001551. All items that will be discussed or voted on this evening have been posted as required by state law. I would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone here tonight and we are pleased that you have taken this time this evening to join us. On behalf of the New Caney Independent School District Board of Trustees, we are pleased that you're here and as we celebrate achievements, set goals, listen to reports, approve budgets, contracts, personnel appointments, and make policy for our district. We're not here to make management decisions or to solve problems of individuals. Management is the responsibility of the superintendent. This is a meeting in the public, but not a meeting of the public. And as our guest, we welcome you to observe and to listen. Again, we're pleased you've taken the time to
002join us this evening. Thank you for your interest in our school district and we now ask that you would silence your cell phone. Please rise for the invocation to be given by Mr. Hagler and remain standing for the pledge of allegiance and honor the Texas flag to be led by Mr. Trout. >> Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunity to meet here today for the privilege of serving in this community. Now, we thank you for the children, the families in our school. we pray that we may keep them central to our thinking. God, protect us from narrow agendas. Give us the humility to work together in harmony. God grant us with wisdom and insight, courage in our challenging conversation. Compassion in our listening. May our decisions honor you, serve every student, staff, faculty member
003well. God, we love you. We praise your name forever. >> Amen. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America 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, Texas, one state under God, one indivisible. >> Item two on the agenda is open forum, but no one uh signed up to speak tonight. Item three on the agenda is the superintendent's report presented by Mr. Calvert. >> Yes, ma'am. Just wanted to take a moment to uh recognize those uh administrative staff and that are here with us tonight. Um I'll just go down the list. I apologize if I butcher your name or leave you off. It's not intentional. Uh from Ben's
004Branch, we have Ms. Anderson, Ms. Dowsley from Brookwood, Ms. Carr, uh from Crippen, Ms. Brent, from Dogwood, Ms. Cale, Allens, Mr. Carlow, uh Kings Manor, Ms. Larkey, uh from Porter Elem, we have Ms. Prosky here, at Tavola, Ms. Canales, at Valley Ranch, Ms. Trout and Ms. Richards, uh Keefer Crossing, Mr. Subias, Mr. Tomhave, uh Ms. Martinez and Ms. Perkins from Pine Valley, Ms. Collie, from White Oak, Ms. Mays, Ms. Jackson, and Mr. McDougal, uh from Woodridge, Mr. Reese, at Caney High School, Ms. Beard, Ms. Davis, from Porter High School, Dr. Miller, from West Fork High School, Ms. Horton, and Mr. Perkins. at we have Ms. Sykes and Mr. Crowan here. And from TLC, we have Ms. Ms. McGee is present. From our departments, from PR, we've got Dr. Powers and Mr. Pappas. From finance, Ms.
005Gillette, Ms. Hunt, Ms. Garcia, Ms. Shropshire, and Mr. Castille. From administrative services, Ms. Gates, Ms. Pearson, Ms. Kelly, Ms. Jackson, and Mr. Powell. From operations, Mr. Carroll, Mr. Carr, Mr. Miller, Mr. Martinez. From instruction, Ms. Land, Dr. Gutierrez, Ms. Lowe, Ms. Lowes, Dr. Mesmer, Ms. Monroe, Ms. Good, Ms. Graysic, Ms. Angelic, Ms. Sifford, Ms. Cobbs, Ms. Waldrip, and Ms. Cozier. And then we also have I believe Coach Blunt, Mr. Wrestler, and Mr. and Chief Potter from my folks. All right, so welcome to the board meeting. Appreciate all y'all being here. Want to start off with some recognitions tonight. First of all, I want to welcome Mr. Ceballos and his team of Kodiaks from Kiefer Crossing Middle School. Come on down. >> Good evening, Ms. Coverton and NISD board members. Thank you very much for for
006the opportunity to to recognize KC MS students and staff who truly are the reason behind all of the successes that we're having at KC MS. I'm proud to lead alongside these amazing amazing staff members. And I'm so glad that I get to brag on on these students who represent Kodiak pride so well. This evening I want to start by recognizing uh Ms. Ivy O'Neal. She's our CTE student representative. Um Ivy is an outstanding first-year junior FFA member who has already made a big impression both inside and outside of the classroom. Uh this year marks her first experience showing livestock. Uh she has embraced the challenge with hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude. Uh in addition to taking on a livestock project, Ivy proudly represented junior FFA by singing the national anthem at the East
007Montgomery County Fair, showcasing not only talent, but also school and community pride. She has set strong example for fellow members through leadership, commitment, and a willingness to try new experiences. Uh with such an impressive start in junior FFA, Ivy is already building a strong foundation for future success in ag, leadership, and personal growth. Ivy O'Neal. >> Come on, Ivy. >> I would like to now recognize our uh student athlete representative, Ms. Annie Miller is a seventh-grade athlete and a Kodiak Elite dancer. She is a dedicated student athlete who consistently demonstrates what it means to show Kodiak pride. Annie is extremely hard working in everything she is involved in, both in athletics and in the classroom. And she always gives her best effort. She is a respectful student, dependable, maintains excellent grades, and serves as a
008positive example for her peers each and every day. Annie truly defines what being a Kodiak is all about. >> COME ON, IVY. >> OUR FINE ARTS STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE TONIGHT is Ms. Sophia Ibarra. Sophia is the KCMS band president and choir alto section leader in our varsity treble choir as well as a new varsity mixed chamber choir. She is a dedicated and hardworking musician. She is a leader in both of these music programs and is respected by her peers for her positive and encouraging attitude and her joy of learning and sharing music. Sophia qualified for all region choir by earning third chair at her audition and she qualified for all region band by earning first chair in the flute section. She recently performed in her final band concert on Thursday and choir concert on Friday. She
