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. Neither filed for re-election. Answers from candidates have not been edited or fact-checked. Questions regarding elections can be directed to Melanie Allen at (763)689-6202 or mallen@c-ischools.org. Would you like to receive our daily news. I am guided by my own motives and the wisdom of like-minded others who have the singular goal of graduating children ready for the challenges they will meet in the future. Alamo Heights ISD had two competitive races without incumbents. High 82F. Youth Development Director for Ignite Volleyball Association. What would be your top priorities if you are elected? In District 4, incumbent Denise Kern was unopposed in her re-election bid. Teaching skills sought by local businesses would be key to providing our taxpayer base with the students they will need in the future. I also want to serve because I want ALL students to feel safe in our classrooms and hallways across the district. Early voting will take place Oct. 18-29. *Courtney Beach Biasatti: District No. My goal is not to raise taxes. He received 120 votes. Also seeking to win one of the at-large trustee seats, which are currently held by Clark and David Heefner, is Matthew D. Sargent. Louie G. Luna, the only viable candidate for Harlandales District 3, won election by just 16 votes. 3:37 PM Feb 22, 2022 CST Code 11.002. I would have polled the constituents in my district- all staff, parents and student input would be considered before casting my vote. I feel a very personal and serious responsibility for all children in our growing district and the quality education they receive. This skill set will lend itself well to future capital construction projects the Comal ISD will seek out to meet future expected growth. Sign up today! Texas A&M University System bans diversity statements from job applications, Movies romanticized the Alamo. 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. I am still learning about budgeting. I will do everything in my power to support the school district in providing the best teachers, curriculum and facilities needed to prepare our students for what lies ahead. Proactively address district growth. I am Orlando OJ Dona, and with your vote I will be your Trustee for Comal ISD SMD 7 on May 7, 2022. Teacher retention and pay is crucial to insuring we have the best teachers for our children. We are working to restore the radio signal. 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. I taught one year at an Alternative Charter School in Schertz to middle school students and high school students. Texas Public Radio | What are their needs? Irma Iris Duran de Rodriguez came close to coming out on top, with 31% of the votes. 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. 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. 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. Neither filed for re-election. 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. Enrollment (14-15) 20,327 students. 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. Internet stream is unaffected. Click here to find out what district you are in. Six candidates are vying for Comal ISD single-member districts 6 and 7 in this Mays election. Christopher Willis and Fabian Castillo Dealva are seeking the District 2 seat. My wife, Tory, and I attend Northeast Bible Church and have two daughters who go to Garden Ridge Elementary School. While I acknowledge that each student has different learning style, I do not support charter schools. The Boards primary functions are goal setting, approving the budget and policymaking. The Board's primary functions are goal setting, approving the budget and policymaking. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Mainly sunny. Zapata was disqualified from the race due to residency issues. Amanda Jones and. Heath Pinkerton 21. 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. 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. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 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.. 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. Ryan and I made our home New Braunfels seven years ago, and we have loved living here. 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. 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. Prior to CI, Eric freelanced for multiple publications and was a reporter for the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. 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. You have permission to edit this article. Click here to find out what district you are in. 9:53 AM Apr 21, 2021 CDT, Learn more about the candidates for districts 1 and 2 for the Comal ISD board of trustees. 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. What grade on an A-F scale would you give your districts response to the coronavirus pandemic. Proposition C, at$20,397,672, will fundstadium capacityexpansion projects at both Canyon Lake and Davenport High Schools. 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. These skills can be acquired by more investment in Career and Technical Training courses at existing high schools or consolidation into schools that specialize in particular career options. | I challenge voters to look at the most recent grade report on their local school and not be horrified. It is not the role of the Board of Trustees to dictate what parents choose for their children regarding masks or COVID vaccines. Northside board policy is to declare whoever wins the most votes the winner, so there wont be a runoff. It now has approximately 30,000 students. person will not be tolerated. Transparency is critical to our constituents whether they have children in the district, or not. 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. 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. Early voting begins April 25 and ends May 3. If elected, I intend to understand and communicate to constituents the districts efforts to close those gaps. 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. 