Noting that a quorum is present, I hereby call this regular board meeting of the Board of Trustees of Katy Independent School District to order.
Katy ISD · Regular Board Meeting
Katy ISD Regular Board Meeting, January 20, 2026
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- 0:05 to 10:20 1. Call to Order - Upon announcement by the presiding officer that a quorum is present, the meeting will be called to order. The presiding officer will verify that the meeting has been duly called and notice of the meeting has been posted for the time and manner required by law.
- 10:20 to 34:37 3. Recognitions
- 34:37 to 1:03:04 8.1 Academic Presentation - Highlights of Music Programs, Kindergarten through Grade 12
- 1:03:04 to 1:24:13 4. Public Comment/Citizen Participation
- 1:24:13 to 1:24:37 5. Closed Meeting
- 1:24:37 to 1:25:20 6. Reconvene from Closed Meeting - The Board will reconvene from Closed Meeting.
- 1:25:20 to 1:30:36 7.1 Presentation on the Annual Report to include the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) 2024-2025
- 1:30:36 to 1:30:45 7.2 Public Hearing on the Annual Report to include the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) 2024-2025.
- 1:30:45 to 1:33:23 9. Consent Agenda
- 1:33:23 to 1:53:27 9.5 Consider Board approval of the 2027-2028 Instructional Calendar.
- 1:53:27 to 1:54:14 9.6 Consider Board amendment of the 2026-2027 Instructional Calendar.
- 1:54:14 to 1:57:10 9.13 Consider Board approval of the proposal for interior lighting upgrades at the Education Support Complex and Leonard E. Merrell Center.
- 1:57:10 to 1:57:48 9.14 Consider Board approval of the contract for the replacement of the electronic display boards at the Leonard E. Merrell Center.
- 1:57:48 to 2:01:08 10. Information Items
- 2:01:08 to 2:01:21 11. Future Meetings
- 2:01:21 to 2:01:51 12. Closed Meeting
- 2:01:51 to 2:03:28 13. Reconvene from Closed Meeting
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1. Call to Order - Upon announcement by the presiding officer that a quorum is present, the meeting will be called to order. The presiding officer will verify that the meeting has been duly called and notice of the meeting has been posted for the time and manner required by law.
Today is Tuesday, January 20, 2026, and the time is 5.02 p.m.
Dr. Gorgorski, will you please verify that we are in compliance with the provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act with regards to notice for this meeting?
Mr. Edmund, I do confirm we're in compliance with the provisions of the Texas Open Meeting Act for our meeting tonight.
All right, then we will move on to our first agenda item, Pledges of Allegiance.
Sounds good.
We've got a special student waiting out here to lead us in the pledge,
and that's David Cruz, fifth grader over at Franz Elementary.
Principal is Dr. Yvette Sylvan.
Parents, Jennifer and Daniel Miller.
He's got a sibling, Danielle Miller, as well.
David enjoys taekwondo, currently holds a blue belt.
He also likes playing outside and spending time with his family and his two pet dogs.
Favorite subjects are science and math.
A few quotes from his teachers over the years.
From former third grade teacher Kaylin Michalak, David was always very helpful to both teachers and students.
He always made sure that everyone was included and was overall a very sweet, hard worker.
from his former fourth grade teacher Katrina cotton David was a sweet kind
boy who always a hard worker and assured that he completed all of his work on
time and from his current fifth grade teacher Don Lee David is a very
hard-working student who is always willing to help others he has excellent
manners and shows respect to everyone so but before we bring up our pledge leader
I want to introduce our Katy High School saxophone quartet who will be performing
performing the national anthem following the pledges.
So from Katy High School over on my left, these folks,
principals Dr. Rick Hall, the group is Katy High School Saxophone Quartet,
music directors Terrence Gordon, Alex Askew, Maria Singer, and Blake Bishop.
And the students performing today, Stephen Tusi,
Kayden Espinoza, Evan Olsen, and Caleb Caldwell.
Quote from the music director Terrence Gordon, Stephen,
Even Kayden, Evan, and Caleb are absolute joys to watch work and perform.
Members of this group have earned recognition at the UIL State Solo and Ensemble Contest,
UIL Region Solo and Ensemble Contest,
and outstanding woodwind performer selection at the Katy ISD's Young Artist Contest,
and all region and all area recognitions for both the TMEA concert bands and jazz bands.
For the last four years, the Katy High School Saxophone Quartet has served as ambassadors for instrumental music, traveling, and performing for the junior high band classes sharing their love of chamber music.
Go Tigers!
So, we will go ahead and bring up our pledge leader to do the pledges, then we'll do the national anthem, and then we are going to hear from our pledge leader.
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Honor the Texas flag, my allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And David, you have some prepared remarks you'd like to share?
Come on up.
Good evening, President Redmond, board members, and Superintendent Gugorski.
My name is David Cruz, and I am a fifth grade student at Franz Elementary.
I have been a student at Franz since kindergarten.
One of the reasons why I love Franz so much is because I get to be part of so many different activities.
I enjoy being part of choir, serving on safety patrol, and being a house leader for Amistad, the best house by the way.
I also participate in Read, Dean, and Run, which allows me to stay active while helping others and improving my reading skills.
The activities are great, but my favorite things about Friends are the teachers.
They are very nice and they really care about us.
They help us when we struggle and never give up on us.
For example, I sometimes have difficulty writing and my teacher, Ms. Lee, helps me through different tools.
She cares about me and wants me to do my best.
Lastly, I love that I can say that France has the best mascot ever, Sparky the Firebird.
I think France Elementary is the best school and I am proud to be a France Firebird.
Thank you.
I want to go back.
I'm Mary Ellen Kizil.
I have something to present to you.
It is wonderful to be here today.
And the only students who come to our board meetings
and hear something like this today are you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right.
One moment.
Yep.
Three, two, one.
And one more. Three, two, one.
Mr. President.
Ms. Champagne.
May I please say something?
I want to say something about the saxophone quartet real quick.
I'm an alto saxophone player.
And so, yeah, I even still was playing it when my kids were in Exley.
I was doing like one-person concerts that Christmas time.
So I really understand the beauty of that instrument, and I thought y'all did such a fabulous job.
And I hope you keep on with that because a lot of times, you know, like me, we quit kind of after high school.
So maybe you'll find an opportunity to continue on.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you.
3. Recognitions
Thank you. We will now move on to our next item, recognitions. Dr. Gorski?
Yeah. At this time, I'd like to introduce Brandon Webb, our Director of Communications, for the recognitions portion of our meeting.
and Superintendent Gorgorski. Tonight we celebrate the vital volunteer work of school board members
who guide public education and shape our school community. You are an instrumental force in
providing governance and oversight as you serve the never-ending needs of students, staff, and families.
This January, in observance of School Board Recognition Month, communities across Texas are celebrating trustees for their leadership, service, and community engagement.
At this time, please welcome City of Katy Mayor Dusty Teal, along with Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris and Council Members Janet Court, Rory Robertson, and Gina Hicks, who have joined us tonight to present a proclamation in honor of School Board Recognition Month.
I may need to raise this up a little bit.
So, Mr. President, school board members, and Superintendent Gregorski,
it is an honor for us to be here tonight.
We all have a little bit of history with public schools,
Both my parents were retired school teachers for the state of Texas.
Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris' mother is on the school board in Navasota,
retired teacher, as is his father.
Councilmember Hicks has taught elementary school.
We have Councilmember Court who has a sister who has taught in public school.
And then we also have Councilmember Robertson who is a KDISD school teacher,
as is his wife so it's really an honor for us to be here and we really respect
public schools now one thing I have noticed up here is next time we come we
may have to change our dress code a little I see how y'all are dressed we
don't do this at City Council so I'll look sharp so anyway we'll go ahead and
begin city of Katy proclamation school board recognition month January 2026
Whereas the mission of public schools is to meet the educational needs of all children
and to empower them to become competent, productive contributors to a democratic society and an
ever-changing world.
And whereas the 2026 School Board Recognition theme is Our Future is Public, highlighting
how public education and local school boards help shape the lives of students, strengthen
strengthen our communities and contribute to the state's economic vitality, while recognizing
accomplishments and expressing gratitude to our dedicated school board trustees.
Whereas local school board members are elected by their community members to do what's
best for students, and whereas local school board members work closely with parents, educational
professionals and other community members to create the educational vision we want for
our students.
students.
And whereas local school board members are responsible for ensuring the structure that
provides a solid foundation for our school system, and whereas local school board members
are strong advocates for public education and responsible for communicating the needs
of the school district to the public and the public's expectations to the district, now
therefore I, Dusty Thiel, Mayor of the City of Katy, do hereby declare the City of Katy's
appreciation to the members of the Katy Independent School District School Board
of Trustees and proclaim the month of January 2026 as School Board Recognition
Month in the City of Katy. I urge all citizens to join me in recognizing the
dedication and hard work of local school board members and in working with them
to mold an education system that meets the needs of both today's and tomorrow's
children and witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and call Cecile the
city of Katy Texas to be affixed this 20th day of January 2026 signed William
H Dusty Thiel mayor so we all once again want to thank y'all because we know our
type of work y'all do I think it's harder than what we do so and we get
paid y'all don't so anyway but no I'd really do appreciate all that y'all do
for the city and for the surrounding area thank you very much now where do we
go get our backpacks.
