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Comal ISD Board Approves 2025-26 Budget, Three Percent Staff Pay IncreaseTips To Get Kids To Read Moreprioritize book access, such as sales at the local library. Furthermore, since children are so in tune with digital devices, offering access to an e-reader or digital reading app on a tablet will enable children to tap into the vast digital library of books.Don’t stress about the contentExperts note that parents should not stress about what kids are reading. Many times parents worry that their kids aren’t reading the classics or hard-hitting novels. As long as kids are reading age-appropriate material, the subject matter does not make a world of difference. From comic books to newspapers, kids can read anything so long as it’s appropriate for their age.Reading is beneficial for people of all ages, but modern kids are not reading enough. Adults can explore the various ways to encourage children to read more.By StaffFTSubmitted By Comal ISDeachers and staff members across Comal ISD received a pay increase for the upcoming school year,thanks to the approval of a three percent raise by the district’s Board of Trustees and Texas House Bill 2.The Comal ISD Board of Trustees approved the compensation plan as part of its $341 million budget for the 2025- 26 school year. Based on the HB 2 Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA), teachers with at least three to four years of experience received a salary increase of $2,500, and teachers with five or more years of experience received $5,000. Teachers with less than three years of experience and other staff who do not qualify for the TRA received a three percent pay increase.“We value every member of the Comal ISD staff and the dedication they bring to shaping the future of our students,” said Comal ISD Board President Russ Garner. “Recognizing their invaluable expertise and unwavering commitment, we felt it was essential to demonstrate just how much they are valued as the cornerstone of our mission to cultivate learners and achievers.”The district’s $341 million budget is focused on meeting the academic needs of more than 30,000 students and is builton a Maintenance and Operations tax rate of $0.7369, which will be approved at the August Board meeting. Although HB 2 provided an additional $8.5 billion in funding for public schools, Comal ISD is one of the few districts in the state that is realizing an unanticipated funding shortfall. As a result, the district is currently looking at a $19 million deficit this coming year.“Unfortunately, HB 2 resulted in some unintended consequences for Comal ISD that significantly impact our funding, specifically the ability to cover the mandated retention payment and the accompanying payroll and retirement contributions,” said Comal ISD Superintendent John Chapman. “We are actively working with the Texas Commissioner of Education to exercise his authority to modify the entitlement calculations through administrative rules, which would significantly reduce our budget deficit.”rom improving mental health to fostering stronger memory to teaching a person new things,reading offers many benefits. Reading also can boost creativity and help expand vocabulary. Despite these amazing perks, data indicates reading for fun has become less common among American children. Set limits on screen useScholastic’s report indicated children’s digital activities have risen since 2018 among all age groups studied. Children are increasingly participating in digital activities that include going online for fun and watching videos or utilizing apps. By setting limits on screen time for children, parents may increase the likelihood of diverting youngsters’ attention to other activities, such as reading.Become a reading role modelOne of the biggest predictors of reading frequency has to do with perceived importance of reading. If children see their parents frequently reading for pleasure and finding it important and having access to a wide variety of books to read, then they may be encouraged to read for fun as well. Make reading accessibleParents can facilitate opportunities for kids to read by getting their children library cards, frequently taking them to bookstores, participating in school-run book fairs, and participating in other activities thatBSy StaffStudents Can Combat Bullyingtudents are bullied every day. Bullying can happen anywhere, but it is prevalent in school18 say they are extremely or very worried that their children might be bullied at some point. Those fears may be warranted, as the Monique Burr Foundation for Children reports a child is bullied on a playground every seven minutes and between 50 and 77 percent of students report having been bullied.Bullying victims may feel they’re in a helpless situation, but students can do their part to curtail bullying and report offenders. Here are some actions students can take, courtesy of StopBullying.org.• Treat others with respect. Students should stop and think before they do or say anything to another person that has the potential to be hurtful. Making it a point to be nicer to others and recognizing that everyone is different is a start.• Apologize for past behaviors. Those who think they may have bullied someone in the past should own up to it and apologize with meaning.• Talk to an adult. Students can talk to an adult they trust if they are being bullied or have witnessed another person being bullied. Telling someone can help a person feel less alone. This person may help develop a plan to stop the bullying.• Stay in groups of friends. Most bullying happens when adults aren’t around or when a person is isolated. Having a strong group of friends can deter bullying.environments. Bullying is often under- reported because children and young adults may be scared of the consequences of outing their bullies.DoSomething.org says around 20 percent of students between the ages of 12 and 18 have been bullied during the school year, and more than 150,000 teens have skipped school because of bullying. The Pew Research Center reports that 35 percent of U.S. parents with children younger than• Be aware of cyberbullying. Much bullying does not take place in person. Cyberbullying is prevalent and happens online or through text messages. Students should always think about what they post, and be aware that something said “in private” might be forwarded. Students should not share anything that could hurt or embarrass another person.• Contact authorities, if applicable. According to the Anti-Bullying Alliance, most bullying incidents are not crimes, but there are certain types that are illegal and should be reported to the police. Bullying that involves violence or assault; theft; harassment and intimidation over a period of time, including calling someone names or threatening them; and/or perpetrating abusive phone calls, emails or texts, shouldbe reported.• Lock down privacy settings. Together with their parents, students should safeguard their devices by adjusting privacy settings. These settings control who sees what is posted on social media. If a person is bullying another through text or social media, the person being harassed can document what is said by taking screenshots and then block that person from contact.• Let others know they aren’t alone. Students can support others who are being bullied by letting them know they are not alone.Bullying continues to be a concern in schools. Students can be proactive partners in stopping bullying at school and after hoursBuilding Communication for LifeSPEECH & LANGUAGE CENTER AT STONE OAKSpeech Therapy Pediatric Feeding TeletherapyAccepting New Clientswww.stoneoakspeech.com8www.bsbhighlights.comAugust 2025LLAOTCAY44299.510D.49