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. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. I have experience in Engineering, Cost Accounting, Production Planning and Plant Operations Management. *Tim Hennessee: District No. I believe I have a unique set of skills which will allow me to do that. Andres Campos-Delgado, an area manager, Jimmy Vallejo Delgado, a business consultant, and Suzanne Kasey Lynn, a COBRA specialist, have filed for the District 1 seat. New Braunfels police chief finalists announced, Q&A: Meet the candidates running for New Braunfels City Council, From persuasive writing to planting trees, Carl Schurz Elementary students celebrate Earth Day, Q&A's: Meet the candidates running for New Braunfels ISD board of trustees, Comal County surpasses 10K confirmed, probable COVID-19 cases. More students came back to in person learning when they saw how effective the precautions were. 5:11 PM Feb 2, 2021 CST, Applications for election to the school boards will be accepted until Feb. 12. This would include being proactive in seeking out land to buy for future construction. I am married to my wife Beverly for 36 years. Why or why not? Every Monday evening you'll get caught up with the top stories from the last week. All meetings are at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Comal ISD Board of Trustees Calls May Bond Election 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. Do you think your district treats its teachers, principals and support personnel well? NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas - Comal Independent School District Superintendent Andrew Kim will be leaving the district after 10 years. 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. The seats of District 1 incumbent Stephen Smith, District 2 incumbent David Drastata and District 5 incumbent Amy Freund were up for election, in addition to a special election for the District 6 seat held by Marty Bartlett. Ive always visualized Comal County as the place where I would raise a family. 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. Sorensen is the mother of a 5th grader enrolled at SAISDs Bonham Academy and vice-president of the Lavaca Neighborhood Association. degree in Management. Educ. Be a voice for all Comal ISD communities. 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 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.. I want to use my skills to help our districts children thrive in an educational environment. I stand up for what I believe in, and I am highly motivated to see our schools succeed. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. Teacher retention and pay is crucial to insuring we have the best teachers for our children. This will lower maintenance and supply costs. Comal ISD is divided into single-member districts and has a seven-member Board of Trustees. 1 person will not be tolerated. 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. Why do you want to serve on the school board? 5:11 PM Feb 2, 2021 CST An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. 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. 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. This skill set will lend itself well to future capital construction projects the Comal ISD will seek out to meet future expected growth. | I have started youth sport organizations and had to create and approve budgets from year to year. In the race to fill the District 7 trustee seat for the Comal ISD school board, currently held by Cody Mueller, are David Krawczynski, Kaila Stovall, Orlando Joseph Dona, Jr., who will appear as Orlando OJ Dona on the ballot, and Stephen (Steve) Gallets. 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. Click here to find out what district you are in. We are working to restore the radio signal. I want to participate in the process to fix it as your trustee. For TPR's full Voter Guide, click here. Code 11.061; Tex. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. With 16 competitive races spread across six different Bexar County school districts Saturday, familiar names held a lot of sway. 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. Neither filed for re-election. Creating accountability to our parents, students and staff where it might be lacking now through open communication. It should also allow contractors to "sharpen their pencils" on how to rebuild similar buildings based on previous experience. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. M-F 10-2. In addition, several San Antonio-area school districts are holding bond elections, including: Comal ISD: $500 . Why reinvent the wheel. 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 By Lauren Canterberry Code 11.002. Mainly sunny. Ryan and I made our home New Braunfels seven years ago, and we have loved living here. 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. (Warren Brown/Community Impact Newspaper). Two incumbents and five challengers competed for three trustee seats on the Southwest ISD board. 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. Those board member positions are occupied by Marty Bartlett and Cody Mueller, respectively.. 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. As an educated, experienced trustee, I can help effect this change. Comal ISD paid for the construction of Davenport High School through a bond approved by voters in 2017. Student grades are not improving, and the loss of teachers is making it worse. Both elections will be on Nov. 2 and early voting will be Oct. 18 to 29. Comal ISD is divided into single-member districts and has a seven-member Board of Trustees. 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. As for being an educator for 6 years, I have seen what works and what did not work in these other school districts. My passion and motivation to make a difference are my girls and their education. racist or sexually-oriented language. Former Judson trustee Jose Macias Jr. will once again represent Judsons District 4. FILE PHOTO: A vote sign sits on the curb at the Comal County Senior Center voting location Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 in New Braunfels. So, I plan to look at our current spending and see where we can make changes. All are for three-year terms. 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. On Tuesday, district administration will go over specific guidelines with the board about what it can and cannot do related to sharing information about the election with the public. 