We could have some of you all step forward.
And some in the back.
Yes, there we go.
And if we can create two lines.
All right.
In three, two, one.
And one more.
Three, two, one.
All right.
Okay.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mayor Thiel, Mayor Pro Tem Harris, and Council Members Court, Robertson, and Hicks.
I'd like now to introduce Ms. Corinza Murdoch, President of the KDISD Council of PTAs, for a special presentation.
Good evening everybody, it's so great to be here tonight.
Tonight in appreciation of your steadfast leadership and the partnership we share, our
local PTAs have come together to honor you in a special way.
Each of our local PTA units has selected and donated a book to their respective campus
libraries in your name.
names. These donations serve as a lasting tribute to your dedication to our students
and a reminder of the 72 PTAs working alongside you to make every child's potential a reality.
We are proud to see your names associated with the stories and knowledge that will inspire
KTISD students for years to come. Thank you for your service and for your continued support
to the PTA mission.
And I wanted to thank my PTA presidents.
I have one here.
If you guys will stand up.
It's a busy night for everybody, so we had one show up.
But they do a lot of work behind the scenes
to make sure that the PTAs run smoothly.
And without their effort, you know,
council couldn't even do what they do.
So thank you guys so much for everything you do
and for your support of our community
and our students and families.
Thank you very much.
Mr. President, may I say something?
I would like to say something real quick about the PTAs.
So the schools could not also, they could not run without you either.
So I was an active member of PTA, being on the board, I think, for 15 years or something like that.
and I know that the schools and the parents and the students really
appreciate all of your work too so it kind of goes back and forth and so I'm
just telling you from my heart I really appreciate all that you all do because
you don't get paid either
Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Murdoch, and to the wonderful parents who volunteer by partnering with campuses and the district to support educational excellence.
It's now my pleasure to introduce a special presentation from the Girl Scouts.
Please welcome from Troop number 127015, Ms. Ada, Ms. Michaela, and Ms. Persephone, along with Ms. Hazel from Troop 127135.
They are joined by their leaders, Arianna and Cece, as well as Community Engagement
Manager Grace Fife.
Hello, Katy ISD School District, School Board.
My name is Arianna and I am the troop leader of troop 127 0 1 5 and 1 2 7 1 3 5
My name is Hazel and I am a cadet with troop
I'm from group 127135 from KD Junior High.
I am being a Girl Scout is one of the things
I am most proud of.
And it has allowed me to make many cool new experience,
help my community and make some awesome friends
along the way.
My name is Michaela and I am a Brownie with troop 127015 from Hudson.
My favorite thing to do in Girl Scouts is to help my crunchy community and go camping.
pink hello Katie I ask the Lord my name is Ada Stefan I am a brownie with troop
Group 127015 from being a Girl Scout is one of these things I am most proud of.
and it has allowed me to have so many cool new experiences,
help my community, and make some awesome friends along the way.
Thank you, KDISD.
Thank you, KDISD.
And we have Girl Scout cookies for you.
And we have Girl Scout cookies for you.
Mr. President, I'm so sorry I have a lot to say tonight, but I was a Girl Scout leader for 11 years.
Both of my daughters are Gold Award people.
I really admire the Girl Scouts, and girls, I'm really proud of you for coming and speaking to us tonight.
And I hope you all go all the way.
If you need help, let me know.
Yes.
Thank you very much.
You did a great job.
Thank you.
Ladies, thank you so much for being here tonight.
Trustees campuses have also sent notes of appreciation for each of you.
We're grateful for your time and your dedication on behalf of KDISD,
our students, and our staff.
This year marks a special milestone for one of our most impactful student programs, our Keys Mentoring Program.
Please welcome Karen Lewis, Executive Director for Community Partnerships.
Good evening President Redman, Trustees, and Superintendent Gorgorski.
This evening we are recognizing the 30th anniversary of the KEYS program in Katy ISD.
KEYS began in the 1995-96 school year with just four mentors.
Today it serves students on every campus, engages more than 650 mentors, and quietly
makes a profound impact through countless success stories. On behalf of
Partners in Education and Katy ISD, thank you to the board for your continuous
support of this important program and to everyone has given the gift of time to
our students. I'd like to ask the keys mentors and liaisons who are here
tonight to please join us at the dais for a photo.
Thank you.
All righty.
In three, two, one.
And one more, three, two, one.
All right, thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lewis.
And to our KEYS mentors, you have our deepest appreciation
for the difference you're making in the lives of our students.
This concludes our recognition portion for this evening's meeting,
and I'll now hand it over to Board President Redmond for the Morton Ranch High School recognition.
Thank you. As we continue tonight to highlight each of our high schools,
tonight trustees are celebrating the Mavericks of Morton Ranch High School. There you go.
And their remarkable achievements in campus community. Trustee Mary Ellen Cozella fulfills
the important role as the liaison for morton ranch high school and uh she will take over from here
okay thank you uh president redmond i see a lot of you would you please stand so we
could recognize you again all of you that came teachers
thank you very much for your presence here tonight i'm going to read a little bit about
the history and just a few uh fun comments morton ranch high school is named in honor of the morton
family who moved to the katie area in 1896 that's almost 130 years ago they were rice farmers and
early members of the katie community the morton ranch high school campus was named and built in
2004 and serves just over 2 800 students they embrace the motto be purple be proud it's the
Maverick Way. The school offers comprehensive academics, AP courses, honors courses, STEM,
career and technology pathways, just like all of our high schools. They have an array of clubs from
academic decathlon, which I learned they've placed at State numerous times, more than 10 times I think.
They have a National Art Honor Society, FFA of course,
theater band and choir and I'm sure much more. The school boasts a wonderful
musical culture through their orchestra and mariachi group.
I happen to really love the mariachis.
You can clap for them.
They are called the Luna de Jalisco,
and my husband and I have enjoyed a lot of their concerts over the past few years.
It was my first time three years ago.
But what's so impressive is all the families that are there, all ages, and community members.
It is a one-of-a-kind experience to go to those mariachi concerts.
And they're all over the community.
I heard them play for a Forever Young group at a church down the street. They were at the grand opening for HEB
They're all over the place. So I applaud them and your support of them principal Henson. Thank you very much
They're fun
So Morton Ranch graduates have excelled in academics, of course
extracurricular activities and they represent professional careers and
professional sports players and even Olympians
Tamara Mensah-Stock was the gold medal female wrestler in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Incredible, if you haven't seen her.
CJ Cryer, of course, is a pro basketball player with Golden State Warriors, I believe.
Elijah Hall-Thompson, he is an elite sprinter. He was a U of H cougar, go Cougs.
And he holds the American record for indoor 200 meter.
It's pretty cool.
And then Daniel Hunter is a defensive end for now the Houston Texans.
Those are a few of their amazing alumni.
Let's see.
Thank you very much for inviting me to come surprise teachers and others of the year awards.
That was fun to be there.
And I just want to say you've really built a culture there that is very special and unique.
You have a lot of pride and you can feel it.
You know, it's not just words. So I really appreciate you all fostering that and your great principal
Julie Henson, so it's an honor to welcome you tonight and thanks very much for being here
Thank you, so if you are on staff there at Morton Ranch if you come forward we'd love to take a picture with you
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right.
All right, do we have any scouts in the audience tonight?
Students that are scouts that have not been introduced yet.
How about that?
I see some adults that are scouts.
8.1 Academic Presentation - Highlights of Music Programs, Kindergarten through Grade 12
All right.
Well, Board, we'll make a small change,
if you'll allow it, in our agenda tonight.
One of our presentations, our academic presentation,
highlights of our music program, kindergarten through 12.
We have several families and performers,
and so we were gonna go ahead and allow them
to make that report to us before we go into public comment
and close all those things.
So that being said, I turn over to our highlights
of our music programs, kindergarten through grade 12.
Presenters Damon Archer, our Executive Director
of Fine Arts, Ms. Lakeisha McGowan,
assistant director of fine arts and says shibarovsky assistant director of fine
arts good evening president Redmond Board of Trustees and dr. Gorski it is
an honor to give the annual fine arts department update this year's update
will concentrate on music education and our music programs K through 12 the
framework we will be utilizing for this presentation will target four areas
enrollment achievement engagement and opportunity these areas comprise a
system that indicates success in the Fine Arts Department in programs in
Katy ISD we have over 15,000 secondary students grades 6 through 12 enrolled in
music classes when students enter sixth grade they are able to focus their music
learning into several paths they may select an instrumental path a band or
orchestra or they may choose the vocal path of choir. In grades K through 5, 41,000 students
are in music classes and are taught by certified music specialists. These classes provide a
foundation of music training that enables students to continue into the secondary level. The total
enrollment of students currently receiving music instructions in grades K through 12 is over 56,000.
