The Spring ISD Board of Trustees met at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10, in person, and streamed via video conferencing, to address items on the agenda. President Justine Durant called the meeting to order. The Spring Leadership Academy Leadership Officer Training Corps (LOTC) Color Guard led the presentation of colors, with Cadet Zyan Williams leading the pledges to the flags. Carrying the U.S. Flag was Bravo Platoon Leader Cadet Camila Dehoyos. Carrying the Texas Flag was Cadet Sydney Griner. The left rifle guard was Cadet Isaac Garcia. The right rifle guard was Cadet Daniel Torres. The Spring Leadership Academy LOTC Color Guard is led by instructors Roy Simpson and Dante Ricardo.

Each January, school board members across the U.S. are honored during National School Board Recognition Month for the contributions they make to their schools and communities. Prior to the board meeting, the trustees were honored at a dinner reception where they were presented certificates of appreciation, gift baskets from campus administrators, and messages of thanks for their voluntary service on behalf of the district and its students. 

“I cannot overstate the work these individuals put in on a regular basis to ensure that all of our students in Spring ISD are successful, and have equitable access to the tools and resources they need to reach their full potential,” Superintendent Dr. Lupita HInojosa said. “Over the past several years, as the world has faced unprecedented change and turmoil with the pandemic and other issues, they have provided the clear-eyed vision and innovative strategies to keep our kids on the right track.”

In addition, Board President Justine Durant was honored for her nearly 20 years of service to the district as a board member. Durant is currently the longest-serving trustee, having been elected to the Board of Trustees in 2006. She was the first Black woman to hold a spot on the board in the district’s history, and was recently nominated again to serve as the Board President by her colleagues.

“I love what we get to do for this school district and its students,” Durant said. “I have a regular job that pays my bills, but this is the job that pays my heart.”

Recognitions

Since January 1984, the Board has recognized students and staff for major accomplishments beyond the District with Points of Pride awards. ABCD awards are presented to individuals or groups that go Above and Beyond the Call of Duty.

Spotlight – Spring High School Clarinet Quartet UIL Award Presentation

The Board recognized Spring High School’s 2021-22 Clarinet Quartet, which took the 3rd Place Ensemble award at the State Championships of the 2022 University Interscholastic League (UIL) State Instrumental Chamber Music Competition.

UIL Assistant Music Director Gabe Musella – also the former band director at Spring High School – was on hand to present the award and personally congratulate the students and their directors, including current Spring High School Head Band Director Jason Smith, a district graduate and one of Musella’s former students, who helped develop the school’s chamber music program.

“It’s truly a special honor to be here tonight,” Musella told trustees. “I taught here for 18 years. My wife still teaches here. My son came through the Spring program and has a master’s degree in geographic information systems, and I am very indebted to the education he received here in Spring ISD. So I believe in Spring.”

The UIL Chamber Music Festival was a brand-new event for the 2021-22 school year, one that Musella was inspired to help create and run at the statewide level as a result of his experience as a band director in Spring ISD, where he saw the level of small-ensemble talent that was on display, and wanted to create a way for students from across Texas to demonstrate and hone those unique musical skills in competition.

Spring High School’s 2021-22 Clarinet Quartet consisted of the following Spring High School students, listed below along with their current grade level:

• Reyna Bullard (Grade 12)

• Rafael Izquierdo (Class of 2022 Graduate)

• Bryan Lane (Class of 2022 Graduate)

• Zaniah Wheeler (Grade 12)

As if more evidence of the group’s talent and musical expertise were needed in addition to the statewide UIL bronze award, Spring ISD Director of Performing and Visual Arts Dr. Joe Clark explained that Bryan Lane, who graduated in the spring, was joining the board meeting via Zoom from Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute and conservatory, where Lane is now attending on a full-ride clarinet scholarship.

Board President Justine Durant applauded the current students and graduates who took part in the ensemble, and thanked their teachers and parents for encouraging their success.

“We continue to be extremely proud of our PVA programs and all the local, state, and even national recognition that you guys continue to receive,” Durant told Smith and the quartet members. “We’re very, very proud of you.”

Spotlight – “Chill Out and Read” Winter Break Initiative

Next, trustees celebrated the winning students and top campuses in the district’s 2022-23 Chill Out and Read Initiative.

Overseen by the Spring ISD Instructional Technology team, the Chill Out and Read program is designed to motivate students to read during the winter holidays by combining old-fashioned reading for pleasure with the modern technology and cloud-based digital libraries that students now have access to.

“Thank you so much for the opportunity to be able to recognize the great work of our students,” Director of Instructional Technology Kevin Holiday told trustees during his remarks. “I’d like to extend a special thanks to each and every board member and cabinet member for supporting all the initiatives that lead to the success of our students.”

