The Spring ISD Board of Trustees met at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 11 at the Community Engagement Center, as well as via video conferencing, to address items on the agenda. President Rhonda Newhouse called the meeting to order and led the United States and Texas pledges of allegiance.

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.

Points of Pride and Other Recognitions

Trustees Recognize Three Odyssey of the Mind Teams for State Tournament Honors

Trustees began the evening’s recognitions by honoring the three Spring ISD Odyssey of the Mind teams that finished in the top three for their divisions at the 2021 Texas Odyssey of the Mind State Finals tournament, held online in March. During the state tournament, the teams received the following awards:

• Dueitt Middle School, 2nd Place (Problem 3, Division II)

• Heritage Elementary School, 3rd Place (Problem 4, Division I)

• Roberson Middle School, 3rd Place (Problem 5, Division II)

“Although the Odyssey of the Mind program has a distinguished history going back more than 40 years, this is only Spring ISD’s third year to take part,” said Chief Communications Officer Sylvia Wood during her remarks. “The competition is all about teamwork, quick thinking and creative problem-solving, and these students have learned the ropes fast.”

Spring ISD Director of Advanced Academics Tiffany Williams was also in attendance virtually to introduce each team and give a few details about the problems they worked on for the state tournament. 

“Students choose one of five competitive problems to create an authentic product and present their long-term solution within an eight-minute time frame,” Williams explained. “Under the guidance of an Odyssey of the Mind coach, teams work on their solution within a strict set of criteria, including a defined timeline and even a financial budget.”

Coaches praised their students’ efforts and described their excitement for the Odyssey of the Mind program, which is active across the U.S. and in 25 countries worldwide. The Texas chapter has grown in recent years to 250 teams representing schools across the state.

“This journey has been an amazing experience for our team,” said Dueitt Middle School’s Odyssey of the Mind coach, Brandy Laney, whose team has received regional or state-level recognition each of the three years Spring ISD has been involved in the program.

The coaches also spoke about how participating in the program had helped students develop both teamwork and leadership skills that would benefit them in school and in life.

“I love seeing how, over the span of getting prepared for the competition, my students worked from start to finish as a team – being leaders and naturally knowing their individual strengths, and trusting one another to achieve the end goal,” said Sha Qwasha Barnes, coach of the Heritage Elementary School team. “I cannot be more proud of my team.”

Roberson Middle School’s coach, Annmarie Jamar, thanked trustees and the district for supporting programs like Odyssey of the Mind, and went on to explain that the students on her team had never actually met in person, managing their entire Odyssey of the Mind season this year online.

“When this started, they all kind of had big question marks: Am I smart enough? Am I creative enough? Am I brave enough?” Jamar said “Though these accolades are amazing and we do appreciate them with all of our hearts, I think, at this point, they really just want to hug each other, give each other high-fives and say, ‘Yes, we are smart enough, we are brave enough, and we are creative enough!’”

All three teams also qualified to participate in the Odyssey of the Mind 2021 Virtual World Finals, taking place during May.

Each team’s coach and team members are listed below.

Dueitt Middle School
Coach: Brandy Laney
Team Members: Andrea Chavez (6th grade); Natalie Hurtado (6th grade); Lilliana Silva (6th); Candace Lawrence (8th)

Heritage Elementary School
Coach: Sha Qwasha Barnes
Team Members: Eliza Carmouche (4th grade); Jeffrey Dubon (4th grade); Lionel Salgado (4th grade); Sofia Salgado (4th grade); Kira Barnaby (5th grade); Laureen Chimaeze (5th grade)

Roberson Middle School
Coach: Annmarie Jamar
Team Members: Martha Buruca (6th grade); Nadia Chavarria (6th grade); Yaselin Cinco (6th grade); Kendrea Fitzgerald (6th grade); Christopher Zetino (7th grade); Vibeth Hernandez (8th grade)

Eighth-Consecutive 'Best Communities for Music Education' Win Recognized

Trustees also awarded a Point of Pride award to the district’s Performing & Visual Arts Department in honor of Spring ISD once again being named among the country’s Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). This is the district’s eighth consecutive year to earn the award, which honors districts for their achievements in providing access to a quality music education for all students.

