Place 2 GISD Board of Trustees member Johnny Beach, who recently ran unopposed for a second term, wants to help ensure that Garland ISD students have the best opportunities available.
“I have a passion for education,” he said. “I love to see kids succeed.”
Beach worked for GISD for 20 years before becoming a trustee and was close to retirement when the opportunity to run for the board came up. He enjoys serving the community and spent several years on Garland’s Board of Adjustments, then City Council.
“I decided to get back in the game and try to make a difference,” he said.
Beach said that the district must do everything possible to get students ready for college or the workforce. He added that in the 70s and 80s, when someone lost their job, it was easier to find another one.
“Nowadays, it’s three to six months or a year to find one. Any way that we can help a student be certified in an area is going to help them and open up doors of opportunities for them,” Beach said. “That’s what the Gilbreath Reed Career and Technical Center is doing. It has opened the door for juniors and seniors to get into a career path that they might want to pursue later. There are so many available options now and more are being added.”
He said that the center has also spurred interest in programs offered at other high schools such as the auto body program and welding certification at South Garland High School.
Beach credits GRCTC principal, Dr. Erica Crump, for a large part of the center’s success.
“She is a relationship builder, a community builder, a student builder and she loves kids. She’s got a great assistant principal, Clint Elsasser, as well as a great staff. The center is everything that we hoped it would be.”
There are many things the board would like to do, but that’s often difficult on a small budget.
“We only get 38 percent of the tax money. That hurts us when we are trying to develop new programs. Everything you do comes at a cost,” Beach said.
The board will be looking at a pre-K program as well as expanding the Counseling Department. Additionally, every third-grader will be reading at the correct level or will not move beyond third grade.
The GISD Maintenance Department will soon assume responsibility of management of the remaining bond projects as the contract with the Jacobs Company expires at the end of June. The district has hired a new facilities person, Javier Fernandez, to oversee the remaining projects in-house. Those include the band halls at South Garland High School, North Garland High School and Coyle Middle School as well as the natatorium.
“It looks like the natatorium is going to be a shining star for the district,” Beach said. “We’ve had other school districts, the UIL and USA Swim contact us. It’s going to bring national attention to Garland.”
The Place 2 trustee has a good feeling about the direction that GISD is going, as well as the leadership.
“Our superintendent, Dr. Ricardo Lopez, has great vision. The district is blessed to have him,” Beach said. “All the board members share the same vision and we have a really good board in place right now.”