009will be greatly missed excuse me, by both of these ensembles. She has made a great impact on KCMS fine arts and we are extremely proud of her and can't wait to watch her succeed in high school and beyond. For our custodial department, I would like to recognize Ms. Steffy Cook, our lead custodian. Ms. Steffy consistently answers the call and takes tremendous pride in our campus ensuring it always looks its best for our students, staff and visitors. At KCMS, we often talk about Kodiak pride and Ms. Steffy is no stranger to that. Whether it is cleaning up a spill on Main Street, helping with furniture moving needs or responding to our favorite challenge, the seventh grade boys bathroom. Ms. Steffy is always there with a smile on her face and willing to help. Her leadership shines
010through daily and the respect she has earned from her team speaks volumes about the example she sets. We are grateful for her hard work, dedication and commitment to making KCMS a place we can all be proud of. Thank you, Ms. Steffy. >> Up next, I would like to recognize Mr. Poindexter, one of our outstanding paraprofessionals at KCMS. If there were a picture next to the phrase "other duties as assigned", it would definitely be Mr. P. He is a great representation of what it means to be team Kiefer. Anytime additional support is needed, Mr. Poindexter answers the call without hesitation, stopping only to ask clarifying questions so he can get the job done right. Every project or task assigned to him is completed with professionalism, urgency, and pride. In between his behavior support duties, Mr. P
011also serves as a student escorts. Uh he helps support our aspire classes, monitors hallways and other areas of the building, fills in as an ISS teacher when needed, and remains actively present throughout our campus each and every day. What makes Mr. P even the more special is that he does most of this without ever being asked. He simply sees a need and steps in to help. His positive attitude, flexibility, and team-first mindset makes him appreciated and a valued member of our staff. We are grateful for everything Mr. Poindexter does for our students, staff, and school community, and we are proud to have him as team Kiefer as a member of team Kiefer. Our final recognition tonight is Ms. Lauren Plummer. I'm thrilled to recognize an outstanding educator whose dedication and heart make a real difference
012in our district. Ms. Plummer, a proud New Caney alum, she has spent 19 years serving our schools, always going above and beyond for her students and our community. Ms. Plummer consistently does what is best for kids. Her relationships with students go beyond instruction. She inspires, challenges, and encourages each child to strive for the very best. She doesn't just teach, she empowers. She doesn't just lead, she uplifts. Her leadership within her department is a testament to her collaborative spirit. Mrs. Plummer is a true team player who elevates those around her, always modeling professionalism, dedication, and unwavering care. She is quite simply the heart of Kiva Crossing Middle School. Everything Mrs. Plummer does reflects her deep love for our students and our school community. Her passion, commitment, and compassion are visible in every interaction, every lesson, and
013every decision she makes. On behalf of our staff and the students whose lives she enriches daily, we want to say thank you, Mrs. Plummer. Your work leaves a lasting imprint and Kiva Crossing is stronger and brighter because of you. Thank you, board. All right. While they're getting their pictures done, I'd ask Mrs. Maze and her team from White Oak to come on down so we can recognize our warriors tonight. >> Good evening, Mr. Calvert and school board. With me tonight, recognizing our wonderful warriors, are um my amazing assistant principals, Ms. Jackson and Mr. McDougal, and counselor Ms. Sharon Garcia. So, first off, I'd like to um talk about our athletic representative, Mr. Audrick Smith. >> I believe that success is not defined by people's achievements, but by the dedication, discipline, and character a person displays
014every day. And Audrick has been an example of all of these qualities. As an eighth-grade student at Wiregrass Middle School, he is our representative for his work ethic, positive attitude, and commitment both in the classroom and in the competition. family plans. He embraced his coursework and responsibilities with a positive attitude. He is equally dedicated to his honor classes. The whole honor He strives to uphold the high standards set by his family. And all the time while maintaining academic excellence, he enjoys his sense of integrity and manner as a Bulldog on the hill. Thank you. Thank you. will go to the other awards. Audric is well-rounded in the classroom with ample and a straight effort from the parents and strong work ethic. And we proudly congratulate Audric for representing the athletic department. He is a dedicated
015student, an exceptional young man, and I can't wait Wow. Okay, test. That's better. Okay, so next up is Adley Shannon. She's our CTE student representative. She is an exceptional individual and a remarkable eighth grade student at White Oak Middle School. She excels as an outstanding representative for career and technical education, but she's also an avid reader, a sincere friend, and a positive role model for her peers. Her determination and unwavering commitment to her many activities are admirable qualities that others can strive to emulate. Her success is the result of a consistent hard work and perseverance. She remains focused in all of her endeavors, whether she is preparing for her honors classes, traveling to many livestock judging and product identification contest through Porter Junior FFA, or spending time with her family, she gives her very best
016effort. She's responsible, respectful, and an honorable individual who goes above and beyond. She is determined to achieve her goals, and she represents the CTE department with excellence. She works hard and has demonstrated exceptional workplace skills, employability skills, and leadership skills. She's kind, respectful, and always willing to help out. Please join me in recognizing Miss Adley Shannon. Congratulations. Next up is Julian Zavala. He is our fine arts representative. He is an incredible eighth grader and a huge asset to our choir program. He made all-region choir for two years in a row, which is no small feat, and this year he really outdid himself by making all-region band, all-region choir, and all-region orchestra, a triple threat. It's that kind of versatility and musicianship that's rare, especially at a middle school level. Just as impressive as his talent
