Rich Sena, Secretary of the Boerne Independent School District Board of Trustees, is seeking re-election in the May 2 school board race, drawing on a family legacy that views education as fundamental to opportunity. Sena's grandparents immigrated from a small village in Southern Italy with the conviction that education was the path forward for their family in America. Neither of Sena's parents spoke English when they began school, and his grandparents had no formal education themselves, yet they emphasized learning as essential for advancement.
"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. He added that his parents taught him to always be grateful and to give back to the community. This personal history informs his service on the school board, a volunteer position he has held since 2014, during which the district has grown from 7,200 to more than 11,200 students. He is running alongside Board President Kristi Schmidt.
For Sena, the role is deeply personal. His children attended Boerne ISD schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, his daughter still lives in the community, and his grandchildren will soon enroll 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," he stated. "No amount of time dedicated to this volunteer position is adequate to support them in achieving their dreams."
His commitment extends beyond the boardroom. Sena has served as President of the Boerne Sunrise Rotary, as a Sunday School teacher at Currey Creek Church, as a board member of the Hill Country Pregnancy Care Center, and as a conservative columnist for the Boerne Star. He has volunteered across the Hill Country for over three decades. However, public education remains his primary focus. "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 said. "Public education is the great equalizer."
Under the current board's leadership, Boerne ISD has maintained a top A-rating from the Texas Education Agency every year since the accountability system began, a distinction shared by only 31 of over 1,200 districts in Texas. The district is the only medium-large district in the San Antonio area with that status. Its students graduate with a 95 percent readiness rate for college, career, or military service, significantly above the state average of 82 percent. Sena attributes these outcomes to community support. "It starts with a supportive community, people that believe in the value of education. We have that here in Boerne," he noted. "Standards are not what we state. They're what we accept."
Managing rapid growth has been a central challenge. When Sena's oldest child started at Fabra Elementary in 1992, the district had about 3,200 students; it has nearly quadrupled since. The board has worked to preserve traditions like the Homecoming Parade, the Boerne Outdoor Academy, and close-knit campus communities amid this expansion. "We are one of the most beautiful communities in the most incredible state in the greatest nation in the only world that we know of," Sena reflected. "We are blessed and lucky to be here."
Early voting for the 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. On Election Day, voters may cast ballots at Boerne City Hall or the Fair Oaks Ranch Police Department. For more information, visit https://www.senaforbisd.com/.
