Every child is different and learns differently so grouping them under 1 umbrella doesn't really give a clear picture of academic success and failure. Career Training is an important by product of our educational system. Jason Isbell 5. Updated Five school board member positions in New Braunfels ISD and Comal ISD will be up for election May 2. We are one of the fastest growing districts in the area if not the state. Student enrollment growth is also a significant challenge for the district, and is projected to increase by 1,200-1,500 students per year for the next four years. Teachers in some cases are even overworked due to the high demand to meet their high standards. Comal ISD paid for the construction of Davenport High School through a bond approved by voters in 2017. It is no secret that Comal ISD is growing at an unprecedented rate, and how well we handle additional student enrollment is crucial. Comal ISD Board of Trustees meetings are conducted in the Board Room of the Support Services Building, 1404 IH 35 North, New Braunfels, TX 78130. I am a parent with a long-term vested interest in the district. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. This allows me to literally Think Outside the Box when looking at solutions to problems facing the community and its educational requirements. Early voting begins April 25 and ends May 3. Why? Proposition B, at $61,487,803, willfunda variety ofathletic programenhancementprojects at Canyon,Canyon Lake, Smithson Valley High and Mountain Valley Middle. I am a teacher first in all things, and have taught students here in my own district for years I am known by parents and current/graduated students from Smithson Valley, Davenport, and Pieper High Schools. Sargent, who was the District 4 trustee from 2017 to 2020 for the New Braunfels ISD school board, is running again this time for at-large trustee after being defeated by John Tucker by 251 votes during the 2020 election for the District 4 seat. The Boards primary functions are goal setting, approving the budget and policymaking. Early voting will take place Oct. 18-29. Incumbent Laurie Schley lost to former board member Jason York in the race for District 3. Of adjoining school districts bordering Comal ISD, our teachers are number six in terms of compensation. I know for a fact we are overspending in certain areas of our budget via open record requests. I taught one year at an Alternative Charter School in Schertz to middle school students and high school students. Use the 'Report' link on The Board's primary functions are goal setting, approving the budget and policymaking. Proposition A will also fundcampusreinvestmentandinfrastructure projectsas well asthe purchase ofcampus safety and security,busesand land. I also earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston and transitioned to VP of Operations for an oilfield service company in College Station. at 5:30 p.m., a drawing will take place in the Board Room at the Comal ISD Support Services Building, located at 1404 IH 35 North, New Braunfels, TX 78130, for the purpose of determining the order in which the names of candidates for the Board of Trustees shall appear on the official ballot for the May 6, 2023, trustee election. Do you know this means your student scored about a 40% on the test? This will have a domino effect on our community if we do not address this before the coming school year. Being a teacher has always been my dream job, so Im thankful I am able to continue down this path. I plan to have town hall meetings with anyone in the district who wishes to be heard. Standardized tests should not exist. Do you think your district is doing a good job educating its students? There was a lot of concern over the health precautions that were going to be set in motion for the school year, but ultimately the first semester was a success. Neither filed for re-election. Also seeking to win one of the at-large trustee seats, which are currently held by Clark and David Heefner, is Matthew D. Sargent. We need to work with state legislators to keep more tax dollars in our school district and increase teacher compensation to reflect current costs of living and inflation. 1What is your current or most recent occupation? VisitVotetexas.govfor more information on how to register. Alamo Heights ISD had two competitive races without incumbents. No board, no person, no institution is perfect. We are working to restore the radio signal. Click here to find out what district you are in. The requirements for being a Trustee on the Board of Trustees for the District may be found at Board Policy BBA (Legal), which may be accessed by clicking this linkand inserting policy code BBA.. I am a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who served as a cyber officer, operations planner and strategist, systems analyst, and served our country at the Pentagon and in a combat environment after 9-11. This will lower maintenance and supply costs. racist or sexually-oriented language. Voters can be certain that I have no employment history with the district, no conflicts of interest, and I am not a radical activist who wants to change the fundamentals of our education system. I plan to push for the development of intentional and conservative budgets that prioritize hiring and compensating existing teachers as well as hiring well-qualified teachers to fill new positions. In 2016, I accepted a position at a startup within Rackspace and, once again, came home to the Hill Country this time, forever. Texas Public Radio | I will do everything in my power to support the school district in providing the best teachers, curriculum and facilities needed to prepare our students for what lies ahead. Comal County Isd District Map - Comal County Isd District Map - Locating a map of your county's district may be difficult. Low 52F. M-F 10-2. . 1, Did not respond. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Top priorities for me are transparency in how board decisions are made. What is your current or most recent occupation? Answers from candidates have not been edited or fact-checked. Nine out of the 10 incumbents on the ballot won reelection. Preliminary election results for three open seats on the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD school board show voters chose experience with one exception. It is imperative the Board of Trustees be comprised of people who are ready to set aside personal political ideologies and collaborate in a way that, together, advocates for what is in the best interest of our students. These acquired skills give me a key understanding of educational requirements and issues, personnel and disciplinary issues, construction, capacity planning, maintenance and finances as well as the caring and compassion needed to understand and address any issues facing the Comal ISD School Board. School Board District 1. Clay Page will be the new trustee representing Place No. 7. After graduating with a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia Lauren was a freelance journalist and worked as a college English teacher in China. (Courtesy Adobe Stock). Each To be elected to a school board, an individual must be a qualified voter: 18 years of age or older, a U.S citizen, a Texas resident, a registered voter, not determined to be totally or partially mentally incapacitated by an appropriate court, and not finally convicted of a felony. Error! According to a letter sent to residents from Comal ISD. March 14, 2012 Candidates for the Comal ISD School Board including Stephen Smith (District 1), David Drastata (District 2) and Amy Freund (District 5) are all unopposed for the May 12. He was one of two trustees to vote against removing the mask mandate. Shedefeated Drastata Saturday with just under 59% of the vote. We also need to make sure that before we continue to let people outside of the district register students here, we have sufficient staffing, especially for our students who are [in special education], [English language learners] and on 504 plans. While the district must manage the predicted exponential growth occurring in our area, the community should be aware of, and participate in, the efforts to maintain high-quality educational opportunities for our growing student population. I do believe the pressure put on students and teachers to perform is not necessary. For TPR's full Voter Guide, click here. Copyright 2021 Comal County Republican Party Paid for by the Comal County Republican Party. It is our responsibility to use money wisely, and the wisest thing we can do is pay our teachers more, but not only our teachers, we also need to pay our support staff more. From my perspective Comal does not treat their school employees well. For best results call during our business hours And though COVID is thought of as being to blame, math scores for students across all grade levels K-12 have dropped from 50% in 2019 to 35% in 2021, and similarly in other disciplines. Do you think your district treats its teachers, principals and support personnel well? Brittany Soto, 19, poses in front of Canyon High School in New Braunfels, where she graduated last May. Comal ISD incumbent Tim Hennessee received 61% of the vote in his race, despite facing two challengers. Trustee meetings drew packed board rooms this year following a series of controversial actions, motivating those who opposed their decisions to launch a get-out-the-vote campaign. I am involved in and understand the community, and I have based my campaign on the collective opinions and objectives of family stakeholders in the district. Low 52F. Texas called me back home and I transferred to Texas Tech University, where I majored in Wildlife Management. Looking to replace the District 6 trustee seat for Comal ISD, which is currently occupied by Marty Bartlett, are newcomers Amanda Jones and Amber Bracegirdle. I was born and raised in Comal County and attended Smithson Valley High School where I played football and was a member of the track & field team throughout my high school years. If the state wants to administer and test to collect data to evaluate the public school system, I have no problem with that. By Lauren Canterberry I do believe Comal ISD is doing a good job in educating our students. Also . Hes returning to the board after resigning to join the Alamo Colleges Board in 2019. TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. *Tim Hennessee: District No. Board of Trustees Agendas & Minutes Board Policies Elections Meeting Schedule Meeting Video Single Member Districts Past Board Elections After graduating with a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia Lauren was a freelance journalist and worked as a college English teacher in China. Served on the districts Safety Committee? For more information about the Comal County Elections, click here. My wife, Tory, and I attend Northeast Bible Church and have two daughters who go to Garden Ridge Elementary School. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. This is a state issue however. Rafael Diaz, who was appointed to replace Macias, won the District 7 seat, which represents all of Judson. accounts, the history behind an article. Comal ISD is very reliant on homeowners to provide growth funding. Note: Names are listed in order of appearance on the ballot according to the city clerks' office. I want to use my skills to help our districts children thrive in an educational environment. To the registered voters of the Comal Independent School District, Texas: (A los votantes registrados del Distrito Escolar Independiente de Comal, Texas:) Notice is hereby given that the vote centers listed below will be open 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on May 1, 2021, for voting in a general election in single-member districts 1 and 2 to elect The Texas Secretary of State's elections department is also an excellent resource for election/candidacy questions and can be reached at (512) 463-5650 or http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/index.shtml Submit application to: Comal ISD, 1404 IH 35 North, New Braunfels, Texas, 78130, US Also, Im a Latina this is important because the makeup of our board is not representative of our community. School Board Elections: Comal ISD Texas Public Radio Published April 19, 2021 at 1:20 AM CDT Note: Names are listed in order of appearance on the ballot according to the city clerks' office. Clark joins Megan Louise Willis, who will appear as Megan Stratemann-Willis on the ballot, and James Randall Lenard, who will appear on the ballot as Randy Lenard for one of two seats. Internet stream is unaffected. person will not be tolerated. Sign up today! I challenge voters to look at the most recent grade report on their local school and not be horrified. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. please consider making your gift of support today. Where are our new students coming from? Why or why not? We will continue to lose teachers, and we will start to see students leave this district. School Board District 6. In addition, several San Antonio-area school districts are holding bond elections, including: Comal ISD: $500 . The pandemic created significant gaps, and they need to be addressed in meaningful ways, so our students go into the next phases of their education prepared. The other three members of her slate, Judit Vega, Luke Amphlett and Yasmn Parra Codina, received 40 to 45% of the vote in their races. As a Board, we are committed to ensuring that our teachers, staff and auxiliary employees are compensated fairly for the work they do on behalf of our students.. The Comal ISD board of trustees had a busy night Monday, but after some public comments on the district's mask policy the meeting largely focused on the district's tax rate and bond elections. Student grades are not improving, and the loss of teachers is making it worse. Ive always visualized Comal County as the place where I would raise a family. 1 Click here to find out what district you are in. Candidates set for May 7 school boards and City Council ballots, By Catherine Wilson and Steve Knight | The Herald-Zeitung. This could be done by being more proactive in reducing construction costs via replication of construction designs. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. | Camille Phillips can be reached at camille@tpr.org, on Instagram at camille.m.phillips and on Twitter at @cmpcamille. Each and every child in our district should be prepared for a productive and fulfilling future. One of the first things we need to do is have conversations and work closely with city leaders to learn about new developments being approved so we can make growth projections and plan accordingly. Code 11.061; Tex. I stand up for what I believe in, and I am highly motivated to see our schools succeed. I enjoy hunting, fishing, or traveling when I have the time. Yes, there are pockets of goodness in individual teachers and teams across the district, but for the most part this is dismal and must change. 5:22 PM Apr 7, 2022 CDT Don't knowingly lie about anyone 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. Lastly, it is no secret that there are divisive political agendas threatening to infiltrate our schools a place where these differences should be set aside. D. At first I believe Comal ISD did a good job of providing options to students and parents to see if theyd like to attend in person or remote learning. Retired principal Corrine Saldaa narrowly won election with 33% of the vote. I am married to my wife Beverly for 36 years. My passion and motivation to make a difference are my girls and their education. Elections - District - Comal Independent School District Elections Notice of deadline to file an application for a place on the ballot Notice of Deadline to File It appears you don't have a PDF plugin for this browser. Single-Member District 1 incumbent Steve Lechelop, an attorney who has represented the district since 2013, was narrowly defeated by Sarah Sorensen, a former legislative analyst in the New York State Assembly. These two separate elections will consist of a Voter Approved Tax Ratification Election(VATRE), which will address teacher and staff compensationand new teaching positions,and a Bond Election, which will address continued District growth. Former Judson trustee Jose Macias Jr. will once again represent Judsons District 4. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. Comal ISD, District 7: The trustee candidates speak. CTE Spotlight: Health Science Students Gain Experience, Earn Certifications Support for TPR's Education News Desk comes from H-E-B Helping Here. I have worked in these fields for companies such as Texas Instruments, M&M/MARS-Wrigley, Russell Stover Candies, and John B. Sanfilippo & Sons/Fisher Nuts. I would have voted to keep the mask mandate. Sign up today! We publish election results following each election. 5:11 PM Feb 2, 2021 CST That is the equivalent of adding an entire high school to our district every year. Being sure our children are at the forefront of all decisions made by the school district is my top priority, and I will continue to advocate for the conservative family values that are important to many living in Comal County. Voting and Election Information | Comal County, Texas Home Elections BBM & Early Voting Data May 7, 2022 Election Ballot by Mail and Early Voter Data Data for May 7, 2022 Election **NOTE: If an election entity is not hyperlinked, no data has been reported for that date. Election day will be November 8, 2022. TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. Maintain the ongoing academic and extracurricular success of our students. Withitspassage, teachers and staff would receive a 3 percent pay increase this year with auxiliarypersonnelreceivinga$1.50 hourly pay increase. *Courtney Beach Biasatti: District No. If you value our commitment to the highest standards of responsible journalism and are able to do so, please consider making your gift of support today. I also want to serve because I want ALL students to feel safe in our classrooms and hallways across the district. An application of a candidate for a place on the election ballot must be filed with the Districts Board Secretary or