Insurance Contribution for New BISD Employees

At the Regular Board Meeting held on September 6, 2016, the Board of Trustees approved a salary-based health insurance contribution for all NEW BISD employees to offset rising healthcare costs. The insurance contribution will begin for all NEW BISD employees with a start of employment date on or after January 1, 2017. This contribution does not apply to current BISD employees. The salary-based health insurance contribution schedule for NEW BISD employees is below: Salary Range Contribution Less than $47,000 $50 $47, 001 to $93,000 $100 $93,001 to $140,000 $150 More than $140,000 $200

Paying It Forward

Students enrolled in the BISD Early College High School (ECHS) Youth in Philanthropy classes inspired Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas to pay it forward in a little philanthropy project of her own. For their final class project, the students awarded $2,500 grants to six local non-profit organizations after researching and visiting numerous organizations in the Brownsville community. The $2,500 grants were provided by the Brownsville Community Foundation and Brownsville Foundation for Health and Education. Dr. Zendejas, impressed by the Youth in Philanthropy students’ zeal and enthusiasm for their community, asked the students to write her letters detailing why they themselves deserved a $200 award. Dr. Zendejas reviewed the letters and donated $200 to twelve of the students just before the holiday break at an event held on Tuesday, December 20 at 11 am in the BISD Boardroom. At the same event, the local Brownsville Target Store also awarded $100 gift cards to these same twelve Youth in Philanthropy students as well as to another 88 ECHS students in a flurry of holiday giving. Thanks to Dr. Zendejas and Target, a total of 100 Brownsville ISD students will have a much brighter holiday season.

ECHS Recognized Twice for Best Design

The Brownsville Early College High School (BECHS) has earned two recent recognitions for its design. TexasHillCountry.com included BECHS on its list of “5 Beautiful Texas High Schools to See” which came out on December 16, 2016. BECHS was also 23rd on a list of “The 25 Most Beautiful High Schools in Texas” which was issued by Aceable, a national drivers education company, on December 13, 2016. View the links to these two articles. Aceable | Hill Country

More Snack Packs for BISD Students This Year

Thank you to those who donated to the United Way Snack Pack Project to provide food to BISD students in need during the long holiday break. A total of 460 snack packs were delivered to students at 38 schools, a significant increase over last year’s total of 424. The selected students were identified by the school nurses as being especially dependent on the food served by BISD for their daily meals. The Snack Pack Project is an annual collaboration which includes the United Way of Southern Cameron County, Brownsville ISD, Saint Joseph Academy, and many other local organizations. This is the 6th year of this important initiative which is designed to provide meal assistance to local children in Brownsville.

Superintendent’s Holiday Message

During this festive holiday season, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our students, families, employees, and community members for making 2016 such a successful year. I hope that your holidays are filled with happiness and I look forward to seeing you when we return to welcome a new school year in 2017. Best wishes to all! Dr. Esperanza Zendejas

Sharp Adds Extended Day Program Bringing Total to 29 Schools

With the start of the new semester, Sharp Elementary will join the ranks of BISD elementary campuses that offer the free Extended Day Enrichment Program beginning on Monday, January 9, 2016. This program assists parents with quality enrichment programs for students in grades pre-kinder through 5th from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm weekdays. The Extended Day Enrichment Program provides academic intervention, tutoring, homework assistance, and academic enrichment through sports, art and music activities depending on the individual campuses. A hot, nutritious supper is also provided. Student transportation will not be provided. For more information about each school’s Extended Day Enrichment Program, contact the individual campus administrators.

Movie Fun for Students

The 20th Annual Kids at the Movies was held on Tuesday, December 13 at the Cinemark Theater located at Sunrise Mall. Special needs students had the opportunity to watch the new Disney animated film, MOANA, and enjoy popcorn and a drink as part of a community-based learning experience that coincided with the holidays. This year’s event was the largest to date with 1,700 students attending from BISD, Los Fresnos CISD, Point Isabel ISD and Rio Hondo ISD. The generous support of the Order of the Alhambra, Improved Order of the Red Men, and Brownsville Jaycees made the 20th Annual Kids at the Movies event possible. Thank you to these sponsors.

