Lynn Thompson

Running unopposed for the Alamo Heights Independent School District Place 3 board seat, Lynn Thompson is a shoo-in to secure the slot. Still, she speaks of district issues with the energy of a candidate on the campaign trail hoping to secure votes.

“As far as we know, there’s no great crisis looming,” she said. “But the next big phase for the school board, and the district as a whole, is strategic planning.”

With that charge, she would place emphasize student preparedness and technology issues – the latter an area of particular expertise.

“I see teachers putting a lot of effort into bringing technology into their lesson plans as teaching tools and keeping students engaged,” Thompson said. “And I see students driving our teachers to do that as well. It’s a great push-pull from both sides.”

Gratified that recent district bond proceeds provided for technology needs, she said the district should implement such aids: “Not as an end, but as a tool for learning. Part of our job is to make sure the technology is there.”

Given her computer background, Thompson is often recruited for district initiatives requiring tech savvy – from her current stint on the district technology committee to helping produce the mascot-emblazoned Mulepushers Calendar. A particularly urgent need to which she’s providing input is preparation of a state-mandated policy dictating student Internet use and technology access.

“I just spent three hours of fun this morning on the acceptable–use policy,” she said. “As technology expands past the desktop to wireless to cell phone to PDAs, we need to determine safeguards that need to be in place from a state perspective.”

She also has an eye on more traditional needs, like ensuring test preparation for the junior TAKS test. Beefed-up testing standards call for students to have substantive knowledge of certain subjects such as physics and biology in order to pass.

“It’s great we have wonderful test scores and record numbers on the honor roll, but we need to ensure there are refreshers for every level of student.”

Thompson also said that at-risk youth require special attention.

“We want to make sure we’re looking at at-risk kids as well as providing for students who aren’t at risk,” She said. “The nice thing about Alamo Heights is those things are always issues, even when nothing’s broken, because we want the best for all children.”

FULL NAME:

Lynn Stanley Thompson

DATE OF BIRTH:

March 2, 1959

EDUCATION:

Alamo Heights High School Class of 1977; Southern Methodist University: bachelor’s degrees in political science plus an MBA with emphasis on accounting, information systems design, and strategic planning.

OCCUPATION:

Owner, systems analysis and integration firm Thompson Consulting Group and financial management firm Thompson Properties.

PERSONAL:

Two sons, husband James O. Thompson