Mineola ISD has named Donald Myers to be its new High School Band Director. Myers was chosen out of 13 applicants for a two-year contract. Myers has been on the band staff since 2023, and has been serving as acting band director since previous band director Jim Best resigned in December. Superintendent Cody Mize said that the decision to bring Myers on board was a unanimous decision on the 10-person interview committee.

“Out of those ten, including myself, our number one, unanimous choice everybody was like-minded on to lead our band – our Director of Bands, Director of Fine Arts going into the future – Mr. Donald Myers,” announced Mize. “I think somebody said it best in the interview committee: ‘What’s it look like since Mr. Best left?’ And it hasn’t missed a beat.”

The MISD board unanimously approved Myers’ contract.

Myers said that he was honored by the vote of confidence.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am, and how honored I am, to continue the traditions of excellence that we have here,” he said. “Again, I appreciate you.”

The board also conducted their first reading of Senate Bill 11 regarding the reading of religious texts and prayers in school.

“It’s kind of a catch-22; I think it was… set up in a way to put y’all in a bad spot,” said Mize about the bill.

According to him, any student or employee who wants to read their Bible during a lunch hour, etc. – even with a group – is welcome to do so. However, the senate bill would require any reading of any religious text to be in a separate room where no one passing by can hear. All participants would also have to have a signed consent form.

“There’s not a person in our midst that’ll say, ‘Put your Bible up.’ They can do that all day long,” said Mize. “But this requires you to designate a time that is non-instructional, and coordinate a place.”

“I think it confines it more, instead of letting it be open,” agreed board member Jill Quiambao. “I think we have a lot of openness to religion. And I think that this would hamper it, honestly, by saying that you can only doing it (under these regulations).”

However, not all board members agreed. One board member said that a student may be nervous or unwilling to approach another student privately about their religious beliefs, but that a designated time and place to do so may encourage more religious conversations.

The board took no action on the bill since it was simply a first reading. The board clarified, as did the Quitman ISD board during their January meeting, if the decision to participate in the bill is mandatory. It is not. The official vote will be made at their February meeting. 

“You’re going to have an interesting decision to kick around in February,” said Mize.

The board approved an annual contract for Mize as Superintendent. Mize said that the current enrollment of 1,806 is “another all-time high for the district.” According to him, the 2023-24 Texas Academic Performance Report showed 93.5% of MISD high school students at meets for College/Career/Military readiness – “well above” rankings for the region and the state. The board noted, with claps and cheering, that the MISD attendance rate is about 95%, or about 2% higher than most of the state. The board approved a requirement for a minimum staffing of one district police officer per campus during regular school hours, and a request for 200 Chromebooks for the high school. They also celebrated school board appreciation month by handing out plaques to each school board member.

During his superintendent’s report, Mize announced that MISD will be hosting, for the first time ever, a cycling event for the March 14 Special Olympics. He asked for volunteers. Mize also noted that the Lady Jackets are “on pace to be able to do some really historic things” with their district run. According to him, they are currently 14th in the state.