ASK ME ABOUT MY PRIORITIES
Q: What are some notables from your first term?
A: Between May 2015 - January 2018:
• Execution of the successful 2015 Bond measure
• Generation of Legislative Priorities to inform the last Legislative Session
• Grassroots engagement in support of those Legislative Priorities
• Supported convening of Revenue Generating Task Force
• GPA analysis and vote on modifications; encouraged community engagement
• Establishment of District Goals at January 2016 and 2017 Summits, including:
• Focus on Social Emotional Learning and Challenge Success
• Focus on Innovation: Business Incubator, Language Immersion (FUTURO), Culinary Education
• Commitment to establishing a Guaranteed Viable Curriculum (GVC) with initial focus on written and verbal communication
• Participated as Board Liaison to Facilities & Capacity Committee with particular focus given to:
• Portable Buildings
• Re-districting
• Child Development Center
• Land Acquisition
• Facility Assessments
• Call for Tax Ratification Election (TRE), including extensive efforts to engage and inform the community leading up to the vote
• Analysis of Transfer policy and support for reducing numbers at secondary campuses due to capacity/class size constraints
• 50+ hours of certification learning hours at local team building sessions and conventions in San Antonio
• Execution of the successful 2015 Bond measure
• Generation of Legislative Priorities to inform the last Legislative Session
• Grassroots engagement in support of those Legislative Priorities
• Supported convening of Revenue Generating Task Force
• GPA analysis and vote on modifications; encouraged community engagement
• Establishment of District Goals at January 2016 and 2017 Summits, including:
• Focus on Social Emotional Learning and Challenge Success
• Focus on Innovation: Business Incubator, Language Immersion (FUTURO), Culinary Education
• Commitment to establishing a Guaranteed Viable Curriculum (GVC) with initial focus on written and verbal communication
• Participated as Board Liaison to Facilities & Capacity Committee with particular focus given to:
• Portable Buildings
• Re-districting
• Child Development Center
• Land Acquisition
• Facility Assessments
• Call for Tax Ratification Election (TRE), including extensive efforts to engage and inform the community leading up to the vote
• Analysis of Transfer policy and support for reducing numbers at secondary campuses due to capacity/class size constraints
• 50+ hours of certification learning hours at local team building sessions and conventions in San Antonio
Q: Do you want to cut the budget?
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A: Yes, we have to cut the budget. Three years serving on the Board has given me thorough introduction to the complexities of this challenge. In my first term, I voted in support of the "3,2,1" plan to ease the District into a balanced budget. We exceeded our targets the first two years but were pulled off course by State Legislative decisions that have, once again, put our finances in precarious standing. As the Board makes difficult decisions to mitigate the shortfall of poor state funding for public education, I will prioritize the students and teachers such that they are last to be impacted by budget cuts, and that includes the impact the built-environment can have on the well-being of the inhabitants. I believe that you can't talk about budget cuts without talking about our facilities. And when we’re talking about facilities, it would be good to have an architect at the table. The budget is the most pressing challenge facing our district. It affects long term educational policy, curriculum, facilities, teachers, and kids. But I don’t want to cut it by eliminating key programs, firing teachers, or increasing class sizes. I want to save money by making sound investments in buildings that cost less to maintain and operate. Every dollar that we don't spend on maintaining and operating our buildings is a dollar that we can invest in what we want to protect the most...the quality of our teachers and the academic excellence for our children.
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the best way to learn about a candidate is to ask a lot of questions! |
Q: What is your approach to managing the budget?
A: Teacher salaries are the largest expense in the annual budget. The second largest expense is maintenance and upkeep of our facilities. Investing wisely in our buildings so that they will be less costly to operate and maintain will free up money for recruiting and retaining our quality teaching staff. Optimizing our facilities to best serve our capacity fluctuations can protect our commitment to reasonable class sizes and reduce our dependence on transfer students. Our community will enjoy long term savings if we discontinue the cycle of paying for expensive series of band-aid fixes that don’t cover the full scope of needs. Within the timespan of my second term, it is likely that the District will need to put forth a bond to cover long-term maintenance projects and technology updates. As a continuing liaison to the Facilities & Capacity Committee (convened in January 2017) and at dais discussions, I will have the opportunity to participate in the configuration of the next bond put forth to our community. When we're talking about facilities, it would be good to have an architect at the table.
Q: Why is your architecture background relevant for a position that is mostly about the budget?
