Don't knowingly lie about anyone 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. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Comal ISD is divided into single-member districts and has a seven-member Board of Trustees. Transparency is critical to our constituents whether they have children in the district, or not. Mask mandates are still being litigated in the Texas Court of Appeals by 19 Independent School Districts. I am a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who served as a cyber officer, operations planner and strategist, systems analyst, and served our country at the Pentagon and in a combat environment after 9-11. Lastly, Im a mother, a breast-feeding mother, a mother of four, a working-class mother. Increasing teacher pay to keep teachers in Comal ISD would be a step in the right direction. KTPD 89.3 FM in Del Rio's broadcast signal is currently down. Rule ISD. Questions regarding elections can be directed to Melanie Allen at (763)689-6202 or mallen@c-ischools.org. If you are not an incumbent, would you have voted to rescind the mask mandate? 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. What could it be doing better? 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. Internet stream is unaffected. There was an error processing your request. Why? We do not need to do deficit budgeting. 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. A keen eye must be kept on how our tax monies are being spent. 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 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. The Board's primary functions are goal setting, approving the budget and policymaking. School Board District 1. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. I also plan to live stream board meetings and allow community members to speak and listen in, so that their voices are part of the conversation. 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. Comal ISD is divided into single-member districts and has a seven-member Board of Trustees. Texas called me back home and I transferred to Texas Tech University, where I majored in Wildlife Management. Brittany Soto: District No. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. I am Orlando OJ Dona, and with your vote I will be your Trustee for Comal ISD SMD 7 on May 7, 2022. 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. Louie G. Luna, the only viable candidate for Harlandales District 3, won election by just 16 votes. I believe I have a unique set of skills which will allow me to do that. The next election for Board members is scheduled for May 6, 2023. 5. Comal ISD paid for the construction of Davenport High School through a bond approved by voters in 2017. Clay Page will be the new trustee representing Place No. 5:11 PM Feb 2, 2021 CST Use the 'Report' link on Do you know this means your student scored about a 40% on the test? 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. 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. The candidate filing period is August 2-16, 2022. 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. I want to be your trustee because corrections are needed on this board. 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. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism 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. August 17, 2021 - Monday evening, the Comal ISD Board of Trustees called for two elections to be held on Nov. 2. 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. Keep it Clean. Greetings, Texans. Texas Public Radio. *Tim Hennessee: District No. I do believe Comal ISD is doing a good job in educating our students. Internet stream is unaffected. Mainly sunny. In addition, several San Antonio-area school districts are holding bond elections, including: Comal ISD: $500 . Those values, instilled in me from birth, will continue guiding my decision-making if I am elected to serve on the Board of Trustees. There was no communication with teachers or parents. This could be done by being more proactive in reducing construction costs via replication of construction designs. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. My goal is to see our district continue being a pacesetter in statewide education. 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. Every Monday evening you'll get caught up with the top stories from the last week. This will lower maintenance and supply costs. A top priority would be implementation of programs,. No board, no person, no institution is perfect. 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. Support for TPR's Education News Desk comes from H-E-B Helping Here. Sign up today! In addition, utilizing school design replication would lower design costs, maintenance costs and fixture costs. In 2022, four of the seven board seats are up for election. I have been involved in the acquisition and approval of major capital projects while working for major corporations such as M&M/MARS-Wrigley. Each trustee on the Board is elected separately from the single-member district in which he/she resides. More students came back to in person learning when they saw how effective the precautions were. I taught one year at an Alternative Charter School in Schertz to middle school students and high school students. Error! Revenue generated by the VATREcould fund compensation increasesofup tothree percent annually over the next three to four years. Voters in Bexar and Guadalupe Counties re-elected Place 4 trustee Edward Finley and chose retired teacher Belinda Evans to represent Place 7. 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. 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. By. NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas - Comal Independent School District Superintendent Andrew Kim will be leaving the district after 10 years. Comal County Isd District Map - Comal County Isd District Map - Locating a map of your county's district may be difficult. Do you think your district treats its teachers, principals and support personnel well? This will have a domino effect on our community if we do not address this before the coming school year. 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. (Community Impact Newspaper staff). I feel that I have the skill set necessary to meet future capacity demand requirements. 5:22 PM Apr 7, 2022 CDT *Courtney Beach Biasatti: District No. This tally should include: Understanding of Texas and New Braunfels. The last day to apply for a ballot by mail (received not postmarked) is April 26. A- opening schools in August was beneficial to the kids AND offering virtual learning as an option. 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. Preliminary election results for three open seats on the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD school board show voters chose experience with one exception. 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. Would you like to receive our daily news? I want to use my skills to help our districts children thrive in an educational environment. Each trustee on the Board is elected separately from the single-member district in which he/she resides. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Be Truthful. Zeke Mendoza, who died shortly after Texas winter storm, was also on the ballot for District 3. There are ways to responsibly manage growth that allows for the tradition of excellence and student success to continue in our district. Folks, I dont like the gamesmanship with student testing. Being a current teacher allows me the ability to understand teachers in the district in a different way. I challenge voters to look at the most recent grade report on their local school and not be horrified. Top priorities for me are transparency in how board decisions are made. 