The Spring ISD Board of Trustees met at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 17, 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 Cmdr. Ruth Delgado leading the pledges to the flags. Carrying the United States Flag was Cadet Lt. Cmdr. Deisy Alcocer. Carrying the Texas Flag was Command Master Chief Gabriela Lopez. The Left Rifle Guard was Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Zetino. The Right Rifle Guard was Cadet Lt. Angelo Lozada. The Dekaney Wildcat Navy JROTC Battalion is led by Chief Victor Adams and Chief Robert Dunn.

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.

Points of Pride, ABCD Awards and Spotlights

Point of Pride - College Board National Recognition Program Scholars

Trustees began by recognizing 47 Spring ISD high school students who have been named National Recognition Program Scholars for 2023 by the College Board.

“In a testament to the amazing diversity that our district represents, this year’s 47 College Board honorees from Spring ISD include National African American Recognition Program Scholars, National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars, and National Indigenous Recognition Program Scholars, all eligible for the award based on their strong GPA and their high PSAT and AP Exam scores,” Chief of Communications Shane Strubhart said during his introductory remarks.

To qualify for the award, students must have a 3.5 GPA or higher and identify as Black, African American, Latino, Hispanic, Indigenous, Native, or attend high school in a rural area or small town. In addition, they must either have PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 scores that put them in the top 10% in the state, or earn a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP exams by their junior year.

In addition to honoring students’ outstanding accomplishments, Strubhart explained, the program also creates additional pathways to college.

“Students can include the award on college and scholarship applications, and colleges around the country use the list of College Board honorees in order to identify high-potential students from underrepresented groups and communities,” he told the trustees.

Approximately 30 of the district’s 2023 National Recognition Program Scholars attended the meeting, many with members of their family. Administrators and campus counselors joined in celebrating the students’ accomplishment.

For a complete list of students named College Board National Recognition Program Scholars for 2023, click here.

Point of Pride - U.S. News & World Report 2023-24 Best High Schools

Next, the Board recognized Spring Early College Academy and Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, both of which were recently listed in the U.S. News & World Report 2023-24 Best High Schools national rankings – with Spring Early College Academy making it into the top 100 high schools in Texas in this year’s listings.

Both campuses were listed among the top 15% of ranked schools nationally, with Spring Early College Academy ranking approximately in the top 3%.

The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings include data on nearly 25,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nearly 18,000 schools were ranked this year on factors related to their performance on state assessments as well as how effectively they prepare students for college.

In this year’s rankings covering nearly 18,000 schools, Spring Early College Academy was ranked #528 nationally and #72 in Texas. Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, meanwhile, earned the #2,253 ranking in the U.S. and #224 in Texas.

“This year’s rankings showcase schools across the nation whose students demonstrate outstanding outcomes and surpass anticipated benchmarks, including achieving high graduation rates,” Chief of Communications Shane Strubhart told trustees during his remarks. “And the icing on the cake? Both campuses boasted 100% graduation rates in the rankings.”

Spring Early College Academy Principal Kristine Guidry and Dr. Alfred James, principal of Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, both attended the meeting, along with other faculty and staff members and student ambassadors representing each campus.

“Neither of these schools is a stranger to accolades, and we get to witness every day how the work on these campuses shapes and transforms students’ lives and equips them for success,” Strubhart said. “Seeing them also recognized on the national level is especially gratifying.”

Read more.

Spotlight - National Dyslexia Awareness Month

The Board continued with a Spotlight recognition in honor of National Dyslexia Awareness Month and the Spring ISD dyslexia teachers whose work advances the learning of students requiring dyslexia support and related services.

Executive Director of Special Education Dr. Thelissa Edwards was on hand to recognize dyslexia staff and speak about the importance of these services in helping all students succeed.

“We are so excited to be able to celebrate and recognize October as our Dyslexia Awareness Month,” Edwards told trustees. “It's a national event, and across the country, just like in Spring ISD, all of the students and folks that have dyslexia are being celebrated, and there's an awareness outlined and identified regarding dyslexia as a condition.”