ACE Program Earns $150,000

The BISD Adult Continuing Education (ACE) program received Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) Performance Quality Improvement Awards totaling $150,000 at the 20th Annual Texas Workforce Conference held in Houston on December 7-9. The AEL awards recognize programs that demonstrate exemplary performance and outstanding AEL service delivery. The BISD program received $50,000 for Educational Functioning Level (EFL) achievement in Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Adult Secondary Education (ASE), $50,000 for EFL achievement in English as a Second Language (ESL), and $50,000 for Overall EFL program achievement. Congratulations to the Brownsville ISD ACE program on this achievement.

5 BISD Schools Named NCUST Finalists

Five BISD Schools have been named 2017 Finalists in the Excellence in Education Awards sponsored by the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST). Congratulations to Breeden, Paredes, and Pullam Elementary Schools, Stillman Middle School, and Veterans Memorial ECHS. The national finalists all serve low-income communities with an array of challenges but still boast achievement results that exceed state averages for all students. Each BISD finalist will be visited by a group of leading educational experts in January or February 2017. In 2016, Pace ECHS won the prestigious NCUST Gold Award, Benavides Elementary earned Silver and Breeden and Veterans Memorial ECHS were Bronze Award recipients.

BISD Receives Superior State Finance Rating

Brownsville ISD received a top rating of “Superior Achievement” from the Texas School Finance Accountability Rating System for fiscal year end 2014-2015. The Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (School FIRST) is the financial accountability system for Texas school districts developed by the Texas Education Agency in response to Senate Bill 875 of the 76th Texas Legislature in 1999 and Senate Bill 218 of the 77th Legislature in 2001. The primary goal of School FIRST is to achieve quality performance in the management of a school district’s financial resources. The rating of a school district is based upon its performance on 15 indicators. Congratulations to the BISD Finance Department on this outstanding achievement.

BISD Bands Dominate Region

BISD Early College High School band programs have once again posted excellent results. A total of 129 students earned chairs and 175 earned Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) District patches at the All-Region auditions held at Rivera ECHS on Tuesday, November 29. Over one half of all available chairs in the 2016-2017 TMEA Region 28 All-District Bands were earned by BISD students. In addition, a record 76 BISD students qualified to compete for chairs in the TMEA Texas All-State ensembles. BISD students captured 30 of the 45 available 5A area chairs and 46 of the 78 available 6A area chairs. The TMEA Area G audition will be held on Saturday, January 7 in Corpus Christi. The TMEA High School All-Region Concert will be held on Friday, December 9 at 7 pm at the Harlingen Performing Arts Center. View the results by campus.

Smaller PEG List

The Texas Education Agency has released the PEG (Public Education Grant) Schools for 2017-2018. The good news is BISD has successfully decreased the list of 6 schools identified as PEG to 3 schools. Congratulations to Faulk Middle School, Lopez ECHS and Stell Middle School for being removed from the PEG list for 2017-2018. These 3 campuses maintained scores greater than 50% and were rated as Met Standard for 2 of the 3 academic years. Three schools, Cummings Middle School, Perkins Middle School and Porter ECHS, are still listed as PEG schools. A school is placed on the PEG list if it meets one of the following criteria: 1. The aggregated passing rate on any subject-area STAAR assessment (including end-of-course assessments) is less than or equal to 50% for any two of the three years, 2014-2016. 2. The school was rated Improvement Required in 2014, 2015 or 2016. Congratulations to the students, parents and employees at Faulk, Lopez and Stell on their academic progress.

2016 One Act Play Results

Five BISD middle schools took top honors at the Middle School One Act Play (OAP) Competition held on November 16 and 17 at the Brownsville Veterans Memorial ECHS Performing Arts Center. On November 16, Besteiro, Faulk and Vela Middle Schools placed. Karen Romos, a Besteiro student won Best Actress, and Jose Luis Peña, a Faulk student, won Best Actor. On November 17, Garcia, Lucio and Stillman Middle Schools placed. Breanne Ruiz, a Garcia student, won Best Actress and Aiden Anzaldua, a Stillman student, was named Best Actor. Congratulations to these talented BISD thespians and their directors.

Zika Virus Facts

The National Center for Disease Control (CDC) has provided some basic information about the Zika virus. View the flyer in English and Spanish.

BISD Middle School Science Results

The annual BISD Middle School Science Fair was held on Saturday, December 3 at Besteiro Middle School. A total of 251 middle school science fair projects and 277 students were entered into this year’s competition. The top 5 winners from each category advanced to the UTRGV regional competition on February 10-11, 2016. Special thanks to Besteiro Middle School for hosting the event and the many judges and volunteers who assisted with the district competition. View the results.