“For many years, you have recognized and supported the incredible power of fine arts and music education in Spring ISD,” Director of Performing and Visual Arts Dr. Joe Clark told the trustees during his remarks. “All of these areas are supported and guided by you and your vision – the Board of Trustees – and have been for decades.”

With the May board meeting being held partially in person, two students were able to join trustees at the district’s Community Engagement Center to talk about how music education in Spring ISD had affected them and their lives.

Dekaney senior Manuel Andino, a tuba player and Dekaney band president, spoke about how his experiences with music in Spring ISD had altered the course of his life and inspired him to pursue his dreams.

“Band has created a safe space for me where I can express myself, learn responsibility, and make mistakes without any fear,” Andino said. “I learned to figure out the things that I'm good at and things that I am not. I’ve been able to figure out how to capitalize on the things I do well, while continuing to work on the things I need to get better at.”

Andino, who plans to major in music in college, said that being a member of the Dekaney band had created options for his future, and had inspired him to want to share that same sense of possibility and love for music with others.

“Band has brought to my life a sense of family and community,” Andino said, “where I never had to go through anything by myself.”

Trustees also heard from Westfield senior Kayden Bowie, a flute player and a member of the mariachi ensemble that entertained guests before the evening’s meeting. Bowie talked about how the skills and self-confidence he had developed as a student musician had helped him achieve his college dream of getting accepted at Swarthmore College – one of the top-ranked liberal arts colleges in the country – where Bowie has received a full ride.

“I was attracted to this ideal educational setting because of the freedom I have been shown to express myself through the band program and other musical endeavors,” Bowie said. “My time in the band has taught me the value of being a global citizen, actively fostering the acceptance and appreciation of ideas from all walks of life.”

Both students also thanked their music teachers and band directors, and expressed gratitude to board members and administrators for supporting strong music education in Spring ISD.

“I am proud to be representing a school district that makes a habit of creating collaborative environments where musicians feel seen and heard,” Bowie said, “a school district that serves as a pinnacle and example for music educators around the country. It is my hope that this tradition of excellence will continue for the sake of future generations that will pass through Spring Independent School District. Thank you so much for the chance to tell my story.”

Board members praised both students for their remarks and for their accomplishments.

“I just have to say that these moments are the absolute best thing about being a board member and an educator,” Trustee Winford Adams Jr. said after the students spoke. “The thoughtfulness of you two gentlemen, that's what I always hope that our support for STEAM – and particularly the arts – I always hope that that's what we're getting out of it.”

Trustee Justine Durant also thanked the students for sharing their stories with the Board for the benefit of the whole Spring ISD community.

“I'd like to echo Trustee Adams’ comments, and say: Who says we don't get paid? Because that is a reward that money can't buy,” Durant said of the students’ presentations. “It did my heart good, and we're so very proud of your accomplishments.”

Read more.

Two Employee Excellence Award Winners Named

Board members also took the opportunity of their May meeting to recognize two recent winners of the Employee Excellence Award – Spring High School Lead Counselor Laura Goodwin and Lewis Elementary School Plant Operator James Gilbert.

“The Employee Excellence Award is given by the Spring ISD Board of Trustees each month during the school year,” Board President Rhonda Newhouse said in her introductory remarks. “The award recognizes district employees who exemplify the district's guiding principles and core values. One employee is selected for this prestigious award each month.”

Goodwin, the February winner, was singled out for her efforts this year to provide excellent academic counseling services for all students, even when the campus was short a counselor and Goodwin had to help manage the extra workload, supporting students, parents, staff and her counseling team members.

“It's been a tough year for everybody – students, parents, everybody – and we have a lot of employees in Spring ISD that have worked very, very hard during all of this,” Goodwin said. “To be recognized in the midst of everyone else being so amazing is just so humbling to me.”

