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Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify Justin Unser was first appointed to the Tomball ISD board of trustees in 2019 before being elected in 2020.
Tomball ISD voters will have the opportunity to elect a new school board trustee to Position 6 in November.
The details
Incumbent Justin Unser and Jennifer Kratky are running for Position 6 of the TISD board of trustees.
Unser was first appointed to the board of trustees in 2019 before being elected in 2020, according to prior reporting.
Also of note
On Nov. 5, TISD trustee Positions 5 and 7 are also up for election.
Early voting starts Oct. 21 and Election Day is Nov. 5.
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 Harris or Montgomery counties, visit www.harrisvotes.com or https://elections.mctx.org. For more election coverage, go to communityimpact.com/voter-guide.
Why did you decide to run in this election?
I have experienced the hard work that goes into making TISD an outstanding district. With 25 years of successful, relevant business experience, and six years of governance experience with the board, I have the skills to best serve the community and ensure TISD is a great school district.
What experience do you have that would help you in this role?
Father of two current TISD students; 25 years professional experience in strategic and financial planning, stewardship, revenue management, business analysis and more. Career began at 18 and experienced a variety of roles in increasing levels of responsibility. Six years TISD board, vice president. Committee experience: audit, budget and policy.
What is your top priority, if elected?.
Student achievement. To do that we need safe schools, and partnering with Constable Mark Herman is something I fully support. Focus on small town, family-focused values. We need more of the best teachers and support them every day. Continue strong financial discipline and get creative to find spending efficiencies.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing TISD?
School funding is a challenge across Texas. Despite raging inflation, funding from the state has not changed since 2019. This also puts pressure on teacher and staff incomes. Our community needs experienced leadership that can bring this message to Austin and unlock the funding TISD students need and deserve.
How do you plan to address the growth coming to the district?
TISD is an outstanding district, and people choose to raise their families here. More students require more teachers; how to recruit and retain the best teachers is important. I supported an initiative called Grow Your Own, for aspiring teachers currently employed by TISD to obtain higher education through grant dollars.
Why did you decide to run in this election?
As a fifth-generation Texan, I’m committed to upholding the traditional values that make Tomball special. It will require increased vigilance and courage to continue to protect our hometown school district from getting swept up in the progressive current, while maintaining the academic and extracurricular excellence we’re known for.
What experience do you have that would help you in this role?
With years of experience lobbying the Texas legislature for needed reforms, I have a thorough knowledge of laws impacting public schools at the local and state level. Also, I am passionate about quality curriculum and have done in-depth reviews of new courses and textbooks through the [Texas Education Agency] and State Board…
What is your top priority, if elected?
TISD’s success is rooted in the wonderful families that live here, and our exceptional teachers and staff. I will ensure that parent and teacher input is brought to the forefront in all school board decision making. I will also be a strong voice for fiscal responsibility, transparency and accountability to taxpayers.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing TISD?
Like society in general, the culture in our schools has taken a negative turn. This impacts teacher retention, because of difficulty maintaining an orderly classroom environment without the full support of parents and administrators. We must give teachers a meaningful avenue to share their concerns and ideas for practical solutions.
How do you plan to address the growth coming to the district?
I will ensure the new Tomball West High School (opening 2026) is launched successfully with the same high standards of TISD, as I will be the only board member with a student who will attend there. Also, it’s very important to me that rezoning decisions are made intelligently and transparently.