Nate Bayless for DISD School Board Place 7

I appreciate everyone’s support over the past few months. Between your encouragement, your friendship, and your vote, I feel a lot of gratitude. I have a lot to learn in a short period of time, but it will be an honor to serve DISD in Place 7.

Thank you to Dylan Barnes, Melanie Christian, Jonathan Ross, and their families for dedicating so much time and effort to serve our schools. Thank you to Brad Rieger for being willing to serve, and doing so with honor. Lastly, congratulations to Delvon Campbell and Matt Joiner; I look forward to working with all members of the board to serve our educators and students.

Please continue to pray that our district will be served and led well.

After two text messages, unnecessary propaganda, and many attempts to smear an individual running to serve this community, enough is enough. Decatur is a community built on relationships, integrity, history, values, and world views that begin in Genesis 1:1. Nothing about the text messages we are receiving stand on any of these principles.

Why are we still receiving these messages? Why are minors and students receiving these messages? It is insulting to think that the group behind this thinks that people in this community are not wise enough to make informed decisions about who they would like to support in this race. They do not know our names, they do not know our families, and, ironically, they do not know our schools.

Regardless of whether I am a board member or not, as a parent, this is behavior that I do not want to invite into our children’s schools. I am thankful for Brad Rieger’s integrity throughout this election. This is how it could and should be between two individuals running for the same position.

I am frustrated for Matt and his family. The fact that he is having to constantly battle these attacks is unacceptable. He is a good man who brings wisdom as an experienced board member, educator, husband, father, and Decatur resident.

These text messages say little, but they speak volumes.

May 4th to May 5th: Finish line one day, starting line the next.

Early voting opens on Monday, and one of our greatest responsibilities as stakeholders in this community, state, and country is to vote. Whether you are 18 or 88, be encouraged and motivated by the fact that your voice and vote matter.

If elected, I understand that there will be a learning curve. While I’ve studied numbers, attended meetings, and visited with DISD parents, grandparents, and employees, I do understand that I still have limited insight into the inner workings of our district. I cannot deliver promises to earn your vote. However, as a resident of this community, a dad of three elementary students, the husband of a DISD employee, and a local banker, the most costly decision we can make is not to keep conversations productively focused on solutions. We need work to pass a small bond to alleviate maintenance and repair costs to keep programs and educators in DISD; we need to communicate decisions and the heart behind them clearly and boldly to stakeholders; we need to fill the seat of our Interim or Superintendent with wisdom and discernment; and we need to collaborate as a team and model what productive government looks like for our kids even when we disagree.

Please don’t forget to vote, and regardless of who is on the team of eight, continue to pray for Decatur ISD. I'm grateful for your support!

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Because I'm not active on social media, here are some questions I answered a little over a month ago that can also help inform your vote:

1. Do you support the Guardian program? Would you support keeping the program for years to come?

This decision has already been thought through, invested in, and implemented; therefore, I do support the guardian program. As long as training continues and those involved feel confident in their ability to protect our schools, my support will continue.

2. Do you support the district’s Gender Identity and Fluidity policy (EMB Local)? Would you support keeping these policies for years to come?

3. Having a policy that allows administrators and teachers to have a backstop when it comes to gender ideology adds clarity to all campuses, and this is a positive. I believe this community wants each child to feel valued when they step foot on each campus. I also believe that there is value in establishing healthy boundaries. Aside from a solid education focused on skills that will prepare them to be competitive post-graduation, children should be loved, cared for, and honored any time they step foot on campus. DISD can do all of those things while ensuring students are safely using restrooms and locker rooms that align with their birth certificates.

4. What is your plan and strategy for eliminating our current budget deficit?

If I have the opportunity to serve on the board, my plan to help eliminate our current budget deficit is to work closely with the other 6 board members and our administrators to make difficult but smart decisions that will help bring promise, potential, and opportunity back in the hands of our schools. This will not happen without walking through the furnace for a little while. While I do not have experience serving on a school board, I do have experience with financials, and I’m ready to learn about the policies the district is required to comply with and work from there to start climbing the mountain in front of us. Because we are in this vulnerable position, we must communicate with clarity when it comes to decisions, as every single one of them will impact our kids and their campuses. It won’t always be easy, comfortable, or popular, but truth and clarity is what Decatur is hungry for. I want to be a part of a team that makes budget decisions that are least impactful to students, teachers, and administrators, and this can only be done with patience, unified leadership, and truth.

5. In light of the recent announcement from DISD concerning the abrupt closing of the Rann Elementary Dual-Language program, what would be your approach as a DISD trustee?

