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Montgomery ISD Board of Trustees adopts 2021-22 District Compensation Plan 

~ Montgomery ISD

Trustees approve raises for all district employees, including additional $3,300 for teachers 

The Montgomery ISD Board of Trustees adopted a compensation plan for the 2021-22 school year containing across-the-board salary increases for all district employees during their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 20. In total, the compensation plan includes an additional $3.8 M in salary and stipend increases across all employee groups.   

The adopted Montgomery ISD Compensation Plan for the 2021-22 school features an additional $3,300 raise (approximately 5%) for current MISD teachers and an additional 3% raise for all other employee groups. These increases are in addition to the 2% across-the-board pay raises approved by the Board for all district employees earlier this school year. With the adoption of this compensation plan, in 18 months, current Montgomery ISD teachers will have received an approximate 7% total pay increase, or a total of $4,055, with all other employee groups receiving a 5% total raise. Additionally, employee stipends that had been previously decreased or eliminated during the previous budget cycle have been restored in the adopted compensation plan.   

“Our dedicated employees in Montgomery ISD have stepped up in so many ways during this challenging year,” Board President Matt Fuller said. “I could not be more thankful for their tireless efforts this school year, and, while I’m looking forward to the opportunity to do even more for our employees, I’m excited that the compensation plan adopted by the board tonight provides them with well-earned raises entering the next school year.”  

The compensation plan also increases the pay scale on the district’s teacher salary schedule. A first-year teacher entering Montgomery ISD will now have a starting salary of $54,450. The previous salary for a first-year teacher in Montgomery ISD was $51,000.  

In addition to approving the district’s compensation plan, trustees also approved teacher contracts for the 2021-22 school year. 

“The raises provided to teachers and district staff are not only well-deserved but also exercise the fiscal responsibility needed to ensure we have the opportunity to approve a balanced district budget heading into the next school year,” Board Vice-President Gary Hammons said. “For the first time, our board has simultaneously adopted a compensation plan along with teacher contracts. This approach to budgeting displays an ability to manage the district’s budget responsibly while prioritizing our valuable employees.”  

Trustees are expected to adopt the district’s annual operating budget during its monthly Board meeting in June.  

“Our school district budget should always be aligned with our priorities,” Trustee Trey Kirby said. “I’m pleased with how this compensation plan adopted by the board recognizes the hard work of our teachers and staff this year through a targeted, data-driven approach to providing increases to district salaries.”  

Highlights of the Montgomery ISD 2021-22 Compensation Plan include the following:   

  • Current MISD teachers receive a $3,300 pay raise (approximately 5%), for a total of 7% over 18 months when factoring in the 2% raise provided in October – for a total raise of $4,055.   
  • All other district employees receive a 3% pay raise, for a total of 5% over 18 months when factoring in the 2% raise provided in October.   
  • The teacher salary schedule has been extended from 22 to 30 years. (Employees on the teacher pay scale with more than 30 years still receive annual pay increases approved by the Board)   
  • Salary scales have been increased (Minimum, Midpoint, Maximum). Raises are calculated based on the increased salary midpoint.   
  • Stipends reduced in summer 2020 have been restored to their previous amount.  

The 2021-22 Montgomery ISD Compensation Plan can be viewed here.  

“Earlier this school year, after approving an ongoing 2% raise for all district employees, the board and superintendent made a firm commitment to seek additional pay increases for our teachers and district staff,” Board Secretary Linda Porten said. “I’m hopeful and excited about the path we are headed as it relates to compensating our wonderful employees in Montgomery ISD. They truly represent the heart and soul of this district, and we must continue to prioritize their compensation.”  

During the meeting, MISD trustees also approved a Request for Proposal from Cenergistic, an award-winning energy management consultant firm. Cenergistic will advise the district on energy management and consult on best practices for energy efficiencies across all campuses and facilities. The district anticipates realizing a net savings of at least $300,000 in the first year of the partnership and continued significant savings over the following five years.  

Seeking responsible efficiencies through energy management is one of the strategies the district will continue to engage in when identifying financial savings across the district. Earlier this school year, the district also engaged with the Texas Association of School Boards to conduct a comprehensive review of district staffing across all levels and provide options to increase efficiencies. The district implemented options in the TASB study to identify $2.4 M in savings without a reduction in force. 

