1, Did not respond. High 82F. We need to look at how we plan out future growth by working with local leaders in New Braunfels, Garden Ridge, Canyon Lake and Smithson Valley to insure we meet this growth in a fiscally responsible manner. Comal ISD is very reliant on homeowners to provide growth funding. The Comal Independent School District board of trustees is gearing up for a bond election and a tax rate increase election in November. My kids are twelve, six, four, and I recently had another child who is almost seven months now. Have my opponents served as a vice principal? | Low 52F. Revenue generated by the VATREcould fund compensation increasesofup tothree percent annually over the next three to four years. I came into education in my later years through alternative certification pursuing a specialty in career and technical education while getting certified in High School Math and Science, Business Education, Social Studies, Career and Technical Education, and Grades 4-8 Math, Science, Social Studies and Generalist. What would be your top priorities if you are elected? It now has approximately 30,000 students. I am still learning about budgeting. Another challenge facing Comal ISD is the lack of transparency from board members and accessibility for community members. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. We need to be very proactive in locating where new housing developments are going up and how to serve the educational needs of our fast growing district. Even though she was the only member of the slate to win election, Sorensen said narrow margins in the other races show a lot of people are behind them. We do not need to do deficit budgeting. So, I plan to look at our current spending and see where we can make changes. 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. I challenge voters to look at the most recent grade report on their local school and not be horrified. We need to reach out to local or even corporate businesses to see if we could get any donations from them. I have experience in Engineering, Cost Accounting, Production Planning and Plant Operations Management. This skill set will lend itself well to future capital construction projects the Comal ISD will seek out to meet future expected growth. This concept of approaching means your student is likely to succeed in the next grade level. How likely is not at all stated for you! 5. Experience: 6 years as a certified teacher in the State of Texas. Election day will be November 8, 2022. Folks, I dont like the gamesmanship with student testing. 3:37 PM Feb 22, 2022 CST, Three New Braunfels ISD positions and two Comal ISD positions will appear on the ballot May 7. I know what they are dealing with when it comes to changes from TEA or Governor Abbott because Im also dealing with those changes and learning how to navigate teaching and everything else that is being thrown at us. Teachers in some cases are even overworked due to the high demand to meet their high standards. TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. Casey Moeller 13. My goal is not to raise taxes. 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 5:11 PM Feb 2, 2021 CST, Applications for election to the school boards will be accepted until Feb. 12. Jason Isbell 5. FILE PHOTO: A sign tells people where to cast their ballots. Three possibilities exist to consider a new map in the future. Comal ISD, District 7: The trustee candidates speak. Tex. Answers from candidates have not been edited or fact-checked. 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. Comal ISD, District 1 Tim Hennessee, Incumbent Brittany Soto Comal ISD, District 2 David Drastata, Incumbent I want to participate in the process to fix it as your trustee. Voters in the San Antonio area will also vote in municipal and school board elections. By Lauren Canterberry Note: Names are listed in order of appearance on the ballot according to the city clerks' office. Because I understand some of the financial burdens placed on school districts, I will strongly advocate for teachers and taxpayers at the state level to ensure that more of our tax dollars stay in our own fast-growing district. Comal ISD Trustees Adopt Tax Rate, Approve Separate Elections to Address Compensation, Growth Stephanie Johnson August 17, 2021 Comal ISD's 2017 $263.5 million school-bond package included $94 million for the construction of two middle schools and $21.3 million for technology. In addition, utilizing school design replication would lower design costs, maintenance costs and fixture costs. By Eric Weilbacher, Lauren Canterberry You have permission to edit this article. Elec. One of the things that sets me apart from my opponents is that Im currently a teacher and still working with students every day. Copyright 2021 Comal County Republican Party Paid for by the Comal County Republican Party. By Lauren Canterberry Also . Student grades are not improving, and the loss of teachers is making it worse. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. 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. What grade on an A-F scale would you give your districts response to the coronavirus pandemic. Maintain the ongoing academic and extracurricular success of our students. I believe in hard work and integrity demanded it of my own children and students and will demand it of this board if you elect me. Teachers must know their school board has their back. 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. 3:37 PM Feb 22, 2022 CST This will have a domino effect on our community if we do not address this before the coming school year. 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. 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.. They will be joined by Daniel Carrillo. One of the school boards primary responsibilities is to approve a budget. 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. We must continue to study the projected growth in the district so we can make strategic decisions regarding when and where to purchase land. TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. The last day to register to vote for this election is April 7. The early years of my post-graduate career were spent in the outdoor industry, beginning with the famed YO Ranch and, soon after, a luxury wing-shooting lodge in Kentucky. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. 