Here are the candidates for Place 7 on the Arlington school board in the May 6 election
Kathi Arocha
Age: 59
Campaign website: kathiforarlington.com
Best way for voters to reach you: Kathi.arocha.tx.com
Occupation: AISD SUBSTITUTE EDUCATOR
Education: BACHELORS DEGREE
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years): State Board of Education 2022
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in the city of Arlington:
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: None
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: Bankruptcy due to divorce, discharge and 2020
Who are your top three campaign contributors? Arlington, AC and heating
Why are you seeking this office?
I have insight into current issues being an AISD substitute. We need to ensure that all students achieve academic excellence. Teachers’ retirement and compensation should be competitive. The administrative requirements placed upon educators are overwhelming and need streamlined improvements. My strong business background will guide strategic policies, budgets, and process decisions. Reviewing proposed solutions from an end-to-end perspective will assist in avoiding potential risks. My approach is to find the best win/win solution. Accountability is critical when making decisions for those impacted, i.e., taxpayers, educators, parents, and students. I will bring fresh eyes to the Board.
What are the biggest challenges facing the Arlington school board?
- Safety is critical - increase security personnel; Technology is key; backpack policy changes
- Academic excellence (improve scores); Get back to basics on teaching techniques. expand skill set education to the junior high level.
- Review current budget and determine opportunities for realignment of funding
- Educator support: competitive compensation; reduce their administrative load ; ensure safety within the classrooms.
- Parents need to feel that they have a voice on what is happening with their child. Parents need to feel that they have a voice on what is happening with their child at all times
If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be?
Safety, Educator, support, and the budget
How will you measure your success as an Arlington school board member?
- Successfully improving the safety measures. Ensuring that the budget is allocated appropriately without having to rely on raised taxes. The trust between AISD and parents increases, and that could be measured by either surveys or measure of complaints/resolved issues
Why should voters choose you over your opponents?
I have over 26 years of problem-solving critical issues. My background is in regulatory compliance, data, analytics, budgets, project management. In the time that I have been an AISD substitute, I have been able to identify areas of improvement that are needed. I have a passion for kids to reach academic excellence, regardless of their background. I came from humble beginnings, and in today’s terms would have been classified as an under served student. I didn’t let that stop me in reaching a successful business career. I believe with my qualifications and passion to help the community will serve well as the next board of trustee in place 7. I am a taxpayer, and I want transparency, truth and integrity. Those are my guiding principles.
Hunter Crow
Crow did not respond to multiple requests to fill out the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s candidate questionnaire.
Watson Robinson Jr.
Robinson did not respond to multiple requests to fill out the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s candidate questionnaire.
Corliss Bunkley
Age: 42
Campaign website: www.corlissbforaisd.com
Best way for voters to reach you: Corliss.d.bunkley@gmail.con
Occupation: Clinical Coach
Education: Bachelor’s- UNT (2004 Education) Master’s (2012 - Currículum and Instruction emphasis in K-8 Math Education)
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years): No
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in the city of Arlington: In Arlington I’ve been involved with PTA and Arlington Residents for Inclusion.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Who are your top three campaign contributors? Steven Poole, Kim Lloyd, Pam Clark
Why are you seeking this office?
Arlington ISD school board should be representative of the students in the district and it’s not. I also believe my experience in education will help bring a new perspective and resources to the board and district.
What are the biggest challenges facing the Arlington school board?
Like most districts the biggest challenge is appropriately funded schools. I would add that teacher retention and recruitment are second and recovering from COVID learning loss are the other biggest challenges we’re facing.
If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be?
My time there priorities would be retaining qualified teachers and recruiting new ones to fill the numerous vacancies, working with parents to build strong partnerships for students, and elevating student voices at all grade levels so that students’ needs are being met.
How will you measure your success as an Arlington school board member?
I would measure my success by being able to help the board and district accomplish its goals and by community feedback.
Why should voters choose you over your opponents?
I have not only the experience as a parent but also as a current educator which sets me a part. I’m plugged in to what’s happening in schools now, as well as what’s happening in teacher preparation. I know where the best prepared teachers are and have a pulse on what current teachers need and want. I also have a keen awareness of what students want and respect and understand that their voices are important and needed.
