I challenge voters to look at the most recent grade report on their local school and not be horrified. 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. Ryan and I made our home New Braunfels seven years ago, and we have loved living here. Sorensen is the mother of a 5th grader enrolled at SAISDs Bonham Academy and vice-president of the Lavaca Neighborhood Association. It is important we manage our tax monies prudently. 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. That is the equivalent of adding an entire high school to our district every year. Greetings, Texans. Alamo Heights ISD had two competitive races without incumbents. This is especially true in how we spend our monies. 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. Four seats on the Comal Independent School District Board of Trustees were up for general election on May 9, 2015. Another challenge facing Comal ISD is the lack of transparency from board members and accessibility for community members. 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. How should CISD handle growth in the district? accounts, the history behind an article. Nine out of the 10 incumbents on the ballot won 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. This would enable us to locate our schools within satisfactory distances for parents to send their children. I am a teacher first in all things, and have taught students here in my own district for years I am known by parents and current/graduated students from Smithson Valley, Davenport, and Pieper High Schools. My goal is to see our district continue being a pacesetter in statewide education. Voters in the San Antonio area will also vote in municipal and school board elections. Carey Watson Hildebrand will represent Place No. 5:22 PM Apr 7, 2022 CDT Current New Braunfels ISD District 1 trustee Keith D. Smith will face off against Morgan Lindsey Armitage, who will appear as Morgan Renaud on the ballot, for the seat. The Boards primary functions are goal setting, approving the budget and policymaking. Each Comal ISD single-member districts 6 and 7 are up for election this year and are occupied by Marty Bartlett and Cody Mueller, respectively. Withitspassage, teachers and staff would receive a 3 percent pay increase this year with auxiliarypersonnelreceivinga$1.50 hourly pay increase. Every child is different and learns differently so grouping them under 1 umbrella doesn't really give a clear picture of academic success and failure. Brittany Soto, 19, poses in front of Canyon High School in New Braunfels, where she graduated last May. 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. 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. August 17, 2021 - Monday evening, the Comal ISD Board of Trustees called for two elections to be held on Nov. 2. Election day will be November 8, 2022. 1What is your current or most recent occupation? As an educated, experienced trustee, I can help effect this change. Our coverage includes school board member and candidate profiles, noteworthy election issues, district data, and more. 3:37 PM Feb 22, 2022 CST, Three New Braunfels ISD positions and two Comal ISD positions will appear on the ballot May 7. I am married to my wife Beverly for 36 years. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. As a recent student of Comal ISD, I was taught to look at and believe the math and the science. 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. Note: Names are listed in order of appearance on the ballot according to the city clerks' office. 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. We need to keep expanding our programs to keep up with our rapidly growing district. 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. 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 want your vote as the trustee for our district because I am greatly concerned about the reasons why good teachers and staff are leaving our district, some after only three or four months in the classroom; why bus routes are being canceled; why teachers get yearly pay cuts because any increase they get is less than the rise of inflation, pay cuts, and the failing grades! Brittany Soto: District No. The idea of approaching grade level level, for example, is touted as the mark for schools to achieve comfort. Dont be bamboozled! They will be joined by Daniel Carrillo. I would love the opportunity to work with teachers and parents across the district to promote the well-being of our students. Board of Trustees Agendas & Minutes Board Policies Elections Meeting Schedule Meeting Video Single Member Districts Past Board Elections The forefront of our goals as board members should be student success, but success is not only grades and test scores. 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. Comal ISD, located primarily in Comal County, also had an election to watch. 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. Educ. Would you like to receive our daily news. 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. Five school board member positions in New Braunfels ISD and Comal ISD will be up for election May 2. Be Proactive. Career Training is an important by product of our educational system. This allows me to literally Think Outside the Box when looking at solutions to problems facing the community and its educational requirements. Voters can be certain that I have no employment history with the district, no conflicts of interest, and I am not a radical activist who wants to change the fundamentals of our education system. As a Trustee, I intend to allow parents to make decisions that are best for their children. Think of the Comal ISD school district as a triangle. 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. Did not respond. Proposition A will also fundcampusreinvestmentandinfrastructure projectsas well asthe purchase ofcampus safety and security,busesand land. 9:53 AM Apr 21, 2021 CDT There was no communication with teachers or parents. For TPR's full Voter Guide, click here. I want to use my skills to help our districts children thrive in an educational environment. 