Southern Denton County residents will head to the polls starting this month to decide a plethora of municipal and school board contests.
The Cross Timbers Gazette asked each candidate in a contested race to answer a brief questionnaire to help voters make an informed decision at the polls this May.
This May, Lewisville ISD Board Places 3, 4 and 5 will be on the ballot. Those seats are currently held by Angie Cox, Katherine Sells and Jenny Proznik, respectively, and all of them are seeking re-election. In Places 3 and 5, no one filed to run against the incumbents, but in Place 4, Jacob Collier filed to challenge Sells.
Election Day is Saturday, May 4, with early voting April 22-27 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 29-30 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The candidates for LISD Board Place 4 are listed in alphabetic order under each individual contested race.
Place 4 (3-year-term)
Jacob Collier, 26
What is the main issue facing your community and how would you address it: The biggest is school safety and how we approach communication with the district alongside law enforcement. We need to continue to build a top to bottom approach to how we communicate with 5 police departments across 13 municipalities. We have to focus on a structure that connects law enforcement, our security teams, and our individual school administrations as if it were a “spider web” of communication. The issue with not having a top to bottom approach to communicating between law enforcement makes it difficult to be preventative versus being reactive. Our school district has the means to continue to add security measures, and it’s time we work on our district to create a solid structure of communication as a foundation for security.
Why are you the best candidate for this position: My experience in the business, financial, and political world has combined with my connection to the community. This has given me the ultimate perspective between the people and the way our district’s government should function. Through these experiences, I’ve been gaining perspectives and support from parents, teachers/admin, voters, and students in our community. My roots in the community run deep, and I’ve led many people in ministry, business, finance, and politics. I firmly believe that my leadership in the community is a step above my opponent’s. My passion for going above and beyond the status quo to input a perspective from the people is what sets me apart the most. LISD needs a fresh vision, and I believe I’m the one to deliver it.
Facebook page: Facebook.com/jakeforlisd
Website: JakeforLISD.com
Email: [email protected]
Katherine Sells, 56
What is the main issue facing your community and how would you address it: The biggest issue that LISD faces is the current state of school finance in Texas. Although we are encouraged by the bills that have been filed in this 86th Legislative Session, there is still much work to accomplish in getting public education state funding fixed. It has been three years since the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the current school funding system was lawful but awful, calling it byzantine and unsuited for a 21st century workforce. I believe that the relationships that we have built with our lawmakers have allowed us to tell the story of our district and students – and it has been impactful. I plan to continue to meet with our legislators here at home and on trips to Austin, to further discuss this issue and its impact.
Why are you the best candidate for this position: Proven Leadership in the Role. As the incumbent with three years of active experience in the role, I am already serving the families, students, staff and taxpayers of LISD. This is a complicated position, especially during a legislative year, and it is not the place for training on the job. My length of service to the LISD Community is unmatched, as is the depth. I was first elected to the LISD Board of Trustees in 2016 and have served as Secretary of the Board of Trustees since 2017. My resume of service to the students and families of Lewisville ISD includes: CISNT Mentor at Delay Middle School; LISD Council of PTAs; Hebron HS PTSA; Hebron HS Choir Booster Club; Field Service Representative, Texas PTA; GLA – NCL Hebron.
Facebook page: facebook.com/sells4lisd
Website: sells4lisd.com
Email: [email protected]
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