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 With a very dynamic growth rate, Comal ISD is poised to continue growing at a rapid pace. She is a school board candidate in Comal ISD for the District 1 seat. It is important we manage our tax monies prudently. 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. 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. Career Training is an important by product of our educational system. This is a state issue however. Comal Independent School District elections 2015 bond package See also: What was at stake in the 2015 Comal Independent School District election? Alamo Heights ISD had two competitive races without incumbents. We've already got a shortfall of budget around special education. 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. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. 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. Students go through immense amounts of stress and pressure to pass these tests. Incumbents Flo Bernal and James Sullivan, Jr. retained their seats. 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. Brittany Soto: District No. Each has . We are working to restore the radio signal. KTPD 89.3 FM in Del Rio's broadcast signal is currently down. Be a voice for all Comal ISD communities. Prior to CI, Eric freelanced for multiple publications and was a reporter for the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. For best results call during our business hours TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. Voting and Election Information | Comal County, Texas Home Elections BBM & Early Voting Data May 7, 2022 Election Ballot by Mail and Early Voter Data Data for May 7, 2022 Election **NOTE: If an election entity is not hyperlinked, no data has been reported for that date. Manage growth within the district by being as fiscally responsible as the Comal ISD Board should be. Texas A&M University System bans diversity statements from job applications, Movies romanticized the Alamo. Student grades are not improving, and the loss of teachers is making it worse. School board terms are four years long. 9:53 AM Apr 21, 2021 CDT, Learn more about the candidates for districts 1 and 2 for the Comal ISD board of trustees. One of the first things we need to do is have conversations and work closely with city leaders to learn about new developments being approved so we can make growth projections and plan accordingly. My time as a teacher has been rewarding, exciting, and, at times, mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting. Proactively address district growth. I taught for 5 years in Northside ISD as an engineering instructor at one of their magnet schools Construction Careers Academy located next to Earl Warren High School. 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. 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. Our coverage includes school board member and candidate profiles, noteworthy election issues, district data, and more. Being a teacher has always been my dream job, so Im thankful I am able to continue down this path. Sorensen is the mother of a 5th grader enrolled at SAISDs Bonham Academy and vice-president of the Lavaca Neighborhood Association. 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. Sorensen was part of aslate of candidates backed by the teachers union, student groups and progressive organizations running against board incumbents and former city councilwoman Leticia Ozuna. If approved by voters, the Maintenance and Operations tax rate for 2021 would be 94 cents compared to 2020s tax rate of 92 cents. 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. File Photo | Camille Phillips | Texas Public Radio. In District 4, incumbent Denise Kern was unopposed in her re-election bid. I plan to keep a students first mindset in all decisions. please consider making your gift of support today. 1 of 2. I would like to see teachers, teach and not have to focus on the standardized testing regulations. Low 52F. at 5:30 p.m., a drawing will take place in the Board Room at the Comal ISD Support Services Building, located at 1404 IH 35 North, New Braunfels, TX 78130, for the purpose of determining the order in which the names of candidates for the Board of Trustees shall appear on the official ballot for the May 6, 2023, trustee election. Comal ISD has a seven-member Board of Trustees. 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. 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. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. 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. I do believe the pressure put on students and teachers to perform is not necessary. 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. Five school board member positions in New Braunfels ISD and Comal ISD will be up for election May 2. 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. Did not respond. 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. Masks are a simple and effective way to help provide that safety. 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.. 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. My passion and motivation to make a difference are my girls and their education. May 6, 2017. Proposition D, at $34,540,000 will fund student and teacherinstructional technologyand network infrastructure projects. The date and location of the next general election of Trustees for the District shall be in the Single-Member Districts as indicated in Board Policy BBB (Local), which may be accessed by clicking this link and inserting policy code BBB.. In addition, utilizing school design replication would lower design costs, maintenance costs and fixture costs. 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. 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. Clark joins Megan Louise Willis, who will appear as Megan Stratemann-Willis on the ballot, and James Randall Lenard, who will appear on the ballot as Randy Lenard for one of two seats. Threats of harming another 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. Northside board policy is to declare whoever wins the most votes the winner, so there wont be a runoff. 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. What would be your top priorities if you are elected? Six candidates are vying for Comal ISD single-member districts 6 and 7 in this May's election. Zapata was disqualified from the race due to residency issues. Those board member positions are occupied by Marty Bartlett and Cody Mueller, respectively. 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. 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. New Braunfels voters will elect CISD school board members for districts 6 and 7. Think of the Comal ISD school district as a triangle. Incumbent Laurie Schley lost to former board member Jason York in the race for District 3. For more information about the Comal County Elections, click here. Updated Four seats on the Comal Independent School District Board of Trustees were up for general election on May 9, 2015. . 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. 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. 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. Success! Support our teachers and staff. We have difficult decisions ahead in the district that will challenge the resolve of the Trustees.