Nine running in DSISD School Board election

Two incumbents and seven newcomers are running for three open seats in the May 1 Dripping Springs Independent School District School Board Election. They are (in ballot order): Kay Kizziar, Lynn Henson, Stephanie Holtzendorf, Tricia Quintero, Shannon O'Connor (incumbent), Stefani Reinold, Mary Jane Hetrick (incumbent), Jeff Aylstock, and Thaddeus Fortenberry.

Currently, the positions are held by Mary Jane Hetrick, Carrie Kroll, and Shannon O’Connor. Dripping Springs trustees do not represent “places.” The top three votegetters on May 1 will be elected.

Early voting dates are April 19-27. Here is a brief summary for the candidates who responded to the Century News’ request for information.

Kay Kizziar

Kizziar did not respond to the questions by press time. A quick search for her campaign page provided the following information on her candidacy. Kizziar writes on Facebook: “Purpose: To insure financial transparency while focusing funding on students’ health, happiness and academic achievement. Qualifications: Over 17 years school finance experience; grew up with educator parents; CPA; RTSBA (Registered Texas School Business Administrator).”

Lynn Henson

Henson says she decided to run “to help restore a trusted connection between the school board, the community it serves, and district administration, teachers, and employees through increased access, acknowledgement, and transparent communication. I am about results and finding the most efficient way to arrive at the end goal.”

Henson has a 17-year career in collegiate student housing, holding various positions. “I am passionate about student development and have significant experience in helping to envision, create, and implement multifaceted initiatives designed to mitigate potential challenges and cater to a diverse audience,” she said.

As for her top priorities if elected, Henson says, “Addressing and updating COVID policies for the fall semester while simultaneously looking at the long-range planning that will be needed in short order.” She added, “To gain contextual perspective, I have spent quite a bit of time researching and reviewing past presentations/ information regarding enrollment trends and planning recommendations. The attendance zoning is just the beginning, our district growth is outpacing the plans in-place. The board must immediately engage the community to find fiscally sound long-term solutions that put our students, teachers, and administrators in a position to succeed.” Full Q and A.

Stephanie Holtzendorf

Stephanie Holtzendorf is running because she believes that it is a time for change. "The district needs financial responsibility, transparency, trust and oversight from the trustees of the DSISD school board," Holtzendorf said. She has been active in the community for 24 years, having served on the Dripping Springs Founders Day Commission, and as past board members of Friends of the Pound House, Friends of the Dripping Springs Library, and DSYSA.  
She lists her priorities, "To ensure that students and teachers have the resources needed to continue to provide excellent education. To lessen the burden on the community members and taxpayers. To create alternative programs for students other than a college bound path. Ensure a safe environment for students and teachers. Lessen the financial burden on property owners. Ensure board decisions represent the values of our community.” Full Q and A.

Tricia Quintero

Quintero decided to run “to make a difference.” She says, “I see DSISD moving in the direction of higher taxes, massive debt, poor communication, and middling student outcomes – and I want to help change things for the better!” Quintero is a mother of five children, with three attending DSISD, an experience she believes qualifies her to serve. “Raising a large family has taught me a lot,” she said. “I know how to operate in chaotic environments. I understand that you can’t sweat the small stuff.”

Quintero also has experience serving as Chair of the Facilities and Bond Oversight Committee, and spent time as a member of the Student Health Advisory Committee.

Quintero’s top priorities are to keep property taxes in check and improve the district’s handling of debt. “If elected, I’ll work with my fellow trustees to adopt the no-new-revenue tax rate or something lower,” she said. “Right now, DSISD taxpayers owe a total of $462 million or more than $60,000 for every student currently enrolled. That’s an incredible amount of debt, and the district may soon ask voters for even more!” Quintero added, “We can do better, including by getting our community more involved in the process of putting future bonds together. I’ve seen firsthand how soliciting input from district residents can help identify needs and weed out wants.” Full Q and A.

Shannon O’Connor O’Connor has served on the Board for six years, and is also the Board’s secretary. She seeks re-election to “provide stability and leadership while continuing to serve DSISD students, staff, and community through collaboration as the district navigates how to emerge from the pandemic, meet the needs of all students in a growing district, develop a new strategic plan, provide personalized learning, as well as focus on our students' social and emotional needs - all this while being mindful of fiscal responsibility.”

