The Hempstead ISD Board of Trustees met on Monday, May 19. Hempstead Middle School students led the pledges.
During the board meeting, Hempstead ISD Superintendent Herbert O’Neil celebrated the May Students and Staff of the Month, HHS Valedictorian and Salutatorian, HHS Top Ten Percent students, 2025 Teacher Incentive Allotment Recipients, and the 2025 Support Staff and Teachers of the Year.
Students Recognized
Our campuses have selected one student of the month from each grade level to be recognized for their excellence, efforts, and achievement in being outstanding students on campus.
Hempstead Early Childhood Center
Alyssa Lopez - Pre-K3
Willow Wright - Pre-K4
Hempstead Elementary School
Zius Williams - K
Evelyn Rivera Valle - 1st Grade
Kaylee Perez - 2nd Grade
Alianna Rios - 3rd Grade
Zoey Salters - 4th Grade
Alexandra Lindsey- 5th Grade
Hempstead Middle School
Gisselle Lopez - 6th Grade
Anthony Vega - 7th Grade
Noemi Grimaldo - 8th Grade
Hempstead High School
Luz Padron - 9th Grade
Brayden DiIorio - 10th Grade
Hayden Payne - 11th Grade
Andrew Salinas - 12th Grade
Employees Recognized
Monthly Staff Recognitions
Operations Employee of the Month
Brian James, Transportation Employee
Hempstead Early Childhood Center
May HECC Teacher of the Month - Kelli Johnson
May HECC Support Staff of the Month - Kathy Ivey
Hempstead Elementary School
May HES Teacher of the Month - Donna Barry
May HES Support Staff of the Month - Claudia Rodriguez
Hempstead Middle School
May HMS Teacher of the Month - Rosa Villalta
May HMS Support Staff of the Month - Tiffany Elaire
Hempstead High School
May HHS Teacher of the Month - Kumina Thomas
May HHS Support Staff of the Month - LaTasha Garvie
The Campus Teachers of the Year and Support Staff of the Year were recognized during the meeting. Each of them was given flowers from the district and gift cards from Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union.
2025 Support Staff of the Year
Hempstead Early Childhood Center - Gloria Torres
Hempstead Elementary School - Sandra Alvarez
Hempstead Middle School - Gary Thompson
Hempstead High School - Diana Duncan
2025 Campus Teachers of the Year
Hempstead Early Childhood Center - Rebecca Lopez
Hempstead Elementary School - Valarie Minor
Hempstead Middle School - Christina Conklin
Hempstead High School - Gabriel Arias
MaBisha Stubblefield, Executive Director of Human Resources, named the 2025 District Teachers of the Year, who will represent Hempstead ISD in the Region 4 Teacher of the Year Contest.
Congratulations to the 2025 District Secondary Teacher of the Year, Christina Conklin, and the 2025 District Elementary Teacher of the Year, Rebecca Lopez..
2025 Teacher Incentive Allotment Recipients
The Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program, created by the Texas Legislature as part of House Bill 3 offers an opportunity for teachers to earn six-figure salaries and for districts to attract and retain highly effective educators in traditionally hard-to-staff schools. The allotment amount per teacher is based on the level of academic growth their students attained, teacher instructional performance, and the percentage of socio-economically disadvantaged students at their school. Teachers can be recognized at three levels: Recognized, Exemplary and Master.
Hempstead Elementary School
Tabitha Collins - Master
Beatriz De La Cruz Merlock - Exemplary
Dominique Donald - Exemplary
Amy McCaffery - Recognized
Hempstead Middle School
Christina Conklin - Exemplary
Jessie Trimboli - Exemplary
Hempstead High School
Christine Herbert - Exemplary
Superintendent’s Higher Heights Award Recipient
Superintendent O’Neil announced that the May Superintendent’s Higher Heights Award recipient was Kelli Johnson, a Pre-K teacher at Hempstead Early Childhood Center. Superintendent O’Neil thanked Johnson for her commitment to her students at her campus.
The following information items were presented at the monthly board meeting.
Bond 2024 project manager and architect representatives from Gallagher and PBK were present to provide a progress and financial update.
Trustees Approve Action Items
During the May board meeting, Hempstead ISD Trustees approved the following action items:
Approved Superintendent's hiring authority from May 20, 2025, to September 15, 2025.
Approved a Resolution for Hempstead ISD Approval of County Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Approved a purchase of iCEV for CTE program certifications.
Approved purchasing cooperative and related fee.
Approved Budget Amendment #6.
Approved lawn care maintenance agreement.
Approved the Certificate of Election for Tressey Wilson (Position 1), James Glover (Position 2), and Albert Garfield (Position 3).
Approved keeping the board organization the same.
Board Members Tressey Wilson (Position 1), James Glover (Position 2), and Albert Garfield (Position 3) took the Oath of Office during the meeting.
The June Board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 16, in the Administration Building Board Room.