ROCKWALL, TX (May 27, 2026) — The following is a summary of the Rockwall ISD Board of Trustees monthly meeting held Monday, May 18, 2026, highlighting key discussions, decisions, and district updates.

Amy Hilton and Dr. Bart Miller Take Oath of Office

The newly elected Board of Trustees took their oaths of office. Mrs. Amy Hilton was re-elected to serve as Trustee for Place 6, and Dr. Bart Miller was re-elected to serve in the Place 7 position. We thank both Trustees for their continued service and commitment to the students, staff, and community of Rockwall ISD.

Board of Trustee Officers Announced

The Board of Trustees voted for the following officers:

• Dr. Sherry Packer, President
• Stan Britton, Vice-President
• Dr. Bart Miller, Secretary

Recognitions

Congratulations to the following students and student groups who the Board of Trustees recognized for their accomplishments:

Dr. Gene Burton Academy State Champions Representing Various Career & Technical Education Programs:

BBQ Team

Thirteen students competed against 96 high school BBQ teams at the 2026 HSBBQ State Championship led by their advisor Sean Hill.

Congratulations to the advisor and Team Que student Luke Ravetta who placed 9th at the State level in the Desserts category.

DECA

Twenty-seven state qualifiers competed against 7,300 business, marketing, accounting and entrepreneurship students at DECA’s State Conference led by advisors Dori Brown, Alisha Bridges and April Deats.

Congratulations to the advisors and the following students who were awarded for their achievements at the State level:

State Finalists and International Alternates

• Ethan Abraham (RHS, 12th) – Principles of Entrepreneurship
• Kelly Shin (RHS, 12th) – Marketing Communications Series
• Megan Snyder (RHS, 11th) – Business Services Marketing Series

State Finalists and International Qualifiers

• Katelyn Bui (RHS, 12th) – Marketing Management Team Decision Making
• Isabelle King (RHS, 12th) – Marketing Management Team Decision Making

Culinary ProStart

Seven students in our culinary program, led by chef instructors Rachel Bristow, Maddie Meyer, Chris Rivera, and Celeste Hernandez, participated in the Texas ProStart Invitational State Competition. At this competition, students showcased their culinary skills in a real-world setting. The culinary team of five students earned 1st place and advanced to the national competition in Baltimore where they earned 8th out of 47 teams. In addition, we had two students compete in individual events. Both students earned 1st place in Breakfast Battle and in Knife Skills.

Congratulations to our state champion culinary team, the chef instructors and the following students who were awarded for their achievements at the State level:

• Breakfast Battle: Jacob Mendoza, who also placed 8th place with the ProStart Team
• Knife Skills: Oliver Steele
• ProStart Team: Kailey Hahn, Meagan Hatley, Darby Jorif, Danna Rodriguez, Kevie Weaver

Rockwall-Heath High School Infiniti National Acapella Champions:

Rockwall-Heath High School’s A Capella Choir, Infiniti, recently competed in the International Championship of High School Finals competition in New York City on April 24th. Out of 255 schools that compete across the country, only ten schools are selected to compete in finals. To qualify for this contest, Infiniti won first place in the Southwest Division which is made up of schools from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Infiniti earned first place in the international competition in New York City. Additionally, they won best choreography for their set, which was choreographed by senior Infiniti member Emily Ford. Towdah Kiima was also named best soloist. Congratulations to the national champions, Infiniti A Capella choir from Rockwall-Heath High School, and their outstanding directors, Lauren Smith and Patrick Vu.

Rockwall High School Men’s Gymnastics Team and Individual State Medalists:

The Rockwall High School Gymnastics team finished as Runner-Up in the THSGCA State Championships in Odessa on April 24-25. This team is coached by Cameron Sweny.

In addition, the following student athletes earned individual medals by placing in the top three in state in individual events.

• Men’s Individual All-Around: Beckham Nowaczyk – 3rd place
• Floor Exercise: Marcellis Hamilton & Beckham Nowaczyk – 3rd place
• Rings: Everett Myers – 3rd place
• Vault: Beckham Nowaczyk – tied for 1st place
• Parallel Bar: Beckham Nowaczyk – 3rd place
• Horizontal Bar: Nathan Lamptey – 2nd place
• Pommel Horse: Braydon Stovall – 3rd place

Rockwall ISD State Visual Art Scholastic Event VASE Awards and Junior State VASE Awards:

Approximately 35,000 high school students participated in this year’s VASE, beginning with regional competitions held across Texas. Only the top-rated artworks from each region advanced to the State level, where they were evaluated again by panels of professional artists and educators.