A: Our facilities are the second largest expense in the annual budget, are our longest-lived assets, affect many other priorities such as class size and teacher satisfaction, and represent some of the most contentious issues that voters confront. As a licensed architect, I can offer useful insights and inform the dialogue regarding how we can more wisely invest in our district's biggest assets...our buildings. At a time when most of our structures are over capacity and in need of renovation, expansion and/or replacement, my architectural perspective at the Trustee table can be useful in identifying strategies for making these capital improvements fiscally responsible, forword thinking, sustainable, and flexible while enriching the property values and businesses of district residents.
Q: Why focus on the buildings and campus plans?
A: Because principals, teachers, students and parents have identified the buildings as a logical first place to start for saving money, reducing class sizes, responding to new curricular demands, accommodating modern teaching methodologies, and integrating technologies. Creating better buildings will reduce expenses while freeing our teachers to teach and our students to learn.
Q: Why did you support the last tHREE bond initiatives?
A: I supported the last three bond initiatives because in my personal and professional opinion they represented the best opportunity to meet multiple community-wide goals of saving money in the long term, protecting our educational excellence, maintaining high property values, and responding to the needs expressed by the teachers. It is important to recognize that by supporting the bonds we are recognizing and respecting the needs that have been identified by principals, teachers, Trustees, students, parents, and community members. Because of the recapture of our tax dollars that contribute to our General Fund, I support school bonds as a method for saving money and keeping local control of our invested dollars.
Q: What about academic excellence?
A: Protecting our legacy of academic excellence is a motivating priority for me. I will seek to maintain program stability and will be an advocate in turning "STEM" (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) into "STEAM" (Science Technology Engineering Art and Mathematics) while continuing my support of fine arts, athletics, extra-curricular groups, and all enriching curriculum. In my first term, I supported the District focus in Social Emotional Learning and in GPA modifications to deemphasize class rank and reduce student stress levels.
Q: Why do you care so much about the non-academic aspects of EISD?
A: Because I’m a product of those activities. I was active in theater, choir and band all the way through college, and those non-classroom experiences were very educational and provided opportunities to learn other skills such as leadership, collaboration and communication. I see athletics, fine arts, and extra-curricular activities as key ingredients in a well-rounded educational experience. That viewpoint is consistent with the district’s mission statement.
Q: What about class sizes?
A: I first became actively engaged with district issues in response to my concern about class sizes. Reducing class sizes remains one of my biggest priorities. Doing so requires investments because our current facilities don’t have the square footage or configuration to accommodate additional classes because many of our buildings are already beyond capacity.
Q: What about your connection with the schools and your volunteer experience?
A: I became actively involved as a classroom volunteer in 2006 when I first moved into the district with my three children who are currently in 3rd grade, 7th grade and 10th grade. In 2011 I initiated a series of district-wide community dialogues to seek input from residents with and without children in our schools to define community priorities. I was extensively involved in the EISD Master Plan Initiative through its entire process, serving on the Outreach Committee and as a parent participant 2013-2014. From 2012 to 2015 I have served as President-Elect, President, and Past-President of Eanes Elementary PTO. I regularly attend booster meetings and band parent meetings at the three campuses where my children attend school and am currently involved as the chair of events planned for WHS campus. My extensive involvement puts me directly in contact with staff, teachers, parents and students throughout the district. During my first term as Trustee, I continued to attend booster meetings at the campuses where my children attend as well as other campuses. I made a point, each year, to attend as many State of the District presentations as possible. I strongly believe that my first-hand observations and participation in district and community activities is critical to informing my decisions as Trustee such that I can truly serve the needs of the broader community. In my second term, I will continue to be involved on the campuses, in the classrooms and in the community at large.
Q: What are your roots in the district?
A: My husband grew up in Westlake Hills, and attended Eanes Elementary, Cedar Creek Elementary, Hill Country Middle School, and Westlake High School. We moved to the district in 2006 because of the great schools. We want to help continue that legacy of academic excellence.
Q: What kind of architecture do you practice?
A: I am a sole-practioner and specialize in residential renovations and new construction. I manage the project from the conceptual design through construction, providing my clients with creative problem solving that maximizes function and scope while minimizing short-term and long-term costs. The skill sets that I apply in my professional practice will lend themselves to making me an effective Trustee. At a time when we must search for every possible way to increase revenue and decrease spending, my listening and communication skills, my creative thinking and my experience with the language and process of design and construction will advance the district's efforts to find solutions to our budget challenges.
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