FAQs
Please provide any personal background information you would like to share with the employees of MISD.
I am a long-time resident of Arlington/MISD. After graduating from Texas Tech School of Pharmacy in 2000, I relocated to the Arlington area and purchased my first home here in 2001. My husband and I have been married for 18 years and have raised 5 children here. Four of our kids attended the Timberview feeder pattern, one graduated from another district. Our oldest graduated in 2006 and our youngest will graduate in 2026. My husband and I own a pharmacy in Grand Prairie. In addition, we run a local non-profit organization benefitting local youth through sports and community service.
What qualifications do you have that would make you an effective trustee?
In addition to meeting all eligibility requirements, I understand the importance that board decisions have on families.
My life experiences as a student who attended public schools, as a parent raising children in MISD, and as a business owner who is invested in this community have prepared me to serve on the school board. As a CEO, I lead a team of 58 employees from diverse backgrounds and cultures, and I work daily to create a workspace that is productive and welcoming. My husband and I have also led a youth nonprofit organization that has allowed us to work with hundreds of athletes and their families on and off the court for the last 10 years. I am committed to making informed decisions that may impact the lives of families and students across the district.
How have you been involved in the district in recent years? (e.g. attended district meetings, served on committees, volunteered)
I have consistently been an active participant on my children's campuses through PTA, as a fieldtrip chaperone, volunteer. I currently serve as the Hospitality Chair on the James Coble Middle School (JCMS) PTA as well as the Title 1 Committee. I have participated on the Scholarship Selection Committee for JCMS PTA as well.
What three issues do you think are the most important facing MISD? Please explain.
We know that over 60% of Texas educators are considering leaving the profession earlier than planned. It is vital that we seek feedback from our teachers and work to honor their concerns regarding this issue. Let's use information gained from these conversations to guide our decision-making in this area. Maybe it is better pay and better health care coverage. Maybe it is tuition reimbursement, perhaps stipends for educators who hold a Master’s degree or higher. Let's work together with educators to make MISD a destination district of excellence for all; teachers included. Mental health is a top concern as research suggests that many students, teachers and staff are struggling with mental health challenges throughout the pandemic and beyond. The Texas Education Agency has published the School Mental Health Practice Guide and Toolkit https://schoolmentalhealthtx.org/school-mental-health-toolkit that assists school districts with providing mental health services to students. I think this would be an excellent resource to help guide our district in improving mental health services to students. By leveraging best practices from the toolkit, I believe we have an opportunity to build new skills and capabilities on all campuses across MISD. Schools are designed to help children grow academically and socially so that they can be matriculate through the K-12 system and become productive citizens. MISD must serve the whole child – not just the academic part of the student so that we can be in alignment with our district values and meet our goal of graduating students who are life ready. Lastly, I feel the achievement gap between different sub-populations of students is of great concern. The Mansfield ISD TASA-CMSi Equity Audit shows troubling trends around lower achievement levels among certain student populations with little to no gap closure year over year. In order for us to achieve the MISD Vision 2030, "A destination district committed to excellence," we must look at the systems in place now that need to be revised to account for and close these achievement gaps. We must create, implement and support systems that allow all students the opportunity of excellence.
How important is it for the district to provide competitive salaries and benefits for all employees including veteran teachers?
As a business owner, I understand the importance of competitive salaries and benefits when attracting and retaining qualified employees. Teachers are the professionals that we entrust to educate and care for our children daily. I believe teachers should be compensated in a way that reflects the responsibility they bare. As a result of the passing of the Penny Swap initiative, the district was able to move 24.7 million in funds from the Interest & Sinking budget over to the Maintenance & Operations budget. The board committed to using these funds to maintain quality instruction, retain quality teachers, and uphold safety & security standards. As a trustee, I will hold the district accountable to its commitments.
As a board trustee, how will you use input gained from district employees, community members, parents, and students to inform decisions made by the school board?
As a trustee, it would be my responsibility to help craft policies that create safe, inclusive and equitable spaces for ALL students, teachers and staff to learn and grow. I would do this by talking to all stakeholders (i.e., teachers, staff, parents and students), listening to concerns and suggestions presented and bringing that information back to the board for consideration in all decisions made.
Please discuss any other issue you feel is relevant to your campaign for the MISD School Board.
School safety is an area where we should focus time, energy and resources ensuring the safety of students, teachers and staff. I feel we should look to the Safety and Security Committee's recommendations put forth at the February 2022 School Board Meeting. Continue to implement and refine best practices identified by the committee. Measure effectiveness of implemented recommendations often to ensure best outcomes. Lastly, representation matters. All stake holders in the district would benefit from a board of trustees representative of all constituents it serves, both inside and outside the city of Mansfield. We should also strive to ensure student representation is present in conversations with outcomes impacting them. Let's work to make sure teachers have representation when developing policies that impact the way they are expected to do their work. When all stake-holders are represented in decision making processes, we are more likely to create a destination district of excellence for ALL.