new Motley Lawrence and the Pre-K Center. We are going to nominate a committee. I am suggesting the names of Mr. Bingham, Ms. Collier, and Mr. Everett for that committee. If you so are willing to accept, board, okay. Eddie yes, so there's a motion by mr. Seward second by mr. Rose ready To approve the facility naming committee for the motley Lawrence and Pre-K center of mr Bingham miss Collier and mr. Everett all those in favor

062please indicate by saying aye Oppose same sign as have it motion carries Excellent next we're going to item number two Accept resignation of school board trustee placed to Mr. Eddie Rose. Mr. Rose? I think the only thing I would apologize for this to the board is for the timing. There's a lot going on in the district and that's not lost on me. I raised my family in Mesquite ISD and now my family has grown and is still growing. and they've decided to put roots in Mesquite Icety in the community as well. And I need to step aside at least for a little bit to give them the opportunity to spread those roots. I won't ever let my service to the community outrank my kids' opportunities that they may have. So for now, I need to

063step aside and let those opportunities grow for now. I have enjoyed the last 10 years tremendously working with this board, working with this cabinet. Anybody that might still be listening online and those in the audience, you must understand that this group of people has student success and the success of your kids at the foremost of decisions that they make. Every decision they make, whether it's based on money or based on personnel or based on programs, it's based on... the success of your kids. My kids have been prospered from that and they still are. And let me see you again one day. Thank you for all that you do for the community. It's a wonderful service. Thank you, Mr. Rose. I guess really tough to lose a board member of your caliber, but you have to

064respect a man that knows that his family is that important and giving up something you love like serving on the board, that's very commendable. I'll let the board members comment if you have any comments. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your service. Really, seriously. He's a firefighter, so thank you for that service. Yeah, yeah. But thank you for all you do here. You know, Eddie, his heart has always been with MISD. You can tell it in all the actions that he has and the questions he asks. So thank you. Appreciate it very much. Eddie's been a leader in our community for a long time prior to his service on the board. You meant a lot to me. We're neighbors. He lives right across the street, so he'll obviously have more time, and I

065think he can work in my flower bed a little bit more. Thank you, Eddie, for what you've done for us. It's a very special bond that you get with these folks over the years. I wish you well. I love your heart for your family. I think we all kind of share those same things, but thank you. It's been a good ride, hope to see you again. It's been an honor. Thank you, Eddie. Same as what Gary said, family's first, always first. That's how we treat all of our students in this district. You're treating your immediate family. Thank you for your service. I'm sure you're not done working and serving this community as a servant leader. We appreciate it. Mr. President, I reluctantly move to accept the resignation of school trustee place two that Eddie Rose

066is currently filling. Second. Can I comment before the vote? Yes, you can. Thank you, Mr. President. I don't care what they say. You're very generous. I am, actually. You'll learn. Well, Mr. Rose, for the last 10 years, I have no doubt you have served your heart with your values aligned to this community every single day. And personally, for the last eight years, because remember, I was not always superintendent and we started working together. I'm not going to recount the story. Don't worry about it. I'm not going to tell the story. But it's been an honor to serve alongside you as a junior cabinet member, as an assistant as a deputy, and now as superintendent. You were president. When I got hired, so if anybody have any complaints, they're going to blame you. But in all

067seriousness, it is pretty awesome to see that the way that you've served and your priorities, how you have them aligned. Never doubted it. The community knows you. The staff knows you. They know your heart. Enjoy your time out. We'll see you around the corner. Discussion? You got a discussion? Yes. Mr. President, I know we're gonna have to take a vote on this, but I wanna interject that we've been through this situation already this year. This is a strategic choice for this board to make a decision on whether we're gonna appoint or whether we're gonna have a special election. And looking back at everything that's going on, we just had that and we did have a special election, but this one is a unique one because the timing of it. puts if we consider a special

068election puts it in the November election at a time when you're voting for the governor the Senate seats the congressional seats it's going to drown out whoever's going to run and it would be cost prohibitive for members to run and the fact is that would make five positions up this year for this board. And I would recommend with all the advantages and disadvantages that I would like to recommend that Mr. President in April, that we add to the agenda. I would like for the board to consider putting together a committee that you will appoint to appoint somebody to fill that position so that we can at least go through the... the candidates have some interviews, discussions, and put somebody on here to have some continuity and stability for this board, because we don't know what

069it's gonna look like at the end of May or at the end of this year. So that's my recommendation outside the motion. Okay, that's very well thought out. I appreciate that. With that, there is a motion on the table by Mr. Everett, a second by Mr. Bingham to accept the resignation of school trustee place two, Mr. Eddie Rose, my vice president. I'm gonna miss you there. Any more comments? Being there none, all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Opposed, same sign. Ayes have it, motion carries. Okay, let's jump to item number three. And this is an action item that has two parts to it. It's matters pertaining to special election, the special school trustee election of May 2nd, 2026. Part A, adopt a resolution certifying unstopped special school trustee candidate. Unopposed. Unopposed, yep,

070thank you very much, Dr. Rivera. That's right. Yep, yes you are. Adopt resolution certifying unopposed special school trustee candidate and consider adopting order of cancellation for the May 2 special school trustee election as provided by law. Any comments or questions? You have the material in your book. Hopefully you had a chance. There's a motion by Mr. Bingham. Second by Ms. Hornsby. Any comments or questions? Being there, none. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. Opposing sign. Ayes have it. Motion carries. Okay. Item number four is the discussion of the district-wide intruder detection audit report findings. Mr. Taylor Morris. Taylor Morris. Yeah, Mr. Morris. Good evening, everyone. I'm here for my monthly check-in with you guys. Anytime we have these intruder detection audits, we report out to you all. I will say that we have

