La Porte ISD Board Meeting 9/9/2025

001All right, good evening. It is 7 p.m. The board of trustees of Leaport Independent School District is now convened. I wish to extend a warm welcome to everyone present. Every student success is our number one priority. As Laort ISD board of trustees, we are here to set goals, adopt policy, approve budgets, contracts, personnel appointments, and communicate the district's vision and success to the community. It is not the role of the board to make day-to-day operational decisions. The management and day-to-day operations of the district are the responsibility of the superintendent. This is a public meeting of the board of trustees, not a meeting of the public. School board meetings are open to all who wish to attend and hear the matters discussed. Audience participation is limited to the patron presentation portion of the meeting. Board members

002may not respond to the public comment section. Uh these seings may be recorded and I respectfully ask that you please refrain from talking while others are speaking. Thank you for taking time this evening to join us and for your interest in the Leaport Independent School District. At this time, will you please stand and join us in the pledge of allegiance to the United States and Texas flag may be recorded and I respectfully ask that you please refrain from talking while others are speaking. LPISD color guard presenting this evening on American rifle. Cadet Staff Sergeant Kaylee Fedak on American flag cadet second lieutenant Elvarado Garcia. On Texas flag, Cadet Staff Sergeant Kaye Doy. And on Texas rifle, Cadet Private Dixie Powder. Ready. See, >> please join us in the pledge to the US flag. I pledge

003allegiance 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. >> Now the Texas flag. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible. >> Will you please remain standing the imitation this evening given by Trustee Danny Hanks. Dear heavenly father, as we gather here in service to our students, staff, and community, we be guided by your wisdom and compassion. May our discussions be thoughtful and our decisions be just and our hearts be focused on the greater good of all you have entrusted to our care. Grant us clarity to lead with integrity and courage to do what is right. We ask this in your holy name. Amen. >> Amen.

004>> Be seated. [Music] Again, [Music] a huge thank you to our Lord ISD high school honor guard. Thank you guys again. We'll now move to uh section five uh board recognitions. Student recognition. >> Student recognition. Yeah. Board recog. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This summer, our Leaport ISD students collectively read an incredible 96,229 minutes. [Applause] Among them, two students truly stood out for their dedication and love of reading. Tonight, we're honoring our top summer readers from the elementary and secondary levels. First, Liam James Cervantes. [Applause] Liam is a third grader at Beayshore Elementary. He read an impressive 6,89 minutes. [Applause] >> I think this is multiple years for him. Is that right? >> That's like back to back. Wow. >> So, we've got we've got two back to backs because our secondary reader uh top

005reader this summer is Tara Flowers, an eighth grader at Lommax Junior High. [Applause] Tara read a remarkable 4,400 minutes. We're very proud to recognize these outstanding readers for their commitment and enthusiasm. Congratulations to Liam and Terara. And y'all stick around for the photos. >> All right. >> Principles. Yes, please. >> Awesome. That's >> Congrats again. That is an amazing accomplishment. Not not just one time, but two. I That's phenomenal. So, thank you guys. I'll turn now to item six, public comments. The board will now hear those who wish to make comments and who have completed the return and return the public comment participation request. This section will be conducted in accordance with the Texas Open Meeting Act and board policy. Complaints and concerns for which other resolution channels are provided shall be directed through those

006channels. Mr. Vice President, do we have any speakers? >> Yes, sir. We have uh Mr. Douglas Miller of 723 South Fourth Street. Come on up. My name is Doug Miller, class of 82. And about two weeks ago, I went to a city council meeting at city port, made suggestion saying that this will be a national year for the port bulldogs and suggested that change Texas Street to rename it to Bulldog Avenue. and Mayor Rick and suggest I come send that proposal to y'all simply get your support since y'all have property and stage right there on Texas Street. also suggest that they have it in budget future to widen and improve that not only Texas Street but G Street because there's a lot of traffic there in the afternoon picking up kids from elementary they widen

007it help traffic out through there. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Miller. >> All right, guys. We'll go to item seven, our administrative report. Start with our superintendent report. Good evening board members of President uh Martin. I'm pleased to share that the positive momentum has continued into the early weeks of the 2526 school year. The start has remained smooth and there is already a great deal of exciting activity all across Leaport ISD. Leaport ISD officially opened its new legacy complex on August 29th, marking a major milestone in the district's history. Dozens of community members and alumni and students and staff and local officials gathered for the ribbon cutting and dedication. Later that evening, the first ever game at Bulldog Stadium, a Bulldog win over our neighbors that shall not be named tonight uh was played

008in front of a sellout crowd. We're very proud of that. There are plenty of other fall sports that are fully underway across the district, including high school and junior high volleyball and football, water polo, cross country, and tennis. We also were very pleased to be a part of several celebrations last week. Our A and B rated campuses for the 2425 school year during which Leaport High School band members and drum line and cheerleaders helped to excite the crowds of students and a great time was had by all. I'm equally uh proud to uh and excited to announce that on Friday we will officially enter the third year of our innovative project launch partnership with the University of Houston Clear Lake for the 2526 school year. There are almost 160 young scholars who are participating in

009project launch. Also, although there has been uh we have been back in session for just a few weeks, we've already seen dozen of uh dozens of campus events sponsored by our partners in education and many new mentors have already registered with our helps mentoring program and we strongly encouraged others to join that helps mentoring program. We are truly grateful for the continued support and enthusiasm of this community. Finally, we are looking forward to several major events this coming weekend in Leaport ISD. In addition to the Bulldog cross country invitation this uh invitational, excuse me, this Friday morning at Northwest Park, our Bulldogs will host Port Nature's Gross. Uh on Friday night, which is being built as one of the state's top games. On Saturday morning at 9:00 am, our robotics students will gather at Baker

010to uh begin uh building their projects. And from 10 to 1, we will be hosting and participating in the city's annual health and safety fair at Leaport Junior High. On behalf of the administration, teachers, and staff, we would like to thank our board of trustees and the Leaport Independent School District stakeholders for your ongoing support as we continue our legacy of excellence in the 2526 school year. And this will conclude the superintendent's report this evening, Mr. President. Thank you, Dr. Jackson. Uh we will turn now to a library update from Julie Abram, deputy superintendent of academics, and Nicole Zuka, coordinator of instructional resources and library services. Thank you, ladies. >> Good evening. Good evening, President Martin Ford Jackson. I am delighted to be here to talk to you about libraries and provide you with an

011update on all the wonderful things that we've had going on since last we visited about libraries back in May. Um we are booked for success in 2025. And I'm I'm excited to be here to talk about some of these things. Um we're going to celebrate um some things with you tonight. We're going to talk about some of the updates coming from legislation that have governed some of the work that we've been doing. And we're going to talk to you about the goals that are going to drive the work that we do into the next school year. But I would like to turn this over to Nikki Zuka and let her talk all about the wonderful celebrations at our libraries. Good evening, board, president, and Dr. Jackson. Excuse me. I'm a little nervous. Um, over the

012summer, our school librarians experienced a an exciting refresh. Thanks to your support, we were able to add over 16,433 titles. Um, with more boxes arriving this week, we had two more arriving heritage. So, we are very, very excited about this. These new titles span diverse genres from adventure, biography, uh, STEM titles, bilingual titles, ensuring that every student can find something that resonates with them and supports learning. We also prioritized high interest and requested titles that not only increase our circulation but helps build excitement around a culture of reading. So getting more than 16,000 titles this summer um was no easy to small task. This was truly a district-wide effort in scheduling, unpacking, and preparing books. Our principles, library staff, pair of professionals, and teachers worked very hard this summer. Because of that collaboration, our libraries

013are stocked, ready for students at this moment. So, at College Park Elementary, the bond funds made a visible and lasting difference with new furniture and new shelves that create flexible centered student centered spaces for independent reading and collaborative library learning zones. The new layout makes the library more open, inviting, and functional, giving students a space that feels welcoming. And of course, alongside new books, ensuring the shelves match the energy of the refreshed environment. [Music] Together, these updates show how the bond funds are directly impacting student learning, engagement, and access to resources in meaningful ways. I am so grateful and thankful. Without your support, this would not have been possible and I am extremely excited for our students. You did good. >> Great job. I'm so >> Well, and I just want to thank Nikki for

