Comal ISD’s music program receives national recognition for fourth year
For the fourth year in a row, Comal ISD’s music program has received the Best Communities for Music Education designation from the National Association for Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation.“We are proud to receive this honor for a fourth consecutive year,” said Gary Cooper, Comal ISD fine arts director. “This is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our 71 music educators from elementary to high school.”The Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to school districts that
Comal ISD Bass Fishing Club continues to catch honors
The Comal ISD Bass Fishing Club won its third consecutive championship as the Hill Country Region School District Champion. For the third consecutive year, the Comal ISD Bass Fishing Club was named the Hill Country Region School District Champion and six anglers advanced to the state tournament in May. They were recognized at the Comal ISD Board of Trustees meeting last night. Comal ISD students who qualified for the state Bass Fishing State tournament are pictured with the Comal ISD Board of
The Power of Office Ergonomics: Boosting Productivity the Healthy Way
At Taproot Chiropractic, we believe in the power of the human body and its ability to heal and thrive when provided with the right conditions. While many people may think of ergonomics as just another corporate buzzword, it's much more than that. Currently, 86% of Americans work behind a computer making ergonomics an essential aspect of our daily lives that impacts our health, well-being, and efficiency. Understanding Office Ergonomics. Office ergonomics is about designing workspaces to fit
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Local Student Graduates from Texas Boys State
One of 1,000+ future leaders that assembled for the prestigious programSpent week at University of Texas learning about government AUSTIN, Tex. – The American Legion, Department of Texas, today announced that Ryder Bonser, Rowen Hamilton, William Martin, Jake McAnelly, and Maxen Powell of Smithson Valley High School have graduated from the American Legion Texas Boys State. Rowen Hamilton was elected as Speaker of the House and Jake McAnelly elected as County Judge. Rowen Hamilton was one of two young men
Comal ISD, hosting back-to-school student immunization clinics, Aug. 3
Comal ISD will be hosting two student immunization clinics on Thursday, Aug. 3. Anyone interested in participating in these clinics may register here. Walk-ins will be accepted. Clinic times and locations on Thursday, Aug. 3: 9 a.m. to noon at Bill Brown Elementary School, 20410 Hwy. 46, Spring Branch 1-4 p.m. at Mountain Valley Elementary School, 310 Cannan Rd., Canyon Lake The student immunization clinics are open to school-aged children through age 18. All insurance policies will be verified. The
Comal ISD students qualify for UIL Academic State Meet
More than a dozen students in Comal ISD qualified for the UIL Academic State Meet this year in various contests including science, spelling, number sense, copy editing, literary criticism, poetry, ready writing and computer science. These state qualifiers were recognized by the Comal ISD Board of Trustees on June 22. UIL Academic State Qualifiers Computer Science: Joshua Butler from Smithson Valley High SchoolCopy Editing: Emma Siebold from SVHS and Lillian Vickers and Hill Country College
Smithson Valley High journalism students receive state awards
Smithson Valley High School journalism students received awards at several state-level contests this spring for their photography and writing skills, and the school’s online newspaper and yearbook were honored as well. The journalism program at SVHS continues to win awards annually, and this school year was no exception. The Valley Ventana news staff received a Bronze Star in the online newspaper category (valleyventana.org), and the yearbook staff received a Distinguished Merit award at the
Comal ISD middle, elementary students win stock market game
Mountain Valley Middle School and Johnson Ranch Elementary students won the Spring 2023 Stock Market Game competition beating teams throughout Central Texas in the middle and elementary school categories. Taking first place for the middle school division was a team comprised of sixth-grade students in Darla Blaksley’s class at MVMS. These students had never played the game before and were excited and proud of their results.Winning team members include Alexandra Castillo, Denise Leon, Alicia
Comal ISD students advance to state and national FFA competitions
Comal ISD students qualified for state competitions in various career and leadership development events this spring through FFA. These students were recognized at the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday for their achievements. Career Development Events (CDE) through FFA help prepare students for careers in agriculture by testing and challenging their technical, leadership, interpersonal and teamwork skills as well as their knowledge of the subject. This year, two Comal ISD teams qualified
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Mobility as Medicine
Do you have stiff joints with the first few steps out of bed in the morning? Or, perhaps, after watching a movie, you stand up and find your low back doesn’t want to straighten up? Often, X-Ray imaging will diagnose these achy, stiff joints with Osteoarthritis (OA). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states 3.2 million Americans are affected by OA. The CDC describes OA as a disease where “cartilage begins to break down and the underlying bone begins to change”. Cartilage is a malleable,
Population Booms, Jail Upgrades, and Glock Clips: Sheriff Reynolds on Ongoing Battle for Security
Population Booms, Jail Upgrades, and Glock Clips: Sheriff Reynolds Reveals Comal County's Ongoing Battle for SecurityBy: Kaitie Moore Underwood | REALTOR®, Blue Collar Commercial Group The Bulverde/Spring Branch Chamber of Commerce recently hosted an insightful event featuring Sheriff Mark Reynolds, who provided a comprehensive update on the latest developments in Comal County, Texas. One notable highlight was the population growth in the county, which has seen a significant increase from 165,000
