I met a retired teacher yesterday who asked me if I’ve been very involved in our schools.
My kids have been enrolled in San Marcos CISD since their first days of kindergarten. My husband or I drop off our kids at school each morning, and I pick them up every afternoon. I have been to parent teacher conferences, math nights, open houses, field days, choir concerts, carnivals, and science fairs. I’ve read to my children’s classmates in the classroom, helped with math activities, attended holiday parties, and eaten many school lunches. I’ve been on countless field trips, at countless in-class presentations, school assemblies, and back-to-school nights.
I trust my children’s teachers to teach, and I don’t get in their way. I make sure my kids show up at school ready to learn—with full stomachs, properly dressed, on time, and with good attitudes. I model for my children respect for their teachers and staff, including the janitors, lunch ladies, secretaries, and bus drivers, as well as the principals. At home, I support the work my children’s teachers do in the classroom. I do not interfere with or undermine the way in which my child is being instructed. If I have a concern, I meet one-on-one with the teacher or administrator and discuss it.
I know that 73% of our San Marcos students qualify for free or reduced school lunch. I know we have a highly mobile population of students in our district. I’ve spoken with school administrators who have talked about how many of our students are served by the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center, the Children’s Shelter, CASA, and the Hays County Food Bank.
I know that often it falls to our teachers, school nurses, counselors, and parent liaisons to get our students prom dresses and winter clothes, food and housing, medical care, and more.
I have seen first-hand in my children’s classrooms the need that some of their classmates have for school supplies, undergarments, coats, long pants, sweatshirts, food. As I have been able, I have purchased and donated—either directly to the classroom, to the Rattler Closet, or to the food bank—school supplies, undergarments, coats, long pants, sweatshirts, food.
I have seen the ways in which our schools are working to break the cycle of multi-generational poverty that engulfs too many families.
I believe in the promise of public education. I believe that a solid public education system is the best pathway out of poverty. I also know that our schools can’t do everything and I’m grateful that we live in a community that gives so generously of its time and money to those in need.
I’m grateful for the work done by First Presbyterian Church serving students at Mendez Elementary in numerous capacities. For School Fuel, a partnership of First Baptist Church, CTMC, and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, which, every Friday, provides hundreds of kids with nutritious food for the weekend. I’m grateful for the Purple Bus, which delivers hot meals to kids during the summer. For the efforts of the Unitarian-Universalist Church which purchase classroom supplies for hundreds of children every year. For River Stone Church’s mentoring program at Travis Elementary. I’m grateful for the Meals to Grow ministry of First Methodist Church which provides a healthy breakfast and lunch to 50 Pre-K kids every week.
These organizations, and so many more like them, make me proud to be raising my family in San Marcos.
No one is more invested than I am in the success of San Marcos public schools. No one is more willing to work hard on behalf of our kids than I am.
I’m not a political insider who hopes to use the board as a stepping-stone. I’m not running on behalf of any political party or political action committee. I am a stay-at-home mother with a great deal of professional experience who cares deeply about the well-being of my family, this community, and all of the children we entrust to our school district.
Please join me during early voting from April 27 – May 5, and on election day, May 9, in delivering on the promise of a high-quality public education for all of our kids.
–Anne