The Spring ISD Board of Trustees met at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14, in person, and streamed via video conferencing, to address items on the agenda. President Justine Durant called the meeting to order. The Dekaney Wildcat Navy JROTC Battalion led the presentation of colors, with Cadet Lt. Commander Vivian Hernandez leading the pledges to the flags. Commanding the Color Guard and carrying the United States Flag was Cadet Commander Andrea Villarreal. Carrying the Texas Flag was Cadet Petty Officer 2nd Class America Lerma. The Left Rifle was Cadet Petty Officer 3rd Class Camilla Martinez, and the Right Rifle was Cadet Chief Petty Officer 3rd Class Linda Guadamuz. The Dekaney Wildcat NJROTC Battalion was led by Chief Victor Adams and Chief Robert Dunn.

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.

Point of Pride - International Thespian Festival Qualifiers

Seven Spring High School students were each named International Thespian Festival 2022 National Qualifiers. They will compete during this year’s International Thespian Festival, taking place June 20-24 at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

The seven students, together with the competition category in which they qualified for the national event, are as follows:

• Laila Deshotel (Solo Musical)

• Dasia Inthirath (Costume Design)

• Devin Randle (Duet Acting)

• Dianna Ruiz (Makeup Design)

• Kyair Thornton (Duet Acting)

• Jordyn Wardsworth (Solo Monologue and Duet Acting)

• Alexis Washington (Duet Acting)

The International Thespian Festival will be an in-person event this summer for the first time since 2019. Each summer, participants gather from across the U.S. and beyond for performances, competition events, workshops led by top teaching artists, and auditions with premier college and university theater departments.

A big thank you to Spring High School’s dedicated Director of Theatre Marilyn Ocker, and congratulations to all of these talented students on their achievement.

Point of Pride - NAMM Foundation “Best Communities for Music Education” Award

The NAMM Foundation, a nationwide nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants, has honored Spring ISD with its “Best Communities for Music Education” designation for the ninth consecutive year.

Now in its 23rd year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to music education and achievement in their efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Spring ISD answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs.

Responses were verified and then reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

Research into music education continues to demonstrate the academic, cognitive, and social skill benefits for students who study music as part of an overall well-rounded general education.

This award, earned for the eighth time this year, is a testament to the dedication of the district’s PVA teachers, especially its talented elementary music teachers and middle and high school band and choir directors.

It also speaks to the strong support for arts education in the Spring community and within Spring ISD itself, where awards such as this would not be possible without the support of campus and district administrators and the Spring ISD Board of Trustees.

Point of Pride - Transportation Dept. (NAFA 100 Best Fleets)

The NAFA Fleet Management Association, the world’s largest membership association for vehicular fleet and mobility management, recently named Spring ISD’s Transportation Department to its list of the “100 Best Fleets in the Americas” for 2022.

The annual competition judges entrants from across the U.S., as well as other parts of the Americas, against NAFA’s 12 Criteria for Excellence, which highlight high-performing fleets that exemplify innovative best practices, professional fleet management, responsible stewardship of resources, technology integration, ongoing staff development, and creativity.

Spring ISD ranked #99 on this year’s 100 Best Fleets list, an impressive achievement given the scope of the award and the number of eligible entities.

NAFA’s members in North America, Central America and South America represent corporations; public safety organizations such as law enforcement and fire departments; educational institutions such as K-12 school systems, colleges and universities; government agencies at the federal, state, municipal and provincial levels; public utilities; and other entities that use fleet vehicles as part of their normal operations

In addition to the ongoing support of the Spring ISD Board of Trustees on behalf of transportation services in the district, this award wouldn’t be possible without the leadership of Spring ISD Director of Transportation Jack Mann and the dedicated work of his team.

ABCD - Hirsch Elementary School Campus Nurse Dionne Cosey

On Wednesday, May 11, Hirsch Elementary School Campus Nurse Dionne Cosey took care of a second-grader who broke his arm in a playground accident.

Exhibiting professionalism and wonderful presence of mind, she held the student’s arm and provided the necessary first aid to stabilize it and prevent further dislocation while waiting for the ambulance to arrive at the campus.

Just two days later, on Friday, May 13, Nurse Cosey had to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on a member of the school’s cafeteria staff who was choking on food.

This employee was already turning purple when Nurse Cosey arrived on the scene, but thankfully she was able to dislodge the food and clear the employee’s airway so they were again able to breathe.