Elementary UIL Meet

The 2016 BISD Elementary UIL competition will be held on Saturday, December 10 at six hosting campuses: Division I, Southmost Elementary; Division II, Garza Elementary; Division III, Canales Elementary; Division IV, Brite Elementary; Division V, Champion Elementary; and Division VI, Gonzalez Elementary. Approximately 1,800 students will test their skills in Art, Music Memory, Number Sense, Oral Reading, Ready Writing, and Spelling. Best of luck to all BISD student participants and thank you to the UIL sponsors and judges who make these contests possible.

Report Rescheduled

The BISD public hearing for the 2015-2016 Texas Annual Performance Report (TAPR) scheduled for Tuesday, December 13 will be rescheduled to a later Board Meeting. View the flyer in English and Spanish.

Sold Out For Friday

The Santa & Friends show for today, Friday, December 2, at 7 pm is sold out. There are no more tickets.

National Foundation Awards Grant to Stell

Stell Middle School will soon receive new musical instruments valued at $32,625 thanks to The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. An application for support was submitted by Stell and the foundation found the program to be a worthwhile investment, allowing more students to be able to play and experience the benefits of music education. With many school music programs across the country losing vital funding, the foundation helps under-served schools with minimal budgets by donating new instruments, often replacing some that are more than 30 years old. The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation donates musical instruments to under-funded schools in an effort to give youngsters the many benefits of music education, help them to be better students, and inspire creativity and expression through playing music. The organization was inspired by the 1995 motion picture Mr. Holland’s Opus and founded by Michael Kamen, who composed the music for the movie and countless others. In the last 20 years, over 20,000 instruments have been donated to 1,415 schools across the country.

National Bus Awards for Two BISD Students

Two BISD students earned recognition in the 2016 National School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest. Congratulations to Zeus Serrano, Skinner Elementary, 1st Grade, Division I-Second Place, and Luis Rivera, Perkins Middle School, 6th Grade, Division IV – Third Place. This is the first time in several years that a BISD student has won nationally in this poster contest which is sponsored by the National Association for Pupil Transportation. This year’s winning posters will be used to promote the 2017 National School Bus Safety Week.

New Officers

At the BISD Rescheduled Regular Board Meeting held on Friday, November 18, the Board of Trustees elected a new slate of officers. They are: Cesar Lopez, President; Carlos A. Elizondo, Vice-President; Joe A. Rodriguez, Secretary; and Laura Perez-Reyes, Assistant Secretary. The Members are: Philip T. Cowen, Minerva M. Pena and Dr. Sylvia Perez Atkinson.

Notice of Public Hearing

The Brownsville Independent School District will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, December 13 at 5:30 pm in the Administration Building Board Room located at 1900 Price Road. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss BISD’s rating on the State’s Financial Accountability System.

United Way Thank You

BISD employees generously donated $280,108.05 to the 2016 Southern Cameron County United Way Campaign. Campus and department employees contributed so that the United Way can continue providing services to local families in need. Thank you to our BISD families for supporting our community.

BISD Singers Post Top Results

BISD Early College High Schools placed 51 singers or 64% of the entire group in the Region Choir at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Region and Pre-Area Auditions held on Saturday, November 5 at Cano Freshman Academy in Harlingen. A total of 29 BISD singers or 73% of the group were selected to advance. These students will compete in January at Rockport-Fulton High School in the final round of the TMEA All-State process. The students who placed as First Chairs in the Region Choir are: Rebekah Modesto, Soprano 2, Hanna ECHS; Emily Guerrero, Alto 2, Veterans Memorial ECHS; David Mejia, Tenor 1, Hanna ECHS; Daniel Ledesma, Tenor 2, Hanna ECHS; Janson Guillen, Bass 1, Veterans Memorial ECHS; and Gustavo Castillo, Bass 2, Pace ECHS. First Chairs for Pre-Area are: Emily Saldivar, Alto 2, Pace ECHS; David Mejia, Tenor 1, Hanna ECHS; Daniel Ledesma, Tenor 2, Hanna ECHS, Janson Guillen, Bass 1, Veterans Memorial ECHS; and Alejandro Cisneros, Bass 2, Veterans Memorial ECHS. Congratulations to all BISD participants and their directors. View the results by campus.

Get Your Santa & Friends Tickets

The BISD Department of Fine Arts will present its annual Santa & Friends Program on November 30-December 2 at the Central Administrative Building (CAB) Theatre. This year marks a decade for this holiday children’s extravaganza. Tickets are $7 cash only, children 2 and under are free. There is a limit of 9 tickets per person. Tickets must be purchased at the Fine Arts Department located at 708 Palm Boulevard. Call 982-3730 for more information.

