The Montgomery business community’s support is a vital part of what makes our school district successful. Montgomery ISD is thankful for the ongoing partnership that the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce (MACC) provides, and they have stepped up to once again rally the community behind the Education Foundation’s Together We Grow community fundraiser.
“One of the Chamber’s key initiatives is to invest in our future,” MACC Executive Director Shannan Reid said. “Not just the next business to come along, but also as MISD prepares our young people to eventually return to Montgomery and build the community up for the next generation. The Montgomery Area Chamber is proud to support the MISD Education Foundation’s Together We Grow Community Fundraiser and encourages all Montgomery residents to join in this incredible event.”
The Montgomery ISD Education Foundation’s Together We Grow community fundraiser will be held on Saturday, April 24th from 7-11 p.m. This event is the remodeled version of their annual Gala, and will take place outdoors at the Old Community Center in Historic Montgomery. The Education Foundation board is putting great effort into making this event an inclusive and community-wide venture that will be a successful fundraiser for their scholarship and teacher grant programs.
The Montgomery ISD Education Foundation is hosting its first community fundraiser, Together We Grow, on Saturday, April 24th from 7-11pm. This event is the remodeled version of their annual Gala, and will take place outdoors at the Old Community Center in Historic Montgomery. The Education Foundation board is putting great effort into making this event an inclusive and community-wide venture that will be a successful fundraiser for their scholarship and teacher grant programs.
At the event, the Foundation will be rewarding a $2,000 campus grant to one MISD Principal for their Campus Hustle Project! There will be hustle teams of parents from each campus working at the event, selling sponsorship tickets to those in attendance that want to support our cause. The campus with the most hustle will win! The good news is, the hustle STARTS NOW! Below you will see videos of each campus principal explaining what they will do with the money if their campus wins, and the whole community is invited to join in the fun!
Click on THIS LINK and purchase campus sponsorship tickets (at the very bottom) to help YOUR school win. This is where the “hustle” happens! Make sure you put YOUR campusin the blank so they will get the credit for the purchase!
While you’re on the link, go ahead and purchase tickets to attend this great night! It will be a great night of BBQ, live music AND MORE in the heart of our growing town!
SHARE the link and SHARE the video supporting YOUR campus choice on all your social media platforms! Anyone can purchase tickets to support the hustle, and anyone can attend the event, so let’s help YOUR campus come out on top!
LIKE and FOLLOW the MISD Education Foundation Page on Facebook HERE. You can even tag them when you make your posts about the event!
I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you the direction Montgomery ISD is taking as it relates to Governor Abbott’s recent announcement regarding the required use of face masks or coverings. During our March Regular Board of Trustees meeting this evening, the board adopted a Resolution that maintains the district’s current health protocols through the end of this school year. The Resolution also authorizes the Superintendent to make masks optional beginning May 31, 2021, pending future state law or regulations allow for this to occur. While each of us on the board has our own strong opinions on this issue, I’m thankful that we addressed it respectfully. We all agree that providing our students with an excellent in-person educational experience by keeping schools open and limiting the number of required COVID-19 close contact quarantines must remain our top priority.
It was just over a year ago when our district shut down, for what we thought would be a brief period. Instead, like so many districts across our state and nation, our students never returned to school after Spring Break in March 2020. Our board takes great pride in the fact that our district has been a leader in trying to balance various state regulations while attempting to return to a sense of normalcy for our students and families. We were among the first districts in the nation to return for in-person instruction in August 2020, and we have not required our pre-K through 3rd-grade students to wear masks, as many other districts have done. Additionally, we are all proud and appreciative that our number of students choosing in-person learning as their preferred method of instruction has grown to 94%. Across the state, the average number of students choosing in-person learning is still less than 60%. This is a testament to the resilience and grit of the Montgomery community, especially our teachers and campus staff who have tried their best to make 2020 and 2021 as normal as possible for our students. Our students have inspired me and others with their determination and kindness even though they have seen traditions upended and have dealt with tremendous amounts of stress and loss in some of the most formative years of their youth.
