Ryan and I made our home New Braunfels seven years ago, and we have loved living here. This is especially true in how we spend our monies. Career Training is an important by product of our educational system. Increasing teacher pay to keep teachers in Comal ISD would be a step in the right direction. 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. Joel Torres III 6. Click here to find out what district you are in. According to a letter sent to residents from Comal ISD. 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. This would enable us to locate our schools within satisfactory distances for parents to send their children. I enjoy hunting, fishing, or traveling when I have the time. Our coverage includes school board member and candidate profiles, noteworthy election issues, district data, and more. 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. Why or why not? He received 38% of the vote, placing him a fraction ahead of Lillian Zapata. Heath Pinkerton 21. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism 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. Why or why not? Board of Trustees Agendas & Minutes Board Policies Elections Meeting Schedule Meeting Video Single Member Districts Past Board Elections Prior to CI, Eric freelanced for multiple publications and was a reporter for the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. I feel a very personal and serious responsibility for all children in our growing district and the quality education they receive. Why do you want to serve on the school board? Four seats on the Comal Independent School District Board of Trustees were up for general election on May 9, 2015. NEW BRAUNFELSIn a resounding 7-0 vote, the Comal ISD Board of Trustees approved a resolution supporting area residents and communities, echoing their concerns about the proposed Vulcan quarry, and directing the school administration to file for a contested case hearing. Teachers must know their school board has their back. 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. No board, no person, no institution is perfect. 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.. 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 have lived in New Braunfels 11+ years and have a family of four two of which graduated from Canyon High School. Also, Im a Latina this is important because the makeup of our board is not representative of our community. By Lauren Canterberry A keen eye must be kept on how our tax monies are being spent. 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. Each 9:53 AM Apr 21, 2021 CDT 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 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. Amanda Jones and. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. 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. CTE Spotlight: Health Science Students Gain Experience, Earn Certifications I also want to serve because I want ALL students to feel safe in our classrooms and hallways across the district. Sign up today! 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. KTPD 89.3 FM in Del Rio's broadcast signal is currently down. I am married to my wife Beverly for 36 years. There was no communication with teachers or parents. 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. Have my opponents served as a vice principal? I would look at copying other school designs for expansions so we can reduce design and architecture costs. 5:11 PM Feb 2, 2021 CST, Applications for election to the school boards will be accepted until Feb. 12. We also need to continue the strategic use of portables so that we build schools at the right size at the right time, all while having a conservative and mindful approach about using taxpayer supported bonds. The last day to apply for a ballot by mail (received not postmarked) is April 26. 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. 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. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. I am aware of the importance of replication of equipment in our school system to include school designs. Early voting begins April 25 and ends May 3. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Brittany Soto: District No. Every Monday evening you'll get caught up with the top stories from the last week. Be a voice for all Comal ISD communities. Irma Iris Duran de Rodriguez came close to coming out on top, with 31% of the votes. . 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. Another challenge facing Comal ISD is the lack of transparency from board members and accessibility for community members. or anything. | The last day to register to vote for this election is April 7. 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. Election day will be November 8, 2022. 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. Clay Page will be the new trustee representing Place No. I will not waiver in my commitment to keep a students-first mindset. Manage growth within the district by being as fiscally responsible as the Comal ISD Board should be. More students came back to in person learning when they saw how effective the precautions were. Oak Creek and Freiheit Elementary Schools, and a new middle school to relieve Canyon Middle School. I think it shows our message has resonated with the community, and people are ready for change, Sorensen said. If the state wants to administer and test to collect data to evaluate the public school system, I have no problem with that. 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. Brittany Soto, 19, poses in front of Canyon High School in New Braunfels, where she graduated last May. Why or why not? One of the school boards primary responsibilities is to approve a budget. I have worked in these fields for companies such as Texas Instruments, M&M/MARS-Wrigley, Russell Stover Candies, and John B. Sanfilippo & Sons/Fisher Nuts. Incumbent Wes Clark is looking to defend his New Braunfels ISD at-large trustee seat. accounts, the history behind an article. 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. Support for TPR's Education News Desk comes from H-E-B Helping Here. Comal ISD has a seven-member Board of Trustees. 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. 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. Student grades are not improving, and the loss of teachers is making it worse. Beginning on April 19, there will be an election for two members of the Board of Trustees for New Braunfels Independent School District. How should CISD handle growth in the district? 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. 3:37 PM Feb 22, 2022 CST Also seeking to win one of the at-large trustee seats, which are currently held by Clark and David Heefner, is Matthew D. Sargent. | These two separate elections will address the district's enrollment growth and teacher compensation. Error! As an educated, experienced trustee, I can help effect this change. I would have polled the constituents in my district- all staff, parents and student input would be considered before casting my vote. The statistics show that masks work in helping slow the spread of Covid. Withitspassage, teachers and staff would receive a 3 percent pay increase this year with auxiliarypersonnelreceivinga$1.50 hourly pay increase. We are working to restore the radio signal. 2. Why reinvent the wheel. Also . 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. CISD has done a great job keeping the schools open and I hope they remain open through the end of the school year. Comal ISD is divided into single-member districts and has a seven-member Board of Trustees. Their futures rely on the education they receive while attending Comal ISD schools. I do believe Comal ISD is doing a good job in educating our students. 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. 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. Low 52F. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. We need to keep expanding our programs to keep up with our rapidly growing district. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. 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. Comal ISD, District 7: The trustee candidates speak. How should Comal ISD handle its ongoing growth? This is a challenge. This will have a domino effect on our community if we do not address this before the coming school year. As a Trustee, I intend to allow parents to make decisions that are best for their children. 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. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. Enrollment (14-15) 20,327 students. Would you like to receive our daily news? So, I plan to look at our current spending and see where we can make changes. Internet stream is unaffected. 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. Incumbents Flo Bernal and James Sullivan, Jr. retained their seats. 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. Internet stream is unaffected. 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. By Eric Weilbacher, Lauren Canterberry Would you like to receive our daily news? Each and every child in our district should be prepared for a productive and fulfilling future. Most charter schools follow strict guidelines to for their test scores and are very selective of their students. Student success will always be a top priority for discussion in quarterly meetings with community members.