Honoring Service Men and Women, Past and Present

Brownsville ISD sincerely thanks all the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Services as well as those who are serving today for their bravery, hard work and dedication to our country. All BISD campuses and offices will be closed on Friday, November 11 in honor of Veterans Day. Regular district operation will resume on Monday, November 14, 2016.

Two BISD Schools Earn TEA Recognition

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has identified 2 BISD elementary campuses, Castañeda and Longoria, in a group of 300 campuses across the state as high-performing and/or high progress Title I schools for 2015-2016. Title I Schools are defined as campuses with a student population of at least 40% low-income. The identification of high-performing and/or high progress is based on statewide reading and mathematics assessments under the State Accountability System in the 2014-2015 school year and graduation rates. A high-performing reward school is identified as a Title I School with distinctions based on reading and math performance, as well as the highest graduation rates at the high school level. Brownsville ISD was included on a prestigious list of school districts with more than one campus identified as high-performing and high-progress. Congratulations to Castañeda and Longoria Elementary on earning this outstanding recognition. View the TEA media release.

BISD to Host Second Farmer’s Market for Students

To educate students about nutritious, locally grown food, Brownsville ISD will host a Farmers’ Market for Burns and Paredes Elementary 3rd and 4th grade students and Vela Middle School students with perfect attendance on Thursday, November 17, 2016 in the Vela Middle School Gym, 4905 Paredes Line Road, from 9 AM – 2 PM. The students will use BISD “B” Bucks to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers. Information about the produce that will be on sale at the Farmers’ Market will be provided before the event so that students can consult with their families regarding purchases and stay within their budgets. Students will each receive a minimum of $3 in “B” Bucks but they can earn additional bucks with good deeds and behavior. For more information, call 956.548.8000.

District Clarification

Brownsville ISD has not applied for a Class Size Waiver in the last 4 years. The last time the district applied for a Class Size Waiver was January 1, 2013.

Hanna Band Is State Bound!

The Hanna ECHS Golden Eagle Marching Band was crowned the 2016 Area G Co-Champion on Saturday, October 29 at the UIL Area G Marching Contest held at the PSJA Stadium. Hanna shared the title with Harlingen High School. A total of 24 bands competed for a coveted spot in the 2016 UIL State Marching Contest. Brownsville ISD was represented by Hanna and the Rivera ECHS Red and Black Marching Band. Both bands turned in a stellar preliminary round performances with the Hanna Band ranked number 1. In the final round of competition, Hanna earned the right to be one of 4 bands to advance to the UIL State Marching Contest on November 7-9 in the San Antonio Alamodome. Hanna, under the direction of Dennis Ewing, is the only band in BISD history to win the Area G Championship and has done it twice, in 2008 and 2016. Special thanks to these band students, directors and parents on their hard work, dedication and determination. Best of luck to Hanna at State!

BISD Choirs Earn Superior Notes

BISD Middle School choir students hit all the right notes at the Region 28 Solo and Ensemble Contest held on Saturday, October 22 at Stillman Middle School. A total of 435 BISD students competed and 416 received Superior ratings on their solos, the top rating awarded. BISD had 48 singers compete in ensembles and all were rated Superior. In all, BISD choir students brought home 482 medals and ribbons. Congratulations to all choir students and their directors on this talented showing. View the results by BISD campus.

Election Clarification

A political advertisement for the current School Board Election claims that the Brownsville Independent School District, specifically the Transportation Department, is supporting a slate of candidates. While the advertisement does not identify who is responsible for the advertisement, the Brownsville Independent School District does not endorse any candidate(s) running for the current School Board Trustee positions and the Transportation Department did not authorize the endorsement of any candidates(s) as per policy.

Budding Scientists at Work

Brownsville ISD will host the annual Elementary Science Fair with four cluster events over two weekends. On Saturday, October 29, Russell Elementary will host Cluster 1 schools at Stell Middle School and Gallegos Elementary will host Cluster 2 schools at Vela Middle School. On Saturday, November 5, Garza Elementary will host Cluster 3 schools at Besteiro Middle School and Del Castillo Elementary will host Cluster 4 at Perkins Middle School. BISD’s young scientists have been busy preparing their projects for this annual competition. A special thanks to the hosting schools and many judges and volunteers who make the Elementary Science Fair successful.