Four Comal ISD athletes receive top honors at Second Annual Alamo City High School Sports Awards
Four Comal ISD athletes received top honors at the San Antonio Express-News Second Annual Alamo City High School Sports Awards on June 7 at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Sabrina Taber, a 2023 graduate of Smithson Valley High School, was named the girls soccer Athlete of the Year; Savannah Schaaf, a 10th-grade student from Pieper High School, was named girls wrestling Athlete of the Year; Presley Bolado, a 10th-grade student from Canyon High School, was named girls golf Athlete of the Year; and Haley Carmona, a
Six Comal ISD musicians receive scholarships during All-District Jazz Night
Comal ISD awarded six scholarships totaling $4,600 to six graduating seniors during its All- District Jazz Night on March 7. The students were chosen based on their outstanding achievements and involvement in the district’s music program.In addition to the scholarships, the night was filled with sounds of jazz bands from across the district including Canyon High School, Canyon Lake High School, Davenport High School, Pieper High School and Smithson Valley High School. Among the highlights of the evening
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Ten years of chess commemorated with “The Endgame”
This year marked Comal ISD’s 10th year of tournament chess play since launching a district- wide chess initiative in the 2013-2014 school year. To commemorate the anniversary, the district hosted four tournaments for students in grades kindergarten through 12th grades and capped it off with a rated tournament for middle and high school students. Called “The Endgame,” this final tournament of the year took place on May 13 at Canyon High School in partnership with Complete Chess of New Braunfels. All players
Local scholarship donors award $592,622 to Comal ISD students
This year, the graduating class of 2023 from Comal ISD’s five high school campuses received a total of $592,622 in local scholarships, surpassing the district’s goal for the year “We continue to be amazed by the generosity of the Comal ISD community which funds our local scholarships,” says Sarah Permenter, executive director of community relations for Comal ISD. “We value their partnership and commitment to working with us to support our students and families every year.” Local scholarship donors were
Comal ISD offers free summer meals at two locations
The Comal Independent School District is offering free breakfast and lunch meals for children 18 years and younger at two campus locations. Meals are available Monday through Thursday. Children must be present. No identification or paperwork is required. Times Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Lunch: 11 a.m. - noon. Locations and Dates Church Hill Middle School, 1275 N Business 35, New Braunfels Monday-Thursday, now through Thursday, June 22 Morningside Elementary, 3855 Morningside Dr.,
Comal ISD Seniors of 2023
This year, Comal ISD graduated 1,878 students who are pursuing military, career or college plans. In a packed week of graduation ceremonies which began Wednesday, May 24, and ended Saturday, May 27, Comal ISD honored the graduating class of 2023 from its five high school campuses. Collectively, these recent graduates have persevered, accomplished many goals and created memories that will last a lifetime. Class of 2023 Stats: $30 million in scholarships earned 1,878 graduates from five high
Five Comal ISD students receive 2023 Exceptional Senior Award
Five Comal ISD students received the Exceptional Senior Award from Rep. Chip Roy for consistently displaying high levels of character, leadership, integrity and diligence throughout their high school careers. Nominated for this award by campus administrators, these recent graduates represent Comal ISD among the 42 high school students from Texas’ 21 st congressional district who received the honor this year. “I am proud of all that the incredible young men and women of Texas’ 21 st Congressional
Comal ISD Class of 2023 Top Academic Graduates
Every year, the Comal Independent School District honors its top 5, 10 and 15 percent graduating seniors based on their academic achievements. Here is a list of this year’s honorees from each high school campus. Canyon High School Summa Cum Laude, top 5 percent:Danny Aceves Iniguez, Hannah Albright, Tyler Anderson, Presley Batkins, Hannah Blankenship, Jacqueline Carter, Jaxon Caufield, Serena Davila, Jamie Lenee DeWitt, Kathleen Edwards, Keenan Frazier, Luke Gately, Evan Gruhlkey, Christian Hockley, Alex
Annual academic banquet honors students and teachers
Comal ISD hosted the 22nd Annual Jan Heckendorn Academic Recognition Banquet on May 11, honoring this year’s to graduating seniors along with an honored teacher selected by each student. In addition to honoring these students and teachers, the Jan Heckendorn Scholarship is presented during the event. This year, the scholarship committee chose to award three students with the Jan Heckendorn Scholarship. They included Katelyn Davis from Canyon High School, Abigail Permenter from Smithson Valley High School
Comal ISD graduates pursue arts, trades
Comal ISD hosted signing days for graduating seniors choosing to pursue their passions in music, theater, art and trades such as plumbing, HVAC and cosmetology during decision and signing days in the weeks leading up to graduation ceremonies. Among the Class of 2023, 24 students made the commitment to pursue a career in fine arts at the collegiate level, specifically in acting, music, photography, writing and art. Additionally, 20 students committed to pursuing careers in fields of study that began with
Comal ISD students choose military post high school graduation
This year, 44 Comal ISD students have chosen to serve in the U.S. military upon graduation either as enlistees or through military academies and ROTC scholarships. For Elijah Hime, who enlisted in the U.S. Army and left for basic training days after graduating from Memorial Early College High School, military service will provide him with the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of his father and great grandfather. “I chose the Army for the mental, physical and monetary benefits it will provide me, in
But What Really is a Financial Coach?
