Shannon Grona, NEISD Board of Trustees, District 5

I am known as a strong, dedicated leader who is passionate about our children, their educational experience, and preparing them for the future. I have served as Board President for the past four years and was Vice President the two years prior. I serve because I have a passion for this District and doing what is best for kids. And I hope to make a difference in the lives of our children.  This is truly a labor of love for me. I have no political aspirations. Elected board members are not compensated. We all work to care for and protect and support our children, staff and campuses. North East ISD is fortunate to have a stable and dedicated board, which has enabled the District to prosper. Our board is making positive changes, and I want to continue to work with Dr. Maika and his staff to move the needle and do what is best for children, staff, and the community. Based on my experience over the past eight years, I know I can help the District address the most important is...

We are living in an ever changing budget environment that constantly challenges the board. Experience and attention to detail are required to ensure employees are compensated fairly and competitively and the district maintains a balanced budget.  The board has had a very conservative approach to adopting our budget the past several years. We adopted a budget this year without a raise or other additional compensation and, while that was difficult to do, we wanted to be prepared if we had a shortfall of revenue. We are fiscally responsible in that we spend within our budget, put our money into our classrooms, and would not consider cutting services. We want to ensure that we are able to provide all of the programs and services that our children, parents and staff value.   In order to help our taxpayers, the board has lowered the tax rate every year since Sept. 2015 for a 12% total reduction.

In the short term, COVID-19 is at the forefront. I’m proud of the swift action that our District has taken in order to care for our children and staff. We quickly set up 32 sites to provide to-go meals for our children on the first day of school closure. For those children without transportation to a feeding site, our buses will deliver to 41 additional locations. The board approved a resolution to pay all employees during this health crisis. Additionally, we granted the Superintendent authority to develop and implement education continuity plans that include online learning, virtual learning, workbooks/worksheets/packets, and other distance learning programs. In addition, counselors at each high school will be available through a direct line to support all students during this difficult time. 

Our Board identified a need for ongoing student input to help us make decisions. That is why we implemented Student Voice Committees at each high school campus. Each committee discusses a topic we provide and then sends two representatives to discuss issues with Dr. Maika and myself. We then share those issues with the Board, and it provides insight into our decision making. Our students have very powerful voices, and we have learned so much from them. I will work with Dr. Maika to expand this program next year to include each board member attending their campus’s Student Voice committee meetings. The board members would then report out what they had learned in their individual committee meetings. And I would also like to explore expanding it at the middle school level.

The mental health of our children is of the utmost importance.  We added STAN (Student Teacher Assistance Network) Counselors to the Middle Schools.  These counselors help students maximize their success emotionally, socially, behaviorally and academically.  We will continue to provide our staff with the resources to quickly identify students in crisis. And I will ensure that we provide our students with resources to help them deal with their mental health needs.  Secondary stress is a real issue for our teachers so we have raised awareness about the Employee Assistance Program. As a result, we have seen a significant increase in services being provided. I will continue to be a strong advocate for this program. 

The NEISD Board of Trustees is a very diverse board. We come from seven different backgrounds and experiences. We are a majority minority board and this has made us very effective in understanding the needs of our community. We all have the common goal to do what is best for children. Because we are all focused on the common goal, we are a very high-functioning board.  In 2014, we were a finalist in the HEB Excellence in Education “Best School Board in the State” category. The category recognized the importance of strong board leadership.  One of the judges commented that our meetings ran smoothly and quickly, and we had many unanimous decisions. In 2015, we were an Honor Board recognized by Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA). One of the criteria for that recognition is the maintenance of harmonious and supportive relationships among board members, to include indications of unified action by the board and evidence of effective resolution of differences. ...

To help get Shannon re-elected, you can: Ensure you and your 18+ kids register to vote and then vote in the election! Make a campaign contribution by PayPal/credit card, Venmo or check. PayPal or credit card at paypal.me/sgrona . Venmo to @Shannon-Grona and include name & address in the comments section. Mail check to Shannon Grona, 22430 Old Fossil Rd, San Antonio, TX, 78261. Invite your friends to like the Facebook page Shannon Grona, NEISD Board of Trustees, District 5 .  Display a campaign sign in your yard and at your business. Email Shannon at sgrona@me.com for sign(s).

District 5 Only-NEISD District Trustees Map District 5 includes the following NEISD Schools: High Schools Johnson Part of MacArthur Part of Madison Middle Schools Tejeda Tex Hill Part of Bradley Part of Driscoll Part of Harris Elementary Schools Bulverde Creek Cibolo Green Encino Park Roan Forest Part of Longs Creek Part of Redland Oaks Part of Stahl Part of Steubing Ranch Part of Thousand Oaks Part of Wetmore Visit https://www.neisd.net/Page/23889 for an interactive district trustee map. Just enter your address in the box on the top right of the map.

Nine years ago I received a call from a friend asking if I would consider running for the school board. The current trustee was not seeking re-election, and my friend thought that I would be a great candidate because of my experience as a PTA volunteer. Back in 2011, I was an officer on three different PTAs: Tejeda Middle School, Johnson High School, and North East ISD Council of PTAs. I had been serving on all three PTAs for four years. I was a stay at home mom who was never home because I was always volunteering somewhere. I was surprised by the call because being a school board member was never on my radar. When my friend told me that I would have to campaign and go through an election I paused. FUN FACT – I hate politics. I am the least political person that I know. I told her that I would think about it. After much discussion with my family and friends, I decided I would run for school board. I figured if I was volunteering and advocating for children at my own k...

About Shannon “I have a passion for our District and for doing what is best for kids. I am committed to ensuring that the education of our children is a top priority. I want our children to be the best that they can be, and to be prepared for whatever life holds for them - whether that is going to college, joining the military, or entering the workforce. I also want to ensure that our District remains fiscally responsible.” I have lived in the District for 33 years. My husband and kids spent their entire school career in NEISD. My husband is a graduate of Churchill High School, and both of my kids graduated from Johnson High School and Texas A&M.  I grew up in Denison, Texas, and attended public schools. I am proud to say that I come from a family of educators. My mom was a public school teacher until she retired. My brother was a public school teacher, coach, principal and now a Superintendent. My sister-in-law and niece are both public school teach...