Rich Sena, Secretary of the Boerne Independent School District Board of Trustees, traces his commitment to public education directly to his family's immigration story. His grandparents left Southern Italy for America with the conviction that education was the path forward, a belief that shaped Sena's worldview despite neither of his parents speaking English when they started school. "My grandparents, despite their lack of formal education, were constantly stressing the value of education and learning because that was the meal ticket to get ahead in our great nation," Sena said.
Now seeking re-election in the May 2 school board race alongside Board President Kristi Schmidt, Sena has served on the board since 2014, a period during which Boerne ISD has grown from 7,200 to more than 11,200 students. His personal connection to the district runs deep: his children attended Boerne ISD schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, his daughter still lives in the community, and his grandchildren will soon begin their education in the same classrooms. "I feel as my fellow trustees feel - that I have 11,200 children, because that's the number of kids in our district and I care about their future," Sena explained.
For business and technology leaders, Sena's perspective highlights how foundational educational systems are to community development and workforce preparation. Under the current board's leadership, Boerne ISD has maintained its top A-rating from the Texas Education Agency every year since the accountability system was established, a distinction shared by only 31 of the more than 1,200 districts in Texas. The district is the only medium-large district in the San Antonio area to hold that status, with students graduating at a 95 percent rate of readiness for college, career, or military service, well above the state average of 82 percent.
"A community can have beautiful parks and great roads, but it cannot truly thrive unless it has strong public schools preparing the next generation," Sena stated. "Public education is the great equalizer." This philosophy extends beyond the boardroom, with Sena having served as President of the Boerne Sunrise Rotary, a Sunday School teacher at Currey Creek Church, a board member of the Hill Country Pregnancy Care Center, and a conservative columnist for the Boerne Star.
Managing growth while preserving traditions has been a central challenge for the board. When Sena's oldest child started at Fabra Elementary in 1992, the district enrolled roughly 3,200 students, meaning enrollment has nearly quadrupled since. The board has worked to maintain cultural touchstones like the Homecoming Parade, the Boerne Outdoor Academy, and close-knit campus communities throughout this expansion. "Standards are not what we state. They're what we accept," Sena noted about the district's approach to maintaining excellence.
For more information about Sena's campaign and educational philosophy, visit https://www.senaforbisd.com/. Early voting for the May 2 election begins April 20 at locations including the Fair Oaks Ranch City Police Department headquarters and the Kendall County Annex across from Boerne High School. Election Day voting occurs at Boerne City Hall or the Fair Oaks Ranch Police Department.