BISD Salutes Our Veterans

Several BISD Schools will participate in the 17th Annual Southmost Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 5 at 2 pm. The parade will begin at 20th Street and Southmost Boulevard and conclude at Lima Street and Southmost Boulevard. The Southmost Veterans Parade was created to honor the brave men and women who have served or are serving in the United States Armed Services.

Textbook Hearings

The Publishers’ Textbook Hearings for the 2016-2017 BISD Campus Advisory Committee will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2016 from 8 am – 3 pm at the Central Administrative Building (CAB). Use SRN 891161029 to register.

BISD October Tradition

The BISD Breast Cancer Awareness Initiative has become a district October tradition. Since its beginning 7 years ago, this outreach has sought to raise awareness of breast cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and survival within BISD. Funds are raised annually through $10 contributions which entitle BISD employees to wear jeans on Thursdays and Fridays in October. Other events include special themes every Friday in October. A luncheon will be held for breast cancer patients, survivors and their supporters on Friday, October 28 at 12 noon in the Boardroom. The 4th Annual BISD Mile of Hope will be held on Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 6 pm at Sams Stadium. All funds raised are donated to the BISD Mile of Hope Foundation and related breast cancer awareness activities. A total of 10 BISD full-time employees and/or students who are breast cancer patients recently received funds to assist with medical expenses. If you meet the qualifications and are interested in applying for medical assistance, complete this application form.

Veterans Memorial ECHS Senior Tops in State

Jordan Rudd, a Veterans Memorial ECHS basketball, soccer, and track athlete, is one of only two State Winners in the 2016 Wendy’s High School Heisman Award which recognizes student-athletes who have displayed excellence and integrity both on and off the field. State Winners will each receive a $1,000 scholarship and a silver medal. From that group, 10 National Finalists will be selected. Since 1994, Wendy’s and the Heisman Trophy Trust have been honoring the nation’s most esteemed student-athletes. Pedro Pinales, a Veterans Memorial football player, was also recognized as a Wendy’s Heisman School Winner.

Trio of BISD Artists Earn State Awards

Three BISD students earned first place awards at the state School Bus Safety Poster Contest Ceremony held on Tuesday, October 18 at the Texas State Capitol Extension Auditorium. Congratulations to Zeus Serrano, a 2nd grade student at Skinner Elementary, for earning a first place in Division I, Grades K-2; Erandy Ramirez, a 4th grade student at Skinner Elementary, for earning a first place in Division II, Grades 3-5; and Luis Rivera, a 7th grade student at Perkins Middle School, for earning a first place in Division IV, Special Needs. These BISD student artists are to be commended on their achievements. The poster contest and recognition ceremony is sponsored annually by the Texas Association for Pupil Transportation.

Porter Senior Named Wendy’s Heisman School Winner

Johnathan Gonzalez, a Porter Early College High School senior, has been named a School Winner for the prestigious Wendy’s High School Heisman Award which highlights exceptional high school seniors and their achievements in the classroom, on the field, and in the community. Gonzalez will move on for consideration in the next stage of the program where he could be named a State Finalist. For 22 years, Wendy’s, in partnership with the Heisman Memorial Trophy, has recognized outstanding students and rewarded their commitment and achievements. Congratulations, Johnathan!

Tamez Named CATCH Champ

Fred J. Tamez, the BISD PE/Health Specialist, has been selected as a CATCH Champion by the CATCH Team (University of Texas and CATCH Global Foundation). CATCH stands for the Coordinated Approach to Child Health. Tamez, one of six CATCH Champions from across the state, was selected for his untiring dedication to creating healthy environments for Texas children. He will be recognized on Thursday, December 1, 2016 at 5:30 pm at the Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston, Texas.

BISD Choir Members Earn Regional Spots

BISD placed 46 choir members and 7 alternates in the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Region 28 District Treble Choir. Auditions were held on Saturday, October 15 in Donna. There were 80 chairs available. Special recognition goes to the BISD students who earned first chairs in their sections: Arleen Arambula, Soprano 1, Pace ECHS; Azaria Vasquez, Alto 1, Hanna ECHS; and Karina Alvarado, Alto 2, Hanna ECHS. The TMEA Region 28 District and Region Choirs will perform on Saturday, November 12 at the Harlingen Performing Arts Center. Congratulations to these talented BISD singers.