In the area of achievement, our programs are excelling at the highest level, as well as providing unparalleled learning experiences, supporting the district mission statement.
This list of honors is an overview of the accolades earned through the high level of instruction by our music staff.
I would like to highlight the Texas Music Educators Honor Group distinction.
distinction, this honor is equal to a state champion as it is a head-to-head competition
with programs across the state.
The American Prize in Orchestra Performance is awarded to the best orchestra in the public
school division across the nation.
And lastly, the Suttler Shield is an international award given by the John Philip Souza Foundation
for excellence in marching band performance.
performance. Another achievement to share is from this past year's 2025 UIL State Music Chamber
Contest. Ensembles from across the state submit a 10-minute video recording, and the top 10 string
ensembles and the top 10 wind chamber groups are selected to compete in a live final round of
competition and perform a program 15 to 20 minutes in length. KDISD had four of the six possible
metal placements as well and in the UIL State Instrumental Chamber Gold
Medalist was won by KDISD. From the district level, KDISD has earned the
distinction as a best community in music education for the past 22 years from the
National Association of Music Merchants Foundation. The rubric to earn this award
ward evaluates data regarding staffing, facilities, funding, scope of
music offerings, student enrollment, community engagement, and supporting all
levels of music education. Our programs consistently connect with the Katy
community by performing at district events as well as other community
related events. Some examples are the presentation of the National Anthem
performed earlier at this meeting and the yearly participation of marching
marching bands in the KD Rodeo Parade. The KD Rodeo Rotary Club has continued their partnership with the KD Fine Arts Department by providing additional support for students needing instruments in order to be a part of a band program.
Each year we celebrate fine arts students that continue their studies or participation in fine
arts at the college level. This includes students that major or minor in a fine arts discipline or
continue their studies in fine arts. The inaugural year for this distinction for this district level
recognition was 2021. Since then each campus recognizes students at a fine arts signing
day in the spring. Our students also are provided opportunities to perform at
various professional sporting events in the surrounding area. This includes the
Astros, the Rockets, and the Space Cowboys. At this time I would like to extend a
sincere thank you to all the parent volunteers and booster clubs that
support our district fine arts programs. Our students and programs would not have
the success and the experiences without your willingness to serve and partner with the
district many of the accomplishments that were listed earlier were made possible through the
supplemental support of booster clubs additionally many of our district fine arts events are
supported by booster volunteers and could not be held without their assistance at this time we will
share the scope of music instruction provided in KDISD. I would like to invite Lakeisha McGowan,
who supports our elementary music division, to give an overview and she'll be followed by
Susan Chiborowski, who supports our vocal division, to give an update on choir.
Thank you, Damon. Good evening, President Redmond, Board of Trustees, and Dr. Gagorski. What we know
is that elementary music is the foundation they serve as that hub to teach the kids everything
that they must know to feed those programs at the secondary level so they truly are important
aspects of our programs at the campus level students have the opportunity to participate
in choral ensembles many of those begin in as early as third grade many of them participate
in our instrumental ensembles most of these take place before and after school thus our staff
staff members are giving up their time to feed into our children.
Musical theater is also integrated into several grade-level performances, which many of you
have attended, and I've seen some of you on our campuses attending those performances.
At the district level, two years ago, we launched our first-ever District Spring Sing.
This is held on an every-other-year rotation.
This event brings together approximately 20 elementary school choirs from across the district
each year. We also host our district instrumental showcase to highlight the work of our instrumental
programs. As you can see, we're trying to make sure that every opportunity that they may have
when they get to the secondary level, that we are feeding that. Over the past few years, we've
increased participation in vertical feeder concerts, connecting our elementary students
with secondary music programs, and strengthening program continuality. Finally, three years ago,
to further engage our students beyond the school day,
myself along with several of our elementary music teachers,
we launched our Summer Elementary Music Choir Camp.
We're very proud.
This is open to 4th and 5th grade students.
This camp is designed by our own staff
to ensure that we're building the skills, confidence,
and level of music that we deserve here in Katy ISD.
Together, these opportunities ensure our students are supported,
they're inspired,
and they are well prepared to continue their journey in fine arts education and music in our district. Thank you.
Thank you, Lakeisha.
In Katy ISD, we are so fortunate to have exceptionally strong elementary music programs that are setting up our secondary fine arts for success
by teaching fundamentals and instilling a lifelong love of music.
We place great value on collaborative vertical alignment, which led us to create a vertical
choral showcase that Lakeisha mentioned that teams each high school with their feeder junior
highs and elementary campuses for events where all groups sing separately and together.
Watching our high school choral students interact and perform with the junior high and elementary
students is truly something special.
And if you've never been to one of these events, I highly encourage you to check one out.
For secondary choir, we have certified and degreed staff at all junior highs and high
schools.
We offer a full range of courses that include treble, tenor bass, mixed choirs, show choirs,
magicals as well as AP music theory.
Our students participate in campus musicals, the Katy Choral Festival, TMEA All-State Choir
auditions, UIL solo and ensemble contest, UIL concert and sight reading
evaluations, and magical festival, as well as various competitions and festivals
around the state. In the summers we also offer a junior high choir camp and a
high school all-state choir camp where students learn and prepare their
audition material for upcoming team EA auditions. I'd like to point out that the
photo on the screen is of the beckendorf junior high non-varsity tenor bass choir at their tmea
performance in 2024. an invitation to perform at the texas music educators association convention
is one of the greatest honors bestowed upon a choir in texas and this year the jordan high
school treble choir is invited to perform at tmea convention and the jordan high school mixed choir
was invited to perform at the Southwestern American Choral Directors
Association in Albuquerque, New Mexico. These types of great honors along with
high levels of student engagement and program successes are indicative of the
high caliber choral teaching staff we have across the district and the level
of choral excellence that is happening here in Katy ISD every day.
Thank you Susan and Lakeisha for that update. The secondary instrumental division are band and orchestra. The orchestra division includes string orchestra, symphony orchestra, chamber ensemble, mariachi ensemble, and musical orchestra.
The band division is comprised of marching band, concert band, jazz band, chamber ensemble, and indoor drumline. Additionally, the band division combines with the orchestra division in symphony orchestra and musical orchestra.
Within each division, there are multiple levels of ensembles to meet the educational needs of the students.
These levels include varsity, non-varsity, and sub-non-varsity.
In KDISD, we currently have some junior high schools and high schools that have six levels of ensemble.
That translates to a varsity, non-varsity, and four levels of sub-non-varsity ensembles.
I would like to add, because of the high participation in teachers connecting students with these opportunities,
KDISD has 270 individual music ensembles performing in the UIL concert and sight reading process
and evaluation this semester.
As in other divisions, the secondary instrumental division has summer camp opportunities.
We hold two junior high band summer camps, two junior high orchestra camps, and additionally
Additionally, we have a secondary jazz camp for high school and junior high students.
The data is clear regarding the effects of musical training and its direct correlation
with student academic achievement.
The following data demonstrates how consistent involvement in music learning affects academic
scores.
K-ISD music students scored 174 points above the national SAT average and 236 points above
the Texas average SAT score.
score. Furthermore, KDISD music students scored 138 points higher than the overall KDISD average.
To dive deeper, KDISD All-State musicians, these are the students that spend the most
time practicing their craft, scored 317 points higher than the national SAT average, 382
points above the Texas average, and 281 points above our own KDISD SAT average. In the grade
The grade point average of these Allstate musicians was a 4.35.
Students have shown how music learning, studies have shown how music learning has affected
brain development.
Children with musical training show significantly stronger structural and functional brain connectivity,
especially in the areas tied to language, memory, and executive function.
Furthermore, music appears to strengthen the bundle of nerves that connects the left and
right hemispheres of the brain.
This improved inter-hemispheric communication enhances the brain's
ability to synthesize logic and creativity, analysis and intuition.
Jamie Casper, Director of Arts at Educational Partnership states, you teach the
fundamentals of making art. Your instrument, your voice, your body in
motion, painting, sculpture, whatever it is, so that students can take those skills
and use them to communicate more effectively. According to MIT in a column
from the publication Advice for Life, when a child learns to play an instrument,
their brain is not just passively absorbing sound. It's engaging in a
high-level, multi-sensory workout. Reading music involves visual decoding, playing
it requires fine motor skills and spatial coordination, listening trains
auditory perception, and performing demands emotional expression and memory
we recall all at once. This kind of integration activity is rare and it's
precisely why neuroscientists have found that music training creates
wide-reaching changes in the brain structure and function. Music doesn't
just prepare children for school or work, it teaches focus, patience,
collaboration, and the ability to sit with emotion rather than escape it.