“The work behind balancing the district’s budget and seeking efficiencies necessary to provide our amazing teachers and district employees has truly been a journey,” Superintendent Dr. Heath Morrison said. “This was a deliberative, input-driven process. We still have work to do relating to compensation. But I hope the effort put forth in this compensation plan is a strong illustration of our commitment to prioritizing employee pay through transparent and responsible fiscal management.” 

Montgomery ISD Destination Imagination Teams Impress at Regional and State Competition

~ Kim Foster

As with many events this school year, the Destination Imagination (DI) tournaments were set on a virtual stage this year. Montgomery ISD sent five teams to the regional level of competition. Of those five, four teams advanced to the state competition. In the end, Absolute 7 from Oak Hills Junior High and D.I. oh_My! from Lincoln Elementary earned a spot at globals. A first for MISD.

Destination Imagination is a global educational nonprofit dedicated to inspiring the next generation of innovators, leaders and creative problem solvers. Students form teams of up to seven members. Upon forming their team, a challenge is selected and the team works together to develop a solution. Each team has at least one team manager (often a parent or teacher) tasked with keeping the team on track, but does not assist or interfere with their challenge solution.

“We are proud of the hard work, imagination, and creativity demonstrated by the Destination Imagination teams in MISD,” Director of Special Programs Amy Busby said. “Even though they were presented with unique challenges and new formats due to COVID restrictions, they persevered and had a successful competition season.”

Regional Results:
Flying Potatoes (Lincoln ES) – 2nd place (advanced to State)
The Pixel Racers (Montgomery JH) – 6th place
Absolute 7 (Oak Hills JH) – 2nd place (advanced to State)
D.I.oh_My! (Lincoln ES) – 2nd place and Instant Challenge Award (advanced to State)
Destination Interrogation (Montgomery ES) – 1st place (advanced to State)

State Results:
Flying Potatoes (Lincoln ES) – 11th place
Absolute 7 (Oak Hills JH) – 4th place (advancing to Globals)
D.I. oh_My! (Lincoln ES) – 2nd place (advancing to Globals)
Destination Interrogation (Montgomery ES) – 6th place and Instant Challenge Award

  • Absolute 7, Oak Hills Junior High
  • D.I. oh_My!, Lincoln Elementary
  • The Pixel Racers, Montgomery Junior High
  • Flying Potatoes, Lincoln Elementary
  • Destination Interrogation, Montgomery Elementary

Oak Hills Destination Imagination Team Advances to the Global Competition Making MISD History! 

~ OHJH LIONS ~ Leave a comment

This year, Oak Hills Junior High had one Destination Imagination team consisting of: Aubry Clevenger, Dillon Hight, Noelle Potee, Matthew Fitzgerald, Taylor Spier, Kimberly Boyd, Robby Boyd, and managed by teacher, Mrs. Wendy Jebousek. 

The team, competing in the Middle Level of the SCIENTIFIC category, was challenged with the task of creating a documentary featuring the story line of a Scientific Law which was broken.  The team chose to focus on the Laws of Thermodynamics and spent hours learning about the 3rd Law of Thermodynamics, Absolute Zero, Perfect Crystals, as well as script writing, various documentary techniques, and editing. 

At the Southeast 6 Regional Competition in February, the team placed 2nd in the Scientific category, qualifying them to advance to state.  In April, the team competed in the Lone Star State Finals where they placed 4th and qualified for the next level.  They will now submit their “Team Challenge” and “Fast Flex Challenge” at the Destination Imagination Global competition in late June against teams from the United States and 13 other countries. This is the first time MISD has had a team advance to Globals!

MISD POLICE DEPARTMENT “MAKES MOVES”

~ Dafrie Richmond

There has been several changes recently in the police department. One BIG change is the relocation of the department. The police department has moved from Montgomery High School and is now located in the Educational Support Center. There will be an opportunity for MISD employees to visit during an Open House in May. The date will be announced soon. The department welcomes Stephen Countz! Officer Countz was recently sworn in by Chief Phillips. Officer Countz brings over 22 years of police officer experience to the MISD Police Department. The police officers send a big “THANK YOU” to the Montgomery High School National Honor Society. Natalie Davis stopped by with goodies for all the officers in a show of appreciation for all that our police officers do. National Police Week 2021 starts Sunday, May 9th and ends on Saturday, May 15th.