Continuing with our current health protocols, which follow the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) guidelines and requires all staff and students in grades 4 to 12 to wear masks or facial coverings was not an easy decision. It’s important to note that Governor Abbott’s recent executive order, which lifted the statewide mask mandate for Texas’s bars, restaurants, and businesses on March 10, delegated mask requirements for public school districts to be determined by TEA. Following the Governor’s order, TEA directed school districts to continue operating with existing mask requirements in place. However, TEA did allow local school districts to consider lifting the mask mandate through an official action of the board of trustees. The Governor and TEA called for school boards to consider the guidance of local health authorities in making this decision. The Montgomery County Health District voiced strong support for continuing with mask protocols for the remainder of this academic year.
It’s also important to note that, while TEA did allow school boards to consider modifications to mask requirements, it did not make any changes to rules regarding close contact tracing and mandated quarantining when someone on a school campus tests positive for COVID-19. Today, when a student or faculty member tests positive, there are very few individuals having to be quarantined, as everyone in grades 4-12 is required to wear a mask. The rules established by TEA are clear – if all individuals are wearing a mask, close contact rules require only the person who tested positive to be quarantined. Since TEA made no adjustments to its close contact rules, if masks were to become optional, and the person testing positive for COVID-19 was not wearing a mask, all individuals who were within six feet for longer than 15 minutes would have to be quarantined. This is true even if every other individual was wearing a mask, as TEA indicates close contact rules can only be impacted by all parties wearing masks. It is also true that the CDC recently adjusted its close contact protocols to 3 feet of contact. As of yet, TEA has not adjusted its close contact protocols.
By allowing school districts to consider removing mask requirements with existing close contact tracing protocols in place, TEA’s guidance puts school districts in a no-win situation. Districts were never consulted in the implementation of the mask mandate. Asking districts to act now to remove a mandate they had no involvement in forming places local leaders in an unnecessarily contrived situation. Making masks optional without changing close contact rules would lead to a significant increase in the number of students and staff having to be quarantined and would negatively impact our ability to keep schools open and student activities thriving. This, along with guidance from the Montgomery County Health District, is why the overwhelming number of school districts in our region and state are continuing with their current mask-wearing protocols.
District administration consulted with campus principals, PTO/PTA presidents and student leaders, and issued a staff survey regarding the continued wearing of masks in school and district facilities. The overall consensus across each of these groups was, while everyone looks forward to the day when masks will no longer be required, the district’s focus should remain on keeping schools open for in-person instruction and working to ensure extracurricular activities, sports, and graduation ceremonies can successfully occur through the remainder of this school year.
With this in mind, the board also took action on a resolution authorizing the Superintendent to seek responsible modifications from TEA regarding its close contact procedures. There is agreement among our board that if TEA were to make reasonable changes to close contact requirements regarding individuals within a defined radius wearing masks, we could consider a different approach to masks within our school district. Several board members and I have been in communication with local elected officials and are working with TEA and other agencies to advocate for these changes.
The board was also pleased to hear that the district administration was already developing plans to move further toward a sense of normalcy in our schools by opening up campuses to parents and volunteers and our mentor program. Our superintendent, Dr. Heath Morrison, has been working with principals, PTA/PTO presidents and student leaders to have open graduations and award ceremonies, proms, field days, athletic and extracurricular events, and the return of parents, volunteers and mentors in schools. These are encouraging and welcome next steps to returning to the normal activities we want back in our schools.
I know this decision to continue with current mask protocols until May 31 will disappoint many in our community. Please know that your school board members have spent the last few weeks hearing very passionate, compelling opinions on all aspects of this issue. My fellow board members and I truly value so many individuals sharing their voices. What ultimately drove our actions was the focus on keeping our schools, programs and activities open. We want our school district to be able to finish this school year with as many of the normal end-of-year activities as possible. We will continue to advocate that TEA make sensible modifications to its close contact rules so we are not faced with only being able to consider making masks optional by accepting nonsensical rules which will require significant increases of individuals having to be quarantined.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we work diligently to finish this school year strong. Keeping schools open and ensuring high-quality in-person learning can occur has been and will remain our focus. Our community, our state and our nation have been through a lot lately. I ask that MISD staff, families and community members continue to support each other and work together as we emerge from the past year with faith, hope and anticipation for the 2021-2022 school year.
