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. We'd love to hear eyewitness The next election for Board members is scheduled for May 6, 2023. TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. I am an active member of the community, serving as the chairman of an advisory commission for the city of Garden Ridge over the past four years and coaching sports teams for my children. We don't have the staff to meet currently enrolled needs, so this has to be addressed and continually assessed if we're ever going to have a hope of breaking out of the cycle of hiring contractors that take us over budget. Comal ISD candidate, 19, is one year out of high school and running for comal county fire department I feel a very personal and serious responsibility for all children in our growing district and the quality education they receive. More students came back to in person learning when they saw how effective the precautions were. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Comal Independent School District elections (2015) - Ballotpedia 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. Comal ISD voters will weigh $527 million bond at polls in November CTE Spotlight: Health Science Students Gain Experience, Earn Certifications . Greetings, Texans. By Lauren Canterberry I have a B.S. Comal Independent School District elections 2015 bond package See also: What was at stake in the 2015 Comal Independent School District election? Incumbent Laurie Schley lost to former board member Jason York in the race for District 3. Collecting information regarding the budget, profit and loss potential. 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. degree in Management. 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. A keen eye must be kept on how our tax monies are being spent. TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. Prior to CI, Eric freelanced for multiple publications and was a reporter for the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Don't knowingly lie about anyone In addition, several San Antonio-area school districts are holding bond elections, including: Comal ISD: $500 . We have difficult decisions ahead in the district that will challenge the resolve of the Trustees. Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 1, 2, and 5. These two separate elections will address the district's enrollment growth and teacher compensation. Proposition D, at $34,540,000 will fund student and teacherinstructional technologyand network infrastructure projects. Be Nice. Please download the PDF file. Current board president and UTSA education professor Carol Harle easily won reelection in District 6, and incumbent Karen Freeman received the majority of the vote, even with a crowded field of three challengers. Mainly sunny. 5:22 PM Apr 7, 2022 CDT We've already got a shortfall of budget around special education. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. While I feel that the other three candidates in the Comal ISD District 7 Trustee race have skills sets that are good and well meaning, I believe I possess the skill sets that encompass the broad picture of the Comal ISD. 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. Mainly sunny. School discipline at some schools are lax and district policy is not always enforced. But I believe transparency and accountability lead to trust throughout an organization, and no matter how an organization is currently run, there are always improvements that can be made in transparency and accountability. 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. Revenue generated by the VATREcould fund compensation increasesofup tothree percent annually over the next three to four years. 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. Preliminary election results for three open seats on the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD school board show voters chose experience with one exception. Meet the Teacher, Orientation, & Open House, Lamar University Educational Leadership Program. Being a current teacher allows me the ability to understand teachers in the district in a different way. 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. Board of Trustees Agendas & Minutes Board Policies Elections Meeting Schedule Meeting Video Single Member Districts Past Board Elections 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. We publish election results following each election. My goal is not to raise taxes. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. Also . Support our teachers and staff. 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. School board terms are four years long. We have a daughter Carolyn who is a Pharmacist in Austin. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Mostly clear. Error! There is a trust that comes from our Constitution that the republic works, and that the People will elect in a fair election the only kind we have here in Texas the representative whose values best represents them. Every Monday evening you'll get caught up with the top stories from the last week. After the filing period for the upcoming May election closed Feb. 18, a total of 12 candidates filed for two Comal ISD and three New Braunfels ISD trustee positions. This would include being proactive in seeking out land to buy for future construction. Enrollment (14-15) 20,327 students. My goal is to see our district continue being a pacesetter in statewide education. New Braunfels voters will elect CISD school board members for districts 6 and 7. What could it be doing better? There was no communication with teachers or parents. Amanda Jones and. 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. 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. What experience do you have making financial decisions? Support for TPR's Education News Desk comes from H-E-B Helping Here. Updated Note: Names are listed in order of appearance on the ballot according to the city clerks' office. What is your current or most recent occupation? Transparency is critical to our constituents whether they have children in the district, or not. That is the equivalent of adding an entire high school to our district every year. August 17, 2021 - Monday evening, the Comal ISD Board of Trustees called for two elections to be held on Nov. 2. I served in the Army Corps of Engineers with the 25th Infantry Division. Texas Public Radio | This skill set will lend itself well to future capital construction projects the Comal ISD will seek out to meet future expected growth. Comal ISD, located primarily in Comal County, also had an election to watch. I plan to have town hall meetings with anyone in the district who wishes to be heard. 