SECTIONS
By Amanda Rogers
Mansfield Record
Early voting starts Tuesday for two open seats on the Mansfield ISD school board, Place 6 and Place 7, with the general election set for Nov. 3.
Incumbent Courtney Lackey Wilson is opposed by Corinne Fiagome and Yolanda McPherson for Place 7. Incumbent Darrell Sneed did not seek re-election for Place 6, and Warren Davis is the only remaining candidate for the seat after two other candidates dropped out.
We asked the candidates to respond to questions to give voters a chance to get to know them a little better. Listed below (in alphabetical order) are their responses.
Community involvement: I have worked in or with non-profit organizations since 2000. My most recent volunteer affiliations are:
• Treasurer of the PTA at my children’s elementary school (2019 – present)
• Participant in Leadership Mansfield ISD (2019-2020)
• President of the Ridge Trace Circle Homeowner’s Association, Mansfield, TX (2017-2018)
• Active alumna and former fellow of Leadership ISD – Tarrant County (2017 - present)
• Current board member and former treasurer and vice president of Women in Power Empowering, a philanthropic giving circle of African-American women in DFW (2016 to present)
• Member of the First Impressions Ministry and former lead volunteer of the snack bar in the children’s building at Crossroads Christian Church (2013 – present)
• Active alumna of Teach For America (2000 – present)
• Former member of the Duke Alumni Admissions Advisory Committee (AAAC)
• Member of the University of Virginia Alumni Association
• Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (since 1998)
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the Mansfield ISD?
We must act now to meet new needs and direct more attention and resources to student populations who are struggling during this time of pandemic crisis and beyond. Our district is strong, and one might assume by MISD’s highly ranked status that most of our students are doing fine. Yet, we cannot grow complacent and fail to improve outcomes for students at risk of falling through the gaps. We must continuously improve and ensure ALL our children – every student in every school and household across our great district – receive the benefits of access to an excellent education and the opportunity for a bright future. Consider this…In 2019, just 64 percent of Mansfield ISD graduates accomplished state indicators for being either college, career or military ready (“CCMR”). We can do better.
While understanding that the challenges our children face today are unprecedented (not only as related to health and environmental issues, but also rapidly changing economic demands and opportunities), our best bet moving forward is to intentionally prepare and equip students with the critical thinking, collaboration, and resilience skills to overcome unknown challenges and embrace unimagined opportunities when they present themselves.
What should be the school district’s focus in the next three years?
Making decisions and providing services that increase students’ capacities and likelihoods of success in school and in life are the district’s primary purposes. Toward those goals, our focus should be on the following over the next three years:
• STUDENT WELL-BEING. We must continuously align our actions at all levels throughout the district with what is best for our students’ immediate and long-term well-being in terms of academics; physical, social-emotional and mental health; and their career and financial futures. This includes promoting our students’ resilience, critical thinking and collaboration skills.
• STRATEGIC USE OF RESOURCES. We must strategically allocate limited resources to expand our greatest strengths and address our greatest needs. This means that while celebrating our district’s past successes, we must direct more attention and resources to student populations who are struggling.
• SMART GROWTH. We must plan for smart growth as more families enter our district. This includes utilizing our existing resources effectively. As we rightly promote ourselves as a great place to live, learn, and teach, of course more people will want to raise their families in Mansfield ISD. There is no reason to fear growth when it is planned for and incorporates the ideas, hopes, and high expectations of what we want Mansfield ISD to be.
How can you contribute to make the Mansfield ISD even better?
Throughout my professional career, I have worked to develop, implement and sustain programs that strengthen educational opportunity and excellence. After summer internships during college for IBM and a small consulting firm, I began a full-time career in the classroom serving as a high school Special Education, English and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) teacher. From that first post-college job, I learned the multifaceted role teachers have in students’ lives in collaboration with families; the importance of strong, supportive campus and district leadership to creating positive academic and social-emotional environments; and the potential of broader community engagement to provide real-life, real-time learning experiences for students to apply and reinforce what they learn in the classroom.
Understanding that my strengths were in researching and promoting policies to increase implementation of best practices in youth development and education, I earned a master’s degree in Public Policy, studying with leading education policy economists such as Helen “Sunny” Ladd, William “Sandy” Darity, and Jacob Vigdor. Since then, I have continuously applied both my academic and professional experiences to supporting and expanding educational and social service programs that are efficient and effective in meeting outcomes that make children’s and families’ lives better. For the past 15+ years, I have had increasing positions of leadership and responsibility in child and family-focused nonprofit organizations.
As a member of the MISD Board of Trustees, I will use the practical knowledge, strategic planning, and communication skills I have gained working as a member of collaborative teams with executives, boards of directors, and front-line staff to help facilitate forward progress on Mansfield ISD’s vision for our students and community. Furthermore, beyond my professional credentials, the most important perspective that I will bring to the trustee position is as a parent of current Mansfield ISD students – twin girls in elementary and a son in middle school. Right now, our school board has no representation from parents of young children (elementary to middle). In fact, only two of the current seven board members have students currently enrolled in MISD. Representation matters and our school board should reflect the community it serves, including regarding life stages, race and ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status, and other factors as appropriate to voice the needs and concerns of today’s students and families.
Community involvement: Director/Volunteer for Sininian Ministries Outreach
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the Mansfield ISD?
