Letter of introduction: Kovatch seeks Place 6 of the Orangefield ISD Board of Trustees

Published 12:47 am Tuesday, August 25, 2020

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This past week I announced my intention to run for Place 6 of the Orangefield ISD Board of Trustees. This is something that I have been thinking about for the past several years. I would like to take this opportunity to share my announcement with those that may not have seen it on social media. I hope this helps you get to know me and my family and know that our hearts are truly committed to what’s best for the Bobcats.
My wife Christi and I will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary this December. I am a Commercial Lender and Senior Vice President at Bridge City Bank. My wife owns and operates Thayer Dance Academy and the Dough Dough Girls. We have six children, and all are students in OISD. Jackson is a Junior and a member of the Orangefield High School Band; Rosie is a Sophomore and a Lieutenant in the Sophisticats; Thayer is in 5th grade and loves to play soccer; Summer is in 3rd grade and enjoys dance; Stryker is in 2nd grade and lives and breathes football; and Kayden is in preschool, and is the baby of our crew. Obviously, our family is a bit larger than most. Our youngest three children joined our family as foster children, and we were able to adopt them and make them official members of our family. I share this information of their adoption, as we are staunch supporters of the foster system and the need for families to open their homes.
Our family is extremely focused on being active in our community and supporting its needs. We serve as part of Encounter Church, Orange Lions Club, Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce, Elementary PTA, PTO, Orangefield Music Boosters, and Orangefield Youth Football League. I have also served as a member of the OISD DEIC Committee for the past several years. Service is especially important to us, and we make every effort to instill this belief in our children. We have been blessed in our lives, and we believe it is our duty to help where we can.
Over the past several years I have begun to attend the meetings of our school board. I knew that I wanted to run to serve on the board, but I also strongly felt that to be an effective member, I needed to have a firm understanding of the board’s role in district operations. I have the utmost respect and appreciation for those who have served as members of the school board. Their commitment to the students and staff of the district has been quite evident.
With six children enrolled in the district, I obviously have a vested interest in its success and future. When it comes to my children, I fully realize that they are each their own person and, possess a wide array of strengths and challenges; however, at the end of the day, my hopes for them are pretty much the same. I want them to be successful in their school careers, set and achieve goals for their futures, and become productive adults. A solid educational foundation that is begun in their childhood will start them off on the right path. I also strongly believe in the need to support our teachers, support staff, and administrators. I truly believe there is no greater calling than educating our future generations; and the commitment and sacrifices made by our educators should be ever present on our minds.
As a member of the Orangefield School Board, I believe that I can bring a unique perspective to the board. Next year, I will have children on every campus of the district. I believe this will allow me to have a strong understanding of needs and challenges from every level in our district. I am a firm believer in preparing our students for college, offering vocational options in a wide array of fields, providing innovative instruction, and being a staunch supporter of our educators.
If elected, I will do my best to approach every situation from the perspective of what will best prepare our students for their futures. Orangefield ISD is an amazing district with a rich heritage. I want to be an active part of continuing the #OFAM tradition.
If you have any questions or concerns that you would like to share with me, please do so! Please send me a message via my Facebook page or send me an email at chriskovatch1@gmail.com. I welcome any opportunity to speak with you.