Famed Musician Comes Home to BISD

World-renowned Latin percussionist, Faustino Cuevas, will conduct a percussion clinic for students on Monday, October 17 from 10 am – 12 noon at Hanna Early College High School. Cuevas will be in town to perform at the Brownsville Latin Jazz Festival. Cuevas began playing drums when he was 11 years old at Cummings Middle School. He graduated from Hanna High School in 1992. He went on to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston where he discovered Latin percussion. Cuevas has performed on stage with Julio Iglesias, Britney Spears, Celia Cruz, Queen Latifah, High School Musical, Stevie Wonder, Santana, and Jennifer Lopez. Brownsville ISD is pleased to welcome Faustino Cuevas back to the school district where it all began.

28 BISD Elementary Schools Are Open Until 5:30 Each Day

Approximately 3,800 students currently participate in Brownsville ISD's Extended Day Enrichment Program each weekday. The school district offers the free program at 28 elementary schools, Aiken, Benavides, Breeden, Brite, Burns, Canales, Castañeda, Cromack, Del Castillo, Egly, El Jardin, Garden Park, Garza, Gonzalez, Hudson, Longoria, Martin, Morningside, Palm Grove, Paredes, Perez, Resaca, Russell, Skinner, Vermillion, Victoria Hts., Villa Nueva, and Yturria. The program assists parents with quality enrichment programs for students in grades pre-kinder through 5th from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM weekdays. The Extended Day Enrichment Program provides academic intervention, tutoring, homework assistance, and academic enrichment through sports, art and music activities depending on the individual campuses. A hot, nutritious supper is also provided. Student transportation will not be provided. For more information, contact the individual campus administrators.

Google @ BISD

The Google CS First Roadshow visited Brownsville ISD on Tuesday, October 11 at 10:45 am at the Central Administrative Building (CAB) located at 708 Palm Boulevard. Mayor Tony Martinez and Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas participated in an hour-long presentation which taught kids about the importance of STEM education through an interactive coding activity. Over 200 BISD 4th and 5th grade students from Castañeda, Del Castillo, Ortiz, Palm Grove, Pullam, and Yturria Elementary Schools attended the presentation that is designed to develop an interest in computer science education and grow their problem solving and technical coding skills. View the media release.

Google @ BISD

The Google CS First Roadshow will visit Brownsville ISD on Tuesday, October 11 at 10:45 am at the Central Administrative Building (CAB) located at 708 Palm Boulevard. Mayor Tony Martinez and Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas will participate in an hour-long presentation which teaches kids about the importance of STEM education through an interactive coding activity. Over 200 BISD 4th and 5th grade students from Castañeda, Del Castillo, Ortiz, Palm Grove, Pullam, and Yturria Elementary Schools will attend the presentation that is designed to develop an interest in computer science education and grow their problem solving and technical coding skills.

Exempt Day Fundraisers

Texas Public Schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program may sell food and/or beverages as part of a fundraiser that does not meet the Competitive Food Nutritional Standards during the school day for up to six days per school year on each campus if no food and/or beverages for an exempted fundraiser are sold in competition with school meals served or consumed in the food service area. The BISD campus principals had the opportunity to select the six days for 2016-2017. They are: Halloween, October 31, 2016; Christmas, December 20, 2016; Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2017; Charro Days, February 23, 2017; Easter, April 13, 2017; and the last day of school, June 6, 2017. For more information, call the BISD Food and Nutrition Services Department at 548-8450.

A Message to Parents

Our school district, like many others in the United States has been victimized by a hoax appearing on Facebook about school violence. We take any such threats seriously. Our BISD police investigators working closely with other law enforcement agencies and Facebook were able to identify a high school student who was responsible for one post and he has been arrested. BISD campuses are places to learn and all precautions are being taken to keep them safe and secure. We ask you to talk to your children and remind them that any student who violates laws at school will not only be subject to disciplinary action as stated in BISD policies but may also be subject to arrest by the police and/or legal action may be taken. The safety of our BISD students and employees is our top priority.

Enroll in the Employee Sick Leave Bank

The BISD Human Resources Department has announced the enrollment period for the Employee Sick Leave Bank, October 1-31, 2016. If a BISD employee or family member has a catastrophic illness, the employee may withdraw days from the bank. New members must complete an application form and have one local day to contribute. Enrollment is automatic for current members. A form must be completed to discontinue membership in the Employee Sick Leave Bank. For more information, call (956) 548-8051 or 548-8031. Download the flyer and application here.

It’s Pigskin Time!