It’s hard to believe that one year ago this week, our school district was forced to halt in-person instruction due to the spread of COVID-19 in our community. When I think back to one year ago, I recall the fear of the unknown and the impact the pandemic would soon have in school communities across the nation. I remember how difficult and painful it was for educators and students to miss nearly a full semester of in-person instruction. And mostly, I think about activities like graduation, prom, athletics and extracurricular activities that had to be canceled and the thousands of students who never had an opportunity to create a lifetime of memories. These were extraordinarily challenging times.
Fast-forward to today. There’s no doubting that things look a little different. Social distancing, hand sanitizer and masks are now a part of our daily routines – the new (temporary) reality. Yet, because of these adjustments and other health and safety protocols in place, we have been able to offer in-person learning and resume extracurricular activities this year with some normalcy. In fact, Montgomery ISD was one of the first school districts in Texas to re-open for in-person instruction. This community should take great pride in the resilience of Montgomery ISD students and staff.
As we head out for a much-needed Spring Break, lets take a moment to recognize how far we have come from one year ago today. From not knowing when we would be able to return to our campuses, classrooms, and sports fields – to where we stand now – with nearly 95% of students engaged with in-person learning, extra-curricular activities in full swing, and our sports teams on the field.
Nothing about this year has been easy. The challenges we have confronted during this school year have taken a toll on everyone – from a global pandemic, hurricanes and brownouts to a once in a generation winter storm in south Texas. I’m thankful that our community has continually put children first as we have navigated the challenges presented during this unprecedented school year. Let’s celebrate our resilience, take a week to rest, and finish this school year strong.
Below you will find a few important district updates. Thank you for taking the time to read this week’s MISD Minute to stay informed on important issues happening in the district.
Please enjoy a safe Spring Break. We’ll see you on March 22!
Sincerely,
Dr. Heath Morrrison
Superintendent
Montgomery ISD
COVID-19 Vaccine Opportunity on Monday, March 22 at the District ESC
On Monday, March 22, all MISD employees will have the opportunity to receive the first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the MISD Education Support Center. All school district employees are now eligible for the vaccine.
If you are interested in scheduling an appointment, please complete the questions in this link (also below – employee name, date of birth and employee ISD email address). The list will be submitted to the Montgomery County Health District (MCHD) and you will then receive an email to register for your appointment (check your spam folder if you do not get an email). An appointment is required to receive the vaccine on March 22. Appointment times will be between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Please choose a time slot that is during your scheduled conference period, if possible. If your conference time is in the morning, your campus administration will work with you so that you have the ability to leave campus for your scheduled appointment time. Please communicate this need so they can make arrangements.
MISD staff should complete this form by midnight on March 16th.Please park in the back parking lot and enter the doors for the Board Room area.
As soon as the 2nd dose of Moderna is available, MCHD will send out an email with registration options. We plan to work with MCHD to open the MISD ESC as a vaccination site for the second dose, as well.
This opportunity is being provided as a courtesy to our employees – the vaccine is not mandatory.
Budget Road Show
This week, we completed three stops of our “Budget Road Show”, meeting with ESC staff and the faculties at Stewart Creek ES and Lone Star ES. Financial transparency and providing meaningful salary increases to district employees are our top priorities as we build a district budget for the 2021-22 school year. We’re also committed to developing a district compensation plan to present to the Board of Trustees for approval in April. With a district compensation plan, employees will have a much better understanding of their salaries going into the next school year. It has been exciting to share some of our initial budget development work and proposals for salary improvements with staff across the district. I have enjoyed answering your questions and taking input and feedback.
I look forward to continuing these discussions when we return from Spring Break.
Staff Survey Results – Mask Requirements
This week, we surveyed all staff to gather input on the district’s existing mask requirement. Thank you to all of you who took the time to respond and provide us with your feedback. Your input is important to us as we make important health and safety-related decisions at the district level.
Superintendent Shout-Out – Montgomery JH One Act Play
Congratulations to MJH Theater teacher Tammy Lumpkin and the Montgomery Junior High UIL One Act Play students, who were named district champions this week!
We are so proud of your hard work and dedication this year.
An update regarding the Governor’s Executive Order
I wanted to provide you with an update on Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Order No. GA-34, which rescinds the statewide mandate regarding the required use of face masks or facial coverings. The Executive Order takes effect on Wednesday, March 10.