017is the person that he is. He's friendly, outgoing, he brings a positive energy to rehearsals, he loves hard, he loves what he does. His enthusiasm for music is contagious, and we're very lucky to have him in our program. He also asked me to hurry up on the speech since he's playing soccer for us tonight back at White Oak, and he needs to throw on his White Oak Warrior outfit as soon as he's done, but I told him to please professionally dress and then he could put on the the the uniform. The district featured him on social media recently as I don't believe any other middle schooler has been a three-time all region student in New Caney ISD history. So, congratulations, Mr. Julian Zavala. Thank you, Julian. Okay, so next up is Mr. Zapp, our teacher
018representative. So, it's an honor to recognize Mr. Kelly Zapp for our outstanding pre-algebra and eighth-grade math teacher at White Oak Middle School. He is the epitome of perseverance and positivity. From the moment students walk into his classroom, they are greeted with his jolly attitude, a contagious energy, and a sense of humor that connects so naturally with middle school students. He has built a classroom culture where students do not just want to be in his class, they want to succeed in his class. And actually today, Mr. Zapp, when I thought about something that solution tree, it it reminded me of you that you believe in all students. You build meaningful relationships while holding them accountable with very high expectations. He makes math come alive through his building teaching thinking classrooms. Students are constantly collaborating in his
019room, solving problems together, showcasing their thinking on the walls. He The growth that his students show each year is phenomenal. Time and time again, he takes students who struggle academically in the past and he helps guide them toward success and confidence. He's only been teaching a few years after his time in business, but he's just a natural educator with all kinds of passion and talent to shine daily. Beyond the classroom, he's helped transform our campus culture. He was selected by his peers to serve on DLAC, a reflection of the respect and admiration his colleagues have for him. He's also been a strong advocate and contributor to our MTSS Tier 1 behavior system, helping strengthen positive systems and support across campus. He brings creativity and joy with chess club and UIL academic coach. And whether he's
020making students laugh, sharing stories about his hair pomade that he creates called the Zach pomade, or encouraging students to push beyond their limits, he leaves a lasting impact on everyone around him and we're very proud to call him a White Oak Warrior. Thank you. Next up is Misty Andrae Gonzalez, our paraprofessional representative. She is a shining example of service and care of every sense of the word. As Ronald Reagan once said, "There's no greater honor than to serve others." And that statement perfectly reflects her daily commitment to White Oak Middle School. My mom used to say, "Do you want to talk to the person in charge or the one who really knows what's going on?" Well, that's her. She's my secretary and she knows everything that needs to happen before anyone even ask. From managing
021budgets and daily operations to supporting teachers, parents, and students, she's truly the glue that holds White Oak together. She has served as my secretary the past 3 years, but her service to the district runs much deeper much deeper. She worked as a special education paraprofessional and a designated substitute. She just has a servant heart and humility and unmatched work ethic and I'm just very proud for her dedication and simply could not do the work without her. Thank you, Ms. Gonzalez. And last but certainly not least is our um custodian representative, Ms. Concepcion Estrada Guerrero. She has worked for the district for 13 years and transferred to Walms 2 years ago from Ben's Branch Elementary. She's been a pleasure to have due to her hard work, dedication, and always willing to pick up the slack whenever
022someone is out. We are truly blessed to have her on our Walms custodian charter. Thank you for everything you do. >> All right, at this time while they're getting their pictures done, I'd like to recognize Ms. Gates to to come up. She is going to recognize our retirees here with us tonight. And again, just thank you just seems so simple, but it it truly is all we can really say. I mean, you have poured your heart and soul in our kiddos, and this is some well-deserved time for you. So, put yourself first for once these next few months. So, Ms. Gates, if you want to recognize our retirees with us tonight. >> Yes, sir. Thank you. So, we are very excited this evening. We have a total of 36 employees who are uh retiring either
023middle of the year this year, so they've already left us in December, or leaving and retiring at the end of the year um with a combined total of 814 years of service to the FIELD OF EDUCATION. WE DO HAVE 14 UH retirees that joined us this evening for this um honor, and so I'm going to say their names and ask them to come down, and they'll receive their voucher for their rocking chair that they will get to as Ms. Culver said earlier, hopefully they can sit on that rocking chair and watch the yellow school buses go by on the first day of school, and be very, very thankful for the opportunity to watch the kids come to school, and and know that they don't have to set their alarm anymore. So, with that, we're going
024to get started. Our first uh retiree is Ro- Rosemary Franklin, and she is a paraprofessional at New Caney Elementary, retiring with 7 years of service all here in New Caney ISD. Next, we have Catherine Bradshaw, a teacher at New Caney Elementary, 32 years of service all here in NEW CANEY ISD. NEXT IS SHERI WILSON, a teacher from Bens Branch Elementary, 38 total years in education, 10 here in New New ISD. >> Amen. Next is Sharon Sparks, a teacher from Bens Branch Elementary. 29 total years in education, seven here in New Caney ISD. Next is Roger Frankum, a teacher from Porter Elementary with 17 years in the field of education, all here in New Caney ISD. NEXT IS MELINDA MCGEE, a teacher from Porter High School. 35 years in education, 30 here in NEW CANEY ISD.