Participating Spring ISD students utilize the myON platform on their district-issued tablets and computers to access selections from among thousands of grade-level-appropriate titles available in both English and Spanish. The myON app tracks the number of minutes students spend reading, with prizes for the top students and bragging rights for the top campuses.

“We’re excited to spotlight six campuses, three elementary school campuses and three middle school campuses,” Holiday said, “as well as two students that just simply crushed it over the holidays.”

The top elementary campuses in this year’s contest were as follows:

• 1st Place – Beneke Elementary School

• 2nd Place – Cooper Elementary School

• 3rd Place – Heritage Elementary School

The top three middle school campuses were:

• 1st Place – Roberson Middle School

• 2nd Place – Spring Leadership Academy

• 3rd Place – Dueitt Middle School

Finally, the top students at the elementary and middle school levels, together with the number of reading minutes they each logged over Winter Break, were:

• Oscar Ezuma, Grade 5, Beneke Elementary (5,678 minutes read)

• Gustavo Rodriguez, Grade 7, Roberson Middle School (8,788 minutes read)

The trustees offered their congratulations to each of the winning students and campuses, and thanked campus administrators, teachers and library specialists, and parents for helping to foster a love of learning in district students.

“We’re extremely proud of you,” said Board President Justine Durant. “One of our key strategic priorities is literacy, and it’s really awesome to be able to celebrate these students here this evening.”

Spotlight – "I Am Texas” Writing Contest Winners

The Board also recognized the Spring ISD students who were selected by the iWRITE Literacy Organization and The Bryan Museum in Galveston as winners whose work would be published in “I Am Texas,” a seven-foot-tall book and attempt to publish the largest book in the world, featuring the writing and artwork of students.

The “I Am Texas” publishing contest, sponsored by H-E-B, Phillips 66 and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, among others, invited students to enter short stories, poetry and artwork that told their unique Texas story. The book will become a part of the New York Times bestselling “Ordinary People Change the World” series from author and illustrator team Brad Meltzer and Chris Eliopoulos.

“Thousands of students participated in the contest,” Assistant Superintendent of Administration Tracey Walker told trustees during her remarks. “Ultimately, 1,000 winners were selected for inclusion in the final published volume.”

Winning students from across the state were honored at a special “I Am Texas” book launch and book signing event at the Hilton Americas in downtown Houston on Nov. 5, 2022, where each student received their own (regular-sized) copy of the full published book.

Also in November, representatives from the Guinness World Records officially decreed “I Am Texas” to be “the largest published book in the world.” As an ode to Texas from the perspective of its youth, the seven-foot-tall book aims to capture “what the Lone Star State means to 1,000 young Texans in grades 3-12 from more than 80 school districts, through short and long stories, poetry, and artwork,” according to a statement from the iWRITE Literacy Organization.

After making its public debut at the H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade in November, the large, world-record-winning copy of “I Am Texas” embarked on a yearlong tour of the state, beginning at The Bryan Museum in Galveston, where it was featured over the holidays. Future stops on the book’s tour will include, among others, the Phillips 66 headquarters in Houston, the Dallas Historical Society, the Alamo in San Antonio, and the State Capitol in Austin, where it will make an appearance in March.

“We’re very proud of all of our students who took part in this contest,” Walker said, before going on to read the names of the winning students from Spring ISD, together with their submission titles.

The Spring ISD students chosen for inclusion in the published book are as follows:

• Malay Bazaldua, 11th grade, Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, Artwork title: “Boots for Joy”

• Latavia Eugene, 8th grade, Claughton Middle School, Artwork title: “Texas: Home of the Best Food”

• Alexia Rodriguez Flores, 4th grade, Thompson Elementary School, Artwork title: “The Cactus Family”

• Amy Garcia, 6th grade, Twin Creeks Middle School, Artwork title: “Morning Feed”

• Kristel Ixtamalic, 5th grade, Donna Lewis Elementary, Artwork title: “Working at Sunrise”

• Aizak Lewis, Class of 2022 graduate, Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, Artwork title: “A Maestro's Melody”

• Jeremiah Lindsay, 10th grade, Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, Artwork title: “A Sharecropper's Daydreams”

• Lucas Marquez, 10th grade, Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, Artwork title: “A Bull's Last Tribute”

• Derwin Martinez, 5th grade, Smith Elementary, Artwork title: “Farm Fun”

• Jade McKissic, 12th grade, Spring High School, Poem title: "As I Cruise and Peruse"

• Astrid Mendioza, 6th grade, Twin Creeks Middle School, Artwork title: “Sunny Bouquet”

• Juan Montes Jr., 5th grade, Meyer Elementary School, Artwork title: “The Wild West”

• Madelynn Russell, Class of 2022 graduate, Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, Artwork title: “Music Is The Language Of The Heart And Soul”

• Omar Tellez, 11th grade, Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, Artwork title: “Horsin’ Around”

• Jeckson Ticas, 7th grade, Claughton Middle School, Artwork title: “The Texas Landmarks”

Superintendent's Report

Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa began her remarks by highlighting a social media post she saw from Tameka Chapman-Lawson, a teacher at Burchett Elementary. The tweet mentioned a thank-you note received from a student after the Winter Break, and how it highlighted why teachers do what they do.

