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 have used my skill sets of Cost Accounting, Capacity Planning and Engineering in multi-million dollar capacity manufacturing facility expansions. 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. Ballotpedia provides in-depth coverage of school board elections in America's largest school districts by enrollment. Zapata was disqualified from the race due to residency issues. Comal ISD paid for the construction of Davenport High School through a bond approved by voters in 2017. 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. 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. Where are our new students coming from? Why? Lastly, Im a mother, a breast-feeding mother, a mother of four, a working-class mother. School Board District 6. Folks, I dont like the gamesmanship with student testing. Withitspassage, teachers and staff would receive a 3 percent pay increase this year with auxiliarypersonnelreceivinga$1.50 hourly pay increase. More students came back to in person learning when they saw how effective the precautions were. That matters when we think about community involvement and equity. 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. 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. We are working to restore the radio signal. Answers from candidates have not been edited or fact-checked. 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. 7. Student enrollment growth is also a significant challenge for the district, and is projected to increase by 1,200-1,500 students per year for the next four years. 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. 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. I believe I have a unique set of skills which will allow me to do that. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Neither filed for re-election. 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. Experience: 6 years as a certified teacher in the State of Texas. The next election for Board members is scheduled for May 6, 2023. 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. Transparency is critical to our constituents whether they have children in the district, or not. Updated Student success will always be a top priority for discussion in quarterly meetings with community members. Teachers in some cases are even overworked due to the high demand to meet their high standards. 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. What would be your top priorities if you are elected? Another challenge facing Comal ISD is the lack of transparency from board members and accessibility for community members. 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. File Photo | Camille Phillips | Texas Public Radio. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. I feel that I have the skill set necessary to meet future capacity demand requirements. Comal ISD is very reliant on homeowners to provide growth funding. 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. Signup today! Board meetings should be live streamed so that all members of our community have the opportunity to attend and participate. Beginning on April 19, there will be an election for three members of the Board of Trustees for Comal Independent School District. person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. We will continue to lose teachers, and we will start to see students leave this district. Students, parents, and staffed should not have to worry about contracting the virus while going to school. 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. Elections will be held for Comal ISD District 1, 2, and 5. Ive always visualized Comal County as the place where I would raise a family. Each and every child in our district should be prepared for a productive and fulfilling future. If you are not an incumbent, would you have voted to rescind the mask mandate? We've already got a shortfall of budget around special education. This would include being proactive in seeking out land to buy for future construction. The other three members of her slate, Judit Vega, Luke Amphlett and Yasmn Parra Codina, received 40 to 45% of the vote in their races. 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. Six candidates are vying for Comal ISD single-member districts 6 and 7 in this Mays election. While I acknowledge that each student has different learning style, I do not support charter schools. If the School Board approves the updated Hillsborough County District Map, the students of thousands could be affected during the next school year. If the state wants to administer and test to collect data to evaluate the public school system, I have no problem with that. I feel a very personal and serious responsibility for all children in our growing district and the quality education they receive. 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. Those values, instilled in me from birth, will continue guiding my decision-making if I am elected to serve on the Board of Trustees. 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. A top priority would be implementation of programs,. 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 enjoy hunting, fishing, or traveling when I have the time. A keen eye must be kept on how our tax monies are being spent. Our teachers work hard for our students, and, if I am elected, I plan to take a fiscally conservative approach to increase teacher compensation. Nine out of the 10 incumbents on the ballot won reelection. 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. 5:11 PM Feb 2, 2021 CST, Applications for election to the school boards will be accepted until Feb. 12. 