More than 300 community members, business partners, faith leaders, elected officials and district leaders gathered at the Hilton Houston North for Spring ISD’s 2026 State of the District, themed “212 Degrees: The Power of One Extra Degree.” The event reinforced the district’s theme of how one extra degree of effort — from students, educators, and the community — can turn momentum into measurable achievement.

From the moment guests arrived, they were greeted by live performances from the Westfield Jazz Ensemble, followed by an energetic welcome from Westfield High School seniors and student emcees Jaliyah Muhammad and Lisabel Cantu. The pair took the stage to deliver a warm introduction and present a surprise performance.

“We stand together in culture and together in accountability,” Muhammad said. “By the time we finish today, you will understand why we are so excited about the power of one extra degree.”

Kicking off the program, the award-winning Dekaney Diamonds, Spring Starlettes and Westfield Lariettes took the stage with a dynamic routine, “The Heat Is On,” setting an inspiring and high-energy tone for the morning.

Following the student performances, Spring ISD Board President Justine Durant officially opened the program, congratulating students for their talent and recognizing trustees, elected officials for their commitment to the district’s success.

“Thank you for believing in Spring ISD,” Durant said. “For supporting our schools, and for being part of the collective effort that helps our district reach its full potential.” 

Attendees included longtime community partners, parent volunteers, and members of the Spring ISD Education Foundation, Career and Technical Education (CTE) Advisory Board, and Ministerial Alliance. Corporate supporters were also in attendance, including Platinum Sponsor ExxonMobil, Gold Sponsor Amplify, Silver Sponsor Koala Kare, LLC, and Bronze sponsors Bracewell LLP, Post Oak Municipal Advisors, LLC, iSphere, GTS Technology Solutions, and Spalding Nichols Lamp Langlois. Dignitaries and officials in attendance included Rep. Charlene Ward Johnson (TX House, District 139) and Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, alongside event sponsors.

Building on that momentum, Superintendent Dr. Kregg Cuellar’s first State of the District address since his appointment in September 2025, sharing the district’s vision around the metaphor of 212 degrees—the point at which water begins to boil, symbolizing energy and momentum.

“We are ready, [and] Spring ISD is taking action to go beyond 212 degrees,” said Cuellar. “When we began this journey, we made a bold and urgent commitment. We all agreed to come together in culture and accountability, and this fall, we saw real strength across Spring ISD—not just in outcomes, but in practices, systems, and moments of impact, with campuses refusing to accept ‘good enough.’”

Cuellar highlighted key achievements across the district, including attendance improvements, instructional coaching, and academic gains: early literacy grew by over 20%, pre-K math jumped 25%, and districtwide assessments showed a 7% increase in K-12 math. Winter STAAR re-tester results surpassed both Region 4 and state averages in Algebra I, English I, English II, and U.S. History.

Cuellar’s message was reinforced by the voices it was designed to serve: Spring ISD students. Matthew Romero, a senior at Dekaney High School and a member of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, shared how his experience in Spring ISD had fueled his growth.

“Our academics are definitely moving,”  Romero said. “Our classrooms are more engaging than ever, and our teachers are giving us real-time feedback to help us grow. Spring ISD is creating opportunities for every student, for example, the Multilingual Program has six students heading to the Region 4 Spanish Spelling Bee, and Hirsch Elementary is utilizing its new SmartLab for Robotics, so I think we’re definitely moving in the right direction.” 

Building on that message of dedication and effort, Jasmine Carter, a senior at Westfield High School, as well as a varsity basketball player, and president of Student Council and National Honor Society, emphasized the importance of consistent effort across academics, athletics and the arts.

“Whether in the classroom, on the field, or on stage, success comes from a little extra effort each day—that one extra degree,” Carter said. “Spring ISD students are turning culture and accountability into results, from girls’ cross country reaching the Regional Finals to PVA students earning state and national recognition, including  a seventh consecutive ‘TAEA District of Distinction’ and the Texas Thespians Premier Communities for Theatre Education Award .”

Continuing the student perspective, Moises Discua, a junior at Spring High School and student president of the Texas Association of Future Educators, reflected on the district’s growth and the opportunities available to students.

“Innovation is alive and well in Spring ISD, thanks to our incredible community partners,” Discua said. “Students earned over $50 million in scholarships this past year, and the 2022 Bond is already transforming our campuses with new technology and safety upgrades. We’re even watching the EPIC facility and the new Spring High School take shape right before our eyes. It’s amazing to know our whole community has our back.”

After each student presentation, cheers and applause filled the room, reflecting both the audience’s pride and the students’ own beaming sense of accomplishment. As the program drew to a close, Superintendent Dr. Kregg Cuellar called on the community to join in sustaining this momentum and turning the district’s “212 degrees” metaphor into a movement.

“Going beyond 212 degrees cannot happen in isolation. It’s going to take our entire Spring ISD community standing united and rising together,” Cuellar said. “We invite you to partner with us—every partnership adds one more degree of effort. When we move together with purpose and accountability, we don’t just meet expectations—we change outcomes. We change futures.”

The call to action, along with the entire presentation, was met with a standing ovation. Following the program, attendees engaged in networking opportunities, sharing their thoughts and expressing support for Spring ISD.

Alvin Abraham, president of the ExxonMobil Foundation, was on hand as the foundation supported the event for the second year in a row as a platinum sponsor.

“We firmly support Dr. Cuellar’s efforts to bring the heat in Spring ISD and ensure that every single student grows and achieves at the highest levels,” Abraham said. “I was impressed to hear about the more than 14,000 walkthrough observations that will drive continuous improvement in classrooms across the district. We fully stand behind Dr. Cuellar and the entire leadership team.”

Echoing that support, Lina Sabouni of AUTOARCH and board member of the Spring ISD Education Foundation, shared her confidence in the district’s leadership.

“I love this district and the direction it’s headed,” Sabouni said. “Dr. Cuellar is an amazing leader. There is strong buy-in from the community, a clear vision and trust in his leadership. His impact on amplifying student voices is truly powerful.”