In both of these instances, Nurse Cosey’s calm under pressure, skillful response, and quick action helped avert potentially serious outcomes.

With National Nurses Week and National School Nurses Day both celebrated in May, it is especially fitting to honor Nurse Cosey for going “Above and Beyond” in her everyday commitment to the students and staff of Hirsch Elementary School and Spring ISD.

ABCD - Spring ISD Police Department Officer Shakara Titus

The district is proud to recognize Spring ISD Police Department Officer Shakara Titus for exhibiting her commitment to the Spring ISD Police Department's Core Values while intervening during a physical altercation on campus at the Spring High School 9th Grade Center on Wednesday, May 4, 2022.

According to a letter of commendation from the Spring ISD Police Department, Officer Titus displayed a “courageous, brave, and professional demeanor while protecting a female student during a physical assault.”

She placed herself in harm’s way in order to minimize the danger to the student.

Throughout the entire event, Officer Titus never wavered while shielding the student, even when receiving blows herself from the attackers.

While this was an unfortunate incident, Officer Titus’ actions helped successfully resolve the situation and were a testament to the character that the Spring ISD Police Department values in its officers, as well as exemplifying the oath that officers take to protect and serve the community of Spring ISD.

Superintendent's Report

Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa began by announcing several changes to district leadership, both on a campus level and districtwide.

“Almost all of our new leaders are homegrown, some of them even went to Spring ISD schools,” Dr. Hinojosa said. “Many of them have their children [in our school] or they have graduated from Spring.”

The new leaders include LaToya Patterson as the Principal of Hirsch Elementary School, Sarahdia Johnson as the Principal of Hoyland Elementary School, Cecily Parker as the Principal of Jenkins Elementary School, Kimberly Dussette as the Principal of Dueitt Middle School, and Shalynndrea Sterling-Teel as the Principal of The School for International Studies at Bammel. Districtwide, new leader include Paul Carampatan as the Director of Student Affairs, Tiffany Weston a the Director of Teacher Leadership Development, Michelle Starr as the Assistant Superintendent for Research, Accountability, and Testing, Tracey Walker as the Assistant Superintendent of High Schools, Dr. LaTracy Harris as the Assistant Superintendent of Academics, and Dr. Kregg Cuellar as the Chief of Academics. 

After announcing and introducing the new leadership, Dr. Hinojosa told the audience, “We are excited once again to share with you all the leaders that are stepping into new roles. Spring ISD seeks to continue the growth, the development that we are doing to ensure that Spring ISD becomes a district of choice.”

More information on the new district leaders can be found on the Spring ISD website.

Dr. Hinojosa then mentioned the work of the Workforce Development team who hosted the Summer Leadership Institute June 13 - 16. The event – featuring four days of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, training, and networking – focused on joy, reconnection, and empowerment. The theme of day one was The Joy of Learning, with Brandon P. Fleming, a college dropout turned assistant debate coach at Harvard University, as a keynote speaker. Day two focused on The Joy of Lifting, with Doug Lemov, an author and founder of Teach Like a Champion, as the keynote speaker. Day three was all about the Joy of Leading, with Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, a veteran and author as well as a motivational speaker, as keynote speaker. And the last day focused on The Joy of Living, with Jill Sharp, a performance coach and motivator, as the keynote speaker.  

Dr. Hinojosa finished her remarks by reminding everyone about the Huntsman Scholarship Reception, which took place the following evening. This is the second year of a community partnership with the Huntsman Corporation, which awarded scholarships to 22 Spring ISD seniors. 16 of the students will receive $5,000 a year for a four-year degree, while an additional six seniors who are pursuing certifications or associate degrees as part of a CTE program will receive $1,250. 

“We value the partnership with Huntsman,” Dr. Hinojosa said. “We value the opportunities that the scholarships will provide to our students.”

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

Vice President Winford Adams Jr. began the Trustee Remarks by echoing the comments and welcoming the new leadership. 

He then went on to remind everyone of the upcoming Texas Legislative Session that is scheduled to begin in January. He said that the preliminary work surrounding the legislative agenda in regards to education has already started.

“I want to encourage everybody in the community that’s hearing this to pay attention to what’s happening in Austin,” he said. “If you are able to go up and testify, to have your voice heard in person, it’s very powerful to the legislators.”

Assistant Secretary Rhonda Newhouse also congratulated the new leaders, as well as giving a special shout out to the “home grown” leaders who have spent their careers and even their educational journeys in Spring ISD.

