[00:00:02]
GOOD EVENING, MANSFIELD ISD FAMILY. WELCOME TO OUR FEBRUARY 24TH, 2026 CALLED BOARD MEETING.
[1. Call to Order]
THE TIME IS NOW 6 P.M.. LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT AT THIS TIME.WE WILL HAVE THE PRAYER BY TRUSTEE CANNON AND THE PLEDGES BY MISS NEWSOM.
LET US PRAY. GOD OF OUR WEARY YEARS. GOD OF OUR SILENT TEARS.
GOD, WE PAUSE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AS THE SOURCE OF OUR WISDOM, OUR STRENGTH AND GUIDANCE. GOD, THROUGH EVERY SEASON, THE HOPEFUL GOD, THE CHALLENGES.
GOD, YOU'VE BEEN THERE. SO GOD, AS OUR DISTRICT MANSFIELD ISD TAKES THIS NEXT STEP TONIGHT.
GOD, WE ASK AND PRAY THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GUIDE US.
GOD, AS A BOARD, AS A COMMUNITY THAT WE LISTEN MORE THAN WE SPEAK.
AND GOD UNITE US AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AS MANSFIELD ISD, GOD CONTINUE TO COVER AND PROTECT OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF, OUR STUDENTS ALL OVER AS WE CONTINUE TO FULFILL THE MISSION OF OUR DISTRICT.
FATHER GOD, WE PRAY RIGHT NOW FOR EVERYONE THAT WILL SPEAK ON TONIGHT.
BE WITH US, CONTINUE TO GUIDE US. WE THANK YOU.
WE LOVE YOU. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE 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. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS.
ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRAYER TRUSTEE CANNON AND THE PLEDGES.
TRUSTEE NEWSOM. AT THIS TIME, BOARD MEMBERS, WE WILL TRANSITION TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
[4. Public Comments]
PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE CORRECT PROCEDURE FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS IS AS FOLLOWS.ALL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES TO MAKE COMMENTS REGARDING ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, UNLESS UNLESS MODIFIED BY THE BOARD PRESIDENT BASED ON BOARD POLICY BED LOCAL.
COPIES OF PRESENTATION SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL TRUSTEES AND THE SUPERINTENDENT.
BOARD POLICY PROHIBITS THE DISCUSSION OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST DISTRICT EMPLOYEES DURING AN OPEN FORUM.
TRUSTEES THIS EVENING WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THE FIRST IS BY MR. DARRELL SNEED, MR. SNEED.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT REED AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M DARRELL SNEED, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS THE NAMING OF A SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH I KNOW YOU ALL TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. I'M REMINDED THAT THE THE ROLE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS SUCH A LARGE IMPACT ON STUDENTS, STAFF, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I BELIEVE IT WAS AROUND MID 1996. I ARRIVED IN MANSFIELD AS THE PRINCIPAL AT T.A.
I SERVED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF VERNON NEWSOM, AND IN MY OPINION, MR. NEWSOM WAS THE FINEST SUPERINTENDENT I'VE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH.
I MEAN THAT SINCERELY. HE ESTABLISHED HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND STANDARDS FOR EVERYONE, AND HE LIVED THAT EXAMPLE EACH AND EVERY DAY. HE WAS FOLLOWED BY DOCTOR BOB MORRISON, WHO BROUGHT IN MANY CREATIVE IDEAS TO HELP THE DISTRICT ADJUST TO THE GROWING PAINS THAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING, BECAUSE BY THAT TIME, MANSFIELD HAD ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION OF PROVIDING EXCELLENT EDUCATION FOR ALL.
DOCTOR MORRISON WAS FOLLOWED BY DOCTOR VASZAUSKAS, BELOVEDLY KNOWN AS DOCTOR V.
[00:05:01]
I WAS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND WE HAD THE TASK OF NAMING THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT, AND WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF NAMING DOCTOR KIM CANTU AS SUPERINTENDENT, AND SHE HAS DONE A FINE JOB AS SUPERINTENDENT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DID IT.I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DID IT, BUT SHE WAS ABLE TO BRING US THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF COVID.
AND DOCTOR CANTU, I THANK YOU FOR LEADING US SUCCESSFULLY THROUGH COVID [APPLAUSE] TODAY I HAD A CHANCE TO JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE I WAS IN THE DISTRICT.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH TRANSITIONS. I WAS HERE WITH WITH MISTER NEWSOM STEPPED DOWN.
I WAS HERE WITH DOCTOR MORRISON, STEPPED DOWN.