These aren't just educational perks.
They're survival skills in a society increasingly defined by noise, distraction, and disconnection.
And finally, the future will always demand technical fluency.
But more than ever, it will require children who know how to listen carefully, curiously, and courageously.
And music may be one of the best teachers we have.
Thank you.
© BF-WATCH TV 2021
Thank you.
Thank you.
© BF-WATCH TV 2021
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Ashley Leske, choir directors from Cinco Ranch Junior High, Matt Porter, Sarah Marks, Christian
De La Cruz, Kristen Killensworth, Stephen Bond, Gina Hernandez, and Ken Brown from Tompkins
High School.
Please give them a hand.
To find other amazing performances, we encourage our community to visit the Fine Arts website
located on the district website for the most accurate listings of all secondary Fine Arts
events.
You may also filter by specific disciplines.
In conclusion, we'd like to leave you with the Fine Arts mission statement, inspire lifelong
lifelong engagement in the arts. Our intent is to continue to use these four indicators
to provide students with a world-class education and opportunities for achievement through
talent development. Furthermore, we aim to equip students with skills that intersect
meaning and purpose as they create their future. At this time, we will take any questions.
Students, young men.
Wait, wait, wait. Y'all don't leave. Y'all don't leave. Hold on. Can we get a picture with how many of them are here? Would that be all right? Just everybody? Is there some way we could do that? Y'all come. Oh, my word. Oh, my word. That was the most beautiful thing, Damon Archer. The most beautiful thing.
we love fine arts as you know we love fine arts as you know mrs fox has moved to tears but i um
mr archer just also want to say that we have a lot of plays and musical things happening starting
this weekend so i encourage everybody to get tickets and go see it and thank you all thank
you for a gift okay
Thank you.
I would like to say a little special thank you to Lorenzo, our little recorder soloist right there.
Okay.
Okay.
Thank you all very much.
Mr. President, thank you so much.
Great job.
Thank you so much tonight.
Fair performance.
Y'all did a wonderful job.
So good.
Mr. President.
Ms. Champagne.
All right.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for that presentation.
First of all, who was the man in the back in the white shirt that was...
That was Mr. Bond from Tompkins High School Band.
Oh, my gosh.
Well, they were all awesome, but I don't think as a board member in this board room
I have ever seen anything. It's every one time we saw robotics, which was pretty good, but I have never seen anything in this boardroom like that.
I appreciate all the work that went into that, and I'm really, I'm just speechless, but I'm very grateful. I'm very grateful.
We have amazing teachers, and y'all have a lot of great stuff coming into fine arts.
Nobody's duplicating what we're doing, the scope of what we're doing, but we appreciate your support.
Mr. President.
Ms. Simi.
Did Mr. Bond, did you design that all to create all of that?
Was that all your?
Mr. Archer.
Oh, okay.
They take our crazy ideas and they run with it.
And it's been in planning for a while because trying to coordinate that is not easy.
I know.
And I love that students were dispersed and it was just so interactive
and the students were encouraged to make eye contact with the audience I thought
it was just unbelievable but I was gonna say that I'm really I'm really I think
what I'm also really thankful for is that our students across the district
got to interact with one another and meet I think that's something so
essential especially when our skills schools are so big I think it makes our
schools feel small and allows them to build community with other students and
other and cheer for each other and i agree builds a great sense of community and i just
i know that takes a lot of work on our teachers and our staff and so i just thank you because
that's a lot of extra time on them to create an environment where students can mingle and
get to know one another and share their skills and sharpen each other right and so um thank you
to please send our grad my gratitude to them because i think it's worth it
Any other questions or comments board for the first time I'm speechless
Mr.. President, oh, so just a few comments that I loved what you pointed out with the brain development with music and other
academic pursuits like math and foreign language, there's definite a
Connection there. I was one of those products. I was all state bassoon player
and I played the alto for a marching band.
So I think it really helped me in all kinds of ways.
So thank you so much, and I really appreciate the most beautiful musical selection you chose as well.
That is just very moving.
So thank you so much.
Well, I can tell you that article talks a lot about how they work together,
about both sides of that, and having a really comprehensive education.
Yeah, I completely agree.
Left and right brain, when you can go there, you're smart.
Thank you.
Thank you Mr. Archer and thank you the Fine Arts Department for putting that
together and personally you know my kids it's been more than just learning music
but to find something they're successful at and connect with in that community
that they they were able to find really for some of them brought him out of
their shells and yeah and they have a new band all and they have a new band
all that and they have a new band all they do well one of them the senior
doesn't really get to experience it for marching season but I haven't heard
about that a couple of times since that happened but thank you all so much well
4. Public Comment/Citizen Participation
now at this time the Board of Trustees will give members of the public an
opportunity to speak in accordance with Katie I see board policy BED local as
defined by board policy speakers who signed up by 2 p.m. on Tuesday January
20th 2026 will be allowed to address the board speakers who signed up to speak on
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
Obviously, speaking together soon.
End of there allotted time, the audio will turn off.
The board shall not tolerate disruption of the meeting by members of the audience
if after at least one warning from the presiding officer,
any person continuing to disrupt the meeting by his or her words or actions,
the presiding officer or his or her designee may request assistance from law enforcement officials
to have the person removed from the meeting.
And tonight I have, there's a couple of topics that people have addressed
and everybody kind of knows the rules of what we can say.
I have asked our legal counsel if anybody gets outside of those
outside of those bounds to
just
Acknowledge it and if you would if he does interact with you while you're speaking just get back on topic
And that's usually means that they're you're mentioning an actual employee by name, right? We don't address that
I'm gonna tell you about that here in a minute
But wanted to point that out if speakers wish to share written material with the board
please provide 10 copies to the Secretary of Board Services before the
meeting begins for board members, the superintendent, the chief communications
officer, and permanent record. If a speaker is not attempted to solve a
matter administratively through proper channels as stated in board policy, the
presiding officer's designee shall advise the speaker to seek resolution
through the appropriate policy. Finally, pursuant to Texas Government Code
Code section 551.074 and 551.0821, the board will not permit the presentation of personally
identifiable information regarding a student and will not discuss the appointment, employment,
evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee
or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee.
Should a speaker wish to address one of these issues, they must do so through the appropriate
local grievance policies. FNG local, DGBA local, CKE local, or GF local. Our
speakers will be called forward in the order they signed up to speak. We will
first go through agenda items and our we have one speaker on agenda items tonight
and that is David Green.
Good evening everyone. I'm so sorry I was not expecting to be the only one
speaking and wow that was an amazing performance I'm just here to talk about
the calendars I think they are fantastic and I would like to urge every one of
y'all to vote yes on both the calendar for next year and the calendar for the
year after that's it thank you thank you I will now move on to non agenda items
our first speaker will be Tanner Ursel followed by Lindsey Yang
Good afternoon, board.
I first want to state thank you for all that you all do for the district.
I am a product of this district, going from Hudson Elementary,
Katie Junior High, Katie High School.
Ironically, being a part of the Katie High School band,
and an Eagle Scout myself.
so I want to thank y'all for everything y'all do and it was just the irony was
thick with today's meeting my biggest concern and what I wanted to bring up
with y'all today y'all also my email but I have spoken internally with the
district and giving them the opportunity to handle what I was going to bring up
today I've already kind of had that meeting and giving them the opportunity
to handle it internally before bringing it up to the board as so that's what well
I still wanted to come and voice to y'all where I stand on that so moving
forward if it's wherever the result comes out to internally I might may see
y'all next month so we'll see how that goes but that was just in regards to the
the school and just the direction it is going.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Next will be Lindsey Yang, followed by Tashia Huff.
Good evening.
My name is Lindsey Yang.
Two of my three children are currently attending
a KDISD school, second grade and kindergarten.
I'm back today to speak again about school lunches in our district.
Our federal government released new USDA dietary guidelines this month.
These guidelines state that we should prioritize meat and vegetables in our diets for their nutrition content.
These guidelines also stress the dangers of ultra-processed foods and high-carbohydrate foods.
foods. Right now, KDISD's food policies and practices stand egregiously out of line with
current federal guidance. Parents deserve to know when this will be addressed and how it will be
remedied. Parents deserve to know when KDISD school lunch entrees will be required to include both
protein and vegetables. Parents deserve to know when KDISD school lunches will stop normalizing
fast food items day after day after day.
This board must pursue improved feedback mechanisms to find the truth about how stakeholders feel
regarding school lunches, because relying on the nutrition department to self-evaluate
is a flawed approach.
Our district truly deserves an F grade for food services, as it has ignored common sense
nutrition for years and now it is very clearly out of line with new federal guidance. Today I've
provided the board with three lunch menus for January 2026 for the schools my children are
zoned to. Amy Campbell, Adams, and Jordan High. You can see for yourself how Katy ISD schools model a
fast food lifestyle. Whatever the nutrition department says its mission is does not matter.
