What motivated you to run for office?
I am motivated because I want Coppell ISD to provide an exceptional education to you, our students now, and to your kids someday in the future.
I grew up here. I raised my family here. I want CISD to be a place all our kids want to come home to raise their families someday, too.
CISD faces new and ongoing challenges—funding, enrollment shifts and evolving student needs—requiring experience and steady leadership. I bring both, combined with a firm commitment to the district. My family moved here in 1980, and my husband and I, both CHS grads (he asked me out for the first time in the Commons during lunch), returned in 2003 to raise our kids. I have volunteered for 20 years and served as a trustee for 9, working with three superintendents, navigating a pandemic and managing growth. I am motivated to run for re-election because as a parent, former educator and seasoned trustee, I’m not going to hit the ground running; I’m already running in the race.
I am also motivated by my desire to pay it forward. PTO presidents, teachers and trustees who came before me guided my service and developed me from a classroom volunteer into a TASB-designated Master Trustee. I see that potential and more in so many of the dedicated parent volunteers and students I have the privilege of working with. In my final term, I hope to build a bridge to the future by encouraging them to serve as our next generation of district leaders.
How has your background prepared you for this role?
My commitment to serving this district is personal, professional and informed by my service both before and after being elected to the school board in 2016.
I know firsthand the difference a classroom teacher has on student success. I taught in the classroom. As a Master Reading Teacher, I have taught teachers, helping them hone their craft. When evaluating how proposed policies might impact students and teachers, I bring a professional perspective that comes from direct experience in the classroom and developing educators.
I have also gained practical experience and knowledge about our district through volunteer work over the past two decades. Both as a volunteer in our schools and serving on district committees, I did the homework and the hard work to be ready to serve before I ran in 2016. In short, I have the historical context for how we got here and am better prepared to chart a course for where we are going.
Since joining the board, I have grown personally and professionally. We are a team of eight: seven elected trustees and the superintendent. Through study, trial and error, I have learned a lot about the board’s role, the importance of investing in relationships with the other trustees, administration and staff and the importance of encouraging informed decision-making through clear-eyed questions. In short, I am a veteran trustee who knows her voice and value in shaping the board’s agenda and actions. I am well equipped to continue using it to support our students, educators and families.
What are the most urgent issues facing CISD right now?
State funding for public schools remains frozen at 2019 levels. Declining enrollment poses additional and unique challenges. Experienced teachers across the state are leaving the profession. Our three biggest challenges are the budget, changing enrollment, attracting, developing and retaining the excellent educators that set this district apart.
How do you plan to address those issues?
To realize this vision at the district level, I will focus on what matters most: supporting our educators, closing the budget gap and expanding opportunities for students. I will continue working to attract and retain top teachers by advocating for competitive pay and supportive professional environments. I will push for smart budgeting that prioritizes classroom excellence while addressing financial challenges. I will champion efforts to expand academic and extracurricular programs that prepare students for success in a rapidly changing world. Additionally, I am committed to building strong partnerships with local businesses and Dallas College to create career pathways that give our students a competitive edge.
And because we are better tackling tough problems together, I will continue to encourage the board and the administration to proactively seek community input to help inform our decisions, whatever the issue.
What do you think makes Coppell ISD unique?
Coppell ISD’s greatest asset is the depth and breadth of its academic and extracurricular offerings that, in different ways, meet our students where they are.
Back in 2016, I talked about our district being like a wagon wheel, with a strong center of core academics surrounded by spokes representing a myriad of extracurricular offerings stretching out more broadly and ultimately creating a well-rounded graduate. The more spokes we have, the more kids will find opportunities to grow and succeed. Our past investments developing these programs is a real, if intangible, asset that pays dividends directly to students every day.
At the elementary level, some examples include the STEAM initiative, International Baccalaureate, Dual Language Immersement and Fine Arts. At the secondary level, Career Technical Education offerings like KCBY-TV, The Sidekick student newspaper and the FUZE film program at New Tech High @ Coppell consistently win national recognition and awards. Meanwhile, our robust athletic, band, theater and choir programs, among other activities, provide further avenues for student exploration and achievement.
In Coppell ISD, students can have it all, ranging from amazing classes and Friday Night Lights to real world projects and work experiences. As a trustee, I will continue to focus our investments on people and programs that make Coppell a destination district for so many students and families.
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