014all her efforts. She um she it was a herculean effort to to um to make this happen and and you look very very hard. So, thank you for all your hard work. Um, I don't know if you've heard, but we've had a very robust legislative session and many of the things that came out of legislation, I know, um, were some things to govern how we do business in our libraries. Fortunately, some of the things that have come out were things we had already anticipated or things we'd already addressed. Um, one of the main things with the legislation was just how we how we curate books and titles for our collections and really being very conservative in what that looks like to align to our our community. uh we had already put new processes and procedures

015in place with Mickey's help last year um to govern that and so there really wasn't any additional work that we needed to do with that process. So that's great. Um the new legislation also was um intent on ensuring transparency with families with library collections. And so wanting to ensure that families had access to what was in our libraries both in the classroom and in the library itself. Again, we worked hard last year. We revamped the library website and we put the online catalog for family access already. So that wasn't anything else we had to do. Um we are going to continue to work on how we catalog the classroom libraries and that will be an ongoing project as we work this year. And then the last thing that has been part of the library legislation

016is just those online resources, those those online libraries, collections that we can't control. And so how do we navigate that with families? How do we make sure that families know what those titles are, what access students have to that? and giving families the option to um to opt out of access to those titles where in the past maybe we've always opted in. So um those are some things that we're continuing to work on as well. So what's ahead this year for our library improvement efforts? Um we have much to celebrate and we have much to continue to work for. Um the new library titles are going to continue to um help us ensure growth with our reading efforts. you hear about Beanstack, we celebrate students who left to go read. Um and they and we're

017going to continue to to to push reading as as it is the undercursor for all great learning. Um we we will continue to improve the spaces in general as Nikki talked about the um redesigning CPE. Um one of our initiatives is to ensure that there are zones for learning in each of the libraries and maker space presence in every library is one of the goals that we have for this year. We're working hard on that with our STEM program. And then expanding digital tools in the library, ensuring that there is access for students digitally, whether it's an iPad in the elementaryaries, research stations at the high schools, ensuring that those pieces are in place and and operational and ready to go. Um the other things that we are working on this year are ensuring that

018the library lessons are integrating or so so the library is partnering with our instructional team to ensure that what what is happening in the classrooms and the English language arts classrooms or social studies classrooms is being mirrored somehow in those libraries and so we can see a connection students will see connections to learning. So, we're going to work on those thematically aligned displays or initiatives from the library. And then just as Nikki mentioned, just continuing to assess the current layouts in our libraries, continuing to encourage furniture adjustments or new furniture or redesigning how we have those spaces organized to just ensure continued visibility in those classroom spaces because we know that the great learning that happens in the classrooms is underscored only by what happens in those libraries. And both things handinand equal student success.

019So, we're excited to just really focus on our library efforts to ensure that's happening. So, that's what's booked ahead for success for our libraries. Any questions for us on on what we've got planned. I just have a comment. Um, as a former College Park cougar, um, I don't know if Danny felt the same way, but I remember walking in our library and everything felt so like the bookshelves felt super tall and big and everything. And having visited since, you know, obviously perception is everything, right? Um, but, uh, seeing the pictures of it and everything, just seeing like how vibrant and how bright and everything, um, I can't wait to see it in person. Um, it's really awesome. Um, and just the openness, the idea of it being, you know, having a flow and different things

020like that. Um, I think the kids are going to really soak up that new environment. >> Yeah, it's going to be great. And we have Nikki Fank. She was the spearhead behind a lot of that design and had a lot of input to that. Again, thank you to you and your team for all that you did to ensure a great faith. >> I'll say this cuz I know another one has been in Danielle's head for the last few years. Uh immediately once the books came in, I had numerous people calling me and this is great. We're so excited. And so again, we're definitely excited. It's been a long long process to get these books. Um but again, I commend you guys. It's awesome. I think everybody's excited about it. I just had a question on

021um M. Abrams. A while back you mentioned something about the state code or the that they set a minimum level of where like the amount of volume we have required. Where where we at with these 17,000 books coming in. Where are we at? >> I can get you specifically u more information on that, but it gets us most all of our campuses to a level of proficiency that we wanted to baseline. Um we're not fully there yet. Um but we're pretty darn close. Um so so as we move forward obviously circulations and collection development you know are reliant on circulation and that means that we not only have to budget each year for campus infusion for titles but then we also have to ensure that anything that we remove we replace. So there's circulation. So

022we're going to continue to encourage um that work um on the campus level to make sure that we can. >> Thank you. Kind of the other question I had is you know I know we pay we use this through bond money. Is that going to be kind of the MMO or or procedure going forward or do we kind of as we know we have to replace books in the future. Are how how are we envisioning funding that? >> So there there needs to be a local effort for the budget for libraries to be sustainable, right? So a certain amount of money and that's part of the Tesla standards that that there certain needs to be a certain level of budgeted funding per capita on a campus to to to continue to keep those libraries moving.

023Certainly when we when we look at our needs and we look at, you know, great needs in different different locations, we might consider alternate funding sources like the bond or other other avenues as we move forward to to continue to keep them, you know, keep them up. >> The last thing I guess cuz it's I love y'all here. We're talking about this. Um, is I don't know. I was an active member of the foundation for 12 years, 13 years or something like that. And every year we got a a large amount of grant requests for books. And so and that's a great thing. We love the advising for books. I just wonder and I don't have an answer to this. I just want to plant a seed if there's some way to be more efficient.

024A lot of times not outside of books, but you know we get laptops all these different things they want and a lot of times it's stuff the district's already doing, right? >> And I just I don't know. I just I keep thinking about is there a better more proficient way like that we can communicate between the teachers of what what's coming down the pipe I guess before they have to go out and feel like they got to go pay for it themselves or they got to go out select a solicit grants from the education foundation because then >> it's hard on as if somebody sits on a grant committee to know like and so again I just want to plant the seed I don't know >> and I suspect some of those requests and I'm

025not saying all this happened all the time but I suspect some of those library book requests were for the libraries in their classroom Right. Okay. Right. >> So again, I don't I don't know cuz I don't know how that that whole system works. I know, you know, they >> we limit on budget. I get on that, but if there's something that like we know books are coming in or something, I don't know. Or maybe having somebody from the district call on those committees when >> So we did actually Yeah, we did actually just change the process of how we're um how we're vetting the grant. And so the campuses it goes to the principal and the principles will verify with district you know what's what is coming in what they should just to kind of

026keep us from having some of that overlap. >> Yeah. The foundation has worked really hard to adopt some new software that helps the workflow for us to be able to have an approval process that allows for the very kind of conversations that you you know to try to prevent because we recognize that that that certainly was a challenge for us. So we're hopeful that this will be a better year. >> Awesome. Thank you. Right. Thank you for your support. >> Thank you. >> Our next uh item on admin reports is our technology update sir. [Applause] >> All right. Good evening board. Dr. Jackson. >> Uh so uh we passed a bond a couple years ago. Y'all may remember that. And a portion of that bond was technology. So, uh, I was asked to give a

027little bit of an update on what we've been doing with that bond, the technology bond, and, uh, what's going on in the classroom in the schools. So, I'll put that together for you. Uh, our first uh, slide here that I'm going to talk a little bit about is what I'm kind of our classic setup that we've been doing for the last two or three years in classrooms. Uh, this would be a laptop that is now district provided to the teacher. Uh, that was a little bit of a change. port replicator keyboard mouse >> uh 27inch monitor a projector or smartboard. There are some instances and now in which we're looking at IFPS uh document camera and presentation and laser pointer stuff. Uh this is this is what we're doing basically in every classroom. It's kind

028of our classroom standard the minimum we try to give them. Uh sometimes there's a little extra but that's kind of the minimum standard there. for the students for grades 3 to 12 we purchase HP laptops or sorry uh yeah 3 to 12 HP laptops every year uh we we've continued that uh through 3 to 12 this year um and u with the younger grades uh and I guess I should should say that on the uh secondary class secondary sets we have um for high school it's take home and for secondary Baker junior highs it's one to one's in the classroom. So, classroom sets. Uh, so for for preK to to two this year, we were pretty excited that we brought in Apple iPads for the littles. Uh, we figured that the littles, they they're used