On Wednesday, March 3rd the Texas Education Agency issued further clarification regarding the Governor’s Executive Order. TEA clarified that the use of a mask or facial covering is still required when inside a school building, school facility, and facility used for school activities. TEA also stated that a local school board may modify or eliminate any existing district mask-related requirements by taking a formal action.
The Montgomery ISD Board of Trustees will have this issue as an agenda item when it meets for its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 23. Until then,Montgomery ISD will continue to follow its existing health and safety protocols requiring face masks or facial coverings on all district campuses and facilities.
It’s important to note that the TEA guidance did not change – or address – how removing a mask requirement would impact required close contact tracing, social distancing and CDC-required quarantining. This presents challenges in scenarios where campus administrators need to determine close contacts to an individual who tests positive for COVID-19.
For example, under the current close contact and quarantine requirements, in a scenario where an individual wearing a mask or face covering tests positive for COVID-19, only those individuals not wearing masks or face coverings determined to be in close contact with the positive person would be required to quarantine. Conversely, in a scenario where an individual not wearing a mask or face covering tests positive for COVID-19, all individuals – whether they were wearing masks or facial coverings or not – determined to be in close contact with the positive person would be required to quarantine. This scenario has the potential to result in large numbers of required quarantines impacting classrooms, sports programs and even an entire campus. We are currently seeking to gain further clarification from the TEA on quarantine requirements for districts considering removing mask-wearing requirements.
We understand that our community feels very passionately about all sides of this issue. Please know that as a district, our top priorities are the health of our students and staff and ensuring that in-person learning can continue without closing schools or quarantining a large number of students, sports programs or entire classrooms.
I want to thank our staff, students, and parents for their flexibility and understanding throughout this challenging school year. I am proud of not only how we successfully reopened schools for in-person instruction in August, but also of how we have ensured that our campuses have been able to stay open without any major disruptions due to the spread of the virus. While the state is averaging approximately 56% of students engaged with in-person instruction, MISD has over 94% of our students choosing in-person learning as their preferred method of instruction. We are proud of our students, staff and community.
Again, thank you for your patience as we continue to confront unprecedented challenges.
Sincerely,
Dr. Heath Morrison
Superintendent
Montgomery ISD
School District Personnel Now Eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccine
I am very thankful that our educators, campus staff and other district personnel are now on the COVID-19 vaccine priority list.
We are working diligently to ensure that any employee who wants to receive a vaccine will have access to one. On Monday, March 22 there will be an opportunity for employees who would like the vaccine to receive the here at the MISD ESC. Please know that we will work with your campus principal or supervisor to ensure your duties are covered during the time you need to travel to the MISD ESC to receive the vaccine. More information will be shared in the coming days.
Once again, I want to reiterate that the vaccine is optional. While we are working to provide vaccines as a courtesy to our staff, receiving one will never be a requirement for employment in our district.
Second MISD Strategic Plan Town Hall
Thank you to all who participated in our second Strategic Plan Town Hall meeting at Lake Creek High School on Thursday, March 4.
During this Town Hall meeting, strategic plan task force leaders shared results of each SWOT analysis performed in the first Town Hall meeting in January at Montgomery High School. It was important that each task force do a “deep dive” on perceived strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats relating to each of the five Board goals before starting to develop district initiatives and strategies aimed at targeted and measurable improvements in various areas.
Town Hall attendees also had the opportunity to participate in breakout sessions to discuss possible district initiatives and strategies addressing the district’s five goals: academic achievement, school safety, district finance and operations, human resources, and communications and customer service. I am both excited and thankful for the level of community support and participation in this process. Our five task force committees have grown in number of participants considerably since we first started this work back in December. It has been a true privilege for me to see first-hand the authentic work happening with the ultimate goal of evolving our great school district into the “premier” school district.
We will hold one final Strategic Plan Town Hall meeting in April before finalizing a draft plan to present to the MISD Board of Trustees.
Communication Council Conversation on Budget and Pay Raises
This week I met with our elementary and secondary communications councils to provide them with an overview of the district’s budgeting process for the 2021-22 school year and share with them what is being discussed as it relates to improvements to employee compensation. I also shared with them that it’s our intention to take a district compensation plan to the Board of Trustees for approval in April, meaning that you will have a clear understanding of your salary before signing a contract for the next school year.