O’Connor is a selfemployed tax accountant. “My accounting skills and experience prove invaluable in performing two primary roles of the board: setting the budget and reviewing and approving the annual audit,” she said. “I am the current School Board Representative on the Dripping Springs Educational Foundation Board, the TIRZ, and now in my second term on the Attendance Zone Committee… This experience has been vital in gaining a comprehensive understanding of this district from student needs to operations.” O’Connor says this of her priorities if re-elected, “collaborating on the new strategic plan, navigating emersion from COVID, onboarding the new superintendent, planning the budget, expanding on mental health initiatives/ SEL, continuing to identify and support the efforts of administration to close the gaps for our students, especially our most vulnerable populations, and strive to improve district communications as well as continue to navigate the challenges of a fast growth district.” Full Q and A.

Stefani Reinold

Reinold decided to run because “Bureaucratic decisions change lives, and I want to be a part of a positive change,” she said. “I'm running for DSISD school board to uphold educational excellence amidst unprecedented times, to prioritize health and safety within the schools (including emotional and developmental health) through the transition to a post-covid environment while limiting unnecessary rules and restrictions, and to ensure fiscal accountability in a rapidly expanding school district.”

Reinold is a medical doctor, a board certified psychiatrist and small business owner. “I am uniquely qualified to address the rampant mental health issues that are rising exponentially in our district, the public health concerns for pandemic and post-pandemic infection control measures while minimizing unnecessary restrictions, and the necessary fiscal responsibility.”

She says this of her priorities if elected, “We must minimize further barriers to adequate emotional and developmental growth by making a clear plan for a post-covid return to normal on campus for the fall. As vaccine distribution continues and cases and hospitalizations decrease, it is paramount for our district to prioritize a return to a humane learning environment for students, teachers, and staff. Furthermore, it is necessary to ensure fiscal accountability amidst these unprecedented times and prioritize conservative budgetary spending.” Full Q and A.

Mary Jane Hetrick

Hetrick has served on the Board for six years and seeks re-election. She says, “serving as a trustee is fundamentally different from serving as a nonprofit board member or running abusiness and it takes experience to understand critical differences. We are about to hire a new

Superintendent to lead us into a new Strategic Planning process and I feel equipped to help this District at a pivotal juncture.”

Hetrick holds a doctorate in Public Policy & Public Administration, which she says has provided background for many board-level debates. “I completed an arduous 9-month TASB program to become a Master Trustee in the state of Texas, and the experience had a base of many years of teaching leadership classes to MPA students and working as an organizational performance consultant,” Hetrick said. “My track record shows a willingness to lean into difficult discussions and seek knowledge and understanding from multiple sources.”

As for her priorities if reelected, Hetrick says, “There are many top priorities that begin in May, including communication with an incoming Superintendent. He or she will need to be acclimated to DSISD quickly and jump into critical discussions and decisions regarding what class offerings will look like next year; long-range facilities planning and how to most effectively accommodate growth; a new Strategic Planning cycle; and a fresh financial analysis after decisions are made in this 87th Texas Legislative session.” Full Q and A.

Jeff Aylstock

Aylstock decided to run because he sees some tough decisions ahead for the school board. “We as a community are growing exponentially…,” he said. “The continuing need to analyze each performance metric and ensure that we both capture what has changed due to COVID and be able to adjust for the unknown will be paramount for us in the coming 5 to 10 years. I have been greatly successful in focusing on problems like these and adapting solutions all the while keeping an eye on the consequences of implementing those solutions. I feel we need a person like myself on the board that can easily digest the analytical components and be able to present the analysis in an understandable manner.” Aylstock is employed as a Global Technical Sales consultant for Pure Storage. He has been in the IT industry for over 25 years. “I frequently communicate with fortune 50 Business leaders and am not afraid to challenge the status quo when I see that there is the potential for a better solution or outcome,” Aylstock said. “I am acutely able to focus on the details of a project and bring back the hard questions to ensure we have captured every possible scenario and the potential outcome”

Aylstock’s top priority if elected will be to reevaluate how the board addresses the information it presents and the way the board engages with the public. Full Q and A.

Thaddeus Fortenberry

Fortenberry decided to run because of a passion for promoting learning. “I’m particularly interested in programs for girls in engineering,” he said. “My hope is to leverage some of the momentum of science in the Austin area and create appealing programs. I think I'll be helpful in building a successful district that creates a strong academic start for our children.”

Fortenberry says he’s not your typical candidate. “I've had a lot of professional technology experience, which I hope to leverage in this position,” he said. “In these days of distance and online learning, I hope to have the opportunity to offer innovative ideas to give our school system first-rate capabilities. Additionally, I hope to provide value with an outsider's viewpoint.”

As for his priorities if elected, Fortenberry said gathering information from teachers, parents, and staff is important, in addition to creating a long-term strategy, and ensuring all resource requirements are met. “I think all school systems have a lot of work to transition to a post-COVID system,” he said. “While long-term programs are important, it is critical to get our students back to a balanced system of learning.” Full Q and A.