Closing the Dual-Language program is disappointing to anyone who understands the value that program adds to our district and community. What teachers and students have been able to accomplish in the classroom is impressive and inspiring. I trust that our administration has the best interest of each school, and after attending the informational meeting, I would encourage them to A) honor the commitment of the children who have been invested in this program since kindergarten year, modify the program in a way that allows invested students to continue the bilingual program, while also allowing the district room to shift toward a more permanent change, or C) ask administration to communicate the reason behind the cut, whether it’s budget, data, or a shift in priorities. As a trustee, it’s not my job to be an expert in education – we have people in place who are great at what they do; however, I do ask that they help stakeholders learn the “why” behind these decisions. We know difficult decisions are coming, so it’s crucial that we clearly and boldly move forward together.

6. What is your position on a 4-day vs. 5-day school calendar?

I know that a group of teachers, administrators, and community volunteers spent a lot of time and effort weighing the pros and cons of a 4-day school week and came up with two calendar options to move this initiative forward. This group and many other teachers, parents, and community members have shown enthusiasm for this shift for important reasons such as teacher retention, so I do believe that this decision needs to continue to be explored. Because we are in such a vulnerable place as a district, I do support the decision to act with patience in order to present solutions to all concerns and questions (childcare, continued research on the impact this has academically on all students, and how we can support teachers and administrators in effectively implementing this change). As a spouse of a teacher, I can see how this would allow the quality of life to improve for my wife who spends time after our kids go to bed (just about 7 days a week) grading papers and planning lessons; however, as a parent, I would like to make sure that the district is ready to make this change under new leadership, clear expectations, and a unified path forward. The excitement around this decision speaks volumes, and I am looking forward to seeing this option for the ‘25-’26 school year.

7. What is your position on future growth, construction, and possible future bond elections?

Decatur is behind on new facilities based on the current capacity at MMS and DHS. This problem only appears to get worse each year as growth continues to move this way. At some point, a bond will need to be called to give our students the resources to continue to be successful. However, this bond proposal will need to be something that the community can stand behind. I’m hopeful to get to partner with the district and community to be a part of a timely solution.

8. Would you support a thorough, line-item, third-party audit of our budget and financials?

At the January board meeting the district received its ‘23 audit report. To my knowledge, there was nothing materially found in that report that would make me question the validity of the financials. The audit report is a look back at history and doesn’t give us insight to help set a proper, forward-looking budget. I support a line-by-line budget to make sure that we are being good stewards of the taxpayers' money, funding programs and resources that benefit our students as soon as we can, and providing competitive salaries for our teachers.

We have good people who are in the running to serve this district, and just like they have also stated: I am not a part of a PAC, I have funded my own campaign, and I do not have a secret agenda. The world is complicated and chaotic enough to entertain that here. We are all busy raising families, coaching our kids, fellowshipping in our churches, working hard with our colleagues, and serving this community. I am running for Place 7 to continue to do all of these things with the added responsibility of ensuring that our roots stay strong and our wings aim high.

No matter where we are from, we owe so much of the good in our lives to our schools. It’s a place where we made friends, gained confidence, learned how to handle criticism, adapted to change, developed humility, competed against our rivals, experienced kindness, celebrated wins, dealt with disappointment, and sometimes, even accomplished greatness. I was not called to be an educator, but I hope to have the opportunity to serve them as a member of the board and invest in those who invest in our kids.

In the next month, around elections, changes, and transitions, I hope we can prioritize gratitude for what we have while we plan for and adapt to the challenges that lie ahead. Even through these great challenges, it’s great to be a Decatur Eagle.

Elections will be here before we know it. Please reach out to the candidates running and allow us an opportunity to visit with you. 940-867-0767.

Signs are in. If you'd like one (thank you), please fill out this Google form and I'll deliver. If you're not sure you want one, my number is 940-867-0767. I'm happy to visit over the phone or in person about why I'd like to serve Decatur ISD. If it’s easier for you to communicate via Facebook, please be patient with me: I only check it after work, practices, and bedtime. While social media is an amazing tool, these walls actually can talk, and sometimes, motives, intent, and tone are too easily misconstrued. This can quickly lead us down a path of unproductivity, fear, or division, and I don’t want this to be a place where we contribute to that. There is value in meeting each other, asking each other questions, and hearing each other out. I’m here to serve DISD, and if I earn a spot on the board, I’m here to serve and represent you.

We Are Decatur!

http://tinyurl.com/nbplace7

It’s safe to say that this community has a lot of passion and compassion for our schools. It’s part of what makes Decatur ISD so special; however, these great qualities can also keep us from showing our friends, volunteers, and neighbors some grace. While we need to challenge each other, hold each other accountable, and stand up for what we believe in, we also want to channel all of this passion toward solutions.