025NEXT IS TERRY NEWBOLD, special education department art facilitator with 31 total years and one here in New Caney ISD. Next is Zulika Kramer, a teacher from New Caney High School. 21 years in education, all here in New Caney ISD. Teresa Ashley, a teacher from Porter Elementary. 19 years in the field of education, all here in New Caney ISD. Deanna Capps, a teacher retiring from Valley Ranch Elementary. 35 total years and 23 of those here in New Caney ISD. Rebecca Earington, a teacher from our TLC center, 26 years in the field of education, all here in New Caney ISD. Next, we have Cindy Price, a diagnostician from our special education department, with three total years, all in New Caney ISD. Thank you. 32 years, I'm sorry. That must have That Yeah, thank you. She We want
026to give credit for all of those hard years. THANK YOU. AND NEXT, WE HAVE Jenny Good, our director of accountability and assessment in our instructional support department, 25 total years, eight here in New Caney ISD. And then we have Ms. Lori Monroe, our executive director of instructional support with the instructional support department, 22 total years, 15 here in New Caney ISD. Okay, I hope we didn't miss any retirees who snuck in and didn't sign in. You've been given your voucher, and again, we just want to say thank you for your service. We hope you have a wonderful retirement and enjoy these wonderful years, and we appreciate the 814 years of expertise that you have all given to the district. So, thank you very much. >> And families, if y'all want to come up and get
027a picture, you're more than welcome to do that. Staff, I mean unless you got a really good zoom, feel free to come on up and take your pictures. >> Yeah, yeah. Rachel has 36. Thank you, Pat. >> Good for them. I'm never going to retire. I want to be I about I want to I want to do that. >> All right, at this point I would like to ask Ms. Graczyk to come up. She has some recognitions for one of our counseling departments as they receive their Crest Crest Awards. Ms. Graczyk, come on down, ma'am. >> Open that side. Y'all can sit on that side. That's fine. We're just going to wait till whenever we call their name if that sounds okay. Good evening, Mr. Calvert and Board of Trustees. Thank you very much for
028allowing this time to recognize counselor accomplishments. I'd first like to thank Dr. Sweitzer and Ms. Shaver, the district counseling team, for all they give to support students and counselors day in and day out. Thank you both. IF YOU ALLOW ME TO TAKE A MOMENT TO recognize the one who came before me, the one who laid the strong foundation for counseling programs, there's no better mentor or leader, Lori Monroe. THANK YOU. SO, WITH THAT, THE CREST AWARD, Counselors Reinforce an Excellence for Students in Texas, is an award sponsored by by Texas Counseling Association. This recognition is earned by demonstrating the effectiveness of a strong counseling program that contributes to student success academically, personally, and socially, as well as career development. Less than 6% of school districts in the state and less than 5% of schools were
029recognized for Crest this year. I'm proud and excited to say that New Caney ISD is among those districts with our most ever 10 campuses receiving this award. So, I'd like to acknowledge the following campuses and counselors. Porter High School with Karen Krueger, Renee Blakely, Pearl Perez, Ruth White, and Jessica Mitchell. West Fork High School, and I'm not sure if any of them are here tonight, but Amber Smith, Christy Fernandez, and Adrian Randall. Keefer Crossing Middle School with Britney Crawford, Shauna Zellers, and Lindsey Beck. Pine Valley Middle School with Monica Perez and Christina Aguilera. White Oak Middle School with Kelly Wolfe and Sharon Garcia. Buckalew Forest Elementary with Sherry Farr and Ashley Dixon. Kings Manor Elementary with Christy Shaw Well and Carly Cappleman. New Caney Elementary with Joyce Melendez and Jennifer Morris. Valley Ranch Elementary with
030Jenna Benford. And Dogwood Elementary with Amanda Flowers and Kendra Kelly. I also want to recognize Ms. Flowers as she is in her fourth year as a Crest winner, and which has earned her campus of the distinction level of Crest leadership. The Crest Award reflects the dedication of these school counselors in making a lasting difference in the lives of students, families, and the entire school community. It is also a reflection of the support received from others. I would like to thank campus administrators, district personnel, Mr. Calvert and the Board of Trustees for your support, which allows the implementation of a comprehensive comprehensive school counseling program serving all New Caney ISD students. In addition to the Crest Award winners, I would like to recognize another outstanding accomplishment for one of our district counselors, Ms. Jin Whitty, who
031is the lead counselor at New Caney High School. Ms. Whitty received the Very Important Counselor, yes, we think it's a cute name, VIC, recognition from Texas A&M University. This is an honor that recognizes outstanding dedication to supporting students in their journey toward higher education. This award reflects a strong commitment to student success, academic guidance, and leadership within the school community. As a part of the recognition, the award includes the opportunity to nominate a deserving student for a $1,000 scholarship to attend Texas A&M University, further extending the impact of student advocacy and support. Thank you, Ms. Whitty. One more celebration, the recognition of the American School Counselor Association Model Program designation recognizes school counseling programs that demonstrate excellence in delivering comprehensive data-driven services that support student success. I'm so excited to say that Keefer Crossing is
032our first campus to receive this ramp award. CONGRATULATIONS. MR. Calvert and Board of Trustees, thank you again for your unwavering support and allowing the time this evening to celebrate and recognize these outstanding counselors and their counseling programs serving New Caney ISD students. We sincerely appreciate your support. >> And And All right, behind um all of these wonderful recognitions where our counselors, our kids, our teachers, our retirees, um a huge supporting role of that is our campus administrators. Um we literally couldn't do what we do without them and we have some of the best. We see that every day all day every year. And so at this time I'd like to recognize Ms. Land and Dr. Mesmer to celebrate our elementary and secondary administrators for the spring semester. >> Thank you so much, Mr. Calvert and