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. TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. By. Carey Watson Hildebrand will represent Place No. November 2, 2021 Election Results (all): Texas constitutional - KSAT The statistics show that masks work in helping slow the spread of Covid. Those board member positions are occupied by Marty Bartlett and Cody Mueller, respectively.. Also seeking to win one of the at-large trustee seats, which are currently held by Clark and David Heefner, is Matthew D. Sargent. Updated Low 52F. Comal Independent School District, District 4 General Election, 3-year term, 2014; Party Candidate Vote % Votes Nonpartisan : Denise Kern: 61.2%: 386 Nonpartisan : Nancy Pappas Incumbent: 38.8%: 245: Total Votes: 631: Source: Comal Independent School District, "Comal ISD School Board Election Results," May 10, 2014 Answers from candidates have not been edited or fact-checked. For TPR's full Voter Guide, click here. We are one of the fastest growing districts in the area if not the state. Meet the Teacher, Orientation, & Open House, Lamar University Educational Leadership Program. 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 This would enable us to locate our schools within satisfactory distances for parents to send their children. 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. 1What is your current or most recent occupation? 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. Be a voice for all Comal ISD communities. One big challenge I have mentioned previously is to manage the phenomenal growth that Comal County has been experiencing the last 5 years. 1, Did not respond. I feel as if this prevents students from having a good learning environment and reaching their full potential. 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. 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. 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. Another challenge facing Comal ISD is the lack of transparency from board members and accessibility for community members. 9 Out Of 10 Bexar County School Board Incumbents Retain Seats; Comal I want to participate in the process to fix it as your trustee. Four seats on the Comal Independent School District Board of Trustees were up for general election on May 9, 2015. I know for a fact we are overspending in certain areas of our budget via open record requests. I am still learning about budgeting. 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. (Warren Brown/Community Impact Newspaper). Why reinvent the wheel. Every Monday evening you'll get caught up with the top stories from the last week. Ill focus on the latter. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Success! 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. I taught one year at an Alternative Charter School in Schertz to middle school students and high school students. What would be your top priorities if you are elected? Comal ISD is divided into single-member districts and has a seven-member Board of Trustees. I feel that I have the skill set necessary to meet future capacity demand requirements. School Board Election - Plano Independent School District If the state wants to administer and test to collect data to evaluate the public school system, I have no problem with that. Increasing teacher pay to keep teachers in Comal ISD would be a step in the right direction. Comal ISD single-member districts 6 and 7 are up for election this year and are occupied by Marty Bartlett and Cody Mueller, respectively. San Antonios largest school district, Northside ISD, had three competitive races on the ballot. Each and every child in our district should be prepared for a productive and fulfilling future. Comal County Isd District Map - Comal County Isd District Map - Locating a map of your county's district may be difficult. Folks, I dont like the gamesmanship with student testing. One of the school boards primary responsibilities is to approve a budget. Comal County Isd District Map - CountiesMap.com Zapata was disqualified from the race due to residency issues. 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. 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. School board candidates must be registered voters, reside in the district they are filing for and must have resided within the school district for at least six months. 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. School Board District 6. For New Braunfels ISD, there are two at large trustee seats and one for District 1 up for grabs, while Comal ISD is looking to fill trustee positions for District 6 and 7. Currently, COMAL ISD comprises over 40% minorities in our student body; yet, representation on the school board does not reflect this. Because I have children in the district, I am 100% invested in what is best for students. I have over 13 years of experience making financial decisions. Each The candidate filing period is August 2-16, 2022. 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 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. Neither filed for re-election. Meeting Schedule - District - Comal Independent School District For best results call during our business hours that is degrading to another person. I would look at copying other school designs for expansions so we can reduce design and architecture costs. Comal ISD is very reliant on homeowners to provide growth funding. As a recent student of Comal ISD, I was taught to look at and believe the math and the science. 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. Comal ISD residents who need to register to vote or need to update their voter registration due to a recent change of address,maydo so untilOct. 4. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. Incumbent Wes Clark is looking to defend his New Braunfels ISD at-large trustee seat. Voting and Election Information | Comal County, Texas If approved by voters, the Maintenance and Operations tax rate for 2021 would be 94 cents compared to 2020s tax rate of 92 cents. Teacher retention and pay is crucial to insuring we have the best teachers for our children. If the School Board approves the updated Hillsborough County District Map, the students of thousands could be affected during the next school year. For more information about the Comal County Elections, click here. As for being an educator for 6 years, I have seen what works and what did not work in these other school districts. Copyright 2021 Comal County Republican Party Paid for by the Comal County Republican Party. What would be your top priorities if you are elected? Most charter schools follow strict guidelines to for their test scores and are very selective of their students. Threats of harming another 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. Comal ISD is divided into single-member districts and has a seven-member Board of Trustees. Diaz is married to Texas State Board of Education member Marisa Perez-Diaz and was endorsed by Julin Castro. 