“We know that you are going to bring us joy,” Newhouse said. “Please feel free and comfortable with speaking to the board. The board supports you, because we know that you will put our students first.”

Updates

Board Audit Committee Provides Update

Trustee Rhonda Newhouse reminded the Board of the presentation given during the June 9 work session from Spring ISD Internal Auditor Patricia Rios, in which trustees were presented with the Internal Audit Year-End Report for Fiscal Year 2021-2022, the Internal Audit Plan for Fiscal Year 2022-2023, and the District Risk Assessment for Fiscal Year 2022-2023. All three appeared on the June 14 regular meeting consent agenda, and were approved by the Board during the consent agenda vote.

Board Governance Committee Provides Update

Trustee Dr. Deborah Jensen recounted the committee’s June 7 meeting and items discussed by the committee, including a recommendation that the Board should advocate at the state level for equitable financial assistance to ensure that all public school districts are able to provide affordable healthcare insurance for employees, rather than having discretionary funds distributed in ways that favor districts enrolled in TRS-ActiveCare health plans.

Jensen also mentioned several proposed board policy legal updates from the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) that were discussed by the committee, with those updates slated to be presented to the Board later in the regular meeting.

She also encouraged her fellow board members and members of the community to take an active interest in the work of the Texas Legislature and in the proceedings of the Texas House of Representatives Public Education Committee and the Texas State Senate Committee on Education, whose decisions affect schools and districts across the state.

Jensen said she will also represent the district at the TASB 2022 Summer Leadership Institute, where she will partner with school board members from around the state to work on legislative priorities for the upcoming year.

Board Equity Committee Provides Update

Trustee Winford Adams Jr. gave a brief update on recent committee discussions, including the committee’s recommendation that the Board of Trustees include its vision and mission statements, along with its equity statement, to be read aloud at the beginning of all board meetings as a way of communicating the importance of these guiding principles as they guide the Board’s ongoing work.

The suggestion was met with positive feedback, with Trustee Dr. Deborah Jensen, Board President Justine Durant and Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa all expressing approval of the idea.

“We believe so strongly in our equity statement, in our vision and in our mission,” Hinojosa said, “and we want to ensure that not only our community, but most importantly our employees, that we all know what we stand for.”

Board Community Engagement Committee provides update

Trustee Kelly Hodges said the committee would be meeting later in the summer to discuss more ways the Board could interact with its constituents in the community. She also said the committee was partnering with the Family and Community Engagement Department to assess lines of communication allowing members of the community to express their thoughts, wishes and concerns to the district and the board members.

Action Items and Presentations

Cenergistic Presentation of the Energy Star Program in Spring ISD

Representatives from Cenergistic, an energy consulting firm, presented an update to the board on ways Spring ISD can improve its energy conservation program. Cenergestic has been working with the district for four years on the program, including some 11,000 building audits for the district’s buildings and facilities.

The program has seen success, with just over 43 months in existence. To date, the program has saved Spring ISD approximately $5.11 million with an overall reduction in energy use of 29%. Additionally, when the program started in October 2018, the price per square foot of energy use was $1.17, which has since been reduced to 97 cents per square foot. That is a 17% decrease.

On top of that, the district had an Energy Use Intensity number of 51 in October 2018, which has now been decreased to 36.3, which is a 29% decrease.

“This is a partnership,” Cenergistic representative David Goff said. “I work in every state of the union, with school districts, universities, hospitals, state and city governments, and you’ve got some outstanding people here on your Operations team.”

The presentation continued with the announcement that 24 of the 38 campuses in the district have achieved an Energy Star rating, putting Spring ISD in the top ten of school districts in Texas.

Cenergistic then presented the following schools with a plague recognizing their achievement as an Energy Star campus: Anderson Elementary, Bailey Middle School, Bammel Elementary, Beneke Elementary, Booker Elementary, Wunsche High School, Clark Primary, Claughton Middle School, Cooper Elementary, Dekaney High School, Eickenroht Elementary, Hirsch Elementary, Hoyland Elementary, Jenkins Elementary, Major Elementary, Marshall Elementary, McNabb Elementary, Meyer Elementary, Northgate Crossing Elementary, Smith Elementary, Twin Creeks Elementary, Westfield High School, and Winship Elementary.

2022-23 Spring Independent School District Budget for Student Success Initiative and Accelerated Instruction

The Board voted to approve funds within the general budget for the district’s Student Success Initiative and Accelerated Instruction program, which includes tutorial services that are provided to students who require additional accelerated instruction in order to meet advancement requirements.