“When we talk about having an amazing return back to school, our teachers, our educators, principals, counselors are very excited to get back just because we love what we do,” Hinojosa said. “But it's all because of our students.”

Hinojosa then went on to talk about a recent visit she paid to Spring Leadership Academy, as well as Roberson Middle School and Reynolds Elementary. She spoke of the feeling of opportunity and optimism on campuses as the district makes strides to ensure more student success, especially as students return for the second semester.

“We talked about [how] this is the last half of the game. We're in the final stretch, and we accept the challenge,” Hinojosa said. 

The superintendent then thanked the board members for their hard work in all of the progress, and honored them in particular as the district celebrates during National School Board Recognition Month. 

“They don't get paid. They volunteer. They serve this community,” she said. “We are just so grateful that they have chosen to take this on, to take and live this life of service.”

Hinojosa then moved on to mention the upcoming State of the District event, which will take place at the district's Randall Reed Center on Tuesday, Feb. 7. This will be the first time since 2020 that the event has taken place, and tickets are $40. Proceeds will go to fund scholarships for Spring ISD students. 

She also mentioned that January is National Mentoring Month and thanked those who offer this valuable service to district students. Spring ISD’s mentoring program, called The Vine, focuses on leadership and communication skills, together with building emotional and social support structures, and aims to produce college and career ready students who are prepared to contribute, compete, and lead in today’s global society.

Hinojosa finished her remarks by reminding parents about the next important deadline for those who filled out School Choice Applications. Notifications of selection will go out Feb. 24, and the response deadline following those notifications will be March 10.

Trustees Remarks

At each regular board meeting, during Opening Remarks, each board member is given the opportunity to share information with those present.

Deborah Jensen
Position 1

Kelly P. Hodges
Position 2

Justine Durant
Position 3

Winford Adams Jr.
Position 4

Rhonda Newhouse
Position 5

Carmen Correa
Position 6

Natasha McDaniel
Position 7

Dr. Deborah Jensen began the remarks by thanking the custodians of Spring ISD. Just before the new semester, the district’s custodians were recognized with an appreciation luncheon, which Jensen attended. 

Vice President Winford Adams Jr. then gave remarks, encouraging people to engage with the Texas Legislature as it begins its 2023 session. Many of the trustees are scheduled to go to Washington, D.C. later in January to advocate for public education. He also mentioned an opportunity next month to do the same in Austin. 

“What is really powerful to our legislators in Austin is when we show up,” Adams said. 

Assistant Secretary Rhonda Newhouse spoke next, thanking everyone in the district for all of the recognition during Board Recognition Month.

“My thanks goes out especially to our teachers, principals, students, and staff,” Newhouse said. “We could not do this if it wasn't for your work that you do. It gives me pleasure to talk about Spring when I am away from our district because of what you do. You make it easy for us.”

Secretary Kelly P. Hodges followed, echoing the earlier sentiments on advocating for students and public education in Austin. 

“We want to encourage you to take it a step further. Let's advocate for our students, advocate for our community, by being engaged in what's going on in Austin every time they are in session,” Hodges said.  

President Justine Durant finished the remarks by also thanking everyone for their support and recognition during National School Board Recognition Month. She also echoed the sentiments of her colleagues on advocating for public education with the Texas Legislature.

“Public education is under attack. It's really important that we speak up and let our voices be heard,” Durant said. “Even if you can't get to Austin, send an email to your representatives and let them know what you feel and how important it is that they continue to fund and support your students and our kids.”

Durant ended her remarks by thanking her colleagues on the board, recognizing their hard work together. 

“We work really hard together. We spent all day together Saturday – from 9 to 4 – in a board workshop. We did a self-evaluation where we evaluated ourselves, how well we're advocating for you and how we're managing the budget appropriately,” Durant said. “So we spend a lot of time, you know, making sure that we meet the expectations and serving our community. And I just want to thank my board members for all of their support and their commitment, and let them know that I appreciate them.”

