Stern presents case for re-election

LORRAINE STERN

Incumbent Lorraine Stern and challenger Jay Jones are running for Place 3 on the Port Aransas Independent School District Board of Trustees. Candidates' Night, a voter education forum sponsored by the South Jetty on Thursday, April 24, did not feature a questionand answer session involving Stern and Jones because Jones did not confirm his attendance by deadline. Stern did confirm and was allowed to make a five-minute statement. She read from a prepared statement. An excerpt follows.

"I believe that I am both very qualified and the best candidate for this school board position. I have lived here in Port Aransas since 1996 and have owned a local business as well, since 1999. I have spent countless hours volunteering on many committees. I am a past president of Project Graduation, Olsen Elementary PTO and the Port Aransas Youth Council. I served on the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Parks and Recreation Board prior to my election to the City Council. I served as a council member for four years and mayor pro-tem for three years. I am currently on the board of directors for the Texas State Aquarium, on the board of directors for the Nueces County Appraisal District as well as serving my fourth year as a trustee on the Port Aransas school board. My civic involvements over the previous 10-plus years add a dimension of skills to my ever-growing base of knowledge and understanding, which I apply to create an environment of unity and teamwork among my fellow board members. In addition to this, even more training is needed to be a truly effective school board member. Over the past four years on the school board, I have been consistently learning and applying new concepts to my role as board member. I have received many hours of training through the Texas Association of School Boards and have completed the TASB Leadership Team Services curriculum and received the TASB ISD graduate designation.

As a board member you must also be well-versed in the area of school finance. The learning curve for this topic is steep. It is a very complex system of calculations, ever-changing templates and constant, careful predictions that move our school budget from calendar year to year. I have taken courses specifically on school finance to always stay in step with the state's actions. Our district is unique in many positive ways. However, we also have the unique distinction of being a Chapter 41 school district. Under the Robin Hood provision of the Texas Education Code, propertyrich school districts must send their wealth to the property-poor districts. As a board, we are constantly monitoring two variables with respect to this issue: Appraisal values and student enrollment. I am working on the Appraisal Board to put in place, fair and equitable appraisal methods for Port Aransas and all the entities it services. However, enrollment numbers can fluctuate for a variety of social and economic reasons which are not in our control. So we need to keep our kiddos here as well as attract more families with students to our district because of what Port Aransas ISD has to offer them.

This brings me to the other side of this double-edged sword of being a small 1-A school district in a growing community: We do have a lot to offer them. Because of our small size, because of the tremendously talented and caring educators in our district, and because of the visionary leadership of our administrators and board, we offer a quality of education that is surpassed by few. It is the board's responsibility to set the goals that drive the district. I have seen the successful outcome of these goals firsthand as I have watched my own two children progress enthusiastically through this district and achieve the goals they have set for themselves. My daughter is completing her second year of college, and my son is still here in high school.

And now for the cold, hard facts: Being on the school board is not a political aspiration. It is not a high-profile position. And it is not even a paid position. It is a privilege. Serving this district has been one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. The devotion to the success of our students by everyone associated with the district is staggering. I would like to continue to be a part of this team, to steward this vision this board has established and use my trained abilities, together with my fellow board members, to move our district into the future. So I am asking you to extend the privilege of my service on the school board for three more years.

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