At the State level, students receive another rating on a scale of 1 to 4. A rating of 4 indicates the highest level of excellence, recognizing both technical skill and personal voice. This year, only 4% of all entries statewide earned this prestigious rating.

We are proud to recognize the following students who advanced to State VASE and earned a Rating of 4:

• From Rockwall HS: Eli Clay, Brynley Hergert, Zoe Kloiber, Hanae Long, Tomas Lucero, Mckinley Martin, Kriston McClain, Esther Park, Tacoya Rawlins, Vivien Rzanca, and Sarah Shippe
• From Rockwall-Heath HS: Sahar Abbasi and Phavian Dennis

In addition, Visual Arts students from Cain and Rakow Middle Schools earned top honors at the 2026 Junior Visual Arts Scholastic Event (Junior VASE). Like high school state VASE, students strive to earn a Rating 4 (Superior), which signifies a work of art that is exceptional in both execution and concept. The highest honor achievable at the regional level is the Platinum Medal. This distinction is reserved for the top 10% of all entries that received a Rating 4. These works represent the “best of the best,” demonstrating a level of mastery that goes beyond standard expectations. We would like to extend a special congratulations to our 2026 Platinum Medalists:

• From Cain Middle School: Abrielle Torres
• From Rakow Middle School: Karen Almanza Leon, Sebastian Gonzalez, David Limones, Ariella Fortygin, William (Liam) Goff, Isabella Hettler, and Brynn Krantz

Academics and Professional Development Update for Summer 2026

The Board of Trustees received an update on Rockwall ISD’s summer academic programs and preparations for the 2026-2027 school year. The presentation highlighted a variety of summer learning opportunities for students, including bilingual and ESL programs, elementary and
middle school summer school, special education Extended School Year services, high school credit recovery, and enrichment camps through Summer ROCK. Trustees also received an overview of summer professional learning opportunities for staff, curriculum writing efforts to strengthen instruction, and onboarding plans for new employees.

Approval of District of Innovation Amendment

The Board approved a District of Innovation (DOI) amendment for Interdistrict Transfer Students. The District will be able to revoke a student’s transfer during the academic year based on changed circumstances initially qualifying a non-resident student for a transfer based on an exception under the policy. Additionally, if any information is misrepresented in the transfer application or any transfer documentation,
the student transfer may also be revoked during the school year. Finally, violation of the terms of the agreement may result in revocation of a transfer during the school year or in a transfer request not being approved the following school year.

2026-2027 Budget Update and Declining Enrollment Trends

The Board of Trustees received an update on the District’s budget planning and student declining enrollment trends for the 2026-2027 school year. District leaders shared that the Voter Approval Tax Ratification Election (VATRE) continues to positively support teacher and staff compensation, helping Rockwall ISD remain competitive in recruiting and retaining high-quality employees.

The Board also reviewed the newly released Texas Public School Enrollment Trends report, which highlighted that Texas public schools experienced a decline of approximately 76,000 students during the 2025-2026 school year — the first statewide enrollment decline outside of the pandemic in nearly 40 years. The report also projects continued enrollment declines across Texas in future years, particularly in elementary grades.

District leaders explained that Rockwall ISD is experiencing many of the same enrollment trends affecting school districts across the state, including lower birth rates, increased competition from virtual and school choice options, and changing housing and economic patterns.
The update also included discussions regarding long-range planning, operational efficiencies, and strategies focused on maintaining financial stability while continuing to support students, staff, school safety, and academic opportunities.

Summer Construction & Technology Projects Update

The Board of Trustees received an update on approximately 55 summer operations, maintenance, transportation, technology, and facility improvement projects taking place across Rockwall ISD in preparation for the 2026-2027 school year. District leaders shared that the Operations and Technology departments support the District facilities by maintaining and improving campuses, classrooms, safety systems, transportation services, and technology infrastructure.

