A Unique Perspective for a
Unique School District
Now is the time to preserve the high-quality schools and CTE programs Plano ISD is known to have. Every day I am reminded that one of the only ways our district leaders will know what current concerns the students and staff are worried about is to have someone who recently attended Plano ISD schools on our school board. I'm ready to use my unique, firsthand perspective of being a student and staff member on our school board to make a positive difference in our community.
My priorities are more than words. They're a promise.
Our community deserves a school board member that is actively involved every single day and makes decisions for our schools and families above their own political views. This is personal to me, not political.
I've been overly observant and have detailed plans to make my school district better, the taxpayers living here proud, and the students excited to have a school board member that knows about the current concerns of our district.
- Simon Salinas, your next School Board Trustee
Fiscal Responsibility & Equity in the Distribution of Funds
- Plano ISD is faced with declining enrollment, an 8-year deficit, and extremely high recapture payments that are given back to the state of Texas. Recapture needs reform and Trustees should work with legislators to support public education. Leaving debt to our families, future taxpayers, and students that will live in Plano ISD after they graduate is one of the most important things I want to prevent. I have been an active voice for our district and community. As a Plano ISD Board member, we need to focus on the deficit and how we're going to prevent this.
- I'm against vouchers. We need more state support in education. Our state government shouldn't be deciding where district funds are going, that responsibility should belong to Plano ISD Administrators and the Board. I believe we need to focus on our deficit and optimize our budget.
- I will continue making sure that underserved communities in our district are receiving equal funds. Education is an investment. We must be responsible with taxpayer dollars and ensure we have programs that are magnets for families seeking quality public schools. Public education is one of the topics I’ve seen people with differing political views support.
Community Connections
- Now more than ever, we need first-hand experience on the dias in decision-making processes to ensure board decisions are made that support students, educators, and staff. School board members have an opportunity to become more engaged. Engagement is about showing up to support campus events, PTA meetings, businesses, faith communities, and attending graduations. It’s important to show up and listen to the concerns of the community that we represent.
- As a recent graduate, I am intimately aware of the current concerns of our students and our teachers. When I am elected to the PISD Board, I can bring these concerns to the attention of the other Board members and address those issues collectively and thoughtfully. There is great power when our community unites behind our students. We can change school funding formulas by working together with the State Representatives that represent Plano ISD, we can fight for adequate teacher compensation, and we can promote equity in education. Our community is centered around our schools and we all must invest time and effort in our future – our students.
Teachers and Staff
- Plano ISD teachers and staff are exhausted. They have spent the last three school years changing the way they teach, supporting students in ways they never have had before, and many are doing so while managing their own families in challenging times. It’s important to also recognize that there are staff who are also Plano ISD parents. Education is changing and we must have support in place to retain our talented and passionate educators. This requires empowering our teachers to use their professional training to teach while being given support and minimal interference from the PISD Administration and the Board. This will enable students to learn and thrive in a healthy, trusting environment.
- I believe as a governing body, the Plano ISD Board needs to continue to support innovative initiatives by the teachers and the Plano ISD Administration that make life more rewarding for teachers. Our educators deserve a better work life balance.
- We have to automate parts of campus counselors' work so that they can focus on mental health services for students and staff.
Student Success
- During COVID, my classmates and I experienced a shift in our learning. Now more than ever, we have to design a system that offers more individualized options for student success and growth. It’s important to create a unique learning environment where Plano ISD students can excel. This needs to be done quickly so that we can close the COVID learning gap at lower grade levels.
- Kindergarten readiness, 3rd grade English and Math levels, and College readiness are important targets that are currently lacking attention in our School District. We must make sure that each student in Plano ISD will be ready to learn at a higher level if he/she chooses to attend college or trade school. I would like to see a high school course that teaches students about financial literacy and college preparation.