Round Rock ISD advisory council welcomes new members, previews opioid curriculum and March health fairs

The Round Rock Independent School District School Health Advisory Council convened at 6:10 p.m. and voted to approve its April 1 minutes before moving into introductions and substantive updates on the committee's 2025–26 priorities.

Chair Becky Lazwell opened the meeting and oriented seven new members to the council's purpose, committee structure and expectations for simple, consensus-driven recommendations. Lazwell said the council is advisory and has no authority to spend district funds: "We don't have any money and we don't have any authority to spend money," she told members.

District staff provided the council with a packet summarizing legislative changes and noted the district posted a 2025–26 student handbook and code of conduct online. On the council's first formal recommendation, staff described plans to deliver opioid-awareness material to students in grades 6–12 "in accordance with state law." Staff said secondary counseling teams (identified as Steve and Sonia) are developing curriculum for counselors to deliver in the second semester and that the advisory council can expect a preview presentation.

On community outreach, staff reviewed a successful pilot community health fair at Success High School and said the district plans two broader health fairs on March 3 and March 10, targeting families with absenteeism concerns and inviting community agencies, PTAs and nonprofit partners to host information tables and workshops.

Responding to the council's recommendation on human development lessons, staff said the district has added direct links to the curriculum in the student handbook and will have principals send district-level communications at the start of the spring semester before classroom-level notices, providing parents a longer runway to review materials. The council had asked for clearer, opt-in consent procedures; staff said an opt-in notice and earlier campus communications are being implemented.

Members pressed for more elementary recess time. Council members had proposed a goal (discussed informally as about 45 minutes a day), but staff explained the scheduling tradeoffs: while recess time has been increased for pre-kindergarten through first grade, grades 2–5 face constraints from required instructional and intervention blocks. Staff described recent work by assistant superintendents and executive directors to calibrate elementary master schedules across campuses in an effort to create more consistent recess allocations.

A member noted new state legislation restricting the use of recess as routine punishment. A participant clarified the law prevents taking away recess for nondisciplinary issues (but allows removal for serious misconduct) and that the bill did not set a minimum daily recess length.

Procedurally, the council took one formal vote: Sandy moved and Gina seconded approval of the April 1 minutes; the motion carried unanimously. Chair Lazwell explained officer eligibility rules (chair and vice chair must be parents or legal guardians of currently enrolled Round Rock ISD students; no employee may be an elected officer) and said nominations to fill a vice chair vacancy will be collected by email and voted on at the next meeting.

The meeting closed with instructions for committee breakouts (wellness; human development & sexuality; mental & behavioral health), selection of committee chairs and scribes, and guidance to exchange emails and gather materials offline ahead of spring recommendation writing. Chair Lazwell adjourned the meeting at 6:55 p.m.