Questions from the Community: from Julie King Alpine School Board President, Part 1

Hi! I’m Carissa Thurman, and I’m a candidate for the new Lake Mountain School Board, seat 3!

1. What are your greatest hopes for our district?

My greatest hope for the district is that, once our area is fully built out and growth stabilizes, today’s students and families will look back on this time of transition with a sense of pride and nostalgia—not just for the excitement of shaping something new, but for the lasting, positive impact it had on their lives. I hope they will remember this moment as one when our community came together to create a district that truly supports students, families, and the future.

2. What are your weaknesses as a candidate?

I don’t know everything. I may not be able to respond to every concern, and I can’t promise that the changes ahead will be easy or without trade-offs. But I am hopeful—hopeful about the district we can build, the positive impact we can have on students, families, and educators, and the thoughtful ways we can plan for our schools to grow alongside our community.

When I don’t know the answer to something, I commit to learning. I will ask questions, seek out information, and work to better understand the issues that matter most to our community.

I also want to be transparent about my approach to social media. While I appreciate the ability to connect online, I know that high levels of posting, commenting, and engagement on social platforms will not be sustainable for me long term. That may lead to the perception—especially for those primarily reaching out through social media—that I’m disengaged. Please know that is not the case. My limited use of social media is a personal choice and not a reflection of my dedication to this work or to our community.

Finally, I am the youngest candidate in this race. That means I may have less professional or life experience than some—but I also bring a fresh perspective, deep passion, and a skill set that aligns well with the responsibilities of a school board member. I believe my age and stage of life allow me to represent the voices of many residents in similar situations, including young families and newer community members who are ready to be heard and included.

3. What are your top 3 capital project priorities?

1. Land banking – Proactively securing land now to ensure we’re prepared to meet future growth and avoid higher costs or limited options later.

2. Building new schools – Planning and constructing schools to serve our rapidly growing population and to address overcrowding in existing facilities.

3. Replacing infrastructure and facilities – Strategically replacing infrastructure and facilities that will remain assets of the other districts after the split, ensuring our district has long-term independence and fully functional infrastructure.

4. How many board meetings have you attended in the last year?

I have not attended any board meetings in person or live online over the past year, but I have watched multiple recordings of meetings after they were streamed. I plan to watch upcoming meetings live to stay as current and engaged as possible. I also have referenced presentations and other materials put out by the board, including the Financial Capital Planning Study Presentation, the Proposed Budget for 2026, and Summaries of Enrollments of the West District with city facts and capital projects from FY20-24.

5. How do you plan to pay for the ideas you have brought forward?

I plan to fund proposed ideas through multiple sources, prioritized strategically and aligned with what each funding source legally allows.

1. Anticipated budget surplus – Using surplus funds from the current budget where appropriate.
2. Increased tax base – Leveraging growth in the area’s population and commercial development, which naturally expands the tax base and increases available revenue.
3. Grants and alternative funding – Actively seeking state, federal, and private grants as well as creative funding partnerships.
4. Business and community partnerships – Exploring opportunities for revenue through collaboration with local businesses and community organizations.
5. Voter-approved funding – Considering bonds or other funding tools supported by the community.
6. Lease revenue bonds or tax increases (last resort) – These would only be considered if absolutely necessary. If used, I would advocate for a responsible, sustainable approach that minimizes the financial burden on residents while ensuring a balanced, forward-looking budget.

6. What should we keep from ASD, what should we stop, what should we start?

What we should keep:
We should retain anything that is effectively supporting our students and staff. If change is necessary, I believe it should be implemented gradually and thoughtfully to avoid abrupt disruptions that could negatively affect those relying on existing supports and resources.

What we should stop or re-evaluate:
I’ve heard feedback from educators that the current structure for school-led professional development is not effectively helping them improve their teaching practice. There’s also concern that in order to improve this the schools need district-level standardization—especially when it comes to training and evaluations—so they can focus and target supporting the effective implementation of high-leverage practices in the classroom. While Alpine being a site based district has had many advantages especially for the autonomy of the schools, equity can suffer when some schools use Professional development for bowling, and others have goal-focused training for high leverage practices leading to deeper learning and engagement for their students.   

Additionally, I’ve heard concerns about administrators being stretched too thin—often focused on managerial tasks at the expense of instructional leadership. When school leaders are unable to be present and engaged in the daily realities of classrooms, it weakens their ability to make informed, student-centered decisions and be leaders of the learning in addition to their managing of district or school business. 

I’m still gathering information and would want more data and broader feedback before making final recommendations. That said, I believe these are areas worth examining and possibly adjusting to better support those in the field.

When evaluating what to stop or change, I would weigh:

• Alignment with the district and board’s vision
  
• Budget feasibility
  
• Program or policy effectiveness
  
• The real-life impact on students, staff, and families
  

What we should start:
We should foster and expand community partnerships, especially with small businesses. These collaborations could support extracurricular programs, resource sharing, student mentorships, and career pipelines.

I also support exploring creative infrastructure solutions, such as building schools adjacent to and with micro-commercial spaces. Leasing these to local businesses could benefit from school-related foot traffic, generate additional revenue, and provide entrepreneurial opportunities for students and community members. Over time, this approach could strengthen the local economy and increase community investment in our schools by supporting the growth of home-based businesses into commercial properties—ultimately expanding the commercial tax base that funds public education.