071our spring safety and security. committee meeting at the end of this month and so we'll a few of you are members of that committee and so y'all be here we'll discuss all things safety and security including these IDA audits but that's upcoming at the end of this month that's all I have for y'all tonight the mandatory members are the president of the board and the superintendent of schools thank y'all for being there With that, we're going to Section E, business, action to consider all matters incident related to the issuance and sale of Mesquite Independent School District Unlimited Tax Refunding Bonds, series 2026, including the adoption of an order authorizing the issuance of such bonds. establishing perimeters for the sale and issuance of such bonds and delegating certain matters to authorized district officials. Mr. Carbo. Board

072President Carbo, Board of Trustees, Dr. Rivera. Gilbert here. I would love to introduce a couple of individuals. Mr. Eric Maha, Managing Director from Hilltop Securities will come and do a presentation for you. He is an awesome replacement for Mr. Jason Hughes who is not available today. He sends his regards. Also with us today is Christian Savant. She is our Bound Counsel. She's a partner with Norton Rose Fulbright in case you have any questions. So with that I will bring Eric up here. Good evening President Carbo, Dr. Rivera, members of the board and cabinet. As Mr. Prado mentioned, Eric Mahal with Hilltop. Mr. Hughes sends his regards, says hello. Tonight's item before the board is a parameter order to refund bonds for debt service savings and I believe we have a copy of some of the

073slides we'll walk through this evening. On the first page, we wanted to highlight, you know, that the district is set up nicely. You all have about seven bond issues that are either... Okay, there we go. Okay, good. Currently, the district has seven bond issues that we've identified for potential savings. Two of the bonds are currently callable, meaning the district can currently refund those or pay those with cash. And then the remaining five listed here on page five, they become callable, or page one, they become callable this coming August. In the bond world, if we were to price new bonds to pay off the old bonds within 90 days of that call date, we can price the new bonds at tax-exempt interest rates. Any time before that 90-day window would have to be taxable. So that

074ties into the timing. With board approval, the intent would be to price these bonds sometime in April, mid-April, and then close the bonds in May, and that would be within that 90-day window. And so we would be able to refund those bonds listed with those August call dates. And you can see the various coupon rates that those bonds are currently paying. The higher the coupon rates, the more savings we intend to achieve by refinancing those. And the board may recall this is not uncommon to the district in the past. The board has set up certain parameters. It's one of the methods state law allows school districts to issue parameter bonds to where if certain parameters are met, there's a year-long window to where we can price the bonds in a favorable market in terms of

075interest rates. So we're not locked into pricing the bonds in conjunction with the board meeting date with the parameter authorization. As long as parameters are met, pricing offers... in this case, or a superintendent, and then an assistant superintendent financed by title would have authority to finalize the bond sale at a later date. And some of the parameters by statute are listed on page two. Maximum principal amount. State law really dictates this parameter. We cannot refinance more bonds, or we cannot issue more bonds than we're refinancing. So we'd keep the same amount of bond debt outstanding. Final maturity date, we typically propose keeping the same repayment term. We would not propose to extend the repayment term on the new bond issue. And really the most important parameter would be that minimum level of savings. that's listed

076there that that would be the minimum level of savings that we would achieve on a refund as long as those parameters met and that pricing officer could finalize the sale and like I mentioned this would give flexibility to the district and it's especially important in these type of markets as you if you were one to follow the markets even today we had just a up and down swing both directions and so the parameter refunding really gives us ability to find a good market a stable market and lock in the lowest interest rate And then lastly, just the last slide here, we wanted to highlight some of the numbers as we see them today. We ran interest rates as of Friday morning, and the estimated savings are a little over $12 million to refinance those bonds

077listed on page one. That's present value savings. Total savings, we estimate, are closer to over $17 million. Present value basis 12 million total savings about 17 million in current bond market and of course that can fluctuate from day to day until we lock in the rates on a savings percentage basis a little over 7% We always like to see that savings percentage be as high as we can get it. So a little over 7% in terms of savings And then, as I mentioned, the intent would be to keep the same final repayment term as the existing bonds. So it's really just paying off the old bonds with new bonds at the same repayment term at a lower interest rate. And then as drafted, I know the district's bond attorney is here this evening. The order

078before the board tonight has the parameters listed on the far right hand of page three. Not to exceed amount $1.188 million. Again, we cannot exceed that by state law if that's the number of bonds being refunded. And then we have the maximum interest rate, minimum savings, and the final maturity, $2,042. as established by the existing bonds. And the parameter is good for one year. So the thought would be to go through the process, have everything ready, and then mid-April look to price and lock in the rates. And of course, we'd give the board a full report of the final results once completed. Mr. President, I move to approve. Mr. President, I move to adopt the order authorizing the issuance and sale of Mesquite Independent School District. unlimited tax refunding bonds series 2026 establishing parameters for

079the sale and issuance of such bonds and delegating certain matters to authorized district officials. Second. Being there none all those in favor please indicate by saying aye. Opposed same sign. As have it motion carries. Thank you very much for your presentation This is gonna be some good savings for our community for our taxpayers. Very good. I Appreciate our staff always Looking for these opportunities. It's a nice savings. So thank you for always being proactive in that Appreciate it. Okay item number 11. Do you have any questions concerning any items in the exhibits or in the information that's been provided? That's always the last thing so I have to ask with that I'll entertain a motion to adjourn There you go