Board of Trustees

The seven-member Board of Trustees governs the Klein Independent School District. Each member is elected to an at-large position for three years in a non-partisan election. An election is held each year for either two or three positions. Board members, like the administrative staff and teachers, are here to serve you to the best of their ability.

They proudly accept their responsibility of providing the appropriate educational experiences for all of our students. The Board of Trustees conducts all business in open meetings. Matters relating to personnel, student conduct, school security, pending litigation, and land acquisitions may be discussed privately. However, the final vote is taken in the open meeting. This procedure is in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas concerning school board meetings.

In Klein ISD, EVERY student enters with a PROMISE and exits with a PURPOSE.

BOARD POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Board of Trustee Members

Rob Ellis

ROB ELLIS
President

Email: [email protected]

In 2019, Rob Ellis was elected to the Klein ISD Board of Trustees.

He is the proud son of a former Klein ISD board member and attended Ehrhardt and Mittelstädt Elementary, Kleb Intermediate, and Klein High School.

Ellis graduated from Harvard Law School and University of Cambridge, clerked for United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jennifer Elrod, worked as a partner at Yetter Coleman LLP, and is currently Assistant General Counsel at Southwestern Energy.

He and his wife Christa have five children, four of whom are students in the district.

Cathy Arellano

CATHY ARELLANO
Vice President

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @CathyArellano99

Cathy Arellano has been part of the Klein ISD community since 1987. She worked at Klein Oak High as a Dance Team Director, Assistant Principal, Associate Principal and Head Principal of the Freshmen wing before retiring after 40 years in education. She has been a proud resident of Northampton for many years and her son, Chance, graduated from Klein Oak in 2007.

Cathy is a graduate of The University of Texas with a BS degree in Education and Masters’ Degree from Prairie View A&M. Cathy has been involved in dance education since 1987 and was a charter member and President of Texas Dance Educator Association. She was instrumental in working with TEA in having Dance Education recognized as a Fine Art in the mid 1990s.

Cathy is the owner of Miss Dance Drill Team Texas (MDDTTEXAS) Dance Competitions and class owner of Jazzercise – The Woodlands. She is Co-owner of Dance Surge Dance Camps and Battleground Dance Special Events.

She is very proud to have received the Klein District Administrator of the Year Award and takes pride in being recognized as a KISD Diamond at the 75 Year Celebration. Cathy is a Director with The Klein Education Foundation, a member of the Texas Retired Teachers Association and the Texas Association of School Boards. She serves as a mentor at one of the elementary schools and volunteers throughout the district.

Cathy has served on the Klein ISD School Board since 2016. She brings her expertise in education, administration and is a longtime resident of the Klein community.
CIS/CIQ

Doug Creager

DUSTIN CREAGER
Secretary

Email: [email protected]

Dustin Creager was elected to the Klein ISD Board of Trustees in November 2021.
Dustin and his wife Rebecca have two children, both who attend Klein ISD schools.

Dustin works as a financial advisor and has a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in business administration.

In addition to serving as a Klein ISD trustee, Dustin serves on the Board of the Kailee Mills Foundation and as a volunteer with the Klein Fire Department. Dustin has been in the fire service for over 24 years. He has been involved with numerous youth programs in the Klein area, coaching flag football and baseball at The Farm League, was a coach and athletic director for the Klein Texans for 3 years, served as the AAYFDT assistant athletic director for 1 year, has volunteered with Klein ISD for 5 years and been a member of Friends of KISD for 2 years.

Dustin looks forward to ensuring the focus of decision making in Klein ISD remains on what is best for its 53,000 students.

Ronnie Anderson

RONNIE ANDERSON
Trustee

Email: [email protected]

In 2009, Ronnie Anderson was elected to the Klein ISD Board of Trustees.

A resident of Klein since 1974, he attended Haude, Theiss, Strack, Kleb and graduated from Klein High School where he met his wife Tracie.

Ronnie earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Sports Management from Texas A&M University. Ronnie is a Senior Vice President at Holt Lunsford. He and his wife, who have two sons, serve as youth bible study leaders at Faithbridge Church. Ronnie also served as a Lay Elder at Faithbridge for seven years. Ronnie also serves as a Ministry Leader for Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He coaches showcase, high school prep baseball, and has coached Upward Basketball and Klein Broncos football.

Ronnie is a Board Member for the Make-A-Wish Foundation/King of Swing Charities and serves as a Board Member at Large on the Phoenix District Committee for the Boy Scouts of America.
CIS/CIQ

Doug James

DOUG JAMES
Trustee

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @DougJames4Klein

Doug James was elected to the Klein ISD Board of Trustees in 2017. He and his wife Ronda have lived in and been involved with the district for more than 31 years. Their three children are graduates of Klein Forest High School and Stephen F. Austin State University respectively and currently are educators in Klein ISD.