Among the most common language-based learning disabilities, dyslexia affects between 5-10% of the population, and as many as 70-80% of those with reading difficulties may have some form of dyslexia.

“It’s one of the most common language deficits,” Edwards said, “and so this month our teachers, our educators, and our students are working collectively to raise awareness about dyslexia.”

Edwards also talked about the work being done in Spring ISD – in light of current dyslexia research – to ensure that dyslexia is approached with robust early identification and intervention strategies to stem potential learning loss and ensure every student has the ability to reach their full potential.

Representatives of the district’s dyslexia team – including Dyslexia Coordinator Ty Bailey, Dyslexia Clerk Lucia Guel and several teachers – were on hand to join in the celebration. After thanking them all for their efforts, Edwards gave a special shout-out to the highly trained teachers working with the department to serve students on campuses.

“One thing that we do want to recognize,” Edwards said, “is that as teachers that are specializing in dyslexia, they are working with certain certificates and licenses that are very unique to the work that students with dyslexia require in order to advance their academic pursuits.”

Spotlight - National Principals Month

Finally, the Board observed National Principals Month with a special Spotlight featuring a video of trustees delivering special messages of thanks to campus administrators in Spring ISD.

Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa presented the completed video to the trustees during the meeting, and spoke during her remarks about the crucial role principals play in Spring ISD.

“With their resolute vision and their unwavering dedication,” Hinojosa said during her remarks, “these leaders aren't just running schools or managing employees, they're molding futures, shaping communities, and laying out pathways to success for our scholars across Spring ISD.”

She noted that, far beyond their administrative duties, principals’ leadership helps shape day-to-day campus life and supports effective teaching and classroom learning, as well as student outcomes.

“It's impossible to overstate the importance of the role principals play in building campus culture, nurturing and growing their staff, establishing the expectation of excellence for students, and also representing the campus in the community,” Hinojosa said.

Acknowledging the challenges of the role, Hinojosa – herself a former principal – encouraged staff and community members to take advantage of National Principals Month and celebrate the contribution principals make and the work they do to support teachers and students.

“I'm so very proud of our amazing principals,” Hinojosa said, “and I hope our whole Spring ISD community will join me, this month especially – but always – in thanking them for all that they do.”

Superintendent's Report

Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa began her remarks by welcoming all the staff, students, and parents that were in attendance. 

She then mentioned the donation of 40,000 books to Spring ISD through a partnership with the Spring chapter of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

Through the Reading Opens the World program, the Spring American Federation of Teachers has received a grant  for 40,000 books and a $10,000 First Book Marketplace credit to select and purchase high-quality, diverse books to spread the joy of reading and support students and educators. The Spring AFT chapter will donate the books to Spring ISD.

The books will be distributed at the district’s annual Winter Wonderland event, held this year on December 8 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Planet Ford Stadium.

“We know at the end of the day that these will be books — free books — in our students’ hands. It continues the focus on literacy that we have here in Spring ISD,” Hinojosa said.

The superintendent then mentioned National School Lunch Week, and thanked the efforts of the Child Nutrition staff members in the district. 

“Our Child Nutrition department works incredibly hard to ensure that our students are fed nutritious meals every single day to support their healthy minds and optimal learning. So, please take a moment to thank our cafeteria personnel working at our campuses,” she said. 

Hinojosa then mentioned the return of the annual Charity Golf Tournament that supports the Spring ISD Education Foundation. More information on the tournament and the Foundation can be found at.

She closed her remarks by introducing two new district leaders. 

Jason Davila was named Assistant Superintendent for Elementary School Feeder 1. With 13 years of public education experience, Davila began his career as a teacher at Texas Serenity Academy and Fort Bend ISD. He then went on to serve in principal and assistant principal roles in Crosby ISD and Houston ISD, and most recently served as Executive Director within a feeder pattern supporting 12 campuses serving 7,000+ students. He earned his Bachelor of Management Studies from the University of Houston and his Master of Education Administration from Lamar University.