I WAS HERE WITH DOCTOR V, STEPPED DOWN. AND I'M STILL AROUND AS AS DOCTOR CANTU IS STEPPING DOWN.
WHAT I HAVE NOTED IN EVERY SUPERINTENDENT TRANSITION BECAUSE OF THE FOUNDATION THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN YEARS PAST AND BY THE MANY, MANY BOARD MEMBERS WHOSE NAMES I COULD GO ON AND NAME THEY HELPED THEY HELPED TO LEAD THIS DISTRICT. AND THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT, I'M GOING TO IGNORE THAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND. THE NUMBER ONE THING, THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WAS MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT MANSFIELD ISD PUT KIDS FIRST.
AND I AM CONVINCED WITH THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT THAT THAT LEGACY WILL CONTINUE.
AND I LOOKED UP TODAY, THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST TEN CURRENT SUPERINTENDENTS WHO ARE SERVING ACROSS THIS NATION WHO SERVED IN HIGH LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THIS DISTRICT.
THERE ARE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW WHO ARE PROBABLY IN THIS ROOM OR WHO ARE WATCHING ONLINE, WHO ARE SERVING IN KEY POSITIONS, AND THEY TOO WILL ONE DAY BE LEADING SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BECAUSE MANSFIELD HAS A REPUTATION OF BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN EVERYONE.
BUT I'M EXTREMELY PROUD TONIGHT BECAUSE IN THE SPIRIT OF GROWING YOUR OWN, OF ALL THE SUPERINTENDENTS WHOSE NAMES I LOOKED UP, DOCTOR SPENCER IS THE ONLY ONE THAT I'M AWARE OF WHO ACTUALLY WENT TO K THROUGH 12 IN THIS DISTRICT AS A STUDENT [APPLAUSE] AND SHE, LIKE DOCTOR CANTU AND OTHERS WHO'VE COME BEFORE, THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AND SAY, I TOO CAN ACHIEVE WHAT THEY'VE ACHIEVED. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. SNEED. OUR SECOND SPEAKER TODAY, TRUSTEES, IS MRS. SNEED [LAUGHS]I HAD NO IDEA. RIGHT. SO SERIOUS.
OKAY. GOOD EVENING. I'M VENITIA SNEED. TO DOCTOR REED AND THE SCHOOL BOARD AND DOCTOR CANTU AND YOUR EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE CABINET, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE PROCESS USED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD TO RECOMMEND DOCTOR SPENCER AS THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT OF MISD.
THIS CANNOT BE DONE IN A VACUUM WITH PRESSURE FROM NON-COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, OR WITH A PREDETERMINED OUTCOME. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THIS BOARD FOR CHOOSING TO HAVE AN OPEN APPLICANT POOL PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO APPLY FROM BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.
THIS DISTRICT CREATES THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS.
BRING DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF CULTURE, COMMUNITIES, STAFF STRENGTHS AND DISTRICT HISTORY, WHILE EXTERNAL CANDIDATES BRING FRESH IDEAS, NEW SYSTEMS AND PROVEN PRACTICES THAT CAN CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO IN HEALTHY WAYS.
AND WHILE MISD IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, LEARN, AND TEACH, TO ARBITRARILY ASSUME THAT MISD KNOWS IT ALL AND HAS IT ALL OPERATES FROM A FALSE SENSE OF SUPERIORITY. THANK YOU FOR SECURING THE SERVICES OF A SEARCH FIRM TO ATTRACT ADDITIONAL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS.
PARTNERING WITH THE SEARCH FIRM HELPS TO ENSURE THAT YOUR SELECTION WASN'T LIMITED BY A NARROW POOL.
THANK YOU FOR BASING YOUR SELECTION ON THE APPLICANT RESUME, THEIR LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE,
[00:10:03]
AND PERSONAL INTERVIEWS. THIS THREE PRONGED APPROACH GIVES YOU A PROCESS THAT IS FAIR, DEFENSIBLE, AND STRATEGICALLY SOUND. RESUMES PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE COMPARISON BASELINE, EXPERIENCE SHOWS READINESS AND SYSTEM LEADERSHIP, AND INTERVIEWS REVEAL A SKILL SET THAT PAPER CANNOT LIKE COMMUNICATION, SELF-AWARENESS, AND PRESENCE UNDER PRESSURE.AND FINALLY, THANK YOU FOR VOTING YOUR CONSCIENCE.
THIS BOARD IS A COLLECTIVE BODY MADE UP OF SEVEN INDIVIDUALS, EACH BRINGING UNIQUE FRAMES OF REFERENCE AND YOUR INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE MATTERS WHETHER YOU VOTE YES OR NO THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE.