Bridgett Davis
Davis did not respond to multiple requests to fill out the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s candidate questionnaire.
Leann Haynes
Age: 40
Campaign website: leannehaynes.com
Best way for voters to reach you: Email, Text
Occupation: Junior Leage Of Arlington Center Management
Education: Chapman University, Orange, CA
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years): No
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in the city of Arlington:
Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains - 11 years - Troop Leader, Service Unit Manager, Highest Awards Committe Member, Women of Distinction Committee Member
Texas PTA - 11 years - Board member of four separate PTAs, President of the Arlington Council of PTAs
Arlington Independent School District - 11 years - Financial Futures Committee Member, Student Code of Conduct Committee Member, Site Based Decision Making Committee Member
Cook Children’s Medical Center - 3 years - Surgical Family Advisory Council Member
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Who are your top three campaign contributors? Alan Smith ($500), Charles Brady ($500), Rodney Smith ($250)
Why are you seeking this office?
I am a proud AISD parent with two children in the district. For over a decade I have spent countless hours serving in and learning all I can about our district. Through those years of service, I developed a passion for advocating for the students and families in our district who are underserved. Having a child of my own who requires special accommodations, I know all too well the struggles that families face when it comes to navigating school with a special needs student. I want to help bridge the gap and foster partnerships between families and the district by having critical conversations, listening to concerns, and partnering with all parties involved to develop productive solutions. It has become my mission and my passion to serve our community by empowering, supporting, and advocating for our youth and I am prepared to continue this work as an AISD trustee.
What are the biggest challenges facing the Arlington school board?
Addressing the current teacher shortage is one of the biggest issues that our board will need to continue working though. The current teacher shortage is not unique to our district; this is a national issue that all school districts are struggling with. The most impactful way that we can, and already are addressing the teacher shortage is to maintain being highly competitive in the area of teacher salaries. In addition to continuing to be mindful of teacher pay, I believe that we need to make sure that we are working to build teacher/campus morale by finding ways to minimize extraneous work that is required of teachers, offer more campus and teacher support, and ensure that campus discipline policies are being enforced.
If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be?
1)School safety: This starts by reviewing and enforcing the current disciplinary procedures. Administrators need clear guidelines to follow so minor infractions do not escalate, consequences are uniformly applied, and restorative practices are implemented.S This first step will help decrease the number of incidents and ensure the learning environment remains safe. 2) Fiscal Responsibility: Financial decisions must align with our district’s strategic plan. Being a good steward of the district’s finances is a delicate dance, and I am committed to identifying and eliminating areas of waste and allocating funds to line items that directly benefit our teachers and students. 3) Teacher Shortages: Teachers need to feel supported by their campus admin and empowered to work within their zone of genius. We do this by partnering with campus admin to rebuild campus morale by reducing the daily workload of teachers, alleviating redundant training, and providing effective campus support.
How will you measure your success as an Arlington school board member?
Self evaluation is something I practice on a regular basis. It is critical of anyone in a leadership position to regularly look within with humility and honesty and ask ourselves hard, critical questions. As a trustee, I will ask myself:
Am I fostering new district/community partnerships? Am I listening to learn? Am I making parents, staff, and students feel heard? Am I making data driven decisions? Am I transparent in communication with parents, teachers, and community stakeholders? Am I collaborating with my fellow board members to successfully execute our board priorities? Is the district in a better state now than it was at the time of becoming a trustee?
If I am elected to the Board of Trustees, evaluating my success will not be a one-time practice. I commit to regularly asking myself these hard questions to ensure I am always as effective as I can be.
Why should voters choose you over your opponents?
Serving as a trustee is one of the most challenging leadership roles I have sought to achieve, but it is a role that I am highly qualified to serve in. I am committed to fostering a partnership with community stakeholders so that together we can provide a solid support system for our district. I have served on the PTA boards of four campuses and our district’s council of PTAs in numerous capacities. I have partnered with Texas PTA and AISD admin to mentor and promote the formation of PTAs on other local campuses who did not have an existing PTA. I have served on AISD’s Financial Futures Committee, the Student Code of Conduct Committee, and a campus site-based decision-making committee. My track record of service to our district is proof that I am committed to every teacher and student in the AISD and that I am equipped with the skills necessary to serve as an effective board member.
