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The NBISD Board of Trustees met on May 12th, 2025 for a regular meeting. The agenda for this board meeting featured the following:
Highlights of this meeting’s Agenda include:
Administer the Oath of Office to Newly Elected Board Members
The newly elected Trustees for District #1 and Two (2) At-Large Trustee positions were sworn into office during the meeting. Morgan Renaud was re-elected and sworn into District #1, while Kim Goodwin and Megan Stratemann-Willis were elected as At-Large Trustees. All three Trustees ran unopposed in the most recent election cycle.
The Board of Trustees also voted to remain unchanged rather than re-organize the board. Eric Bergquist will continue as the president, while Nancy York will be the vice president and Steve Minus will remain the secretary.
Report of Magnet School Parent Advisory Committee
In January, NBISD sent out a request for interested parents and community members to serve on our Parent Advisory Committee for Magnet School Design. This committee represented an exciting opportunity to collaborate with our community in creating an innovative and unique educational experience for our students through our strategic plan, FutureFocused2030. These meetings provided a collaborative space where ideas were shared and committee members worked together to ensure that this magnet school campus truly reflects the desires and goals of NBISD.
The Parent Advisory Committee for Magnet School Design plays a key role in shaping the school’s instructional focus and programming. Committee members provide valuable input and analyze data during their meetings. They also contribute to developing the report to be presented to the Board of Trustees this evening.
“The key thing I took away from being on this committee is that Dr. Arterbury and the Board are listening to us and forever thankful for that,” said Alex Rogers, committee member and PTA president at County Line Elementary.
Rogers said her and many other parents have come a long way since this initiative was first announced.
“At the very beginning it was rough. We were very loud and there were a lot of upset parents. After I unplugged and really thought about what Arterbury and the board were saying…I said I think we need to look at this in a different perspective because they are asking us to help create this. It went from being negative to a positive…People are excited,” she said.
Next steps for County Line will be a timeline. A lot will happen this summer to inform the community about applications, marketing, branding, informational meetings will be coming along in August.
There will be two curriculum writers who will join the team and work this upcoming year to develop the curriculum.
“I look at this as an experiment for the entire district,” said Steve Minus. “This could bleed over into the district and that would be my vision for the entire district… How do we continue to build on this at the middle school and high school levels?”
Report on Profile of a Learner
As part of the ongoing implementation of the district’s strategic plan, Future Focused 2030, adopted by the New Braunfels ISD Board of Trustees in November 2024, NBISD has partnered with Stride Consulting Solutions to facilitate the creation of a Profile of a Learner. The Profile of a Learner is being developed as an anchor point to be used in further implantation of the strategic plan. This report is a process update on the development of the NBISD Profile of a Learner.
“These are skills we want students to have every step of the way,” DeLoach said. “This will give us common verbiage. This is what this means and this what means so we all know what each other are talking about when we are in the same room.”
Profile of a Learner:
- Articulates the skills, characteristics, and mindsets students need to thrive in the future
- Serves as northstar – the vision for the future
- Is a guidepost for prioritization and making aligned decisions
The plan is to first unveil the final Profile of a Learner to the DLT on July 28. Following this timeline will keep us on track for that goal.
- Updated to District Leadership Team on: Tuesday May 6
- Draft presented to the Board: Monday May 12
- Final Profile of a Learner Content to be shared with Comms Team: Monday, May 19
- Draft 1 complete by: Monday June 2
- Feedback provided by: Monday June 9
- Draft 2 complete by: Monday June 23
- Feedback provided by: Monday July 7
- Final version complete by: Monday July 21
The draft descriptors drafted include:
- Curiosity: NBISD students explore new ideas and experiences with open-mindedness, a desire to learn, and the capacity to think critically and creatively, and synthesize information in order to demonstrate deep understanding
- Problem-Solving: NBISD students apply prior knowledge, model situational awareness, and seek clarity in order to identify problems, and develop or evaluate innovative approaches that lead to multiple possible solutions
- Collaboration: NBISD students communicate effectively to understand when and how to leverage the strengths and ideas of others, cultivate networks, and make valuable contributions in order to achieve stronger outcomes or collective goals
- Adaptability: NBISD students demonstrate self-reflection, resilience, and resourcefulness as they anticipate challenges, navigate uncertainty, and adjust their approach to changing conditions
- Interpersonal Intelligence: NBISD students build self-awareness of their emotions and social skills, enabling them to convey their ideas appropriately, resolve conflict constructively, and establish strong relationships
Consider Approval of Proposed Name Change: Silver Unicorn Award to Silver Star Award
After thoughtful consideration, both the 2025 Silver Unicorn Committee and the Board of Trustees recommend renaming the award the Silver Star Award. The Silver Star Award will continue the tradition established in 1965 of recognizing individuals who have provided exceptional service to the children and youth of New Braunfels. While the name changes, the award’s distinction and spirit remain the same.
“To keep this legacy of this being a prestigious award, we need to stick with the district star because we don’t want to affect those who have received this award in the past,” said Trustee Kim Goodwin.
Established in 1965 by the NBISD Board of Trustees, the Silver Unicorn Award has long honored individuals for exceptional contributions to our community’s children and youth. Over time, it has become a symbol of outstanding service and dedication.
At the March 10 and April 14, 2025, Board Meetings, Trustees discussed the district’s continued growth and the importance of representing all NBISD mascots. During the February 11, 2025, Silver Unicorn Committee meeting, members also explored renaming the award to better reflect this evolution while honoring its longstanding purpose.
Upcoming School Board Meetings
The next regular board meeting will be held on June 16th at 6:00 pm. If you would like to make a public comment at an upcoming board meeting please fill out the request form.
Learn more about the New Braunfels ISD Board of Trustees on our website where you can find recordings and agendas from past board meetings.