029to the more tablet style. It's more of a point and click. It's a little easier for them to use. It's what they're using at home, and I think it's a a better device to put in the hands of the little littles as opposed to a full laptops. We have open air charging carts for each one of them. Um, there's a couple reasons we want the open air. I've gotten some questions about uh cabinet versus open air, but we like the open airs and that's what we've been going with. And we've just purchased funly new uh PCs for CTE program for the Adobe and AutoCAD labs. So, those will go in uh they arrived I think last week and they'll go in this week or early next week. >> That's great. >> Um so, here's this

030is a little more about the Apple iPads uh created two headphones for each iPad. We wanted to make sure it was a turnkey solution. Uh so we went ahead and bought the headphones for everything. Uh same carts that we used for the laptops. So that was a cost that we could reuse. Uh they they can those carts are made so you can just re output them for whatever you're using. Um uh and of course impact resistant cases. The second graders actually have a keyboard. The little littles don't. The second graders, they do a little bit of testing and stuff online. So we gave them some keyboards on those. And then uh and then yeah that's so that's the iPads um to support all this over the years. Something that we don't talk much about in

031kind of the unsung hero of technology and all the things that go in to make all this work is infrastructure improvements and we usually don't talk about infrastructure improvements much but they're significant and they really make the difference on supporting all these initiatives. So some of the things we've done is we've inc we've put in about 135 access points in the last uh year. Our goal is to have wireless access in every educational space. Not necessarily every classroom, but every educational space. Uh and we're working towards that goal. We're almost there. We're 90% there, 95% there. Uh and then of course the some of the equipment is a little older. We put it in years ago. So, it's getting refreshed every year with new stuff that'll that'll help to build capacity and speed and support

032all these online programs. We also have uh increased our internet bandwidth. Uh we used to have uh like a 4 gig pipe and now we're up to a 10 gig pipe. That's really uh there again to support online testing and online curriculum and all all the learning initiatives that we have. Now, uh our internal fiber connections, we moved from 1 gig to 10 gig. Not very exciting, but again it helps. Uh our WAN connections, that's the connections between the schools and our building, right? Our central building. A few years ago, we actually moved from all aerial fiber to buried fiber. Uh I think it's 85% buried now. Uh we used to get about four or five breaks a year, fiber brakes. And those would be uh scooled down for a day at least because they

033have to come out, repair it. The response time's a couple hours, 8 hours to repair it. We haven't had a break yet since we went to underground fiber. So, uh, we're really happy with that. That's I wanted to point that out. That was a great move going to Barry Fiber. We're replacing some of the battery backup systems in our closets and we have power outages. And then I have a little bullet that just says data center and server upgrades. That is a very complicated and a lot of stuff going on there. But basically uh we've also done some data center switching. This is the the central hub. This is how the computers know how to get to the internet, how they know where to go to get email and stuff like that. So we've done

034all the we've done the data center switches upgrades. We recently upgraded our uh ESXi host servers which is what are servers that actually host all the software runs all the virtual servers we run. We recently did that to support some upgrades that we need to do on the business side. Uh so uh we should be good on capacity there now for a few years. Uh and then finally the I want to talk a little bit about uh cyber security. Cyber security is a topic that's pretty boring until it gets real exciting. >> Yeah. >> Um >> yeah it is. It's you know it's it is what it is. But uh I'm I'm proud to say that that Leaport has not had any data breaches. We've not had a single data breach. Uh >> we've had

035some minor unreportable cyber incidents uh where you get like you know we're always being scammed and uh and pinged and you know they're trying to look for a way in. We haven't had anything major. We had a little bit of disruption a couple years ago from some attacks that were coming from outside but there were no breaches. We've never had any data leak and I'm we're really proud of that. Uh and we're really proud of that because if you recall a few years ago uh 2023 the board actually generously approved a very large uh cyber security package and I wanted you to see that we we really are uh it has made a difference. It really has. We we've not had any major breaches, no major incidents outside of a little DOS uh issue. Uh

036but you know that's that happens to everybody. >> Do y'all run um like the fishing tests with the employees? We have in the past. We haven't done any recently. >> Okay. >> Uh there's mixed uh best practices on that. >> Yes. >> Uh some people will argue that it oversaturates them. Some people will argue that you should do it and see. Um it's certainly something we have the capability of doing and we have done in the past and we may do it again in the future, but we haven't done any very recently. Um this slide just shows some of some of our kind of partners that we have for our cyber security stuff. Uh pretty big names in there. Cisco, Microsoft, Solar Winds, uh, Linewise, K K6, uh, K126, which is an organization we belong

037to that is a education K through 12 specific threat intelligence organization. So, it's a it's a organization that watches cyber security just for uh, K through 12. So, so we're we've very recently joined in and it's it's uh, it's been very good. And that's that's the majority of what I have to say. Uh, do you have any questions or what do you want to know about any of that? >> I don't have a question. Um, but I have more of a comment. >> Sure. >> I want to commend your team um, not just for the vision of what goes on, but all the behind the scene things that y'all do that maybe prevent problems before they ever happen. And I also want to say I have two sister-in-laws that are teachers and they do not

038have all of this in their classroom. >> Okay. >> And they would be thrilled to have all of this in their classroom. >> So we need to No. No, sir. >> Sorry. Sorry. I should have clarified. I got to get there. >> What is going on? I should have clarified. I'm trying to give you a compliment. You're getting nervous there. I'm sorry. Anyway, they would be thrilled to have that. So, I am proud that we have that, but I'm proud for the vision that goes on in your department that makes those things happen so that we know the importance of them, the value of them, how much it costs when we're budgeting or when we're, you know, working on bonds or whatever. Technology is always a big part of it. >> Yes, ma'am. I I'm

039I'm I'm thankful that you said that and that's one of the reasons why I wanted to point out like the cyber security part and the infrastructure part cuz that's you don't really see >> Yes. >> But without that the rest doesn't work. >> Until you do, right? >> Yeah. Until you do. >> I uh I'm really glad you touched on the cyber security um thing and in my professional work in the insurance business we are seeing a lot of cyber security um claims and issues. We have a client in our office right now that's does almost a billion dollars in revenue and they've been shut down for 4 days. Yes sir. It will >> they can't operate their emails, they can't operate their bank accounts, they can't do anything and they are a large organization.

040So I >> go ahead. >> I I don't want to get it's not great practice to get into the details of your cyber security. >> Correct. >> Uh but I will tell you that that we're postured very well. >> Uh we're postured very well for defense. Uh we're postured very well for identification and we're postured very well for backups. >> Yeah. Where I was going with that is that I would think this I urge you to let us know if there is a better system or a better protocol or a better um program that we can that we can stay ahead of it and go. I think this board would be very very forward thinking in cyber security um in that I'd also wanted to know if our staff is doing any cyber security trainings

041like is it a required thing shaking their head? >> There's some in safe schools. >> Do you all love them? >> Yeah. >> Okay. I mean it may be it may be a good practice to do two or three a year. I mean, I'm sure it could help us out on something. I don't know. >> You know, I think I think one of the reasons I asked about the fishing thing is that I think periodic update of training is a good thing because we constantly see things um that that pop up new and different. And the cyber security video that we have, I I used it when I was still working here. So, I mean, it just I think there's things that can always be like you'll have that one thing like please don't click

042on this cuz it's going around, right? >> Well, and it's always emerging. There's always something new. Uh there's they call it zero day >> zero day exploits and there's those are always new. So, yeah, you're right. We we you know, cyber training is an ongoing training you have to do all the time to be conscious of. >> Right. >> But I'll say this, the Candace can testify. I need a lot I'm like a manchild. into a lot of like handholding and so I have I probably got five more issues I need help with but your your your team of people have been exceptional in terms of being patient and walking us through stuff anytime I'm not not just me it's probably all of us but uh so I just want to you know say thank

043you publicly for that >> uh we clearly you guys are doing a great job I yeah I know you told us before but what is the uh the shelf life or circulation life uh once these tablets or these uh things go into distribution >> that really kind of depends uh that's a hard question to answer and it's a question people like to ask, but it it's it's a it's a a complex formula to figure out what the shelf life is on, but in general for like educational use, five or six years is what you you expect to get out of them. >> Did we buy the Apple Care or whatever that is? >> Oh, yes. So, on the iPads we bought specifically, we got um I don't want to tell you a lie about the

044exact warranty number of years. I think it's four, but I can get you an actual answer. And on each one of those, each one gets two repair replacements a year. >> So, uh, they can get pretty beat up and Apple will keep replacing them. >> So, >> the other thing I had is that again, this is probably redundant, so I pro apologize. I'm sure you've already heard it, but, uh, the head time keeper after the Deer Park game like chased me down. He's a friend of mine, but he said he met the stadium be he has all these glowing remarks about the stadium. He's like, "Man, we had so many issues with like the score uh, keeping the time because the internet." He's like, "What did was tax?" We learned that with the Sil Beach

045Festival. Like, if we literally shut down the internet, nothing would work cuz they have so many people on the system at the same time. Have y'all seen that or have y'all done anything like Cuz I hear like we're have a massive crowd right this Friday, too. >> So, there's there's a little bit of uh if you're talking about our stadium specifically, there's a little bit of work still happening out there, including some additional access points that are going in. There's access points going in at all the gates. There's access point going in, I think, at the visitor uh picnic area. Uh, and then there's going to be a few more. Um, if we identify spots, we'll continue to add them. Uh, same with some of the security stuff. We're we're continuing. It's just not 100%.

