Meet the Candidates: Lewisville ISD Board of Trustees Place 5

Southern Denton County residents will head to the polls starting later this month to decide a plethora of municipal and school board contests.

The Cross Timbers Gazette asked each candidate in a contested local race to answer a brief questionnaire to help voters make an informed decision at the polls this spring.

In Lewisville ISD, three-year terms for Board of Trustees Places 3, 4 and 5 will be on the ballot. Three candidates — Samuel Griffith, Pam Johnson and Sheila Taylor — are running to replace current Place 3 Trustee Angie Cox. In Place 4, Staci Barker is challenging Incumbent Katherine Sells’ reelection bid, and in Place 5, Chris Bowen is challenging Incumbent Jenny Proznik’s reelection bid.

Election Day is Saturday, May 7, with early voting April 25 through May 3. Click here for more information about voting in Denton County.

Lewisville ISD Board of Trustees Place 5

Jenny Proznik (i), 52

Town/place of residence: Frisco

How long have you lived in Lewisville ISD: 23 years

Occupation: Volunteer

Education: University of Oklahoma

Previous service on governmental/community/civic boards: Place 5 on the LISD Board of Trustees 2 terms (6 years)
Hebron High School PTA Board 8 years
Arbor Creek MS PTA Board 6 Years
LISD Council of PTAs Board 2 years
Independence Gardens 7 years

What motivated you to run for this position and why are you the best choice: LISD is my home and it’s a district that gave my children a great education. I believe that public schools are the cornerstones in our communities. I want to keep LISD strong. I have seen an LISD education from kindergarten through graduation (twice) and that allows me the ability to listen well, relate and understand situations and scenarios teachers, students or parents face when working through our public education system. I have made a serious effort to invest in all of our LISD communities by collaborating with elected officials and participating in community groups and non-profits that support our students and campuses. My children are why I became involved in LISD and the over 49,000 are why I stay, their future matters to me. The education provided today is the world we will live in tomorrow. I am a full time Trustee, the district and its stakeholders have my full attention.

Mission Statement: I want every student to feel a part of his or her school and LISD. The Board has asked for 100% participation by students in an extracurricular activity or club as a goal. Research shows that students who feel a connection to their school through extracurricular activities have better attendance, higher grades and fewer discipline problems.

Website: proznik.net

Facebook Page: Jenny Proznik for LISD

Christopher Bowen, 31

Town/place of Residence: Lewisville

How long have you lived in Lewisville ISD: 10 years

Occupation: President of Bowen Pools

Education: I graduated from Ponderosa High School in Parker, Co in 2009.
I attended Arapahoe Community College in Aurora, Co.
When I moved to Texas in 2011 I attended North Central Texas.

Previous service on governmental/community/civic boards: Member of the 2019 District Leadership Team
Member of Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce
Member of Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce
Member of The Colony Chamber of Commerce

What motivated you to run for this position and why are you the best choice: As the husband of a teacher and a father to two beautiful little girls, I am running for School Board because I believe that public education directly impacts the vitality of our community. Investing in our children now means a vibrant future for North Texas.

I believe as a business owner; I bring a strong financial background to the board when it comes to managing a multi-million-dollar budget. I also believe having children that will be in the district soon and having a wife who has been a teacher within LISD for the last 8 years gives me a vested interest in the district.

Mission Statement: There’s a crisis going on in Public Education right now, a staffing crisis, annual budget crises and a crisis of community confidence in some quarters. As a business owner, I face crises every day. As a teacher’s husband, I see the crises she faces every day. I want to be part of the solution for my kids and for yours.

Website: bowen4lisd.com

Facebook page: Chris Bowen