The biggest challenges facing Mansfield ISD are the safe return of our teachers, students and staff to in person learning and the challenge of virtual learning, internet access and technology availability.
What should be the school district’s focus in the next three years?
The focus of the district in the next three years should be on remaining a premiere school district by providing exceptional education opportunities for all students e.g. STEM Academies, Leadership Academies and specialized programs etc.
How can you contribute to make the Mansfield ISD even better?
My contribution to the Mansfield ISD will be creating stronger ties between the school board and the community. My contribution will be a focus on prioritizing district funds for better efficiency and accountability as a good steward of taxpayers’ dollars. As a school board member, I will bring a diverse background of experiences and various viewpoints that will be invaluable when considering decisions regarding educational and policy issues.
I currently work for the superintendent and board of trustees in Cedar Hill ISD. I also have three small businesses.
Community involvement: I am a current trustee but have served and volunteered in many other areas prior to being elected and until this day. Those include: multiple campus PTAs (and board positions), booster clubs, two district bond committees, Mansfield Cares, church volunteer and employee, the Texas Health Recovery and Wellness Advisory committee, a supporter of our local FFA, a supporter for an additional chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Miles for Meredith and most recently a promoter for and several other areas of volunteerism.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the Mansfield ISD? I know we feel we have seen so much change already but I really just want to keep eyes wide open. Yes, public school has proven to be a resource for virtual learning. However, there are so many other issues that have come about and I expect we will see them get worse before getting better if we do not address and try to forecast and prepare. Such as class sizes, lack of financial stability, staff retention and care, student safety and security (SEL), and proper use of facilities. I could go on because I am so passionate about public education and want the absolute best input and output.
What should be the school district’s focus in the next three years? I know we feel we have seen so much change already but I really just want to keep eyes wide open. Yes, public school has proven to be a resource for virtual learning. However, there are so many other issues that have come about and I expect we will see them get worse before getting better if we do not address and try to forecast and prepare. Such as class sizes, lack of financial stability, staff retenJon and care, student safety and security (SEL), and proper use of faciliJes. I could go on because I am so passionate about public educaJon and want the absolute best input and output.
How can you contribute to make the Mansfield ISD even better? I am a proud product of the Mansfield ISD and thoroughly enjoy giving to the same community that offered and gave me so much. I have a combined family of seven children with five nieces and nephews throughout the district. The children in my family range from kindergarten to college students. My youngest brother works for CISD and I work for CHISD. We are definitely living the same experiences as many others and although I do not know everything I do have some understanding. I believe my work benefits me in the best way possible. It has helped immensely with not only the times we are currently in but in conducting business in general for our school district. I often times have an exclusive to information before most would know it is coming. My prior terms, training, history with MISD and experience in the industry makes me an effective candidate. I have been a long-time advocate of not just MISD but for public education. And have found myself fully submerged in the industry. I feel as strongly as I did the first time I ran, I am not only qualified but I am the best person for this position. I have been a part of the team that has taken MISD onwards and upwards and even in times of despair, our team has worked to overcome. My team, I am referencing, is not the obvious board and administration but it includes the students, teachers, parents, staff and community. I am asking for reelection because I know MISD past and present. We are MISD.
Community involvement:
• MISD Education Foundation - Current (5 years)
• North Texas LEAD - Human Resources Advisory Council- Current (10+ years)
• Cancer Care Services - Former Board Member (2007-2009)
• Over the years, I have also served MISD as a community representative on multiple committees (such as Naming, Safety, and Anti-bullying) as well as projects at the Phoenix Academy.
• Bethlehem Baptist Church (Mansfield, TX) presently serve as deacon, finance chair and Sunday School teacher.
• Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, INC - Currently active in Arlington area Alumni chapter, Nu Pi Lambda.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the Mansfield ISD?
• Managing the dynamic growth of the district. For the last 20 years, I have witnessed firsthand the dynamic growth of MISD. However, as the community continues to grow, we must meet the emerging challenges that come with this growth while making sure the needs of the entire service area are being met. This will require different resources, skills, and in some cases structures to support the educational, social, and emotional needs of our students. It will also require thoughtful and deliberate allocation of our resources to accomplish these demands.
What should be the school district’s focus in the next three years?
• Leading through the continued exponential growth of the district.
• Evaluation and subsequent adoption of how Pre K/K-12 education from a pedagogical perspective has irrevocably been changed as a result of the pandemic.
• Providing support to the social and emotional needs of our students and district personnel.
How can you contribute to make the Mansfield ISD even better?
• I am grateful for the experience that my family has enjoyed through MISD. As my involvement with the district has increased, so has my desire to seek ways to serve our community in a greater capacity.
For the last 25-plus years, I have worked as a human resources professional. Throughout my career, I have learned how to build relationships while developing and maintaining safe and productive work environments. In these experiences, I have held leaders accountable to the values of those organizations and communities we serve while remaining vigilant both to the fiscal and social goals of these organizations.
Mansfield, Texas, is a booming city, nestled between Fort Worth and Dallas, but with a personality all its own. The city’s 76,247 citizens enjoy an award-winning school district, vibrant economy, historic downtown, prize-winning park system and community focus spread across 37 square miles. The Mansfield Record is dedicated to reporting city and school news, community happenings, police and fire news, business, food and restaurants, parks and recreation, library, historical archives and special events. The city’s only online newspaper launched in September 2020 and will offer introductory advertising rates for the first three months at three different rates.
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