He was one of two trustees to vote against removing the mask mandate. This is especially true in how we spend our monies. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. 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. Students go through immense amounts of stress and pressure to pass these tests. Jason Isbell 5. All meetings are at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Updated Voters in the San Antonio area will also vote in municipal and school board elections. For best results call during our business hours 5:22 PM Apr 7, 2022 CDT I do volunteer charity work for the Garden Ridge Lions Club as the club Vice President. This would include being proactive in seeking out land to buy for future construction. My passion and motivation to make a difference are my girls and their education. (Community Impact Newspaper staff), Editor, New Braunfels and San Marcos/Buda/Kyle. 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. VisitVotetexas.govfor more information on how to register. You have permission to edit this article. Currently, COMAL ISD comprises over 40% minorities in our student body; yet, representation on the school board does not reflect this. | Our teachers work hard for our students, and, if I am elected, I plan to take a fiscally conservative approach to increase teacher compensation. If the School Board approves the updated Hillsborough County District Map, the students of thousands could be affected during the next school year. . Yes- as a mother of 3 I am very impressed with the current curriculum, Yes- I believe they feel supported by the district. Would you like to receive our daily news. 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. Board of Trustees Agendas & Minutes Board Policies Elections Meeting Schedule Meeting Video Single Member Districts Past Board Elections Sorensen said she wants parents and students to have more of a say in their schools, and to bring more transparency to the budgeting process. 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. 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. Teaching skills sought by local businesses would be key to providing our taxpayer base with the students they will need in the future. As a retired educator, I have a keen understanding of what goes on in the classroom and the issues facing our teachers and administrators. 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. I do believe the pressure put on students and teachers to perform is not necessary. Each Brittany Soto, 19, poses in front of Canyon High School in New Braunfels, where she graduated last May. More students came back to in person learning when they saw how effective the precautions were. One side consists of parents and students, another side consists of teachers and administrators and support staff. 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. I know what they are dealing with when it comes to changes from TEA or Governor Abbott because Im also dealing with those changes and learning how to navigate teaching and everything else that is being thrown at us. 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. Support for TPR's Education News Desk comes from H-E-B Helping Here. please consider making your gift of support today. 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. If approved by voters, the Maintenance and Operations tax rate for 2021 would be 94 cents compared to 2020s tax rate of 92 cents. 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. Carey Watson Hildebrand will represent Place No. It should also allow contractors to "sharpen their pencils" on how to rebuild similar buildings based on previous experience. Mask mandates are still being litigated in the Texas Court of Appeals by 19 Independent School Districts. 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. degree in Industrial Engineering and a M.S. 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. We must continue to study the projected growth in the district so we can make strategic decisions regarding when and where to purchase land. Also seeking to win one of the at-large trustee seats, which are currently held by Clark and David Heefner, is Matthew D. Sargent. Do you think your district is doing a good job educating its students? 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. We have difficult decisions ahead in the district that will challenge the resolve of the Trustees. Voters in Bexar and Guadalupe Counties re-elected Place 4 trustee Edward Finley and chose retired teacher Belinda Evans to represent Place 7. Finally, high-quality teacher retention and recruitment is a significant challenge, and we must seek creative solutions to funding increases. 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. CTE Spotlight: Health Science Students Gain Experience, Earn Certifications 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 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. Beginning on April 19, there will be an election for three members of the Board of Trustees for Comal Independent School District. 1 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. Nine out of the 10 incumbents on the ballot won reelection. We've already got a shortfall of budget around special education. Copyright 2021 Comal County Republican Party Paid for by the Comal County Republican Party. We'd love to hear eyewitness I have served as a high school vice principal and have taught at colleges and universities in four states since 2000. 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. *Tim Hennessee: District No. 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.. Ryan and I made our home New Braunfels seven years ago, and we have loved living here. 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. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. Texas Public Radio. I would recommend all of you make a tally of things that you want to see in your school board member, judge us according by your list, and vote accordingly. 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. May 6, 2017. My kids are twelve, six, four, and I recently had another child who is almost seven months now. What is your current or most recent occupation? Voters, in turn, approved the measure. Ballotpedia provides in-depth coverage of school board elections in America's largest school districts by enrollment. With a very dynamic growth rate, Comal ISD is poised to continue growing at a rapid pace. Occupation: I am currently retired, but I do some substitute teaching. Low 52F. The forefront of our goals as board members should be student success, but success is not only grades and test scores. It is important we manage our tax monies prudently. 