Incumbent Katherine Sells is running for re-election to the Lewisville ISD board of trustees Place 4 seat. She is running against Jake Collier.
Community Impact Newspaper sent Sells a list of questions about her candidacy. This article is part of ongoing May 4 election coverage and does not constitute an endorsement of the candidate. Her responses below have been edited for publication style.
Why did you decide to run for this office?
My preparation for this position began long before I was elected as trustee, volunteering on multiple committees and organizations in a leadership role, serving the families, students, staff and taxpayers of LISD. I believe that with the issues facing our school district it is more important than ever to elect candidates that are familiar with the inner workings of Lewisville ISD, as I am. I believe that my education (BBA and MBA), community, finance and business (both public and private) experience has been vital in the implementation of efficient and effective programs and policies during my term on the board. We have increased security, improved transparency, expanded opportunities for success for our students, increased district partnerships and increased lines of communication with our parents, staff and community. I have been invested in Lewisville ISD as a homeowner, taxpayer and parent for almost three decades now, and the stakes are simply too high for us all to not value education, relevant experience and proven dedication. LISD needs and deserves proven conservative leadership.
What do you think is one of the biggest issues facing Lewisville ISD today, and how do you plan to address it on the board?
The biggest issue that LISD faces is the state of school finance. Although I am encouraged by the bills that have been filed in this 86
th legislative session, there is still much work to accomplish in getting public education state funding fixed. It has been three years since the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the current school funding system was lawful but awful and urged our lawmakers to transform the current system with more than quick fixes. LISD has continued to serve our students and make their education a priority as we wait to see the outcome of the legislation that is before our lawmakers in Austin. LISD has also continued to review the programs offered, our procurement processes and our staffing policies through all to make sure that we are being as efficient as we can while maintaining optimal effectiveness.
If elected, what would be your top priorities?
The top priority for any trustee should always be student outcomes. This is what drives my decision-making as a trustee when determining policy setting, making financial decisions and holding our superintendent accountable. It is then a priority to represent the community’s values and beliefs and to be accountable to our taxpayers, parents and stakeholders when making other decisions involving other top priorities of mine such as mental health, school safety and security, and options of future pathways for our students.
What experience—professionally or politically—do you have that would prepare you for this position?
I was first elected to the LISD board of trustees in 2016 and have served as secretary of the board of trustees since 2017. My service to the students and families of Lewisville ISD include [being a] graduate of the Inside LISD Leadership Program; LISD Facilities Assessment Team; district leadership team; district partnership committee; LISD Interview Panel; HBL mentor at Creek Valley MS; CISNT mentor at Central ES and Delay MS; Medical City Children’s Kids Teaching Kids Advisory Committee member; LEF Golf Tournament Committee and Scholarship reader; Texas PTA, FSR; presenter, National PTA Convention and Texas PTA Launch; president of the Lewisville Council of PTAs; 16 years of service in PTA across three LISD campuses; NCL-Hebron Class of 2020 GLA; and Hebron HS Choir Booster Club. I also have a BBA and MBA as well as an extensive business background in both the private and public sectors.
