Current School Board Member Anna Wylie is seeking another term on the Sherman Independent School District’s Board of Trustees. Wylie will be challenged for her place 4 seat by Kelssi Williams Frederick as a part of SISD’s spring elections in May.
The Herald Democrat recently reached out to all candidates in Sherman ISD’s spring elections and asked them a series of questions about their priorities, qualifications and issues facing the district in 2025.
Early voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 22-25 and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 28-29.
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day on May 3.
Q: For anyone who may not know you in the community, who are you, and what motivated you to run for a place on the Sherman ISD School Board?
A: I am a retired teacher with 27 years of experience in public schools. I spent 7 years at Denison High School and 7 years at Princeton Middle School before retiring in 2008. I have remained involved in education by privately tutoring students and teaching Homebound for Denison ISD.
My two sons, Wayne and Wesley, graduated from Sherman in 2007 and 2009, respectively. I have two beautiful daughters-in-law and three delightful grandchildren.
I am actively involved in the community through the Red River Cowboy Church, the Texoma Patriots, Grayson County Republican Women, and Grayson County GOP. Traveling and piecing quilt tops are my favorite pastimes.
I first ran for the school board in 2019 when I was encouraged to become more involved in local government. As a retired teacher, I found the school board to be the best fit for me.
Q: What unique skill sets or traits do you feel you would bring as a member of the school board?
A: As a former teacher, I offer the perspective of someone who has collaborated with fellow teachers and students to implement policies established by a school board. Additionally, I have gained valuable experience by serving on the board for the past two terms.
Q: As a member of the school board, what priorities do you wish to pursue?
A: The top priority is balancing the budget while ensuring raises across the district. Additionally, we need a robust curriculum that can be used for multiple years. I would like to see our schools share their successes with one another.
Q: The topic of state funding has been a recurring one for many districts in recent years. The state funding allocation has not been updated since 2019 and many districts have turned to deficit budgets as a way to make ends meet during the interim. How would you go about balancing SISD’s budget during the current funding uncertainty?
A: We are currently working to balance the budget. We are identifying waste and eliminating as much as possible. We have extended the life cycle of certain items and will replace them as our funds improve. Additionally, efforts are underway to enhance the efficiency of our district.
Q: Following up on the topic of school budgets, one topic that has been discussed by many districts is increasing teacher compensation. Is this something that should remain a priority while the topic of state funding remains in question? How would you go about funding increases during the current economic climate for the district?
A: Yes, increasing teacher compensation is a top priority. We expect to receive some funds from a Chapter 313 agreement soon, which can be partially used to enhance teacher pay.
Q: What issues do you see facing Sherman ISD in 2025 and how do you plan to address them?
A: Rapid growth presents challenges alongside the culture in Sherman ISD. We are proactively planning to address this growth. The most recent bond that passed included plans based on projections for the next ten years. With Dr. O’Neal as Superintendent, we are beginning to transform the culture. These changes will not occur overnight, but we are moving in the right direction.
