While I acknowledge that each student has different learning style, I do not support charter schools. For more information about the Comal County Elections, click here. 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. Comal County Isd District Map - Comal County Isd District Map - Locating a map of your county's district may be difficult. 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. 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. that is degrading to another person. 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. Before this, I worked at Ed White Middle School in NEISD for four years. We are one of the fastest growing districts in the area if not the state. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. In doing so, we will achieve the best quality education. Every Monday evening you'll get caught up with the top stories from the last week. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. I stand up for what I believe in, and I am highly motivated to see our schools succeed. (Community Impact Newspaper staff), Editor, New Braunfels and San Marcos/Buda/Kyle. If you are an incumbent, please defend your vote on the decision to rescind the districts mask mandate March 9. 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. 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. It is no secret that Comal ISD is growing at an unprecedented rate, and how well we handle additional student enrollment is crucial. 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. 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. Masks are a simple and effective way to help provide that safety. 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. I am a full-time student at St. Phillips College. Six candidates have filed for two Comal ISD trustee positions, five seek two city council spots, and six vie for three seats on the New Braunfels ISD board. How would you / do you decide whether or not to approve the budget recommended to you by district administration? She currently works as a COVID-19 contact tracer. 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. . Hes returning to the board after resigning to join the Alamo Colleges Board in 2019. (Courtesy Adobe Stock). Ive always visualized Comal County as the place where I would raise a family. This would include being proactive in seeking out land to buy for future construction. 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. One of the things that sets me apart from my opponents is that Im currently a teacher and still working with students every day. 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. 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. I would have polled the constituents in my district- all staff, parents and student input would be considered before casting my vote. 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. Each trustee on the Board is elected separately from the single-member district in which he/she resides. 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. 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. Teacher retention and pay is crucial to insuring we have the best teachers for our children. Brittany Soto: District No. The San Antonio Independent School District board elections are among the most hotly contested, with the district's largest teachers union backing a slate of candidates to unseat three incumbents and replace a departing trustee on the seven-member board. Election day will be November 8, 2022. From my perspective Comal does not treat their school employees well. This could be done by being more proactive in reducing construction costs via replication of construction designs. 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. I have a B.S. Enrollment (14-15) 20,327 students. 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. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. If the state wants to administer and test to collect data to evaluate the public school system, I have no problem with that. Six candidates are vying for Comal ISD single-member districts 6 and 7 in this May's election. If the School Board approves the updated Hillsborough County District Map, the students of thousands could be affected during the next school year. Early voting will take place Oct. 18-29. I enjoy hunting, fishing, or traveling when I have the time. Meet the Teacher, Orientation, & Open House, Lamar University Educational Leadership Program. Have my opponents served as a vice principal? Each trustee on the Board is elected separately from the single-member district in which he/she resides. It is important we manage our tax monies prudently. Both elections will be on Nov. 2 and early voting will be Oct. 18 to 29. If you are not an incumbent, would you have voted to rescind the mask mandate? Support for TPR's Education News Desk comes from H-E-B Helping Here. Carey Watson Hildebrand will represent Place No. Mask mandates are still being litigated in the Texas Court of Appeals by 19 Independent School Districts. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Why? Folks, I dont like the gamesmanship with student testing. I am no progressive I am a Christian and am for family values, a quality education for all students, hard work, academic integrity, teacher-enforced discipline supported by administration, and the entire district answerable to you, the voter. 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! One big challenge I have mentioned previously is to manage the phenomenal growth that Comal County has been experiencing the last 5 years. Success! degree in Management. 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. 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. 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. By Lauren Canterberry Would you like to receive our daily news? I have used my skill sets of Cost Accounting, Capacity Planning and Engineering in multi-million dollar capacity manufacturing facility expansions. I would have voted to keep the mask mandate. A top priority would be implementation of programs,. 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. We need to fix these things. Occupation: I am currently retired, but I do some substitute teaching. Incumbent Laurie Schley lost to former board member Jason York in the race for District 3. Student success will always be a top priority for discussion in quarterly meetings with community members. The next election for Board members is scheduled for May 6, 2023. racist or sexually-oriented language. 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. M-F 10-2. I would look at copying other school designs for expansions so we can reduce design and architecture costs. The base of this triangle is taxpayers who expect our schools to provide a good education for our students in an up to date learning environment who can be the leaders and workers of the future. NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas - Comal Independent School District Superintendent Andrew Kim will be leaving the district after 10 years. 