The MISD Minute – April 16, 2021

~ Montgomery ISD

Teacher of the Year and Spirit of Montgomery Award Winners

The final campus votes are in! I am excited to announce the Teacher of the Year and Spirit of Montgomery Winners!

I could not be more thankful for the incredible leadership each of our Teacher of the Year and Spirit of Montgomery award winners has provided to their campuses during this challenging school year. I always say that true leaders rise to the top during the most difficult of times. In a year like no other, which has presented unprecedented challenges and has required innovative, bold problem solving, these leaders have stepped up to the call to serve our students and families. Each represents the values, characteristics and qualities that makes Team Montgomery ISD such an amazing and special group of public servants.

The full list of 2021 Teacher of the Year and Spirit of Montgomery winners is below:

Montgomery ISD Teachers of the Year

  • Keenan ES – Lauren Coughlin
  • Lincoln ES – Patty Barfield
  • Lone Star ES – Stacy Ritchie
  • Montgomery ES – Kelli Kojis
  • Madeley Ranch ES – Emily Larson
  • Stewart Creek ES – Marianne Elias
  • Montgomery Jr. HS – Tamara Lumpkin
  • Oak Hills Jr. HS – Wendy Jebousek
  • Lake Creek HS – Alison Rice
  • Montgomery HS – Deborah Vierkant

Spirit of Montgomery Winners

  • Keenan ES – Nikki Taylor
  • Lincoln ES – Dana Kuciemba
  • Lone Star ES – Monica Lemke
  • Montgomery ES – Niki Manceaux
  • Madeley Ranch ES – Kristi Miller
  • Stewart Creek ES – Linda Bailey
  • Montgomery Jr. HS – Courtney Buckner
  • Oak Hills Jr. HS – April James
  • Lake Creek HS – Stacy Brown
  • Montgomery HS – Sandra Farris

Please join me in congratulating and thanking our 2020-21 Teacher of the Year and Spirit of Montgomery award winners!

  • Lauren Coughlin
  • Nikki Taylor
  • Dana Kuciemba
  • Patty Barfield
  • Monica Lemke
  • Stacy Richie
  • Kelli Kojis
  • Niki Manceaux
  • Deborah Vierkant
  • Sandra Farris
  • Emily Larson
  • Kristi Miller
  • April James
  • Wendy Jebousek
  • Linda Bailey
  • Marianne Elias
  • Alison Rice
  • Stacy Brown
  • Courtney Buckner
  • Tamara Lumpkin

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Sincerely,

Dr. Heath Morrison

Superintendent

Montgomery ISD

MISD Board of Trustees Monthly Meeting

The Montgomery ISD Board of Trustees will meet for their regular monthly board meeting next Tuesday, April 20 at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of the District ESC. I’m excited to share that on Tuesday, we will be presenting to the Board for their consideration an updated district compensation plan containing across-the-board teacher and staff raises for the 2021-22 school year.

In October 2020 after the Board adopted a 2% raise for all district employees, I committed to you that we would work diligently to seek ways to provide additional salary increases for the 2021-22 school year. Our proposed compensation plan will include additional across-the-board salary increases and other adjustments that I believe will represent a significant step in the right direction in terms of making Montgomery ISD salaries more competitive in the region. We will share additional information about the 2021-22 compensation plan at the Board meeting and communicate more details after it is considered by trustees.

Second Round of COVID-19 vaccinations at the District ESC

If you received the first round of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination at the District ESC on Monday, March 22, you may schedule an appointment for your second round on Friday, April 30 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the District ESC. Any individual who received the first round of the vaccine should have received an email from the Montgomery County Health District this week with instructions on how to sign up for an appointment on April 30. If you did not receive your email, please check your “spam” folder. Per the CDC, second doses can be administered 24 days and up to 42 days after the first dose. As always, this is being provided as a courtesy to employees. The COVID-19 vaccine is not required.

Superintendent Shout-Out – MHS Senior Reid Turner and Laurie Zuehkle

I want to give a special shout-out this week to MHS Senior Reid Turner and College & Career Coordinator Laurie Zuehlke.

