SpringBoard June 2024

The Spring ISD Board of Trustees met at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11, in person, and streamed via video conferencing, to address items on the agenda. To watch the full video of the board meeting, click here. Please note: the Board will not be meeting in July. The next meeting is scheduled to take place Tuesday, August 13.

For the 11th year in a row, Spring ISD has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from the NAMM Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). The award, now in its 25th year, honors districts for their achievements in providing access to a quality music education for all students. To qualify for the Best Communities designation, districts must answer detailed questions about arts program funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Dr. Joe Clark, Director of Performing and Visual Arts, and David Tijerina-Landgrebe, Assistant Director of Performing and Visual Arts, accepted the Point of Pride recognition.

Students from throughout Spring ISD who take part in performing and visual arts were also on hand to present Dr. Lupita Hinojosa with a certificate and letter of congratulations on being recognized as a Distinguished Administrator by the Texas Music Educators Association. The TMEA Executive Board created this designation to honor upper-level school administrators who have been instrumental in preserving quality music education programs on their campuses and districts.

To view and download photos from the meeting, click here.

Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa focused her remarks on the end of the school year, as well as the graduations of more than 2,000 students from the six district high schools.

She also mentioned the start of summer school the day prior, and that dozens more would be graduating at the summer graduation ceremony in August. She then talked about the various leadership and education conferences and institutes that board members, teachers, principals, and other district staff will be attending throughout the summer.

"Many people think that summer ends everything and that every teacher, every educator, and every principal goes home," Dr. Hinojosa said. "But we don't. It doesn't end. We just keep rolling and keep rolling. We are preparing for an amazing 2024-25 school year."

Trustee Dr. Deborah Jensen discussed graduation ceremonies, and thanked both Dekaney High School and Aldine ISD for providing indoor venues as a last-minute change for the ceremonies after extreme weather caused delays.

Trustee Natasha McDaniel gave a shoutout to Bailey Middle School, which was featured on the May 30 edition of the NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition. The segment focused on MathStream, from Carnegie Learning, a curriculum used on campus. Students highlighted included Jennifer Borjas, Layla Guerra, Justice Palmer, and Jaden Torres, and teachers interviewed included Brandy Williams, a sixth grade teacher at Bailey, and Jasmine Wyatt, an eighth grade teacher.

Vice President Winford Adams Jr. spoke about the graduation of his daughter from Westfield High School, as well as his attendance at the MyPVA and Friends program at Spring High School, which featured performing and visual arts presentations from special education students.

President Justine Durant finished remarks by once again celebrating the Class of 2024 graduates. She also mentioned the graduates from the Smart Start program, an early childhood program in Spring ISD, the Valedictorian and Salutatorian Recognition Dinner, the 50th anniversary of Reynolds Elementary School, and the CTE Advisory Board scholarship banquet.

The Board of Trustees voted to adopt a $468.9 million 2024-2025 budget – with a provision to fully balance the district’s remaining deficit and provide staff raises if a Voter Approved Tax Rate Election (VATRE) is added to the ballot in November and approved by voters.

The overall operating budget includes approximately $345.5 million in general fund expenditures, $40.7 million in child nutrition expenditures, and $82.7 million in debt service expenditures. Despite strategic cost reductions for 2024-25 totaling $13.4 million, the budget would carry a deficit of $12 million if the VATRE does not go to voters or does not pass at the ballot.

Under the proposed VATRE, all Spring ISD employees would receive a 2% pay increase, and starting teacher pay would increase from $60,500 to $61,500 per year, and targeted adjustments would be made for teachers with 5-15 years of experience.

The next steps in the VATRE process include the Board of Trustees voting to call the election at its August 13 meeting, and – if approved – going up for vote in the general election on November 5.

The district’s total proposed tax rate for 2024 is $1.1592 per $100 valuation, up from the current rate of $1.1092. For more information about the budget, please visit www.springisd.org/financialtransparency.

Other items approved at the meeting include:

• Minutes from the May 9, 2024 Work Session and May 14, 2024 Regular Meeting;
• Request for Proposal (RFP) #24-016 – Self-Funded and Fully Insured Medical, PBM, Stop Loss, Dental, Vision
• 2024-2025 Spring ISD Staffing Guidelines (Recurring Item)
• District of Innovation (DOI) Teacher Program Modifications
• 2024-2025 Texas Education Agency (TEA) Annual Textbook Allotment and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Certification (Recurring Item)
• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Harris County Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP) (Recurring Item)
• Approval of the Spring ISD Local District of Innovation Plan Amendment (Recurring Item);
• 2024-2025 Student Code of Conduct (Recurring Item)
• Report of Grants Awarded to Spring ISD Exceeding $10,000 (Recurring Item)
• Interlocal Agreement Between Lone Star College System/Lone Star College-North Harris and Spring Independent School District (Dekaney High School P-Tech) (Recurring Item)
• Multi-Campus Window Film and Vestibule Safety Upgrades Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)
• Multi-Campus Building Automation Controls Update Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)
• Multi-Campus Exterior Safety Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)
• Multi-Campus Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Project Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)
• Multi-Campus Roofing Project Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)
• Multi-Campus Safety Systems Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)
• Resolution Regarding School Closures Due to Derecho
• Second Reading of TASB Local Update 122 – Proposed Board Policy Revisions
• Financial Update – Actual Expenditures – April 2024 (Recurring Item)
• 2023-24 Third Budget Review (Recurring Item)
• Auditor Selection – Efficiency Audit – Voter Approved Tax Rate (VATRE)
• Request for Proposal (RFP) #24-023 – Custodial Chemicals, Cleaners, Paper Products, and Supplies
• An order authorizing the issuance of Spring Independent School District Unlimited Tax School Building Bonds, Series 2024
• 2024-25 Spring Independent School District Budget for Student Success Initiative and Accelerated Instruction (Recurring Item)
• Low Attendance and Missed School Day Waivers
• Request for Proposal (RFP) #24-026 – Refuse and Garbage Collection Services
• Optional Flexible School Day Program (OFSDP) – Annual Renewal
• Addition of Alternate Priorities to EPIC Base and Extended Scope
• Master Job Order Contracts for Districtwide Projects
• Nomination of Trustee Kelly P. Hodges for the Region 4, Position C seat on the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Board of Directors
• Taxpayer Refunds (Recurring Item)