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. School board terms are four years long. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Mostly clear. 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. Comal ISD, located primarily in Comal County, also had an election to watch. Texas Public Radio. Due to large volume of calls messages left may not be promptly answered. 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. This would enable us to locate our schools within satisfactory distances for parents to send their children. 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. 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. degree in Industrial Engineering and a M.S. Lastly, Im a mother, a breast-feeding mother, a mother of four, a working-class mother. I have used my skill sets of Cost Accounting, Capacity Planning and Engineering in multi-million dollar capacity manufacturing facility expansions. 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. 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. If approved by voters, the Maintenance and Operations tax rate for 2021 would be 94 cents compared to 2020s tax rate of 92 cents. FILE PHOTO: A sign tells people where to cast their ballots. 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. You have permission to edit this article. 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. The last day to apply for a ballot by mail (received not postmarked) is April 26. 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. Masks are a simple and effective way to help provide that safety. 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. that is degrading to another person. Amanda Jones and Amber Bracegirdle are vying for the District 6 position, and David Krawczynski, Kaila Stovall,. degree in Management. 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 One of the school boards primary responsibilities is to approve a budget. View the 2022 School Board Candidates. Meet the Teacher, Orientation, & Open House, Lamar University Educational Leadership Program. I have started youth sport organizations and had to create and approve budgets from year to year. Conservative family values are my moral fiber and have guided me throughout my life. The last day to register to vote for this election is April 7. And though COVID is thought of as being to blame, math scores for students across all grade levels K-12 have dropped from 50% in 2019 to 35% in 2021, and similarly in other disciplines. I graduated from San Antonio College in 2015 with my Associates Degree, and then I went on to graduate from Texas State University in 2017 with my Bachelors Degree in English and 7th-12th teaching certificate. 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. As a Trustee, I intend to allow parents to make decisions that are best for their children. Be Nice. 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. * denotes candidates who did not respond to survey requests sent via email and/or phone calls by time of publication. Retired principal Corrine Saldaa narrowly won election with 33% of the vote. 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. I have a B.S. Maintain the ongoing academic and extracurricular success of our students. In addition, utilizing school design replication would lower design costs, maintenance costs and fixture costs. 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. 1, Did not respond. . The biggest challenge facing Comal ISD is low teacher pay. This tally should include: Understanding of Texas and New Braunfels. Our coverage includes school board member and candidate profiles, noteworthy election issues, district data, and more. High 82F. Manage growth within the district by being as fiscally responsible as the Comal ISD Board should be. I would like to see teachers, teach and not have to focus on the standardized testing regulations. 7. Be a voice for all Comal ISD communities. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. 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. May 6, 2017. We are working to restore the radio signal. Student grades are not improving, and the loss of teachers is making it worse. Oak Creek and Freiheit Elementary Schools, and a new middle school to relieve Canyon Middle School. Please download the PDF file. We have lived in Garden Ridge for over 10 years. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the school district and how do you plan to address them? This is a state issue however. 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. KTPD 89.3 FM in Del Rio's broadcast signal is currently down. (Community Impact Newspaper staff), Editor, New Braunfels and San Marcos/Buda/Kyle. Support our teachers and staff. [1] For more information about the Comal County Elections, click here. 1 We need to reach out to local or even corporate businesses to see if we could get any donations from them. Why reinvent the wheel. Why or why not? 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. Courtney Beach Biasatti, Drastatas opponent, said she would have polled her constituents before making a decision about masks. I would have voted to keep the mask mandate. Served on the districts Safety Committee? Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 3 and 5. That is the equivalent of adding an entire high school to our district every year. 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. or anything. Why do you want to serve on the school board? 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. 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. With 16 competitive races spread across six different Bexar County school districts Saturday, familiar names held a lot of sway. Image courtesy of Comal ISD. 1 of 2. 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. racist or sexually-oriented language. 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. It should also allow contractors to "sharpen their pencils" on how to rebuild similar buildings based on previous experience.