What matters is the real-life food environment our kids experience every day.
Pizza, or a version of cheesy bread, is a main entree served 10 days out of just 18 this month at my kids' school.
The remaining days consist of mac and cheese, nachos, fried chicken nuggets, corn dogs, and entirely refined carb pasta dishes.
Kellogg's Rice Krispie Treats and General Mills Fruit Roll-Ups should not be advertised to children or sold in our cafeterias.
Two Fridays a month for ice cream is more than sufficient.
Current policy, which allows everyday sale of ultra-processed snacks in our schools, seems downright criminal when our state of Texas currently maintains child obesity rates of 25% for ages 11 to 17 year olds.
I urge the board to put this issue on the February agenda.
At a minimum, this board should care about compliance and should resolve the problem
that our district is failing to meet federal nutrition standards.
We have amazing students in our athletics, arts, and academics programs, of course.
I'd like to see us...
Thank you.
Thank you.
Next is Socia Huff, followed by Brandy Aguilar.
No Huff?
All right, Brandy Aguilar.
Next.
Followed by Kimberly Musile.
Good evening, board members.
My name is Brandy Aguilar.
I am a KDISD resident and the parent of a student at Hutzel Elementary.
I'm here tonight because serious concerns regarding student safety, communication, and administrative accountability remain unresolved despite repeated attempts to address them at the campus level.
I've exhausted all avenues internally to rectify the issues.
I want to be very clear, my concerns are not with the administrators.
The failures lie squarely on campus administrative leadership.
Since December, my child has been physically assaulted twice by the same student.
She was punched in the stomach, the chest, and face.
One incident resulted in a facial injury severe enough to require ice,
which happened after a stay-away agreement was not communicated to staff, therefore was never implemented.
In both cases, I was not notified at all or contacted hours later,
despite multiple administrators being aware of the incidents.
Each time, I had to initiate contact myself to obtain basic information.
This is not an isolated mistake. It is a pattern of delayed, incomplete, or
non-existent communication. Equally concerning is the lack of transparency
and cooperation from administrators. Requests for written explanation and
documentation have been avoided, deflected, and inconsistently addressed.
Due to repeated miscommunication, I have clearly requested all communication be
conducted in writing for documentation purposes. These requests have not been
been consistently respected. 48 days have passed since the first incident and
my questions are still unanswered. I brought with me all written attempts to
obtain answers. Additionally, administrative decisions that appear
retaliatory, such as severe playground restrictions placed on my child, the
victim were implemented without clear explanation, even though she was found
not at fault in either instance. This reflects a failure to protect victims
and a lack of accountability from administration.
Since coming forward, numerous parents from Hutzel Elementary
have contacted me reporting similar experiences,
noting delayed notification, lack of follow-through,
inconsistent enforcement of policies, resistance when seeking answers.
These issues are systemic, not isolated.
Finally, the high turnover of educators at Hutzel
further highlights instability in campus leadership
and raises serious concerns about administrative effectiveness and support.
I'm asking the board to intervene, not only regarding the dangerous failures involving my child,
but also to investigate the broader pattern affecting other students.
There must be clear expectations for administrative communication, documentation,
cooperation with parents, and accountability.
Student safety cannot be optional.
Our students, parents, and educators deserve better.
I'm here because internal efforts have failed.
I respectfully request your oversight in action. Thank you. Thank you
Next will be Kimberly museo
followed by Jennifer Jesse
Good evening. My name is Kimberly museal and I'm the assistant orchestra director over at Meade Creek High School
Due to the stellar reputation of orchestral programs in Texas and the wonderful reputation of Katy ISD that you saw tonight specifically,
my husband and I relocated our entire life to Katy and moved cross-country last July.
Having previously worked as both a music educator and fine arts administrator,
I had been blessed with a fantastic salary and amazing benefits provided by the district.
This was not true specifically for one district, but statewide teachers were well compensated and were given absolute best plans for medical, dental, and vision coverage.
Benefits started on the first day of employment, which never had to be renewed, and as it was a PPO, teachers could choose to see whatever doctor or specialist they wished.
Prescription coverage was top notch with only a $25 copay or less required for most prescriptions with the ability to get them from any pharmacy.
To say that I'm disappointed with the health benefits in Katy would be an understatement.
In the short time that I have been employed in the district, I have spent over $4,150 out of pocket in addition to the amount taken out of my paycheck.
I have had to switch multiple medications and even then upon arriving at HEB was told that I would have to pay
$240 this for an asthma inhaler
Another prescription that was previously covered under my former plan was going to cost
$1,500 per month because our insurance would not cover it at all in our
small fine arts program at Maid Creek
seven faculty members have been negatively affected by the medical and or
prescription coverage offered by the district. One colleague was forced to put
off eye surgery leaving him effectively blind in one eye due to the deductible
and the medical insurance resetting each January 1st. Several colleagues and I
have spent weeks arguing back and forth about medical benefits of medications
that are not being covered through our benefit plan and I personally had to
wait over a month also due to the deductible for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound after a
routine screening caused concern imagine spending your entire christmas break worried that you might
have breast cancer but couldn't do a single thing about it until after january 1st that is the
reality that the teachers in this district are living with katie is highly rated due to student
achievement and outcomes however students would not be capable of such outcomes without their
teachers we simply do not make enough to support these extravagant out-of-pocket
costs and deserve better from this district thank you so much for listening
to me this evening thank you
I shall be Jennifer Jesse followed by Jermaine Paris hello ditto on the health
plan I would speak about that tonight but I'm going to speak about this
instead. Good evening President Redmond, members of the board, and Dr. Grigorski.
My name is Jennifer Jesse and I'm here representing the Coalition for a
Livable Wage for KDISD paraprofessionals. I wanted to share some metrics from the
open records request I made in November but I'm still having a having trouble
receiving that information. Instead I'm going to read a statement from a KDISD
parent who is a member of our coalition. Although her son is close to the
heart of many of us at Davidson Elementary. My name is Melissa and I am a
proud mother of a son named Roman. I'm here today because I want to
speak from my heart. She was going to be here tonight but she couldn't find a
sitter for a little one. Because I want to speak from my heart about the people
who make my child's education possible every single day our paraprofessionals and special
education staff for roman paraprofessionals are are not just classroom support they are trusted
adults who love on him celebrate his victories big and small and sit with him through moments
when the world feels overwhelming they help him regulate communicate and feel safe enough to learn
Their patience, kindness, and consistency allow Roman to walk into school with confidence and dignity.
As a parent, there is no greater comfort than knowing our child is genuinely cared for.
Because of paraprofessionals, our family has peace.
We know Roman is seen, protected, and supported by people who truly understand him.
This work requires immense skill, emotional intelligence, and let's be honest, a lot of heart.
It is physically demanding, emotionally taxing, and deeply impactful.
Yet too often, the compensation does not reflect the responsibility these professionals carry
or the difference they make in our children's lives.
Fair wages are not just about pay.
They are about retention, stability, and honoring the people our most vulnerable students depend on.
When paraprofessionals are supported, our children thrive.
I'm begging you to actually see them the way families like mine do,
as essential and irreplaceable partners in our children's success.
Thank you for caring, for listening.
My phone is really messing up.
She says, thank you for caring, for listening, and for supporting the people
who love and care for our children like Roman every day.
Thank you.
Next will be Jermaine Paris.
Good evening, everybody.
Before I start, I want to give a quick shout-out to Chris Morgan,
Brandy Brashear.
Okay.
In the summertime, we kind of have a brief conversation.
Pretty much I'm a brand new kind of conference.
I need to go back to school.
And just update, I'm in school.
Okay.
Okay. Thank you for the opportunity for me to speak tonight.
I want to be clear from the start.
This is not another reminder that paraprofessionals are underpaid.
You already know that. We know that.
The data, the vacancies, and the turnover rate confirms it.
What I'm here to speak about is advocacy.
Paraprofessionals are essential to this district.
We support students with disabilities, manage behaviors, provide academic support, ensure
safety and often serve as the most consistent adult in the school day.
Yet many paraprofessionals cannot afford the basic standard of living, let alone the possibility
of owning a home on a paraprofessional salary.
In today's economy, a full-time paraprofessional cannot realistically buy a home in the community
that they serve, not because they don't work hard, not because they lack dedication, but
because the system has decided that their work is crucial but not worth a livable wage.
And here's the truth we need to say out loud.
Gratitude does not pay rent.
Praise does not qualify for mortgage.
An application does not create financial stability.
When a paraprofessional leaves,
it's not because they don't care about the student.
It's because the account alone does not keep the lights on.
This board has influence, this board has a voice,
and this board has the power to advocate simply acknowledging the problem.
Advocacy means fighting for competitive livable wage, not just a small increase.
Making para compensation a priority is a budget conversation.
