In the wake of unexpected damage caused by Winter Storm Uri, officials with Magnolia and Tomball ISDs report that their districts worked around the clock to return to normal operations as quickly as possible. Magnolia ISD Executive Director of Facilities Tim Bruner said the biggest challenges of the recent ice storm was waiting for the water pressure to come back up so maintenance could see where the problems were and having employees come into work when they were dealing with their own problems at home. On HoustonChronicle.com: City of Tomball dealt with unexpected water, electrical problems ..read more

Magnolia Independent School District announced Tuesday, Feb. 9, the recipients of the Magnolia Education Foundation’s annual Grant Patrol, awarding 27 classroom grants worth over $77,000 to 11 campuses, according to an announcement on the district’s website. Teachers and librarians from elementary, intermediate, and high schools were notified of the news during school in a two-day span on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 4 and 5. On HoustonChronicle.com: Magnolia ISD school board approves COVID pay, additional sick days According to Magnolia ISD, the Magnolia Education Foundation, started in 2001, re ..read more

Texas is working with the federal government to open vaccination “super sites” that could administer upward of 5,000 COVID-19 vaccines per day, Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday. Houston and Dallas will likely host the initial two sites, Abbott said, with “possible expansion to other locations.” They would be open every day for eight weeks, offering as many as 672,000 shots between them. The sites would be the largest to administer COVID-19 vaccines in Texas, which has lost more than 35,000 residents to the coronavirus. They come at the beginning of an increased federal presence in the state’s vacc ..read more

In 2017, 8-year-old Carter Waugh designed and months later patented a shoe called the Flip Critt. The Waughs launched a successful Kickstarter campaign last summer to help support their son Carter’s new business, Critts. Within 45 minutes, the project reached its goal by raising $10,000 and amassed three times as much days later. On HoustonChronicle.com: Cypress teen's homework lesson turns into business endeavor Since then, the Flip Critt has been selling on Nordstrom and Carter recently started a program called Critts Cares to help fund artful learning programs. Carter didn’t know what it to ..read more

Magnolia ISD’s board of trustees approved an item during their Tuesday meeting authorizing a one-time payment of $500 to all district employees. The item on the agenda states the payment will be included on all employees’ payrolls on March 15. On HoustonChronicle.com: Tomball ISD celebrates 80th birthday of educator supporting students during pandemic “The COVID-19 pandemic has produced many challenges for our educators,” the resolution states. “District educators and employees have engaged and continue to engage in additional responsibilities and duties in order for a hybrid learning structur ..read more

The Magnolia-based nonprofit Society of Samaritans is expanding its facility in the West Montgomery County Community Development Building through a recently awarded grant, adding more pantry space and more financial family services office space in order to keep serving residents. On HoustonChronicle.com: A look back at Magnolia ISD accomplishments in 2020 during ‘an unusual year’ As part of the expansion project, the food pantry of 700 square feet will be renovated into office space when the organization moves into the new food pantry which will be located in the back of the building and almos ..read more

Magnolia ISD Director of Communications Denise Meyers said one of the district’s biggest accomplishments in 2020 was maintaining structure during a school year where nothing was normal. Last year, the school district learned to navigate virtual and on-campus learning for students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking ahead, Magnolia ISD aims to continue providing a safe learning environment for students and staff while meeting the needs to a growing community. On HoustonChronicle.com: Tomball ISD Superintendent Martha Salazar-Zamora reflects on 2020, looks ahead to future Meyers said the distr ..read more

As Montgomery County continues to grow, so is its sheriff’s office, which is adding an additional office in Magnolia as part of the sheriff’s master plan. MCSO Lt. Scott Spencer said the expansion will be an all-inclusive sheriff’s office, complete with a jail, office space for deputies, detectives and supervisors. On HoustonChronicle.com: Widening of FM 1488 underway in Magnolia The new sheriff’s office expansion, comprised of more than 18,000 square feet, will be an expansion on the David Hill Criminal Justice Center at 19100 Unity Park Drive in Magnolia. “As our county continues to grow, so ..read more

The widening of FM 1488 in Magnolia is underway, but it’s going to be a few years before construction is completed. Construction on the project began Nov. 23, Texas Department of Transportation Spokesperson Emily Black said, and the work is expected to last until the first quarter of 2023. On HoustonChronicle.com: Generator supplier moving headquarters to Tomball The project entails widening the road from two lanes to four lanes from the Waller County line to FM 1774. Black said the total cost for the project would be around $29.7 million. “The project will reduce congestion and improve safety ..read more

District opens testing site Magnolia ISD opened a COVID-19 testing site Dec. 7 for current district students and employees, according to a press release. The site is located at the Magnolia Event Center, 11659 FM 1488. As of Dec. 11, 141 voluntary, free tests had been performed for 81 students and 60 employees — 18 of which were positive. An appointment isn’t required to receive tests, which are administered on a first come, first serve basis for students and staff who have symptoms of COVID-19. Tomball, Magnolia school notebook: Magnolia ISD modifies safety precautions “This new school testin ..read more