Michael Wagoner

Please introduce yourself and describe your connection to the Celina ISD community.

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My name is Michael Wagoner and I am running for Celina ISD Board of Trustees Place 2. We moved to Celina 5 years ago with the intention of getting involved and moving this community forward. I have been on the Bobcat Council, an officer with the Martin PTA, I have 4 kids who are in the district, and, of course, most people know me best because of my wife, Lindsay, who teaches at Martin elementary. I have had the awesome opportunity to meet and grow with so many parents and students over the years as I have coached more than a dozen combined seasons in baseball, football, soccer, and basketball with Celina Parks and Rec.

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What personal experiences in education or community service have prepared you for a role on the School Board?

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Fun fact, my personal experience in education does include being a substitute teacher for a short period of time in Denton ISD. Also, as I have stated before, service has been a part of my life since attending the US Naval Academy and serving as a commissioned officer. This coupled with my time working in a multidisciplined environment as a family medicine physician give me a wide range of experiences to bring to the table as a member of the Board of Trustees.

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On average, how many Celina School Board meetings have you attended in person in the last 12 months and have you ever addressed the board?

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Not answered.

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What is your long-term vision for Celina ISD, and how do you plan to balance the district’s rich heritage with the demands of rapid growth?

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-In my long-term vision, Celina ISD is the premier school district in Texas, known across the nation for excellence. In a changing educational environment, challenges to public education are seen as opportunities to meet the competition with unmatched excellence. -I think the district has a great start in trying to balance the future demand by putting together the 2025 Bond Steering Committee. Encouraging a wide range of participants who are parents, city officials, business and community leaders, middle and high school students, and CISD staff in researching and presenting a future-forward bond plan. Being engaged, asking for feed back and implementing these plans is how I expect to help the district meet these future opportunities for growth. -Celina TX and Celina ISD – the success of one supports the success of the other

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In what ways do you see the School Board evolving to meet future challenges?

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I think we must start by asking the right questions. CISD’s board is asking an excellent question, “What do we want to become?” The Long-Range Facility Committee is an example of effective attempts to persistently provide answers to that question. As a CISD board member I will make every effort to engage the Celina community in CISD planning and implementation. For example, when changes to school attendance boundaries are proposed, families may feel significant challenges to their Bobcat traditions. I appreciate the current CISD board in their effective engagement with Celina families, through parent meetings with encouragement for feedback, clear website postings, newsletters, etc.

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How will you work to maintain and enhance academic excellence across all Celina ISD schools?

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I must be ready and willing to listen to the recommendations of our education professionals, our CISD administrators, teachers, counselors, paraprofessionals, with an eye on balancing best educational practices and innovations. As a new board member, I will invest the time necessary to learn the process, with my goal being to work with my fellow board members to provide every possible resource that ensures the success of all CISD students.

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What strategies would you propose to ensure that the curriculum remains innovative and relevant for today’s students?

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I will come to Place 2 ready to gain a deep understanding of how trustees can most effectively use our people, our money, our time, and our facilities as this community experiences extraordinary growth. I will support the continuous evaluation of the success of our current strategies, while keeping an eye on promising innovations. Listening to our education professionals will always be a critical strategy for me.

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What steps will you take to support and retain quality educators within Celina ISD?

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I think annual or bi-annual surveys can be a great way to get a pulse of the boots on the ground. The teachers are the engine that drives the district. I will work to continue those board efforts that are successfully supporting CISD educators. Where the indicators are not positive, I will attempt to engage those educators and my board colleagues to find solutions.

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How do you plan to promote ongoing professional development to keep our teachers at the forefront of modern education?

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Analysis of district student-success data is one way to identify strengths and weaknesses in our instruction from PK through 12th Grade. Professional development initiatives must align with this data. As I become informed about innovations and best practices, I will listen to the recommendations of the ones as mentioned above are the boots on the ground, our professional educators, and I will work with the CISD board to determine how we can most efficiently and effectively provide the resources needed.

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With enrollment projected to grow significantly, how would you ensure that the district’s budget is managed efficiently while meeting the needs of expanding facilities?

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The CISD board of trustees has invested several years in planning, study, and implementation of a critical bond plan. As a new trustee, I will listen and learn. I will encourage continued fiscal responsibility at the campus level, supporting ongoing training of administrators in effective alignment of campus budget allocations with the long-term goals of the entire district.

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What priorities should guide the allocation of funds between new construction, renovations, and educational programs?

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Our educational programs must always be our first priority. Renovations and new construction are planned and implemented in our pursuit of student learning and student success.