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.. Neither filed for re-election. 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. One of the biggest challenges the school district faces is student performance, and I dont mean just performance on state-mandated tests. 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. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. 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. Two incumbents and five challengers competed for three trustee seats on the Southwest ISD board. Incumbents Flo Bernal and James Sullivan, Jr. retained their seats. There was no 72 hour notice as it was required by the state and there were no experts present at that meeting to present the actual facts and statistics to the board. Please download the PDF file. What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend listening and viewing, Attorney General Merrick Garland attends war crimes conference in Ukraine, A mother fights for accountability after her daughter died during ROTC training, Barnes & Noble is staging its biggest expansion in more than a decade. 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. 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. Ballotpedia provides in-depth coverage of school board elections in America's largest school districts by enrollment. Why or why not? This will have a domino effect on our community if we do not address this before the coming school year. 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. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 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. All are for three-year terms. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. 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. why is my cookies pen blinking purple is there mobile coverage across the nullarbor comal county fire department Details about the VATRE and Bond 2021 can be found on theDistrictswebsite. Served on the districts Safety Committee? 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. Greetings, Texans. I plan to keep a students first mindset in all decisions. Comal ISD is a very large land mass. | Ensure our budgets do not contain wasteful spending and insure we are meeting the needs for the education of our children as best we can. FILE PHOTO: A sign tells people where to cast their ballots. We have lived in Garden Ridge for over 10 years. This is a challenge. 1, Did not respond. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. Candidates set for May 7 school boards and City Council ballots, By Catherine Wilson and Steve Knight | The Herald-Zeitung. Think of the Comal ISD school district as a triangle. 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. Texas called me back home and I transferred to Texas Tech University, where I majored in Wildlife Management. The candidate filing period is August 2-16, 2022. Comal ISD is very reliant on homeowners to provide growth funding. 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. Copyright 2021 Comal County Republican Party Paid for by the Comal County Republican Party. So, I plan to look at our current spending and see where we can make changes. Do you think your district treats its teachers, principals and support personnel well? Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 1, 2, and 5. 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.. KTPD 89.3 FM in Del Rio's broadcast signal is currently down. It now has approximately 30,000 students. Voters, in turn, approved the measure. 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. I challenge voters to look at the most recent grade report on their local school and not be horrified. 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. The statistics show that masks work in helping slow the spread of Covid. Sign up today! In comparison, Northside School District which has approximately 110,000 students and Northeast ISD which has 60,000 students can easily fit within the boundaries of Comal ISD and have a much denser and diverse tax base to support this higher student number to include businesses. Six candidates are vying for Comal ISD single-member districts 6 and 7 in this Mays election. 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. Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 3 and 5. 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. Texas Public Radio | What is your stance on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) tests? Eric joined Community Impact as an editor in July 2021, returning to journalism after several years in the New Braunfels business community. I feel a very personal and serious responsibility for all children in our growing district and the quality education they receive. Thats a responsibility I take really seriously coming into the board.. Withitspassage, teachers and staff would receive a 3 percent pay increase this year with auxiliarypersonnelreceivinga$1.50 hourly pay increase. Students go through immense amounts of stress and pressure to pass these tests. Error! Student grades are not improving, and the loss of teachers is making it worse. 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. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. By. Northside board policy is to declare whoever wins the most votes the winner, so there wont be a runoff. Businesses and taxpayers are the end customers for our educational product we put out into the marketplace once students graduate. Christopher Willis and Fabian Castillo Dealva are seeking the District 2 seat. New Braunfels voters will elect CISD school board members for districts 6 and 7. Voters in Bexar and Guadalupe Counties re-elected Place 4 trustee Edward Finley and chose retired teacher Belinda Evans to represent Place 7. 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 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. Louie G. Luna, the only viable candidate for Harlandales District 3, won election by just 16 votes. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. 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. I am Orlando OJ Dona, and with your vote I will be your Trustee for Comal ISD SMD 7 on May 7, 2022. More students came back to in person learning when they saw how effective the precautions were. Top priorities for me are transparency in how board decisions are made. I do believe the pressure put on students and teachers to perform is not necessary. 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. 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. CTE Spotlight: Health Science Students Gain Experience, Earn Certifications Updated 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. 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. That is the equivalent of adding an entire high school to our district every year. However, lifting the mask mandate that was set in place to protect students and staff less than 12 hours before the next school day and without consulting experts completely disregards all of those efforts.
