Pasadena ISD Position 6

Andy Garcia

Email: magarcia.tx@gmail.com
Phone: 832-421-6293
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AndyGarciaforPasadenaISDSchoolBoard
Instagram: @andyforpisd

 

Why are you running for a position on the Board of Trustees? Is there a particular passion that motivates you to serve?

I’m running for school board because I believe that every student in Pasadena has the potential to lead in their life and that education is the way to enable students to reach that potential. Having grown up here, I know that the majority on the current school board fail to see the problems that plague this community, and it’s largely not their fault. The demographics of Pasadena have shifted in the last few decades, and the reality is that cultural differences between the students we serve and the decisions doled by the board are dissonant. There are unique issues in this community, like, for example, the fact that many students will only ever travel beyond this country if an educator who has empowered them invites them on a school-sponsored EF Tours trip because their parents (who can finance it, but cannot leave the country) are undocumented. I know this to be true because I grew up with these students, and they exist and thrive in our community. I’m running because those differences between the board majority and the community are irreconcilable, and ultimately, they lead to diminished outcomes and morale for both students and educators in Pasadena ISD.

What qualifications, work experiences or volunteer efforts prepare you to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees?

I'm a young alumnus of Pasadena ISD who earned a degree in biomedical engineering from Columbia University. My capacities to learn and lead are solid, and I’ve been blessed to hone those skills by training at some of the top institutions in the world. In addition, coming out of Pasadena ISD in the last few years, I know what students today need to succeed. With that said, the bottom line is that we need local leaders who listen and make young folks feel valued. We need leaders who can understand the issues affecting us, from our perspective. We need someone who embodies all of this at the school board and can advocate for the student experience there. My professional experience thus far has led me to full-time employment as an engineer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where I work on the International Space Station’s Crew Health Care System. Furthermore, I have been actively involved with the Pasadena ISD School Board for several years now, on numerous occasions sharing my perspective on relevant topics as possible. Now is the time for me to make my voice a permanent fixture on the board, and with your support, it’s doable. 

What accomplishment are you most proud of for Pasadena ISD?

I am most proud of Pasadena ISD’s educators and how they *single-handedly* equip students for the world beyond high school. As a student, I was a high-achiever; I graduated second in my class at Pasadena Memorial, and so I got to know the other high-achieving students from across the school district quickly. It brings me immeasurable joy to see educators—teachers, counselors, even administrators—enabling these students to aim high in their goals and providing them with the recommendations and basic skills they need to make it there. A small percentage of Pasadena ISD students make it to top schools, which is important, because for most of them, this comes with a full or near-full grant that covers the costs associated with a post-secondary education. This changes the path of an entire family and then possibly, our area. To know that folks doing so much already (teachers) continue to give, brings me joy beyond comprehension. The next logical step I see is to begin bringing in help from outside organizations via strategic partnerships that will lessen the work educators do in this realm and prepare those students with expert precision to make it to where their dreams are.

What challenges and opportunities for change do you think exist currently?

I see thinking a certain way for so long, as well as a strong belief in a skewed strategic plan as great challenges to bringing about change in Pasadena ISD. Pasadena ISD has been led at the school board level for so long by folks who think the exact same way. There is little room for discussion or dissent, and this groupthink harms our community by not even considering outside perspectives. The strategic plan is supposed to integrate the voice of the community, and I believe that in theory this works, but in practice, the majority of the community has no say in the development of this document. I see the candidacy of folks like me, who wear several hats at once—engineer, bilingual, son of educators, former student—as an exciting opportunity for change. People like me on the board can elevate many perspectives at once, and in addition, can speak with the large subset of our community who speaks only Spanish. I see this as an opportunity to begin updating the leadership we’ve become accustomed to with the needs of our community today, while also tying in the historical knowledge that has carried us to where we are now.

Our community is facing significant workforce challenges, how would you work to collaborate with other stakeholders and partners to address this issue?

One of the central tenets of my campaign is to better prepare students by working to provide internships and practical skills that can be used after graduation, particularly through collaboration with key community partners. Pasadena ISD has a variety of technical programs where students learn skills needed in our community, and I am thrilled to hear the Chamber of Commerce is looking to the local school district for ways to alleviate the problem. A deepened strategic relationship can and should be considered with the Chamber, as well as other regional partners, to benefit both the local economy and our graduates as they transition to the world after high school. I would work to bring this to fruition by building relationships and bridges amongst different stakeholders in the community, ultimately coming back to the school district. Furthermore, I would leverage my proximity to students to share the value of these opportunities, and thereby excite them as they continue writing their own story.

If elected to the Board of Trustees, what do you think your primary responsibility would be in leading as a trustee and what is your personal leadership style?

If elected, my primary responsibility would be to work to open the school district to the world accessible to us in our region (fulfilling my promise in running) and then using my voice—as a bilingual young adult, engineer, son of educators—to shine light on the hidden issues existing in Pasadena ISD. Students know what’s afflicting them—let them tell us what’s wrong. Teachers know what afflicts them—let’s listen to them, and work on solutions together. I would sit on a team of seven who work together to make decisions that we see as best for students, and I will do what I can to educate the other trustees on the world as we younger folks see it. My personal leadership style is that of a servant-leader; what I mean by this, is that you can expect to see me at community events, helping students where able, and making myself accessible to the community here in Pasadena ISD. Everyone’s voice matters, and I’m here to listen and then integrate this into a package that can be shared with those at the board and beyond who are able to bring services to students here in Pasadena.

