While my husband Heath and I are proud ’86 and ’89 graduates of SHS and local business owners, our children are not Matadors. Because of our street address, they are Panthers, and we have happily supported Navarro ISD for nearly 20 years. It’s a great district, but it’s not the backbone of Seguin. That responsibility falls to Seguin ISD.
SISD educates most of the children in our community, and has a greater impact on the quality of life and economy. Whether you have children in the district or not, here are five reasons why anyone who works, lives, or owns property in Seguin should care about the future of SISD.
1) Our community needs strong schools to thrive.
Communities that fail to support their schools fail all together. Investment in a high-quality education is synonymous with increased productivity and economic growth, as employers look to our schools to produce a strong, capable work force. Likewise, economic development professionals will tell you that the quality of the school district is a concern for high-skills employers who want to ensure their employees will enjoy an equally high quality of life. If we want to strengthen and diversify the Seguin economy, start by investing in education.
2) Investing in school facilities impacts economic development (and student performance).
What happens in the classroom matters, but the actual classroom makes a difference, too. Studies indicate that student performance is impacted by the condition of the facilities in which students learn, and teachers teach. When we defer maintenance for decades and fail to provide the space, equipment and modern technology necessary for a 21st century education, we fail our children and educators.
3) Strong schools increase property values.
There is indisputable research that strong schools positively impact real estate values in the community. Look no further than the housing growth in the Navarro ISD — and the use of the district name in advertising — as local evidence of that fact. Property owners in high-performing school districts also demonstrate a willingness to accept slightly higher taxes. Whether you have children in SISD or not, the reputation of the district matters to you if you own property or a business in Seguin.
4) SISD is an economic engine that fuels Seguin.
Setting aside the district’s mission to educate our future citizens and workforce, SISD is the second largest employer in town with more than 1,250 employees, just behind Continental. When we invest in new facilities and programs at SISD, we create more jobs – directly and indirectly, permanent and temporary. More dollars in the local economy mean more opportunity for all.
5) High-quality schools help close the divide.
Safe, healthy and happy communities actively work to close socioeconomic gaps. Investment in local education is a primary and critical strategy to achieving such equity, as is demanding that our schools be engaged and responsive to the needs of all children and their families. From vocational programs to college-preparedness, SISD’s mission is to “cultivate, inspire and empower students to grow and learn.” Not some students. Not just students who live near Barnes Middle School or Vogel Elementary and enjoy newer, more modern facilities. All students. If we share this mission as a community, then we are called upon to invest in the facilities and resources that help all students thrive – so Seguin can thrive.
“We are no longer okay with mediocrity in our community, our classrooms, our facilities. We cannot be okay with an attitude that says ‘Well, it was fine for me when I was in school 40 years ago.’ We are living in a different world and we need to prepare our kids to be competitive, to have a real shot at a better life…”
— Dr. Matthew Gutierrez, SISD Superintendent
Happily, the district finds itself under new, enthusiastic leadership with Superintendent Matthew Gutierrez. He brings integrity and a genuine belief in the faculty and students of Seguin. He has set high expectations for staff, and bolstered those expectations with a Strategic Plan that outlines priorities and assigns responsibility – by name – to his leadership team. It’s a new day and a new direction at SISD, and I am more confident than ever that Matadors are on the rise. And when Matadors rise up, all of Seguin stands taller.