046Got >> to spot. >> He's on they're on the fourth floor. They're like he's up there with coach Richberg and there was two or three officials up there and he his specific job I think he's one of the head of the his crew, but he keeps the time like the official time. I didn't notice it like you guys did, but you said they kept having issues with it and it was glitching because of the uh uh >> We'll take a look at it. >> I'll take a look at it. >> Yeah. >> Again, I know that was our obvious that was our first time we've ever stayed and so the fact we had as little issues as we did, but you guys did a great You and Dr. Martinez and the whole team did a

047great job with that. But thank you'all again. >> All right, guys. No more questions. We will now switch to administrative reports uh regarding our budget and finance update. our CEO, Stacy D. [Music] Before you, we like to welcome Trustee Russell Shopppee. It's kind of a uh he if you didn't know he works for that other district and he's a coach and so he's very busy this time of year and uh when he got on the board we made a rule that he has to shower before he can come back into the port. So thank you for doing that. >> Blessing that I >> thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Uh so good evening uh board of trustees and Dr. Jackson. Tonight I will be providing a financial update for Leaport ISD. We have uh five

048different topics that we're going to uh discuss. So first is going to be the fiscal year 2025 estimated ending budget, fiscal year 2026 amended budget, our tax rate and homeowner impact that uh and then we'll talk about property valuations and also our enrollment trends for the district. So to begin with property 2025 estimated ending budget the the fiscal year ended June 30th. However, we are still estimated because we are about to go into an audit. Everything is still closing down and so until we get the audit, which will be in November, will be presented to you. Everything is still an estimate until it's finalized um with the audit. So, if you can see the the adopted budget uh that y'all adopted in June of 24, uh we had an impact of $12.6 $6 million uh

049of a deficit to the to the fund balance, meaning we thought we would end at $48.7 million. But what our estimated actuals right now is that the impact is going from 12.6 down to 5.7. So that's a a $6.9 uh million of savings and and I'll I'll discuss that in a second, but we're estimated to end our fund balance at 55.7 million. So what makes up that that difference? Um, and why is it such a a big jump? So, some of the reasons are we have for our budget, you you adopted in June, but we truly don't have the the finalized information. As I just said, um, different things happen. You know, payroll comes and goes throughout. We have to to account for that. And then also invoices that we might not be expecting. We

050we do our very best to make sure that we have everything encumbered, we have everything coming, but you just truly never know. Also, we we always want to budget conservatively because uh part of our audit is they look at our budget and they look at each uh function because you all adopt a budget at the function level, instruction, library, so forth and so on. So if if one of those line items, one of those function it lines is uh over budget, meaning we did not account for enough money for that function, that can lead to a finding. And so we like to pad a little bit to be conservative. Um because we do not want a finding in our audit because it impacts our school first uh rating. And as you will find out in

051November, we have an 98. So we're very proud about that. So, um, and that school's first rating matters greatly to our credit rating. It, you know, it touches so many different things. Um, and then this timing, you know, as I said, our our fiscal year ends June 30th, but if something has been uh encumbered, meaning someone has created a requisition and but those goods did not come in by June 30th, that's coming in out of the next year's fiscal year. So, that adds money back into our balance at the end of the fiscal year. So, uh, it'll be coming out in the next year, but we have a deadline of June 30th. Where were we financially at June 30th? So, those are the big reasons of why you will see a jump um and and

052why we we budget so conservatively. also isn't um the way the TEA will settle up with us at the end of the year like maybe what we projected our enrollment to be versus our Robin Hood payment and all that kind of stuff. They settle up after we've already decided our budget. >> Yes, ma'am. We in fact we don't even know like we're I'm waiting right now for TA to give me what my first preliminary final is. like it's we're just, you know, we're still in the preliminary. We're not even like near final yet. Um, but we should be getting it any day. And you're exactly right because they take what our summer submission that we did back in June, they process that. So that has all of our ADA, that has all of our student

053information. Um, all of our staffing information, everything um goes to TA. Of course, they're processing 1100 districts, so it takes a minute. Um, and also because of the legislation, they're rebuilding what our summary of finance looks like for the next year. So, they have a lot going on at TA. You know, I'm not always I I will give them that. They have a lot on their plate right now. Um, so yes, thank you for bringing that up. It does impact how much revenue there is a settle up and we haven't even gotten what that settle up is and it's September 9th. So, I'm going to go on. So what does that change mean? The deficit. So as I said, you know, it's a change in deficit of 6.9 million. So it means that we can

054hold off on making hard financial decisions. Uh because we're able to rely on our fund balance because it's still at a 55.7 estimated. Um it means that we're using less of the reserves that we have, which are our fund balance, um that we originally budgeted for because we are very conservative of how we spend those funds. We're always looking for ways to to be find a better use for the funds and and really look at what we are spending our money on and are we getting the biggest bang for the buck to the biggest group of of of uh constituents, students and teachers. And it also means that our tax revenue, our state funding cannot pay for our expenses. As we know, um, you know, we we paid $35 million in recapture this year, and

055we're budgeted to pay another $43 million in recapture to next year. So, we're giving that away, but we still are not um getting enough funding to pay for our expenses. So, let's look at what our amended budget. And I say amended because part of your uh what we're going to bring to you for approval is our first budget amendment for the year. Um and so as you see your adopted budget is there. We have $8.2 million uh deficit is what you adopted this past June. But the amended budget that's part of what the budget amendment is going to if you approve that then it will become this. So it actually we part of what of that what that budget amendment is is taking some of our 89th legislative funding changes that we know of and

056as you can see I've listed some up here you know our $55 we got in additional water it's not even a million dollars it's not even a you know threequarters of a million dollars um teacher retention a lotment we expect to get that 2 million back for that that's the 2500 5,000 um that they're going to pay for that insurance aotment we don't even know yet. Like we are we know we're one of the districts but they haven't told us how much. So that's you know I can't I can't change that. I can't do an amendment for that yet. Um I right our homestead exemption uh going from 100,000 to 140 if that's passed in November. Um we it we're told it's going to hold us harmless, but I don't really know yet. Um I

057can't I can't I haven't seen anything where it truly says that. Um, and then I don't know how much we're going to get in fine arts and school safety aotment. I know we're going to get something, but they haven't really told us yet. Um, so what I do know I've put into the budget amendment, and as I've said here, that's the first amendment of the year, and it will uh decrease our deficit by about $600,000. So, we're moving in the right direction, and and it will gradually continue to decrease. I just can't tell you that yet. Okay, we're going to move on to our our tax rate. So, what I have in front of you here is uh the past eight years of our uh tax rate for Leaport ISD. And so, you can see

058in the 2018-19 time frame, it was $138. And now what we are going to ask to propose with um an action item for resolution 2025-11 which is uh the tax rate uh adoption proposal. We're asking that you would adopt a tax rate of 1.0641. So in those eight years it would have decreased our our tax rate for the the district for the community by uh almost 32 cents. And so what does that how does that impact a homeowner? So I'm going to show you two different scenarios. One at a $200,000 house and then one at a $350,000 house. So and I apologize for all the numbers up here, but I I let me just kind of walk you through one year and then it it's the same for all. Um so let's just look at