Nirmol Lim was named Assistant Superintendent for Feeder 3 for middle school campuses. With 20 years of public education experience, Lim previously served in principal and administrator roles at the high school, middle school, and elementary school levels in Houston ISD, most recently serving as Executive Director/School Support Officer overseeing principals at five campuses, including two specialty high schools, two priority middle schools, and one priority high school. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Houston and her Master of Education Administration from Sam Houston State University. She is currently working on her doctorate in Public School Administration from Texas A&M University.

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 remarks by mentioning the UIL Marching Band regional competition, which he had attended the previous weekend, where all three of the district’s comprehensive high schools advanced. He then mentioned several upcoming performances from a variety of performing and visual arts groups within the district.

“I encourage the community to come out to those events and support the kids,” he said.

Adams also mentioned his participation in the district’s The Vine mentoring program, which recently kicked off for the school year.  

“I want to encourage the community to come out and mentor the kids we talk about. It takes a village, and that's actually putting your money where your mouth is,” he said. 

Board President Justine Durant mentioned that morning’s 45th Anniversary Celebration at Hirsch Elementary School, which she attended along with Dr. Deborah Jensen and Dr. Hinojosa. She also mentioned Principal LaToya Patterson, who actually attended Hirsch Elementary as a student.

“She went to Hirsch, and now she's leading Hirsch, and that made me really proud to see how many of our people came back to support [the district],” she said. “And to see how enthusiastic our kids were and how we continue to grow in Spring ISD, so that their futures can soar.”

Updates

Reading of the Trustees' Continuing Education Credit Hours

Board President Justine Durant presented a brief report on the trustees’ continuing education requirements.

“I want to thank all of our board members for completing their continuing education as required,” Durant said.

Governance Committee provides update

Trustee Dr. Deborah Jensen said the committee had met Monday, Oct. 16 and received an update on the TASB Legislative Assembly from Trustee Natasha McDaniel. During its meeting, the committee also discussed current advocacy issues, especially as regards the ongoing legislative work in Austin.

Jensen also discussed the need for fair, clear, proactive accountability systems both for measuring student progress and in matters related to school finance, emphasizing that these systems should be applied not just to public schools but in all educational settings that accept taxpayer dollars.

“If you're getting state money, we want to know if you're really teaching the TEKS, and if you really can pass these tests that all our public school students take,” Jensen said. “And that is only fair. If you're going to accept state money, then you should accept the state accountability measures, both financially and on academics.”

Jensen then provided a brief update on the Board’s Employee Excellence Award and said that employees can expect a revised nomination form to be available soon.

Trustee McDaniel also mentioned that the district’s new Student Governance Fellowship is now officially in the development stages, and mentioned plans to integrate TASB recommendations regarding board operating procedures.

In discussing the group’s legislative priorities, Vice President Winford Adams Jr. also emphasized the importance for Spring ISD families and other residents to know that school voucher-style legislation has been presented under a number of different names.

“People should be aware that ‘vouchers,’ ‘education savings, accounts,’ and ‘school choice’ really are all synonyms, and so just because a particular legislator is not talking about vouchers doesn't mean that's not what's happening,” Adams said. “Just be aware of that. And if we can get that out to our community, I think that would be good.”

Community Engagement Committee provides update

Board Secretary Kelly P. Hodges highlighted upcoming events, including Building Bridges and Table Talk events, as well as outreach in support of voter education and registration.

“Our theme for this year for the Community Engagement Committee is to inform, educate, and advocate,” Hodges said. “We will partner with the district and key stakeholders to develop and implement opportunities to improve communication and awareness between the district, parents and the community.”

Hodges encouraged members of the community to exercise their right to vote in upcoming elections, and invited Spring ISD stakeholders to consider attending an upcoming Board-sponsored engagement event.