As I stated to them during our discussion, we are committed to complete transparency as we develop budget options that provide our employees with well deserved pay raises. Over the next several weeks, I will be meeting with all staff from each campus to discuss our budget plans and answer any questions you may have about this process.
I look forward to engaging in these important discussions with you.
Superintendent Shout-Out – The MISD Fishing Team
I want to give a shout-out to Coach Mark Hooker and the MISD Fishing Team!
Coach Hooker and his anglers know what it takes to build a successful team. Over the past several years, The MISD Fishing Team has achieved historic success, winning several conference titles over nearly 50 competing districts, cementing Montgomery ISD as THE top program in the State!
Check out this awesome feature on these talented students and watch the video below to hear what “victory” means to them!
MISD Education Foundation “Together We Grow” Fundraiser
On Saturday, April 24, the Montgomery ISD Education Foundation is host its first “Together We Grow” community fundraiser on April 24 in downtown Montgomery from 7-11 pm. This is going to be a casual, adult night out with live music featuring the band Rapture, and a BBQ dinner catered by our locally owned Jr’s. Please mark your calendars and make plans to attend!
The goal of the MISD Education Foundation is to support each of our 10 campuses through scholarships, grants, special projects and other financial matters, and this event is a great way to be a part of all that we are doing for MISD schools!
Please take some time to watch my latest conversation with Montgomery Jr. High School’s Dr. Meeker!
In this edition, we discuss the Governor’s new Executive Order, our recent inclement weather closure days, the MISD Strategic Planning and 2021-22 budget development processes, our work to improve employee compensation across the district and the upcoming MISD Board of Trustee elections!
The Montgomery ISD Education Foundation is hosting the “Together We Grow” community fundraiser on Saturday, April 24th from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in historic downtown Montgomery.
The Together We Grow community fundraiser will be a casual, adult night out with live music featuring the band Rapture, and a BBQ dinner catered by locally owned Jr’s. We hope that all MISD parents, staff and community members will mark their calendars and make plans to attend!
The Foundation will be holding a friendly campus competition at the event to award an MISD Principal a $2,000 grant for their campus! You can help your campus win by sharing the ticket link and encouraging people to buy sponsorship tickets for your campus. We will give more information about what each Principal will do with the money if they win, so keep an eye out on social media for those special announcements.
The goal of the MISD Education Foundation is to support each of our ten campuses through scholarships, grants, special projects and other financial matters, and this event is a great way to be a part of all that the Education Foundation does for students and schools in Montgomery ISD!
On Thursday, March 4, Montgomery ISD will host a second Strategic Plan Town Hall meeting from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Lake Creek High School.
Montgomery ISD is developing a district strategic plan with input from parents, staff, students, and stakeholders. The strategic plan is being developed based on the district goals adopted by the Montgomery ISD Board of Trustees, which focus on excellence in academic achievement (Goal 1), school safety (Goal 2), district finance and operations (Goal 3), human resources and staffing (Goal 4), and communications and customer service (Goal 5).
The Montgomery ISD strategic plan will consist of a set of measurable data targets, or “key performance indicators”, that will guide the district over the next several years and provide the opportunity to measure success in the areas addressed by the Board’s adopted goals. The strategic plan will also outline district initiatives and strategies that are intended to drive success toward meeting and exceeding data targets in the “key performance indicators”.
All parents, staff, students and community members who would like to provide their input and offer ideas on any of the topics addressed by the board goals are encouraged to attend.
If you have ideas and input for the district on academic achievement, school safety, finance and operations, human resources, and communications and customer service, we want to hear from you!
During the Town Hall Meeting, there will be five “breakout sessions” – each focusing on one of the five Board goals.
A remote participation option on Zoom will be provided for each breakout session, which will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. Zoom participation details are below:
Stepping up for one another in times of need – The Montgomery Way
Thank you all for your flexibility and diligence to ensure we could offer in-person instruction beginning on Monday following last week’s inclement weather. Last week presented historic weather-related challenges and damage to our region, causing many of us to lose power and water for an extended amount of time. I’m proud to be a part of a community that continually helps one another during times of need. Through hurricanes, pandemics and now, snow storms, members of this community always support one another through extraordinary circumstances. I’ve quickly learned that this is The Montgomery Way.