She said that her motivation, even in challenging times, came from a dedication to do what was best for students.

“Thank you for the opportunity to help the children of Spring,” Goodwin said. “I love it. I love my job and I love every single kid that walks through that door, so thank you so much.”

Lewis Elementary’s Gilbert, meanwhile, was the March award winner, and he was praised not only for keeping the campus clean and safe for students and staff during the pandemic, but also for building school community and being a trusted mentor on campus, always ready to lend an ear to students wanting to talk with him.

“This gentleman is respected by the school community and the community at large,” Newhouse said in introducing the award.

Those sentiments were echoed by Trustee Justine Durant, who joined in the presentation to tell the winners about the award certificate, Spring ISD pin, and monetary check they would be receiving.

“You know, nobody knows how much you know until they know how much you care,” Durant told Gilbert during her remarks, “and we were able to just see the love and support and how much care you put back into our students and staff on your campus, and we truly appreciate you.”

Gilbert thanked the trustees, and went on to offer some of his own personal guiding philosophy.

“Like I was told when I first came to Spring, treat the kids like they’re your own,” he said. “The kids are number one, and I do everything in my heart for them. So thank you, thank you everyone. I really appreciate this.”

Superintendent's Report

Superintendent Dr. Rodney E. Watson opened his remarks by welcoming in-person attendees to the meeting, as a gradual step toward more normal operations as COVID-19 conditions continue to improve. He went on to note a full agenda, including a presentation from Cambridge Education, which has partnered with the district to conduct equity work. 

“Just to be clear, this equity study is just part of our work towards ensuring we are creating a learning environment within Spring ISD where all students will have what they need to be successful,” he said. “As superintendent, I look forward to having ongoing conversations about equity so we can ensure that we’re doing what’s best for kids.”

He then highlighted that the district recently learned it would be receiving more than $100 million in federal funds to help offset learning losses and expenses related to the pandemic. “These funds create a lot of opportunity, as well as responsibility and accountability, as we align those resources with our goals of improving student outcomes,” he said. As part of that process, he pledged to continue seeking feedback on the district’s proposed Recovery Plan, which was presented during the May 6 board work session. 

Watson next outlined the district’s upcoming graduation ceremonies, to be held both in person at Planet Ford Stadium and virtually this June. “So our graduates just have a few weeks of school left and we want to make sure everyone finishes strong so they can enjoy this milestone,” he said. “Please parents, make sure you continue to work with your kids, as I am, to make sure they get all of their missing work turned in.”  

Watson concluded his remarks by noting that the week of May 3 was Teacher Appreciation Week. “We’re grateful for the hard work of our teachers every day of the year, and not just during Teacher Appreciation Week,” he said. “We thank them for all their hard work and all that they continue to do.” 

He also thanked Spring ISD Chief of Police Ken Culbreath and the district’s police officers in recognition of National Police Week. “A very special thank you to Chief Culbreath and his team for the work that they do in making sure our community is safe.”

Trustees Remarks

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

Deborah JensenPosition 1

Kelly P.Hodges Position 2

Justine Durant Position 3

Winford Adams JrPosition 4

Rhonda Newhouse Position 5

Donald Davis Position 6

Jana Gonzales Position 7

Board President Rhonda Newhouse began remarks by giving a special shout-out to the student musicians and dancers who performed live at the Community Engagement Center before the meeting.

“I would like to begin by asking you to give another round of applause to the Westfield High School Mariachi Band,” Newhouse said, “and, if you missed it, the ladies in the beautiful dresses, the folklorico dancers. They were beautiful!”

Trustee Jana Gonzales thanked the district and community for a successful Spring ISD Livestock Show, which raised over $130,000—the largest amount raised since 2015. The Spring Tri-Club, a 501(c)(3) organization that sponsors the event, uses funds raised at the event to provide scholarships and seed money for future projects.

