Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity. For more information about voting in Montgomery County, visit www.elections.mctx.org.
Cliff Williams
Experience:
14 years experience on WISD board, extensive background in technology and construction
Occupation:
Business Development Manager, Walker Engineering
Contact Information:
936-689-7035
Why are you running for election?
I believe the current board has done an excellent job of setting the district up for the future. We have been able [to] drop the tax rate nearly $.24 over [the] past four years while passing two bonds in that time in order to accommodate the children of Willis ISD. Over [the] past 10 years we have [given] raises or retention bonuses to keep the best staff here.
What will your top two priorities be if elected?
Retention and hiring of great teachers, and preparing for the overwhelming growth
WISD received a C accountability rating for the 2021-22 school year. If elected, how will you work to improve the ratings within the district?
We have a great staff that works hard and takes pride in the accountability of our kids, but they can’t do it all by themselves. It starts at home, and we must instill that in our community. The district just added a tutoring program that allows kids to access or ask questions 24/7 to meet their needs of the classroom while away from the school. We must continue support our great teachers no matter what!
As a growing district, what challenges do you believe Willis ISD faces, and how will you help address those challenges?
We must continue to educate the public on what is coming and teaching them at how the state funding works and how we can’t accommodate these kids without bonds. We have done a great job of preparing for the growth with land purchases and bonds, but the growth will not stop. All this while being smart with taxpayers’ money in order to keep tax rate down.
Zach Dorris
Experience:
Self employed for over 20 years; extensive experience with contracts and bonding; community outreach, volunteering and fundraising in the area; working daily with a balanced budget
Occupation:
self-employed/general contractor
Candidate Website:
www.zachdorris.com
Contact Information:
[email protected]
Why are you running for election?
I’m running for the board to find a curriculum better fit for our students and teachers that will truly encourage knowledge retention and improve our TEA rating. I want to reignite the voice of the community and push for accountability and transparency, as they are key to the success of our district.
What will your top two priories be if elected?
If elected my top two priorities would be retaining quality district staff and implementing a new curriculum. With our recent C rating from the TEA, it is evident a change needs to happen. During such transition, our district must listen to our staffs’ needs and concerns to create a positive and supportive work environment. If we don’t prioritize healthy communication throughout our district, our students will continue to suffer.
WISD received a C accountability rating for the 2021-22 school year. If elected, how will you work to improve the ratings within the district?
The importance of listening to our teachers cannot be stressed enough. If elected, I will prioritize communication with our teaching staff. Our teaching staff works with our students every day and their input is essential to develop and obtain the necessary tools needed for the academic success of students in WISD.
As a growing district, what challenges do you believe Willis ISD faces, and how will you help address those challenges?
Growth for our town is inevitable, and WISD must begin to prioritize forward-thinking. We need to begin discussion of building another high school. As WISD’s student population grows, we must seek out additional staff and offer a much more competitive pay to encourage staff attraction and retainment. I want to begin live-streaming school board meetings as districts over 10,000 students are required to do so, and we are inching closer to this number every day.