033school board, for this opportunity. So many good things going on in New Caney ISD. So, the elementary principal for the spring semester exemplifies the New Caney ISD leadership definition through her ability to build trust, communicate with clarity, and lead with consistency. As the most seasoned elementary campus leader and former lead elementary principal, she demonstrates poise among her peers while continuously supporting district initiatives and ensuring systems aligned to the district's vision and mission. Her leadership is grounded in service, encouragement, and professionalism, making a lasting impact not only on her campus community, but also those she mentors and supports along the way. Through her steady leadership, commitment to excellence, and unwavering support of students and staff, she continues to positively influence the culture and success of elementary education across the district. The elementary principal's spring award goes
034to Ms. Kindy Tomhay, principal principal at SORTERS MILL ELEMENTARY. I MIGHT PROCEED WITH THE OOP, hold on. So, the spring assistant principal award recognizes someone who consistently exemplifies the qualities outlined in the New Caney ISD leadership definition as well. She is a dedicated and hardworking leader who leads with positivity and a servant leader mindset while continuously seeking feedback in pursuit of personal and professional growth. Through her participation in the Aspiring Principal program, she successfully organized a parent night to support families and students prior to state assessments, demonstrating strong communication, initiative, and a commitment to student success. Her growth mindset, leadership potential, and unwavering support of students, staffs, and family families, excuse me, make her highly deserving of this recognition. She approaches each opportunity with professionalism, humility, and a desire to compete continuously improve, making a
035meaningful impact on her campus community. For these reasons and many more, I'm proud to recognize Ms. Carice Richards, assistant principal at Valley Ranch Elementary. >> Okay, good evening. And on behalf of our school community, I want to sincerely thank the New Caney ISD Board of Trustees and and you, Mr. Calvert, for taking the time tonight to recognize two exceptional leaders and their positive impact on students, staff, and their school communities. Their dedication to our students' success and the positive culture they've built at the secondary level truly sets a standard of excellence, and we are grateful to see their hard work honored. First, we recognize Ms. Crystal Maze, principal of White Oak Middle School. In preparation for tonight, Dr. Condarco asked members of the WAMS community to provide us their thoughts on Mrs. Maze, and from
036that, one theme stood out repeatedly. And she talked about it earlier with her quote from Ronald Reagan, her unwavering commitment to the people who she serves. Heather Land, White Oak's 504 facilitator and campus testing coordinator, described Ms. Mays as an exceptional principal who works tirelessly to support both her students and teachers while remaining deeply committed to the mission and vision of White Oak Middle School. Echoing this sentiment, um Brittany Ransom, the math instructional coach from WAMS, shared that Ms. Mays leads with quiet strength and excellence, inspiring others to grow and become better every day. She spoke about the culture Ms. Mays has created, one centered on support, encouragement, and high expectations for every student. One particularly meaningful note about Ms. Mays came from the Saad family, who shared how she supported their family during their
037daughter's illness. They described her compassion, personal check-ins, prayers, encouragement, and the way she made their family feel loved and supported during an incredibly difficult time. Her assistant principals also spoke to her impact. Mr. McDougal described her as a transformational leader with both a servant's heart and high standards, while Ms. Jackson shared that Ms. Mays helped her find her wings through mentorship and encouragement. Ms. Mays, thank you for your extraordinary leadership and care that you bring to the White Oak Middle School family each day. So, and for our assistant principal, we're going to recognize Mr. Scott Groen. However, he's also a dean, and he also wears a ton of hats at Infinity. He's not just an assistant principal. It's a small campus that requires a lot of things. So, Mr. Groen's also had to sit through
038all of our dean meetings, so he should be recognized for that as well. The notes about Mr. Groen consistently reflected his ability to build strong relationships and positively influence those around him. Ms. Sykes described Mr. Groen as a leader who models professionalism, integrity, compassion, and excellence while consistently going above and beyond for all students and staff. Craig Wallace, a teacher at Infinity, describes Mr. Grohn as someone with a heart of gold who's joyful and positive leadership helps make Infinity a safe, nurturing, and successful school community. And Brandon McKinney, a student, shared that Mr. Grohn has been been far more than an assistant principal, serving as a coach, mentor, and a father figure who encouraged him to become better academically, athletically, and personally. And uh just a personal note, Mr. Grohn was my daughter's favorite teacher
039ever in all of her years of school. Mr. Grohn, thank you for your leadership, encouragement, and dedication you bring to your campus EACH DAY. WOO! >> AND AGAIN, Y'ALL FEEL FREE TO COME UP AND TAKE THOSE PICTURES IF YOU WANT TO. OKAY, all those acts are definitely a tough act to follow. So, um with that said, there's got to be a guy that does that, and so I'll to Mr. Mealer to come up here and give us a report on Senate Bill 546 and uh bus seat belts. >> How's it going? I appreciate y'all letting me come and talk. Um, I know this is probably going to be the most exciting part of the night is safety. Um, if uh Miss Elizabeth, the green folder's for you. Um, I just have some uh ideas uh