0592019. So in 2019, that's the first column that you have there. your total tax rate was $138 on a house that's uh appraised at a tax appraisal value of $200,000. So, Leaport isd gives an optional uh district tax exemption. Not all districts do that. That is a I'm not going to say it's a gift, but it is a it's something that we feel is important for our community because we live in the community. You know, we that's something that impacts our homeowners. So 20% they get an 20% off additional homestead. Um so for a $200,000 house that's $40,000. At the time in 2019 the homestead exemption was $40,000. So the net taxable value of that house uh you know your 200,000 - 40 - 40 gives you 120. So the impact, the tax impact for

060at that time, how much they paid in school district taxes was uh right around $1,600. So then you move over to 2023 to 24. That was the 89 the 88th legislation where they increased the homeowners exemption from 40 to 100 to 100,000. So they increased it $60,000. Uh and then in depending on a November vote, which I think we're all agree that it's most likely going to pass, our homeowners uh our homestead exemption will also increase from 100,000 to 140. So now let's look at 2026. So for the same property valuation of a $200,000 home, they still get uh the optional uh exemption of $40,000, but now their homestead exemption is $140,000. So now their taxable value of their home is under $220,000. So they're willing to pay $213 thou $213 in taxes to the

061district. Um so you can see the line graph here where it's from 2019 to 2026 it has decreased uh $1,400 their taxes. And just from last year to this year it'll decrease $372. So, that's that's just walking through a $200,000. I'm also giving you what a $350,000 home looks like. I won't walk it through with you again. Um, it's it's the same calculations as before, but I do want to point out that the tax decrease from 2019 to 2026 is over $1,800 for a homeowner that has a $350,000 home. And just from last year to this year, it's going to be a decrease of $263 on their taxes that they pay. um just from advocacy standpoint um and I'm sure most everybody on the board knows this but for the people that are watching the

06220% um tax exemption that the district grants to all of our homeowners um legislators um do not like to hear that we don't think we're fully funded because they think if we can offer that then we're rich. You know what I mean? So they have often times um beat the drum to us that quit offering that and you have plenty of money in your you know your general fund because you're offering this. But we have always felt as a board that that was you know we could afford to do that. It was a good faith thing for our community. And I'm not saying that we should stop it. I'm just saying it's hard to complain about Robin Hood and all these other things when you're advocating because they know this. When we walk in the

063door, they think we've got money bags on us on the side, you know, and they know that we offer that additional tax exemption to our taxpayers. >> So that >> so I'm going to move on to property valuation. I had jumped on. Go ahead. So, um, on the the >> historical view like the tax rates, I know I'm not going to pin you like exact numbers, but like aren't we pretty close to like the lowest? >> Yes, sir. >> Anywhere around here? >> Last year, we were I think the second lowest. I will have I will give that to you tomorrow. I will send you what it was last year. I can't tell you what it is going to be for this year because everyone is adopting their tax rates right now. >> I I

064don't >> I will have that to the board tomorrow where we stood. In fact, I have it I will email it. It's on my computer. >> I knew kind of answer this. I think it's it's important point that >> in good faith like we've had some really good years. We had we had a great run and we decided we knew that we were going to have a a difficult stretch, right? And you guys have done a phenomenal job as you just indicated of bridging those gaps of the as what we thought the budget would be and where we're going to end up. Um but it it's kind of contentious on here to like you know it seems common counter to common sense to that we would cut that rate as much as we did and

065in spite of that we're still succeeding. And again before we you know we have to vote on tonight but there the the people in our town are still coming out ahead. We have to run this. We've have multi-million dollar deficit budgets multiple years in a row now. So it makes zero sense and this is my opinion >> of why would we not do this? Uh it's not I mean it's you know nobody wants to raise taxes but this is something that like >> we have to do to keep competitive. We want to keep our our our people more than anything right. And so >> how can you not make the case that this makes sense if you're saying that it they're still coming out ahead where we were last year with additional homestead exemptions and

066things like that. So >> yes sir. Well and to make a point that and to continue on with your point um those hard decisions remember our payroll is 86% of our budget. >> So when you talk about a hard decision you're talking about people I'm going to move on to property valuation now. Okay. So, property valuation. This also is going to we're going to ask the board to adopt resolution 202512 tonight for the certified uh appraisal rule uh that we received from Harris County and from Chambers County. But I just wanted to give you the past four years and um kind of walk you through it. So, as you can see, these are in billions of dollars. So, when you have your appraised value versus your taxable value, the difference is your exemptions. And so

067as you can see from um you know 23 24 that's when you know the exemptions increased greatly because that's when it went from 40,000 to 100,000 homestead exemption and then uh you do see from 24 to 25 that taxable value actually decreased a little bit. Um and that was because of uh property valuation protests that you know people protest their their values, companies protest their values and so all of that kind of comes it it all rolled together and it it hit in 25. So our taxable value amounts were less and uh then in 2026 these are the numbers that we're going to ask that you um certify that we received from the the tax assessors. So our current appraised value is 19.6 6 billion, but our taxable value is right at 14.5. Uh, and

068then just the graph here, I just wanted to show you that that, you know, I'm a visual person. I like to see that that helps me. So, um, you just kind of see the exemptions steadily climb because that's what, um, our legislation is is bringing to our homeowners. Our last topic is going to be enrollment trends. So on this one, I'm going to give you the past seven years. Well, six from 2020 to 2025. Those are final numbers. Those are what was submitted to teams. And so that's where we stand. 2026 is as of yesterday. So that number is is going to change. You know, daily it changes. And I'm sure our principles right now are looking at this like that's not my number. But I had to create a a program. I had to

069create a presentation at a certain point. So yesterday was my cuto off day. Um, but I do want you to just I just want to point out, you know, we are um we on for 2026, we take a snapshot date for our teams. And so that's actually on Halloween this year. And um that that number I know that number of whoever however many students we have enrolled at that time, that's truly the number that we're going to be working on throughout this year until we do our summer submission and and finalize the year. But um so from 2526 we decreased uh 135 students so far 121 from elementary 14 from secondary and then also from 2020 to 2026. So we are down 252 students. So 250 from elementary and two from secondary. Um so I

070just you know these numbers are are fleeting. They're moving back and forth. We are hopeful. We're doing everything we possibly can to um to bring us back to what we were last year. That's where we feel really comfortable. But again, enrollment it matters, but matters also even more is attendance because we're paid on Wada. We're not paid on enrollment. Um, and so I know that our our our team is is working on an attendance program and incentive, you know, just to it's not just important for funding, it's important for the students to be in class. Um, so that is my presentation and I was happy to answer any questions. Okay. >> Thank you, ma'am. All right. Um, our last administrative report, uh, Dr. Martinez with the bond safety and security update. So, good evening board.

071Um, President Martin, trustees. Uh, so we are going to just give you a quick update on where we are. So, I think, uh, Brad, uh, did a good job of just kind of showing where we are with the stadium and legacy complex at this point. Um, you know, it's it's operational. We're we're hosting games. It's exciting, but we're still fine-tuning some things, right? So, that's where we are with our stadium. Um, you know, uh, like you mentioned, the wireless signals where we're installing some additional access points for that. Um, just like our controls and certain things like play clocks not talking to each other and then, you know, getting access in certain areas for wireless. And so, you know, that's just where we are with a lot of those uh, with those two massive facilities.

