CANDIDATE Q&A
Get to know candidates running in November’s midterm elections
*CANDIDATE DID NOT ADHERE TO WORD LIMIT. RESPONSES OVER 50 WORDS WERE CUT OFF. Incumbent
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
ROUND ROCK ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES, PLACE 3
AMBER FELLER
MARYAM ZAFAR
ORLANDO SALINAS
Occupation: quality management specialist and advocate
Occupation: college student, former RRISD student Relevant experience: led a sexual assault and harassment prevention initiative, more than 70 high school volunteer hours, McNeil High School AFJROTC vice
Occupation: program specialist—state of Texas Relevant experience: managed multimillion-dollar public sector
Relevant experience: parent of TAG, general education and special education students in RRISD for 18 years; RRISD trustee for four years; master’s degree in education; over 20 years of education-related work experience; licensed professional counselor www.facebook.com/amberfellerforrrisdschoolboard
budgets; certi ed instructor with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement; master’s degree in business administration; master’s degree in health administration; serve on RRISD Capitol Projects Oversight Committee; proven leadership, con ict resolution and negotiation skills 956-592-0775 • www.salinas4rrisd.com
corps commander, student government member, public a airs and media watch secretary at local mosque, English tutor for grades K-12 512-300-3004 • www.votemaryam.com
What will be your top priorities if you are elected?
Recovering from the COVID[-19] learning loss and addressing teacher retention and morale problems are my top priorities. I will focus on all students and ensure goals are set to produce the most growth. I will also advocate for increased funding for public education from the state to increase teacher pay.
My top priorities are include accessible mental health and disability services, disinvesting from policing and punitive mea- sures in favor of reinvesting in preventive measures and social services, and creating sexual assault and harassment survivor support groups on every campus for both trauma-informed services and accountability.
I will focus on comprehensive school safety, academic excel- lence for all and parental rights.
What uniquely quali es you for this position?
It is vital that trustees are ready from day one to serve and address the issues I have listed. Because I have extensive experience and am very knowledgeable about policy and procedures, I’ll be able to immediately continue the work of improving student outcomes.
I am uniquely quali ed because of my proximity to the students that school board trustees are meant to serve. I represent student voices. Political or big-picture conversations often miss the day-to-day issues students are actually dealing with. I will bring those issues to the table as the youngest potential board*
I am the only candidate in the race for Place 3 with experience in the eld of law enforcement. I have coordinated, overseen, and conducted multiagency law enforcement operations statewide to enhance public safety. I want to transform the mindset of school safety at RRISD from reactive to proactive.
ROUND ROCK ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES, PLACE 4
LINDA AVILA
ALICIA MARKUM
CORY VESSA
JILL FARRIS
Occupation: educational diagnostician Relevant experience: bachelor’s degree in psychology; master’s degree in education;
Occupation: photographer and stay- at-home parent Relevant experience: PTA president; RRISD Special Education
Occupation: nonpro t director
Occupation: former IT recruiter, current homemaker Relevant experience: serteen adviser for Zoi Ora Filos, Thespian
Relevant experience: Round Rock ISD trustee since 2018, bachelor of political science degree
educator with 30 years experience; three Texas education certi cations in bilingual education, special education and an educational diagnostics former classroom teacher, behavior specialist and current educational diagnostician 512-387-1093 • www.avila4rrisd.com
Parent Advisory Council; RRISD Council of PTAs Diversity and Inclusion chair; RRISD Council of PTAs Nominating Com- mittee; RRISD Comprehensive Needs Assessment Perceptions Committee; RRISD Surrogate Parent Program; RRISD Back to School Celebration volunteer 512-522-0426 • www.markum4rrisd.com
from Trinity University, master of public a airs degree from the LBJ School at UT Austin, served as a policy analyst for Texas Senate, part of the 2018 RRISD Citizen’s Bond Committee, longtime PTA volunteer www.vessa4rrisd.org
Booster Club board o cer, parliamen- tarian for Project Graduation, active member of National Charity League, literacy partner at Berkman Elementary, former Round Rock High School Color Guard parent adviser 512-796-9779 www.jillfarrisforrrisd.com
What will be your top priorities if you are elected?
I will restore academic excellence, support and reward teachers, advocate for special popu- lations, spend our money wisely, and focus on safety and security.
I will advocate for inclusive schools with high-quality educational options that serve all students. I will also promote an aggressive plan to close learning gaps and build under- standing of equity and accessibility issues for historically underserved students. Finally, I will bring clarity on how to access district mental health resources*
I’ll advocate for increased funding to attract and retain quali ed, skilled educators, and for needed mental health and school safety initiatives. I’ll also advocate for additional school nance reform so taxpayers aren’t shouldering the burden of nancing public schools with little state help.
I will work to return our schools to the learn- ing-focused, student-centered environment that our children deserve. I will establish a pro-parent agenda in our schools and respect taxpayer dollars. I will also make the safety and security of our students and sta a top priority.
What uniquely quali es you for this position?
Having worked with teachers, parents and students of diverse abilities and demograph- ics, I recognize and understand the challenges facing many of our schools and special/ bilingual populations. I know the value of a teacher, the necessity of parental involvement and the importance of identifying individual needs of children.
As the parent of a child receiving special education, I have a decade of knowledge on the fundamentals of the public school system, including policy, funding, services and how to e ectively communicate between stakehold- ers. I lead from an informed and empathetic perspective while employing a growth mind- set necessary for collaboration.
I’ve tirelessly advocated to bring RRISD the nancial resources needed to prepare all students with the skills to succeed. Amidst unprecedented challenges, I listened to stakeholders and trans- parently made data-driven decisions while con- sidering all valid concerns and nding balanced solutions. Despite polarization, I’ve demonstrated commitment to nding middle ground.
I have spent the last 13 years volunteering in RRISD schools, and the parents, students and taxpayers within the district deserve better. I am running with a slate of candi- dates that have the tenacity and the courage to take bold action to make our district one of distinction.
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