Meet your at-large school board candidates

Sandra Bryant (incumbant)

1. I care about children and have the necessary skills to motivate them to be successful in achieving their goals. This is demonstrated throughout my background and experiences. I have worked with children for over 15 years in various areas, including volunteering with troubled youth and homeless teens and later working at Lifeworks and Americorps. As basketball and kids are my passion, I have volunteered as a coach. I have served on the Hays Board of Trustees for the last three years (Secretary for 2013-14). I gained invaluable experience and knowledge about our school district, as well as the Texas educational system, through attendance at workshops and conferences. My service on the PTAs of Chapa and Science Hall and Hays ISD committees connected me with other parents to hear their concerns. Children and parents need a voice on the Board of Trustees.

2. I have 3 children. My oldest son graduated from Lehman High School in 2012. My other son is currently a senior at Lehman and will graduate this May. My daughter, the baby of the family, is attending Lehman and will graduate in 2016. 

3. One of the biggest challenges facing the district today is growth and maintaining an adequate teacher to student ration. We currently have 17,284 students with additional growth each year. Managing the district’s growth will continue to be a challenge for some years to come. This is directly related to the second challenge of retaining quality teachers and staff with adequate pay and benefits. Our teachers are leading our children’s future and we have a responsibility towards them. Safety is also a challenge for the district. Parents entrust their children with us and they must have a secure, learning environment.

4. To manage growth, we must lower the teacher to student ratio in our classrooms and provide the additional help that some students may need. Additional schools will need to be constructed in the future, which our bond election begins to address. We must offer competitive salaries and benefits to retain qualified teachers. I propose we make this a priority and also seek long-term grants and Title 1 funds. As a parent, I am dedicated to the safety of our children through prevention and intervention. We partner with Hays County and hire SRO (Student Resource Officers) for our campus and the bond will secure 3 of our schools. I want to provide additional programs for children who are subject to bullying. 

5. I do support a curriculum audit. Such audits are not a “gotcha” device to embarrass anyone. The purpose is to provide specific recommendations to improve or remove ineffective practices in our programs. It will demonstrate to us what is working for our students and what is not. We need to continually strive to improve our children’s education by increasing student performance. Their education is important and we need to make certain that we are using all the tools and resources available to insure they are career and/or college ready upon graduation. 

6. I enthusiastically support the proposed bond proposal. The majority of these funds, $35 million, will construct a new middle school, alleviating overcrowding at Barton which is almost at capacity. It’s critical to address safety at Barton, Dahlstrom and Wallace to secure these schools through improvements that physically require visitors to check into an office before proceeding into the building. The safe transportation of our students to and from school must be a priority. Our students should be equipped with 21st technology to prepare them for success, but this needs to be addressed in our M&O budgets in the future.

7.  The Bryant family has lived here for 10 years. I moved to Kyle with my husband, Ray Bryant, and our family in 2004.

8. I’m bilingual (Spanish). 

9. Ms. Ellison was my favorite teacher. She believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Ms. Ellison always made time for me. She reached out and recruited me to join the Safety Patrol in the second grade. Before I left elementary school, I made lieutenant. More than any other teacher, she convinced me that I would be a leader someday.

10. In my day job, I work in the claims and financial litigation section of the Office of General Council at the University of Texas Systems. In real life, I support my family in all of their endeavors and I volunteer in my community. 

11. First and foremost, I will always vote in the best interest of our children. My passion for children and their future is seen throughout my life. My philosophy is “every student matters.” I believe our children are our future. We must continually strive to improve our students’ education by increasing their achievement and success, and be eliminating any achievement gaps. I am not afraid to ask the tough questions and to stand up for what is right. I will continue to promote and increase communication between all the parents, the school trustees, and the administration. 

12. Someone years ago told me that “it takes a village to raise a child.” I didn’t understand it at the time, but I fully understand now. We must all do our part, if we want to leave the world a better place than we found it.

1. The board must be 

both 

busines

s and education focused. My work experience as a senior executive gives me the skills necessary to understand a complex business environment. As a district volunteer for close to 15 years in various capacities I have learned more about education than I ever expected! Through my education and everyday life at work I know how to put teams together to make this district the best in Texas.

2. Rachel (19) – Hays High School Graduate, Class of 2012. Attended Buda Elementary, Dahlstrom Middle, and Hays High.

Grace (16) – Hays High School, Class of 2015. Attended Buda Elementary, Elm Grove Elementary, Dahlstrom Middle, and Hays High.

Zachary (13) – Dahlstrom Middle School (8th Grade). Attended Buda Elementary, Elm Grove Elementary, Carpenter Hill Elementary, and Dahlstrom Middle School. He is a member of the Hays High class of 2018.

3. Growth – As a fast growth district we need laser focus on classroom excellence. Our future is not just new buildings but creatively solving the dilemma of space and taxation.

