[00:00:07]
[1.
CALL TO ORDER
]NOW.THE TIME IS NOW 6:00 PM AND I CALL THE JULY 24TH, 2025 MEETING OF THE SISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO ORDER.
MADAM SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? YES, WE DO.
[3.
CLOSED SESSION
]WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 5 5 1 0.071 AND 5 5 1 0.074.WE WILL RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION AT 7:00 PM THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
[4.
RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION (Approximately 7:00 p.m.)
]7:00 PM AND WE WILL RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION.WE ARE HERE, THERE ARE FIVE TRUSTEES THIS EVENING IN ATTENDANCE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE ATTEN, UH, TRUSTEE JOHN TROY, WHO WILL BE JOINING US REMOTELY.
UM, AND, UM, TRUSTEE JAMES BRADLEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO JOIN US.
JOHN, UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND START THE MEETING.
SO, MY NAME IS KIM MCMATH AND I'M PRESIDENT OF THE E-S-I-S-D BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION.
WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S SPECIAL MEETING.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS FOR THE BOARD TO DELIBERATE AND VOTE ON ONE SOLE MATTER TONIGHT LISTED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
AS ALWAYS, WE'RE COMMITTED TO ENSURING A RESPECTFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE ENVIRONMENT, AND WE ASK FOR THE SAME COURTESY IN RETURN, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT VERY SHORTLY.
UM, AND AS ALWAYS, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK ABOUT THE ITEMS THE ONE ITEM DISCUSSED TONIGHT, FEEL FREE TO SEND IN AN EMAIL TO THE TRUSTEES AT TRUSTEES@EISD.NET.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE TONIGHT AND YOUR COMMITTED INTEREST IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN OUR SESSION WITH OPEN FORUM,
[5.
OPEN FORUM
]AND TONIGHT WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF OUR PUBLIC, UM, IN OPEN FORUM.AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF INSTRUCTIONS THAT I NEED TO READ OUT.
WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
THE TWO SPEAKERS WILL SPEAK NOW AND WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
NOW, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THESE INSTRUCTIONS WHEN SPEAKING, DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD, NOT TO THE AUDIENCE OR OTHERS.
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 PROHIBITS DISRUPTION OF BOARD MEETINGS, WHICH WE DON'T EXPECT.
SO WE ASK THAT REACTIONS OR COMMENTS REMAIN, UM, BRIEF AND RESPECTFUL.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN, HAPPEN, BUT IF YOU WERE EVER TO NAME A DISTRICT EMPLOYEE IN A COMPLAINT, YOU WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE TO HEAR THAT COMPLAINT IN CLOSED SESSION, WHICH IS NOT HERE TONIGHT.
THE BOARD CAN'T DELIBERATE OR RESPOND TO COMMENTS IN FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM PUBLIC FORUM, AND PER TEXAS LAW.
SO THIS IS OUR TIME TO LISTEN, NOT TO REACT OR ENGAGE.
CLARIFYING INFORMATION MAY BE PROVIDED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT IF NECESSARY.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME AND YOUR THOUGHTS TONIGHT.
WE'RE READY FOR TONIGHT'S FIRST SPEAKER, WHICH IS SAM GONZALEZ.
SAM, DO YOU WANNA JOIN US? YES, PLEASE.
NO, YOU CAN, YOU CAN COME UP TO THE DAIS AND THEN RIGHT HERE TO YOUR LEFT, THERE IS, UH, A TIMER.
UM, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY OTHER THAN I WANTED TO THANK DR.
ARNETTE, UH, FOR ALL YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE HERE TO THE DISTRICT.
UM, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO MEET YOU FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF YOUR, UH, START HERE AT, UH, THE E SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, DURING THE TIME THAT I WAS HERE OF THE LAST TWO, UM, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE MEETING YOU, UM, WORKING WITH YOU AND WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND YOUR STAFF ON THE DIFFERENT ISSUES AND OBSTACLES THAT HAVE BEEN COMING OUR WAY THROUGH THE DISTRICT.
WANNA WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR RETIREMENT AND YOUR NEXT STEPS, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP IN TOUCH.
AND BY THE SAME TOKEN, I WANNA WELCOME OUR, UH, INCUMBENT, UH, TO THE DISTRICT AND HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME COFFEE AND HAVE A CHAT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JULIE KEO.
I DON'T HAVE THE NAMES LISTED, SO I'M GOING BY MEMORY.