3:16 PM Apr 25, 2022 CDT, Learn more about the candidates for districts 6 and 7 for the Comal ISD board of trustees. Shedefeated Drastata Saturday with just under 59% of the vote. What grade on an A-F scale would you give your districts response to the coronavirus pandemic. In doing so, we will achieve the best quality education. Why or why not? Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Greetings, Texans. Answers from candidates have not been edited or fact-checked. We are one of the fastest growing districts in the area if not the state. Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 1, 2, and 5. 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. It now has approximately 30,000 students. Louie G. Luna, the only viable candidate for Harlandales District 3, won election by just 16 votes. Local school boards dont have much of a say in this. If approved by voters, the Maintenance and Operations tax rate for 2021 would be 94 cents compared to 2020s tax rate of 92 cents. My goal is to see our district continue being a pacesetter in statewide education. Before this, I worked at Ed White Middle School in NEISD for four 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. I want to be your trustee because corrections are needed on this board. Irma Iris Duran de Rodriguez came close to coming out on top, with 31% of the votes. 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've already got a shortfall of budget around special education. accounts, the history behind an article. This will have a domino effect on our community if we do not address this before the coming school year. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Incumbent Laurie Schley lost to former board member Jason York in the race for District 3. 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. 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. Hello, my name is Kaila Stovall. My wife, Tory, and I attend Northeast Bible Church and have two daughters who go to Garden Ridge Elementary School. Comal ISD, District 1 Tim Hennessee, Incumbent Brittany Soto Comal ISD, District 2 David Drastata, Incumbent Where are our new students coming from? Be Truthful. For best results call during our business hours CTE Spotlight: Health Science Students Gain Experience, Earn Certifications However, we need to ensure that there is equity throughout our schools. Each trustee on the Board is elected separately from the single-member district in which he/she resides. I taught one year at an Alternative Charter School in Schertz to middle school students and high school students. From my perspective Comal does not treat their school employees well. Manage growth within the district by being as fiscally responsible as the Comal ISD Board should be. 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. Also . No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism 7. 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. By Lauren Canterberry I know for a fact we are overspending in certain areas of our budget via open record requests. Another challenge facing Comal ISD is the lack of transparency from board members and accessibility for community members. 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. By Eric Weilbacher, Lauren Canterberry Eric joined Community Impact as an editor in July 2021, returning to journalism after several years in the New Braunfels business community. Proposition A will also fundcampusreinvestmentandinfrastructure projectsas well asthe purchase ofcampus safety and security,busesand land. The candidate filing period is August 2-16, 2022. 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. Teachers must know their school board has their back. Voters in the San Antonio area will also vote in municipal and school board elections. Neither filed for re-election. or anything. What would be your top priorities if you are elected? Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. In June, this Board approved a resolution that would ensure that revenue generated by the VATRE, both this year and in future years,isdedicated solely to fund teacher and staff compensation, as well as new teacher positions, says Comal ISD Board President Jason York. Standardized tests should not exist. Cheryl . He was one of two trustees to vote against removing the mask mandate. Updated 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. Courtney Beach Biasatti, Drastatas opponent, said she would have polled her constituents before making a decision about masks. Because I have children in the district, I am 100% invested in what is best for students. Meet the Teacher, Orientation, & Open House, Lamar University Educational Leadership Program. Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 3 and 5. 1 of 2. There was an error processing your request. Would you like to receive our daily news? Thats a responsibility I take really seriously coming into the board.. This is a challenge. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Keep it Clean. 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. It is important we manage our tax monies prudently. Early voting will take place Oct. 18-29. 5. [1] Finally, high-quality teacher retention and recruitment is a significant challenge, and we must seek creative solutions to funding increases. 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. 1What is your current or most recent occupation? Currently, COMAL ISD comprises over 40% minorities in our student body; yet, representation on the school board does not reflect this. There was an error processing your request. 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. Did not respond. Internet stream is unaffected. While I was recruited to play football for McKendree College in Illinois, a knee injury ended my football career. I feel as if this prevents students from having a good learning environment and reaching their full potential. 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. What are their needs? Questions regarding elections can be directed to Melanie Allen at (763)689-6202 or mallen@c-ischools.org. We'd love to hear eyewitness 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. Rafael Diaz, who was appointed to replace Macias, won the District 7 seat, which represents all of Judson. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Mostly clear. please consider making your gift of support today. The idea of approaching grade level level, for example, is touted as the mark for schools to achieve comfort. Dont be bamboozled!