When a paraprofessional is financially unstable, students feel it. When a
paraprofessional leave the school classroom feels it when a person
struggles the entire system feels it so tonight thank you mr. Paris we
appreciate it thank you
this concludes the open forum portion of our meeting the board will now convene
5. Closed Meeting
and close meeting as authorized under Section 55.001 of the Texas Government Code
for the following purposes.
Texas Government Code 551.071, 551.074, 551.076, and 551.129.
6. Reconvene from Closed Meeting - The Board will reconvene from Closed Meeting.
The Board will now reconvene in open meeting.
Today is Tuesday, January 20, 2026, and the time is 7.51 p.m.
On behalf of my colleagues, I welcome everyone to this evening's regular board meeting.
Each board member received the agenda and documentation for this meeting on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
The board will receive information and recommendations from staff, administration, and the superintendent on these agenda items at tonight's meeting.
Board members will be able to ask questions, receive answers, and should be prepared to take action.
The board has just reconvened from closed meeting.
in accordance with chapter 551 of the Texas government code any action arising
from discussions in the closed meeting must be taken in the open meeting we do
not have any actions to take from closed meeting so we'll move on to agenda item
7.1 Presentation on the Annual Report to include the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) 2024-2025
7.1 present presentation of the annual report to include the Texas academic
performance report Tapper of 2024 and 2025 our presenter will be Natalie
martinez our executive director of school improvement thank you good evening president
redmond school board members and dr grigorski tonight i am here to guide you through the annual
report and hold a public hearing although this may seem a bit outdated the annual report is regarding
the year of 2024-25 school year the timing of this report is driven by the release of the taper
which was in January. There are eight major components of the report, which the largest being the Texas Academic Performance Report.
Many of these requirements are brought to you in updates throughout the year, including STAR EOC, accountability ratings, financial reports, and House Bill 3 progress measures.
Because you've seen update information in prior board presentations, we will not go back to review the old data.
The full report can be found on the Research Assessment and Accountability
website under the accountability towards the bottom of the left-hand side.
Section 1 is the TAPER report which is compiled by TEA for each campus and
district in the state of Texas. This document includes data from PEMS and
reports on accountability, student groups, performance, staff and programs. The bulk
The bulk of this is the annual report, which was released mid-January.
Section 2 is our financial standard report.
And with frequent updates from our finance department, you are aware that KDISD earned
a first rating of an A, which is superior achievement.
This is intentionally the year of 23-24 to report the actual expenditures as required
required by TEA.
Section 3 is our accreditation status.
Again TEA web reports the 23-24 status and reviews data including academic and financial
ratings.
Section 4 is our campus performance objectives.
These plans are approved by the board each year in September.
Campuses monitor their progress on a quarterly basis and plans are posted on the campus.
website. Section 5, our special education determination status is meets
requirement which is shown on the cover page of the taper. Section 6
holds information on criminal and violent incidences by campus and the
prevention and intervention policies used to protect students. Incidents
Students reported are level 4 and level 5 in our system.
Numbers are masked for instances with 10 or fewer students at a particular campus.
Section 7 includes data on students' performance once they leave KDISD and enroll in higher
education.
This includes two and four-year schools and shows GPA and the number of graduates.
Section 8 references our board-adopted House Bill 3 goals, which reference third-grade reading and math along with high school CCMR.
The board adopted these goals in September of 2024, and we report progress to you twice a year.
Finally, section nine reports on the number of counselors by campus.
Again, the full report can be found on research accountability and assessment webpage on the
left hand side labeled annual report.
And at this time, I'd be happy to answer any questions.
Questions for?
Mr. President?
Ms. Cuzela.
All right.
Thank you, Natalie.
I had a question about the criminal and violent incidents, just to make sure I understood.
These are recorded publicly in the report?
So someone can see the number and type?
They can see it.
They are masked, though.
So if you have an example where a campus would be less than 10 or a campus would be identified
with that small number, then . . .
it will be masked it is on the web right now so you could actually go see it if
you wanted to but yes we do report them okay sorry what's the number 10 again
the minimum size size of students per incident Oh per incident okay so if it's
less than 10 explain that we mask it so we'll put like an asterisk there that's
the same kind of masking role that TEA would do with us as well okay thank you
you're welcome any other questions for thank you very much we appreciate it we
7.2 Public Hearing on the Annual Report to include the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) 2024-2025.
will move on to a public hearing for a tapper for 2425 we do not have anybody
to sign up to speak on so we will continue on to our consent agenda a
9. Consent Agenda
consent agenda shall include items that were discussed and considered at the
the previous work-study board meeting, as well as items of reoccurring nature.
The board shall be furnished with background material for each item.
Consent agenda items will be grouped together under one action item.
All items shall be acted upon by one vote without separate discussion unless a board
member requests that an item be withdrawn for individual consideration from policies
BE legal and BE local.
Board, are there any items that you would like to remove from the consent agenda tonight?
Mr. President.
Ms. Galvin?
I'd like to remove 9.6, 9.7 concerning the instructional calendar.
All right.
Any other items?
Ms. Seamy?
Yeah.
Do you mean 9.5 and 9.6?
Whichever one for the instructional calendars that we're going to be voting on.
Okay.
All right.
9.5 and 9.6.
Mr. President, I move that the Board of Trustees approves the consent.
I have a couple more items.
Oh.
Oh, excuse me, I'd like to pull 9.13 and 9.14.
9.13 and 9.14.
Same item, basically.
Merrill Center updates.
Thank you.
All right.
9.13.
Interior lighting upgrades and the electronic display boards.
13 and 14.
So we are pulling 9.5, 9.6, 13, and 14.
Any other items, Board?
I will entertain a motion.
Mr. President.
Ms. Fox.
I move that the Board of Trustees approves the consent agenda for items 9.1 through 9.16,
except for items 9.5, 9.6, 9.13, and 9.14, which have been removed from the consent agenda.
Is there a second?
Second.
Ms. Gazzola?
It is moved and seconded that the Board of Trustees approves the consent agenda for items 9.1 through 9.16,
except for items 9.5, 9.6, 9.13, and 9.14, which have been removed from the consent agenda.
We will now proceed to vote.
Board members, please record your vote on the screen via your keypad.
Motion passes 7-0.
We will now move on to the items that were removed from the agenda, removed from the
9.5 Consider Board approval of the 2027-2028 Instructional Calendar.
consent agenda.
And the first would be item 9.5, consider board approval for the 2027-2028 instructional
calendar.
I just had a question on this that I know that we had had this answered via our emails,
but I wanted to do this more for the broader public to understand since we had already
had some um a little not a lot of pushback but just something that arose concerning the pay periods
um specifically it was the 238 days versus 234 days and what that looks like for the employees
so dr gregorski could you speak to that um as you did to the board
As far as 238 day employees, I'm not where the 234 comes from, but we have different employees on different day calendars.
We've got 238s, we've got 228s, Mr. Schuss, if I'm missing some.
We've got 208s, we've got 187s, you know what I mean?
We've got all sorts of calendars, and we publish that annually.
That's our annual work calendar for employees who work those jobs.
How are those days decided? You look at a job description, you look at the work,
you will look at the workload and we figure out these are the number of days
we need that employee in that position to accomplish the tasks assigned to that
position. So question came up to the board, I'd seen the question and it was
from a 230 day, 38 day employee. Okay so when you look at all the days in a
calendar okay 365 days and take out weekends take out federal holidays take
out two weeks at Christmas week at Thanksgiving a week at spring break
three-day holidays extra holidays okay for for as long as I can remember
somebody in here who's worked for the district for 20 or 30 40 years might
know as we squeeze that calendar okay the number of days off that employees
get in this district there's not 238 work days left in the calendar so
historically what we've said if you know I mean we we could you know I mean you
could take a 238 day employee squeeze them down to 234 231 to we can make it
whatever you want there is a workload with that because it's a year-round
employee but you can reduce the number of days which would reduce the number of
daily rate and reduce the salary of an employee okay that could be done what
What we've done historically in this district is we've had, for an employee that's 238 days, they just have to work 238 days a year.
If we're compensating you for 238 days a year, you work 238 days a year.
But then you'd say, oh, but there's only 231 in the calendar, or there's only 234.
It varies every year depending on the number of holidays we put in there or extra days or bonus days or whatever you want to call them off.
So historically, 238 day employee might have to make up three, four, five days in there.
I don't know what it is every year. I'd have to go back and count.
And so for this proposed calendar, building in a fall break of more time off,
an employee who's a 238 employee being paid for 238 days has to find seven additional days to work.
OK, now what are those days? Could be anything, you know what I mean?
But if they're going to be paid for 238 days, they need to find a way to work 238 days.
Now, thinking about that is, remember when we published what goes out, what Sherry creates for us is an instructional calendar.
That's what guides what's happening on the campus.
Yeah, we throw days in there.
But with that, if we added in a fall break, nobody mandating that a 238-day employee has to take the fall break.
They could come right into this building that's open all year round and work those days.
They don't have to take the fall break.
Fall break really was for the instructional calendar.