040about how this is going to go at the end, and so I thought maybe I could help and go ahead and give you um what some other districts have done as a uh as an option to help uh finalize it. Um, what SB 546 is Thank you so much. Uh, is that all school buses that is uh in used by the district, whether they're activity buses or route buses, have to contain three-point seat belts. Um, before that, the law says all buses 2018 and newer had to have them, but because SB 546 passed, now we have to have all school buses having seat belts. And so, um what the core mandate of it is is that it has to have the three-point seat belt attached to all school buses. That includes special needs, regular ed,
041and activity buses. Um, the compliance deadline for this is September 1st, 2029. Um, the bill originally passed um in September and uh of 2025 saying that it had to be done. And so, what the district obligation is is that the board has to determine the financial capacity, um the public reporting of fleet compliance, and also uh we have to report in CIN to TEA what our findings are and what your decisions are. So right now currently New Caney has 83 buses that do not have three-point seat belts on them or any seat belts at all. That is 52% of our fleet. Lap belts that we have are on all of our special needs buses. They at least have a three-point or a 12 or sorry or two-point seat belt and that is 12 buses right
042now have that which is 7%. The three-point equipped buses are 63 which is 39% of our fleet and most of those have been purchased in the last five years. We have a total of 158 buses again with 83 of those that currently do not have any seat belts on them at all. So the operational strategies we need to evaluate the retrofitting versus the replacement tactic of the buses. The technical complexity of the situation is is that everything has to be structural structural modified if we have to go back and put seat belts on the buses. A school bus was never designed to hold a student inside the seat. The safest way for a student to be transported is inside of a school bus. The seatbacks on the seats in front of them are higher. They're
043extra cushioned to protect them so in the event of an accident students will slowly and easily slide into the seat in front of them and that will protect them. But since 546 we have to add seat belts to the buses. So with that general ed buses are going to be either 30k to 70k per buses to go back and retrofit them. The special needs buses since they already have the two-point seat belts to make them be three-point seat belts it's It's to be anywhere between 30 to 45,000. Um the risk in this is that the fleet is aging and we're investing money in older school buses that we're going to age out anyways um in the upcoming years. Um the modernized safety of the situation is purchasing factory equipped buses to replace these buses. Um
044in the long run is going to be more uh cost effective. Um Right now uh the quotes that I'm getting from Thomas and from International is $130,000 to $175,000 and that is just for a stock bus. It doesn't have any of the bells and whistles. It doesn't have fancy things. The seats are the old school dark green. The floors are white, which will get very dirty. But that's uh the best and cheapest route we can go. A special needs bus is going to be about $150,000 um and that is give or take because every year that we wait to initiate a plan into it, the cost goes up. Um and uh one of the main things that uh I've heard from several of our vendors is they're afraid that the tariff prices are going to
045go up further. Um the age limit of our school buses right now um are 12 to 15 years old that need these seat belts. Um The current age of our oldest bus that was 25 years. Um over half of the fleet already has reached or has exceeded the ideal replacement age for these for these buses. Um typically most people replace buses at routine years. And so with some of our buses being 25 years old, they're our past that age and past that prime. >> Um how many or how old are the buses that have the three-point seat belts? >> Um the ones that already have the three-point seat belts, they've been purchased within the last 5 years. So, they're very new. Um in 2025 whenever it came out and they said that we had to
046do this, that's whenever we really started focusing on the three-point seat belts. A lot of the seat belts um bus manufacturers knew about this ahead of time and they started just offering it and making it a standard on their bus routes. Um which New Caney, you know, started purchasing those because they were offered. Um and so what we're looking at technically is a total retrofit that is all 83 buses. It would cost around 3,825 uh dollars. Um the total replacement of the buses is uh 12.45. And if we did a proposed hybrid, which um I've got a plan for that in the folder, um it's only going to be 10.98 million. Um and so that would be us replacing around 20 buses a year and then retrofitting 11 of them. Um the uh plan would
047be to uh phase out the older buses um by purchasing new buses and then the ones that were still um feasible and weren't weren't too old that we could still invest money in without it costing the district more money for parts, um those are the ones that we would go ahead and put seat belts on cuz we could get probably another 10 years out of those buses. >> This So, is the uh state of Texas going to give us some of that money out of their slush fund to cover this? >> Well, kind of sort of. Uh right now, um TEA is offering us $3,000 per bus. And so 6,000? Yeah, so that that won't even cover the tax on some of the parts. Um there are a couple of grants. Um this year this
