Misty Odenweller, CISD Trustee, Position 3
Misty Odenweller
CISD Trustee, Position 3
Trustee Misty Odenweller (Position 3) is one of the newest members of the Conroe Independent School District (CISD) Board of Trustees. Odenweller ran on the “Mama Bears” slate with two other conservative candidates, Tiffany Nelson (Position 1) and Melissa Dungan (Position 2). All three won their elections and were sworn in on Nov. 18, 2022.
Odenweller’s decision to run for CISD Board stemmed from wanting the focus to be on the student-parent-teacher partnership, and for all to be safe in the school environment.
“We need quality curriculum and instruction tools and a quality environment along with support for our teachers,” she says. “We need parents to be the ones making the decisions regarding their child’s learning. Lastly, we need to remove inappropriate content in both libraries and curriculum and instruction: content that includes Critical Race Theory (CRT) Tenets and books violating the obscenity clause. We need materials that teach literacy!
“I have stated many times - curriculum and instruction is a hill I am willing to die on. I recently traveled to Austin to meet with Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding his support in enforcing laws on books in schools, and any bills in the legislative session that will help with the safety of our teachers and students. We must get rid of Restorative Justice, Justice programs, and anything that ties the hands of a district to provide a safe learning environment because of regulations that hurt us financially or our rating.”
Background
Odenweller wears many hats, but the most important one to her is being a Christian. Her faith has guided her as a wife, mother, grandmother, business owner, and as a teacher. Though she started out as a business major, Misty soon found her passion and graduated from Texas A&M University in 1992 with a degree in education. She has taught in public and private elementary schools and has written and aligned curriculum for both. Her background has provided her the understanding that success in the educational system is found in a symbiotic relationship between the home and the school.
As a teacher, Misty worked to keep parents informed to provide high-quality education. She believes that success in the classroom begins with the engagement, inclusion, and involvement of the parent in the education experience. She understands that collaboration with the parent is the only way for a child to grow as a student.
Her drive for teaching was discovered through watching three of her siblings struggle with learning disabilities and carried on when she became the parent of a child with multiple learning disabilities. These experiences motivated her to provide innovative and meaningful lessons that would positively impact each type of student. She incorporated technology and adaptations when applicable to ensure each child’s learning style was accommodated.
Her Work So Far on the CISD Board
“So far in my new role on the school board, I have fought like a mama bear to shine light on issues and attempted to adopt a new policy on our district book selection process,” says Odenweller. “I have also held countless meetings with the dyslexia community and brought a dyslexia workshop to the board. I have met with Senator Brandon Creighton’s team to discuss dyslexia legislation and met with Senator Angela Paxton regarding our concerns for education and more specifically books of concern and legislation she is bringing forth.”
Meeting with Attorney General Ken Paxton
Current Challenges
“The biggest challenge is that we are split on the CISD board,” she says. “I am having to work hard to sway other board members to stand in agreement with me on issues and so far, I haven't had success.
“Another challenge is that the questions I am asking and the direction I am looking to go are not popular with the administration and some board members. I mentioned some of those issues above.
“The three Mama Bears came in drinking from a fire hydrant of information and digging in to learn all we can, as fast as we can. We have one workshop and one board meeting each month. Our Board Book (the packet of information to go over and prepare that comes out on the Friday afternoon before a Tuesday board meeting) is always several hundred pages long. We must get through the material, ask questions, and understand all that we are making decisions on before the board meeting Tuesday night.”
How You Can Support Conservative Members of the CISD Board
“The biggest help that voters and residents can give us is to be informed. I know everyone cannot come to every meeting, but please come when you can. Reach out to me if you have questions. Let me know your concerns and I will do my best to keep all informed on my progress. We cannot just trust anymore. We must trust, verify, and engage.”
Conservatives are outnumbered on the CISD Board of Trustees. You can support the conservative board members by becoming informed, attending board meetings, and contacting board members and the superintendent on issues. School boards and superintendents often base their decisions on “community standards,” which are often determined by the loudest voices. It is important for conservatives to have a large presence at these meetings to counter Leftist agendas.
More Information & Contact
Regular CISD Board Meetings are open to the public and held on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm.
Misty Odenweller, CISD Trustee, Position 3
Phone: (936) 709-7752
Email: modenweller@conroeisd.net
Website: CISD Board of Trustees & Superintendent
Address:
3205 West Davis
Conroe, TX 77304