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. I served in the Army Corps of Engineers with the 25th Infantry Division. Election day will be November 8, 2022. Sorensen is the mother of a 5th grader enrolled at SAISDs Bonham Academy and vice-president of the Lavaca Neighborhood Association. I want to be your trustee because corrections are needed on this board. Youth Development Director for Ignite Volleyball Association. A- opening schools in August was beneficial to the kids AND offering virtual learning as an option. He was one of two trustees to vote against removing the mask mandate. Texas Public Radio | Would you like to receive our daily news. We are working to restore the radio signal. School board terms are four years long. The statistics show that masks work in helping slow the spread of Covid. What could it be doing better? 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. Irma Iris Duran de Rodriguez came close to coming out on top, with 31% of the votes. Low 52F. Preliminary election results for three open seats on the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD school board show voters chose experience with one exception. KTPD 89.3 FM in Del Rio's broadcast signal is currently down. 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. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. Every Monday evening you'll get caught up with the top stories from the last week. 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. 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. Rafael Diaz, who was appointed to replace Macias, won the District 7 seat, which represents all of Judson. Signup today! If approved by voters, the Maintenance and Operations tax rate for 2021 would be 94 cents compared to 2020s tax rate of 92 cents. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Why or why not? Four seats on the Comal Independent School District Board of Trustees were up for general election on May 9, 2015. 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. What grade on an A-F scale would you give your districts response to the coronavirus pandemic. Would you like to receive our daily news. 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. Lauren joined Community Impact Newspaper as a reporter in October 2019. I am still learning about budgeting. 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. As a Trustee, I intend to allow parents to make decisions that are best for their children. High 82F. Retired principal Corrine Saldaa narrowly won election with 33% of the vote. Comal ISD, located primarily in Comal County, also had an election to watch. Creating accountability to our parents, students and staff where it might be lacking now through open communication. I stand up for what I believe in, and I am highly motivated to see our schools succeed. VisitVotetexas.govfor more information on how to register. 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. 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. You have permission to edit this article. FILE PHOTO: A sign tells people where to cast their ballots. 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. 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. Don't Threaten. Businesses and taxpayers are the end customers for our educational product we put out into the marketplace once students graduate. Enrollment (14-15) 20,327 students. Joel Torres III 6. I believe handling growth is going to come down to understanding the data around that growth. Occupation: I am currently retired, but I do some substitute teaching. We publish election results following each election. 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. I do believe Comal ISD is doing a good job in educating our students. Code 11.061; Tex. Why or why not? 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 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. I am a full-time student at St. Phillips College. Updated Hello, my name is Kaila Stovall. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Mostly clear. 1What is your current or most recent occupation? PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) The celebration surrounding Damian Lillard's record-breaking performance was short-lived. Increasing teacher pay to keep teachers in Comal ISD would be a step in the right direction. 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. Courtney Beach Biasatti, Drastatas opponent, said she would have polled her constituents before making a decision about masks. Single-Member District 1 incumbent Steve Lechelop, an attorney who has represented the district since 2013, was narrowly defeated by Sarah Sorensen, a former legislative analyst in the New York State Assembly. How should CISD handle growth in the district? 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. I do volunteer charity work for the Garden Ridge Lions Club as the club Vice President. My passion and motivation to make a difference are my girls and their education. As one of the board members correctly pointed out, there's no way that Comal ISD will ever close the gap between what we can offer and the private sector, but we're paying the higher price regardless, which is taking us over budget. Candidates set for May 7 school boards and City Council ballots, By Catherine Wilson and Steve Knight | The Herald-Zeitung. If you are an incumbent, please defend your vote on the decision to rescind the districts mask mandate March 9. . 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. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Mostly clear. Shedefeated Drastata Saturday with just under 59% of the vote. I have a B.S. 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. It is no secret that Comal ISD is growing at an unprecedented rate, and how well we handle additional student enrollment is crucial. racist or sexually-oriented language. Keep it Clean. Threats of harming another Heath Pinkerton 21. Comal ISD Positions 1, 2 and 5all single-member districtswill be up for. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. (Courtesy Adobe Stock). Eric joined Community Impact as an editor in July 2021, returning to journalism after several years in the New Braunfels business community. You have permission to edit this article. There was an error processing your request. We do not need to do deficit budgeting. 