CANDIDATE Q&A
Get to know the candidates running in the election
Incumbent
Katy ISD board of trustees, Position 1
DONALD T. “DUKE” KELLER, JR.
VICTOR PEREZ
Candidate did not respond by press time. SAKI KRISHNAMURTHY
ELIZABETH “ELIZ” MARKOWITZ
Occupation: attorney Experience: served in leadership roles in the Army and Nation- al Guard, almost 24
Occupation: retired chief nancial o cer in the energy industry
Occupation: content developer, trainer Experience: bachelor’s in computer science and studio art; master’s in business and health care; doctorate in curric- ulum and instruction www.eliz4tx.com
Experience: extensive experience in nancial analysis, budgets and debt markets www.victorperezforkatyisd.com
years in real estate and business law, Katy ISD trustee for the last three years www.kellerforkaty.com
As a Katy ISD board member, howwould you approach students a ected by learning loss?
[We should] engage with students to provide additional one-on-one support and instruc- tion as needed and provide tutoring sessions as needed. Utilize smaller class sizes when possible. Provide summer learning programs to help students catch up or prepare for their next class year. Talk to students about mental health and concerns they have and let them know how to seek support if they need it.
Candidate did not respond by press time.
The board should support teachers with the resources needed to adopt best practices for mitigating learning loss created by the pandemic. Rather than teaching to a test, teachers should teach core material through the spiraling method, which allows regular review of ... material. Teachers must also be given the support necessary to adapt lessons to the needs of their diverse students. The best way tomanage growth is to have plans and procedures in place to develop accurate enrollment projections, which are the basis for programming, teacher hiring, new construction and facility usage. The district must view enrollment planning as an ongoing process. ... Without such strategic planning, resources will be wasted and the quality of education will be compromised. Students must be exposed to a wide breadth and depth of material. ... Teachers should be encouraged to teach problem-solving skills ... rather than teaching to a standardized test, which fails to promote critical thought. ... Students should also be taught the principles of e ective communication, the importance of collaboration and copingmechanisms.
Not being able to attend in-school classes a ectedmany children. We should work hard to get these children caught up. Getting behind in reading andmath can a ect a child for many years to come. We need tomake sure we o er supplemental instruction to get them caught up, whether it be during school hours (pull out of class sessions) or voluntary after school assistance.
How do you think the district should plan on managing growth?
Katy ISD does a good job managing the growth within the district, especially for the growth it experiences. ... KISD continually evaluates what the expected growth will be in the ensuing years and stays ahead of the curve by planning campuses and preparing for the resources that will be needed by the district to meet the demands dictated by such growth.
Candidate did not respond by press time.
When I think of managing growth, I think of the growth in enrollment and also the increasing diversity of our district. ... Solutions includemaking sure we retain and attract teachers so that we can reduce class sizes; making sure we have a strong focus on [English as a Second Language]; [o ering] technical and trades opportunities; [commit- ting] robust funding for special education.
How can we best prepare our students for life after public school?
[We can] challenge them [and] support them. Teach them to get back up after they fall. Give them the resources they need to learn and to grow [and] give themopportuni- ties that teach them the skills and responsi- bilities to overcome the challenges they will face in life. Let them know that not everyone must attend college to be successful.
Candidate did not respond by press time.
By giving them a quality, well-rounded education. That is the single most import- ant responsibility of the board of trustees. Besides getting back to teaching the basics they will need, it also involves opportuni- ties for ne arts, athletics, technical careers, trade, and [agriculture]—depending on individual aptitudes and interests.
Answers may have been edited for length, style and clarity. Read full Q&A’s at communityimpact.com .
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