With that said, each of you continue to step up daily for students and their families, despite the numerous challenges that have been thrown at you this year. I could not be more appreciative of your continued dedication to our students. On top of your already busy workloads, you’ve been asked to persevere in ways like never before – and you continue to do so with determination and courage.
Please see below a few important district updates, including a summary of this week’s Board of Trustees meeting, which included important items supporting district employees.
With appreciation,
Dr. Heath Morrison
Superintendent
Montgomery ISD
Operation Connectivity laptop distribution for teachers
I’m excited to announce that every MISD teacher will be offered a laptop from the district. We’re thankful for the opportunity to provide this benefit to teachers at no cost to the district through a partnership with Operation Connectivity and Montgomery County with the support of County Judge Mark Keough.
In addition to every teacher having the option to utilize a district-issued laptop, seven campuses due for a “refresh” will receive an allotment of new laptops for student use, also thanks to Operation Connectivity and Montgomery County. More information will be provided through your campus principal.
Laptop distributions to campuses for teachers and classroom use will begin in the coming weeks.
The Board took several noteworthy actions that benefit MISD employees and students, including the adoption of a Board Resolution urging the Governor of Texas to include school district employees on the list of those eligible to receive of COVID-19 vaccine and a Board Resolution approving employee compensation during the district’s inclement weather closure from Feb. 16 through Feb. 19. Trustees also authorized the district to accept missed school day waivers from the Texas Education Agency for last week’s inclement weather closures. This means that the district will not need to add any school days to the current academic calendar to make up for the missed instructional minutes. With that said, we’ll always work to ensure students are provided academic opportunities to make up for missed instructional time during closures.
Regarding the COVID-19 Board Resolution adopted by Board, I want to reiterate that we would never make it a requirement for any employee to receive the vaccine once they are made available. The district and Board of Trustees felt that, given the resilience and hard work this year to keep schools open, it was appropriate to request to the state that public school district personnel be included in the definition of “frontline workers” for purposes of COVID-19 distribution.
Additionally, during the meeting trustees received a report on a study of the MISD Human Resources Department by the Texas Association of School Boards. The report identified areas of strength and opportunity for HR-related functions within the district. Like in any organization, Human Resources plays a key role in how we recruit, retain, grow and support our employees. It’s always important to have a third-party share insights on how to improve and provide affirmations of your strengths.
Trustees also gave a special recognition to our school counselors. Each year during the month of February, school counselors are recognized during National School Counseling Week for their unique contributions and positive impact on helping students achieve success in school and plan for their future. Trustees gave a special thank you to our dedicated school counselors for the support they provide our students not only academically, but also and socially and emotionally. A video was shown highlighting the contribution of school counselors. You can view the video below:
Next Strategic Plan Town Hall Meeting – March 4
As a reminder, due to last week’s inclement weather, the next Strategic Plan Town Hall meeting at Lake Creek HS has been pushed back one week to Thursday, March 4 at 6 p.m. I encourage you all to attend and share your thoughts and input on district initiatives and strategies to be included in the Strategic Plan.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to observe our Strategic Plan Task Force Committee meetings at the District ESC. I was incredibly encouraged to see first-hand such enthusiasm toward developing an outstanding strategic plan for our district and students during these meetings.
Here are a few photos of the task force committees in action!
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources
I want to share with you that Dr. Sonja Lopez is stepping away from her role as Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. We thank Dr. Lopez for her years of service to the district as both a campus administrator and district leader, and wish her the best as she moves on to the next stage of her career. A broad search will begin for the next leader of our Human Resources Department.
Superintendent Shout-Out: Lake Creek Boys’ Basketball
I’d like to give a special “Superintendent Shout-Out” to the Lake Creek Varsity Boys’ basketball players and coaches, who advanced to the UIL Area Playoff Round this week! On Monday, the Lions defeated A&M Consolidated 49-47 in the Bi-District Playoff Round in what was a thrilling finish, before coming up a little short on Wednesday in the Area Round. The Lions finished the season with an overall record of 17-9, with a 11-3 District record.
Congratulations to Coach Shannon Spencer and the Lions on a remarkable season!
