SMITHVILLE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES TALK ABOUT ISSUES
At forum, they address arts education, teacher retention, other concerns.
Four candidates seeking two seats on the Smithville school board were given a chance to go public with their platforms as they discussed school district issues at a forum moderated by the Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce on April 18 at the city’s recreation center.
Candidates spoke on improving the local school system for successful children, whether they supported more arts education and a performing arts center, and the main program needed to support and retain teachers at the Smithville school district. One question and answer from the session are below. (To read more of the questions and answers, visit SmithvilleTimes.com.)
Place 1
Tay Campbell is the incumbent serving in his first term. He is a compliance and audit officer for multimillion-dollar banks and with experience in reviewing, analyzing and scrutinizing complex budgets and financials.
Cindy Cogdell is a retired teacher after 13 years in the Bastrop and Smithville districts. She was an administrator for Texas Women’s University, managing two extension campuses and responsible for 80 staff and 2,000 students, and has also worked as a medical social worker, including for Towers Nursing Home.
Place 2
Grant Gutierrez, an incumbent, is a certified public accountant who serves as the chief information officer and controller at Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative in Bastrop.
Erik McCowan is an event planner, writer and in film production.
Recognizing your paramount responsibility for preparing our children to be successful in tomorrow’s world, what would you do to improve the local system?
Campbell: In the past three years, we have seen a great deal of improvement and a great deal accomplished in improving our local system and, in doing so, preparing our children for the future. I also know we have only just begun. We need continued work in school performance, the arts, STEM programs and technical education and certifications.
Cogdell: Schools need to emphasize the teaching of social studies, the development of social skills and life skills, and an awareness of the many options each person has for their future. I would like to see SISD implement a mentoring program, encouraging community members and businesses to connect with specific students, classes and even campuses. We also need to find more ways to connect with parents and families. We will only be successful if all of our community shares the efforts.
Gutierrez: There are three areas that I think are very important to our success locally at Smithville ISD. The first is infrastructure, including the safety of our children and educators. We are addressing this through the bond package and improvements to our campuses. The second is retention of qualified, quality educators. And finally, fiscal responsibility. Our funding has been limited by the state, which places an added burden on our taxpayers. This requires conservative management of the budget and ensuring that your tax dollars are spent wisely.
McCowan: One thing that Gonzales has done right is that they brought in Victoria College to make a new satellite campus at an abandoned auto dealership in town. They cater to high school and college students as well as adults looking to find a career locally in the medical and construction fields. Not only does it provide good paying jobs for locals, but it is an economic driver for the city with the amount of out-of-town students using the facilities. With 50 percent of retail space in downtown Smithville vacant, perhaps the school board can partner with the city and find a college that may want to come to town. Austin Community College has been seeking a Bastrop campus for several years, but voters have turned them down. Perhaps Smithville can start some negotiations, and we can kick the tires on this idea.