School Board Spotlight
Lyndsae M . Benton , Secretary
Lyndsae Benton , a longtime former Crowley ISD educator and parent to a North Crowley High graduate , is excited about the direction CISD is headed and wants to see the progress continue in the district .
Benton , coordinator of Instructional Services at the Region 11 Education Service Center , spent 14 years as a teacher and administrator in Crowley ISD .
“ My experience with Crowley ISD as an employee was awesome . I ’ m so pleased and excited with the things I ’ ve been able to be a part of here ,” she said . “ I ’ m very happy with the school district , and I just want to help make it even better .”
She served as a teacher at North Crowley High School and North Crowley 9th Grade as well as an assistant principal and principal at H . F . Stevens Middle School and principal of Crowley Middle School and Crowley High School .
“ I have a lot of experience in the district as a teacher and an administrator on both sides of the district — the purple side and the blue side ,” she said .
“ The school district has been a big part of my whole family ’ s life for the last 17 years . I still want to be involved , contribute and serve in Crowley ISD . I think it ’ s an important thing to do in your community , to serve in whatever way you can . The district is very important to me , and I just want to do my part for the kids and the community .”
The Place 7 trustee , elected in May 2016 , looks forward to using her experience in the classroom and as an administrator to make informed decisions for the district as a school board member and serve students in another role .
Benton said she is excited about the innovative programming happening in the district .
“ I ’ m very excited to see how that ’ s going to evolve over the coming years ,” she said . “ I do appreciate that kind of attention to the different needs of students .”
She ’ s also excited to see the first round of students graduate in 2018 under the endorsement graduation plan , which she saw begin while principal at Crowley High School .
Benton has a bachelor ’ s degree in secondary education from Oklahoma State University and a master ’ s degree from Tarleton in education administration . She also has her superintendent certification from the University of North Texas . She also serves on the Chisholm Trail Education Foundation . She and her husband , Brian , have one daughter , Olivia , who graduated from North Crowley High School in 2017 and now attends Oklahoma State .
With a total of 21 years in education , including service in other districts , Benton said education is important because of its power to change lives .
“ It ’ s the linchpin to improvement for an individual and can transform a family ,” she said . “ The first time the barrier is broken for a first-generation college goer , it has a tremendous positive effect on every generation after that in that family . Everything we can do , starting at pre-k , to get kids ready , not only for their high school diploma , but their post-secondary education , is transformative .”
Fun Fact : Benton was tied for first in her graduating class with five other students at her high school in Oklahoma .
Above : Benton smiles from her seat during a school board meeting . Right : As a special honor , Benton delivers a diploma to her daughter , Olivia , during the 2017 North Crowley graduation ceremony .