As a new election cycle has arrived, candidate signs have filled Westwood communities and many of these signs are for the four open Round Rock ISD Board of Trustee Places. Lacey Mase, a former teacher at Forest North Elementary in RRISD, is running for Place 2 against Dr. Mary Bone and Cornell Woolridge. Place 2 is currently held by Charles Chadwell who has been a trustee since 2008.    

Aside from being a teacher at Forest North Elementary, Ms. Mase has continuously worked as a public servant being in law and additionally has worked at the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. Ms. Mase believes that her civil positions and management experience at a large organization sets her apart from her opponents. 

“I have the benefit of having been a classroom teacher in Round Rock ISD, and as an attorney for the State of Texas. I successfully oversaw the operations, policies, and a $1.4 billion budget for a 4,200-employee organization,” Ms. Mase said. “I have real experience being a good steward of taxpayer dollars, successfully managing the diverse needs of a large organization, and leading with vision, honest communication, and integrity.”

Ms. Mase’s top priority is making sure that all students within the school district have the resources they need to flourish. She believes that to do this, teachers must be provided with the proper tools to support their students, tools that empower them to teach. Ms. Mase also places high importance on planning and implementing resources that allow students to thrive regardless of their learning environment.  Her vision for the district is that every student finishes their education feeling prepared to go on with their lives. 

“As a trustee, my top priority will be to ensure all Round Rock ISD kids thrive and succeed in school and beyond,” Ms. Mase said. “This requires all teachers to have the leadership, support, and resources necessary to drive student success; planning for future growth and maximizing current resources so all students have quality learning environments; and ensuring the safety of all students and teachers. Every student should leave RRISD with the skills they need to thrive, regardless of the path they choose after graduation.”

Ms. Mase has based her campaign on making RRISD a place where every student has the means to succeed. Aside from that, she places high significance on quality learning environments and ensuring that as RRISD’s enrollment rate rises, students in the district are still provided with an education that allows them to be successful past graduation. Ms. Mase believes that campus safety goes beyond police departments and that school is a “safe place” for students. She advocates for this being an important factor to consider when determining if a learning environment is of good quality.  

“RRISD is a large, growing district,” Ms. Mase said. “The Board must take action to prioritize student success at every campus across the district by providing our educators and staff the support and resources needed for each particular campus, providing quality learning environments in safe, appropriately-sized facilities, investing in our students’ socio-emotional health, and supporting a well-rounded school safety program. Round Rock ISD should provide an education to every kid at every campus that sets them up for success in and out of the classroom.”

Ms. Mase claims that the success of students depends on how the board of trustees conducts their work. With her experience, as both a past teacher and current district parent, she believes she has all of the aspects needed to fulfill the needs of the job. 

“Having once worked in the district as a first-grade teacher and now as a Round Rock ISD parent, I truly care about the students and educators of Round Rock ISD and know their success depends on skilled, quality board leadership,” Ms. Mase said. “I have both the professional and personal experience to make a difference for the district, and I’m ready to serve.”

Ms. Mase’s competitor Dr. Mary Bone has similar goals, she prioritizes closing the achievement gap and making sure that tax money is used to provide students with the best education. The other competitor in the race, Cornell Woolridge, has based his campaign on equal access for all Round Rock ISD students and engaging all communities.