2 apply to fill school board’s Southwest Austin seat
Two District 7 residents have emerged as contenders to fill the Austin school district’s Southwest Austin board seat.
The two who submitted applications for the seat by Tuesday’s deadline include Dale Sump, a 53-year-old accountant and auditor, and Yasmin Wagner, a 44-year-old corporate communications and marketing manager. Both applicants have been district volunteers for years.
Trustees in coming weeks will weigh whom to choose to replace longtime Trustee Robert Schneider, who died July 28 of cancer.
Sump is on the district’s bond oversight committee, served on the committee that oversaw the 2008 bond, and was
part of the performing arts center task force. He previously was president of the Bowie High School band boosters board.
“Through the various work I’ve done district wide to collaborate
and come to consensus on decisions, I thought that it may be the time for me to be to apply for the appointment process,” said Sump, whose three
children went through the Austin schools. “I know that AISD prepared (my children) well for their college and work experience later and I look forward to carrying on that tradition of excellence in education if that’s the decision that is made.”
Wagner, who lost in 2014 against Schneider but gained 48 percent of the vote, has served on the district’s boundary advisory committee, participated in the UpClose program — which gives an inside view of the district’s programs and services — and has been a PTA executive board member at two schools. She has two children in Austin schools.
“During the campaign last year, I spent sever- al weeks knocking on doors and participating in forums,” Wagner said in a statement. “I personally meet with hundreds of parents and residents in District 7. As a parent of two AISD students in District 7 schools, I know
firsthand how important transparency and communication are.”
Tuesday night, school board members discussed the criteria for fill ing the position.
The majority of trustees didn’t favor holding a special election to fill the post, and decided they will appoint a replacement, who will serve until the next scheduled election in November 2016.
Whomever the board appoints, the future District 7 trustee will weigh in on decisions such as the possible purchase of land for a new high school in South Austin. Schnei- der for years pushed for a new campus in Southwest Austin to help relieve Bowie High School, the most overcrowded high school within the district.
The district has set several open forums for the candidates to respond to questions from District 7 residents. District 7 residents may also submit questions online through
Sept. 14 by noon. According to the selection timeline, trustees will interview the candidates during the week of Sept. 21 and make the appointment on Sept. 28.