Magnolia ISD Board Position 4

Kristi Baker*

Small business owner

www.electkristibaker.com

Years in Magnolia area: 8

What makes you a qualified candidate for MISD school board?

I have eight years of proven, conservative leadership experience in Magnolia Independent School District. My previous and current service in both campus and district level organizations is evidence of my dedication to the students, faculty, staff, families, and residents of MISD. I have a record of responsible fiscal leadership in my work in MISD campus organizations as well as during my current term serving as a member of the MISD Board of Trustees. This record includes:

Reduced district debt by more than $7.5 million to date from last year

Completed successful bond restructuring, thus saving taxpayers $4.5 million

Debt per student rate is well below average for the 854 Texas districts currently carrying debt

Kept Actual Tax Rate unchanged, and below the amount allowed by law, while simultaneously compensating for decreased debt service state aid

Approved Competitive Sealed Proposal method for receiving bids for district projects to encourage most competitive pricing from potential vendors

Approved inter-local fuel agreement with neighboring districts to decrease fuel costs to MISD

Reinstated many positions that were reduced during the state budget cuts four years ago, while being fiscally sound enough to also institute a 3 percent pay increase for our teachers for next year

As a trustee, I have supported Magnolia ISD in taking care of our teachers and staff. This encourages longevity of quality people who care for our children. I am engaged with the people who care for our children within MISD and also in our community. This allows me to gain firsthand knowledge of the current and upcoming needs our District may need to address, while putting the well-being and advancement of our MISD students and our community first.

My community and Magnolia ISD involvement includes:

MISD School Board Trustee since 2013

Current Secretary of Magnolia Community Foundation Board of Directors

Member of Magnolia Community Foundation Board of Directors since January 2013, to include:

Raising in excess of $25,000 for Magnolia area nonprofit organizations

Providing a three-day festival in the Magnolia community

Re-establishment of Miss Magnolia scholarship pageant

Currently serving fourth year as Youth Programs teacher at Wildwood United Methodist Church

Member of 2013 Youth Pastor selection committee at Wildwood United Methodist Church

Graduate of initial Leadership MISD class

PTO officer on multiple MISD campuses over a period of six years

PTO President for five years

Member of campus Parent Communication Committee for eight years

Responsible for managing fundraising programs and acquiring donations in excess of $300,000 for multiple MISD campus organizations and causes over an eight year period of time

Completed 20.25 hours of Continuing Education during first term served as Board Trustee, exceeding the 16 hours required by law.

I work hard for the causes that are important to my family and my community. I feel my passion for providing a promising future not only to my own three children who attend Magnolia ISD schools, but for all MISD students, gives me the drive that is necessary to successfully continue serving in my current position as Magnolia ISD Trustee.

If re-elected, what would your top priorities be as a member of the MISD board?

My top priority, if elected to serve another term in the position I currently hold as Trustee Position 4, would be the same as it was when I was appointed to my current term by my fellow School Board Trustees. My top priority, now and always, is to provide every opportunity for our Magnolia ISD students to be successful in the future and to help build a community that is a great place in which to live. I believe academics are a vital component of the experience we provide to families in MISD. However, supporting the additional programs we provide is also a top priority for me. Fine arts, physical education, Career Technology, and competitive athletic and academic programs contribute to our students becoming well-rounded members of society. Helping develop strengths in students that will enable them to build the future they desire should be, in my opinion, the top priority of everyone involved in educating our children.

How would you help plan for future growth in the district if elected?

As a Board of Trustees we have been very proactive in assessing the numbers and locations of slated and forecasted new developments within our District's boundaries. To that end, we commissioned a demographic study this school year to provide us with statistically sound information on this very subject. Historically, the Magnolia ISD Board of Trustees has been prepared and has mobilized to stay out in front of any necessity for redrawing attendance zones or constructing new campuses, if need be, to accommodate population growth. We are preparing for the growth that is on the horizon for our area in the same way we have in the past. The Trustees will make the best use of MISD residents' tax dollars to provide the best service possible for our community. If elected to remain in my Trustee position, I look forward with excitement to working with my fellow Trustees to accomplish that task.

What are some of the major issues facing the school district, and how do you plan to address these issues if re-elected?

With growth of the magnitude we are forecasted to experience over the next five years, growing pains are expected. While the County takes steps to prepare the infrastructure in our area to accommodate the larger population, the Board of Trustees is preparing to educate a larger number of children and to serve a larger population of families and taxpayers. It will all get done. And it will be done well. The Trustees I serve with on the MISD School Board possess a wealth of knowledge about our area, about our residents and about what it takes to work together and keep your eye on the goals of our District at all times.