“But what really is a financial coach?” It’s a question I get asked A LOT. By friends, family, folks in my community, and even clients. We hear the term “financial coaching” get thrown around a lot, but when I actually interact with people, I realize that most people don’t really have much clarity on who a financial coach is, how we’re different from financial advisers and CPAs, and what we can do to help. Which is why I’m very excited to share this super informative blog post by Accountable
From Homestead Hobby to Thriving Business: Tips to Monetize Your Hobby Farm
More people are embracing the homestead lifestyle, and why wouldn't they? With all the uncertainty in the world, there's something to be said for a simpler way of life. But just because you're living off your land doesn't mean you can't make money from your homestead. In fact, there are plenty of opportunities for homesteaders to make a good living from their hobby farms. The Products that Sell Some of the most popular homesteading products that people monetize include eggs, honey, herbs, and vegetables.
Canyon Lake student wins second major art show
He did it again. Canyon Lake High School senior Baten Evans walked away as the champion of the Rodeo Austin art contest in the sculpture/3D category this spring after winning the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Western Art Contest. The two-time champion received a $10,000 scholarship at the San Antonio show and $14,000 at the Austin show where his entry sold for $6,000 during the rodeo’s auction and then garnered an additional $8,000 from a donor. This is a new record for CLHS for the highest selling art
Smithson Valley student named Student Visionary of the Year
Smithson Valley High School student, Alex Smithwick, 16, was named the 2023 Student Visionary of the Year winner for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s South Central Texas Region. The junior soccer player raised $176,557 during her seven-week philanthropic campaign to help fight blood cancer. While Smithwick was presented with the award on March 5 during the Student Visionaries of the Year grand finale, she was recognized for her achievement at SVHS on Monday, May 15, with her soccer teammates, parents and
Comal ISD hosts final signing days for student athletes
Seven student-athletes from Canyon High School, Canyon Lake High School and Smithson Valley High School signed National Letters of Intent to play the sport of their choice at the collegiate level during the final signing days of the year this week. Surrounded by family, teammates, coaches and friends, these athletes celebrated this milestone with balloons, hugs, handshakes and lots of photos. This day represents a culmination of years of early morning and late-night practices, lessons, wins and
Comal ISD hosts four summer job fairs
The Comal Independent School District is hosting four summer job fairs: two at the end of May and two in August. The times, dates and locations are listed here. 5-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 30, Comal ISD Support Services office, 1404 IH 35 North, New Braunfels 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, Bill Brown Elementary, 20410 Hwy. 46, Spring Branch 5-6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, Comal ISD Support Services office, 1404 IH 35 North, New Braunfels 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, Comal ISD Support
Canyon Lake High School one-act play wins 2nd place at state
Canyon Lake High School has the second best one-act play production in the state with its 24-member company competing for the second year in a row at the State 4A UIL contest on Thursday, May 4. In addition to being the first runner up to the state champion, members of the CLHS company, which presented “The Cripple of Inishmaan” by Martin McDonagh, received state- level individual awards for their performance. These honors include Best Performer by Becker Russell; All-Star Cast for Danielle Schlomach; and
Comal ISD athletes bring home state track medals, Smithson Valley High girls team wins state title
The Smithson Valley girls track team won the 2023 UIL Class 5A Girls Track & Field State Championship. Together, the team brought home gold medals in the 4x200 meter relay, the 4x400 meter relay as well as individual medals in the long jump and the 200-meter race. The 4x200 meter relay gold medal team consisted of Alyssa Jones, Jatorie Mobley, Jacquelyn Rolle and Favour Uduji with Maycee Moody as alternate. The 4x400 meter relay gold medal team consisted of Jones, Mia Perez, Jazmyn Singh and Favor Uduji
Smithson Valley girls soccer team makes school history as state semi-finalist
The Smithson Valley High girls soccer team finished the year as state semi-finalist with a record of 27-1. The team and coaches were recognized by the Board of Trustees during the May 18 board meeting. The SVHS girls team advanced to the UIL state tournament for the first time. As the bi-district, area and regional champ, the Rangers lost against Grapevine 2-1 in the Class 5A semifinals. According to the San Antonio Express-News, no team in San Antonio area history had opened a season with 27 straight