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Celina ISD is experiencing rapid enrollment growth. What measures would you support to prevent overcrowding in our schools?

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Celina ISD has established a record of successfully meeting the challenge of expansion. The Past Bonds link on the CISD website documents that as a result of effective management of the 2019 bond funds, every planned project was or will be completed on time and under budget. The report also notes that this effective management made the completion of additional CISD projects possible. The current board of trustees shows every indication of meeting and exceeding the 2019 success. In that effort, we must ensure that currently existing facilities are being used to the maximum benefit, even as new facilities are necessary and become available.

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How can we optimize existing facilities while planning for necessary future expansions?

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This question could go a lot of ways. I think there may be some benefit to partnering with the City of Celina for use of existing facilities that are no longer needed by CISD or other partnerships such as data-sharing from expansion studies, etc. that keep us up to date regarding the growth expectation. It can be tough to project future growth but our new construction should be designed with explosive expansion in mind.

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How will you ensure that parents, teachers, and community members have a meaningful voice in the decision-making process?

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Being an advocate and supporting the current board's commitment to attending, speaking at, and contributing to community by engaging in community organizations like Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Celina Local.

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What methods would you use to maintain transparency about district policies, budgets, and upcoming projects?

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CISD’s website provides easy access to valuable information, including social media feeds. It is important to ensure that stakeholders, including those Celina residents who do not have children enrolled in CISD, are aware of the varied ways they can communicate questions, comments, and concerns.

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How can Celina ISD better integrate new technologies to enhance learning and operational efficiency?

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As noted on the CISD website, CISD conducted a study in 23-24 and developed a plan 24-25 to develop new CTE pathways for students to receive valuable workforce certificates. In 25-26, CISD should follow thru to implement the useful elements that resulted from this 2-year study/plan. We've planned our work, now we should work our plan.

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What role do you see for technology in preparing students for a rapidly evolving, digital future?

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Technology in the classroom is supported by CISD’s Technology and Innovation Department, another positive indicator of our district’s focus on the critical partnership between instruction and innovation. I will strongly support the board’s continued allocation of resources (the people, the dollars, and the time for teacher and student learning) that ensures that CISD students have every opportunity to develop digital-age expertise with life-long benefits.

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What initiatives do you believe are essential to creating a safe and inclusive learning environment?

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I strongly support the board's commitment to annually increasing student involvement in co-curricular/ extra-curricular activities at all school levels.

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How would you address issues related to student mental health and overall wellbeing within the district?

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Encouraging and advocating for opportunities and participation a wide range of school activities has so much benefit beyond the classroom: confidence, a sense of belonging, experience with successes and challenges. These are the proven benefits when students are engaged in school activity. ESSENTIAL is the protection of ALL students from cyber threats, bullying, online adults connecting with kids to name a few.

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Celina ISD has a proud legacy—how will you honor this tradition while implementing necessary changes for modern education?

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The success of Celina, TX and the success of Celina ISD are inseparable. The CISD board has demonstrated respect for community needs, concerns, and opinions by bringing Celina community representatives together with CISD representatives to study, plan, propose, and implement necessary changes. As a CISD board member I will make every effort to engage the Celina community in CISD planning and implementation. For example, when changes to school attendance boundaries are proposed, families may feel significant challenges to their Bobcat traditions. I appreciate the current CISD board in their effective engagement with Celina families, through parent meetings with encouragement for feedback, clear website postings, newsletters, etc.

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What innovative ideas do you have that could enhance the learning experience while respecting the district’s history?

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CISD’s success is currently measured in many ways, with data used to keep us continuously focused on monitoring, adjusting, and improving throughout the district. I believe an innovative measurement of CISD’s success may be found in gathering data from our graduates. From the graduate’s point of view, What did we do right? What could we have done better? How has CISD impacted your post-High School success?

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How do you plan to work collaboratively with fellow board members, administrators, and community stakeholders to achieve your goals?

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In my experience, asking questions and being willing to learn has always been crucial in any new endeavor. I intend to bring my experiences and background and smartly contribute to CISD Board of Trustees.

What leadership qualities do you bring that will positively impact the district’s future?

I believe three of my strongest leadership qualities are willingness to listen and learn, effective communication, and action oriented.

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What is the key message you want to convey to parents, educators, and community members regarding your candidacy?

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I may not have all the answers but at the core of my candidacy is a heart for the teachers and kids of this school district.

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How do you envision your role on the School Board making a lasting difference for Celina’s students and families?

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My desire is to see this district and this community ready to hit every pitch. When a curveball is thrown (vouchers, growth, technology innovation, funding from the state, etc.) the CISD Board of Trustees is swinging.