The 74th Pigskin Jubilee Marching Band Competition will be held on Saturday, October 22 at two locations. The Region 28 UIL 5A bands will compete at Bennie LaPrade Stadium in Donna at 4:45 pm and the 6A bands will compete at Boggus Stadium in Harlingen at 6:45 pm. Tickets are $8 and may be purchased from any BISD ECHS band director or at the gate on October 22. Tickets sold by band directors are grouped by campus. BISD students have been preparing since June for this competition and they will present an outstanding evening of music, dance and precision. View the schedule for BISD marching bands.

28 BISD Elementary Schools Are Open Until 5:30 Each Day

Brownsville ISD offers the free Extended Day Enrichment program at 28 elementary schools, Aiken, Benavides, Breeden, Brite, Burns, Canales, Castañeda, Cromack, Del Castillo, Egly, El Jardin, Garden Park, Garza, Gonzalez, Hudson, Longoria, Martin, Morningside, Palm Grove, Paredes, Perez, Resaca, Russell, Skinner, Vermillion, Victoria Hts., Villa Nueva, and Yturria. The program assists parents with quality enrichment programs for students in grades pre-kinder through 5th from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM weekdays. The Extended Day Enrichment Program provides academic intervention, tutoring, homework assistance, and academic enrichment through sports, art and music activities depending on the individual campuses. A hot, nutritious supper is also provided. Student transportation will not be provided. For more information, contact the individual campus administrators.

BECHS Receives 2016 National Blue Ribbon Honors

The Brownsville Early College High School (BECHS) has been named a 2016 Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The announcement was made on Wednesday, September 28, 2016. Only 26 schools, nominated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), received this prestigious national award. All 26 Texas schools were selected as exemplary high performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Each school has an economically disadvantaged population of 25% or greater. “I congratulate the teachers, administrators and staff members at each of these nationally recognized campuses in Texas,” said Commissioner of Education Mike Morath. “A strong commitment to successful student outcomes is evident throughout the school year at every National Blue Ribbon campus, past and present, across our state.” View the entire TEA media release.

District Choirs Mix It Up

Brownsville ISD mixed choir students representing six early college high schools earned 100 chairs or 62% of the total membership in the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) District Mixed Choir on Saturday, September 24 at Rivera ECHS. This is the first round in the process leading to membership in the auspicious TMEA All State Choir. A total of 500 students representing 15 schools participated in the district competition. The top 20 students in each section that were selected for membership in the District Mixed Choir will advance to the next audition level in November in Harlingen. Congratulations to four BISD students for ranking first chair in their sections: Jacqueline Villanueva, Soprano 2, Rivera ECHS; David Mejia, Tenor 1, Hanna ECHS; Daniel Ledesma, Tenor 2, Hanna ECHS; and Matthew Allen, Bass 1, Rivera ECHS. Congratulations to the BISD vocalists who participated in this competition. View the results by campus.

Beyond the Practice Room

Six BISD students representing Lopez, Pace and Hanna ECHS earned chairs in the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All Region Band auditions held on Saturday, September 24 in Harlingen. One student advanced to the area round of auditions. The All Region Jazz Band will perform on Saturday, February 18, 2017 at the Harlingen CISD Performing Arts Center. Congratulations to these dedicated student musicians. View the BISD results by campus.

BISD Launches Dollars for Champs and Champions Program

Dr. Zendejas has been visiting district campuses to launch the new BISD Dollars for Champs and Champions program which will provide college scholarships to outstanding early college high school graduates and fund educational grants for motivated teachers and employees. Several interested private and public organizations have also expressed a desire to match any funds raised by the BISD Dollars for Champs and Champions program. BISD employees who wish to support this worthwhile initiative may make a tax deductible donation by completing this form and sending it to the BISD Payroll Department. Get the form here.

UTSA Top Scholar Session @ BISD

The University of Texas San Antonio (USTA) will host an information session for BISD top 5% seniors and juniors about the Top Scholar Program on Wednesday, October 5 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm in the BISD Boardroom. The UTSA Top Scholar Program is a merit based scholarship combined with personalized experiences in academics, leadership, and community service. Those selected to be Top Scholars will receive a four-year scholarship that includes funding for tuition, fees, and room and board. Recipients also receive support for internships and study abroad programs, priority registration privileges and are auto-enrolled in the Honors College. An RSVP is required by Monday, October 3 to attend. To learn more, view the flyer.