In what ways do you see yourself as an advocate for who you will represent if re-elected?

As a parent on three MISD campuses and as an active community volunteer in Magnolia I live in the midst of, and work side by side with, the people I represent. For the eight years I have been in MISD I have been happy to seek answers for people who had questions about our campuses or our District. I have also taken my own concerns and those of others to the people who I knew could address them. Being appointed to the School Board has not changed that. I hear what my community is thinking because they talk to me. They talk to me because they know I am working with them for the good of all of our children and our community.

Ginger Russell

Small business owner

www.votegingerrussell.com

Years in Magnolia area: 20

What makes you a qualified candidate for MISD school board?

Two and half years ago I was made aware of a controversial curriculum called CSCOPE implemented in more than 800 Texas school districts. Parents and taxpayers were completely oblivious to the program or that their local school had purchased and implemented it. Through my efforts in working with the Texas Legislature, State Board of Education, and the Texas Lt. Governor, CSCOPE became more transparent and was placed under the review of the State Board of Education due to SB 1406 in the 83rd legislature.

I firmly believe all students within our American public school system deserve an education based on American Exceptionalism and Absolute Truth.

I will fight against any infiltration of the progressive philosophy behind the "Common Core" standards, as well as the standards themselves. Though Common Core has not been officially adopted by the state of Texas, its philosophy has managed to infiltrate Texas classrooms.

Just about every candidate will meet the required qualifications to be a school board member, but every candidate doesn't have the right qualifications to be the best. Am I the best? I think so and that is why I am seeking a position on the Magnolia ISD School Board.

I will also bring to the table an understanding of the framework of the Texas Education System due to my work with the Texas State Board of Education and Texas Senate Education Committee.

If elected, what would your top priorities be as a member of the MISD board?

To be accountable and transparent to my constituents and to identify and solve problems.

To assure that the money coming into our district is appropriated and utilized in the most fiscal manner. For example, Magnolia ISD will be funded through the state Instructional Materials Allotment for the 2014-15 school year in the amount of $945,758. I want to ensure these funds are spent on content for the classroom.

I think we need to return to a traditional education—3Rs are said to be old school, but many children do not read and write at grade level. We know the problems, my job as a school board member will be to work with the other board members to solve these problems ASAP. To include teachers and representatives of the community in any and all decisions that affect curriculum.

To create an environment that attracts not just certified, but quality, teachers and administrators to our schools. To encourage and support veteran teachers who can mentor new teachers. Thus, Magnolia ISD will continue to have the best qualified teachers.

How would you help plan for future growth in the district if elected?

I can give you the basic rhetoric for solving growth problems, but the bottom line is to plan ahead. To analyze the present programs and identify any unnecessary expenses. The main focus being student needs.

If there is a need for expansion, those in our community should be part of the planning and that starts now. Every business in the Magnolia area could and should be part of making our schools the best. Working together as a community, we can solve any and all expansion needs.

What are some of the major issues facing the school district, and how do you plan to address these issues if elected?

Fiscal responsibility is always a major concern. As of August 31,2012, the Texas Comptroller reported Magnolia ISD to be $156,867,982.00 in debt. I want to ensure that this debt is officially addressed with a clear path of paying it off.

In speaking to parents of special needs children they are very concerned with the education of their children and how their specific needs are met. I think they deserve to have their needs addressed on a more personal level due to all these children have different and specific needs.

As mentioned earlier growth is one of the biggest issues facing the district and needs to be addressed with the help of numerous stakeholders.

In what ways do you see yourself as an advocate for who you will represent if elected?

I will be an advocate for all children, parents and taxpayers within the school district. We need to ensure that our tax dollars are being used wisely.

There is no small problem when it affects the education of a child. Parents too often feel intimidated by teachers, administrators and school board members. There is a pervasive educational philosophy sweeping across our country that parents do not understand, it is the new 21^st Century Technology Education Philosophy referred to as progressive education. Know that I have spent the last two and a half years evaluating progressive education, which vilifies traditional education.

Every parent in the Magnolia district has access to me now. They can contact me via my website or they may write me a letter. This allows me to study the problems and offer realistic solutions.

I will be an advocate to the teachers and administrators in our schools. They, like everyone in our community should feel comfortable identifying problems, no matter what they are. I've seen too many school districts where teachers feared for their job if they reported anything. As a Magnolia School Board Member, I will work hard for our teachers never to experience this.

I will be an advocate for the Magnolia community. My vision is that Magnolia ISD should truly be a community effort, this includes utilizing community businesses whenever possible. This is what I want for our schools—a community effort working with our teachers, administrators and school board member in providing the best education possible.

* Incumbent