Projects currently underway include roofing, fire alarm, classroom flooring, gym floor, playground, and campus renovation projects at Hamm Elementary, Hays Elementary, Amanda Rochell Elementary, Lyon Elementary, Shannon Elementary, Utley Middle School, Cain Middle School, J.W. Williams Middle School, Rockwall High School, Rockwall-Heath High School, Rockwall High School Ninth Grade Campus, and Rockwall-Heath High School Ninth Grade Campus. Additional districtwide work includes parking lot restriping, exterior lighting repairs, playground surfacing replacements, transportation facility improvements, school bus upgrades, security camera installations, wireless network enhancements, and child nutrition serving line replacements.

The update also included athletics-related projects across the District, including parking expansions, track resurfacing, security fencing, lighting upgrades, scoreboard and sound system replacements, field improvements, and facility maintenance projects at Rockwall High School, Rockwall-Heath High School, Wilkerson-Sanders Stadium, Rakow Middle School, Cain Middle School, and J.W. Williams Middle School.

Approval of Purchase for JW Williams and Maurine Cain Middle School Football Field/Track LED Lighting Retrofits and Track Resurfacing Projects

The Board of Trustees approved the solicitation of quotes from an approved purchasing cooperative to purchase LED Lighting Upgrades & Retrofits and Track Resurfacing replacements at JW Williams and Maurine Cain Middle Schools.

Approval for JW Williams and Maurine Cain Middle School Security Fencing Upgrades

The Board of Trustees approved the recommendation to solicit quotes from an approved purchasing cooperative to purchase security-fencing replacements at JW Williams and Maurine Cain Middle School.

Approval of Purchase for Staff Technology Devices

The Board of Trustees approved the solicitation of quotes from an approved purchasing cooperative to purchase a refresh of staff technology devices.

Approval of Maurine Cain Middle School Parking Lot Expansion Project

The Board of Trustees approved a contract award to Northstar Builders Group in the amount of $742,000.00 for the Maurine Cain Middle School Parking Lot Expansion Project.

Date, Time and Location for 2026-2027 Budget and Proposed Tax Rate Hearing Set

The Board of Trustees set the date, time and location for the 2026-2027 budget and proposed tax rate hearing for Monday, June 15, 2026, 6:00 pm, in the Rockwall ISD Administration Building Room 600, 1050 Williams Street, Rockwall, Texas.

Approval of Rockwall Independent School District Unlimited Tax Refunding Bonds

The Board of Trustees approved the issuance and sale of Rockwall Independent School District Unlimited Tax Refunding Bonds, including the adoption of an order authorizing the issuance of such bonds, establishing parameters for the sale and issuance of such bonds. The District is continually monitoring and reviewing its debt portfolio for opportunities to maximize efficiency. Due to the current market conditions that are producing favorable interest rates, the District has a refunding opportunity that could provide a savings to taxpayers. The total amount of principal to be refunded is approximately $43,120,000. Additionally, it should be noted that this proposed refunding would not extend the current maturity dates beyond that of the existing Bonds. It is projected that the Present Value Savings would be approximately $3,759,286.

Approval of Local Policy Update FDA

The Board of Trustees approved revisions to Policy FDA [LOCAL] related to limited out of district transfer opportunities designed to support partnerships with local taxpayers, law enforcement agencies, and District employees who serve Rockwall ISD schools and students. The approved policy is effective for the 2026-2027 school year.

Highlights of the approved policy include:

• A District taxpayer may annually submit a transfer request for their nonresident grandchild or grandchildren by filing an application.
• Eligible nonresident law enforcement officers employed by the city of Rockwall, the city of Heath, the city of Fate, or Rockwall County may annually submit a transfer request for their child by filing an application. Note: The law enforcement provision reflects the District’s continued partnership with local agencies that provide school resource officers and support Rockwall ISD’s comprehensive safety programs through established memorandums of understanding (MOU).
• A nonresident District employee who works a minimum of 20 hours per week may request annual admission for their child or grandchild by filing an application.

All transfer requests remain subject to annual application requirements, transfer criteria, campus capacity, and administrative approval. Families seeking additional information may contact the Student Services Department.

Press release and photo submitted by Luci Mouton, Rockwall ISD Communications Coordinator. 

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