Mansfield voter guide for May 4 election: School Board candidates and school bond
Mansfield School District, Trustee Place 1
Michelle Newsom
Age as of May 4, 2024: 49
Campaign website: www.newsom4misd.net
Occupation: CEO/RN
Education: Bachelors of Science in Nursing
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought)
Mansfield Independent School District Board of Trustees Place 1
Please list highlights of your civic involvement:
Service of 9 years on MISD Board of Trustees and numerous district committees; service on PTA’s and band boosters, active member of Mansfield Chamber of Commerce, Texas Association of School Boards, North Texas Area Association of School Boards
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
Arlington Board of Realtors, Nadyne Newsom, George Fassett
What are the 3 biggest issues in this race?
Supporting our teachers and staff is crucial. I believe prioritizing competitive compensation and empowering individual campus leaders to develop and implement solutions that work best for their teams is paramount.
Effective financial management is critical for sustaining high-quality education. I support maintaining a balanced budge through strategic prioritization of expenditures, ensuring investments are directly beneficial to student learning and teacher support, while also exploring innovative, cost-effective educational programs.
Managing budget constraints will require a focus on seeking funding through grants and partnerships, and engaging legislative leaders to find alternative innovative funding solutions.
Matthew Herzberg
Age as of May 4, 2024: 38
Campaign website: www.mattformisd.com
Occupation: Construction Project Manager
Education: Bachelors - Music Education, Arizona State University; Masters - Educational Leadership, Lamar University; Doctorate - Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Tarleton State University
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought)
No
Please list highlights of your civic involvement:
- Served in Mansfield ISD schools for 14 years as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal.
- Member of campus site based committee at Martinez Intermediate.
- Campus volunteer at various campuses for events such as engineers week and GT fair.
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
1. John and Nancy Herzberg (parents); 2. Amy Toombs (MISD employee); 3. Tamara Pinson (Community member, MISD parent)
What are the 3 biggest issues in this race?
1. Responding to student needs - there are a lot of needs in the district, such as a need for more mental health support, needs for food, needs for shelter, needs for belonging. To be students first we have to respond to all of these needs and put more personnel and resources in place to respond to the needs of all students. The number of students who are in need continues to grow each year.
2. Employee retention - teachers and paraprofessionals are leaving the district at too high a rate. I would like to find the root cause and work to implement strategies that I used as a principal that have proven to be successful for retaining staff and keeping a high morale.
2. Transparency - In order to build trust with the community the board and district should become more transparent; for example, acknowledging that there are still several areas of gaps between student groups and publicly presenting the plan is to help close these gaps.
Mansfield School District, Trustee Place 2
Jandel Crutchfield
Age as of May 4, 2024: 41
Campaign website: jc4misd.com
Occupation: Social Work Professor at UT Arlington
Education: BA-Psychology; Master of Social Work; Doctor of Philosphy (PhD) in Social Work
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought)
First time seeking an elected position!
Please list highlights of your civic involvement:
I have served in meaningful ways including the Feed the Kids (w/Common Ground); Parent Teacher Association Board Member; Mansfield Historic Preservation Board; Mansfield Public Library Advisory Board; MISD Growth and Attendance Committee; MISD Superintendent’s Advisory Council; MISD School Health Advisory Committee; MISD Long Range Facilities Planning Committee; Mariposas de Mansfield; Mansfield Women’s Club; Citizens’ Fire Academy Alumni Association; Citizens’ Police Academy Alumni Association
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
$500 from Ana and Preston Horn, whose kids attend school with mine, $500- Anastasia Clark (MISD resident), and $200-Nicole Simmons-(MISD residents)
What are the 3 biggest issues in this race?
Commitment to addressing the achievement gaps in the district through non-partisan and data-driven decisions; focusing on the whole student and staff experience (emotional and physical safety and belongingness); comprehensive support for teachers and paraprofessionals, including competitive pay and meaningful health benefits and opportunities for advancement;
Angel Hidalgo
Angel Hidalgo was declared ineligible by the board after ballots were printed.
Mansfield School District propositions
There are five bond proposals on the ballot for Mansfield schools and facilities. Ballot language says the measures are a property tax increase, but the proposals will not result in a rate increase, according to the district.
Mansfield Independent School District Proposition A
What it says: The issuance of $584,500,000 of bonds by the Mansfield Independent School District for acquiring, constructing, renovating, improving and equipping school facilities in the district (including district-wide safety and security equipment and upgrades) and the purchase of new school buses and the imposition of a tax sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds and the cost of any credit agreements. THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
What it means: Voters would approve or reject $584.5 million in bonds for school facility improvements, including safety and security upgrades for cameras, access points and fire sprinklers and additional weapon detection systems. It would also fund replacement buses, renovate and add fine arts and career and technical education spaces and fund the construction of an early learner’s academy. The funds would additionally go towards the replacement of things like HVAC, roofing, plumbing and electrical systems and technology infrastructure.
Mansfield Independent School District Proposition B
What it says: The issuance of $4,000,000 of bonds by the Mansfield Independent School District for instructional technology equipment and technology infrastructure and the imposition of a tax sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds and the cost of any credit agreements. THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
What it means: Voters would approve or reject $4 million in bonds for smart boards and digital signage.
Mansfield Independent School District Proposition C
What it says: The issuance of $50,500,000 of bonds by the Mansfield Independent School District for renovating, improving and equipping existing district and campus stadium facilities and the imposition of a tax sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds and the cost of any credit agreements. THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
What it means: Voters would approve or reject $50.5 million in bonds for renovations at RL Anderson Stadium and Newsome Stadium, as well as practice fields at each high school.
Mansfield Independent School District Proposition D
What it says: The issuance of $85,000,000 of bonds by the Mansfield Independent School District for acquiring, constructing, renovating, equipping and improving multipurpose fine arts spaces and phase 2 of the existing multipurpose athletic complexes at each high school and the imposition of a tax sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds and the cost of any credit agreements. THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
What it means: Voters would approve or reject $85 million in bonds for the construction and renovation of fine art spaces and high school athletic complexes. This includes spaces that can be used as a classroom and practice space for band, cheer, dance, drill team and JROTC. The bonds would also help pay for renovations for an orchestra space and locker rooms, showers, offices and storage at athletic complexes.
Mansfield Independent School District Proposition E
What it says: The issuance of $53,000,000 of bonds by the Mansfield Independent School District for acquiring, constructing, renovating, equipping and improving phase 3 of the multipurpose athletic complexes at each High School and the imposition of a tax sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds and the cost of any credit agreements. THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
What it means: Voters would approve or reject $53 million for 50-yard indoor practice fields at each high school.