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. If elected, I intend to understand and communicate to constituents the districts efforts to close those gaps. KTPD 89.3 FM in Del Rio's broadcast signal is currently down. 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. . Do you think your district is doing a good job educating its students? 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. 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 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. 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. Top priorities for me are transparency in how board decisions are made. 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 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. It is no secret that Comal ISD is growing at an unprecedented rate, and how well we handle additional student enrollment is crucial. He received 38% of the vote, placing him a fraction ahead of Lillian Zapata. I would look at copying other school designs for expansions so we can reduce design and architecture costs. Because I have children in the district, I am 100% invested in what is best for students. I taught one year at an Alternative Charter School in Schertz to middle school students and high school students. Please download the PDF file. 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. Do you know this means your student scored about a 40% on the test? 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. Signup today! [1] As for being an educator for 6 years, I have seen what works and what did not work in these other school districts. 1 of 2. 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. Businesses and taxpayers are the end customers for our educational product we put out into the marketplace once students graduate. Internet stream is unaffected. Schools should keep students safe and secure while they learn. Ill focus on the latter. Our teachers work hard for our students, and, if I am elected, I plan to take a fiscally conservative approach to increase teacher compensation. Casey Moeller 13. Click here to find out what district you are in. 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. 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. Beginning on April 19, there will be an election for two members of the Board of Trustees for New Braunfels Independent School District. I have been involved in the acquisition and approval of major capital projects while working for major corporations such as M&M/MARS-Wrigley. *Tim Hennessee: District No. 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. You have permission to edit this article. A keen eye must be kept on how our tax monies are being spent. It should also allow contractors to sharpen their pencils on how to rebuild similar buildings based on previous experience. 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. How should Comal ISD handle its ongoing growth? FILE PHOTO: A vote sign sits on the curb at the Comal County Senior Center voting location Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 in New Braunfels. We are working to restore the radio signal. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. Those board member positions are occupied by Marty Bartlett and Cody Mueller, respectively.. 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.. 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. 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. 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. Texas called me back home and I transferred to Texas Tech University, where I majored in Wildlife Management. 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. 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. 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. Support for TPR's Education News Desk comes from H-E-B Helping Here. Updated Lillard set franchise and career marks with 71 points tied for the most in the NBA this season and 13 3-pointers in the Portland Trail Blazers' 131 -114 victory over the Houston Apartment Therapy flipped into Apartment Therapy Would you like to receive our daily news. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. San Antonios largest school district, Northside ISD, had three competitive races on the ballot. I plan to keep a students first mindset in all decisions. Comal ISD is very reliant on homeowners to provide growth funding. What could it be doing better? Due to large volume of calls messages left may not be promptly answered. School board candidates must be registered voters, reside in the district they are filing for and must have resided within the school district for at least six months. Texas Public Radio | 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. Two of seven seats on the Comal Independent School District board of trustees were up for by-district general election on May 6, 2017. 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. I also want to serve because I want ALL students to feel safe in our classrooms and hallways across the district. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Code 11.002. Most charter schools follow strict guidelines to for their test scores and are very selective of their students. FILE PHOTO: A sign tells people where to cast their ballots. This will lower maintenance and supply costs. 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. Also seeking to win one of the at-large trustee seats, which are currently held by Clark and David Heefner, is Matthew D. Sargent. 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. Folks, I dont like the gamesmanship with student testing. We publish election results following each election. 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. If you are an incumbent, please defend your vote on the decision to rescind the districts mask mandate March 9. High 82F. Political agendas and ideals have no place in the classroom. Answers from candidates have not been edited or fact-checked. Local school boards dont have much of a say in this. What are their needs? TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. In addition, utilizing school design replication would lower design costs, maintenance costs and fixture costs. There was an error processing your request. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. 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. This tally should include: Understanding of Texas and New Braunfels. Elec. 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. Beginning on April 19, there will be an election for three members of the Board of Trustees for Comal Independent School District. 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. Hes returning to the board after resigning to join the Alamo Colleges Board in 2019. Student grades are not improving, and the loss of teachers is making it worse. Mainly sunny. Where are our new students coming from? Why or why not? This is a state issue however. Comal ISD is divided into single-member districts and has a seven-member Board of Trustees. I want to participate in the process to fix it as your trustee. According to a letter sent to residents from Comal ISD. 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. Success! Camille Phillips can be reached at camille@tpr.org, on Instagram at camille.m.phillips and on Twitter at @cmpcamille. 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. I served in the Army Corps of Engineers with the 25th Infantry Division. Each trustee on the Board is elected separately from the single-member district in which he/she resides. These two separate elections will address the district's enrollment growth and teacher compensation. person will not be tolerated. 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. 5:11 PM Feb 2, 2021 CST 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. Their futures rely on the education they receive while attending Comal ISD schools. This says a lot about my passion and determination to help others. With 16 competitive races spread across six different Bexar County school districts Saturday, familiar names held a lot of sway. 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 do not need to do deficit budgeting. The Board's primary functions are goal setting, approving the budget and policymaking. This would include being proactive in seeking out land to buy for future construction. She currently works as a COVID-19 contact tracer. Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 1, 2, and 5. CTE Spotlight: Health Science Students Gain Experience, Earn Certifications Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, I believe handling growth is going to come down to understanding the data around that growth. If you are not an incumbent, would you have voted to rescind the mask mandate? NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas - Comal Independent School District Superintendent Andrew Kim will be leaving the district after 10 years. I feel a very personal and serious responsibility for all children in our growing district and the quality education they receive. degree in Management. If the School Board approves the updated Hillsborough County District Map, the students of thousands could be affected during the next school year. Even though she was the only member of the slate to win election, Sorensen said narrow margins in the other races show a lot of people are behind them. 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. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Mostly clear. Standardized tests should not exist. How would you / do you decide whether or not to approve the budget recommended to you by district administration? One of the things that sets me apart from my opponents is that Im currently a teacher and still working with students every day. It should also allow contractors to "sharpen their pencils" on how to rebuild similar buildings based on previous experience. I am willing to collaborate and solve the challenges or stand in respectful opposition when I believe something is not in the best interest of the families of Comal County. This could be done by being more proactive in reducing construction costs via replication of construction designs. 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. 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. I do believe Comal ISD is doing a good job in educating our students. This skill set will lend itself well to future capital construction projects the Comal ISD will seek out to meet future expected growth. 5:11 PM Feb 2, 2021 CST, Applications for election to the school boards will be accepted until Feb. 12. Manage growth within the district by being as fiscally responsible as the Comal ISD Board should be. 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. In doing so, we will achieve the best quality education. Two incumbents and five challengers competed for three trustee seats on the Southwest ISD board. 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. We need to fix these things. View the 2022 School Board Candidates. Each trustee on the Board is elected separately from the single-member district in which he/she resides. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. Being a teacher has always been my dream job, so Im thankful I am able to continue down this path. 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. 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. We will continue to lose teachers, and we will start to see students leave this district. 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. 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. 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. A top priority would be implementation of programs,. I do believe the pressure put on students and teachers to perform is not necessary. Lastly, Im a mother, a breast-feeding mother, a mother of four, a working-class mother. Also . I am Orlando OJ Dona, and with your vote I will be your Trustee for Comal ISD SMD 7 on May 7, 2022.