“We as a school district are required to set aside funds to provide accelerated instruction for students who fail to perform satisfactorily on their end-of-course assessments,” Chief Financial Officer Ann Westbrooks explained in her remarks introducing the item.

Tutorial services falling under the program could come from existing district faculty – such as through Saturday school or other additional times of instruction outside the normal school day – or from contracted services provided through outside vendors. The $482,000 in funds set aside for the program falls within the district’s proposed general operating budget for 2022-23, which was also on the evening’s agenda for final review and approval by trustees.

Public Hearing and Adoption of the 2022-23 Spring ISD Budget

Following months of preparations and discussion between the Board and district administration in developing the Spring ISD 2022-2023 Budget, the final proposed budget was on the agenda at the June 14 meeting for public hearing and final approval by the Board.

“As required by law, the Board is responsible for adopting a budget for the General Fund, the Debt Service Fund, and the Child Nutrition Fund,” Spring ISD Chief Financial Officer Ann Westbrooks said. 

As Westbrooks noted, the official notice for the hearing, along with the proposed property tax rate, had been published in the Houston Chronicle on June 1. The proposed 2022-2023 budget encompasses a Total Operating Budget of $455,223, 650, consisting of a General Fund of $357,397,638, a Debt Service Fund of $69,598,962, and a Child Nutrition Fund of $28, 227,050.

The budget for each school year takes into account factors such as projected enrollment and associated staffing needs, increases in property tax values, and total property tax estimates across the district, together with the proposed tax rate. In addition to the General Fund, Debt Service Fund and Child Nutrition Fund, the overall budget also includes items related to special revenues, grants, and other funding.

After seeing its attendance peak in the 2014-15 school year, Westbrooks explained that Spring ISD had seen a series of enrollment declines since then that have impacted district funding and made the budgeting environment more complicated for the district. In particular, Spring ISD saw significant enrollment declines the year after Hurricane Harvey, which affected many district residents and damaged many homes in the area, as well as an especially large decline in enrollment for 2020-21, the year after the beginning of the pandemic.

While the district continues its efforts to regain enrollment numbers, the slow return of those lost students – currently affecting districts across the state – puts Spring ISD in the difficult position of having to budget for necessary expenses while experiencing revenue deficits. The General Fund revenue breakdown for the 2022-2023 budget includes 47.5% local funds, 50.6% state funds, and 1.9% from federal funds.

Payroll costs make up the bulk of the district’s General Fund appropriations, accounting for 87.9% of projected expenditures for 2022-2023, followed by Contracted Services, at 6.6%, and Supplies and Materials, at 3.0%, with other operating costs, debt service costs and capital outlays making up the remainder.

The 2022-2023 budget also includes a compensation package encompassing teacher and staff raises agreed upon by the Board in May, designed to support ongoing employee recruitment and retention efforts, especially following the loss of many teachers and other staff during the pandemic.

After the Public Hearing, the Board voted unanimously to approve and adopt the 2022-2023 budget as presented by Westbrooks during the meeting.
“It has been a very long process,” said Board President Justine Durant just before the final vote, as she acknowledged the challenges posed by the budget deficits, ongoing enrollment declines, and staffing shortages. “But I think we've made the best of what we have, and I just want to take a minute to say thank you for the long hours and the sweat and tears that we've put into this process.”

Contracted Services

Following consultation with Chief Financial Officer Ann Westbrooks and other administrators, the Board voted to approve awarding contracts for services related to a number of outstanding items, including the following:

• Request for Proposal (RFP) # 22-011- Special Education Contracted Services

• Request for Proposal (RFP) # 22-012 - Special Education Nonpublic School Placement Services

• Request for Proposal (RFP) # 22-013 - Educational Products and and Paperback Classroom Books

• Request for Proposal (RFP) # 22-014- Educational Technology Products & Services

• Request for Proposal (RFP) # 22-023 - Professional Development, Speakers, Consultants, Trainers and Related Services and Materials

• Spring ISD Employee Group Term Life Insurance Benefit

2022-23 Medical Plan Rates

Following a presentation and discussion during the June 9 Board Work Session, the Board approved the employee plan rates for the district’s self-funded medical plan for the 2022-23 plan year, which will begin on September 1, 2022.

