Richardson ISD trustee Jean Bono announces she will not seek re-election in May

After six years of service on the Richardson ISD board of trustees, board Vice President Jean Bono announced she does not intend to seek re-election when her term ends in May.

Bono was elected to the District 1 seat in 2015 and then re-elected in 2018. She announced on Facebook and Twitter Jan. 7 that she had made the decision to end her board service.

“I believe I am leaving the district in excellent shape with strong leadership on the RISD team, as well as on the RISD board,” Bono wrote on Facebook. “I see passion and commitment to achieve the challenging goals our board has put forth. I see relentless focus on every student, whether they are struggling academically, socially or personally; or they are excelling.”

I have decided not to run for re-election to the Richardson ISD school board in the At-Large Place 7 position. I am leaving the district in excellent shape with strong leadership on the RISD team, as well as on the RISD Board. Thanks for entrusting me with this responsibility.

— Jean Bono (@jkbmeanjean) January 7, 2021

In her Facebook post, Bono described her time as a RISD trustee as “challenging, exciting, fun, rewarding and enlightening.”

“I am grateful for teachers and staff that create such wonderful environments in which our students connect, learn, grow and succeed,” she wrote. “And I am grateful to live in a community of people who care deeply about education and each other. I thank you for entrusting me with this responsibility.”

In addition to the Single-Member District 1 seat, the board’s At-Large Place 7 position will be on the ballot in May. That seat is currently held by Kim Caston, who was first elected to the board in 2007.

On Jan. 5, Richardson City Council Member Steve Mitchell announced his intention to run for the at-large seat. Mitchell, who is also a former mayor of Richardson, will reach his term limit on council in May.

The candidate filing period for the May 1 election is Jan. 13-Feb. 12. As of Jan. 8, Mitchell was the only person to have publicly declared his candidacy.

Board members in RISD serve three-year staggered terms and are not subject to term limits. Five of seven seats on the board are chosen by registered voters of specific districts, while the remaining two seats are elected at-large. This is the result of a lawsuit settled in early 2019 that accused the board of Voting Rights Acts violations.

Early voting for the May 1 election is scheduled to take place April 19-April 27.