Salwa Choucair Lanford

Work • 26th February 2026

Hill Country College Prep Team Wins Congressional App Challenge for Texas District 21

February 26, 2026 - For the second year in a row, the Congressional App Challenge winner for Texas District 21 through Representative Chip Roy’s office, is a team from Hill Country College Preparatory High School with two of the members receiving the honor for a second time.
The team of three seniors, Ty Fonseca, Luke Ringlein and Keshav Singh, created and designed the winning app called “The American Dynamism Tracker” to provide real-time intelligence on America’s path to re-industrialization....

Work • 16th January 2026

Rahe Bulverde Elementary Student Becomes 2026 Comal Shake Champion on Birthday

January 16, 2026 - A natural conversationalist, this year’s Comal Shake Champion has never met a stranger and is never at a loss for words. However, Robert Osuna found himself momentarily speechless when his name was announced as the winner of the districtwide elementary contest.
In fact, the plaque was the perfect birthday present for the now 11-year-old fifth-grade student from Rahe Bulverde Elementary.
“I was so excited when I heard my name,” says Osuna, “and when I saw the award, I thought,...

Work • 19th November 2025

Comal ISD Students Explore Careers at Third Annual Construction and Design Fair

November 19, 2025 - Almost 600 high school students stepped out of the classroom Nov. 12 to try their hand at driving a skid steer, painting with a commercial sprayer, smoothing a freshly poured concrete sidewalk and networking with area construction companies during the third annual Construction and Design Fair at Smithson Valley High School.
The students from Canyon High School, Pieper High School and SVHS participated in the fair as part of their career and technical education (CTE) courses i...

25th September 2025

Two Comal ISD Students Named National Math Stars

September 25, 2025 - Two third-grade students in Comal ISD have been selected for the National Math Stars (NMS) 2025 cohort. The NMS program provides each student with more than $100,000 in mentorship, enrichment opportunities and resources for the next 10 years or until high school graduation.
“I was excited when I found out that I was selected,” says Trevor Guerrero, whose favorite subject is math. “It feels good to be a part of this.”
Guerrero, who attends Oak Creek Elementary School, and Lia...

Work • 21st May 2025

Math Teachers Named District Teachers of the Year

May 21, 2025 - Two math teachers were crowned the best of the best during Comal Independent School District’s annual Night of Stars banquet on May 13. Fifth-grade math teacher MaryLou Ramirez from Comal Creek Elementary and high school math teacher Wendy Nosal from Davenport High School were named the 2024-2025 elementary and secondary district teachers of the year.
“When I heard the announcement, I was surprised, overwhelmed and emotional,” says Nosal, who has been teaching for 15 years and wit...

Work • 29th April 2025

Canyon Middle Teacher Named Environmental Educator of the Year Finalist

April 29, 2025 - Canyon Middle School family and consumer sciences teacher Kimberly Reynolds was named a finalist for the Environmental Educator of the Year award by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

“Being named a finalist is an incredible honor and a humbling experience,” says Reynolds who has been with Comal ISD for two years and in education for three. “It affirms the work I do each day to empower students with real-world skills and values that extend beyond the classroom...

work • 25th April 2025

Freiheit Elementary Advances To Sweet 16 NCAA Reading Contest

April 25, 2025 - Collectively, the third-grade students at Freiheit Elementary School read 425,707 minutes during the Read to the Final Four contest, advancing to the Sweet 16 bracket in the tournament-style challenge.
Sponsored by the NCAA for area schools in the city which hosts the college tournament, this was the first year for Comal ISD to participate with great results. In addition to Freiheit’s success, two Comal ISD students from Clear Spring Elementary School made the top 10 readers lis...

Work • 27th February 2025

Comal ISD Hosts 2nd Annual STAR Basketball Tournament

February 27, 2025 - More than 220 special education students participated in Comal ISD’s 2nd annual Specialized Training in Athletics and Recreation (STAR) Basketball Tournament on Friday, Feb. 21, at Pieper High School.

The players represented most of the district’s middle and high school campuses and competed in 3x3 basketball games from 10-11:45 a.m.

“It was a great day of competition and fun,” says Trish Bishop, an adapted physical education teacher for Comal ISD who explained that basketbal...