Ruiz Ranch Motors
Ruiz Ranch Motors was “born” in early 2020 under ownership of Tino Ruiz at 4820 US Hwy 281 N in Spring Branch/Bulverde. In less than a year of renting the property, Tino purchased the prime commercial property in April of 2021. Ruiz Ranch Motors sits on a 2 acre tract of land with direct access to Hwy 281 with 180ft of highway frontage for vehicle display. Tino is an Independent dealer with a franchise background. He was a prior Pre-Owned Director with Universal Toyota where he started as a salesman 10
Smithson Valley High School Key Club receives Community Volunteer of the Year award
The Smithson Valley High School Key Club received the 2022 Community Volunteer of the Year award by the Bulverde Spring Branch Chamber of Commerce in February and was recognized by the Comal ISD Board of Trustees during its May meeting. With 44 active student members, the SVHS Key Club was nominated for the award because of the work it has done in the community. Part of the Hill Country Kiwanis Organization, the Key Club, is a service leadership program. The SVHS club has been busy this school year with
Two Comal ISD students named National Merit Scholars
Two Comal ISD students have been named National Merit Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship Program - Noah Bliss from Davenport High School and Mason Mock from Smithson Valley High School. Bliss and Mock are receiving National Merit $2,500 Scholarships. Bliss plans to attend the University of Texas, Austin to study aerospace engineering, and Mock plans to attend Texas A&M University to study electrical engineering. Only 7,250 National Merit finalists are selected to become National Merit Scholars in
Comal ISD Winter Color Guard teams qualify for state, Davenport High team wins championship
Four Comal ISD Winter Color Guard teams qualified for state competition with Davenport High School’s team winning the championship title for the second year in a row. The DHS Winter Color Guard team is under the direction of color guard director Kim Booher, assistant color guard director Alexis Dillon and director of bands Jeffrey Keyes. Team members include Lydia Alspach, Credance Gardner, Eleana Garcia, Lindsey Griffin, Ava Guerra, Adriana Islas, Kyley Kay, Morgan Lavash, Alicia Ongstad, Alani Parker,
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You Can't Take It With You
As an attorney and an estate settlement specialist I often gently remind our clients that once you pass away, you can’t take your business or assets with you! This article is to briefly discuss what may happen if you die in Texas without a basic estate plan. Finally, a few recommendations on basic legal documents we should have while we are alive. Death affects people in many ways. It never is timely. Death confronts the family with bereavement, with the need to readjust emotionally and
Comal ISD theatre education program receives state recognition
The Comal Independent School District is one of only nine districts to earn the inaugural Texas Thespians Premiere Communities for Theatre Education Award. More than 1,026 school districts were eligible for the honor.With this award, Texas Thespians recognizes and honors school districts that provide theatre programs with the resources above standard, as rooted in the Educational Theatre Association’s Opportunity to Learn Standards, Texas Theatre Knowledge and Skills for Fine Arts (TEKS), and support of
Pieper High student wins international business competition
Holt Miller, a 10th-grade student at Pieper High School is now an international champion after winning the DECA international competition for his SA Shoe Club business growth plan on Tuesday. “I was overwhelmed with emotions, almost as if I was dreaming,” says Miller about his big win. “Looking over the crowd with over 20,000 people from around the world and then hearing my name called to receive first place is a life-changing experience that I will never forget. It is an experience that is almost
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The Importance of Title Insurance
The Importance of Title InsuranceAlamo Title is Extremely Proud to Be Marking Our 100th Anniversary! A hundredth anniversary is a significant milestone that few companies achieve. Since 1922, we have completed hundreds of thousands of real estate transactions. For us, that achievement is more than a number. It embodies the hard work and dedication that it takes to shepherd countless families through homeownership and the pride in knowing that we have helped insure and protect millions of dollars’ worth
Sixteen student-athletes sign National Letters of Intent
Sixteen student-athletes from Canyon High School and Smithson Valley High School signed National Letters of Intent to play the sport of their choice at the collegiate level on Wednesday, April 12. Surrounded by family, teammates, coaches and friends, these athletes celebrated this milestone with balloons, hugs, handshakes and lots of photos. This day represents a culmination of years of early morning and late-night practices, lessons, wins and losses.From CHS, seven student-athletes signed
