Trustees are elected to specific positions but represent their entire independent school district and have the following responsibilities mandated by State and Federal laws: select and employ the superintendent, manage public schools, establish operating policies, monitor expenses, adopt and approve a budget, and adopt employment policies. Additionally, they have the authority to set tax rates, levy and collect taxes, buy and sell property, exercise eminent domain, accept donations, charge fees, and call bond elections. Trustees elect their own officers: President or Chair, (Vice president or vice chair), Secretary and Treasurer.
Campaign Phone
817-271-2583
Occupation
CEO/RN
Education
Bachelors in Nursing
Experience
MISD School Board Trustee 3 terms
I have served on the MISD School Board for 9 years. As President of Surepoint Emergency Centers, I bring a forward-thinking leadership style, honed from roles in healthcare management. This experience, combined with my active involvement as a PTA member and MISD volunteer, equips me with a deep understanding of complex operational challenges, including budget management. Mostly, my time serving on the board of trustees in MISD gives me true experience with the decisions and accountability.
One of the fundamental roles of the school board is to oversee and approve policies for the district. Listening to parents and providing them with choices for their children allows them to ensure their personal values are heard and represented in the policies.
School board trustees are involved in events called "Community Conversations" throughout the year. These events allow for there to be open dialogue between board members and stakeholders. We also have our agendas posted online and keep our website up to date with all pertinent information.
Competitive salaries and benefit packages are extremely important. MISD must remain competitive in the market to ensure that the best teachers are staff are recruited and also retained. Prioritizing a pay increase every year has been a priority for me and will remain one. Student loss can be addressed with ensuring we are keeping high educational standards and options for families like schools of choice.
Currently, the most important issue facing MISD is state funding. This will be the cornerstone of all the other issues facing the district. Ensuring competitive pay for teachers and paraprofessionals remains at the top of our priorities. Safety and security must remain a focus as we navigate our ever-changing world and continue to work to be strong with discipline and bullying.
Occupation
Project Manager
Education
Bachelor's - Music Education; Master's - Educational Leadership; Doctoral - Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Experience
I worked in Mansfield ISD for 14 years. I was a band director for 4 years at Lillard Intermediate, then moved to assistant principal at Howard Middle for 4 years. I returned to Lillard as principal for 5 years, then opened McKinzey Middle School for my last year in Mansfield ISD.
I am running for school board because I'm an MISD parent. Both of my kids go to MISD schools - 5th and 2nd grade. I have a vested interest in ensuring continued excellence for all students. I've been a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in MISD. I want to use my experiences as an educator to help the district realize its vision as a destination district. We have to be students first, but one of the best ways to take care of students is to take care of staff. I know firsthand what it's like to be a teacher and will use those experiences to support all of our staff.
If our priority is to be students first, then we have to put every student first, not just the majority subgroup. This means making it a priority to first have an accurate, comprehensive, and inclusive curriculum to serve all students. This doesn't take away individual parental rights to limit certain curriculum or instructional materials for a parent's personal child as already provided by law and policy. Concerns from some shouldn't marginalize others.
One thing that my experience in MISD allows me to do is ask questions during open forum that help the district to be more transparent. When administration is presenting on student achievement, for example, I know what questions to ask to get deeper into the data so the public knows what the data is saying. I will also be available for constituents and won't shy away from having integrity and being transparent. My leadership philosophy includes transparency as this helps build confidence.
The first step to dealing with students leaving the district is to make sure that we are supporting teachers in the district. Too many teachers I talk to have left because of lack of support, not being treated professionally, and other factors including health insurance contributions and salary. I realize that funds are finite, but a supportive board and supportive administration can go a long way. The key to keeping kids in the district is to recruit and retain the best teachers and leaders.
The first critical issue is that the turnover rate continues to be high in MISD. Educators report not feeling valued or being treated like professionals. This has to change. My experience as a principal of successful campuses will help me lead in this area. A second critical issue is that there needs to be more support for students who are suffering with poor mental health, food insecurity, housing insecurity, and strained relationships. Students can't effectively learn until they have basic needs met. The district could do a lot of good for students by hiring social workers to help students.