048year we lost the deadline for the grant. Um we can possibly hopefully have another one next year that we can apply for. Um what they're offering is uh $45,000 uh to replace a bus to take it off the road um and get it uh they call it a clean air initiative. Um we would have to give them that bus. They would damage the bus where it would not be usable. And so basically that $45,000 is almost cheaper than putting the seat belts on the bus and it would replace it. >> Wow. >> But right now it'll hang out there that we could qualify for is for $3,000. >> So Mr. Mayor since Mr. Trout opened up that cabinet take out the soap box. Um I know when this bill was first introduced a few years
049ago there weren't many actual transportation department people that thought this was a good idea. Um you know, people in your department around the state and you started off your presentation by saying buses are already in design to be extremely safe for kids. >> That is correct. >> So as an actual person who is an expert in the transportation field, I would say is this actually making our buses safer for kids? >> No, it does not. >> Well, is there a sensor on it like my truck has a sensor if I don't put my seat belt on, it tells the driver that my seat belt's not on. So when those kids get on the buses, there is sensor now that says the bus the seat belt is not So all we're doing is cuz we know
050these kids are going to unbuckle and they can't keep an eye on every seat. >> Correct. >> They'll have to they'll have to driver will have to be like the Disney where they pull up the yellow tab. >> So So I asked that question because in our world, even though the legislature never does this, sarcasm intended there, they never give us unfunded mandates. But due to this law that an expert in transportation says does not make the buses safer, we're going to be required to come up with almost 11 million more dollars just to put seat belts on buses that don't do anything for our kids. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you, sir. >> Maybe this is something that needs to go before a leg- a legislative commi- uh affairs committee. >> It's already passed.
051>> We can put it on there, but it's already >> for the next >> Yeah. >> for funding. >> Yes, that is correct. And technically, um if a if every student is buckled in a a seat belt, the bus driver would not be able to evacuate all the students off the bus if there was a true emergency. There just wouldn't be enough time. Um especially when you add that constraint of a seat belt onto the student. >> Well, and they can't check it. They don't have the time to check them. >> Correct. Um and so, in your packet, uh I won't bore you with all the details, but uh it would cost 3.66 million dollars to uh do this if we did it in 3 years. And that is with the plan of replacing 20
052buses and retrofitting 11 buses. >> Are there Are there 20 buses available to purchase? Wasn't there a time we talked about purchasing >> Yes, yeah. There technically are right now. Um Thomas doesn't have any, but Longhorn Buses does. Um they've been planning for this since it happened, so they've been building stock buses like crazy. And so, um they have just the basic generic buses that uh have the seat belts, have the air conditioner, and all the safety modifications, but nothing else. >> So, is it like a Ford dealership where we have a trade-in value on these other buses that >> Um it's it's Longhorn Bus Sales uh with Holt parts. Um so, uh they're actually in Houston, and uh they either come to us and work cuz we have a contract with them, or we
053would take the buses to them. >> How many buses do we use for like band equipment, football equipment? >> Um at any given night, depending on which day that they play, it's been somewhere between 40 to 45 buses. >> Wow. So, >> And we usually send a single buses with those. >> Could we utilize any of the older buses for that as the >> This is not the same thing. >> We can, but any bus that we use that to transport our students is going to be required to have >> equipment. >> Oh, for the equipment, yes. We can, as we don't transport students with it, we can use the older buses for the for that. But, a lot of the older buses we don't usually send out of town because they run a higher
054risk of breaking down. Good job, Texas. Um and so, uh there's three options that the state has given us. We can either purchase new buses, we can retrofit the current buses, or y'all guys can vote and uh adapt a plan stating that the district is not feasibly financial right now to be able to afford this. Um you have to sign a form, and then we submit it to to Sentinel, and y'all guys will be mandated to require Mr. Calvert to uh develop plan on how we can slowly initiate this process to become in compliance. And so, that's what's in your green folder. That's what um another school district did, and it seems pretty uh pretty reliable and pretty uh pretty well-written. So, that's all that I have, unless y'all guys have any more questions. Um
055as I said, I know it wasn't the most exciting part of your day. >> Thank you. >> Brandy, how many teachers is that? >> 14 million to >> That's a lot. >> 14 million dollars, how many teachers can we pay for, and how much money could we have for our teachers instead of that? >> A lot. >> Okay. Just want to Just want to put that out there. >> Yeah. >> You know, and one of the things that concerns me is this is going to become a discipline issue on these buses. >> Yeah. >> That's nuts. >> Yes, it is cuz basically right now the buses that have seat belts, all we can do is get on the bus. We remind the kids to put their seat belts on, but they don't wear them. And
056they also become weapons because they now have got a seat belt they can fling around on the bus. Thanks for bringing that one up. Didn't even think about the weapon part. >> Good news. Thank you so much. >> All right. I appreciate y'all's time. Y'all have to get back. Thanks, sir. >> Thank you. Thanks. I'm glad we did the recognitions first. Thank you for that information. That was well presented. Thank you. So, item four on the agenda is reports and proposals of board members, and the only report we have tonight would be uh presented by Ms. Hopkins with an update from our recent legislative affairs committee meeting. >> Hi. Um we discussed um this Was it on Cingo de Mayo? We discussed the working draft of um legislative focus areas for the upcoming legislative focus