WE WON'T HAVE UNANIMOUS SEVEN ZERO DECISIONS ON EVERY ISSUE, AND THAT'S NOT REALLY THE GOAL.
AND FINALLY, TO DOCTOR SPENCER. YOU MET EVERY QUALIFICATION, PRAYED FOR ABSOLUTE CONFIRMATION.
APPLIED WITHOUT HESITATION. WITHSTOOD UNNECESSARY SPECULATION.
WAS SELECTED WITH BROAD BASED AFFIRMATION. NOW GO LEAD WITHOUT RESERVATION.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MRS. SNEED. TRUSTEES. NOW WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CLOSED SESSION.
[5. Closed Session]
WE WILL ADJOURN THE CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.071 TO CONSULT WITH THE DISTRICT'S ATTORNEY IN PERSON OR BY PHONE, ON A MATTER IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY TO THE DISTRICT UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS CLEARLY CONFLICTS WITH CHAPTER FIVE FIVE, ONE OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.074 FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION, REASSIGNMENT DUTIES, DISCIPLINE OR DISMISSAL OF A PUBLIC OFFICER EMPLOYEE, OR TO HEAR COMPLAINTS OR CHARGES AGAINST A PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE.AT THIS TIME, WE WILL MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION AT 6:12.
HOWEVER, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT SAY WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THIS PROCESS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON CAMPUSES IN THE DISTRICT.
I'M TAKING A LITTLE PRESIDENTIAL. WE LOOK AND THE BOARD IS AS WELL.
YES. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? AND THE BOARD MEETINGS.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE HERE. WE APPRECIATE YOU.
AND LOOK, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING WITH YOU AT THIS TIME.
AS WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION, YOU MAY PROCEED TO THE RECEPTION AREA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. TRUSTEES, WE SHALL RECONVENE FROM CLOSED SESSION AT 6:34
[6. Reconvene]
P.M.. ITEM 6.2 CONSIDERATION OF HIRING FOR THE POSITION OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.THANK YOU, DOCTOR CRUTCHFIELD FOR YOUR MOTION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, MISS HORN, FOR YOUR SECOND, SECOND MOTION.
SO WE HAVE PROPERLY RECEIVED THE MOTION AND IT HAS BEEN SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING THERE IS NONE.
SHALL WE TAKE A VOTE? TRUSTEES? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
ARE THERE ANY WHO OPPOSE? THE VOTE CARRIES SEVEN ZERO [APPLAUSE]
[00:15:20]
AND DOCTOR SPENCER, IT IS MY HONOR TO ANNOUNCE YOU SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR MANSFIELD ISD.DID YOU WANT TO HAVE WORDS? I THINK WE HAVE WORDS.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE WORD. WE ARE. NOW WE CAN REALLY MOVE TO THE RECEPTION.
AGAIN, WE WOULD LIKE THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU MANSFIELD ISD FAMILY, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF, FROM PARAPROFESSIONALS TO BUS DRIVERS TO THE PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS TO THE CUSTODIAL STAFF AND THE CAFETERIA STAFF. WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOU. YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN WARRANTED.
YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED. WE SERVE AS A BOARD TOGETHER, AND WE SUPPORT DOCTOR TIFFANY SPENCER AS OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT THANK OUR SOON TO BE OUTGOING SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR KIMBERLY CANTU.
DOCTOR CANTU. WE, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR DEDICATION, YOUR UNWAVERING PURSUIT FOR EXCELLENCE, FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR STAFF, FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE NOT LEAVING US. YOU'RE STILL A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN WE CALL, WE WANT YOU TO STILL COME RUNNING.
WE DO, BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LAYING A GREAT FOUNDATION.
THANK YOU. AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT THE BOARD HAS DONE.
IT HAS BEEN TEDIOUS. IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING.
IT HAS BEEN WORTH IT BECAUSE WE DO THIS FOR OUR KIDS.
AND THEN WE DO THIS FOR ALL WHO TAKE CARE OF THE KIDS.
[00:20:02]
ALL OF YOU. AND SO IT IS REALLY OUR HONOR TO ACKNOWLEDGE, TO RECOGNIZE, TO PASS THE TORCH TO OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, DOCTOR TIFFANY SPENCER.AT THIS TIME, WE WILL ADJOURN TO THE RECEPTION AT 6:42.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, FAMILY. AND WE DO THIS. WE ARE ALL IN.
WE ARE ALL IN.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.