If elected, once the school board votes to approve an action or policy, what do you believe is your responsibility to that policy or action, especially if you did not support the policy or action?
If you’ve ever ... observed [a board meeting], you know that each board member reads part of our mission statement. One of the first words [that mine involves] is that we are a collaborative team. Do we all agree? Heavens no. How many humans do you know that you can put in a room that all of them are going to agree? But what we do is hash it out. We come to a compromise. We come to a decision together, and when we leave that room, and I’m talking about when we go into special session, and we leave that room when you are a unified group and we will have each other’s back and we will support whatever the decision that is made.
What are the three most significant challenges facing Taylor ISD?
Well, my number one worry right now is land prices. If we expand, which we’re going to have to, we have a feeling that an elementary school is going to be first on our list, but finding land that we can afford and go from there will be a challenge. But, I think we have a really good plan. I think we’ve jumped ahead much farther than some of the other districts. Teacher retention, but I feel like we are right on top of that. I’m very proud to say that, especially for teachers who have 10 or more years experience, we pay as much or more than Pflugerville and Round Rock, and I don’t think enough people know that. Everybody thinks Taylor pays base salary and we don’t, we are very highly competitive.
Then, the third thing of course are our children, and really they’re the first thing, but we want this to be a place where they get competitive skills. And, if you can see the plans for what our career and tech building is going to look like, you would and know that they are going to be in good hands. They’re going to be ready for the jobs that are ahead.