“We had a very successful show, and I think our students were extremely excited about actually being able to participate since we didn't have a show last year,” Gonzales said. “Everyone had a great time, and we practiced social distancing and wore our masks. Thank you to everyone that contributed to making it safe out there.”

Trustee Justine Durant took a moment to recognize district teachers, stating that she took time out during Teacher Appreciation Week to personally thank teachers for their continued hard work.

“They are the glue — learning happens between the teacher and students,” Durant said. “We are so excited to celebrate the hard work that they've done, especially with the challenges that we've had over the last year, that I didn't want the time to go by without letting our teachers know how much we appreciate them.”

Trustee Winford Adams Jr. followed Durant’s remarks by stating his gratitude for educators in Spring ISD.

“I want to echo Trustee Durant’s gratitude to our teachers, especially given that I have three children in the district that are benefiting from our high-quality teachers,” Adams said. He also congratulated Spring Early College Academy senior Cody Chou, who was recently highlighted for being accepted into all of the Ivy League schools and chose to attend Harvard University. 

Trustee Dr. Deborah Jensen recognized 25 Career and Technical Education (CTE) seniors celebrated during the Future Educators Ceremony on May 7. The program was started in 2015 to encourage graduates of Spring ISD’s education pathway to return to the district to teach after completing their university program.

“I'd like to thank the district for growing our own,” Jensen said. “After [the ceremony], we started comparing the salaries that teachers make now compared to what we made back in the day. We're just really proud to be able to be competitive in Spring ISD and hope we see those teachers back.”

Presentations and Action Items

Board Hears Equity Study Update from Cambridge Education

The Board of Trustees on Tuesday heard a presentation from Cambridge Education, which has partnered with the district on its equity study to ensure excellent, equitable outcomes for all students. 

Specifically, the group conducted a survey, focus groups and interviews as part of that work earlier this year. On Tuesday, trustees heard the results, including the data and themes that emerged, as well as opportunities and challenges for the district. 

“You have right now a community of people who are ready to do this work,” said Chris Finn, a senior education speciality for Cambridge Education. “The next two to five years in Spring ISD can be pivotal.”

Finn praised the district for moving forward with its equity study in spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic and emphasized the importance of a shared commitment toward addressing any obstacles or barriers to student success.

“Most stakeholders value the district’s diversity and welcome an examination of equity across school, policies and practices,” he said. 

Finn was joined by Carron Staple, an educational consultant with Cambridge Education, in presenting the preliminary findings of the equity study to the Board. That work included interviews with 26 district leaders, 21 focus groups, eight virtual school visits, and the distribution of surveys to district staff, parents and students, as well as the collection of more than 100 data sheets and documents.

Spring ISD Superintendent Dr. Rodney E. Watson said the district’s commitment to equity is intended to ensure that real progress is made. Last year, the Board of Trustees issued an equity statement and the district launched an Equity Steering Committee to help guide the work and to ensure a diversity of perspectives. 

“I wanted to do more than just have a conversation,” Watson said. 

Cambridge Education was hired by the district to not only study performance and trends in areas such as discipline and educational outcomes, but also underlying root causes and institutional structures that might be unintentionally contributing to those outcomes.

Among the findings shared on Tuesday were several bright spots, including survey results that showed students feel safe and respected by their peers and teachers, and that the district’s schools of choice have high expectations and effectively prepare students for college and careers. 

Cambridge Education also noted that the district’s role in training school leaders by partnering with The Holdsworth Center for leadership training is creating a cohort of “more experienced and better-prepared school leaders.”

The district is also doing a good job of providing schools with the quantitative data and tools that they need to make effective decisions. Another area of success is the district’s work with family and community engagement and collaboration with advisory committees that promote inclusion. In a survey of staff, 75% of respondents agreed that “meeting the needs of our diverse community is built into all of our school planning and practices.”