Doug’s commitment to education is evident in his work as a volunteer at a variety of Klein schools and on various district leadership teams. Doug served on the 2015 Bond Committee and as one of the original directors of the Klein Education Foundation. He also helped to establish the International Business Academy at Klein Forest High School.

Doug continues to be an active volunteer in the community, serving on the Northwest Chamber of Commerce, Economic Outlook Committee. He also serves as a Sunday School & Bible Study leader as well as a mentor at his church. Doug is on the board of the Greater Southeast Community Economic Council (GSCEC), and he is the owner and operator of the D. James Group Marketing Communication & Design Firm. A graduate of Ohio University and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Doug has a passion for education and helping cause-centered businesses that are dedicated to improving our communities. Doug enjoys working with the Superintendent and Board of Trustees to help Klein ISD realize its strong Promise2Purpose vision for the future of our children.

Georgan Reitmeier

GEORGAN REITMEIER
Trustee

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @greitmeier

In 2005, Georgan Reitmeier was elected to the Klein ISD Board of Trustees. She and her husband Tom have lived in the district for more than 40 years. Their two children graduated from Klein Forest High School.

Georgan has been involved with the Klein ISD for 30 years, serving more than 15 years as a parent volunteer, and 15 years as the program director with the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) Keep Pace program. She retired as the director of the ECI Keep Pace program for the Harris County Department of Education. She is serving her second term as a director on the Texas Association of School Boards where she is chairman of the Resolutions Committee. She is past president and currently on the board of
directors for the Gulf Coast Area Association of School Boards. Additionally, she is on the steering committee for Go Public Gulf Coast. Ms. Reitmeier earned Master Trustee certification from Leadership TASB [Texas Association of School Boards].

As a volunteer, she served as the district coordinator of Klein ISD volunteers and president of two booster clubs at Klein Forest High School. Georgan currently volunteers as a mentor at McDougle Elementary and is serving on the Literacy Squad with Bridging for Tomorrow with students at Klenk Elementary. Georgan earned both a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in education from Oklahoma State University.

Chris Todd

CHRIS TODD
Trustee

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @ct4kisd

Chris Todd is currently serving his second term on the Klein ISD Board of Trustees. He attended Benfer, Strack, and is a graduate of Klein Oak. Chris and his wife Katie are residents of the district and have two children who both attend Klein ISD schools.

Chris is the Pastor of Operations and COO at Champion Forest Baptist Church. He graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a minor in Psychology.
CIS/CIQ

Dr. Jenny McGown

DR. JENNY MCGOWN
Superintendent

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @jenny_mcgown

Superintendent Dr. Jenny McGown has deep roots in the Klein community and has most recently served as deputy superintendent for Klein ISD, a 54,000-student district in northwest Harris County. She is a dedicated leader who has also served Klein ISD in the roles of chief learning officer, executive director, principal, assistant principal, and classroom teacher.

As Chief Learning Officer and Deputy Superintendent, Dr. McGown had a pivotal role in developing unique pathways for students to earn advanced degrees before high school graduation, including the Advanced Nursing Pathway and the first-in-the state Geospatial Engineering and Land Surveying Pathway. She also initiated Innovation Challenges that enable students to solve real-world problems creatively— earning state and national-level recognition for STEM education by JASON Learning—as well as KleinTalks, an annual celebration for students to speak about their passions.

Dr. McGown was recognized as one of the top 40 professionals under 40 across all sectors in the greater Houston area by the Houston Business Journal in 2017 and the Houston BizWoman Headliner in Education in 2018. In 2019, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) named her the Outstanding Woman in Education, and just recently, she was named the Sam Houston State University Distinguished Educator of the Year for 2020. Dr. McGown serves on the Google for Education North America K-12 Advisory Board, the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts Board, and the Northwest Assistance Ministries Board. In Klein ISD, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Klein Education Foundation. Additionally, Dr. McGown is a member of the Lone Star College Chancellor’s Advisory Council and a member of the JASON’s Superintendents Advisory Board. Dr. McGown completed her undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University and received her Master’s and Doctorate in Education from Sam Houston State University.

Outside of professional life, Dr. McGown enjoys spending time with her husband, Brian, and children, Joshua and Mary Claire, both Klein ISD students. She and her husband are members of Faithbridge Church, supporters of the Klein Education Foundation, and are involved in the work of Bridging for Tomorrow and Love 146.

An effective trustee devotes considerable time and energy over the course of their election term, and the Klein ISD is grateful for the many hours these individuals volunteer in service to our students, staff, families, and community.

Responsibilities

A school board is an elected, local governing body that can only take action at a legally called meeting of the Board and by a majority vote. The individual board member has the responsibility of studying matters impacting the district and being prepared to take action on items brought before the Board at a posted public meeting.