Marshall Kendrick

Email: mhkdk@msn.com
Phone: 713-201-3855
Website: www.friendsofpisd.com

 

 

 

 

 

Why are you running for a position on the Board of Trustees? Is there a particular passion that motivates you to serve?

I am running for the Board of Trustees because I believe in this district and the outstanding work that is underway to improve the lives of every one of our 50,000 students.  I am motivated by knowing that an excellent education can change the lives of our students and their families. When I see hundreds of students graduating with Associates Degrees prior to receiving their high school diploma, thousands of students receiving workforce certifications and local employees stating that they seek out our students due to their work ethic and personal character qualities, and I attend Advanced Placement Ceremonies where we pay students for passing multiple AP exams earning college credit I know we are doing the right work. I want to continue this work and continue growing our students so that they are the very best they can be and are successful in whatever pathway they choose in life.

What qualifications, work experiences or volunteer efforts prepare you to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees?

I have served on the Pasadena ISD School Board for the last 33 years.  I have held all Board offices including serving as President of the Board for multiple years. I have participated in the on-going development and implementation of the district strategic plan. This document has led us through changes and improvement including the addition of the Early Colleges at each high school, the growth of the AP program, the bilingual and dual language programs and full day Pre-Kindergarten. I have been involved in the school bond committees, the Education Foundation, the McDonald’s Invitational Basketball Tournament, and the Pasadena Rodeo Livestock Auction. Additionally, I am a retired director and general manager of Bayer Corporation. My bachelor's of science degree is from Stephen F. Austin University. I have been married to my wife Denie for 60 years and have two children who both attended Pasadena Schools from first through high school and are proud Sam Rayburn High School graduates.  I have been a member of South Main Baptist Church for 58 years and serve as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and member of the finance committee.  I am  looking forward to continuing to serve our students, faculty and staff as a School District Trustee. 

What accomplishment are you most proud of for Pasadena ISD?

There are so many accomplishments that make me proud to serve as a Board member. These current students have been through so much and yet they have thrived.  I believe this is because of the dedication of our teachers and leaders and their belief that life’s challenges do not have to define the outcomes of the lives of our students. Even after COVID, our graduation rate is over 90%, we have over 2,000 Early College High School Students, our last graduating class earned over 4,000 workforce certifications, and over 16.5 million dollars in scholarships. Many of our state testing scores are the same or better than prior to COVID as seen by the hundreds of State distinctions received by our campuses. Our students are incredible and I want to see our district build on these successes. Our leaders are thankful that this district is led by the community developed strategic plan and we do not continue to add or change programs. The School Board has established trust with and partners with our hard working and dedicated employees at every level to ensure success. A parent recently told me that if our kids need something, this district provides it. I believe that says it all.

What challenges and opportunities for change do you think exist currently?

One upcoming change is a great example of how our district grows and adapts based on the needs of our students.  The latest strategic plan recommended expanding the dual language program. After studying the possibilities and discussing with an eclectic group of stakeholders including teachers,  leaders, community members and experts they began to develop a one-way dual language program to replace our current transitional bilingual program. This change in programming encourages biliteracy by  retaining a student's first language, developing academic English and celebrating their culture. The research is clear that the acquisition of two languages leads to higher academic scores for students throughout their education. This year we are training our kindergarten and first grade teachers so that they are prepared to roll out this new initiative for the 2023-24 school year.

Our district has handled other challenges that have caused chaos across our state in other districts.  Our librarians addressed the library book controversy by reviewing books based on the law, board policies and procedures concerning selecting library books.They  determined whether these books met the letter of the law and followed the district guidelines and made decisions accordingly.  This is a great example of trusting the processes and our employees.

Our community is facing significant workforce challenges, how would you work to collaborate with other stakeholders and partners to address this issue?

We are truly fortunate to have years of experience working with our community partners, such as the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce informing us of the needs of our community and our business partners. We are not alone as a community in our challenges - work needs have changed over the years but I’m confident in the preparation our students receive for a world of work very different from what we now know. We are creating graduates who are innovative thinkers, responsible citizens, effective communicators and self-directed.  These traits, along with a growth mindset, set our students apart from others and leave our schools prepared to face the challenges of tomorrow. Kirk Lewis Career & Technical High School provides a world class work ready education and we have established career pathways for students in all of our comprehensive high schools so that every student is provided an opportunity to graduate College, Career & Military Ready (CCMR).

We partner with San Jacinto College to provide a free college experience to all PISD students through the Promise Program where they can obtain industry standard certifications. We are proud of the work we continue to do to ensure the success of these work ready programs. 

If elected to the Board of Trustees, what do you think your primary responsibility would be in leading as a trustee and what is your personal leadership style?

My personal leadership style is one where I believe we hire great people and trust them to do the work. I believe we have done this with our current superintendent. She is very transparent with the board and uses us as a sounding board when making decisions for our school district. Part of that responsibility is making tough choices that have the most benefit for our students. We must work proactively to support public education as we have many in our state who wish to take public dollars and use those dollars for vouchers for private schools. We must advocate for our schools and work tirelessly to support the efforts of our teachers, staff and students.   I believe my commitment to this district and this community have proven that I am a trustworthy leader and will always make decisions that are fair and benefit all concerned. I am not afraid of asking the tough questions and I’m not afraid of a vocal minority who attempt to discount the good work we have done as a district. I will continue to serve as a leader who values the work being done and will always advocate for what is best for students.