Information from the previous Building Bridges and Table Talks meetings can be found under the Outreach Efforts section of the Spring ISD Board of Trustees webpage, at the following links:

• Building Bridges with the Board

• Table Talks with the Board.

Action Items and Presentations

SpringWay Systems, Strategies and Routines – Update from Spring High School

Trustees welcomed Spring High School Principal Dr. Jalen Hemphill, together with Spring High School Associate Principal Terrence Duncan and Assistant Principal Rhonda Mays, for an update on SpringWay systems, routines, and strategies at the campus.

The presentation was also an opportunity for the trustees to receive an update related to this fall’s rollout of Spring ISD’s newly revised Student Code of Conduct, and to see how some of the changes in practice and approach are being implemented this year at the district’s namesake comprehensive high school.

Hemphill, Duncan, and Mays discussed several topics with the Board, including successful efforts this fall to ensure a full roster of leadership and support staff on campus to help manage key initiatives.

“So as far as our strategic staffing and development, we are now fully staffed,” Duncan told trustees. “We have a fully staffed administrative team – with our principal leading us, of course – three associates and six APs in the building. We also have a fully staffed hall monitoring staff – 10 hall monitors for Spring High School.”

With a renewed emphasis on key areas such as ID badges, dress codes, attendance and punctuality, effective hall and entryway monitoring, and staff development and training, the Spring High School administrators noted intended impacts both to the culture of the campus as a whole and to the management of individual classrooms through the implementation of systems and strategies for day-to-day classroom management, community engagement, and increased positive behavioral interventions with students.

Like other campuses, Spring High School has also been coordinating with the Spring ISD Police Department to ensure adequate officer presence over the course of the school day and at athletic, extracurricular and other events outside regular school hours.

With police officers, as with other faculty and staff at the campus, Hemphill noted a renewed emphasis on building strong relationships with students in order both to support academic and personal growth and improve the campus culture so all students have the opportunity to focus on learning and achieving their academic goals.

“We're strengthening our school, parent, and community communication, not only just the one-way with newsletters or call-outs,” Hemphill said, “but making it a two-way dialogue is something that we're focusing on moving forward.”

Vice President Winford Adams Jr., along with other trustees, thanked Hemphill and his colleagues for their presentation, and offered additional suggestions for follow-up, including intentionally incorporating students into the process.

“A powerful ally can be the student leaders on your campus,” Adams said, “and you can start cultivating them as soon as they hit the door as freshmen, so that by the time they're seniors, they have set the culture.”

Public Hearing - Spring ISD 2023-2024 Campus Improvement Plans

A Public Hearing was held for Spring ISD’s 2023-2024 Campus Improvement Plans, as previously presented and reviewed by the Board. Following the Public Hearing, trustees voted to approve the individual Campus Improvement Plans for the current school year.

Public Hearing - Spring ISD receives an ‘A’ in Financial Integrity from the State of Texas

During a public hearing on the results of the annual School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (School FIRST) report, Chief Financial Officer Ann Westbrooks officially informed the trustees that Spring ISD had once again achieved an “A” rating.

“It is my honor this evening to say that Spring ISD does have an ‘A’ rating, which represents ‘Superior Achievement’ on this report,” Westbrooks said. “We're very proud of that rating, and continue to work very hard to maintain that rating in future years.”

Under the School FIRST financial accountability system, “Superior Achievement” is the state’s highest rating, demonstrating the quality, accuracy and transparency of a district’s financial management and reporting systems. State law requires that school districts prepare an annual financial accountability report within two months of receiving their final ratings, and each school district must announce and hold a public hearing to distribute the results of the report.

“As a reminder, School FIRST is a financial accountability rating system that holds school districts accountable for the quality of our financial management,” Westbrooks told trustees. “It's designed to encourage effective and efficient management of financial resources in order to provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes.”

The current report, which is based on data from the 2021-22 fiscal year, consists of 20 base indicators related to financial management across the district. They encompass timely and accurate reporting as required by state and national agencies; timely payments to the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) of Texas, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and other government agencies; effective debt management and adequate cash-on-hand reserves; asset-to-liability ratios; administrative cost ratios; and others.

