This is a critical time in the world of public education. I have been part of GCISD for 38 years, first as a classroom teacher and then as a volunteer in just about every capacity available. I love this community and this school district. I want to give my history, knowledge and experience to keep GCISD moving forward to maintain excellence for our kids and community.

I want to 1) help our district stay focused on the priority of academic preparation for our students so that they are prepared for their postgraduate pursuits, 2) create a safe and supportive environment for our teachers, 3) make our school district a place of fiscal responsibility with excellence to contribute to maintaining our communities as desirable places to live and 4) be a positive and collaborative participant on the board of trustees.

Funding of our schools continues to be a challenge, though much is determined at the state level. We must continually assess the resources available and ensure that they are used in ways that most productively impact students. Also, teachers are leaving the profession, and I believe that we will have a teacher shortage soon. We must pay our campus staff as best we can, and beyond that, provide them with a safe and supportive environment.

I want to restore excellence in GCISD and leave behind the view that a basic education is all kids deserve. My involvement in the district has provided a recent understanding of the inner workings of the district so I can hit the ground running. I bring 20 years of nonprofit experience that our board needs to get back to the business of running a transparent board that meets the priorities of the families in GCISD.

I want to ensure that we have outstanding schools in GCISD. I'll work to preserve the exemplary offerings that make GCISD a destination district. I'll respect teachers' professionalism and dedication, and will restore integrity and transparency to the board. Our kids deserve more than a basic education. In addition, I will bring a focus to revenue-generating opportunities for the district to improve our financial situation.

The top issues GCISD is facing in the coming years are financial challenges as we struggle to fund our district with our current “Robin Hood” payment and declining attendance; attracting and retaining quality teachers and administration; rebuilding trust within our community; and fixing the organizational dysfunction of our board of trustees.

The current situation on the school board is untenable long-term, and we need to find ways to bridge the gaps in communication that exist. My background in conflict management and mitigation will greatly assist in such an effort. My business acumen will hold the school board accountable to their primary focus, which is partnering with the superintendent, teachers and other GCISD staff, in conducting the business of GCISD in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

I look forward to partnering with the superintendent, our amazing teachers and GCISD staff, the community and all trustees, to get our focus back on the academic experience and end goals that our children deserve, versus incorporating divisive politics into local policy-setting. In partnering with finance staff, we also need to take a hard look at how we can maintain our special programs, while still meeting our expense obligations.

A balanced budget was claimed in 2022, which lasted for a few weeks, before an expected large deficit came to light. GCISD has some tough decisions to make in the coming years, to get our district on track financially, while maintaining the special programs that have historically made it a destination district. We are also losing our teachers and staff at an alarming rate and need to reinvigorate those folks to stay in GCISD.<br>