Chad Collins, Incumbent – Position 1
The Red Ledger: Did you ever attend a Lovejoy school?
Chad Collins: Yes, I attended Lovejoy Elementary School from Kindergarten through 6th grade.
TRL: Do you have kids who attend a Lovejoy school? What grades are they in?
CC: I do have three kids in the district: Carson, a senior, Chief, a sophomore, and Caroline, seventh grade.
TRL: How long have you lived in the area?
CC: I have lived here the last 12 years and a total of 32 years of my life.
TRL: Do you have a website?
TRL: What’s your job?
CC: I am an executive with a global biopharmaceutical company where I am responsible for the prescription business in the United States, and responsible for hundreds of employees and over $1 billion in revenue.
TRL: Why did you decide to run?
CC: I love the students from K-12 throughout Lovejoy as if they are my own. I am passionate about seeing if we can help every student find his or her passion and path within our district. I admire and respect the work that our employees pour into our students and i want to find ways to support their efforts. I care about the experiences our parents see for their children becoming reality in a safe and strong learning environment. I want to continue to help our entire community to get the best return on their investment with continuing to build the best school district in Texas that attracts so many people here. Additionally, I have known for a while that I would be running again this term. My intention has been to help use my strengths in hiring and developing executives for when we would be hiring a new superintendent. That time will now come at the beginning of my term, if elected. I have spent thousands of hours understanding the complex public education space including curriculum development, public school finance, district operations, and values of our community. Many supporters feel I am most qualified to continue Lovejoy’s path to even greater strengths across the district and have continuously encouraged me to run again. I have also been fortunate to serve on a board that shares values that all kids are important, we should continue to set high standards in academics, fine arts, STEM, and athletics, optimistic about our future, and would never run on an issue or two only. Our best days at Lovejoy are ahead of us and I am excited to be part of that for the next three years. All these reasons have helped guide me to run this term.
TRL: What would you say are your main values?
CC: Passion for our students, accountability, admiration of our teachers and employees, education knowledge, transparency, collaboration, making decisions through a broad lens, and leadership
TRL: Did Ted Moore’s resignation affect your plans to run or your agenda at all?
CC: No; I had decided well before the filing deadline and his departure to run because I saw an even greater future for the district, and my ability to provide my education experience, competence, and passion for students and teachers that can help take us to another level. My experience, competence, and leadership are now more important than ever though, as we need to hire and assimilate a new superintendent into our district and community and provide them our board and district priorities we will work together on to help Lovejoy set the standard in public education. We will value the opinions of all stakeholders and always, as a board, make the best decisions we can for our students.
TRL: Why do you think you would be a good addition to the school board of trustees for the next three years?
CC: There are several reasons, but I will always start with the fact that I love all our Lovejoy kids and they are at the first and last consideration of any decision I am on the board of trustees. You will not find any candidate running for Place 1 that is as passionate about our students, and who will work harder for our schools, students, parents, and community than I will. I know the sacrifices it takes to immerse yourself into school board accountability, responsibility, and workload. I know what it takes to continue Lovejoy on the path to being one of the elite districts in Texas and the nation. My strong performance navigating challenging issues and financial times, both my professional and volunteer board experience, and my executive leadership skills are critical on the board at this time. Experience building the priorities that have yielded positive results and reputation for Lovejoy ISD so early in our history of a secondary program will help attract the most talented superintendent candidates. The most talented superintendent candidates are attracted to districts with clear expectations, high standards, and stable, competent boards. With hiring a new superintendent and assimilating them into our district and community, it is critical that board members are not learning on the complex job. My trusted experience and district results will yield stronger superintendent candidates, plus put us on a path of continued successes where we can even be better than today. I am excited to see where we go in our future, and I am confident that my candidacy is an important part of our future success.