Angela Powell, a volunteer, is running for Plano ISD board of trustees Place 2. Places 1, 3 and 6 will also appear on the May 6 ballot. Before the election, Community Impact Newspaper sent Powell a series of questions on her candidacy. Her written responses, edited for publication style, are below. [caption id="attachment_225971" align="alignright" width="333"] Angela Powell is running for Plano ISD board of trustees Place 2.[/caption]

Why are you running for Plano ISD board of trustees?

I am running for board of trustees Place 2 because I want to help make Plano ISD the best school district in our country. Our children are our future and I want that future to be bright.

Why are you qualified for this position?

From my years of teaching experience, I have gained valuable working knowledge of the importance of accountability and student growth. I have been a substitute teacher in Sugar Land for the Fort Bend ISD. I have also taught at a business school in Allentown, Pennsylvania. I have also taught at a community college in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. As a parent with a child in Plano ISD, I have invested years of PTA volunteer hours to our Plano schools. Being a current member of the city of Plano Photographic Traffic Signal Advisory Committee, I help our community by using my analytical and statistical skills. Here is where I volunteered within Plano ISD from 2005 to 2017:

• Barron Early Childhood School: volunteer chair, grade room parent
• Isaacs Early Childhood School: hospitality chair
• Hickey Elementary School: carnival chair, grade room lead parent, display case coordinator, grade room parent, SAGE chair, sponsorship chair, newcomer chair
• Murphy Middle School: multicultural coordinator
• Williams High School: Mariposa Special Education Adult Transition Fair Committee member

Here is my educational background:

• Bachelor of Science at Houston Baptist University
• Master of Business Administration at the University of Dallas Graduate School of Management

If elected, what will you focus on?

If elected, I will focus on ballot transparency. Taxpayers should be allowed to vote on separate line items on the bond package. It should be up to the taxpayers to decide the needs of the school district rather than the wants of the school district. I will focus on “taxparency” for our Plano schools. Our local school property taxes should not be recaptured into the state’s public education fund. I will also focus on the continued growth of the preschool programs for special needs students. These young, special needs children need more help to prepare for kindergarten. I will focus on the building of a trade school in Plano. I envision a better bridge between high school and college for most of our graduating students. I will be an advocate for conservative taxpayers who want to make sure that Plano ISD operates in an efficient and effective way. Financial accountability is important to safeguard our school district. More information about Powell's campaign can be found on her website.