the Secretarys designated agent at the Districts Central office location not later than 5:00 p.m. of the 78th day before the date of the election and not earlier than the 30th day before the date of the filing deadline, as per Education Code 11.055. Each trustee on the Board is elected separately from the single-member district in which he/she resides. Currently I am an English Language Arts and Reading high school teacher working with 9th-12th grade students who are working towards earning English credits so they can stay on track to graduate with their peers. In 2022, four of the seven board seats are up for election. If you are in favor of the progressive ideas eating away at the root of our representative republic and democracy, then do not vote for me. Comal Independent School District Board of Trustees Calls Two Elections to Address Enrollment Growth and Teacher Pay The Comal ISD Board of Trustees called for two elections to be held Nov. 2. Voters in Bexar County's wealthiest school district overwhelmingly approved a tax rate election Tuesday night, but voters in three other Bexar County school districts rejected their districts' requests for bond funding. Eric joined Community Impact as an editor in July 2021, returning to journalism after several years in the New Braunfels business community. The Comal Board of Trustees approved a bond package worth $147.4 million at its February 2015 meeting, that was put to voters on the May 9, 2015, ballot. May 1, 2021 Election Results: Comal ISD The KSAT 12 News Team provides a look at local, regional, statewide and national news events and the latest information on local traffic and weather. KTPD 89.3 FM in Del Rio's broadcast signal is currently down. Would you like to receive our daily news? Comal ISD, located primarily in Comal County, also had an election to watch. I have served as a high school vice principal and have taught at colleges and universities in four states since 2000. Current New Braunfels ISD District 1 trustee Keith D. Smith will face off against Morgan Lindsey Armitage, who will appear as Morgan Renaud on the ballot, for the seat. Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 1, 2, and 5. Heath Pinkerton 21. I am still learning about budgeting. Proactively address district growth. why is my cookies pen blinking purple is there mobile coverage across the nullarbor comal county fire department Prior to CI, Eric freelanced for multiple publications and was a reporter for the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Louie G. Luna, the only viable candidate for Harlandales District 3, won election by just 16 votes. degree in Management. Being a current teacher allows me the ability to understand teachers in the district in a different way. May 7 Election results: School, College Districts Northside ISD, North East ISD, ACCD, Alamo Heights ISD, Boerne ISD, Comal ISD, Harlandale ISD, Ingram ISD, Kerrville ISD,. It now has approximately 30,000 students. Voters in the San Antonio area will also vote in municipal and school board elections. 3:37 PM Feb 22, 2022 CST, Three New Braunfels ISD positions and two Comal ISD positions will appear on the ballot May 7. By Lauren Canterberry The forefront of our goals as board members should be student success, but success is not only grades and test scores. degree in Industrial Engineering and a M.S. Their futures rely on the education they receive while attending Comal ISD schools. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. One of the things that sets me apart from my opponents is that Im currently a teacher and still working with students every day. While there are teachers and staff that they commend, they seem to want to silence some or refuse to hold others accountable for their actions resulting in distrust. Masks are a simple and effective way to help provide that safety. These will be held outside of our regular board meetings. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Mostly clear. Image courtesy of Comal ISD. My goal is not to raise taxes. How would you / do you decide whether or not to approve the budget recommended to you by district administration? As a Trustee, I intend to allow parents to make decisions that are best for their children. 2. 9:53 AM Apr 21, 2021 CDT Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. Northside board policy is to declare whoever wins the most votes the winner, so there wont be a runoff. We must continually perform needs assessments across the district to ensure equity and excellence are maintained in existing facilities while also planning for expansion with new facilities. Internet stream is unaffected. Every Monday evening you'll get caught up with the top stories from the last week. I feel compelled to serve on the Comal ISD Board of Trustees, first and foremost, because I have two young daughters and many friends with children in the district. I feel a very personal and serious responsibility for all children in our growing district and the quality education they receive. Ballotpedia provides in-depth coverage of school board elections in America's largest school districts by enrollment. Board meetings should be live streamed so that all members of our community have the opportunity to attend and participate. You have permission to edit this article. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Incumbents Flo Bernal and James Sullivan, Jr. retained their seats. How should CISD handle growth within the district? City council hopefuls must have resided in their respective districts at least six months prior to filing, have resided in the city at least 12 months prior to the election date, and in no way be currently indebted to the city. Why or why not? This says a lot about my passion and determination to help others. TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. Parents are concerned about what is taught in our classrooms that Texas is not immune to the rampant progressive ideology that is being taught in other states and there is no mechanism in place for our district to give them any kind of assurance.