Areas of challenge for the district include inconsistency around providing social-emotional teaching and learning; lack of counseling in some schools to address issues beyond academics; low expectations for English Language Learners on some campuses; and the disproportionate discipline of African American male students, who are also being referred to special education at higher rates than other student groups.

“Our recommendation is to conduct culturally relevant professional development with school leaders and teachers on implicit bias and assumptions about students of color and their behaviors,” said Finn. “Require all schools to infuse restorative justice practices into their discipline policies to support the decrease of student referrals and out-of-school suspensions.” 

Trustees said Cambridge Education’s findings provide an opportunity to reflect, discuss and most importantly, act so that progress can be made. 

“I don’t want to just talk about it tonight,” said Trustee Justine Durant, “I want to do something about it.” 

The Board is already considering Cambridge Education’s recommendations to add more social-emotional learning into the schools, as well as hire more at-risk counselors. The trustees also pledged to work on implementing other policies that will help move the district forward in its goal of ensuring excellent, equitable outcomes for all students, including giving new teachers more support and professional development. 

Watson said district officials will work with Cambridge Education and the Equity Steering Committee to determine next steps. 

Trustees Discuss Two Proposed Compensation Recommendations for Employees

Ahead of their vote next month to approve a budget for the 2021-22 school year, trustees reviewed and discussed two proposed options for compensating teachers and staff.

The conversation at Tuesday’s regular board meeting followed a lengthy presentation at the May 6 board work session when Chief Financial Officer Ann Westbrooks updated the trustees on the development of the budget, especially in light of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic on attendance and expenses.

While one compensation option under initial consideration was to give all staff a one-time retention stipend of $1,500, trustees said they wanted to ensure equity among the different employee groups. So on Tuesday, Westbrooks presented another option that would give employees a one-time increase of 2.5 percent of their salary control point, which is sometimes also called midpoint. That amount would be paid in two installments, one in December of 2021 and the other at the end of the contract period in 2022. 

Westbrooks noted that last year, in 2020-21, all employees received a general pay increase of 2.5 percent of the control point for their position, with equity adjustments made to better align some salaries with the market. For some employees, including some paraprofessionals, that pay raise and those equity adjustments resulted in increases of as much as 20 percent.

Starting salaries for Spring ISD teachers are also competitive, “largely as a result of the work that was done as this 2020-21 school year budget was being developed,” she said.

In developing the proposed option for the one-time increase of 2.5 percent, Westbrooks said the goal was to mitigate any financial risks at a time of uncertainty while still rewarding employees. The district is working with TRS to ensure the one-time payment is counted toward salary calculations used to determine retirement benefits.

Although trustees won’t vote on the proposed compensation option until June when they approve the budget, several said the one-time 2.5 percent increase of the control point makes sense given the district is still waiting to see if attendance rebounds during the next school year. 

“Attendance is driving everything,” said Trustee Justine Durant. 

Board Governance Committee Provides Updates on Legislative Priorities

Trustees Dr. Deborah Jensen and Winford Adams Jr. provided an update on Texas Senate and House Bills that the district has been following, noting that a few legislative bills have changed. Senate Bill 2, which provides full funding of House Bill 3 (HB 1525 State Funding), remains one of the top bills being watched. According to Adams, the bill will most likely pass.

“Low bill numbers are the Lieutenant Governor [Dan Patrick] and Governor [Greg Abbott’s] priorities in the Speaker’s priorities, so when a bill number gets like SB 2 or HB 2, that's generally going to happen,” said Adams. “The only question is how many amendments might get tacked onto it.”

Additional bills and legislators to watch:

Senate Bill 272: Requires each school district board of trustees to create a nonvoting student trustee position. As of May 5, the bill was placed on the intent calendar.

Senate Bill 338: Relating to the adoption of uniform general conditions for building construction contracts entered into by school districts and the composition of the committee that reviews uniform general conditions. According to Jensen, the bill has passed the Senate and was sent to the House, which reported favorably without amendments on May 3.