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. This is a challenge. Signup today! I would decide on whether or not to approve a budget by seeing and listening to my districts needs. With 16 competitive races spread across six different Bexar County school districts Saturday, familiar names held a lot of sway. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. Why or why not? 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. 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. 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. I also want to serve because I want ALL students to feel safe in our classrooms and hallways across the district. 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. that is degrading to another person. Success! Six candidates are vying for Comal ISD single-member districts 6 and 7 in this May's election. Educ. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. 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. Yes, there are pockets of goodness in individual teachers and teams across the district, but for the most part this is dismal and must change. She is a school board candidate in Comal ISD for the District 1 seat. As a Trustee, I intend to allow parents to make decisions that are best for their children. One of the biggest challenges the school district faces is student performance, and I dont mean just performance on state-mandated tests. What is your stance on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) tests? Neither filed for re-election. Teacher retention and pay is crucial to insuring we have the best teachers for our children. One of the things that sets me apart from my opponents is that Im currently a teacher and still working with students every day. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. CISD has done a great job keeping the schools open and I hope they remain open through the end of the school year. (Courtesy Adobe Stock). Proposition D, at $34,540,000 will fund student and teacherinstructional technologyand network infrastructure projects. Mainly sunny. Hes returning to the board after resigning to join the Alamo Colleges Board in 2019. That matters when we think about community involvement and equity. 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. Conservative family values are my moral fiber and have guided me throughout my life. I am still learning about budgeting. By Lauren Canterberry 7. Amanda Jones and. These will be held outside of our regular board meetings. Why reinvent the wheel. These two separate elections will address the district's enrollment growth and teacher compensation. Manage growth within the district by being as fiscally responsible as the Comal ISD Board should be. By Lauren Canterberry Comal ISD, located primarily in Comal County, also had an election to watch. Zapata was disqualified from the race due to residency issues. Hello, my name is Kaila Stovall. I have lived in New Braunfels 11+ years and have a family of four two of which graduated from Canyon High School. Note: Names are listed in order of appearance on the ballot according to the city clerks' office. This would enable us to locate our schools within satisfactory distances for parents to send their children. The Board's primary functions are goal setting, approving the budget and policymaking. Where are our new students coming from? 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. 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. It should also allow contractors to sharpen their pencils on how to rebuild similar buildings based on previous experience. CTE Spotlight: Health Science Students Gain Experience, Earn Certifications 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. I would look at copying other school designs for expansions so we can reduce design and architecture costs. Proposition A will also fundcampusreinvestmentandinfrastructure projectsas well asthe purchase ofcampus safety and security,busesand land. August 17, 2021 - Monday evening, the Comal ISD Board of Trustees called for two elections to be held on Nov. 2. I am a parent with a long-term vested interest in the district. This is a state issue however. Greetings, Texans. This allows me to literally Think Outside the Box when looking at solutions to problems facing the community and its educational requirements. 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. [1] 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 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. Have they mentored students in the National Honor Society or won awards for Robotics at the Texas State Level with their kiddos? Meet the Teacher, Orientation, & Open House, Lamar University Educational Leadership Program. Political agendas and ideals have no place in the classroom. I have started youth sport organizations and had to create and approve budgets from year to year. 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. Maintain the ongoing academic and extracurricular success of our students. Those board member positions are occupied by Marty Bartlett and Cody Mueller, respectively. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. If you are an incumbent, please defend your vote on the decision to rescind the districts mask mandate March 9. Rule ISD. 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. Comal ISD is a very large land mass. Would you like to receive our daily news. 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. Joel Torres III 6. 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. Tex. If the state wants to administer and test to collect data to evaluate the public school system, I have no problem with that. Preliminary election results for three open seats on the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD school board show voters chose experience with one exception. Five school board member positions in New Braunfels ISD and Comal ISD will be up for election May 2. (Warren Brown/Community Impact Newspaper). Texas Public Radio | 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. This could be done by being more proactive in reducing construction costs via replication of construction designs. One of the school boards primary responsibilities is to approve a budget. 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. Zeke Mendoza, who died shortly after Texas winter storm, was also on the ballot for District 3. It is not the role of the Board of Trustees to dictate what parents choose for their children regarding masks or COVID vaccines. 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. The Comal Independent School District board of trustees is gearing up for a bond election and a tax rate increase election in November. Career Training is an important by product of our educational system. 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. 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.