At its April 21 regular board meeting, the Conroe ISD board of trustees approved the purchase of a new virtual school program named Subject, as well as planned changes to the current virtual program’s model, switching from its current hybrid learning model to a more asynchronous program. 

How we got here: The current model for virtual school learning at CISD is a hybrid model for a five-day school week for grades 5-12. Three of the days in the school week are synchronous, where students are engaged and online with direct instruction from a teacher. The remaining two days are asynchronous, where students are given assignments and are expected to complete them on their own time without teacher supervision.

The future: For the 2026-27 school year, the district has planned to move to an asynchronous model with the Subject virtual learning program with CISD teacher support. CISD hopes to be fully asynchronous with an open enrollment policy by the 2027-28 school year, with the board's approval.

Imperial Sporthorses is now open in the Conroe area.

What you need to know: The facility opened in March in the Conroe area. It offers full-service stall and pasture boarding, private and group riding lessons, training programs for horses and riders, horse sales and consignment, and show coaching and competition programs.

Quote of note: "Our grand opening marks an exciting step forward in creating a welcoming, high-quality program where riders of all levels can grow, learn, and enjoy the sport," owner and head trainer Katherine Palmer said.

• 15715 Old Conroe Road, Conroe

At its April 21 regular board meeting, the Conroe ISD board of trustees adopted a new plan, dubbed the “homecoming plan,” to decentralize its special education program for the 2026-27 school year. CISD Deputy Superintendent Ted Landry presented the decentralization plan, the motivation for which is so that special education students no longer have to leave their zoned campuses for education.

About the program: Landry said the program currently operates as a centralized system in which students are bused to campuses where they are not locally zoned. The core idea behind the decentralized plan is to “ensure every student feels connected to their local zoned school community,” Landry said, while also making sure they are distributed in a way that allows every campus to provide individualized attention and resources for their success.

More details: The plan itself has been in motion for the last three years at the district’s secondary schools; this new adoption will be the “final stage,” Landry said.

Montgomery County commissioners voted unanimously to approve a resolution ordering the adoption of an artificial intelligence system code of ethics, during the April 23 court meeting. 

What happened: County IT Director Bobby Powell said the AI policy is required by the state of Texas, along with the appointment of an AI risk management official. Powell said currently, he’s the only person within the department who can handle the task.

The approved resolution enacts the minimum standards required by the Texas Department of Information Resources.

Another detail: High risks with AI are defined as anytime AI uses the county’s data. Though Powell said he’s unsure of the cost, the resolution is an unfunded mandate and will require a full-time position once the policy is implemented. First Assistant County Attorney Amy Davidson said that the county is trying to get ahead of the challenges with AI.

Meg Lonero was inducted into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, posthumously joining the Class of 2026 during a ceremony held April 10 at the Lone Star Flight Museum.

Her induction recognizes more than 20 years as an airport executive and pilot with the Houston Airport System, including her role in modernizing William P. Hobby Airport and other facilities.

The context: Meg Lonero became manager at Hobby Airport in 1998, where she led a $227 million modernization program focused on infrastructure and capacity.