Education
BY ANGELA BONILLA
CISD names Ted Landry interim superintendent The Conroe ISD board of trustees named Ted Landry as interim superintendent for the district in a 7-0 vote at its May 19 special meeting to discuss the position. What to know The board held the meeting to consider 12 candidates for its interim superintendent. “The board is pleased to announce the selection of one of our very own as interim superintendent and re ects our deep con dence in Dr. Landry’s leadership, dedication and long- standing service to our CISD community,” the board said in a joint statement on May 20. Landry was principal of The Woodlands High School, according to the district’s website. In March, Landry was named deputy superintendent of Humble ISD, and before taking the interim superintendent role at CISD he had been set to join HISD in June. Landry has 30 years of experience in public education, and prior to working in education he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, according to HISD. Carlos Morales named LSCOnline president Lone Star College System has chosen Carlos R. Morales as the inaugural president of LSCOnline, eective July 14. He is the current campus president of Tarrant County College TCC Connect Campus in Fort Worth. More details He received a master’s from Inter Ameri- can University in Puerto Rico and a doctor- ate in education from Capella University.
Virtual school bill signed by governor Texas school districts like Conroe ISD will be able to continue their virtual schools, as Senate Bill 569 was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on May 6. What’s new Approved in a 28-2 Senate vote followed by a 109-32 House vote, SB 569 applies to Texas’ virtual learning framework for the more than 51,884 students currently enrolled statewide, a news release states. The bill includes elements such as: • Replacing existing virtual learning laws • Enabling high school students to earn an associate degree • Creating standards and accountability measures for virtual education providers Next steps The CISD virtual school will expand to 11th grade for the 2025-26 school year, according to its website.
“I have treasured my time at The Woodlands High School and look forward to
continuing to serve the Conroe ISD community,” TED LANDRY, INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, CONROE ISD
“I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to serve Conroe ISD as interim superintendent,” Landry said in a May 20 statement. The backstory The decision comes after CISD Superintendent Curtis Null was named the lone nalist in the search for the Lake Travis ISD superintendent at a special meeting of the LTISD board of trustees on May 1. The district will also discuss the posting of a chief of sta position at a future meeting. What’s next A special board meeting was held May 29 to conduct interviews and hire a superintendent search rm for the permanent superintendent, and Texans for Excellence in Education was chosen. Conroe ISD eyes changes to K12 cellphone policy Conroe ISD trustees discussed codifying the district’s cellphone policies at its May 13 meeting, but the board did not commit to any changes. It planned to vote on the changes June 17, after press time. The gist The district previously approved cellphone and smartwatch guidelines for junior high and high school campuses in November 2023, as reported by Community Impact . Under the proposed policy, K-12 students would be prohibited from using cellphones during school hours except for before and after school, starting Aug. 13. Students would be allowed to use their device under “extenuating circumstances approved by the employee” under the proposed policy. Students may be exempt if the device is deemed
Current cellphone rules
Grades 7-12: Students are allowed to have their cellphones during lunch Grades K-6: Students are not allowed to have phones during the day while in school. Recommendation: Prohibit cellphones and other communication devices for K-12 students unless they are provided by the district.
SOURCE: CONROE ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT
“medically necessary” by a medical provider or if the student is part of a 504 plan, according to meeting materials. At the Capitol The change re ects House Bill 1481, which was sent to the governor’s o£ce to be signed into law May 28. It would prohibit students from using phones or other electronic devices throughout the school day and require districts to establish disciplinary measures for students who violate the policy.
“I intend to build ... a virtual campus that is student-centered,
academically rigorous and recognized for excellence.” CARLOS R. MORALES, INCOMING PRESIDENT, LSC ONLINE
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THE WOODLANDS EDITION
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