The 2020-21 Lake Creek Lions Varsity Basketball Team
Debraun Hampton
Mason Moore
Trace Spencer
Jordan Fitch
Mitch O’Neal
Seth Cantu
Ty George
Logan Peterson
Charlie Johnson
Kaiden Wyszynksi
Skylar Mayweather
Hudson Boyd
Sawyer Matchett
Chase Brown
MISD Swimmers Head to State
Good luck to Lake Creek HS swimmer Jacob Whitaker and Montgomery HS swimmers Kendall Wilson, Kaitlyn Weightman, Kaelynn Miller and Reese Balkcom, who are all headed to the UIL State Swim Meet in San Antonio!
Montgomery ISD Trustees Adopt Board Resolution on COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation
Trustees urge state to prioritize school district employees in next round of vaccine distribution
Montgomery ISD Trustees adopted a Board Resolution during their regular February meeting urging Texas Governor Greg Abbott to prioritize employees of school districts as COVID-19 vaccinations become more widely available statewide.
The Resolution requests that the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel (EVAP), which is a state-appointed panel of subject matter experts charged with developing vaccine allocation strategies, include school district employees in the definition of “Frontline Workers” for purposes of COVID-19 vaccine eligibility. It also acknowledges the critical role school district personnel across Texas have played to ensure in-person instruction, which has been a state requirement during the 2020-21 school year, could occur during the pandemic. Currently, nearly 95% of Montgomery ISD students have selected in-person instruction as their preferred learning method.
“Since day one of this challenging school year, our teachers and school district staff have been heroes for our students,” Board President Matt Fuller said. “Safely opening schools for traditional in-person learning was a priority for many Montgomery ISD families, and our entire district staff has answered the call-to-action to make this possible. We are asking our state leaders to acknowledge the efforts of school district personnel by providing them the option to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.”
The Resolution states that the district would respect the personal rights of its employees to make their own decision to take the vaccine should it become available to them. Montgomery ISD joins school districts across Texas that have made similar requests to the Governor, either through a letter or official Board action. The full Board Resolution can be read here.
February 1-5, 2021 was School Counseling Week, which is recognized across the nation as a week to celebrate and appreciate the contributions of school counselors. Montgomery ISD’s school counselors were recognized by trustees for their hard work and dedication to students during this year. Trustees were also shown a video highlighting the work of the district’s school counselors. The video can be viewed here.
“The vital role our counselors play on campuses has been magnified during this unprecedented school year, which has presented many new challenges for students,” Board Trustee Shawn Denison said. “The duties of our school counselors have expanded well beyond the traditional academic guidance role. School counselors also support the social and emotional well-being and development of students. We were excited to recognize them for their dedication to our students.”
During the meeting, trustees also approved a Resolution approving employee compensation during the district’s inclement weather closure from Feb. 16 through Feb. 19.
“Last week was extraordinarily challenging for our families and district staff,” Superintendent Dr. Heath Morrison said. “Many of our staff members are still dealing with the aftermath of the inclement weather we experienced in our region. Ensuring they are properly compensated while the district was closed provides at least some peace of mind during this difficult time.”
Morrison applauded district and City of Montgomery personnel who made it possible for Madeley Ranch Elementary School to serve as a warming shelter for local families. He also expressed appreciation for district maintenance staff who worked through the weekend to ensure schools would be ready to open for in-person instruction on Monday, Feb 22.
“Our MISD Police Department staff, Maintenance team and City of Montgomery rose to the occasion last week for our families,” Morrison said. “We were thankful that we could offer the community a warm and safe place to stay at Madeley Ranch Elementary School during the severe weather, and, we were grateful we could safely re-open all schools on Monday. This was a team effort.”
All Montgomery ISD schools and district offices will resume normal operations on Monday, Feb. 22.
District maintenance staff has been working diligently through the weekend to ensure schools and buildings are prepared to safely welcome students and staff back for in-person instruction tomorrow morning.
Please be advised that bus transportation may experience delays on Monday. Should your child’s bus route experience a delay, please continue to exercise patience as we ensure students are safely transported.
School meals will not be impacted as no schools are under a boil water notice at this time.
Thank you for your continued understanding and flexibility throughout this challenging week. We are excited to welcome students and staff back to school on Monday, Feb. 22.
If your family is experiencing challenges that will impact your child being able to return to school this week, please contact your campus directly.
The MISD Premier Blog 