To help open the meeting, Board President Nancy Humphrey led the Pledges of Allegiance for the United States and state of Texas.

Board President Nancy Humphrey performing the Pledges of Allegiance

After the pledges, Dr. Selenda Freeman invited Director of Fine Arts Dr. Phillip Morgan to kick off recognitions. 

Thousands of students across North Texas were invited to submit artwork for a chance at selection as the cover artist of the North Central Texas Council of Government's annual “Progress North Texas” Transportation Report.  This illustration serves as the visual point of reference for the region’s transportation partners and how they cooperate to build projects and plan for future endeavors. This year’s theme is Working Together to Improve Mobility.This year’s winner is a Plano East Senior High School visual arts student. Enqui Wang was inspired to recreate an intersection her mom drove by every morning on the way to school. Developed by Procreate software for iPad, the drawing features different types of vehicles meeting at the intersection, with the bustling action of people interacting, including a construction worker, to illustrate who built the transportation system, and a sanitation worker, responsible for keeping the city clean and safe.

Enqui Wang with Board Vice President Dr. Lauren Tyra

The second recognition of the evening was for three Plano ISD students receiving VASE Gold Seal awards at the Visual Arts Scholastic Event. The Texas Art Educators Association (TAEA) provides students in Visual Arts an opportunity to qualify at the Regional (local entry) level for the Visual Arts Scholastic Event or VASE competition each year. From that qualifying contest, students with exceptional artwork move forward to the State VASE contest hosted in San Marcos, Texas.  The most prestigious of the awards at the State VASE contest, however, is the coveted Gold Seal. This award represents the most elite artworks in the Lone Star State. This year, three Plano ISD students achieved that honor.

• Suhani Goyal, Shepton High School. Under the instruction of Visual Arts instructor, Melissa Pierce.
• Kathleen Murphy, Jasper High School. Under the instruction of Visual Arts instructor, Adriane Anderson.
• Eesha Gundam, Plano West Senior High School. Under the instruction of Visual Arts instructor, Phillip Fryee.

Next, Dr. Morgan recognized the achievements of Plano West Senior High School and students across the district for their success at the Texas UIL Speech & Debate Championships. Only the top 12 individual performers from each Conference and Contest qualify for the two-day event at the University of Texas at Austin.  This year, multiple Plano ISD students qualified as regional UIL champions and made the trek to Austin to represent their respective campuses for the title rounds.

• Janellia Agbor-Agbor, Plano Senior High School - 6A Poetry Interpretation State Qualifier, under the direction of coach Robert Shepard.
• Ishika Kothari, Plano East Senior High School - 6A Fifth Place Finalist in Extemporaneous Speaking, under the direction of coaches Madison Gackenbach and Miranda Villanueva.
• Kyle Letterer, Plano West Senior High School- 6A Fifth Place Finalist in Extemporaneous Persuasive Speaking, under the direction of coaches Robey Holland and Reggie Chapman.
• Satvik Mahendra, Plano West Senior High School- 6A Second Place Silver Medalist in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate, under the direction of coaches Robey Holland and Reggie Chapman.
• Gabriel Bo, Plano West Senior High School- 6A State Champion in Extemporaneous Persuasive Speaking, under the direction of coaches Robey Holland and Reggie Chapman.
• Phoena Lin, Plano West Senior High School- 6A State Champion in Extemporaneous Informative Speaking, under the direction of coaches Robey Holland and Reggie Chapman.
• Plano West Senior High School, Conference 6A UIL State Champion Speech & Debate Team.

Afterward, winners from the National Speech & Debate Association National Tournament. "This year, several students and staff from Plano ISD not only ascended the mountain, but some ended up at the very summit, proving again, that they are not only successful public speakers, but insightful, creative, and academically brilliant students from Plano, Texas," said Dr. Morgan.

• Two coaches from Plano East Senior High School, Madison Gackenbach and Miranda Villanueva, received National Recognition as Diamond Level coaches for NSDA.
• Ashraf Bazerback, National Individual Semifinalist in Congressional Senate Debate.
• Raghav Ramki, National Fifth Place Medalist in Congressional House Debate.
• Amit Konda, National 11th Place Finalist in Dramatic Interpretation.
• Walker Blackwell, National Eighth Place Finalist in Dramatic Interpretation.
• Haniyyah Zia, National Eighth Place Finalist in Original Oratory. 
• Manha Haque, National Sixth Place Finalist in Program Oral Interpretation.
• Katherine Lee, National Sixth Place Finalist in US Extemporaneous Speaking.
• Max Blackwell, National Individual Bronze Medalist in Dramatic Interpretation. 
• Phoena Lin, National Individual Silver Medalist in International Extemporaneous Speaking.
• Kyle Letterer, National Champion in US Extemporaneous Speaking.

As the Fine Arts Recognitions concluded, Deputy Superintendent for Business & Employee Services invited Executive Director of Transportation, Mark Skinner, to the podium to celebrate his staff's recent success at the TAPT Road-eo.

Each year, the Texas Association for Pupil Transportation hosts its annual school bus safety rodeo for both regular, conventional and special needs buses as an opportunity for school bus drivers and bus assistants to showcase their skills in driving and working with students.Drivers compete against one another using their skills in precision driving and knowledge of the laws. Each event is either timed or measured to determine the score. The event includes a written test challenging the contestant's comprehension of driver certification, commercial driving laws and regulations. Contestants then get behind the wheel and demonstrate their ability to maneuver a school bus in and around various driving obstacle courses that include backing, parallel parking, right, left-hand turns, as well as student loading and unloading. Each event is either timed or measured to determine the score. Many hours of practice are needed to receive the maximum number of points for each event. This year Plano ISD had 19 special needs teams competing and 33 conventional drivers against 34 other districts in the state.

• Steve Mooneyham, State Champion (Special Needs Category)
• Mohmed Omera, State Champion (Special Needs Category)
• Mohsen Al Asad, State Finalist (Special Needs Category)
• Nablia Audi, State Finalist (Special Needs Category)
• Jim Sager, State Semifinalist (Conventional Category)