[00:05:01]
GOT A DIFFICULT NAME AND YOU DID IT WELL,UM, UH, MY NAME IS JULIE GUILLO AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE WESTLAKE BAND PARENTS BOARD.
ANETTE FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE.
UM, BUT I, I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE THAT OUR NEW, UH, INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, UH, WAS INTERESTED IN HEARING THE BAND.
SO, UH, I'M REPRESENTING THE BAND TONIGHT, AND WE WANTED TO BE HERE TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME AND HOPEFULLY AFTER THE VOTE.
UH, A CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU FROM THE WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL, CHAPARRAL BAND, UH, AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND.
UM, WE HOPE THAT YOU CAN ATTEND OUR KICKOFF SUMMER CONCERT ON AUGUST 11TH, BECAUSE THIS IS THE EVENT, IF YOU LIKE, THE BAND, WHEN I FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH THE SHAP BAND, IT SO MUCH SO THAT I'M ENTERING MY FOURTH YEAR OF FUNDRAISING.
NOW THAT OUGHT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING 'CAUSE NOBODY LIKES FUNDRAISING.
UM, UH, BUT IF YOU CAN MAKE IT, I BET YOU'LL FALL IN LOVE TOO.
UH, I REALLY HAVE ONE MORE TO DESCRIBE THE BAND, AND THAT IS WOW.
UH, SO WELCOME OR I GUESS WELCOME AFTER THE VOTE.
UM, I HAVE TWO KIDS IN THE BAND PROGRAM, ONE THAT JUST GRADUATED IN MAY, AND NOW HE'S HEADED OFF TO COLLEGE IN ENGINEERING.
AND THANKS TO THE OUTSTANDING EDUCATION HE RECEIVED AT WESTLAKE, HE WAS ACCEPTED INTO HIS DREAM UH, SCHOOL, ONE OF THE TOP ENGINEERING SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY.
AND WHILE I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE UNBELIEVABLE STEM AND ROBOTICS PROGRAMS IN THE IN SCHOOLS, UM, FUNNY ENOUGH, MANY OF HIS COLLEGE ESSAYS WERE ACTUALLY PULLED FROM HIS EXPERIENCES, UH, AND LESSONS THAT HE LEARNED IN BAND.
AND, UH, FROM PERFORMANCE UNDER PRESSURE TO, TO LEARNING GRIT AND RESILIENCE AND TEAMWORK, UM, OUR AWARD-WINNING BAND REALLY MAKES MORE THAN AWESOME MUSIC.
IT MAKES AWESOME KIDS AND LEADERS.
UM, SO THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, AND, UH, WELCOME, I GUESS AFTER THE VOTE TO S AND WESTLAKE AND THE BAND LOOKS FORWARD TO MEETING YOU.
WE ARE NOW GONNA MOVE INTO OUR AGENDA ACTION ITEM, AND, UM, WHICH IS
[6.1 Request to approve Interim Superintendent contract]
A REQUEST TO APPROVE THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT.WILL I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD? LAURA? I DON'T HAVE THE MOTION IN FRONT OF ME, SO LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THIS RIGHT.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT AS POSTED.
I HAVE A MOTION, DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND FROM DIANE.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? LAURA? WELL, WELCOME TO TOM RIGG AND HIS LOVELY WIFE, JULIE.
UM, IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE Y'ALL HERE.
UH, I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR, UM, SAYING YES WHEN WE ASKED.
UM, IT'S A VERY BIG YES, Y'ALL HAVE, UH, UH, JUST IN CASE Y'ALL DON'T KNOW, THEY ACTUALLY LIVE IN KANSAS AND
UM, WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, UM, WE WERE FOCUSED ON FINDING SOMEONE WHO COULD ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY, SOMEONE WHO COULD SUPPORT OUR AMAZING CABINET AND STAFF, SOMEONE WHO COULD CONTINUE THE EXEMPLARY, UM, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT, UH, IAN'S PROVIDES TO OUR STUDENTS AND SOMEONE WHO COULD, UM, UH, KIND OF TACKLE SOME OF THE DIFFICULT THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
UM, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT, UH, YOU ARE THAT PERSON.
UH, AND MAN, THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR SHOWING UP VERY SHORT, UH, WITH A SHORT NOTICE TO, UH, TO WELCOME YOU.
SO THANK Y'ALL ALL FOR BEING HERE.
