Bearcat Parents,

I’m often asked what the secret to Aledo ISD’s success is. My answer is always the same: “The Parents". Behind every successful program in Aledo ISD is an army of parents supporting our students. The success we see in our children is a direct result of parents who volunteer countless hours to support all students and teachers.    

I feel blessed to live in a community where parents recognize that it is our responsibility as parents to raise our own kids, but we are better off as a community when we support each other as well. There is never a shortage of volunteers in our community. It is amazing to be a part of Bearcat Country.  

When I first ran for the Board of Trustees, I made the promise that I would do everything in my power to lead in the effort to take our school district to the next level. By every measure we have done just that. We have had historic academic success. Our children have never had more opportunities that they do today in Aledo ISD. From the classroom and beyond, our students are thriving. 

How have we achieved success? Together. We challenged the status quo. We made some people uncomfortable. We had tough conversations. We have invested in our children's safety. We reformed our budget and bond programs in a way that have resulted in millions of dollars in savings to taxpayers. We transformed our district into a place that allows parents to lead in planning for the future. We held true to the family values that have been the foundation of our community so that we may pass them along to our own children. Together we created a school district that is a safe place for children to learn and provides opportunities for all students.   

As our community changes, we have serious challenges ahead of us that will require serious people to address them. A need for more instructional space at the high school is on the horizon and there will be difficult decisions to make. Many of our programs are severely underfunded by the state. The state is methodically taking control of our neighborhood schools, and we need to pushback so that our schools are controlled by our community and not bureaucrats or politicians in Austin. Our community is growing and while the landscape may change, I will continue to work tirelessly so it always feels like the place we chose to call home.   

Together, we have done the hard work to put our school district in an excellent position to build a brighter future and grow the greatness that exists in our school district.

I am forever grateful for your support, and I humbly ask for your vote so that we may continue to build upon this culture of Greatness, together.   

God Bless,   

Forrest Collins, Cash and Ryder's Dad.