The responsibilities of a school board include the following:

Overseeing the development of the district’s vision, strategic priorities and goals
Adopting policies that govern the district
Selecting and collaborating with the superintendent of schools who is the chief executive officer for the school district
Adopting an annual budget with fiscal responsibility, including setting the annual tax rate

Commitments

A member of the Board of Trustees serves the district at large representing all schools and areas of the district. In addition to preparing for and attending board meetings, there are a number of district and campus events that a trustee attends. A summary of some of these events is listed below.

Regular monthly meetings (twelve annually) usually held the second Monday of each month but on occasion, the Board of Trustees will take action to change a scheduled meeting date
Audit committee meetings (three annually)...there are three trustees who serve on the audit committee; however, all trustees are permitted to attend
Safety committee meetings (three annually)...there are two trustees who serve on the safety committee; however, all trustees are permitted to attend
Annual Team Building...this is a required three hour session with all trustees and the superintendent, usually held at the beginning of a calendar year.
Workshops and special meetings (approximately eight) are conducted throughout the year on topics including, but not limited to, budget, measures and indicators of success, legislative updates
Klein Education Foundation...two trustees serve as foundation directors and attend monthly meetings and additional engagements
School Health Advisory Council...one trustee serves on this committee and meets four times a year

<p>Trustees are required to earn continuing education credit each year. A new trustee has certain training requirements during the first 90 or 120 days of taking office. There are two conventions that the Board typically attends to assist in earning some of their credits (Texas Association of School Boards conference in the Fall and the National School Board Association conference in the Spring). Other training opportunities are through the Region 4 Education Service Center, for example.</p>
<ul>
<li>New Trustee Orientation</li>
<li>Open Meetings Training</li>
<li>Texas Education Code/Update</li>
<li>Team Building</li>
<li>Cybersecurity </li>
<li>Evaluating & Improving Student Outcomes</li>
<li>Child Abuse Prevention</li>
<li>Ten additional hours for new trustee (five additional hours annually for experienced trustees)</li>
</ul>

Klein Leadership Coalition (monthly)
FFA Project Show & Auction
German Fest
Klein Education Foundation Academic Banquet
Klein Education Foundation Golf Tournament and Grant Celebrations
Annual Employee Convocation/Kickoff
New School Dedications
GT Summit
Innovation Challenges
Partners in Education Celebration
Alumni Nation
Pathway Summit
Annual Staff Recognition Banquet
Fine Arts: Musicals, Concerts, Plays
Top Ten Honor Graduate Ceremonies
Sporting Events: Football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, track and field, etc.
Occasional special school events
Graduation Ceremonies
Vistas Clapouts (4 events annually for graduates from Vistas High School Program)
Veterans Day Breakfast & Celebration

Board of Trustee Creed

I am a citizen elected to represent the people of the entire school district, not just a specific group of people, or those living in a certain subdivision or area. I realize that my authority as a member of the Board of Trustees only exists during a legally announced meeting and that at all other times I am a private citizen.

I do not need to know all of the facets of the educational process or of general school administration. I am not expected to do this work, but I am responsible for seeing that the work is done. My work as a member of the Board of Trustees consists of assisting in choosing a competent superintendent to guide the district, deciding within the provisions of the applicable laws what is to be done, setting educational priorities, and appraising the work to see that it is done competently and economically. The administration of the educational program and the conduct of school business shall be left to the superintendent of schools and his staff.

As a member of the Board of Trustees, I deal directly with the superintendent or through the Board president and do not attempt to handle school business matters with other district employees. I listen impartially to all persons who come to me with questions, problems, and/or comments on the capabilities or personalities of school employees, and direct them to the appropriate employees of the school district and apprise them of the administrative procedure for all grievances.

I must make my own decisions. I will not join any faction or group on the Board of Trustees. Each time I cast my vote it will be because of my feelings on the individual issue, not because of anyone else's position or voting alignment. I abide by majority decisions of the Board and I publicly support these decisions even though I may have voted with the minority. I do not seek special privileges for myself, my relatives or my friends. I desire that the people of the community shall have an education that is as complete and adequate as it is possible to provide. I must never neglect my personal obligation to the community and my legal obligation to the State, nor surrender these responsibilities to any other person, group, or organization. With dignity and honor, I want to serve the school district; with humility and to the best of my ability, I shall discharge my great public trust.

Board Policies & Procedures

Elementary

Intermediate

High

Programs

Board of Trustees

In Klein ISD, EVERY student enters with a PROMISE and exits with a PURPOSE.

BOARD POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Board of Trustee Members

An effective trustee devotes considerable time and energy over the course of their election term, and the Klein ISD is grateful for the many hours these individuals volunteer in service to our students, staff, families, and community.

Responsibilities

Commitments

Board of Trustee Creed