072So, I wanted to focus more this evening on uh where we are with the high school and then Lommax Junior High. And so, um with the high school, uh you have these dates. These are things that uh obviously you've been involved in. Um you know, getting us to to this point. Um we are right now in that duration period, right? Uh so that 12 months uh to substantial completion for the high school specifically within the next 4 weeks. Something that we're going to start seeing is the infill uh and the select fill and concrete sidewalks in that courtyard area. That's a huge project for us and that's that's uh very timeconuming and so that's approximately 41,000 uh square ft of detention uh that we're um you know adding in that courtyard area. And so these

073again like I said next four weeks you're going to start seeing um some of that. And then um once we're done with the select fill, we're going to move to the actual rock and astroturf which will be exciting to actually see that going in. So very u like I said extensive process um building A and F. So that just has to do the way we see it on the drawings. Um so A would be the area near the library. F would be kind of that tunnel where kids are still able to access uh the building to stay inside to go to the cafeteria. That's those are the sections of that building. So, I don't want you to be thrown off because that's not what we call those areas, but that's just how they're listed on

074the drawings. Um, and then the courtyard. Um, you see the just the various stages of the detention. Um, so you got the excavation, then you've got the detention crates and uh the rock and then the rendering just shows kind of the final product there where you you'll see the astro turf. Uh but but again a lot of work that goes into that geo fabric uh just a lot um involved in that process. But again, you know, just think um of what some of the drainage issues that we've had in the past historically in that building. Feel like we're going to be in a very great uh spot with the 41,000 ft of additional detention um in that area. Um I wanted to also just kind of call attention where we are with Lowmax Junior High

075right now. And so I know some of you all had an opportunity to visit um the the campus the site to kind of see where that was. We actually had a team of our maintenance employees that were able to go today uh our foreman to to really look at the MEP. Uh we were able to get upstairs on the second floor with the air handlers and kind of that area and just kind of you know see where we are uh in regard to those projects. Our chiller is installed. We're looking at permanent air going into that building next week. uh as far as the gymnasium, uh band and orchestra areas and then uh the hardwood. So, it's exciting that we're actually going to have the court uh the installation should start, you know, after we

076get that permanent air. So, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, we should be able to actually start moving some of that hardwood uh court uh into that space to um to to get that going. So, again, uh just just a a great project moving right along. Um some of these pictures are very recent. Um we're finalizing the the masonry. So that exterior brick is about 95% complete. There's only one small section on the to the left of the front entry um that isn't completed yet. And so uh again, we were out there today. One of the reasons um you know, I know Jessica, Mr. Rose, Principal Rose has had um a lot of success with the contractors out there. They've been very accommodating. um they start at 6:30 in the morning, so they're able to start before

077um their arrival happens and then uh most of the time they're out before um dismissal. Uh so they've been able to put in a full workday and so it really doesn't interfere with uh the campus and uh one of the things that we're most uh that's going really well out there is the masonry. So so they're already ahead of schedule um and will be finished like I said probably by the end of this week that that will be wrapped up. So exciting there. Um just some other things that are happening uh in the gymnasium. Uh waterproofing, you know, you kind of saw from that curtain wall. Uh some areas uh that are being waterproofed there. Um roof and beams are being painted. Our jip boards are being installed in the restrooms, custodial and IDF rooms.

078Uh the chiller's been set. Um you know, that's a sight to see that. That was a our maintenance guys standing around looking at that uh that chiller there. They were all impressed with the the the magnitude of that. Um so um you know again uh just just a lot of u good uh work happening in that space and then the orchestra and brand band uh you all were able to see some of that space is just a beautiful space and we're at the point where um they're just kind of finalizing and and touching up in some of those areas painting u but uh the GIF board again was was being installed in those areas. Um so at this time I guess let me pause right here. So, are any questions related to kind of bond

079projects? Uh, because I'm going to we're going to go into a safety and security update. I'm going to invite uh Mr. Wickcliffe to come up here and talk, but are there any questions related to kind of where we're at with the bond? >> When that air goes on and you know, is it going to stay on continuously until completion of everything and not turn because I know we turn the air off during times and stuff that core needs to uh correct. Yeah. Sure. >> Sure. Absolutely. >> Doesn't mess it up and stuff. >> Right. Yeah. That that that's the goal is to for continuous once it gets to a point where it's fully set then we'll be able to um to run that for a while to take care of this precious commodity right there

080the court for sure. >> It looks good over there and got good beat. I was looking at the stage nice up there. >> Yeah. >> Beautiful facility. Absolutely. >> All right. silver lining. >> Yes, there is. >> So, I'm going to ask Mr. Wcliffe, uh, he's our director of alternative education and student services to come up and just kind of give you guys some security updates. >> Mr. Wiff, greetings, Superintendent Dr. Jackson, uh, President Martin, and distinguished school board. Uh, first and foremost, I'd like to tell you guys thank you for allowing me to continue to, uh, keep this district safe, uh, along with Dr. Martinez and his team and also to be a proud dragon at DeWalt. So, I appreciate you guys allowing me to have this dual role. Uh, one thing I'd like

081to say about Leaport is we stay on the forefront of safety. Uh, we have been the first district statewide to be a uh region 4 uh certified district. In addition to that, now this year, we've also been uh Harris County Department of Education Safe District and participation award. And we received that award three years in a row. So, we just received our uh statues for that. And so, I'm proud that um you know uh this district continues to put safety first. Uh also, I want to let you guys know that uh we have a lot of preparation for September and October because we're going to have a lot of audits. And so, uh for September, we are prepping our assistant principles and principles to uh make sure that they know what their ELC uh EOP

082plans are. In addition to that, how to uh work Sentinel and uh to do all our uh protocols when it comes to door sweeps and repairs, logs and things of that nature. This year we went live with the Sentinel uh program. The software is where we upload everything to uh the TA database and this is the first year uh that we've done it and most districts as well are doing it and our assistant principal doing a good job of doing those uploads uh each uh week. Uh we've also completed our SSP reports. Uh this is a report for behavior threat assessments. And so all of our behavior threat assessment teams have been trained and certified and all of our uh submissions have been uh uploaded uh this summer to TEA and uh we're cleared as

083a district and also uh what's on the horizon right now is our uh emergency operation plan. And uh the um the start date was September uh but it's due October 2nd and we're almost complete with that. Uh it's a massive project, but we're uh moving along very well with that uh plan. Okay. Uh as far as facilities, safety and compliance checks, uh we're in the process of reviewing our cameras. Uh again, like I stated before, we have a lot of audits that's going to um come our way in October, and I'll give you guys those dates in a little bit. But one of the focuses that we will have will be uh the legacy center uh the CTE barn and we just want to make sure that we pay attention to our fencing. uh and

084uh we'll get to that a little bit. But some of the uh phase three artists that we're going to have is three elementary schools which would be Jenny Reed, Mazudo, Lommax Elementary, and then one middle school, Leaport Junior High, and then two support facilities, uh the athletic complex and support services with an emphasis on a CTE barn. And so, uh we've been prepping for that visit as well. It's going to be in uh late October. And I've already worked with Miss Baker and the CTE uh coordinator to kind of sort of uh make sure we walk to make sure that the uh cameras are working uh for the animals. Uh in addition to that uh that the uh certificates are up to date and in addition to that our fire extinguishers are uh coded as

085well. So, uh, remember we just want to make sure that our cameras are are working well, that the lighting is, uh, working well, especially around the stadium. And, uh, again, that barn, gym, safety equipment. Uh, those are some of the things that we're really going to focus on. Uh, in addition to that, training for the staff is important. So, each year we uh, really focus on stop the bleed, CPR, awareness campaigns, and in addition, we uh, put out the playbook this year. And so we're going to start our PD training for the playbook and it's going to be offered. Our course selections have already been uploaded into uh Edgehoria and Strive. And so teachers can now start um signing up for those P sessions that we'll start and we're really excited about that. And uh

086hats off to uh Miss Abram and Chandler who helped out along with Dr. Martinez to get that playbook rolling. All right. Uh communication and coordination. We're going to start working with Johnny Morales and his team for a reunification plan. And so, um, we're looking at using San Jack as a site. And so, we've been, we visited the site with, uh, Sergeant Larky and his team. And in addition to that, we just want to see if that's a better space. Uh, and so that's one of the things we're evaluating right now. Uh, so it's a big partnership with our law enforcement. And, you know, um, I love what Sergeant Larky and his team are doing to keep us safe as well in our SRO's. All right. Um, district fencing enhancements. So, one thing uh we uh

087talked about was making sure that we're in compliance and all our fences in Leaport ISD are in compliance in regards to TA. We've passed all of our audits last year 100%. Uh, and so the only thing we want to just assure you guys is that we're doing our best to make sure that they're unified, that they u, you know, meet state standards, that the fencing is composed of black steel, anti-scaling, and meet the 8 ft height requirements, and uh, we do have our security vegetables are at each campus. All right. And I think last but not least is our important safety dates. I'm really excited about the uh, safety fair that's going to take place this Saturday. Well, I I'll I'll go backwards. I'm excited about the football game on Friday and then I'm excited

