The below event looks like it will be useful. I'm currently planning to vote for Robert Scarfo for Position 2, but unsure on the Position 6 candidates.The Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) will host a candidate forum from 7 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, in the Atascocita High School Performing Arts Center, 13300 Will Clayton Parkway. The public is invited to attend.

Info about Scarfo: www.robertscarfo.com /voting-informationI worked with him some during the bond committee activities and found him extremely knowledgeable and that he really cares about our community and students.

Anyone planning to go to this? As much as we bicker about national politics, we should be at least, if not more, invested in our local politics that will more directly impact our kids, community, property, and taxes!The Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) will host a candidate forum from 7 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, in the Atascocita High School Performing Arts Center, 13300 Will Clayton Parkway. The public is invited to attend.

Position 2: No incumbent running
Position 6: Incumbent, Colin Carney
Position 7: Incumbent, Nancy Morrison

Janie Branham: www.ourtribune.com/h umble-isd2/hisdelect ion/election-coverag e/21684-janie-bJanie Branham has announced her candidacy for Position 2 of the Humble Independent School District Board of Trustees. Branham, a career educator, retired from teaching in 2010 to raise her children Ruth and David Jr. who are currently 8th graders at Humble ISD's Atascocita Middle School.Branham, an Humble ISD resident since 2002, has a long history of community engagement which includes extensive volunteering for her church, Humble ISD public school students, and military veterans. She and her teenaged twins teach AWANA Bible study classes at Second Baptist North in Kingwood where she and her family are members. In 2015 she was honored as a "Women of Achievement" as a community activist by Humble's FamilyTime Crisis and Counseling Center. Branham also served as President of the Kingwood Area Republican Women in 2016 and 2017. In addition, Branham has served on the Maplebrook Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization, and as vice president of the PTO at Atascocita Middle School in 2017-18."Our public school children are my only priority in running for this position. Outside interests and partisan politics will not sway my decision making. We must provide a first class education for every child, challenge every child, and prioritize every child. As a school board member the only reward I seek is success in educating our children." said Branham. Branham notes a recent research presentation at the Greater Houston Partnership Annual Meeting by HEB President Scott McClelland which shows that if educational attainment for minority students stays at its current pace that the Houston area will be a huge economic deficit in the next generation. "We must build a culture that expects educational success for all children. If such a culture is not built, and student achievement is not attained, we will leave our children with a community inferior to the one we inherited."Branham is a former teacher, principal, television talk show host, and business manager in the Houston Independent School District. While principal of Crespo Elementary the school attained an exemplary rating from the Texas Education Agency. As a TV talk show host she raised millions of dollars for underprivileged students and created over 100 business-school partnerships. She retired as an educator to set aside more time on raising her twins.Branham earned her Bachelor of Science in Education and Master's in Education from the University of Houston. She attained her doctorate in education with a specialty in management from Texas Southern University. Her dissertation, The Effect of Selected Variables on the Motivation and Attitudes of Urban Secondary Students in a Large Metropolitan School District, focused on the education outlook and incentive levels of public school children from diverse populations.Janie Branham married David Branham in 2001. David is a professor of political science and chair of the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Houston-Downtown.

Q&A and photos of each candidate: www.chron.com/neighb orhood/humble/school s/article/Four-candi dates-seeking-H

Janie Branham, a former Houston ISD teacher and principal

Ryan Engolio, an engineering supervisor at Superior Energy Services

Nikki Roux, vice president and chief nursing officer at Memorial Hermann Northeast

Robert Scarfo, director of credit services at Insperity

When asked what each candidates priorities are, Robert Scarfo gave the only meaty response:Scarfo: In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing the district will continue to be a growing and diverse student population and adequate state funding for operations and facilities. These challenges primarily drive all others: Attracting and retaining the best personnel in all areas of the organization. Providing quality professional development. This must continue to be of the "game-changer" caliber it has become, which in turn drives impactful curriculum and ultimately student learning. Continuing to be proactive in our approach to campus safety. Providing a safe and secure learning environment is and will continue to be of utmost importance. The district has made great strides by employing physical protections, staff/student training, and coordination with law enforcement at all levels. Best practices will continually be reviewed against current policy. Continuing to promote a clear "after high school" career path, partnering with our business community and higher education institutions to assist students in identifying career opportunities. Advocating for our SPED students, ensuring adequate resources for one of our most vulnerable student populations. Planning for additions, expansions and refurbishments/replacements of physical plant. Staying ahead of the building curve, managing it with great precision due to limited capital and operating funds. Ensuring the best of class technology infrastructure, not just for the sake of technology but choosing proven platforms for both infrastructure backbones and classroom utilization. Sustaining sound fiscal management will always be a great challenge due to the District's heavily weighted residential property tax component. Must strive for the biggest "bang for the buck". The District should never continue a program that doesn't drive the desired return on investment, be it a qualitative or quantitative return.

Nikki Roux has a unique background, very accomplished. Note the tie to Heath Rushing, who resigned from the school board two years ago.Nikki Roux has been appointed Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital. In her new role, Roux will be responsible for all nursing and patient care services at Memorial Hermann Northeast.Prior to her current position, Roux served as Administrative Director, General Medicine Services at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center for six years. Roux has also held nursing leadership roles for the Harris Health and Christus Health systems."Nikki Roux brings an impressive resume and skill set to Memorial Hermann Northeast," said Heath Rushing, Senior Vice President and CEO of Memorial Hermann Northeast. "She was instrumental in fostering and improving the patient experience throughout the Memorial Hermann-TMC campus. We look forward to having Nikki on our team. She will play a very important role as we advance the health of residents throughout our Lake Houston community." Roux, who lives in Fall Creek in the Lake Houston area, is a registered nurse and a licensed attorney. She earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from Lamar University, her Master of Business Administration degree from Texas Women's University and her Juris Doctor degree from South Texas College of Law. Roux has also served as a valuable resource at a national level. In 2002, Roux worked in the financial crimes section of the FBI's health care fraud unit and developed a health care procedure manual to guide special agents as part of her participation in the FBI Honors Internship Program in Washington, D.C.Roux is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, is a Certified Emergency Nurse and holds a Nurse Advocate certificate from the Texas Nurses Association. She is also a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives, the Texas Nurses Association, and a Pathway to Excellence team leader and reviewer for the American Nurse Credentialing Center. www.memorialhermann. org/locations/northe ast/news/nikki-roux- appointed-vice-

Ryan Engolio also owns a weapons training service, posts "funny" memes about shooting people, and is NRA so he's going to be a NO for me. Also, I'm not sure if he's the one that updates his company's facebook page, but the writing/spelling/grammar is not good. These are important skills for a school board member to have.He also didn't attend the March 6 Candidate Forum. "Scheduling Conflict"

@atascocitadotcom - does this need to be flagged as political? School board elections are nonpartisan, it feels like this is something that really should be on a community page, visible to all.

@HumbleGirl : Thanks for researching and posting all the candidate information.

@HumbleGirl : Thanks! I unmarked the Political flag.

Bump! Come out tonight 7-8 to meet the candidates! AHS

Vote for change. These board members, while I appreciate their service, need to buck up and fix the overcrowding issue at AHS. Personally I don't think they have the guts to do the right thing. If they did, it would have been solved already.