Work • 18th February 2025

Garrett Schatte Wins KENS 5 EXCEL Award for Comal ISD

February 18, 2025 - Canyon Lake High School students and staff filled the gymnasium to surprise one of their favorite teachers recently when KENS 5 presented the EXCEL Award to Garrett Schatte, who teaches agriculture mechanics and metal fabrication at the school.
In fact, KENS 5 anchor Sarah Forgany believes Schatte, who also serves as the career and technical education (CTE) department chair at CLHS and the FFA adviser, is the first CTE and agriculture teacher to be honored with the EXCEL Awar...

Work • 24th January 2025

Goodwin Frazier Elementary Keeps Comal Shake Championship Title

January 24, 2025 - For the second year in a row, the Comal Shake Champion is from Goodwin Frazier Elementary School. This year’s district winner is Quira Anders, a fourth-grade student at GFES.

A three-time finalist to the competition, she is proof to never give up on a dream.

“I was so excited when I won,” says Anders, “because I’ve been doing this for three years, and everyone said, ‘third time is a charm.’

“I feel like I accomplished something especially since this makes two years in a row fo...

Work • 20th December 2024

Choose Kindness Videos Garner $17,500 for Three Comal ISD Schools

December 20, 2024 - A total of $17,500 is being awarded to three Comal ISD campuses who are winners in the ‘Choose Kindness’ challenge hosted by the Mckenna Foundation.

“We are thrilled to announce that we will offer three awards for the first, second and third place winners of the Choose Kindness Video Contest,” said Mckenna CEO Alice Jewel.

Receiving the news that three campuses in the district were being awarded prizes, was a surprise since initially, the Foundation was offering $10,000 each...

Work • 5th December 2024

Winners Named in 2024 Comal ISD Christmas Card Contest

December 5, 2024 - Three student artists received surprise visits from Superintendent Dr. John E. Chapman III this week as the winners of Comal ISD’s 2nd Annual Christmas Card Contest. The honorees received a set of Christmas cards featuring their designs along with their original artwork showcased in a special frame.

The three selections represent elementary, middle and high school categories with one design chosen as the cover art winner.

The 2024 Christmas Card cover depicts a red ornament ti...

Work • 3rd December 2024

Seven Hill Country College Prep Students Shoot for the Moon with NASA Challenge

December 3, 2024 - Seven budding computer scientists and engineers from Hill Country College Preparatory High School are preparing to submit their original application to NASA. Their work provides a flight path for the four-member crew of the Artemis II mission which will fly around the Moon.

Through NASA’s App Development Challenge (ADC), this HCCPHS team began the 10-week student challenge on October 2 and will complete its mission on December 11 with its video submission.
The HCCPHS team cons...

Work • 11th November 2024

Comal ISD Campuses Host Veterans Day Ceremonies

November 11, 2024 - Across its 589 square miles, elementary, middle and high school campuses in Comal ISD opened their doors to military family and community members in heartfelt Veterans Day ceremonies on Friday, Nov. 8.

The honored guests included grandparents, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters of students and staff members. Coordinated and presented by student-led organizations like student council, student 2 student and JROTC groups, the ceremonies featured guest speakers...

Work • 4th November 2024

Comal ISD Hosts 17th Annual STAR Bowling Competitions

November 4, 2024 - Approximately 205 special education student athletes competed in Comal ISD’s 17th annual Specialized Training and Recreation (STAR) bowling competitions on October 25 and October 28 at the Fiesta Lanes Bowling Center in New Braunfels.

The high school competition took place Friday, Oct. 25, with 111 athletes representing their campuses including Canyon High, Canyon Lake High, Davenport High, Pieper High and Smithson Valley High.

The middle school competition took place Monday,...

Work • 28th October 2024

Comal ISD Educator Receives Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award

October 28, 2024 - A Hill Country College Preparatory High School English teacher received an Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award from Humanities Texas on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the high school. Texas Senator Donna Campbell presented Jennifer Fey with the award which includes a $5,000 cash prize and an additional $1,000 for the campus to purchase instructional materials.

Fey is one of 15 recipients of the 2024 Humanities Texas Outstanding Teaching Award. More than 700 teachers from across...