Pflugerville school official re-elected to state board,
She was unopposed in running for her final term.
Pflugerville school board president Vernagene Mott was re-elected to the Texas Association of School Boards board of directors, which serves the 5.2 million students in Texas.
Mott represents Region 13, which encompasses about 60 school districts from Schulenburg to Fredericksburg, Llano to Jarrell down to Marion near San Antonio.
“It’s quite an honor; it’s quite a challenge,” Mott said.
Mott was elected to the Pflugerville school board in 2004 and is in her fourth term with the district.
“It’s been a very rewarding opportunity to learn about school districts both large and small that have limited resources or grand resources, and each district has its specific challenges,” Mott said.
Members of the TASB board of directors serve a three-year term and, due to term limits, this will be Mott’s final term of service.
Mott said she enjoys the chance to visit the school districts she serves in Region 13 on nights when she is not attending Pflugerville school board meetings.
“That’s always a very interesting opportunity also to see how local districts are unique in how they connect with their staff, their students, their citizens,” she said.
There are 44 directors within 20 regions of the TASB.
In past years, Mott said, she’s had five or six opponents run against her for the Region 13 director position. However, this year she ran unopposed.
The directors spend time talking with elected officials and lawmakers in Austin, especially during legislative sessions, on issues that affect public education.
“We’re always trying to monitor what’s coming down the pipeline,” she said.
Mott said she’s testified for bills affecting public education during the last four legislative sessions.
Mott was born and raised in Pflugerville and graduated from Pflugerville High School as class valedictorian.
She attended the University of Texas and earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in math and went on to teach math and science for 35 years.
Mott was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greater Pflugerville Chamber of Commerce.
She also was recognized as a 2015 Legend by the Pflugerville Downtown Association.