001the Carrollton Farmers' Branch ISD Board of Trustees to order at 5:00 p.m. on June 6th June 4th, 2026. For the record, board members present are Kim Brady, Eliana Garza Rojas, Marjorie Barnes, Carolyn Benavides, Paul Gilmore, and myself, Cassandra Hatfield. We constitute a quorum and may conduct business on behalf of the district. Um agenda for this item, audience for guests was limited to the posted agenda item, and we did not have anyone request to audience for guests, so we'll move on to the very exciting uh swearing in of our newly elected board members. In accordance with the returns of votes cast at the trustee general election held on May 2nd, 2026, Carolyn Benavides and Synethia Cynthia Noda, being the candidates with the highest votes, have each been elected to serve a 3-year term on the Board
002of Trustees. Each has been issued a certificate of election and has completed the required statement of officer. The Honorable Blanca Oliver is present tonight to administer the oath of office. Judge Oliver and Ms. Benavides, would you please make your way to the front of the room? And family, you're welcome to join as well. >> [applause] >> All right, Ms. Noda, will you please make your way to the front of the room, and family you're welcome to join her. >> [applause] [applause] >> Yes, ma'am. Welcome to the dais. >> [applause] >> AND CONGRATULATIONS MS. BENAVIDES. Welcome back to the team. Judge Oliver, thank you so much for coming and supporting us tonight. We really, really appreciate your you're doing this for us. All right, well, we're off to the races now that we have a full
003board at the dais. So, at this time we will move to agenda item number four, which is closed meeting pursuant to 551.074 to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee, including board members, or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee. So, we will move to close session at this time. And audience members, you are welcome to remain in the board room. When we come back, we will be doing the election of our officers, and then we will have a reception out in the hallway. So, we'd love for you to stay and join us for that reception. The time is now 5:06, and we will move to the conference room for deliberations. >> Mhm. >> All right. Under board policy BDAA legal and
004BDAA local, the board is to organize by selecting president, vice president, and secretary. As we move into the election of offers officers, I'd like to first spend a few minutes discussing the board's leadership needs um prior to nominations being made. So, our focus um as we talk through this is going to be on the needs of the districts and the qualifications that will best support effective governance over the next year. So, board members um to open the discussion, what um do we think the most significant things that are going to impact the district this next year um as we serve in our role? >> Um I think one of the most important things for this coming year is just going to be budget and um making decisions that are going to help us moving forward
005um and and help outcomes not just next 12 months, but further. >> Additional comments? Ms. Brady? >> I was just going to piggyback on what Ms. Barnes said. Um we really got to focus on student outcomes cuz that's why we're here. That's our job. So, regardless of the money issues, um, cuz everybody's facing them, but we've got to focus on student outcomes. Anybody else? Ms. Spence? Um, I'll just add on I think legislation legislative priorities is going to be a major focus of this next year, um, as we go into the legislative session. And so that's going to be critical to really think about, um, working with our state representatives and our senators, um, and so I think that's a really important. Any other things that you think are going to be important to the
006district this next year? Okay, well then transitioning into our roles, what leadership characteristics do we think that will help as a as an officer would help the board be able to address these priorities? What leadership characteristics do we think will be able to help address these priorities? I think we need officers in leadership that help bring us all together, that work forward work together forward towards the goals and outcomes for our students. Um, and we also need leaders that are going to speak positively about the district at all times, um, and support our superintendent. Mr. Gilmore? As uh, spoke about earlier, some backbone. Um, we're going to need an officer's going to need to take a position forward to not be afraid to speak out and cuz we're asking a lot uh, Dr. E and
007the staff. And it's not easy decisions and so that also translate into them trusting the board and the officers that we have your back and that we are going to be out there with you side by side, um, saying all the good things and letting the community know that we are uh, with you and doing the work and focus on the student outcomes and Anything else? Ms. Barnes? I mean, I would say, um, as with any leadership position it would be a um people who are willing to listen and learn and do the work. Those would be personality traits that I think we need to look for in leadership. >> I also think we need to consider experience and willingness to mentor. We do have a fairly young board when you look across the state
008and so I think it's really important that we as officers be willing to balance things and and point things off of each other like problem solve. Obviously that we have to maintain no quorum but that's why you have three officers so that if you need to think through something you have a thinking partner and so I think that officers need to be able to be thinking partners. All right, any other comments kind of about leadership qualities before we move into nominations? Okay, so I will now open the floor for nominations of position of president of the board of trustees. Under Robert's Rules of Order no second is required for nominations. Are there any nominations for board president from the floor? Ms. Brady? >> I nominate Cassandra Hatfield for board president. >> All right, do we
009have any other nominations? All right, seeing none nominations are now closed. We'll allow each nominee to have a minute to share their perspective on serving in this role. So being the only nominee I will still share my perspective. Thank you very much for trusting me with this nomination. I take this position very seriously and have worked very diligently over the last year to build our capacity and I think that building capacity within our team is important and also while simultaneously being a thought partner with the superintendent while also holding her accountable. That is the role of the entire board but it does take a and effort on all officers for that matter to really make sure that we are moving the work forward. So, I am I appreciate the nomination and the confidence in my
010colleagues. So, with that, all those in favor of the nominee Cassandra Hatfield for Board President, please indicate by raising your hand. Any opposed? By a vote of seven in favor, zero opposed, I'll continue the presidency. All right. Well, I now open the floor for nominations for the position of Vice President to the Board of Trustees. Again, under Robert's Rules of Order, no second is required for nominations. Are there any nominations for Vice President? Miss Garza Rojas? >> I nominate Kim Brady. >> All right. We have a nomination of Kim Brady for Vice President. Board members, are there any other nominations to be made? All right. Seeing none and hearing none, the nominations are closed. Miss Brady, you'll also have an opportunity to share your perspective on serving in this role. >> I would echo what
011you said. I think we've done a great job as a leadership team with the board this year. We're moving forward, doing amazing things, and I'm glad to have continue that. So, thank you very much. >> All right. All those in favor of nominee Kim Brady for Board Vice President, please indicate by raising your hand. Any opposed? By a vote of seven in favor and zero opposed, the motion carries. Congratulations, Miss Brady. All right. And next, I'll open the floor for nominations to the position of Board Secretary for the Board of Trustees. Again, there is no need for a second under Robert's Rules of Order. Are there any nominations for Secretary from the floor? Miss Barnes? >> I'll nominate Eliana Garza Rojas. >> All right. I have a nominee of Eliana Garza Rojas. Are there any
012other nominees? All right. With that, I'll close nominations. And again, Miss Garza Rojas, would you like to share your perspective on serving in this role? >> Yes. Thank you so much for the nomination. Thank you everybody for still believing in capacity of this leadership, and I appreciate the officer um, nomination. >> All right. Well, all those in favor um, of nominee Iliana Garza Rojas for board secretary, please raise your hand. Any opposed? All right, five out of seven in favor and zero opposed, the motion carries and we will continue our work now um, at the next meeting. So, we have reached the end of our agenda. The time is now 5:27 and you are welcome to join us in the lobby for reception. Thank you.