By Edmond Ortiz
Two incumbents with the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District board each won re-election on Nov. 4, while a former school board president is returning as a trustee.
What you should know
Place 5 school board member Amy Thomas secured a second term in office with 74% of the vote, fending off a challenge from U.S. Army veteran Aaron Matheny.
Thomas previously said she wants to remain an advocate for public schools and local control, strong academics, safe campuses, luring and retaining quality teachers through competitive salaries, maintaining fiscal responsibility and transparency, and planning for growth.
Thomas posted on her official Facebook page, thanking supporters for their vote of confidence. But she also voiced disappointment in the defeat of SCUCISD’s property tax proposal.
“While I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue serving our community, I’m disappointed by the preliminary outcome of Proposition A and the impact it will have on our students, teachers, and classrooms,” Thomas stated.
“The challenges ahead are real, but my commitment to this district and the people who make it special remains strong. I’ll continue advocating for our students, supporting our staff, and keeping SCUC student-focused and dedicated to excellence in education.”
Bill Paschal, who previously spent 12 years with the SCUCISD board, won election to the open Place 6 seat.
Totaling 61% of the vote, Paschal beat U.S. Air Force retiree Alberto Ramirez and now will succeed Dan Swart, who declined a bid for a second four-year term.
During his first stint as a trustee, Paschal served as school board president for four years. He has spent decades serving different roles in various corporate industries and governmental levels.
Also of note
Place 7 trustee Belinda Evans overcame a challenge from educator Ciara Wilkerson and Jeff Kerlick, a community relations professional, to claim a second term in office. Evans received 46.5% of the vote, followed by Wilkerson and Kerlick.
Evans is a retired teacher who mentors teenagers, college students, couples, and creative groups through ministry work.
Evans campaigned on the school district’s academic and financial strengths.
“I’m honored to continue to serve as an SCUCISD school board trustee, and I am deeply committed to the work ahead,” Evans said on her official Facebook page. “It’s a privilege to stand up for our students, uplift our educators, and help strengthen the schools that connect us all.”
Educator and Steele High School alum Matthew Short ran unopposed and claimed the Place 4 school board. He will succeed board Vice President Edward Finley, who is retiring.
“I am deeply humbled and profoundly grateful to have been elected to the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD board of trustees, Place 4. To serve the district that raised me, educated me, and shaped the person and educator I have become is both an incredible honor and a sacred responsibility,” Short said on his Facebook page.
“This community gave me my foundation, and now I have the opportunity to give back in a way that helps shape its future.”
