Corinne Saldana is a retired educator with more than 30 years of education experience.
Hear from the candidate
Please tell voters about yourself.
My passion for education was exemplified in the numerous extra-curricular activities
that drew my commitment as a teacher and administrator. There were too many to list
here but included everything from class sponsor of numerous classes and assistant pep
squad sponsor to the creation of the Young Woman’s Conference and the first computer
technician course. Retirement affords me the time to continue to invest in those aspects of
life for which I have a true passion and I believe that my experiential value is
unprecedented!
- Graduate, Thomas Jefferson High School, San Antonio ISD
- B.A. Southwest Texas State University
- M.A. University of Texas at San Antonio
- Math Teacher, Edison High School, SAISD, 1970-1974
- Math Teacher, Holmes High School, Northside ISD, 1974-1994
- Math Department Coordinator 1979-1994
- Assistant Principal, Holmes H.S., 1994-2002
- Academic Dean, Holmes H.S., 2002-2003
- Principal, Holmes H.S., 2003-2007
- Board of Directors, Texas Association of Secondary School Principals
- Northside ISD Trustee, 2021-Present
- Master Trustee Certification, Texas Association of School Boards, 2024
- Board of Directors, Northside Education FoundationMember of “THE OUTSTANDING SCHOOL BOARD OF TEXAS” 2023
List any previous experience in the community or in the education field, such as participation in parent teacher associations, local boards and commissions or neighborhood associations.
My interests in young people and their futures have always compelled me to become
engaged in a variety of roles away from school. Community Involvement:
- Active member, El Divino Salvador United Methodist Church, 1954-2000
- Counselor for the MYF high school group for more than 25 years
- Active member, University Methodist Church, 2000-Present
- Snack bar server, communion steward, Vacation Bible School volunteer and
delegate to the Rio Texas Annual Conference - Chairperson, Social Committee, Pembroke Estates HOA, 2012-Present
Education related experience:
- PTA membership Edison H.S., Holmes H.S., Boone E.S., Rudder M.S. and
- John Marshall H.S.
- Active member, band and athletic booster clubs
- Represented our region at TASSP conferences.
- Served as recruiter for NISD.
- Vice-President, Northside Board of Trustees
Until 2021, I never sought an elective office.
If elected, you’ll likely be facing a budget deficit and the possibility of funding hamstrung by the state. How would you approach these issues? Where should the district turn to save money if needed?
Unquestionably, without surprising actions at our state capitol, Northside ISD will
face a budget deficit in the 2025-26 school year. As an active member of the finance
committee and chair of the building committee, I have carefully assessed our situation and
have advocated for the following:
- Review all expenditures and mitigate out-of-state travel by district
personnel and/or board members. - Conduct a hiring review and identify those personnel and programs that need to be safeguarded during the downsizing.
- Eliminate programs funded by Emergency and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds provided by the federal government.
- Reconstruct “free summer school.”
- Increase staffing ratios and reduce department budgets by 10%.
- Hold townhall meetings to inform taxpayers of our plight.
- Continue opposition to vouchers and lobbying for funding!
I don’t believe that closing campuses is a viable option for Northside, however, the
finance committee has discussed the topic.
What do you think the district’s biggest challenges are in the coming years, and what should be the board’s top areas of focus?
Without state funding that can resolve the fiscal erosion that Northside ISD has
experienced since the last significant funding allotment in 2019, Northside faces several
huge challenges. State law mandates that the district maintain reserves equal to several
months of expenditures and prudent management of our finances to date have allowed us
to do so, however, brutally hard decisions are imminent. The following areas present
major challenges:
- Funding for all areas of the budget
- Teacher recruitment and retention, especially special education
personnel - Vaping issues that harm students’ physical and mental health.
These challenges will require our undivided attention as we seek to continue to
address the needs of the district’s oldest campuses. 97% of the 2022 bond
funds are dedicated to those neighborhoods… and remain among my priorities. Future
improvements are critical to many of our students!
Please list any relevant endorsements in this race.
As of today, my re-election to the Northside board has been endorsed by the
Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE). Moreover, I have been blessed by the
individual endorsements of former Northside superintendents Ed Rawlinson, John Folks
and Brian Woods. These former leaders know the district well, understand public
education today, and have retained their love and interest for Northside beyond their
retirement. However, my greatest endorsement is that of the hundreds of teachers and
administrators with whom I interact each month who often tell me, “Thank you for
serving. We know that you get it!”
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