Maximizing Your Dental Care and Understanding Dental Insurance
We all carry various forms of insurance, generally to avoid hefty out of pocket costs. Currently, health care law prohibits insurance companies from setting dollar limits for yearly or lifetime coverage for essential health benefits. Despite dental issues having the ability to cause pain, infection, affect chewing and thus nutrition, implications with other serious health conditions, as well as mental health, dental benefits for adults are absurdly considered “optional”. Annual Maximums Dental insurance
Comal ISD CTE spotlight: Aviation at Davenport and Canyon High Schools
Students are building their own planes at Davenport and Canyon High Schools. That’s right, they are building planes as part of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Aviation Maintenance program in Comal ISD. “We’ve been experimenting with electronics since the beginning of the program,” says Ryan Johnson, an 11th-grade student at DHS who has been in the program for almost three years. “We’ve moved from simpler circuits to more intricate circuits to eventually learning about parts in the planes that we
Comal ISD students qualify for CTE state competitions
The Comal ISD Board of Trustees recognized 13 Career and Technical Education (CTE) state qualifiers during its regular board meeting on Feb. 23. Students who are involved in CTE organizations have many opportunities to sharpen their leadership and technical skills through various competitions. The Board recognized students who qualified for state in just a few of the district’s active CTE organizations. More state qualifiers will be honored in the coming months. First off, the
Comal ISD CTE month spotlight: Health science students gain experience, earn certifications
One of the most popular Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered at Comal ISD high schools is health science. Through health science courses, students follow a pathway to industry certifications and clinical, hands-on work experience that allows them to graduate from high school with both the skills and knowledge to begin a career in health care immediately. Video Link featuring SVHS Health Sciences “Our students are out in the community with patients getting hands-on experience and
New Year's Resolution: Get My Affairs in Order.
But what does “get my affairs in order” mean? As I tell my clients, it means getting your legal and financial matters sorted out ahead of time so that your loved ones are left with one less thing to cope with upon your passing. Getting your affairs in order should address both things: legal and financial. On the legal side, I recommend my clients have, at a minimum, the following documents: Last Will and Testament: This is probably the most common and most important estate planning document. Having a
Does Your Bulverde/Spring Branch Business Have a Fourth Quarter Plan?
As the year comes to a close, it's time to start thinking about wrapping up the fourth quarter. For small businesses, this means evaluating your goals for the year, outlining new year goals, planning holiday marketing, updating your website and social media profiles, assessing your inventory and supply chain, reviewing your accounting practices, preparing for tax season, and reevaluating your business structure. Use these tips from the Bulverde Spring Branch Area Chamber of Commerce to ensure that your
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Cleangie New Services
You’ve loved their home cleaning services for years and now they’re adding other services to their menu! Decluttering Organizing Home staging (List For Sale) CLEANGIE’s owner, Angie Moreno, understands how clutter creates chaos because she has lived it! She instills self-care by minimizing the suffocating clutter in her life, and others’, thereby helping reduce stress. Sensory overload is a real thing in adults too! Angie has a passion for serving and organizing, as well as decorating. Her staff will carry
Hunting Unicorns… Asking for a Friend…
People are important. Both in general and in so many ways for a small business. While recruiting and building teams, there are some things we can see on paper and some things we can just kind of feel (like a storm coming in your bones). The biggest factor in finding great people to join a great team is to treat them like talented people, not mythical creatures. Just this week I got a request to send a job opening out to my network that went something like this: We’re looking for someone for a role
Overcoming The Challenges Of Owning A CBD Company
Overcoming The Challenges Of Owning A CBD CompanyBy Ashley E. Mercer, Owner Farm to PharmCBD products are everywhere. Folks buy them to ease their arthritis (or that of their old Basset Hound). The odds are good that either you or someone you know safely uses CBD products for any number of reasons. The problem is, it’s still considered a “high-risk” business. So, to be able to sell CBD online or within a brick and mortar, a business faces onerous regulations, challenges, licenses and paperwork.What Is CBD &
