New Caney ISD trustees approve student travel, construction contract, tap fees and one-time staff stipend

The New Caney Independent School District Board of Trustees on April 21 approved a package of administrative and operational items including four out-of-state student trips, developer-mandated plan changes and utility tap fees related to a New Caney Elementary replacement campus, the award of Highlands Middle School No. 5 construction to Jermala Construction Company, and a one-time $1,000 retention stipend for eligible full-time employees funded from additional state homestead-exemption aid.

Why it matters: The motions move multiple projects and district personnel and budget items into implementation: construction work and site utilities can proceed on district campuses, and the stipend distributes roughly $2.4 million of one-time state aid to employees for retention purposes. Several of these actions have capital or recurring fiscal consequences for the district.

The board approved out-of-state field trips for Porter High School (CTE/TAFE students to Orlando, June 25–29, 2025, cost cited at $7,584.70), Porter High School Visual Arts (student to represent the district for artwork displayed in the Cannon Tunnel in Washington, D.C.; district to cover chaperone, hotel and meals), and New Caney High School (National History Day, College…