Updates

Audit Committee provides update

Board President Justine Durant explained that the Audit committee had held its first meeting of the new year on Monday, Jan. 9. The committee received an update regarding ongoing 2022-23 internal audit processes within the district, as well as the district’s upcoming risk assessment survey, scheduled to go out later in the spring.

“The district’s internal auditor, Patricia Rios, has done a great job in making sure that we have completed all of the items on our audit calendar,” Durant said. “We are on-time, on-schedule, and doing well.”

Board Governance Committee provides update

Trustee Dr. Deborah Jensen noted the opening this week of the 88th Texas Legislative Session, and explained that the governance committee had voted on a preliminary advocacy agenda for the district, which she said will evolve as the legislative session progresses and new bills are introduced by state lawmakers.

The committee’s preliminary list includes the following advocacy priorities:

• Strengthening Teacher Recruitment and Retention

• Vouchers and Charter School Accountability

• State Accountability (including accountability testing)

• Support for School Facilities

• Public School Finance

• Governance

“We really are working on how to effectively advocate for the things we’re identifying as big problems that the State of Texas or the federal government could help us with,” Jensen said.

She also explained that Trustee Natasha McDaniel had begun exploring the possibility of Spring ISD partnering with the nonprofit group Raise Your Hand Texas to support school district advocacy planning. Meanwhile, Trustee Carmen Correa is in the process of reaching out to boards of nearby school districts to explore ways neighboring districts can combine their efforts in order to strengthen their outreach and advocacy capabilities.

Finally, Correa and the other trustees encouraged residents to stay informed about the work of their representatives in Austin, and to participate in the legislative process by making their own voices heard on the issues important to them.

“I’ve spoken with representatives and lobbyists, and they all have said the same thing, that individuals – the citizens, the constituents of a district – hold way more power and way more sway than any other politician or any other representative, because it’s your votes that are keeping them in office,” Correa said, “so I just want to encourage you to participate any way that you can.”

Equity Committee provides update

Board Vice President Winford Adams Jr. gave a brief update, and said that the committee members were currently making plans to participate in an upcoming national equity symposium event to continue learning about best practices to support the growth and success of students across the district.

“The equity work is complex,” Adams said. “We’re dealing with how we prioritize funding and the distribution of resources, how we serve each and every child in the district, and meet the needs of our faculty and staff, our teachers and employees.”

The committee will also be following news out of the legislative session in Austin to see how they can support the district’s education advocacy efforts.

Community Engagement Committee provides update

Board Secretary Kelly P. Hodges said the committee had not met yet in January, but was already partnering with the Family and Community Engagement Department to help bring several upcoming programs to district families. Plans are underway to launch the Spring 2023 Bridging the Gaps series, with the first session slated to focus on school safety, and the committee is also working on a program to recognize outstanding community partners.

Action Items and Presentations

Board approves 2023-2024 Instructional Calendar

Following a presentation and discussion during the Jan. 5 board work session, the Board voted during the regular meeting to approve the district’s 2023-2024 Instructional Calendar as recommended by the administration.

The calendar was developed over the past several months by the administration and other district leaders in collaboration with the Spring ISD Advisory Committee on Education (ACE). The final recommendation also took into account the results of a districtwide survey that offered staff, students and parents an opportunity to weigh in on their preferred choice for next year’s calendar.

“We had one of the highest response rates that I think we’ve ever seen, with over 7,543 individual responses, and 61% of those were from our community,” said Chief of Innovation Dr. Matt Pariseau. “That included our parents, our students and community members.”

Pariseau thanked the ACE members for their many hours spent developing the calendar options, including the “A” option, which was the clear favorite in overall voting during the survey.

“In the past, some of the results have been pretty close,” Pariseau said. “This year it was very clear that the calendar that they developed, Calendar A – which was very innovative compared to what we have done in the past and includes an additional break in the fall, more time for teacher work and professional development – was the overall choice from all the respondents, with 72% of them choosing option A over option B, which had been more of a traditional calendar.”

The 2023-2024 Instructional Calendar was presented in accordance with the Board Policy EB (Local), which requires that the calendar for the next school year be submitted by the superintendent to the Board of Trustees for approval prior to its adoption.

The 2023-2024 Instructional Calendar and the current school year’s calendar can be found at.

Read more.

In other action, the Board approved:

• Minutes from the Dec. 6, 2022 work session and the Dec. 13 regular meeting;

• 2023-2024 Education Planning Guide;

• First Reading of Board Policy BJCD (LOCAL) – Superintendent Evaluation;

• Resolution to convene the 2022-2023 School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) for the purpose of making recommendations regarding curriculum materials;

• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Between Good Reason Houston (GRH) and Spring Independent School District;

• Request for Proposal (RFP) #23-011 – Local and Long-Distance Phone Services; and

• Taxpayer refunds (Recurring item).