Early voting is from April 24-May 2. Voters in Denton County may cast a ballot at any polling location during early voting and on election day.
Candidates were asked to limit their responses to 75 words, answer the question provided and avoid attacking their opponent. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
Visit www.votedenton.gov to see a full list of where to vote during early voting and on election day.
Michelle Alkhatib
Experience:
Lived in district 17.5 years
Occupation:
Substitute teacher
Candidate Website:
https://michelle4lisd.com
Contact Information:
[email protected]
Why did you decide to run for a school board spot?
Lewisville ISD is a district that cares about all students, staff and families. It is a district that empowers learning and growth. I am honored as a parent, community leader and volunteer within the district to offer my continued service to give back to LISD as a board of trustees. I am going to continue to advocate for all children and staff, and be a voice for them. Our community is seeking someone who can connect with them as a parent, volunteer and advocate. With four children currently in the district in three different schools, I can connect on a similar level. Our board of trustees in LISD have done a tremendous job with education, financial responsibility, and safety and security. I want to continue that growth and work alongside them as a team.
What are some of the biggest issues facing the school district?
Funding of our schools is the biggest issue we face in Lewisville ISD. We need to continue advocating for the needed resources in our district. We currently are giving nearly $60 million dollars of our local property tax dollars back to the state in recapture. We are having to find creative ways to fund teacher retention, classroom resources, and safety and security measures. Teacher retention is another big issue that we face today. Lewisville ISD is the best school district in Texas and voted as the top employer in Denton County. We need to make sure that our teachers, administrators and staff are being praised as such. Our teachers have been on the frontlines of education and incurred multiple stressors professionally and personally.
What do you hope to accomplish on the board if elected, and is there anything specific you’d like to see the district and/or board accomplish?
The most recent committee that I served on in LISD was the long-range planning committee. We had teachers, administrators, parents, community leaders and students come together to dive deeper into the vision and goals of the district. We were brought together to be the voice of the community to ensure that the district is meeting the needs of all our students today, tomorrow and beyond. With four children in the district at all levels from elementary to high school, I am in the trenches of what the district is doing to ensure that the students are receiving a high-quality education. I want to continue being a voice for ALL students and teachers in the district by serving as a board of trustee.<br>
How do you think the district is doing in regards to its growth? As the district grows, is the board doing enough to meet its demands?
LISD has made strong efforts to continue the investment in the staff. The teachers are highly qualified and constantly trained to keep up with the growth and changes that comes from the Texas Educational Agency and State Board of Education. Our retention rate is one of the highest in the area for a good reason. Teachers are enticed, and want to stay and grow in LISD.
