Posted 12:07 pm Thursday, February 09, 2012
Bergfeld Files For Tyler ISD District 7 Spot
By EMILY GUEVARA
Staff Writer
Tyler realtor Andy Bergfeld has filed to run for Tyler ISD District 7 board member.
Bergfeld, 41, who is president of Bergfeld Realty Company, said in a prepared statement announcing his candidacy that he has always felt an obligation to serve the city of Tyler.
“This town, and in particular, this school district, has been good to me and my family, and I look forward to the opportunity to give back to both,” he wrote in the statement.
Bergfeld served as the District 1 trustee on the board from 2000 to 2007. At the time, he cited a desire to spend more time with his family and allow for a change in leadership among the reasons he did not seek re-election.
Staff Writer
Tyler realtor Andy Bergfeld has filed to run for Tyler ISD District 7 board member.
Bergfeld, 41, who is president of Bergfeld Realty Company, said in a prepared statement announcing his candidacy that he has always felt an obligation to serve the city of Tyler.
“This town, and in particular, this school district, has been good to me and my family, and I look forward to the opportunity to give back to both,” he wrote in the statement.
Bergfeld served as the District 1 trustee on the board from 2000 to 2007. At the time, he cited a desire to spend more time with his family and allow for a change in leadership among the reasons he did not seek re-election.
Bergfeld said the time away has enabled him to process many of the issues facing the district and identify some of the priorities in achieving a first-rate education and school district.
“Looking back, one thing that is abundantly clear is the impact hiring and retaining quality teachers and principals makes,” he said, according to the statement. “It sounds simple, but you can have the best curriculum in the world and without the right people to teach it, it is useless.
The same goes for leadership. I have never seen a good school that didn’t have a strong principal.”
Bergfeld said the district’s recently approved long-range plan, which outlines facility upgrades and some programmatic changes, seems reasonable, but communication with the public will be key as the district seeks to implement it.
“To me, a local school district has to realize that it represents the community …,” he said. “I’ve always understood that as a board member I would make sure that we were connected with all of our community, that we were pursuing the will of the community and what they want out of our public schools.”
“Looking back, one thing that is abundantly clear is the impact hiring and retaining quality teachers and principals makes,” he said, according to the statement. “It sounds simple, but you can have the best curriculum in the world and without the right people to teach it, it is useless.
The same goes for leadership. I have never seen a good school that didn’t have a strong principal.”
Bergfeld said the district’s recently approved long-range plan, which outlines facility upgrades and some programmatic changes, seems reasonable, but communication with the public will be key as the district seeks to implement it.
“To me, a local school district has to realize that it represents the community …,” he said. “I’ve always understood that as a board member I would make sure that we were connected with all of our community, that we were pursuing the will of the community and what they want out of our public schools.”
Bergfeld said that he is a financial conservative who believes in Tyler’s education system.
“I will have high expectations for the district in all areas and hope that I get the opportunity to work with the board and administration in seeing these expectations realized,” he said, according to the statement.
Bergfeld is a graduate of South Texas College of Law, Southern Methodist University and Robert E. Lee High School.
His past and present community involvement includes: current member (second term) of Tyler Chamber of Commerce board of directors; past president of Heart of Tyler; two terms on the Historic Tyler board; past board member for The Salvation Army and the FCA; and past chairman of the Tyler Ducks Unlimited Chapter.
In 2005, he was honored with the W.C. Windsor Award for outstanding community service by an individual under 40.
That same year, while Bergfeld was president of the TISD board, it was recognized as the Texas Outstanding School Board.
Bergfeld and his wife, Shawn, have been married for 13 years and have three sons, Andrew and George, who attend Jack Elementary School, and Alexander, who is in pre-K. They are members of First Baptist Church of Tyler.
“I will have high expectations for the district in all areas and hope that I get the opportunity to work with the board and administration in seeing these expectations realized,” he said, according to the statement.
Bergfeld is a graduate of South Texas College of Law, Southern Methodist University and Robert E. Lee High School.
His past and present community involvement includes: current member (second term) of Tyler Chamber of Commerce board of directors; past president of Heart of Tyler; two terms on the Historic Tyler board; past board member for The Salvation Army and the FCA; and past chairman of the Tyler Ducks Unlimited Chapter.
In 2005, he was honored with the W.C. Windsor Award for outstanding community service by an individual under 40.
That same year, while Bergfeld was president of the TISD board, it was recognized as the Texas Outstanding School Board.
Bergfeld and his wife, Shawn, have been married for 13 years and have three sons, Andrew and George, who attend Jack Elementary School, and Alexander, who is in pre-K. They are members of First Baptist Church of Tyler.