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. You have permission to edit this article. As a retired educator, I have a keen understanding of what goes on in the classroom and the issues facing our teachers and administrators. I want your vote as the trustee for our district because I am greatly concerned about the reasons why good teachers and staff are leaving our district, some after only three or four months in the classroom; why bus routes are being canceled; why teachers get yearly pay cuts because any increase they get is less than the rise of inflation, pay cuts, and the failing grades! School Board / School Board Elections - c-ischools.org I am a parent with a long-term vested interest in the district. We are working to restore the radio signal. Comal Independent School District Board of Trustees, District 2 Masks are a simple and effective way to help provide that safety. 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. Elec. The Comal ISD Board of Trustees approved a bond package that will accommodate continued enrollment growth as well as address items such as campus safety and security, student technology, and expansions and improvements at existing campuses during a meeting on Feb. 15. We do not need to do deficit budgeting. I would have polled the constituents in my district- all staff, parents and student input would be considered before casting my vote. Teaching skills sought by local businesses would be key to providing our taxpayer base with the students they will need in the future. My top priorities include: Looking at our budget and finding where we are overspending so that we can find a way to pay teachers and support staff more; making sure we are being more transparent and accessible to parents, Comal ISD staff and all community members; offering support by listening to Comal ISD staff to find out what things need to change in our schools to ensure student success; and communicating with constituents. Career Training is an important by product of our educational system. Local school boards dont have much of a say in this. Why? May 1, 2021 Election Results: Comal ISD - KSAT I believe handling growth is going to come down to understanding the data around that growth. I think the biggest challenges are the erosion of discipline in schools, current progressive ideology that is tainting the purpose of education, the philosophy and approach to student performance and learning in school, and STAAR test results. Why or why not? School Board Elections - Republican Party - Comal County GOP A new exhibit reconsiders its complicated history, Rosie Castro confirmed as temporary council member for San Antonios District 7, Former SAPD officer who shot Erik Cantu Jr. receives criminal trial start date in June. Comal ISD is divided into single-member districts and has a seven-member Board of Trustees. 3:37 PM Feb 22, 2022 CST 9:53 AM Apr 21, 2021 CDT 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 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. This is a challenge. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. Big Country elections: 3 of 4 school bond proposals defeated Would you like to receive our daily news. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The idea of approaching grade level level, for example, is touted as the mark for schools to achieve comfort. Dont be bamboozled! 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. 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. Did not respond. Each has . Proposition C, at$20,397,672, will fundstadium capacityexpansion projects at both Canyon Lake and Davenport High Schools. 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. School funding elections see mixed results in the San Antonio area 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. 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. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. Comal Independent School District Educ. Questions regarding elections can be directed to Melanie Allen at (763)689-6202 or mallen@c-ischools.org. racist or sexually-oriented language. VisitVotetexas.govfor more information on how to register. Manage growth within the district by being as fiscally responsible as the Comal ISD Board should be. Comal ISD, District 7: The trustee candidates speak. Casey Moeller 13. Early voting begins April 25 and ends May 3. PDF COMAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 1404 IH 35 North, New Braunfels Updated In addition, taxpayers continue to receive the benefit of the 20 percent local homestead exemption, which equates to $65 per month, or $780 per year, in savings. Answers from candidates have not been edited or fact-checked. Courtney Beach Biasatti, Drastatas opponent, said she would have polled her constituents before making a decision about masks. Code 11.002. Beginning on April 19, there will be an election for three members of the Board of Trustees for Comal Independent School District. He received 38% of the vote, placing him a fraction ahead of Lillian Zapata. 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. (Courtesy Adobe Stock). 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. Bond 2023 - District - Comal Independent School District 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. 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. 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. KTPD 89.3 FM in Del Rio's broadcast signal is currently down. (Community Impact Newspaper staff). So, I plan to look at our current spending and see where we can make changes. Due to large volume of calls messages left may not be promptly answered. I would love the opportunity to work with teachers and parents across the district to promote the well-being of our students. 1 The forefront of our goals as board members should be student success, but success is not only grades and test scores. He was one of two trustees to vote against removing the mask mandate. Comal ISD is a very large land mass. Use the 'Report' link on Proposition A will also fundcampusreinvestmentandinfrastructure projectsas well asthe purchase ofcampus safety and security,busesand land. Lastly, Im a mother, a breast-feeding mother, a mother of four, a working-class mother. Good communications between schools and parents is sometimes not there, and teachers and staff are leaving because of a lack of trust or for other unknown reasons because our Central Office doesnt have a process to analyze why.