Teachers, campus level folks, students and families, that's where we're getting the feedback
from on that.
So there are a lot of days within a calendar that are days off, but somebody could find
those days to work.
Or they could find other ways to do it.
You could do it if you're an hourly employee.
You can do that through comp time. You can figure out a way to do that with overtime or comp time or you could
Use some of the days we allot to you
Every 238 day employee gets 10 vacation days. They could use some of those towards that allotment if they wanted to
Every employee gets 10 days of personal or sick time
They could allot some personal days to that and not make up those days in there
But the business of fulfilling 238 days is just relatively nothing new in this district
Been doing it for as long as I can remember, and certainly as long as I've been superintendent.
I think as long, I don't know if anyone wants to tell me how long.
James, you've been here a long time.
You tell me how long we've been doing that.
I'm with you.
As long as I've been in this district, it's been done that way.
You bet.
Yeah, as a principal, it's like just kind of, for us, it was always easy to make up those days because there was stuff going on.
Are you telling me you've worked Saturdays or Sundays and holidays as a school principal?
Maybe.
maybe once or twice so i hope that kind of gives a good thumbnail of a description of what happened
with the calendar but yes there are you got to make the the days in there i know what we had
talked about was the most popular option that was the one that was surveyed that what we had
talked about i think one of the options that we were going to be voting on was option c i'm not
that was the most popular option if i'm remembering that correctly so um i'm just making sure that
they're just talking about some of the concern was coming from paying back that
time and I think that's what you're referencing here is best basically
having to turn that time back over to pay back the time and it was a concern
for some of these employees and so I just wanted to make sure that we spoke
to that to kind of elevate that concern and to speak out to that to say hey this
is kind of what your options are in a way that we can so that they know that
we're hearing them and we're trying to give you options as to what this is
We're not trying to make you, we're not trying to take anything away from you.
We're trying to go with what everybody voted for, what the consensus was on that.
And I just wanted to make sure that we were speaking to that.
Yeah.
And that's the tough part in there.
So if we're going to, if we have a calendar, I mean, I'm open to the feedback if anyone wants to provide some of that on there.
If we're going to pay an employee, so like a school principal or, you know what I mean, I'm a 238.
A lot of people in this room are 238s.
If we're going to pay you a salary to work 238 days, we just got to find a way to work the 238 days.
If the better option is to reduce salaries down to whatever, 235 or 232, I don't think that's going to be very popular.
I wouldn't recommend that.
But how do we design a system then for which, in this case, okay, where the email came in and said,
said, well, I don't think that's fair. I got to make up seven extra days to get to my 238. Well,
then what should we do? I mean, do we compensate you for 231 to get you to 238? Okay. Or do we
find you some different ways to do that through comp time or personal time or other time or
actually just come in and work time? You know what I mean? So I don't know if that's an option
to compensate people for more days than they're working. I appreciate you making the distinction
that you still do have the option to come in and work.
Nobody's saying that you cannot come in and work.
This is just for the instructional calendar.
So thank you for making that clear that no one's preventing you from coming in and doing the job
or doing what you can do on time.
Very similar to that, too.
You know, I mean, we publish a calendar in this building or information in this building, not a calendar.
But there are times in the holidays that this building is open where custodials up here work.
And the custodial 261s, does that sound right?
Okay.
So they're working.
I mean, we take off two weeks over Christmas,
but right up until Christmas, this building could be open for people.
People can come in and work on those days if they chose to.
We just don't make them do it.
We really are extra flexible to tell the employee,
you choose how to get to 238.
Weekends, holidays, there's 100 different ways to get to them.
Mr. President, do you mind?
Okay, and then can you help me just understand, so are the 238 day employees, are they mainly working here in the admin building?
They're probably all over the place.
Okay, they're all over.
There are.
There's some campus level folks.
There would be operations folks that aren't in this building but are in other, yeah.
Okay, and then so I saw one of your options was you could work an hour of overtime every week.
Is that what you were saying?
Yeah, so I kind of divided it up.
It wouldn't be paid overtime.
It would just be.
It would be.
So let's break out two groups of employees because the folks in this room, other than BJ, who's over there now.
Thank you, BJ.
They're exempt employees.
Okay, so they don't create overtime.
So, like, none of those folks out there are getting overtime.
So they can't.
Okay.
Take them off the table.
Now, hourly folks can create that.
And what we do is we call it comp time or banked time
So if you worked your 40 hours that week
But then you worked 41 just keep that in your bank when you get seven of them
Cash that in for your day. You know I mean so you just bank enough time to do that
So over the course of a month how much time could I?
Reasonably bank to make some of those days up would be an option for somebody for our hourly folks
So that's a nice option. I didn't hear you give that tonight, but I saw it in the emails
I thought that was nice.
I wanted to bring that up.
Thank you.
And then would employees be able to, you kind of answered this, but from what I'm understanding
what you're saying, employees would be able to pick a work day that is best for them to
maybe work instead of, like a day off that they could work instead of taking the day
off.
Yes.
There's a lot of them in the calendar that they could do.
There are some days the building's not open and we probably wouldn't open it for one or
two employees, like a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Sure.
But there are other options in there most of the time they just work that out with their supervisor and figure out when the building
Would be open we do close the building during a shutdown over
July 4 July 3 I'm trying to think three or four days in there
So but outside of that there's there's a lot of days that it's it could be open. Thank you. You bet
Mr.. President
Thank you
So the exempt employees which are most
Most people in this room, right, that sounds to me a little more feasible and easier because some of them are already working the extra days, and that's just part of the job.
But the non-exempt is more the concern maybe I have.
So I understand the paras are 238.
And so I need to understand how feasible that is for them to make up potentially seven days if we go with this fall break.
and and that would be unpaid is that correct I mean they'd have to work right
unpaid so ha ha is that really no they get paid for those they would get paid
right because Paris or Paris another 38 there are so roughly generally speaking
I don't have the numbers exact in my head but in our district of our 14,000
and change employees, there are about 425 professional positions that are 238.
Then there's about another 425, 30, 35 hourly employees that are 238 employees.
So that's the scope of the folks you're talking about that are in this kind of quagmire of
there's not 238 days in the calendar anymore to work 238 days.
So they're they're hourly though. They're paid hourly. They are and so the 238 still a contract time
I guess they have to make up hourly. Is that how it works or or a reduction in salary?
That's happening now. No, okay. No now they have to at least work 238 to hold their position, but they're paid hourly
Yes, they're compensated hourly so so think about that if there was a 238 calendar the same person makes
$60,000 a year for working 238 days, that would convert to hourly. All those hours add up to 238
days of employment to $60,000. Well, let's say all of our folks who are hourly only have to work
231 days. Well, there's obviously not enough hours to equal the $60,000 in. So you would have to
either say, okay, we're going to give you some free days for which you just get them for free
and we compensate you or how would you get to your 238 days of all those hours combined right
or reduced salary okay so if i'm understanding correctly i want to make sure i understand this
for paras i'm concerned about paras and maybe some other hourly employees where it's a little
trickier to find those niches where they can make up the time uh because now instead with the fall
great fall break which is great for a lot of people but not everyone perhaps
tops um they're used to making up three or four days from what I understand currently and so if
we were to go with the fall break the new calendar it'd be more like seven or eight days um what's
that I don't remember um I don't know if it guys help me out of that is it is it seven days on the
new calendar do either of you know I don't remember 27 28 I believe it is and then I think the next
Seven days seven days seven days is next year
The proposed calendar for 2627 would be eight it's seven for
2728 because it's a leap year
There's February 29th, which comes into play in case you're curious why it's different
Okay, so they need to make up the time, but they'd have to work there would they make it?
How are they gonna make that up? I don't understand
Well, let's start with this.
I mean, first I'd ask, okay, how did, let's say we've been doing this for 10 or 20 years.
Well how did they make up the five days to get to 238?
All the ways I'm telling you how they make up the five days.
You could on a calendar choose to come in on a day for which on the instructional calendar
it says we're not having instruction.
But you come in here and work.
A para can do that without kids in the building.
No kids in this building. So a para can work a para whose primary role is to be
with children in the classroom. No your instructional paras if you're
concerned about instructional paras they're not on a 238. Instructional para
somebody who works with children an instructional para is on a 187. Okay.
Okay.
Thank you.
No problem with that.
We're talking about clerical people and other types of hourly people,
not people who work with children.
All right.
So you're talking about a lot of work in this building
who you would come in and you might work in payroll,
you might do other work.
There's always administrative type work that you're handling.
I just speak to the instructional para.
Okay.
All right.
Because I think on campus, and correct me if I'm wrong,
the only 238 pair is the principal secretary is that right yeah so I mean
trust me when I tell you those folks oh yeah have an easy time of making up the
land I don't want to say that I don't say easy but there's a lot of a lot of
opportunities and lots of work to be done and and they can certainly certainly
do it so thank you so to be clear they have an exempt and a non-exempt or
I guess non-exempt para who works in this building let's say that they have
ten vacation days in addition to the holidays and the winter break if you
will the Thanksgiving break that they have and they also have ten personal
days or sick to use is that unpaid or paid hey hey so they have 20 days yes
Yes.
