Beginning on April 19, there will be an election for three members of the Board of Trustees for Comal Independent School District. 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. I have experience in Engineering, Cost Accounting, Production Planning and Plant Operations Management. 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. I have served as a high school vice principal and have taught at colleges and universities in four states since 2000. Currently I am an English Language Arts and Reading high school teacher working with 9th-12th grade students who are working towards earning English credits so they can stay on track to graduate with their peers. 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. person will not be tolerated. At CI, Lauren covers education, local government, transportation, business, real estate development and nonprofits in New Braunfels. Proposition C, at$20,397,672, will fundstadium capacityexpansion projects at both Canyon Lake and Davenport High Schools. Proposition A will also fundcampusreinvestmentandinfrastructure projectsas well asthe purchase ofcampus safety and security,busesand land. Thats a responsibility I take really seriously coming into the board.. School Board District 6. My top priorities include: Looking at our budget and finding where we are overspending so that we can find a way to pay teachers and support staff more; making sure we are being more transparent and accessible to parents, Comal ISD staff and all community members; offering support by listening to Comal ISD staff to find out what things need to change in our schools to ensure student success; and communicating with constituents. We publish election results following each election. Being a teacher has always been my dream job, so Im thankful I am able to continue down this path. 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. 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. My time as a teacher has been rewarding, exciting, and, at times, mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting. 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. 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. 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. Because I have children in the district, I am 100% invested in what is best for students. Mainly sunny. In 2022, four of the seven board seats are up for election. Prior to CI, Eric freelanced for multiple publications and was a reporter for the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. 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. 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 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. 1What is your current or most recent occupation? I stand up for what I believe in, and I am highly motivated to see our schools succeed. We need to work with state legislators to keep more tax dollars in our school district and increase teacher compensation to reflect current costs of living and inflation. Nine out of the 10 incumbents on the ballot won reelection. 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. This is a challenge. 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. This would enable us to locate our schools within satisfactory distances for parents to send their children. 3:16 PM Apr 25, 2022 CDT, Learn more about the candidates for districts 6 and 7 for the Comal ISD board of trustees. Local school boards dont have much of a say in this. As a retired educator, I have a keen understanding of what goes on in the classroom and the issues facing our teachers and administrators. Rule ISD. Jason Isbell 5. Folks, I dont like the gamesmanship with student testing. why is my cookies pen blinking purple is there mobile coverage across the nullarbor comal county fire department Proactively address district growth. That matters when we think about community involvement and equity. We are one of the fastest growing districts in the area if not the state. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. 9:53 AM Apr 21, 2021 CDT Comal County Isd District Map - Comal County Isd District Map - Locating a map of your county's district may be difficult. 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. There was an error processing your request. Texas A&M University System bans diversity statements from job applications, Movies romanticized the Alamo. NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas - Comal Independent School District Superintendent Andrew Kim will be leaving the district after 10 years. Why reinvent the wheel. Do you know this means your student scored about a 40% on the test? Creating accountability to our parents, students and staff where it might be lacking now through open communication. May 6, 2017. Beginning on April 19, there will be an election for two members of the Board of Trustees for New Braunfels Independent School District. Comal ISD incumbent Tim Hennessee received 61% of the vote in his race, despite facing two challengers. New Braunfels voters will elect CISD school board members for districts 6 and 7. VisitVotetexas.govfor more information on how to register. 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. 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. racist or sexually-oriented language. 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. 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. File Photo | Camille Phillips | Texas Public Radio. I would look at copying other school designs for expansions so we can reduce design and architecture costs. Based on the recommendations of the Comal Forward committee, Comal ISD Board of Trustees on Feb. 15 approved an order calling for a $634,659,847 bond election to be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023 to address the needs of the district. 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. The last day to register to vote for this election is April 7. Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. Each trustee on the Board is elected separately from the single-member district in which he/she resides. Would you like to receive our daily news? This will lower maintenance and supply costs. Both elections will be on Nov. 2 and early voting will be Oct. 18 to 29. 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. Top priorities for me are transparency in how board decisions are made. I will not waiver in my commitment to keep a students-first mindset. Ballotpedia provides in-depth coverage of school board elections in America's largest school districts by enrollment. Questions regarding elections can be directed to Melanie Allen at (763)689-6202 or mallen@c-ischools.org. Board meetings should be live streamed so that all members of our community have the opportunity to attend and participate. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the school district and how do you plan to address them? How should CISD handle growth in the district? 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.. We'd love to hear eyewitness One big challenge I have mentioned previously is to manage the phenomenal growth that Comal County has been experiencing the last 5 years. Did not respond. 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. Beginning on April 19, there will be an election for three members of the Board of Trustees for Comal Independent School District. Each and every child in our district should be prepared for a productive and fulfilling future. So, I plan to look at our current spending and see where we can make changes. Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. Keep it Clean. 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. Early voting will take place Oct. 18-29. As for being an educator for 6 years, I have seen what works and what did not work in these other school districts. Comal ISD is a very large land mass. Cheryl . Two of seven seats on the Comal Independent School District board of trustees were up for by-district general election on May 6, 2017. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. degree in Management. Support our teachers and staff. I have used my skill sets of Cost Accounting, Capacity Planning and Engineering in multi-million dollar capacity manufacturing facility expansions. 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. degree in Industrial Engineering and a M.S. [1] Heath Pinkerton 21. A top priority would be implementation of programs,. I believe I have a unique set of skills which will allow me to do that. Tex. I enjoy hunting, fishing, or traveling when I have the time. Success! 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. 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. Internet stream is unaffected. Use the 'Report' link on I think it shows our message has resonated with the community, and people are ready for change, Sorensen said. (Courtesy Adobe Stock). 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. The early years of my post-graduate career were spent in the outdoor industry, beginning with the famed YO Ranch and, soon after, a luxury wing-shooting lodge in Kentucky. What experience do you have making financial decisions? 5:22 PM Apr 7, 2022 CDT 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. Trustee (vote for 3) Amy Rogers 43. Updated Ill focus on the latter. D. At first I believe Comal ISD did a good job of providing options to students and parents to see if theyd like to attend in person or remote learning. 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. Increasing teacher pay to keep teachers in Comal ISD would be a step in the right direction. CTE Spotlight: Health Science Students Gain Experience, Earn Certifications | Those board member positions are occupied by Marty Bartlett and Cody Mueller, respectively.. The last day to apply for a ballot by mail (received not postmarked) is April 26. By Lauren Canterberry What could it be doing better? If the state wants to administer and test to collect data to evaluate the public school system, I have no problem with that. They will be joined by Daniel Carrillo. If successful, this issue will become the responsibility of each school district to decide on, potentially in perpetuity. How should Comal ISD handle its ongoing growth? Teachers in some cases are even overworked due to the high demand to meet their high standards. 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. 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.