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. If approved by voters, the Maintenance and Operations tax rate for 2021 would be 94 cents compared to 2020s tax rate of 92 cents. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) The celebration surrounding Damian Lillard's record-breaking performance was short-lived. 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. (Community Impact Newspaper staff), Editor, New Braunfels and San Marcos/Buda/Kyle. Diaz is married to Texas State Board of Education member Marisa Perez-Diaz and was endorsed by Julin Castro. I have a BA in Math Education, an MS in Computer Systems from the Air Force Institute of Technology, am teacher-certified in Hawaii and Texas, have certifications from TEA as a math teacher, and am Texas Principal-certified. I am a full-time student at St. Phillips College. Voters in Bexar and Guadalupe Counties re-elected Place 4 trustee Edward Finley and chose retired teacher Belinda Evans to represent Place 7. Why or why not? Drastata and four other board candidates voted to remove the districts mask mandate in March without surveying parents or giving them time to make alternative plans. With the end of the month-long candidate-filing period for the May 7 elections last week, the slate of hopefuls for seats on area school boards and the New Braunfels City Council is set. The housing policy coordinator was endorsed by former San Antonio Mayor and HUD Secretary Julin Castro, and the Northside chapter of the American Federation of Teachers. CISD has done a great job keeping the schools open and I hope they remain open through the end of the school year. Heath Pinkerton 21. Student success will always be a top priority for discussion in quarterly meetings with community members. Success! I do volunteer charity work for the Garden Ridge Lions Club as the club Vice President. 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. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. 1 It should also allow contractors to sharpen their pencils on how to rebuild similar buildings based on previous experience. I do believe Comal ISD is doing a good job in educating our students. Do you think your district treats its teachers, principals and support personnel well? While I acknowledge that each student has different learning style, I do not support charter schools. Sorensen said she wants parents and students to have more of a say in their schools, and to bring more transparency to the budgeting process. that is degrading to another person. Questions regarding elections can be directed to Melanie Allen at (763)689-6202 or mallen@c-ischools.org. Neither filed for re-election. Image courtesy of Comal ISD. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Proposition B, at $61,487,803, willfunda variety ofathletic programenhancementprojects at Canyon,Canyon Lake, Smithson Valley High and Mountain Valley Middle. Neither filed for re-election. 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. Three out of every four voters chose current Board President Norma Cavazos over former trustee David Abundis, who resigned during TEAs investigation into the district. 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. I am Orlando OJ Dona, and with your vote I will be your Trustee for Comal ISD SMD 7 on May 7, 2022. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. School board terms are four years long. For TPR's full Voter Guide, click here. In 2016, I accepted a position at a startup within Rackspace and, once again, came home to the Hill Country this time, forever. Updated Texas Public Radio. For the past two years, theComal ISDBoard has beenworking witha group of community members representing all areas of the districttodevelop abondpackage that allows the district to continue to addressnearly6,000new students who are projected to enroll in Comal ISD over the next five years. VisitVotetexas.govfor more information on how to register. That means we need to open the doors of our schools and invite our taxpayers to see the facilities and programs that could not be possible without their financial support. Why? New Braunfels voters will elect CISD school board members for districts 6 and 7. Teacher retention and pay is crucial to insuring we have the best teachers for our children. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the school district and how do you plan to address them? 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. Finally, high-quality teacher retention and recruitment is a significant challenge, and we must seek creative solutions to funding increases. Success! This tally should include: Understanding of Texas and New Braunfels. Creating accountability to our parents, students and staff where it might be lacking now through open communication. Rule ISD. This would include being proactive in seeking out land to buy for future construction. If Harlandales board policy required candidates to win a majority of the vote, trustees would have had to either call a special election or appoint someone to represent District 3. Of adjoining school districts bordering Comal ISD, our teachers are number six in terms of compensation. As one of the board members correctly pointed out, there's no way that Comal ISD will ever close the gap between what we can offer and the private sector, but we're paying the higher price regardless, which is taking us over budget. Ill focus on the latter. degree in Management. Brittany Soto, 19, poses in front of Canyon High School in New Braunfels, where she graduated last May. Former Judson trustee Jose Macias Jr. will once again represent Judsons District 4. By Lauren Canterberry Click here to find out what district you are in. Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 1, 2, and 5. Our coverage includes school board member and candidate profiles, noteworthy election issues, district data, and more. Have they mentored students in the National Honor Society or won awards for Robotics at the Texas State Level with their kiddos? Sitting in a quiet room for 4 hours straight with only a lunch break is not an efficient way to ensure our students are retaining information. The biggest challenge facing Comal ISD is low teacher pay. We have lived in Garden Ridge for over 10 years. Comal ISD is very reliant on homeowners to provide growth funding. Their futures rely on the education they receive while attending Comal ISD schools. What would be your top priorities if you are elected? Students go through immense amounts of stress and pressure to pass these tests. I do not like the latest unofficial grades for our school district and how our students are not meeting basic educational standards set for the [State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness], and in Math and Science. Proposition C, at$20,397,672, will fundstadium capacityexpansion projects at both Canyon Lake and Davenport High Schools. The last day to apply for a ballot by mail (received not postmarked) is April 26. Mainly sunny. Code 11.002. The goal of these lawsuits is to nullify Governor Abbotts Executive Order GA-36 on mask mandates in schools and give that power to school boards throughout the state. M-F 10-2. Lillard set franchise and career marks with 71 points tied for the most in the NBA this season and 13 3-pointers in the Portland Trail Blazers' 131 -114 victory over the Houston Apartment Therapy flipped into Apartment Therapy *Courtney Beach Biasatti: District No. I believe I have a unique set of skills which will allow me to do that. 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. 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. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. Be a voice for all Comal ISD communities. She currently works as a COVID-19 contact tracer. This allows me to literally Think Outside the Box when looking at solutions to problems facing the community and its educational requirements. Threats of harming another Board meetings should be live streamed so that all members of our community have the opportunity to attend and participate. That matters when we think about community involvement and equity. Due to large volume of calls messages left may not be promptly answered. Thats a responsibility I take really seriously coming into the board.. Youth Development Director for Ignite Volleyball Association. I also want to serve because I want ALL students to feel safe in our classrooms and hallways across the district. I am guided by my own motives and the wisdom of like-minded others who have the singular goal of graduating children ready for the challenges they will meet in the future. Comal ISD, located primarily in Comal County, also had an election to watch. I would look at copying other school designs for expansions so we can reduce design and architecture costs. May 6, 2017. Last fall, current Board President David Drastata called the coronavirus the China virus in an athletic booster letter, a term criticized for contributing to anti-Asian rhetoric. As a Trustee, I intend to allow parents to make decisions that are best for their children. For more information about the Comal County Elections, click here. Comal ISD, located primarily in Comal County, also had an election to watch. Our teachers work hard for our students, and, if I am elected, I plan to take a fiscally conservative approach to increase teacher compensation. Joel Torres III 6. This says a lot about my passion and determination to help others. Every Monday evening you'll get caught up with the top stories from the last week. I am married to my wife Beverly for 36 years. Meet the Teacher, Orientation, & Open House, Lamar University Educational Leadership Program. Ryan and I made our home New Braunfels seven years ago, and we have loved living here. Served on the districts Safety Committee? Seats representing District 1 and 2 on the City Council are up for grabs, as incumbents Shane Hines and Justin Meadows did not file for reelection. Before this, I worked at Ed White Middle School in NEISD for four years. Withitspassage, teachers and staff would receive a 3 percent pay increase this year with auxiliarypersonnelreceivinga$1.50 hourly pay increase. I think it shows our message has resonated with the community, and people are ready for change, Sorensen said. The forefront of our goals as board members should be student success, but success is not only grades and test scores. I do not know my opponents, but you have educated yourself and have decided, based our experience and education, whether we are the people for the job and you will vote for the best person accordingly. My time as a teacher has been rewarding, exciting, and, at times, mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting. The candidate filing period is August 2-16, 2022. 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. Error! Teachers and support staff are responsible for student success they spend time with our students every day of the school year, and they should be making a wage that matches the work they put in each and every day. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. Comal ISD is a very large land mass. Each In doing so, we will achieve the best quality education. The District 5 seat, left open for the first time in 31 years after longtime trustee Katie Reed decided not to run for reelection, also attracted four candidates. During those three years of college, I cared for my four-year-old, married my husband, Ryan, and had two more children. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Mostly clear. Educ. Christopher Willis and Fabian Castillo Dealva are seeking the District 2 seat. I have lived in New Braunfels 11+ years and have a family of four two of which graduated from Canyon High School. Greetings, Texans. Details about the VATRE and Bond 2021 can be found on theDistrictswebsite. 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. 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. Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 3 and 5. Students, parents, and staffed should not have to worry about contracting the virus while going to school. I am a parent with a long-term vested interest in the district. Beginning on April 19, there will be an election for three members of the Board of Trustees for Comal Independent School District. (Community Impact Newspaper staff). If the state wants to administer and test to collect data to evaluate the public school system, I have no problem with that. Cheryl . Local school boards dont have much of a say in this. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Mostly clear. 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. Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 1, 2, and 5. Collecting information regarding the budget, profit and loss potential. A keen eye must be kept on how our tax monies are being spent. Why or why not? Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. I will also expand teacher inputs into district decision-making and create a teacher task force for addressing student discipline, social media and teacher pay. I have served as a high school vice principal and have taught at colleges and universities in four states since 2000. We need to keep expanding our programs to keep up with our rapidly growing district. This can be accomplished by replicating school designs which should lower design and construction costs, lowering maintenance parts and fixture costs, and allowing contractors to look at previous issues and correcting those in lower price bids. More students came back to in person learning when they saw how effective the precautions were. Comal ISD single-member districts 6 and 7 are up for election this year and are occupied by Marty Bartlett and Cody Mueller, respectively. Comal ISD has a seven-member Board of Trustees. This allows me to have a completely neutral view of Comal ISD as I do not have any favorites in terms of schools, teachers, and administrators nor do I have any negative views either. No board, no person, no institution is perfect. Board of Trustees Agendas & Minutes Board Policies Elections Meeting Schedule Meeting Video Single Member Districts Past Board Elections 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. 9:53 AM Apr 21, 2021 CDT degree in Industrial Engineering and a M.S. Schools should keep students safe and secure while they learn. I am willing to collaborate and solve the challenges or stand in respectful opposition when I believe something is not in the best interest of the families of Comal County. 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. You have permission to edit this article. Answers from candidates have not been edited or fact-checked. Share with Us. Manage growth within the district by being as fiscally responsible as the Comal ISD Board should be. In following years, the tax rate is projected to lower back to 92 cents in 2022 and 91 cents in 2023 due to rising property appraisal values. Click here to find out what district you are in. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. 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. As an educated, experienced trustee, I can help effect this change. We are working to restore the radio signal. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. I do believe the pressure put on students and teachers to perform is not necessary. 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. I want to use my skills to help our districts children thrive in an educational environment. I would have voted to keep the mask mandate. 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. Comal County Isd District Map - Comal County Isd District Map - Locating a map of your county's district may be difficult. Preliminary election results for three open seats on the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD school board show voters chose experience with one exception. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Board members should be willing to talk with their constituents and work with them to ensure every voice is heard and taken into account when making decisions. If successful, this issue will become the responsibility of each school district to decide on, potentially in perpetuity. 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. 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. We publish election results following each election. Each has . An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The Board's primary functions are goal setting, approving the budget and policymaking. 2. Northside board policy is to declare whoever wins the most votes the winner, so there wont be a runoff. However, downtown residents and residents of the Monte Vista, King William and Lavaca neighborhoods opted for new representation in the San Antonio Independent School District. One side consists of parents and students, another side consists of teachers and administrators and support staff. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. With a very dynamic growth rate, Comal ISD is poised to continue growing at a rapid pace. Code 11.061; Tex. If you are not an incumbent, would you have voted to rescind the mask mandate? According to a letter sent to residents from Comal ISD. If you are an incumbent, please defend your vote on the decision to rescind the districts mask mandate March 9. [1] All meetings are at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. TheBoard called for aVATREto generate additional local revenue toprovide teachers and staff with additional compensationand to fund new teaching positions to meet student enrollment growth. Brittany Soto: District No. Hes returning to the board after resigning to join the Alamo Colleges Board in 2019. If the School Board approves the updated Hillsborough County District Map, the students of thousands could be affected during the next school year. * denotes candidates who did not respond to survey requests sent via email and/or phone calls by time of publication. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. Zapata was disqualified from the race due to residency issues. 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. KTPD 89.3 FM in Del Rio's broadcast signal is currently down. Rafael Diaz, who was appointed to replace Macias, won the District 7 seat, which represents all of Judson. or anything. I want to serve on the board because being more involved in the community has not always been easy as a mom and a teacher, so this is my way to get more involved and to help students in a different way. Yes- as a mother of 3 I am very impressed with the current curriculum, Yes- I believe they feel supported by the district. Signup today! Use the 'Report' link on 3:16 PM Apr 25, 2022 CDT, Learn more about the candidates for districts 6 and 7 for the Comal ISD board of trustees. Sign up today! 9:53 AM Apr 21, 2021 CDT, Learn more about the candidates for districts 1 and 2 for the Comal ISD board of trustees. 7. Lastly, Im a mother, a breast-feeding mother, a mother of four, a working-class mother. Low 52F. 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,. One big challenge I have mentioned previously is to manage the phenomenal growth that Comal County has been experiencing the last 5 years. I plan to have town hall meetings with anyone in the district who wishes to be heard.