057session in 2027. We established a timeline for presenting a draft proposal to the board for consideration for the June meeting. Janice Holt, the state representative from District 18, attended the committee meeting. She shared some of her experiences from her first legislative session last year, and she heard from members of the committee regarding issues like employee health care, the rising cost, special education funding, and fast enrollment growth. >> Thank you. >> And I will add that maybe we can >> Put in some more thoughts and funding for upcoming seat belts. >> Yes. >> So we definitely have more that we can bring forward and these are why these meetings are important. >> Yeah. And thank you to Dr. Powers for um putting that meeting and information together. Thank you. Item five on the agenda is the
058consent calendar consisting of the consideration of minutes, finance report, purchasing reports, facilities and construction item, local policy updates and instruction items. Are there any questions or further discussion regarding that? Is there a motion to approve the items that are on the consent calendar? We have a motion and a second. There being no further discussion, a vote will now be taken. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed say no. The motion is approved. Item six on the agenda is to adopt an order or authorizing the issuance of school building and refunding bonds, establishing the parameters for the sale of the bonds and delegating authority to administration to approve the sale and execute the final documents. But Mr. Witt not here for >> Yes, I'm going to ask that we table it. >>
059Okay. We've been asked uh members wish to table this motion until the later date. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Item six is tabled. Item seven on the agenda is to discuss and consider approval of resolution addressing compliance with Senate Bill 546 related to our seat belt requirements. Mr. Calvert. >> Yes, ma'am. You'll heard that report from from Mr. Miller and so um in your board book you do have a resolution that that we're recommending how to uh how to deal with this situation the state has handed us. And so, just asking for y'alls approval tonight so that way we can uh become uh compliant and take care of that. >> So, just to be clear, um, in our in our board book, uh it was talking about we can propose a resolution of the
060board members to uh tell them that we're not bleeding 11, you know, 12,000 dollars. I mean, million dollars, excuse me. Let me add another zero. And um that we will petition them and tell them that we can't do that by that year cuz we don't That's a lot of teacher salary and it comes out of the same fund. >> Mhm. >> So, that's what was in our board book. If anybody have any questions or further discussion on the resolution? >> No. >> A vote Excuse me, a a vote will now be taken. Is there a I'm sorry. Is there a motion to approve the resolution addressing compliance with Senate Bill 546 related to seatbelt requirements? It's been moved and seconded. There being no further discussion, a vote will now be taken. All those in favor,
061say I. >> I. >> Any opposed, say no. The motion is approved. Item eight on the agenda is closed meeting. The board will now adjourn to closed session under Texas Open Meetings Act sections 551.071, 551.072, and 551.074 to deliberate the duties, evaluation, responsibilities, employment, and dismissal of personnel or officers, including the board and superintendent as it pertains to any item listed on this notice or agenda. We will consult with our the school district's attorneys on subject matter listed in the notice or the agenda, pending or contemplated litigation, and any proposed settlement agreement. We will also deliberate regarding the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property. Should a final vote Excuse me. Should final action, vote, or decision on any matter considered in closed session be required, such final action, vote, or decision which shall
062be made once the open the open meeting covered by this notice is reconvened or at a subsequent meeting of this board. The board has adjourned to closed session at 7:08 p.m. Board ended its closed meeting at 7:44 p.m. And we now reconvene in open session. Item nine on the agenda is the consideration of personnel reports presented by Christy Gates. >> Good evening. This is just our monthly list of recommendations for hire. Um it includes our reassignments, transfers, and resignations. >> Thank you. And we had the supplement here, too. We had the supplement, too. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Are there any questions or further discussion about the personnel report? Is there a motion to approve the personnel report? >> I move. >> Second. It's been moved and seconded. There being no further discussion, a vote
063will be taken. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed say no. The motion is approved. Item 10 on the agenda is consider is to consider awarding the project for the Ag Science Center to Huckabee Architects presented by Mr. Wrestler. >> Good evening. Good to see y'all again. Um so, we would like for y'all to consider awarding the Ag Science Expansion project to Huckabee Architects. Uh we plan to address several issues within the current facility, as well as looking to additional pens and perhaps say a show a outdoor show arena. So, it's we've kind of got a list of priorities that been given so far, but again, this is just the architect award, and then we'll start design um after we take input from all the stakeholders and >> Okay. >> things of that
064nature. Yes, sir. This is for the design. Yes, sir. >> Okay. Are there any questions or further discussion? Is there a motion to approve the project award for the Ag Science Center to Huckabee Architects? >> I'll move. >> Second. >> Okay. The motion has been moved and seconded. There being no further discussion, a vote will be taken. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed say no. The motion is approved. >> Thank you. Item 11 on the agenda would be future discussion topics. Uh, does any board member have any future discussion topics that they would like to present? No? Okay. There being no further business, this meeting is adjourned at 7:47 p.m.