Special to the Bulverde News

Early voting in the Comal Independent School District’s $205.85 million bond election begins April 28 and continues through May 6.

Registered voters can vote anywhere they want during the early voting period. They must have the proper identification with them–such as their voter registration card or driver’s license.

The seven locations during the entire 10-day period include Specht and Rebecca Creek elementary schools; Comal County Courthouse; Bulverde City Hall; Garden Ridge Municipal Complex; Community Resource and Recreation Center in Sattler; and Comal ISD’s Support Services Center.

All of the remaining schools will serve as temporary voting locations on either two or three days during early voting.

Voters can wait until Election Day on May 10 to vote from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. There will be 11 precincts open that day, but voters will have to vote in their respective precinct. Election Day polling locations are:

Faith United Church of Christ;

Community Resource & Recreation Center;

Fischer Community Center;

Canyon Lake Golf & Country Club;

Spring Branch Volunteer Fire Dept.;

Bulverde City Hall;

Specht Elementary;

St. Anthony the Great Orthodox Church;

Bulverde United Methodist Church;

Garden Ridge Municipal Complex;

Comal Elementary.

The Comal ISD board of trustees voted unanimously Feb. 20 to call a $205.85 million bond issue in order to address the school district’s fast growth rate (about 1,000 students a year) and need for more classrooms over the next several years.

The bond issue, proposed by a 22-member Bond Citizens Committee, calls for the expansion of Canyon and Smithson Valley high schools so they may each accommodate up to 2,575 students when completed.

In addition, the bond includes three new elementary schools in the Canyon Lake area, Bulverde/Bexar County area, and Garden Ridge.

Superintendent Marc Walker announced that a fourth new elementary, Avery Park in New Braunfels, will be covered out of the current bond issue.

Four of the district’s middle schools — Canyon, Church Hill, Spring Branch, and Smithson Valley — would also be expanded in Bond 2008 to accommodate up to 1,150 through the expansion of some of their core facilities and additional classroom space.

All elementary playgrounds would be standardized, and all middle school and elementary school gymnasiums would be air conditioned. Other capital projects would be done at Specht Elementary, Goodwin Frazier Elementary, Canyon Lake High, and Bill Brown Elementary.

About $8.3 million for technology upgrades to include mobile labs, laptops for teachers, video conferencing equipment, and wireless access in all schools, is included in the bond issue.

Money for land purchases for future schools and funds to handle inflation and furniture, fixtures, and equipment also are in the bond.

All Bond 2008 information and documents are available at www.comalisd.org. People can e-mail questions, or requests for speakers, to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it