Optional Flexible School Day Program (OFSDP), Achieving Success Alternative Program (ASAP), Momentum High School

Following discussion during the June 9 Board Work Session, and a public hearing at the regular Board Meeting on June 14, the Board unanimously approved the Optional Flexible School Day Program (OFSDP), Achieving Success Alternative Program (ASAP), Momentum High School.

This measure will allow Spring ISD the ability to provide flexible hours and days for the 2022-23 year for students in grades 6 through 12 enrolled at the new Momentum High School and ASAP.

“Our ultimate goal is to provide the opportunity for flexible hours and to improve graduation rates and to ensure that students who are not on track, are able to get back on track, so they can graduate on time,” said Dr. Miguel Perez, Chief of Schools.

2022-2023 Student Code of Conduct

The Board voted to approve the district’s 2022-23 Student Code of Conduct following discussion at the Board Work Session on June 9 and a request for the administration to revisit and refine the Student Bill of Rights. 

Dr. Efrain Olivo, Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services, presented an updated and condensed version of the SBR included in the Code of Conduct for consideration. 

“Looking at the intent of the students and the parents, we were able to combine a couple,” Dr. Olivo said. “We clarified all the rights and again not losing any of the intent of what the parents and the students wanted.”

The Board unanimously voted to approve the Code of Conduct with the revised Student Bill of Rights. 

“I just wanted to comment to you, Dr. Hinojosa, how much I appreciate you using student and community voice to create this Code of Conduct,” Trustee Winford Adams said. “It's a model for how we should move forward, so thank you.”

Approval of contract with Harris County Department of Education’s Academic Behavior School (ABS) East

The Board approved the contract for student placements at Harris County Department of Education’s Academic Behavior School (ABS) East.

Through the contract, the district provides eligible students with disabilities with specialized facilities to offer educational counseling in their acoustic services in a setting. The contract will begin in August and end in June.

The Board approved the contract, with six in favor and one abstention.

Board approves first reading of updated board policy items, and receives notification of legal policies recently revised by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)

The first reading of proposed revisions include state and local changes to a range of policy items, including:

• CH(LOCAL) - PURCHASING AND ACQUISITION

• CV(LOCAL) - FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION 

• DEC(LOCAL) - COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS/LEAVES AND ABSENCES

• CFD(LOCAL) - ACCOUNTING -ACTIVITY FUNDS MANAGEMENT 

• CQB(LOCAL) - TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES-CYBERSECURITY 

• DFE(LOCAL) - TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT-RESIGNATION 

• DP(LOCAL) - PERSONNEL POSITIONS 

• EHAA(LOCAL) - BASIC INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM -REQUIRED INSTRUCTION (ALL LEVELS) 

• EHBC(LOCAL) - SPECIAL PROGRAMS - COMPENSATORY/ACCELERATED SERVICES 

• EIE(LOCAL) - ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT-RETENTION AND PROMOTION 

• FDE(LOCAL) - ADMISSIONS -SCHOOL SAFETY TRANSFERS

• FEA(LOCAL) - ATTENDANCE-COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE 

• FEC(LOCAL) - ATTENDANCE-ATTENDANCE FOR CREDIT 

• FFG(LOCAL) - STUDENT WELFARE-CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT 

• FL(LOCAL) - STUDENT RECORDS

All members of the Spring ISD community can access current governance documents, including legal policy, local board policy, and administrative regulations, through the Policy Online website. A search engine on the site allows users to search by word or phrase, or by policy code, as well as to browse by section or topic index.

In other action, the Board approved:

• The minutes from the May 5, 2022 work session; May 10, 2022 regular meeting; May 16, 2022 special called session; and the May 25, 2022 special called session;

• Internal Audit Year-End Report for FY 2021/2022, Internal Audit Plan for FY 2022/2023, and the District Risk Assessment for FY 2022/2023;

• Harris County Community Youth Services (CVS) workers contract;

• Memorandum of Understanding between AVANCE-Houston, Inc. and Spring Independent School District;

• Memorandum of Understanding between Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), The University of Texas at Austin, and Spring Independent School District relating to Advise TX;

• The 2022-2023 Spring ISD Compensation Manual;

• Revised Spring ISD Staffing Guidelines for the 2022-2023 school year;

• Taxpayer Refunds;

• Financial Update - Actual Expenditures - April 2022;

• Contract for new districtwide student information system, Request for Proposal (RFP) # 22-022;

• 2021-22 Third Budget Review;

• Low Attendance Waiver for March 22, 2022 for all campuses, due to inclement weather.