Q & A with DSISD Board Candidate Mary jane Hetrick

How long have you served on the board?
6 years
Why did you decide to run again?
Serving as a trustee is fundamentally different from serving as a nonprofit board member or running a business 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.
What qualifiers in your background do you believe make you the best candidate?
My doctorate in Public Policy & Public Administration 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. My track record shows a willingness to lean into difficult discussions and seek knowledge and understanding from multiple sources.
What are your priorities beginning in May if re-elected?
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.
Do you have any students in the district? Please also tell us about your family.
I have one remaining student in DSISD, an 8th grader at Sycamore Springs Middle School, who started at Dripping Springs Elementary before Sycamore Springs Elementary was built. My older kids are graduates of DS High School, in 2019 and 2014. I have been married to my husband Tom for 30 years and his parents also live here.
How long have you lived in or been a part of the Dripping Springs community?
I grew up in the Texas Hill Country and graduated from high school in Comfort, about an hour away. Work positioned my family out of state for a number of years and we returned to Dripping Springs in 2012.
What other local organizations are you involved in or volunteer at?
My longest continuous service is with the DS Education Foundation, volunteering in 2013 and joining the board in 2014. Prior to school board service, I chaired the Innovative Teaching Grants Committee, and have since served as the VP of Development and currently the VP of Strategic Planning. I have also served as a DS High School PTSA officer and chaired many PTA committees in lower grades. I have been helping Foster Village since its inception and currently serve as Board President. I helped found a new nonprofit for veterans, Patriots’ Hall of Dripping Springs, last year and serve as the VP/Secretary. And I have served on building/visioning committees for Sunset Canyon Baptist Church over the years.
How do you feel about the way DSISD has handled the pandemic, i.e. protocols, restrictions, closed campuses, virtual meetings?
Leadership is making tough choices among competing positions. We have done this. Many people did not want schools open. Many people wanted no masks. We have charted a course that allowed students to learn, parents to make choices and kids to participate in their hard-earned extracurricular activities, all without ever having to close due to infection spread. Personally, I have attended board meetings in the DSISD board room since the beginning of this academic year, with two exceptions when I was quarantining/awaiting test results and the Feb. weather event.

What are your thoughts on transparency within school boards and decision-making, and do you believe DSISD has been transparent enough? Why or why not?
I have always encouraged our Superintendent and administration to be forthright about reasons behind recommendations to the board and to robustly engage in two-way communication with stakeholders. We must explain the “WHY” behind our actions, especially when we have adopted an innovator’s mindset and are seeking to be at the front of the curve and not a laggard in educational adjustments. We rarely had attendees stay at board meetings prior to the pandemic; the virtual format has allowed for much higher attendance. The district has many ways for the community to not just watch the process but take part in the process. There is a long-range planning committee, bond advisory committee, advisory committees at every campus, and others. One of the reasons I was originally approached to run for the Board 6 years ago was because I attended most school board meetings in person.

Is there anything else you'd like to include that you were not asked?
One of my favorite definitions of wisdom is knowledge and experience mixed with common sense and discernment; to whatever degree I have wisdom, it would be an honor to serve this District.