Melissa Dawson Windham She is ready to get to work and to give back to the district that provided her an education. Melissa Dawson Windham enthusiastically speaks about her new role as a Kingsville Independent School District board member and discusses her goals in this elected office.

“I am excited about the outcome of the election and honored by the confidence the voters placed in me,” said Windham, who was sworn in with the re-elected incumbents at the KISD board meeting May 18.

“These are exciting and challenging times; we have a relatively new superintendent, a new athletic director, and the passage of a bond to build a new high school,” she said.

As a newly elected board member, Windham said she is looking forward to a training workshop conducted by Texas Association of School Boards next month in San Antonio. She decided to run for office because her children were older now, and she was ready to make the commitment to spend time as a KISD trustee.

Windham recognizes KISD issues such as a budget deficit and perception of the schools. She believes the district is reducing costs through the consolidation of facilities and other cost effective measures. She said the superintendent, Emilio Castro, is doing an excellent job in moving the district forward.

“We need to focus on the positive things that are happening in the schools with our students and teachers,” she said.

She describes herself as a hometown girl and mother with children in the KISD. Windham wants a common sense based approach to education with a focus on what is best for Kingsville students. Her son, Tyler, is a sophomore at H.M. King High School and daughter, Kaylie, is an eighth grader at Memorial Middle School.

“Our kids have done very well, and we need to celebrate what is right with our school district,” she said. “I am a very involved parent and my kids are in athletics, band, UIL, and other activities.

“My goals are to improve the image of KISD schools and to work cooperatively with the board and administration to move the district forward in its goal of becoming “the best district in the United States.”

“I do not have any hidden agendas: only a desire to give back to the district that gave me my education,” said the 41- year -old KISD trustee.

Windham was born in Kingsville and lived here all of her life except for three years when the family lived in Iceland where her father was stationed with the Navy. She attended Harvey, Perez, Colston, and Gillett. She graduated from H.M. King High School in 1986 where she was a Top 10-Honor graduate. Windham, who received a bachelor of business administration degree from Texas A&I Kingsville, graduated as the top graduate in the 1990 spring commencement with a 3.98 grade point average.

She and her husband, Bud Windham, were high school sweethearts and have been married 20 years. He has worked at Kingsville Naval Air Station since 1985. He is currently a product support engineer for Rolls Royce. His parents are Anse and Mary Windham and her parents are Jim and Betsy Dawson. Both sets of parents live in Kingsville.

Her community involvement includes serving as secretary of the H.M. King High School Athletic Booster Club, a member of the H.M. King High Band Booster Club, and President of the Memorial Middle School Cheerleader Booster Club.

Windham served eight years on the Epiphany Episcopal School Board of Trustees. As a member of the First Baptist Church of Kingsville, she has served in many capacities, such as the finance committee, childcare volunteer, vacation Bible school teacher, and former preschool choir director. She is a former Boy Scouts of America Tiger Club coordinator. Windham is also a graduate of Leadership Kingsville Program.

Currently, she works as the development coordinator/ teacher at Presbyterian Pan American School. She has been previously employed as a training director at Kleberg Bank and with Boeing Aerospace Operations and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace on the T-45 Ground Training Program at Naval Air Station Kingsville.

Windham was one of six candidates seeking the Place 1 KISD trustee position. Jilma Viduarri , who resigned after 19 years of service, served in Place 1. Windham received 621 votes, defeating the other candidates.

“Being a school board member is a commitment of time and energy, and I am willing and able to do that,” she said.