KELLY, UH, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND A WELCOME TO YOU.
AND, UM, ONE THING I REALLY EN UM, ENJOYED WHEN WE MET WITH YOU WAS, UM, YOU SAID THAT YOU TOOK OUR CALL AND YOU HEARD A CALL AND YOU LISTENED TO IT.
AND I'M JUST REALLY THANKFUL FOR THAT.
AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF, AND OUR COMMUNITY.
DIANE, THANK YOU FOR COMING, AND MANY WONDERFUL THINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAID, SO I WON'T REPEAT THOSE.
BUT, UH, JUST TO ADD ONTO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE RECOGNIZE THAT YOU'VE SACRIFICED RETIREMENT TO COME BACK AND HELP US OUT.
WE, UM, GREATLY APPRECIATE IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU DURING THAT INTERVIEW PROCESS.
[00:10:01]
YOU WOWED US AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HELP US THROUGH THIS P TRANSITION THAT WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH A VERY IMPORTANT TIME IN WHICH WE'RE LOOKING FOR A PER PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT OF COURSE.SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
UM, TOM AND JULIE, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
UM, AS WE, UH, MADE A MOTION TO, TO BRING YOU ON TO OUR S FAMILY, I THINK WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS THAT THE S COMMUNITY TRULY IS A FAMILY.
UM, FOR ME, MYSELF, I AM ONE OF THE NEWEST TRUSTEES ON THE, UH, AT THE DIOCESE HERE.
AND SO BEING KIND OF THROWN IN AND HAVING TO GO STRAIGHT INTO AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH WAS PRETTY SCARY.
AND YOU ACTUALLY SAID SOMETHING DURING YOUR INTERVIEW AND I WROTE IT DOWN 'CAUSE IT WAS VERY MEANINGFUL TO ME.
YOU SAID YOU CAN EITHER LEAD WITH FAITH OR YOU CAN LEAD WITH FEAR, AND YOU CHOOSE TO LEAD WITH FAITH, AND THAT'S SO MEANINGFUL.
UM, I WROTE IT DOWN AND I'VE KEPT IT WITH ME IN A FEW INSTANCES.
YOU'VE SHOWN LEADERSHIP ALREADY TO OUR DISTRICT, JUST THROUGH YOUR INTERVIEW PROCESS AND BEING HERE TONIGHT.
UM, DO WE HAVE JOHN ROLANDO? DO WE HAVE JOHN? YES.
JOHN, DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I DID, UH, DR.
TRIGG, UH, I'M, I'M SO SORRY I'M NOT THERE.
I WISH I COULD BE THERE IN PERSON TO MEET YOU AND YOUR WIFE.
I AM SO EXCITED AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
UH, IT WAS A PLEASURE GETTING TO KNOW YOU BRIEFLY DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
UH, I LEFT INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED, UH, AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB, UH, AND LOOKING FORWARD, UH, TO WORKING WITH YOU AND APPRECIATE YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, BEING VERY OPEN WHEN WE REACHED OUT AND, AND JOINING THE PROCESS AND, UH, UH, AND, UH, MAKING A, A BIG CHANGE, UH, TO COME DOWN AND JOIN US.
UH, BUT WE COULDN'T BE MORE PLEASED AND HAPPIER FOR YOU TO BE HERE WITH US AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND THE IMPACT YOU'RE GONNA MAKE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I HAVE NO DOUBT FOLKS ARE GONNA LOVE, UH, GETTING TO KNOW YOU AND YOUR WIFE, AND WELCOMING YOU INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
I I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS FROM JAMES BRADLEY WHO WASN'T ABLE TO JOIN, AND I WANTED TO READ THOSE.
AND HE, JAMES SAYS, WELCOME TO E'S ISD, DR.
I'M DELIGHTED TO WELCOME YOU BOTH TO OUR DISTRICT.
TRIGG IS A WONDERFUL FIT FOR E'S ISD, AND I'M CONFIDENT HE'LL BRING FRESH ENERGY AND THOUGHTFUL IDEAS THAT WILL MAKE HIS TIME AS INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT BOTH PRODUCTIVE AND MEANINGFUL.
AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD'S SEARCH SUBCOMMITTEE THAT RECOMMENDED DR.
TRIGG, I FULLY SUPPORT THE BOARD'S DECISION TO APPROVE HIS CONTRACT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE HIM IN THE MONTHS AHEAD AND GETTING TO KNOW JULIE AS PART OF OUR S COMMUNITY.
