May 11, 2026 - Comal ISD recently celebrated the retirement of 78 staff members and recognized 48 who reached milestone anniversaries with the district during its annual Legacy Banquet on April 30 at The Chandelier of Gruene.
Collectively, this year’s retirees served 972 years with Comal ISD and 1,846 years in public education. A list of the district’s retirees is included below.
Years of Service honorees were recognized for working with the district for milestone anniversaries with 29 at 20 years; 12 at 25 years; five at 30 years and two at 35 years.
“I was honored to be presented and recognized for my accomplishments through my 35 years,” says Herlinda Leal, child nutrition manager at Canyon Middle School, who celebrated her retirement and 35-year anniversary with Comal ISD.
“I continued to work because of the kids,” she says. “I enjoyed being able to provide them with nutritious meals, and it made my day when they shared their accomplishments and obstacles with me. I also enjoyed working with my team, and together we created great memories. I will miss the challenges, but most of all, I will miss the kids and the staff.”
Joining Leal as a 35-year honoree is Craig Westerfer, a credit recovery teacher and coach at Smithson Valley High School.
The following Comal ISD staff members have served the district for 30 years: Ciria Kitzel, Dana Macroberts, Dawn Magers, Rosalinda Serna and Kristen Wilkins.
The 25-year milestone staff members include the following: Stephanie Cichon, Robbin Damerau, Heidi Karrer, Brian Martinez, Jan Miller, Krista Moffatt, Lori Patterson, Frank Schuler, Jennifer Schulze, Marteinn Tomasson, Frances Walker and Karen Williams.
The 20-year milestone staff members include the following: Melissa Bartek, Jaime Biesenbach, Sally Bratton, Amy Coulombe, Mark Day, Andrea Degroote, Lori Dimmitt, Elizabeth Espinosa, Kevin Fain, Kaye Guidry, Susan Guyer, Jessica Hall, Amy Hokanson, Jennifer Holstein, Christie Johnson, Jennifer Johnson, Casi Jones, Jillian Jurica, Rachel Kaspar, Juanita Lopez, Richard Muenich, Mitchell Odom, Ashley Osborne, Lindsey Painter, Sandra Schneider, Angelina Vasquez, Maria Vazquez, Christine Warzecha and Bonnie Weed Dietz.
2026 Comal ISD Retirees
- Bianca Abrego, Registrar at Pieper High School
- Merrilee Berger, Special Education at Rahe Bulverde Elementary School
- Patricia Bishop, Special Education Adaptive PE teacher
- Kelli Brooks, District Director of Health Services
- Maria Carson, Fourth and Fifth grade Dual Language teacher at Clear Spring Elementary School
- Phyllis Carvalho, District Child Nutrition Account Associate
- Edith Christensen, Dual Language third grade teacher at Arlon Seay Elementary School
- Wendy Combs, Special Education at Mountain Valley Middle School
- Jana Corbin, First grade teacher at Oak Creek Elementary School
- Randy Davis, Chief Human Resources Officer
- Jeffrey Deines, Lead Mechanic with Transportation Department
- Edwin Derrich, Social Studies teacher at Smithson Valley High School
- Darla Docekal, Math teacher at Pieper Ranch Middle School
- Nikki Duggan, AVID teacher at Canyon Lake High School
- Penny Gabrielsen, Choir teacher at Canyon Lake High School
- David Garcia, Custodian Supervisor
- Bryon Gardner, CTE teacher at Pieper High School
- Lydia Golsch, Pegasus at Johnson Ranch Elementary School
- Michelle Grell, Coordinator in Communications
- Tammy Griffiths, Instructional Coach at Comal Creek Elementary School
- Sabrina Grundei, Special Education teacher at Morningside Elementary School
- Kevin Gustafson, Special Education at Bulverde Middle School