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. Meet the Teacher, Orientation, & Open House, Lamar University Educational Leadership Program. Students go through immense amounts of stress and pressure to pass these tests. Most charter schools follow strict guidelines to for their test scores and are very selective of their students. I am Orlando OJ Dona, and with your vote I will be your Trustee for Comal ISD SMD 7 on May 7, 2022. 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.. Texas Public Radio. Beginning on April 19, there will be an election for three members of the Board of Trustees for Comal Independent School District. Yes- as a mother of 3 I am very impressed with the current curriculum, Yes- I believe they feel supported by the district. For TPR's full Voter Guide, click here. Note: Names are listed in order of appearance on the ballot according to the city clerks' office. Early voting begins April 25 and ends May 3. But I believe transparency and accountability lead to trust throughout an organization, and no matter how an organization is currently run, there are always improvements that can be made in transparency and accountability. Comal ISD is divided into single-member districts and has a seven-member Board of Trustees. 3:37 PM Feb 22, 2022 CST, Three New Braunfels ISD positions and two Comal ISD positions will appear on the ballot May 7. Jason Isbell 5. Five school board member positions in New Braunfels ISD and Comal ISD will be up for election May 2. Camille Phillips can be reached at camille@tpr.org, on Instagram at camille.m.phillips and on Twitter at @cmpcamille. The goal of these lawsuits is to nullify Governor Abbotts Executive Order GA-36 on mask mandates in schools and give that power to school boards throughout the state. I know for a fact we are overspending in certain areas of our budget via open record requests. 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. The Comal Independent School District board of trustees is gearing up for a bond election and a tax rate increase election in November. Top priorities for me are transparency in how board decisions are made. Mainly sunny. 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. These will be held outside of our regular board meetings. 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. Did not respond. However, lifting the mask mandate that was set in place to protect students and staff less than 12 hours before the next school day and without consulting experts completely disregards all of those efforts. Meet the Teacher, Orientation, & Open House, Lamar University Educational Leadership Program. 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! KTPD 89.3 FM in Del Rio's broadcast signal is currently down. What is your stance on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) tests? In 2022, four of the seven board seats are up for election. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. This tally should include: Understanding of Texas and New Braunfels. Have they mentored students in the National Honor Society or won awards for Robotics at the Texas State Level with their kiddos? Each has . By Lauren Canterberry Why or why not? The last day to apply for a ballot by mail (received not postmarked) is April 26. We have difficult decisions ahead in the district that will challenge the resolve of the Trustees. 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. Texas A&M University System bans diversity statements from job applications, Movies romanticized the Alamo. I plan to have town hall meetings with anyone in the district who wishes to be heard. He received 120 votes. From my perspective Comal does not treat their school employees well. 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. Student grades are not improving, and the loss of teachers is making it worse. 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. The Comal Board of Trustees approved a bond package worth $147.4 million at its February 2015 meeting, that was put to voters on the May 9, 2015, ballot. Amanda Jones and. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. In following years, the tax rate is projected to lower back to 92 cents in 2022 and 91 cents in 2023 due to rising property appraisal values. Comal Independent School District, District 4 General Election, 3-year term, 2014; Party Candidate Vote % Votes Nonpartisan : Denise Kern: 61.2%: 386 Nonpartisan : Nancy Pappas Incumbent: 38.8%: 245: Total Votes: 631: Source: Comal Independent School District, "Comal ISD School Board Election Results," May 10, 2014 Click here to find out what district you are in. | 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. Internet stream is unaffected. I think it shows our message has resonated with the community, and people are ready for change, Sorensen said. This would enable us to locate our schools within satisfactory distances for parents to send their children. This will lower maintenance and supply costs. 5. In District 4, incumbent Denise Kern was unopposed in her re-election bid. Prior to CI, Eric freelanced for multiple publications and was a reporter for the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. I would decide on whether or not to approve a budget by seeing and listening to my districts needs. By Lauren Canterberry I will not waiver in my commitment to keep a students-first mindset. I also want to serve because I want ALL students to feel safe in our classrooms and hallways across the district. Before this, I worked at Ed White Middle School in NEISD for four years. Also seeking to win one of the at-large trustee seats, which are currently held by Clark and David Heefner, is Matthew D. Sargent. 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. Don't knowingly lie about anyone If elected, I intend to understand and communicate to constituents the districts efforts to close those gaps. Proposition D, at $34,540,000 will fund student and teacherinstructional technologyand network infrastructure projects. 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. My goal is not to raise taxes. 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.
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