Since October, our administrators and board members have discussed solutions to alleviate the budget deficit that has created friction and division within our community. Among our 7 board members, almost every campus is represented as they have children, grandchildren, and family members who are Decatur Eagles. They have been tasked to research and discuss as many options as possible. As parents and community members, we don’t want to hear about any cuts to programs, personnel, payroll, and especially campuses just as much as they don’t want to present them.

It’s unfortunate (potentially devastating) that we are facing these challenges because of the Texas legislation's decision to withhold funding to public schools for the voucher program. This decision by Governor Abbott has put a large financial strain on many school districts – some with even greater deficits than we face. Our district would have a healthier budget if these were not our circumstances.

The legislature will not meet again until May of 2025, so the deficit will remain in place through next year as well. DISD is in a place where we can carry by for the 24-25 school year with a deficit budget given our fund balance (savings account). This fund balance will make the shortfall, but it can’t do that forever, especially if a large and unforeseen expense pops up like the HVAC at Carson Elementary did two years ago (a $3 million dollar expense). Without bond funds, something like this is paid for out of the fund balance. Couple that with a deficit budget and you have major issues that are hard to tackle.

BUT – we are Decatur. We can be upset and frustrated, but we have to be determined to reach solutions more. We have what it takes to overcome this. It’s going to take all of us working together with our board and with our educators (our experts).

I have already had a conversation with Representative Lynn Stucky about the strain the decision to withhold funding is putting on our campuses, resources, teachers, administrators, and most importantly, our kids. We must push for solutions and pray for our leaders to have wisdom and discernment, as they will have to start turning these workshops and ideas into action.

Please help our schools and help our leaders. Here is a letter you can copy/ paste/ edit and send to our Representative, Lynn Stucky: (https://www.house.texas.gov/members/member-page/email/?district=64&session=88)
(512) 463-0582 and (940) 243-0230

Representative Stucky,

I am writing to bring to your attention the urgent concerns surrounding the budget deficits that are adversely affecting public schools in our state, more specifically Decatur Independent School District. As an advocate for education and a concerned member of our community, I believe it is crucial to address the financial challenges our public schools are currently facing.

The budget deficits in public education are having a profound impact on the quality of education and the overall well-being of our students. Several factors contribute to these deficits, including but not limited to insufficient funding, increasing operational costs, and the diversion of resources to alternative educational programs such as the voucher program.

It is essential to recognize that budget deficits can lead to a range of negative consequences for public schools, such as:

- Teacher Shortages: Inadequate funding often results in reduced salaries and benefits for educators, making it challenging to attract and retain highly qualified teachers. This, in turn, contributes to teacher shortages and impacts the quality of instruction.

- Outdated Facilities and Resources: Insufficient funding limits the ability of public schools to maintain and upgrade their facilities, as well as provide essential learning resources and technology. This hampers the learning environment and educational experiences for students.

- Limited Extracurricular Opportunities: Budget constraints may force schools to cut or reduce extracurricular programs, keeping students from valuable opportunities for personal development, teamwork, and skill-building outside the classroom.
Impact on Special Education Services: Special education programs are facing significant challenges as budget deficits are leading to a lack of resources and support, impacting the ability of schools to meet diverse learning needs.

Please prioritize addressing the negative impacts of the voucher program to ensure that our public schools receive the funding they need to provide a high-quality education for all students. Please fight with us to prioritize adequate and equitable funding for our public schools.

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter,

Sincerely,

__________

WE ARE DECATUR!

I love this town, and I love our schools; because of this, I am hopeful for the opportunity to stand behind them both and run for Place 7 of the DISD School Board. I am motivated to encourage and empower DISD because I see how encouraged and empowered my three kids are each day at school. I am dedicated to supporting DISD because I am married to an educator and see the heart and grit that each day requires. I am committed to serving DISD because of the pride this district brings to our community, whether it’s a state test or a state championship.

While my background is not in education, it is in finance. I’m eager to help with concerns that are pressing our district today, but I’m also eager for the opportunity to help Decatur serve families successfully and competitively long term. A good school system helps us all, starting directly with our kids and teachers and indirectly with our community. I am proud that my family is a part of this district, and I am hopeful that I will get to contribute to it as well.

I am rooting for consistency, positivity, boldness, wisdom, humility, excellence, spirit, unity, and success. In an effort to earn a position on the board, I am officially “entering to learn” in hopes of “going forth to serve.”