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Pearland ISD trustees update library materials acquisition process, approves new committees

Pearland ISD’s board of trustees approved a District of Innovation, or DOI, amendment and related local policy changes at its April 14 meeting that will shift how library materials are selected and reviewed, moving away from board approval of individual titles.

The details: Under the previous process, each proposed library book was posted for 30 days for public comment and then brought to the board for individual approval, district officials said at the meeting. Under the updated framework, the board will shift to setting policy, including the selection criteria, and approving the system used to select materials rather than individual titles, according to district documents.

Also of note: The board also approved the establishment of three advisory committees as part of broader governance and oversight efforts. Each committee will include up to three board members, serve only an advisory role and make recommendations to the board, according to district documents.

 
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Friendswood ISD approves stipend for non-teaching professional staff

Instructional coaches, nurses and special education program specialists at Friendswood ISD are among the non-teaching professional positions that will be given a one-time retention stipend totaling $156,000 for the 2026-27 school year, following board approval at its April 13 meeting.

What you need to know: The average stipend is about $3,331, though the exact amount for each employee will vary based on years of experience, FISD Executive Director of Human Resources Lindsey Foley said at the meeting. The stipend will be issued Aug. 20 to eligible employees who worked in these roles during the 2025-26 school year. 

 

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Artemis 2 crew returns to Earth after historic lunar mission

The Artemis 2 astronauts safely returned to Earth on April 10, splashing down off the coast of San Diego at 7:07 CDT, according to NASA’s website.

The successful landing concluded the nearly 10-day mission that marked NASA’s first crewed journey to the moon in over 50 years.

In case you missed it: The mission sent NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a lunar flyby, making them the first humans since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 to go beyond low-Earth orbit, as previously reported by Community Impact.

The crew included Friendswood residents Wiseman and Hansen, along with pilot Glover, who is a parent within Clear Creek ISD.

 

Your Weekend To-Do List

Check out these weekend events across the metro area.

Nutcracker Spring Market

Bellaire Book Sale

April 17-19, times vary
Houston

April 18, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Bellaire

Learn more.

Learn more.

 

Puranava India Art & Culture Fest

Hot Sauce Festival

April 18, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Pearland

April 18, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Tomball

Learn more.

Learn more.

 
To submit your own event, click here.

County Coverage
PREVIEW: Harris County commissioners to hear status of climate justice plan, federally-funded flood recovery

Harris County commissioners are set to take up more than 400 agenda items April 16, including discussion about federally funded flood mitigation and recovery projects, affordable housing developments and the first annual status report of the county’s Climate Justice Plan.

At a glance: Commissioners are scheduled to hear a presentation on the implementation of the Harris County Climate Justice Plan, a multiyear climate resilience framework the court adopted April 10, 2025, per agenda documents. Staff from the Office of County Administration’s Sustainability Division will deliver the first report to Commissioners Court reflecting on a year of progress.

Also of note: The Harris County Flood Control District is expected to provide project-level updates to commissioners regarding local flood mitigation and recovery efforts that received funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. Staff from HCFCD will share a schedule detailing construction start dates, estimated completion dates, cost escalations and other updates for each project.

Stay tuned: Harris County Commissioners Court meetings are held at 9 a.m. at 1001 Preston St., Houston. 

 

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