August 31, 2021

During the August 30 Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees meeting, the board was reorganized resulting in two changes to officer positions. Dr. Mary Jane Hetrick was nominated and unanimously approved as president. To fill the vice president role vacated by Dr. Hetrick, Joanna Day was nominated and approved.

To the Dripping Springs ISD Community - 

Thank you for placing your trust in me to serve you over the past six years, and thank you to my fellow members of the board for electing me to lead us into the future. I am humbled to work for this community and all of our children and honored to serve as President of the Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees. I also want to extend my gratitude to Barbara Stroud for her leadership and dedication to the role of President, and her commitment to continue serving this district as a Trustee. 

I am proud to be part of a community that is passionate, involved and engaged in our district and our education system. Not only do students achieve more in school when their parents are involved in their education, but collaboration with engaged parents makes our classrooms, our schools and our district stronger. We are all united by the common goal of wanting what is best for our students.

As the parent of a Dripping Springs High School freshman and two DSHS graduates who have experienced five of the eight campuses in our District, my goal is to partner with district administration to create the best possible educational experience for our students and to keep DSISD moving forward. I have long been an advocate for innovation, and I believe that in order to be successful, we need to continue to be at the front of the curve in education. We need to ensure we are prepared for the future through the development of a new strategic plan and the continuation of our long-range planning process.

I am a solution-oriented leader with a track record of leaning into difficult discussions and seeking knowledge and understanding from multiple sources. I have been immersed in the nonprofit sector for more than 20 years, working as a consultant, a volunteer, a board member, and branch manager of a national nonprofit organization. I have a Ph.D. in Public Policy & Public Administration and teach leadership classes to graduate students. I have been honored to represent Dripping Springs ISD and Region 13 for two years on the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Board of Directors. In this voluntary, unpaid position, I work to represent Central Texas school districts in state considerations. 

I am a fierce advocate for open communication and fair representation for all. As a parent, I want to know what is happening on our school campuses and I want to understand the “why” behind the actions that our board and our administration takes. As Board President, I am committed to ensuring that our community remains an integral part of our decision-making process. I will continue to encourage a robust two-way dialogue with our community and will ensure we remain forthright about our recommendations and our decisions. 

As a Dripping Springs resident for nearly a decade, I love this community and I want to play an active role in bringing us together. Focusing on our differences will only continue to drive us further apart. Though we may not always agree on how to best handle our challenges, we are far stronger together than we are divided. I hope to play an active role in helping our community and our district to find common ground, collaborate, and move ahead together. 

I look forward to serving you and working with you to drive success for our district and for our students.

Mary Jane Hetrick
Board President