Ples Kujawa Photo by Mary Candee

As PTO/school board liaison providing synopses of discussion items to other parents, Ples Kujawa has attended his fair share of meetings.

“I know what I’m getting into,” he said. “I see the job as not necessarily fun, but rewarding. I just feel compelled to want to do something on the school board now.”

While recent bond proceeds have been earmarked for brick-and-mortar needs, attention should be placed on allocation of academic resources with parental input, he said.

“Alamo Heights has a lot of very talented and well-connected parents, and I think we need to be looking forward with strategic planning. We should rely on different perspectives and utilize parents who genuinely care about kids and have areas of expertise.”

That coupling came into play personally, when he learned of a football squad’s need for braces – the protective orthopedic device on which athletes rely.

“I looked at the price and realized it was too much,” he said. “I was able to get 22 braces for the same price they were going to pay for 16.”

Kujawa said his scientific background – especially in a district with state-of-the-art science laboratories – would diversify the board makeup. While complimenting current board members, he said his background would provide a different take on issues not readily apparent to some.

“It’s a different perspective than that of a banker or lawyer. I don’t think they’ve had anyone who’s science-minded on the board since three or four years.”

That scientific eye zeroed in on potential need to raise math scores – although he adds they’re still within boastful range: “Alamo Heights’ kids do exceptionally well in reading and writing. While math has gotten better, there’s still some room for improvement.”

He suggested longtime district residency might add another layer of expertise. Kujawa and his family have been district residents since 1990.