If I'm hearing correctly?
Yes.
20 days?
Yes.
To use to make up the seven to eight days, depending on the year?
They could choose to do it that way.
If they were to do it that way.
Okay.
Thank you.
So a lot of opportunity for folks in this building to come in and take care of those days.
Mr. President?
Ms. Champagne?
Okay.
So I really didn't have any questions, but no, this has made me think of things.
So they already, I'm looking at you, Ms. Ashmore, but so they already have five days.
So because that fall break only added two days.
Because it's three days, I know, but one of the days was already a day off, like that October 9th or 10th-ish.
But we pushed back the instructional calendar to the Wednesday after.
So it pushed back four days.
You'll remember that there's also President's Day is a full staff holiday.
So, for example, next month, that's a professional learning day.
So I, as a 238 employee, will be here on President's Day.
But next year, if the calendar is modified, I would have off on that day.
So I would choose, am I going to come in and work and do one of my makeup days because I'm used to working on President's Day?
Do I want to honor the holiday and pick another day?
Do I want to use a vacation day at the end to kind of balance out what I need to get to my 238?
Okay, but I guess what the stronger point I'm trying to make is that it's not just the fall break that is pushing into the seven days.
It's, because that's only two extra days.
Just the fall break is only two extra days.
So it's other things like the starting late.
But it's three, but one of them we're already off.
One we're used to having.
Like what Columbus Day or whatever.
Yeah, the one that's in October, we already have it off.
We always have that off.
So then they only added two other days.
So I'm just saying fall holiday is tech even though I know it's three days
technically that's only two extra days so it's other days throughout like you
said Presidents Day or and the day after Easter day after Easter those are the
four days that are different other things other than just fall break I'm
just trying to make that point I saw yeah
Any other questions or discussion, Board?
All right.
We will consider Item 9.5, consider Board approval of the 2026, no, sorry, consider Board approval of the 2027-2028 instructional calendar.
Mr. President.
Ms. Fox.
I move the Board of Trustees approve the 2728 instructional calendar as presented.
Is there a second?
Second.
It was a motion by Ms. Fox and second by Mr. Cross.
Please proceed to vote for the considered Board approval of the 2027-2028 instructional calendar.
Oh, sorry.
Where is my eye?
And the motion passes 7-0.
9.6 Consider Board amendment of the 2026-2027 Instructional Calendar.
We'll now consider 9.6.
Is there any discussion for item 9.6?
Mr. President?
Ms. Champagne?
I move that we approve the 2026-2027 instructional calendar as presented.
Okay.
With option C.
Is there a second?
Second.
Ms. Colman?
Any discussion?
No discussion?
Then we'll move on to vote.
for item 9.6 consider board amendment or the motion has been made to approve the
board amendment of the 2026 2027 instructional calendar please proceed to
vote on your keypads and the motion passes 7 to 0 we'll now move on to item
9.13 Consider Board approval of the proposal for interior lighting upgrades at the Education Support Complex and Leonard E. Merrell Center.
913 consider board approval of the proposal for interior lighting upgrades
grades at the education support complex and Leonard e Merrill Center questions
or discussion board I just wanted to clarify it's more of an informational
point for the public to understand where the money's coming from just to
highlight that and correct me if I'm wrong please but the lighting the
The interior lighting was $4.2 million projected cost.
And then the scoreboard, what is it, $2 million, the scoreboard.
And those are being funded by something called the TERS Waterfall Fund.
And so I'm speaking just to make sure the public understands.
I read some misunderstanding of where that expenditure was coming from.
So these TERS funds are limited to a geographical area,
area, and they can only be spent in and around Katy High School.
They've profited off of some of these funds.
The Merrill Center is one of them.
I don't know if there's any other major areas.
That's what I've seen.
This building.
This building, yeah.
The administration building.
And that balance is $17 million right now in the tourist fund, and we're trying to spend
that down.
And so I mainly wanted to state that for the public, make sure that it was very clear.
It's not coming from obviously our general operating fund or any other bond. It's coming from the TERS waterfall fund
Thank you. Mr. President this box and that TERS waterfall fund has a finite end
To it and the time has expired on using it or adding to it. Is that correct?
Timeline on how long that waterfall can exist
I think it can be 10 years from now, et cetera.
But yes, it's limited to just this geographical block,
with the exception of tractor supply.
But it will not be added to any for any longer.
So when it's gone, when this, when what's left over is spent.
And it can only be spent on capital projects
within this boundary.
Got it.
Thank you.
Mr. President.
Any other questions or discussion?
Mr. President?
Ms. Champagne?
I move that we approve the proposal for interior lighting upgrades
at the Educational Support Complex and Leonard E. Merrill Center.
Second.
Motion and a second to approve the board approval
of the proposal for interior lighting upgrades
at the Educational Support Complex and Leonard E. Merrill Center.
We'll now proceed to vote on your keypad.
The motion passes 7-0.
9.14 Consider Board approval of the contract for the replacement of the electronic display boards at the Leonard E. Merrell Center.
We'll now consider 9-14.
Any discussion, or we've already talked about it?
Any other questions there?
Mr. President, I move that the Board of Trustees approves 9.14 as presented.
I second.
It is motioned and seconded to approve the contract for the replacement of the electronic display boards at the Leonard E. Merrill Center.
Board will now proceed to vote on your keypad.
And the motion passes 7-0.
10. Information Items
I will now move on to Item 10, Information Items.
Board Committee Updates.
Since we met last time, our Finance Committee met,
and we put up the, I don't have the agenda in front of me right here,
but is there anything, Ms. Teaney or Ms. Cotland,
that you think that everybody needs to know in addition to our agenda that we discussed?
I'm thinking through.
Sorry, it's been a hot minute.
Just that we're beginning discussing just looking at balancing our budget.
Yeah, I mean, that was it.
And then academic committee met, I believe, was it last week?
Is there any updates there?
So our academic committee is always very, very interesting.
Mrs. Martinez and Dr. Caskey and Dr. Bell always have so much information, like deep
and wide information and we spend a lot of time asking and figuring all that out
and we talked about the presentation we got it at the work-study meeting and
then we looked at a lot of data and then we saw the report she has coming there
and then we get a lot of information about the one pagers and then on that
one pager that they send to all of us board members link after link after link
to click on to dive as deeply as we want to in data down to every campus, every grade level,
third graders across KDSD, all the way through. It's very, very informative and deep and wide
and intense and fabulous because KDSD is so good at all of that. So if you want any information
specific it's it's in our reports but also ask us and James and I mr. cross
and I'd be happy
to talk to you about it thank you item 10.2 recap a board member request for
information madam secretary secretary did we capture any requests tonight I
did not I do I would like current information concerning our relationship
and contractual ties to a reit public affairs as it concerns Matthew Connor
and any associates of his I'd like to know where we stand with that I know
we're not in legislative session right now actively but i'd like to know what that looks like
since legislative session has ended now and going forward
do that yeah i second that also i just shout out and and request for when the taylor high school
cheer will be here to celebrate their first ever state title uil state title first ever
so I want to applaud them and I'm curious when they're coming thanks for
rubbing that in all right we've got those items then we'll look at future
11. Future Meetings
meetings board work-study on February 16th 2026 and the next regular board
meeting will be on Monday February 2020 or 23 2026 the board will now convene
12. Closed Meeting
in closed meeting is authorized under sections 551.001 of the texas government code for the
following purposes texas government code 551.0821 and 551.074 it is necessary for everyone in here
to clear the room as the board will convene in closed meeting in this room thank you
the board will now reconvene an open meeting today is tuesday january 20th 2026 and the time
13. Reconvene from Closed Meeting
is 905 p.m the board heard a level 3 gf grievance 25-012 pursuant to kdic school
school district policy, GF legal and GF local regarding parent-student grievances in closed meeting.
In accordance with Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code,
any action regarding this matter must be taken in an open meeting.
Do I have a motion on the Level 3 GF grievance board?
Mr. President.
I apologize, Mr. President.
I move that the Board of Trustees denies the Level 3 GF grievance in GF 25-012,
thereby upholding the decision of the Level 1 and Level 2 hearing officer.
Do I have a motion? Do I have a second?
Second.
It is motioned and seconded to deny level 3 GF grievance and GF 25-012, thereby upholding the decision of the level 1 and level 2 hearing officer.
Board will now proceed to vote on your keypad.
And the motion passes 7-0.
There being no further business before the board, this meeting is adjourned.
The time is 9.06 p.m.
Official documents
Motions and votes
Recorded actions
The motions and votes for this meeting have not been recorded here yet. Whether any were taken is not stated either way. The agenda and the recording above are the primary sources.