- Betty Gutierrez, Special Education at Mountain Valley Elementary School
- Jessica Hall, First grade teacher at Johnson Ranch Elementary School
- Theresa Hall, Pre-K teacher at Rebecca Creek Elementary School
- Cynthia Hamilton, Special Education Job Coach
- Tracie Hammond, PE teacher at Rebecca Creek Elementary School
- Karen Holmes, Fourth grade teacher at Startzville Elementary School
- Stephen Hudson, Math teacher at Memorial Early College High School
- Janet Jackson, Counselor at Goodwin Frazier Elementary School
- Kitri Jordan, kindergarten teacher at Rebecca Creek Elementary School
- Cindy Kalisky, District Counseling Coordinator
- Shawn Kelm, Special Education teacher at Spring Branch Middle School
- Elizabeth Lamb, Librarian at Canyon Middle School
- Mitzi Lancaster, PE, Health Teacher and Coach at Pieper Ranch Middle School
- Melissa Lassetter, Nurse at Timberwood Park Elementary School
- Holly Leach, English teacher at Smithson Valley High School
- Herlinda Leal, Child Nutrition manager
- Cynthia Lively, Librarian at Bill Brown Elementary School
- Dana MacRoberts, GT Facilitator at Goodwin Frazier Elementary School
- Dawn Magers, Licensed Specialist in School Psychology at Smithson Valley High School
- Richelle Martinez, First grade teacher Hoffmann Lane Elementary School
- Sita Mesa, Bus Driver
- Cindy Monfils, Special Education at Mountain Valley Middle School
- Susan Montgomery, Teaching, Learning and Leadership
- Catherine Morris, Custodian
- Kay Newsome, Science teacher at Smithson Valley High School
- Lynn Odom, Art teacher at Memorial Early College High School
- Tina Olcott, District CTE Coordinator
- Michelle Oliver, Kindergarten teacher at Rebecca Creek Elementary School
- Tracy O’Quinn, Foreign Language teacher at Canyon Middle School
- Elaine Parks Carrillo, Fourth grade teacher at Kinder Ranch Elementary School
- Melissa Patrick, Instructional Coach at Indian Springs Elementary School
- Regina Pena, Accounting Assistant at Church Hill Middle School
- Joseph Percevecz, CTE Construction teacher at Smithson Valley High School
- Carol Perry, CTE teacher at Canyon High School
- Dell Perry, PEIMS Coordinator
- Cindy Pocs, Essential Academics teacher at Mountain Valley Elementary School
- Lorenzo Pool, Social Studies teacher at Church Hill Middle School
- Jennifer Potts, Dyslexia Support teacher at Farias-Spitzer Elementary School
- Shirlene Reinhard, Special Education Job Coach
- Shirley Renken, Smithson Valley High School
- Mylissa Richardson, District Facilities Planning Coordinator
- Oscar Rios, JROTC instructor at Canyon High School
- Betsy Rudolph, Second grade teacher at Rebecca Creek Elementary School
- Leah Staeb, Essential Academics teacher at Oak Creek Elementary School
- Colleen Sturm, Instructional Coach at Mountain Valley Middle School
- Robin Svatek, District Transportation Coordinator
- Kathryn Thomas, Special Education at Startzville Elementary School
- Gregory Tillmon, Special Education teacher at Davenport High School
- Sarah Torralba, Bilingual/ESL at Canyon Lake High School
- Dina Walker, First grade teacher at Oak Creek Elementary School
- Laurie Weatherford, First grade teacher at Johnson Ranch Elementary School
- Lucinda West, First grade teacher at Morningside Elementary School
- Lyn White, Tech applications teacher at Canyon Middle School
- Caron Wilson, Essential Academics teacher at Smithson Valley High School
- Courtney Witherell, District Senior Director of Accountability
- Sherri Wong, Language Arts teacher at Danville Middle School.
View the 2026 Legacy Banquet photo album.
Congratulations and thank you!
Photo descriptions
-2026 Comal ISD Retirees