I have a B.S. in Computer Science and I worked for IBM, Xerox/ACS and the City of Austin for over 30 years, with about 15 years of management and middle management experience. I previously served on the DSISD board for 6 years. I am a Leadership TASB graduate and hold the designation of Master Trustee. I have over 275 hours of board training. After retirement from IT, I worked as a classroom teacher for 9 years teaching math, engineering and computer science. Over the last 20 years I have served on multiple board committees, volunteered in the schools and advocated for public education to our state legislature.
The name says it all. A trustee is NOT a representative. A Trustee's most important responsibility is fundamentally a fiduciary one. A Trustee should be concerned with the hiring and management of a superintendent, the adoption of a budget, the adoption of a tax rate to support the budget and adopting legal and local policy. Trustees set the tone for the district with the adoption of a Vision and a Mission Statement. How well Trustees think that is being achieved is evident through feedback to the superintendent by evaluations.
It cannot be said too often; DSISD's most important priority is successfully addressing growth. Students continue to arrive. The district will be in severe financial difficulties if it does not continue to respond to growth in a timely fashion by passing bonds with an appropriate frequency. The second priority is addressing how we staff faculty to ensure all student subpopulations receive equity in the educational experience. We must continue to look for better ways to utilize our faculty (to avoid burnout) ensuring we achieve the educational outcome we desire for all our students.
Texas-born and raised, I attended K-12 in a public school district much like Dripping Springs. I majored in Public Administration at Texas State University, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Public Administration in 2004. Shortly after, I enrolled in their Post-Baccalaureate teaching program and received a Texas Teacher Certification. I spent several years at Lake Travis High School teaching Pre-AP World Geography, World History, and Government. I left the classroom setting to focus time on being a mom to our three young daughters, and I am an active volunteer at the school and district levels. Having experience as a classroom teacher and a current parent in the district, I can offer a unique perspective as a school board trustee.
Among the many important roles of a trustee is the responsibility to be the voice of the community—students, parents, and taxpayers. They should provide oversight to ensure the district remains focused on our mission of partnering with the community to provide a personal and exceptional education. They should also be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, spending funds wisely to maximize student outcomes.
Proactively navigating growth in the district while remaining good stewards of taxpayer dollars -
Growth is inevitable and we all know we need more schools. If we listen and truly understand the desires of the community we will have support to build the facilities necessary to further the mission of DSISD.
Building more trust between the district, parents, and taxpayers-
Our district continues to face obstacles surrounding trust between the district and the community, and one of my greatest strengths is as a communicator. As a trustee, I would be proactive about addressing controversial issues that arise, providing transparency and honesty to build trust with the community.
The position of school board trustee is unlike any other volunteer/business/government role. While having a PhD in Public Policy/MPA/BBA and serving in PTA and local Education Foundation board roles gave me a great preparatory start, the learning curve was steep to understand all the laws and unfunded mandates in Education, which are continually evolving. I have been extraordinarily dedicated to attending and learning from board visits to campuses and extracurricular activities across the district, as well as going far beyond state-required training in my board role. The central Texas region, and most importantly, local advocates paying attention to DSISD, know me as a leader and advocate for the future of our students.
Shepherding the Vision/Mission of the District—we inspire and equip students to be life-long learners and positive contributors to the world. Whether our pre-K/DSHS/special needs kids, etc., we must dedicate the time and effort to engage in deep learning to collectively guide a focus on their futures. After listening to our DSHS students present at a recent conference, I am even more committed to enabling conditions for a successful Portrait of a Graduate. We must replicate the conditions that have led to state-wide recognition, while also continuously learning how to meet the needs of all students where they are and partnering with all stakeholders to provide a personal and exceptional education for every student.
The top 2 priorities of DSISD are:
Navigating fast growth in a highly taxed, “Robin Hood” district while preparing students for a volatile future, including college and work considerations that are changing at warp speed. We have done a tremendous job, offering an exceptional range of electives and opportunities, from elementary to HS—despite the stunning amount of tax dollars we are required to send back to the state and the failure of the Texas Legislature to adjust for inflation since 2019.
Keeping our students safe along multiple dimensions—from physical safety to cyberspace safety to emotional wellness, must be prioritized and we can and must do so much more than was the norm when trustee candidates were students.
I am a parent of 2 students in DSISD, and have been volunteering in DSISD for 10 years. I currently serve on the district Long Range Facility Planning and High School #2 Design Committees, and have also participated on the GT Advisory Committee. Last year, I chaired Friends of DSISD, a community campaign to promote the 2023 Bond for $223M, which passed with 64% voters in favor. I am currently VP of Programs for DSISD Council PTA. I was the President for Cypress Springs Elementary PTA (2021-2023), and served as PTA leader and volunteer at various schools before 2021. With a BS Electrical Engr, MS Software Engr, and 15 years+ as an Engineering Program Manager, I have developed excellent problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills.
I believe that the most important role of an individual trustee is to establish good working relationships with fellow trustees, with the district leadership, and with community stakeholders. A trustee should always be striving to genuinely listen, to value input and feedback, and to respond with kindness and respect.
Only by building trust and open communication can a trustee effectively contribute to the successful fulfillment of other responsibilities of a school board, such as the setting of a common vision and strategic goals for the district, and overseeing the means to achieving the vision and goals.
GROWTH - DSISD is a fast-growth district. In the next 5-10 years we must increase capacity by opening new schools every few years. This will require more bond elections, which will only pass if DSISD actively informs and engages voters more or less constantly.
STAFFING - Opening schools requires buildings AND staff, and the teacher workforce is in crisis with record numbers of educators leaving for other careers. Competitive pay and top notch working conditions will be difficult to provide without increased school funding from the state, which we should advocate for. Until then, the district and community (PTAs, businesses, NGOs) should partner on how to make DSISD the best place to work, so students can have the best place to learn.
I'm the current DSISD board president (2023-2024) and I've served on DSISD school board since May 2021. I'm a mom of 4, small business owner in Dripping Springs, military wife, doctor, psychiatrist, and product of Texas public education. I'm passionate about preserving excellent education in Dripping Springs.
The most important role of a Trustee is to be a conduit of the community's values and priorities to the district staff, specifically the superintendent. Nurturing the relationship with the community, understanding the values and priorities of stakeholders, and communicating those values to the superintendent helps bridge a critical connection point to forge a constructive relationship between community and the district. A trustee serves as the unique bridge between the district imperatives and the public interest. Building cohesion between the two is critical.
Growth and staffing. As a fast growth district, it's important that we grow responsibly and effectively. Strategic planning, future visioning, and goals setting is important to ensure that we set the tone for growth and we responsibly respond to necessities in the district. Bonds are an unfortunate part of growth, as new schools and construction costs are singularly funded through bonds. It's important to ensure fiscal responsibility in all construction projects and all future needs. In my time on the board, staffing shortages have been filled through raising wages to competitive local rates, adding stipends, improving compensation plans. Moreover, it's critical that we continue to lead with excellence and keep DSISD a destination district.