Teachers – We tie the hands of good teachers with administrative overhead forcing them away from their educational mission. I am astounded at the number of times a teacher has not been available due to meetings. They also need better pay!

Finances – Almost all school district money belongs to other people! We must closely guard every decision made to either spend or collect money.

4. Growth – form a standing committee of district employees, parents, and community members to work with the administration to assess and manage growth. Let’s get ahead of, rather than catch up to, the challenges. This is not going to solve itself or go away.

Teachers – aggressively limit the number of hours required outside of the classroom. Principals will ensure that the vast majority of teacher time is with students.

Finances – we need to have a balanced/zero-based budget, save for large maintenance expenses to keep it out of bonds, and raise taxes only as a last resort. 

5. Support. It’s long overdue and needs to be by a fully independent auditor with no stake in the outcome. How could anyone with a vested interest in our students oppose this? If we are going to graduate the best in Texas we need the best curriculum we can find or develop. Regurgitating what a state or national oversight committee puts together (CSCOPE, for example) is too easy and turns our teachers into puppets. Let’s also go learn from the highest performing districts in the state and bring those lessons back to our students. 

6. I support it. As a member of Growth Impact Committee I saw the attendance numbers and the limits of the middle schools. It’s not wise to cram more kids into existing space, hope for the best, and expect excellent educational results. We also need to put as much technology into our students hands as possible. Their future employment opportunities depend on it and we need to ensure they are prepared. Hays CISD is behind in deploying technology to classrooms, students, and teachers. Correcting this needs to be a priority of the board and administration.

7. Since 1984. I graduated from Hays High School in 1987.

8. I’m a talk radio junkie. I am just about always tuned into NPR or other local news station. My family always knows when I have been driving one of their cars because the radio is tuned to news. I also have one guilty pleasure and that is planning my Sunday nights around watching “The Walking Dead.” It’s the best!

9. There were several during my time at Hays High but long-time district employee Betty Harrison is the one I most appreciate. I was not a great student but she saw something in me that needed to be nurtured rather than cast aside (or sent to the office!) I know I caused her a lot of grief but she pushed and wouldn’t stand for less than my best. It took years to realize how much her efforts paid off in my life. I want every student in this district to have this type of story.

10. I am Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Dynamic Systems, Inc., one of the largest mechanical contractors in the United States. I have a team of 11 that is responsible for technology and business process management. I am involved in all aspects of senior management including staff development, helping grow the company, and managing a multi-million dollar budget.

11. My job responsibilities make me a strong candidate to help oversee a challenging time of managing growth and balancing a budget. It’s something I do every day and have a proven track record. My passion is to see all Hays CISD students achieve more than they believe possible through rigorous curriculum and overcoming adversity. I do not worry about impressing anyone as we drive towards creating the premier schools in Texas. Together we can do this and we should never accept being mediocre. Let’s push to the top through perseverance, commitment, and hard work. 

12. There’s not just one but several that have meant a lot to me. My kids will tell you that I often remind them of the Stephen Covey habit, “Begin with the end in mind.” It’s a powerful driver for success to visualize and work towards an outcome. I also must pass along a couple that are not unique to my family but, wow, did I hear them a lot growing up – “don’t tell anyone you have a new car until it is parked in the driveway” and the old standby, “measure twice, cut once.” (Dad, those are for you.)

1. I have a passion for serving people and my community.  I am an educator (20+ years) and believe in teaching and learning!  I have extensive educational knowledge and experience.  I am a certified teacher (Business Marketing, Spanish I & II, Driver’s Education, Aerobic).  I hold a degree in Business (UT Austin), Masters of Science (MSIS – Texas State University) and Masters of Education Administration (Administration-Texas State University).  I have worked with children of all ages (elementary, middle school, high school, and young adults).  I have worked with parents, teachers, staff, principals, administrators, SRO officers and community members.  I know that it takes all stakeholders to build a child and demonstrate the path to success!

I know what great schools look like and areas that need improvement!  But, most of all I believe that “children come first” and we need to work hard to build our future.  

2. Yes.  I have one child that attends Dahlstrom Middle School.

3. 1) Size – the Hays community is growing rapidly (Have you seen the new 1626?)  

2) Income to build capacity 

3) Academic rigor

4.  It literally “takes a village to raise one child.”

5. Yes! We are competing with other countries.  We need to have high academic rigor all across the board to build students mind and make students believe that they can be whatever they want to be!

6. Hays need financial support to enrich schools and build better programs.

7. 17 years

8. I love working with people!  My hobbies are walking our dog, playing with my daughter and cooking!

9. Wow, I have a long list!  But, I will never forget Mrs. Fox, 3rd grade teacher.  She came to my house and gave me a kitty for a birthday gift!

10. Educator  & parent.

11.  I am a change agent and believe in change!  Children first! 

12. Best advice came from my dad “EDUCATION is KEY to everything!”