With early voting closed and Election Day set for Saturday, May 2, Boerne ISD Place 7 Trustee Rich Sena is urging voters to re-elect him, pointing to a decade of academic and fiscal achievements. Sena, who has served as a trustee since 2014 and currently holds the position of Board Vice President, faces challenger Michael Ethridge in one of the few contested races on the ballot.
Under Sena's tenure, Boerne ISD has earned an 'A' accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency for six consecutive years and has maintained a Superior rating from the state's Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) every year he has been on the board. The district has also balanced its budgets, preserved the recommended fund balance, and reduced administrative overhead by $1.5 million in the most recent budget cycle.
'Providing a strong education for our children is the most important thing a community can do,' Sena said. 'Communities can have beautiful parks and great roads, but they cannot truly thrive without excellent schools.'
Sena has chaired the district's Legislative Advocacy Committee and was one of a handful of Texas school board members to testify in Austin in support of a state-funded teacher retention allotment that eventually passed. He notes that starting pay for Boerne ISD teachers has risen from $43,000 to $60,000 during his time on the board, a change he attributes to persistent advocacy.
As Boerne ISD continues to grow rapidly, Sena emphasizes the importance of data-driven planning. The district employs a professional demographer for annual enrollment projections and relies on long-range planning committees and citizen panels for recommendations on facilities and curriculum. Sena has identified expanding Career and Technical Education offerings as a priority for his next term, along with continued investment in staff leadership training and professional development.
'We can never rest on our laurels,' Sena said. 'Continuous improvement is the standard. The minute a district gets comfortable is the minute it starts falling behind.'
Sena, a first-generation American whose parents emigrated from Italy, owns an insurance agency in Boerne. Both of his children attended Boerne ISD schools for all 13 years; his daughter now teaches fourth grade at Comal ISD's Bill Brown Elementary, and his son works in sales. Sena says his personal stake in the district guides every decision.
Election Day for the Boerne ISD Board of Trustees Place 7 race is Saturday, May 2, 2026. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at two locations: City Hall (Training Room), 447 N Main Street, Boerne, TX 78006, and the City of Fair Oaks Ranch Police Department, Public Safety Training Room, 7286 Dietz Elkhorn, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX 78015. Early voting ran April 20 through April 28 and is now closed.
For more information, visit www.senaforbisd.com.