For the past year, Reid and Ms. Zuehkle have represented MHS and MISD as the Texas Association of Student Councils (TASC) President School! This weekend, during a state and caucus convention that will include over 2,000 students from across the country, Reid will give one final speech before “passing the gavel” on to a new leader.

I am so proud of Reid for representing MHS and MISD in this capacity. Reid served on my MHS Student Advisory Council and has a bright and successful future ahead! I also want to thank Ms. Zuehlke for her leadership, guidance and dedication to cultivating the next generation of leaders. Next year, Ms. Zuehlke will be serving the TASC District 7 (Houston Area) as the District Coordinator and will be on the State Board of Directors as the Past President school.   

Strategic Plan Town Hall Meeting – April 27 at Montgomery Jr. HS

This is a reminder that the third and final Strategic Plan Town Hall meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 27 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Montgomery Jr. HS.

Over the past several months, a strategic plan for our district has been under development by five task force committees containing stakeholders from all over the district. Each task force is focused on one of the Board’s adopted goals: Academic Achievement; School Safety, Finance & Operations; Human Capital; and Communications & Customer Service. Each task force has held a number of meetings, conducted SWOT analyses and has developed proposed district initiatives and strategies intended to make marked improvements in areas addressed by the board’s goals.

The district Strategic Plan will ultimately consist of a set of key performance indicators intended to measure the district’s growth in areas addressed by the board’s five goals. District initiatives and strategies designed to meet the key performance indicators will be included as part of the Strategic Plan.

I’m proud of the public input that has gone into the development of the Strategic Plan, and I hope anyone who has an interest in one of the topics covered by the board’s adopted district goals will attend on April 27. A draft Strategic Plan will be presented to the Board in May and trustees will adopt the Strategic Plan along with the 2021-22 district budget in June.

National Administrative Professionals Day is April 21

Wednesday, April 21 is National Administrative Professionals Day! Our administrative staff across Montgomery ISD play a vital role in our work to serve and educate the over 9,000 students in our district. I am grateful for their dedication to our district and students – we could not operate successfully as a school district without their service. Please join me in recognizing and thanking our amazing administrative professionals next week!

Keenan Elementary School Announces the 2021 Spirit of Montgomery and Teacher of the Year Recipients

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Mrs. Kirby, Keenan Principal, is proud to announce that this year’s recipient of the Keenan Spirit of Montgomery Award goes to Mrs. Nikki Taylor. Mrs. Taylor has served on the staff of Keenan Elementary since its opening four years ago. She is currently serving as Keenan’s Librarian/Media Specialist. She is loved and admired by staff and students alike.

The 2021 Keenan Elementary Teacher of the Year Honor goes to Mrs. Lauren Coughlin. Mrs. Coughlin has been a valued Kindergarten Teacher at Keenan Elementary since its opening. Mrs. Coughlin has helped the youngest Keenan Lions to a very strong start on their educational path. She also serves alongside her colleagues as the Kindergarten Team Leader and is very deserving of this honor.

Montgomery HS choir program receives “Best Communities for Music Education” designation

~ Montgomery ISD ~ Leave a comment

The Montgomery High School Music Department has earned the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.  Now in its 22nd year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Montgomery High School representatives answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“It is an honor for our MHS Music Department to be recognized with this award. Involvement in Choir and Band are extremely important to developing the whole child,” Montgomery High School Choir Director Heather Orr said. “Our music programs have great kids, incredible parents, and we are fortunate to have an amazing administration. I am just thrilled about their unending support and dedication to the music programs.”

Since the passage by Congress in 2015 of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and a stated emphasis on a well-rounded education, many school districts have re-committed to music and arts education programs and found that in this time of a national pandemic, provides a valuable way to keep students engaged in school. ESSA provides designated funding for well-rounded educational opportunities through Title IV Part A Student Academic Success and Achievement grants. NAMM Foundation research has revealed that these grants are being widely used by school districts to address instructional gaps in access to music and arts education.

“This program has shown me how to go above and beyond in all that I do,” Montgomery HS Senior Lydia Wilson said. “We could easily just stop at being “great”, but we’ve always had the mindset that we can constantly do better in all that we do, so I’ve learned that and implemented it in life outside of choir.”