I'M SORRY I COULDN'T BE THERE IN PERSON TONIGHT TO SHARE THIS WELCOME, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO VISITING WITH YOU BOTH VERY SOON.
HERE'S TO A SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL SEASON TOGETHER, AND THAT WAS FROM JAMES.
AND, UM, FELLOW TRUSTEES HAVE SAID JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.
I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE, UM, TOM AND JULIE OF, OF GETTING TO SPEAK WITH YOU A LITTLE MORE, UM, THAN THE REST OF THE TRUSTEES.
I'M, I'M ALSO DELIGHTED THAT YOU ARE HERE.
UM, WE, I THINK THAT THIS INTERIM COULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFICULT TIME FOR THIS COMMUNITY, UM, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO, BECAUSE I THINK THAT YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR EXPERIENCE IS GOING TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD IN THE NEXT FEW, FEW MONTHS.
I, I ADD MY WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU, UM, IN, IN THIS TIME.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING DR.
TOM T TRIG'S, INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOL'S CONTRACT, SAY AYE.
AND JOHN, UM, ANY NAYS? NOT AT ALL.
WE HAVE BY A VOTE OF SIX TO ZERO, UM, APPROVED DR.
TRIG'S, SUPERINTENDENT CON, INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO SURE WHEN AS A SUPERINTENDENT EVER GIVEN UP A CHANCE TO TALK TO MIKE.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS.
UM, FIRST THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING JULIE IN THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP AND THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN FOR ME WITHOUT JULIE AND HER SUPPORT AND HER BACKING AND, UH, THE FACT THAT, THAT SHE WAS WILLING TO COME AS WELL, UM, I THINK SPEAKS VOLUMES.
AND SO I WOULD THANK HER PERSONALLY, BUT I THANK YOU FOR EMBRACING HER.
[00:15:02]
UM, JEFF BARNETT OVER HERE.UM, I'VE KNOWN JEFF FOR A LONG TIME AND HE'S LEAVING THIS DISTRICT IN GREAT SHAPE.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF HARD WORK THAT THAT GOES INTO, UH, A QUALITY DISTRICT LIKE EAMS. AND JEFF IS ONE OF THOSE COGS AND O OBVIOUSLY THE LEADER OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THIS HAPPEN, INCLUDING THE BOARD.
AND I COULD GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, TEACHING STAFF, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF THAT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH TODAY, UM, CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL, STUDENTS, PARENTS, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, WHATEVER.
BUT ANYWAY, JEFF, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU BECAUSE YOU REALLY, REALLY DESERVE IT.
AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE COMMENTS ABOUT JEFF BECAUSE HE, UH, HE'S TOP-NOTCH.
SO I WOULD CONCLUDE BY JUST SAYING IT'S, IT'S AN ABSOLUTE HONOR, UM, TO, UH, BE ASKED TO, TO COME AND, AND SERVE WITH YOU ALL.
AND, UM, THE CONFIDENCE THAT YOU'VE EXHIBITED TO ME IS, UM, I HOPE WELL PLACED.
AND I JUST COMMIT TO YOU TO DO THE VERY BEST JOB THAT I CAN TO KEEP S ON THAT UPWARD TRAJECTORY THAT IT IS, AND THEN HAND OFF THE, THE BATON, UM, HOPEFULLY FIVE TO SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, UM, AT A BETTER PLACE THAN IT IS, UM, TODAY WITH ALL OF YOUR HELP.
ALRIGHT, I THINK THAT, UM, WE HAVE HAD ONE OF THE SHORTEST MEETINGS, UM, PROBABLY ON RECORD,
WE DO HAVE UPCOMING MEETINGS, UM, ON AUGUST 5TH AND AUGUST 19TH.
THE LOCATION IS TO BE IN, TO BE DETERMINED.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN MEETING HERE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS SINCE I THINK MAY, AND WE MAY BE MEETING SHORTLY IN OUR NEW ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AT 4 0 1 CAMP CRAFT, BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT, SO WE COULD BE HERE AUGUST 5TH.
UM, WE MAY BE IN OUR NEW, UM, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, WHICH WILL BE SOON.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR JOINING, FOR WELCOMING DR.
TRIGG AND JULIE TRIGG, AND AT SEVEN 16, WE'LL ADJOURN TONIGHT'S MEETING.