San Antonio — Questionnaires were sent out to all Judson Independent School District board candidates and here are their answers. Election day is May 4th and early voting begins Monday, April 22 and ends Tuesday, April 30.
Where were you were raised? How long have you lived in the district?
I’m a proud Army brat as my late father was a 30-year career soldier in the U.S. Army. The majority of my childhood was spent on U.S. Army installations in Germany and Italy. I am a graduate of Wuerzburg American High School in Germany. I have lived in the JISD since 2008.
If you have children, in what school district did they attend or are they currently attending?
Lynette Boggs-Perez My children attended school in another state. My husband and I now have grandchildren who are attending (or will be attending when they are older) schools in either JISD or neighboring school districts in the San Antonio area.
Tell me about your employment history.
I am a juvenile and child welfare attorney. I have clerked for such institutions as the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals, Civil District Court - Orleans Parish, La, and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. Before becoming an attorney, I worked in both city and county government in Nevada. I am a former Assistant City Manager for the City of Las Vegas. I have also worked for both UNLV and the University of Nevada School of Medicine. I had my own marketing and public relations consulting firm for seven years. Early in my professional career I worked as a staff writer for the Associated Press, the Wichita Falls Times Record News and the Eugene Register-Guard. While in law school, I worked as a substitute teacher for the Judson ISD.
If you are a business owner, please indicate what kind of business you run.
I am in private practice at my own law firm. My husband and I also own a construction and remodeling business, Circle E & L Construction.
Tell me your highest level of education.
Juris Doctorate
Please list activities and organizations that you are involved with.
I hold professional memberships in the State Bar of Texas (both juvenile and child welfare sections), State Bar College, San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and San Antonio Black Lawyers Association. I am the 2018-19 President of the Black Alumni Law Association of St. Mary’s University School of Law. My husband and I are members of New Life Fellowship Church and I am the keyboardist for the worship team.
Please tell us how your background qualifies you to be a school board member on the Judson Independent School District Board.
I am the only candidate who has been an active volunteer for the JISD. Since 2016, I have volunteered as the mock trial coach for Judson High School as they have competed each year in the Texas High School Mock Trial competition. Several of the students I have coached have advanced to state competitions in trial advocacy and in debate. I have represented the interests of children in some capacity for the past 25 years. I am the only candidate who has previously held the title Trustee, having served as a Trustee of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. I have extensive experience in public budgets, strategic planning, capital planning and construction. I will bring a unique perspective based on the diversity of my experiences in both the public and private sectors.
What are your reasons for running to be a school board member?
Working as a volunteer at Judson High School has motivated me to seek this position. I have the experience and skills to contribute to this board.
I advocate for children in the courts throughout south Texas everyday. I have worked closely as a volunteer for the JISD for three years. Joining the school board will allow me to serve ALL of the students of the district. It would be an honor to serve the next generation in my immediate community.
Please describe a policy the school board has adapted in which you disagree with and why.
I am not in total disagreement with a proposal for all day Pre-K. Studies have shown the advantages of early intervention in preparing children for kindergarten and primary grades. However, I am not in agreement - based on information presented to date - that all 20 elementary schools should adopt it at once. It will be important for me to see data from the existing Pre-K programs in the District to be able to measure things such as student readiness, attrition, etc. This information will assist the board in how it should best implement those programs, such as all-day Pre-K that are funded by Title I federal dollars.
What is the biggest challenge facing the district? How would you propose to address it?
The current $13 million deficit is the greatest challenge facing JISD. It is projected the deficit could be $19 million in the 2019-2020 academic year. The solution must be multi-faceted and the Texas Legislature will play a major role in that resolution. The JISD board should consider whether or not students from other San Antonio area districts should be allowed to attend JISD schools. The development of a strategic plan that involves all community stakeholders should be implemented. All district programs should be reviewed for potential cost savings, including capital projects.
What would you qualify as success for students graduating from high school? What skills should they have gained in their career?
Students should be able to have a solid educational foundation so that they will succeed whether their path be collegiate, military, or a vocational career. All should have skills upon graduation that equip them to problem solve and to be contributing members of the community.
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