The report – along with others from recent years – will be available on the district's financial transparency webpage, where community members can access it, along with a range of other financial information related to district operations.

Trustee Dr. Deborah Jensen praised the work that goes into preparing the annual report, and spoke to its importance as part of the district’s commitment to transparency.

“It ensures that we are spending our public, taxpayer money with integrity, and with absolute complete visibility,” Jensen said.

Westbrooks agreed, adding that maintaining the “A” rating was an important commitment for the district on behalf of its stakeholders.

“As chief financial officer of the district, my primary responsibility to not only you – the Board and our superintendent – but most importantly to our community members – our taxpayers – is to ensure that we are being great financial stewards of the dollars that are entrusted to us,” Westbrooks said.

She also emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards of accountability in order to honor the trust of the Spring ISD community.

“Because that's what it is – it's trust,” Westbrooks said. “Trust in the work that we do here in the district, in the decisions that we make to ensure that our students are being afforded the absolute best education possible with the funds that we have available.”

Addressing budget shortfalls, Board allots $500,000 for strategic compensation

Due to current and anticipated budget shortfalls, a recommendation was presented to reduce the amount of the district’s fund balance committed to strategic compensation, with the trustees ultimately settling on a $500,000 allotment for strategic compensation through district-sponsored programs.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Trustees had voted to commit $5 million of the fund balance to fund strategic compensation initiatives as part of the Spring Rewards program. However, since that time and in part due to the effects of the pandemic, the district has experienced declines in enrollment and lower average daily attendance, leading to a current budget deficit.

The Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), which allows teachers to earn up to $32,000 in strategic compensation, was created by the Texas Legislature in 2019 as part of House Bill 3 to help districts attract and retain highly effective teachers, especially at traditionally hard-to-staff schools.

Given the district’s budget deficit and the availability of the TIA funds, members of the board, together with Chief Financial Officer Ann Westbrooks, discussed the possibility of reducing or eliminating the allocation for district-funded initiatives.

Trustees weighed various options, including eliminating the allotment entirely, as well as reducing it while redesigning the program to target instructional support professionals – such as classroom paraprofessionals – who are not eligible to receive additional compensation funds through the TIA program. Ultimately, the $500,000 figure was agreed on for the current budget cycle.

In other action, the Board approved:

• Minutes from the Sept. 7, 2023 board work session; Sept. 9, 2023 special called session; and Sept. 12, 2023 regular meeting;

• Memorandum of Understanding Between the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA), College Football Playoff Foundation, Good Reason Houston, Amy Malkan, and Spring Independent School District;

• lnterlocal Agreement Between Lone Star College-North Harris and Spring Independent School District (Recurring Item);

• Texas Agrilife Extension Renewal (Recurring Item);

• First Reading of TASB Local Update 121 - Proposed Revisions Affecting the Following Board Policies:

  • CKE(LOCAL) - SAFETY PROGRAM/RISK MANAGEMENT - SECURITY PERSONNEL,

  • CKEA(LOCAL) - SECURITY PERSONNEL - COMMISSIONED PEACE OFFICERS,

  • CLB(LOCAL) - BUILDINGS, GROUNDS, AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT - MAINTENANCE,

  • CRF(LOCAL) - INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES MANAGEMENT - UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE,

  • CVA(LOCAL) - FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION - COMPETITIVE BIDDING,

  • CVB(LOCAL) - FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION - COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSALS,

  • DEA(LOCAL) - COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS - COMPENSATION PLAN,

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

  • FD(LOCAL) - ADMISSIONS, and

  • FFl(LOCAL) - STUDENT WELFARE - FREEDOM FROM BULLYING;

• Permanent Addition of 2 Full-time Equivalent (FTE) Positions in Human Resources; and

• Taxpayer refunds (Recurring item).