Lisa Long

The board meeting included student recognitions for the Student of the Month program. The consent agenda covered approvals for testing, adjusting, and balancing, deductive change orders for construction projects, design-build delivery methods, commissioning agents, and various memoranda of understanding. Progress monitoring updates focused on HB3 goals and the Texas College Bridge pathway. Other business involved reports on health insurance, financial metrics, and capital project status, including the acquisition of a 94-acre tract. During the closed session, personnel matters and the appointment of the new Willis High School principal were addressed, followed by a decision to approve the annexation of the new property into the City of Willis.

The board meeting included recognitions of students of the month and assistant principals. Public comments addressed the need for greater support for special education athletic programs. Consent agenda items covered instructional materials, library book purchases, CTE course additions, district agreements, and facility projects including HVAC renovations, fire alarm systems, and parking lot expansion. Discussions focused on curriculum progress monitoring, class size reduction strategies, and data reporting. The board approved contracts for staff, a grant award for ECSE educators, the purchase of new high school instructional materials, and the determination that a new gymnasium qualifies as a school building. Additionally, the board authorized a one-time employee retention incentive, approved the sale of district real property, finalized a scoreboard project for the stadium, and completed a quarterly self-evaluation focusing on governance goals and meeting efficiency.

The board conducted a workshop to review and update district policies, including board operations, business services, personnel, and instruction. Key discussion topics included transitioning to standardized boilerplate language for cost efficiency, adjusting approval thresholds for purchasing and facilities, and revising student grading and GPA calculation policies. The meeting also included an initial budget workshop for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, focusing on the current year surplus, proposed employee retention payments, enrollment projections, staffing requirements for a new elementary school, and debt service comparisons with neighboring districts.

The meeting provided an overview of the Lone Star Governance framework and the district's student outcome goals in reading, math, and college, career, and military readiness. Attendees participated in a structured input session addressing student graduation pathways, district communication improvements, expansion of support for multiple student pathways, strategies for building community trust, and the integration of artificial intelligence in education. Following the discussion, follow-up items were established, including developing a student roadmap, evaluating the district website, creating a consistent AI policy, and expanding community engagement opportunities.

The committee reviewed topics from the School Health Index matrix, specifically addressing the creation of a Health FAQ page on the school district website, the development of a centralized resources page for families, and increasing the visibility of nutritional information in the cafeteria through rotating digital displays.