088about the safety fair in the morning and then I'm also excited about the gala that will all go and support that night as well. And so our first safety committee meeting is going to be at the ITC uh September 15th. And then we have our ELPAC annual shelter in place exercise. We're we're currently trying to figure out what's going to be the best date that's not going to disrupt our campuses but at the same time align ourselves with the city and then um that's about it. So uh do you guys have any questions? >> I have a question. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Um on the possible changing of the reunification site? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Are we talking with Harris County about that due to the traffic problems on Fairmont Parkway? We are talking with

089Harris County and we're meeting with Janice Obi. Uh she's the one who does our uh audits. We're also working with uh Mr. Morales with the city. And so what we're doing right now is we're coming up with a plan. We're looking at uh a revision that we did before. >> And so it's in the process and once we get that completed in a stance where I can get it to Dr. Martinez, we can give you guys more clarifying information on Well, I don't think we need to know every detail of that because I don't think the public needs to know every detail of that. But >> my concern is just traffic on um Fairmont has not seemed to be a priority for Harris County to do anything about that very quickly. >> Yes, ma'am. >>

090And we could possibly put a bug in someone's ear. >> Maybe that would help move that up the priority list. >> Yes, ma'am. And uh currently the reunification site is the uh rodeo across the street. Yes, ma'am. >> Yes, ma'am. We'll definitely work. >> Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. That's why we're trying to >> Absolutely. Mhm. >> Whenever we talk about the I'm not going to I don't really need an answer this second, but when we talk about the a barn, I would like to know what kind of controls we have for the students coming in and out and the parents coming in and out of the facility and then also coming in and out of the gates. You know, for a while a gate was broken, then it was fixed and then they were driving

091through the transportation building, had access to our buses and you know, are the doors locked to get into the act where the actual animals are? >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. They aren't locked, but you can coming in and out of there. So, there there's some things like that I think we should we should work on. >> Yes, sir. And we created a checklist. Uh I think Miss Baker and I actually walked the facility last month and uh and we did do a lot of checks on the actual the fence and uh the gates and the doors. But uh once we do our second sweep, we'll get you guys more definitive answers. So, we obviously have to make those corrections before October. >> Yeah. Thanks. >> Thank you, board. Mr. Woodcliff, uh,

092Dr. Martinez, we we certainly appreciate the job you're doing. Certainly the bond money, but more importantly with the safety. I know that's that's every job in this district's hard, but that one's continually changing and you guys have to stand up on a lot of things and so we appreciate the the job you and your teams are doing for sure. And thank you for giving us update. All right, guys. With uh without further ado, we'll turn to item eight, our consent agenda. A, determine approve any consent agenda items. Uh B, approve board meeting minutes. Regular board meeting minutes August 19th, 2025. C receive principal support. Uh one, Early Childhood Center. Two, Baser Elementary. Three, College Park Elementary. Four, Heritage Elementary. Five, Jenny Reed Elementary. Six, Leaport Elementary. Seven, Leo A. Razudo Elementary. Eight, Lommax Elementary. Nine,

093James H.Baker Sixth Grade Campus. 10, Leaport Junior High. 11, Lommax Junior High. 12, Leaport High School. >> Can we pull pull Leaport High School, please? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you. >> 13. This is so much fun. We have dry mouth. Uh 13. Violet DeWalt High School. D. Receive financial reports for July 2025. E. Receive human resources report. F. Receive notice of employment of professional staff. G. receive and first reading of policy CFB local. H approve budget amendment. I approve purchase of lighting for Sonia Angelo theater. Six approve purchase of white fleet vehicles for maintenance department. K. Adopt a resolution number 2025-10 to declare extracurricular status of 4 and approve appointment of Harris County Extension Agents as adjunct facility for purpose of supervising LPID students participating in designated 4 activities. Mr. Vice President, will you

094please read the the slate of items? >> Yes. Uh, A B D E F G H I J K. >> What about >> you want to >> Should it be C through 1 through 11 and 13? >> Yes. >> C 1 through 11 and 13. >> You got it. >> Read the whole thing. >> I do not want to redo the whole thing. >> All right, board. I take a motion for the consent items as read. >> It's motioned by Russell Coffee and seconded by Danny Hanks. Board, please vote. See how >> thing worked. Oh, it's working. >> Look there. >> I swear I'm in the voting. >> Awesome. >> There we go. All right. The unanimous yes vote. Thank you guys. All right. Um C12. >> We'll go back to item C12. Port High

095School. >> Okay. My reason for pulling this is twofold. Dr. Griffin, I have heard so many compliments from students, parents about yourself and your team of principles that I wanted to say this publicly. Um what a great job you are doing. And I do have one question about your report. Looking at um the enrollment for ACE and for dual language, it looks like on our report like that number got cut off. I'm sorry. Dual credit. Um it looks like the numbers didn't get copied onto our thing. Can you maybe email that to us? >> Yes, absolutely. >> Okay. >> Do we have approximately 69 or 70 kids in Apes? >> That is correct. I guess. Yeah, >> that's incredible. >> It's a really good group this year. Really excited. >> All right, without any further

096questions, um I seek a motion for item C12. >> Second. >> We have a motion from Trusty Hanks and a second from Mason Harris. All those in favor, please vote. >> It didn't clear. >> It's going to be the same. No >> anybody says otherwise. >> There we go. >> Unanimous vote. Thank you guys. >> We'll move now to item nine. I'm looking action and our discussion items a adopt a resolution number 2025-11 for the tax rate adoption. And these be these be handled separately, right? >> So good evening again uh board of trustees and Dr. Jackson. Tonight, we ask the board to take action to adopt resolution number 2025-11 for the 2025 property tax rate of $1.0641 per 100 of assessed valuation of Leaport ISD. This includes the.12 disaster rate that is available to

097the district without an election due to the disaster declaration issued by Governor Abbott due to the hurricane barrel that that hit our area in July of 2024. The tax rate would be made of 0.8 Z wait 0.8022 for maintenance and operation and 0.2619 for debt service. Happy to answer any questions. >> We have any questions from the board? If not, I seek a motion. >> Uh motion by Trusty Hanks, second by Trustee Crutcher. If there are no questions or comments, uh we will vote. All right. Thank you, board. The uh motion passes 6 to 0 to one. Thank you. All right. We'll now go to uh item B, adopt resolution number 2025-12, the certified appraisal tax rule. >> Yes, sir. Okay. So again, we ask the board to take action to adopt resolution number 2025-12

098for the 2025 certified tax value tax rules provided by Harris County and Chambers uh county tax assessors. The total certified appraised valuation for both counties is 19 bill618,231,200. The total certified taxable value for both counties is excuse me 14 billion575,11,365. I had to write that out. >> Yes, sir. >> Any questions for >> No questions that we can get a motion. Second. >> We have a motion from Trustee Thompson and a second from Trusty Paris. Uh please vote. is a unanimous vote. >> Thank you very much. >> In the affirmative. Thank you. >> All right, guys. Almost done. Go to uh item 10, action on close session items. There are none. Uh lastly, we'll move to item 11, closing comments of the board of trustees and superintendent. Uh a attendance at recent district and community

099events. The announcement of upcoming district and community events. And C outstanding performance by district staff and students. Uh we'll start with sir uh Shopppee. >> Well, 32 years I've worked in Jeff's favorite district, second favorite district, I should say. And it's really, really, really hard sometimes. And y'all don't understand that I have to be quiet. I have to uh mind my just But sitting in that stadium that night was fun. Having Father from St. Mary sitting there cheering for the Bulldogs was even better. Um, and what's even best is when you're getting texts from everybody and seeing that that the homers on the uh sports net or two homers, they they they offer report. Well, no doubt I wouldn't have anybody other than them for doing that out there. So, it was just great. It

100was awesome. Uh, I may get in trouble if anybody's watching this. Uh, but you know what? I stay in trouble and I'm just going to live in trouble. So, so be it. It was great. Can't say anything more about >> um >> Yeah, I know. Sorry. Um you know, the thing about the stadium, I know it it's all in the press and it's in forefront of everybody's uh conversations these days, but really I I hope everybody looks beyond what the stadium and and see for what it represents. And it's really it's an idea. Uh there's a spirit. Uh it's not brick and mortar. It's it's the people that make it up and bring it to life every day. And that's what's uh inspiring. That's what's exciting. Um because there's a rekindled spirit that uh had