Senate Bill 746: Requires the parent of a student enrolled in a school district to provide and update a student's contact information. The bill passed the Senate and was sent to the House on May 4.

House Bill 130: Alleviates taxpayer funds being spent on toll road charges for public school vehicles for more funds toward educating students. Jensen says the bill has a favorable report without amendments, and passed the House on May 11.

House Bill 332: ISDs could use compensatory education allotment funds for SEL programs. As of May 3, the bill has passed the House and was received by the Senate.

House Bill 749: Prohibits ISDs from paying an association to lobby for them, drastically limiting the ability of education leaders to advocate.

House Bill 1525: House Bill 3 “clean up” bill to fix multiple issues, which Chief Financial Officer Ann Westbrooks says could potentially be negative for the district toward funds for the Career and Technical Education program. “There are some language changes in the Senate Committee right now that we're studying, and really want to make sure that we get a good understanding of what the intent is and how that will impact this,” Westbrooks said.

House Bill 3270: Prohibits using local taxpayer funds to defend against state actions and decisions affecting a local education entity. This bill was returned to the House committee on May 6.

House Bill 3445: Requires use of excess funds to pay down debt, cut taxes, etc. instead of building a fund balance for disasters, such as hurricanes, pandemics, and winter storms. This bill has been left pending by the House committee.

House Bill 3846: Prohibits “Districts of Innovation” from changing school year start and end dates. This bill has been left pending by the House committee.

House Bill 3880: Relating to a student's eligibility for special education services provided by a school district. As of May 11, this bill was placed on the General State Calendar.

House Bill 4465: Gives the TEA Commissioner control of federal stimulus funding intended for public schools by means of state control of TEA grant programs.

Trustees Approve New Criteria for Employee Excellence Awards

The Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved aligning its Employee Excellence Award program with the district’s Leadership Definition. 

Earlier this year, the district launched its Leadership Definition, which incorporates three behaviors: Outcome-Driven, Service-Oriented and Relationship-Centered.  The vote on Tuesday follows a discussion by the trustees at their May 6 work session. 

“This is our effort to support the administration in its work with the Holdsworth Center,” said Trustee Winford Adams Jr. during the work session. He said the goal is to saturate the district with “this model of leadership and the definition of leadership so that all of our people recognize their role as leaders on our campuses and in our buildings.”

In connecting the Leadership Definition with the Employee Excellence Award, the trustees agreed to modify the nomination form to gather information on how the proposed recipient reflects the behaviors set forth by the definition.The change would take place in August at the start of the 2021-22 school year. 

Trustee Justine Durant noted on Tuesday that the award is open to any employee in the district, regardless of role. Monthly winners receive a check, special pin, certificate and are publicly recognized by the Board. The program normally culminates in May or June, when the trustees select a grand prize winner.

She said it made sense to align the awards with the Leadership Definition, considering the collaborative process that took place in creating that definition. “It resulted in a clearly defined set of behaviors that demonstrates the expectations Spring ISD has for every adult in our system and the belief that, regardless of what their role or their title is, that everyone is a leader,” Durant said. 

Adams highlighted how employees have the ability to log onto the district’s website at and learn all about the different behavioral competencies associated with the Leadership Definition. Employees can drill down to the competencies related to their role, whether on a campus or in central administration. 

In the coming weeks, the nomination form will be updated to reflect the changes requested by the Board. More information about the program and how to nominate an employee can be found here:

In Other Action the Board Approved:

• Minutes from the April 8, 2021 Board Work Session and from the April 13, 2021 Regular Meeting;

• The Summer 2021 Projects, First Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP);

• Work calendar for the staff at the Additional Days School Year (ADSY) schools, Clark Intermediate and Clark Primary;

• Taxpayer refunds;

• An additional renewal term, up to one year, for the previously awarded Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) contract;

• The list of investment brokers/dealers as presented;

• The order authorizing the issuance of one or more series of the Spring Independent School District Unlimited Tax Refunding Bonds, Series 2021.