Candidate Name: Stephanie Williams
Occupation: Independent facilitator, Love and Logic and barre instructor, active community volunteer
What can you tell us about yourself?
I am a former classroom teacher — I taught sixth grade, in both an elementary and middle school setting and fourth grade. I have a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in literacy. Both my undergraduate and graduate degrees are from the University of Colorado-Boulder.
After my time in the classroom, I was a corporate trainer for Merrill Lynch, where I focused on management development and team-building training.
Once my children were born — I had four children in six years — my focus shifted to community involvement and volunteer work. Our family joke is that my official title is "professional volunteer."
I began with leading moms' groups when my oldest child was an infant and then moved on to engaging in the public schools my children attended. I have done it all, from copy mom and homeroom parent to being a PTO president twice. I have led Junior Great Book discussion groups during lunch recess, facilitated math and reading groups, acted as a CISD art docent for three years, served on the teacher appreciation committee for two years, led the Carroll varsity swim team parent group and volunteered for everything, from serving teacher lunches at the high school to helping at the craft fair. I was also a Girls on the Run volunteer coach for three years and then trained new coaches. I am currently the president of the Southlake Association of Gifted and Talented and I am on the executive board of the Young Men's Service League, where I serve alongside my two youngest sons. I am also a current participant in CISD's CLASS — Carroll Leadership Academy Supporting Success.
In between all that, I do find time for some paid work as an independent facilitator for Love and Logic, a parenting technique for which I chose to attend a three-day training course to better prepare me to facilitate this powerful program. I am also a master-level barre instructor at two local studios.
What is your experience with Carroll ISD?
I have two Carroll grads and two current Dragons. When we moved here nearly seven years ago, I dove right into CISD to get myself and my children acclimated to our new home. Right away I got involved at my youngest’s school — Carroll Elementary — acting as a classroom parent and copy mom. I also joined SAGT and took on the role of liaison for the high schools.
It didn’t take long before I was taking on leadership roles as I mentioned above. I have worked with classroom teachers, campus leadership and district administration. I have volunteered hundreds of hours, but I always say I am the one who benefits the most as I get an inside view of CISD. I get to know the adults who are working with my children, and I get to interact with the students.
What inspired you to run for school board?
Given my passion and background in education in general and public schools in particular, it seemed a natural next step. There is not currently a trustee on the school board with any formal training in education or experience as a classroom teacher, so I would bring the perspective of an educator to the board. That, coupled with my concern as I have watched the board move away from a focus on students over the last year or so, has motivated me to step up despite the contentious climate. The focus has been on politics and political ideology, neither of which have a place in a public school system, rather than on the students we are here to serve. I also believe that if we get back to the business of children and education, we will find common ground and be able to move forward as a community.
What in your background do you believe has prepared you for this position?
I believe almost every position I’ve taken on, both paid and unpaid, in my adult life has prepared me for this role. Thanks to my formal education and time in the classroom as a teacher, I can understand the challenges our teachers face. I know what it is like to work to meet the needs of all the students day in and day out, from those in Individualized Education Programs to the most gifted student and everyone in between. I have also supported the teachers and administrators through my volunteer work, which has given me a perspective that is also not currently represented on the board. And I have continued to engage with students and recognize they should be at the center of all we do.
What are your top priorities if elected as a board trustee?
First and foremost, I want to unite and move our community forward. I believe to do that, we must have conversations and work to find common ground. My work in corporate America will help me build consensus and find areas of agreement so we can get back to the business of educating students. If we are prevented from having such conversations through things like the current temporary restraining order, we are not only holding back our community, but we are sending a message to our children that when we don’t agree with someone, we simply stop talking to them. I believe dialogue is our best way forward. And we must have a dialogue to ensure all students feel welcome and safe in CISD. As a public school system, we cannot decide who we protect — we must protect all students.
I also recognize there are some specific needs in our special education program. Through my conversations with parents of children with special needs in the district, I understand that those needs are not being met on a consistent basis. I understand the program is undergoing an audit and we must act on the results of the audit. We must find a director who has formal education and experience in special education, and we must look to exemplary districts around the country and bring best practices in special education, as well as other facets of education, to CISD.
And finally, when we get back to students being the center of what we do, I believe we will be able to focus on being innovative and cutting-edge with the programs and offerings we have for our student population. That might mean growing a trade skills program, building a STEM or STEAM academy and creating a business academy. We have a wealth of experience in those areas right here in Southlake and need to tap into those resources. The Carroll Medical Academy was created in 2004 — it’s time to expand those types of experiences to meet the needs of more students.
Do you believe there is racism in Southlake? If so, how would you address it?
Sadly, I believe there is racism in nearly every community. As for Southlake, I have read the hundreds of testimonials from students who have experienced racism and discrimination in CISD. I listened to the recent “Southlake” podcast, which included recordings of actual interactions with students and CISD leadership when such instances arose. And I’ve attended school board meetings. Instances of racism can be seen in our community.
However, the fact that it is present doesn’t define Southlake. We are a strong community with wonderful friends and neighbors. What defines Southlake is how we choose to move our community forward and work together to ensure ALL the students in CISD feel welcome and safe.
What COVID-19 safety precautions do you think are appropriate for Carroll ISD?
As an educator and lifelong learner, I believe we must follow the advice of trained and credentialed experts at any given time, and that is what I would do as a trustee. Back in August, over 100 physicians from our own community stepped up and offered a clear list of COVID-19 protocols including masks, a dashboard and other simple measures they recommended to keep our students safe. Our school board chose to ignore all those recommendations. I vow to seek out and listen to experts and to recommend CISD follow those experts’ recommendations in real-time. We are an education organization — we owe it to our students and parents to make it clear that science, for example, evolves and we need to be able to evolve with it. Thus any recommendations made today may not be applicable a month from now, but we can and should continue to seek out the most accurate and current information when making decisions that directly impact our students and families.
What will you do to help unify the community?
I will work to engage in meaningful conversation with all members of our community, not just those who vote for me or fit a certain mold. Nearly all of us moved to Southlake for the outstanding schools. If we focus on maintaining their excellence while also incorporating elements that will better prepare our students once they leave the Southlake bubble, we will find common ground. I will continue to behave civilly and respectfully as I know our children are watching. And I will expect the same of my fellow community members.
What does being a Dragon mean to you?
Our children have had the good fortune of attending school in five different states. In each state, we chose the community based on the reputation of the public schools. Each district offered challenging academics, as well as athletic and music programs in which we took part.
But nowhere else is everyone a Dragon. It didn’t matter that I had one child in each of four different schools, from elementary to senior high, the first year we were in Southlake. They were all Dragons. They all wore Dragon green. They all cheered on the football team at Dragon Stadium on Friday nights or wore their Dragon shirts to sing during the seventh-inning stretch at a TCU baseball game or donned a Dragon swim cap before diving in for a varsity swim meet. We even see Dragons when we are on vacation away from Southlake. This factor alone makes Southlake one of a kind.
Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?
I am a distance runner. I have completed 13 marathons, including NYC, Boston and Chicago — one 50K to celebrate my 50th birthday, and one 50-mile trail race this past February.
What does that tell you about me? That I’m willing to put in the work to reap the reward. I can grind out a four-hour training run to ensure I’m ready for race day. I will bring that same level of commitment, grit and stick-to-it-ness to my role as a trustee for the good of all Dragons.
Each candidate in this race was provided the same questions. We are publishing their answers in their own words. The views expressed in these articles do not directly reflect those of 'Southlake Style.'
Learn more about Stephanie from the candidate forums held by the city of Southlake and the Southlake Foundation.