101gone asleep for a little while. And you know, that stadium has been a long long time coming. Uh but what it represents is far greater than the value of that property. Um and I hope people feel that way when they step on the property and to see it. um every walk of life from every corner in this community is represented uh in that venue and it is truly truly remarkable to see. I do want to encourage everybody cross country the port invitational Friday at Northwest Park. Um that that group is out running before the sun comes up. Uh they're inspiring and way better than I ever would be. But uh thank you to everybody for a great start. I do want to reiterate uh Dr. Griffin uh hear wonderful wonderful things coming out of the

102port high school. So, keep up the good work over there. So, >> um so I love seeing all the campus posts about all the great things happening everywhere. So, um y'all keep it up cuz just seeing those kiddos doing their thing, um learning and having fun and enjoying enjoying learning. Um I love seeing that. Um, I do have to give some special recognition to um to to LBJ right now because um I had a son there several years back and um I love seeing what's happening there. I love seeing what what is going on. Uh, Coach Mack, I need you to teach my fellow board members here um about change makers. Um, and uh, y'all need to learn the chant, you know, because um, all the great things that are happening. Um, it it's it's

103so exciting to see that firsthand and to have a child there actually getting to experience um, that as well. Um but just again I hear from other parents, I hear from students themselves. Um they are really really proud to be bull pups. Um and I I appreciate your leadership over there and just kind of reigniting what we know is possible. Um, but actually seeing it firsthand as a parent on that campus is really awesome because, you know, it's it was it was a moment for me as a mom previously that there were great things happening, but there are really amazing things happening now. So, thank you. >> Well, of course, everything that Danny said about the new stadium is absolutely true. It's just such a it's just such a cool environment, you know? It's a

104It's how it used to be, y'all. back in the 70s when we first really thought that would be good. >> I wouldn't know. >> But anyway, everybody's working so hard and I just know it's just going to keep getting better and better. The only other thing I would say is I want to congratulate all of you. It seems like the cell phone issue has managed to be um not as big of a deal as I'm sure y'all are dealing with little things on campus. But the beauty of it is we're not seeing the posts on Facebook about how awful this is and how, you know, everybody's just going to fall over and die cuz they can't call their kid every five minutes. So, I think that's I think it's wonderful the way it's been handled.

105Our parents have been very receptive and I congratulate the parents on that because I know something that we're used to and we feel like we should still be able to do it. So, thank you all cuz I know that wasn't and it's still nice. when you're this far down in the road, everybody's already said some things you wanted to say, so I'll skip over several things, but I will say um there's something about a Friday night in a small town. There just something about that spirit. from the choir singing the national anthem to the ROC bringing out the flag to the LP Sports Net kids that are down there filming to, you know, the band, the Chados, the cheerleaders, and of course the football players and the coaches. But I see a lot of your

106faces every Friday night, too. Whether you're working or volunteering, I know y'all are there. We see you. We know. and you've already had a long week and a long day and you're still there supporting kids that may have been at your campus before or whatever and that means a lot to um what our community and our and our family culture is here um at Leaport. So, um the start of school seems to have gone relatively smooth for all of you. I mean, maybe you don't feel that way, but but we we haven't heard a lot of stuff. So, um things must be going well and um I look forward to visiting some of the libraries soon to see um some of those amazing books that we have. That's it. >> I think Dan looked at

107my list of things I was going to use as a closing comment because I'm out of things to talk about, too. But I will still continue on. Um I did want to thank I don't want to use the word uh ancillary, but all the staff members who are working these games on Friday nights. I mean, you think about how many people are are touching the stadium and um you know, from ticket takers to working the elevator. I mean, there's just so many different jobs and roles um that night and it's all seemed to go relatively smooth. Um I am upset I didn't get an invite to the barbecue cookout at Leaport Junior High today, but you know, I should have just showed up to the game. So, that that's my fault. And I want to

108um give a shout out to transportation. No real reason. I just like transportation. I think that the job is very hard. Um, and there's a lot of logistics going on there. Um, and I know a lot of schools had a very, very rough start, a lot, excuse me, a lot of districts had a very, very rough start with their transportation this year. Um, safety wise, tragically, and, uh, just logistically lies. And I think we did a great job from what I'm hearing. So, kudos there. And that's it. >> Everything that the board is saying and has shared happens because of the people that are sitting out there supporting the teachers that are in those classrooms. So I will say one more time with feeling it. This does not happen by accident. There's a lot of

109hard work, a lot of strategy, and a lot of folks that are working, you know, 15, 16, 17 hours a day. And so, while I love everyone in this school district, I have to throw my hat off to those principles and those directors and those deputy superintendents and assistants and all of those folks that are out there making it happen because you're leading the charge. There are people that are making it happen with you, but you're leading that charge. So, thank you for your leadership. >> I'll tie in the bad. That's kind of one I want to start with. Um, I'll admit when Dr. Jackson came in, he said, "It's a great day to be I'm not a I'm just a weird guy. I'm not a like a negative. It's not that. But I don't

110like I don't I can't lead a pep rally. You're out there. It's a great day to be a bulldog." Like, it is a great day. But you're like it just took a while like and all of a sudden now I really start I mean last year I started to see like you're out there pushing that pushing that pushing that and what's amazing that you're that you're leading that but like now I going it doesn't matter what campus it is is like you go in there you got principles walking the hallways with big speakers and giving high fives and fist pumps to kids between classes. The kids are excited. They're not leaner in the halls. They're getting to their class. You're not having fights. It's just like the culture is we got we got schools where

111they have, you know, school shirts with Bible verses on the back of them. I mean, I go on and on and on about all these like great things. Like the culture is it's not just it's not semantic. It truly is changing for the better. Not that it was bad, but like but there's this massive positive vibe. It's never going to be perfect. We know that. But like I'm just so proud. Like it's not just it's not just admin. It's not just one school. It is across the district. You're seeing it. Like if you spend any time on any campus, you're going to see the culture. And I just think that's again as somebody that grew up here that has kids here, a wife that works in the district, man, that I'm I'm proud of that.

112I am I mean, I'm not gonna lie to you, the grew up with a healthy hatred of Deer Park. And so seeing like we always like it's always been like we're second to second tier, right? We're the little brother. And so being them, I know it's dumb, but like it brought joy because I mean like it really did. But the cool thing, the coolest thing about it was for me is you guys know in this room, but a lot of people don't know like the work that goes on to put on any event, but like that had like a hund different components of it and the years that it took to get to that and especially that week of of all the stuff going on. And again, it's not perfect, but it was pretty pretty

113awesome. And after the game to see coach Bernat like he acted like a 5-year-old, like he was so excited like just that, you know, weights off his shoulders. That was to me was the coolest and then our kids getting interviewed by Randy Mackoy. They I mean it's just it was really cool. It's been a long time since we've had that in our stadium. And so that was a a really amazing thing for for me. Um and then so again, just thank you guys for all the people that helped to make that happen. Uh Coach Mack, like so I got to admit I I really struggled coming to the meeting tonight because my son's first away game. Uh but they came back and I keep getting pictures from that cookout and they said like like literally

114it's like this is so impressive. They're like, "So, we're hiring some great people. Coach Montalo, his team, uh, they're going in there and they really like what I love most, again, we want to win and we joke about being their part, but man, like building up people of men and women of character is amazing. Like, everybody talks about it, but like I'm telling you not like we we we say things and like like speaking to existence. I really what I'm trying to say is that like I think you've done a phenomenal job setting the tone and we're speaking to existence, but now it's not just words. I can I can honestly see like easily see like clarity like we are the culture is amazing. So thank you guys for making that happen. I will shut

115up. Um we will now adjourn at 8:31. Yes ma'am. >> I'm so sorry. I was unfortunately not able to make it here at the beginning of the meeting but I did have a very large concern that I'd like to bring before the board. >> Uh >> if y'all are willing to listen can we >> because it has to do with potential coercion. >> I'll tell you what. So again, we I we sincerely appreciate uh we're just we're strict. We're very our attorney's here. So he's saying we can't do it tonight, but if you can please visit with Dr. Jackson and then certainly if you want to bring it up to if we need to address it to the board next time, please come and speak to us publicly. But Dr. Jackson and the team will

116get with you tonight if that's okay. Thank you, ma'am. We will journ at 8:31.