Hanna and Lopez Bands March to Success

Students from Hanna, Lopez, Rivera, and Veterans Memorial Early College High Schools participated in the 2016 Bands of America Regional Marching Band Competition on Saturday, September 16, 2016 in McAllen. Bands from Laredo, San Antonio, Austin, and the Rio Grande Valley competed in this two day tournament. The Hanna Golden Eagle Marching Band won 3rd in its division and the Lopez Lobo Band earned the Outstanding General Effect Trophy and 1st Place in its division during the preliminary round. Both bands advanced to the final round and gave stellar performances in spite of blazing temperatures. Hanna completed the event with 5th place overall and Lopez won 10th place overall. Congratulations to all BISD students and their directors.

Oliveira Band Wins National Honor

The Oliveira Middle School Symphonic Band, under the direction of Gaspar Garcia, was named a Class AA Winner in the National Wind Band Honors contest held by the Foundation of Music Education. The Oliveira Band was the only band from South Texas to be recognized. Last year, the Oliveira Band was a Commended National Winner in Class AA. The National Wind Band Honors Contest through the Foundation of Music Education seeks to recognize and award outstanding achievement in performance by secondary school bands. Directors across the nation submitted CD recordings of their ensembles and adjudicators listened to all entries and provided detailed tape-recorded comments and brief written comments. Congratulations to these outstanding Oliveira Dolphins.

Splashin’ and Dashin’ Fun for All

The BISD Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center will host a Family Splash and Dash event for BISD students, parents, and employees, ages 6 and up, on Saturday, September 24 at 9 am. Registration is free through September 22 and cost $5 after the deadline. Medals will be awarded to the first 100 participants and there is a prize for the best-spirited swimmer. Water shoes/athletic shoes are required. Register here.

Flu Shots

BISD employees have access to free flu shots. Flu vaccinations start on Monday, September 12. View the schedule.

Walk for the Future on September 17

Dr. Esperanza Zendejas, BISD Board Trustees and district, campus and community volunteers will spend Saturday, September 17, 2016 participating in the district’s annual “Walk for the Future.” Teams of volunteers will walk neighborhoods and go door to door to find students who have not returned to school this year or who have dropped out. The teams will visit with students and parents about the district’s many programs and graduation opportunities. View more information.

Colleges Come to BISD

BISD Early College High School juniors and seniors will participate in University Day on Thursday, September 29 at the Brownsville Events Center. The students will have the opportunity to visit with representatives from several colleges and universities to learn about their admissions procedures and educational programs. Call Pilar Janis, Lead & Higher Education Counselor, at 548-8251 for questions.

BISD Breaks Ground on Fine Arts Building @ Pace

Brownsville ISD will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Band and Choir Hall at Pace ECHS on Thursday, September 1 at 10 am at the rear of the Pace campus. The Pace facility is the next Tax Ratification Election (TRE) Priority Project. The TRE was passed on October 6, 2015 with 84% local voter approval. The TRE restructuring brings an additional $5 to $6 million net per school year in state funding to be used for one-time expenditures to improve, repair, and expand district facilities without impacting the total tax rate. The TRE funded the installation of an artificial turf soccer field at Lopez ECHS. Porter ECHS will also receive a new artificial turf soccer field this school year thanks to TRE funding.

President Honors Porter Champs

U.S. Representative Filemon Vela will present the Porter ECHS Boys Soccer Team with a letter from President Barack Obama congratulating the team on winning the UIL 2016 State Soccer Championship at a special ceremony on Thursday, September 1 at 11:30 am in the school’s gym. The Porter athletes will also receive their State Championship rings and jackets at the ceremony in recognition of their outstanding achievement.

A&M Commandant Visits BISD

Brownsville ISD is pleased to host Brigadier General Joe E. Ramirez, Jr., USA (Ret.), Commandant of the Texas Corps of Cadets, who will visit two schools on Wednesday, September 28. The Commandant will stop at Ortiz Elementary at 9 am to talk with students and lead them in a round of calisthenics. At 10 am, Commandant Ramirez will address top juniors and seniors from all BISD Early College High Schools in the Veterans Memorial ECHS auditorium about A&M University, admission requirements, scholarship opportunities, the Corps of Cadets, postsecondary success, and overcoming obstacles in life.

Back to the Water

Great news! The Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center will reopen on Monday, August 29 with the regular schedule of 6 am through 8 pm weekdays. For questions, call 698-0060.

115 AP Awards for ECHS Students

A total of 102 current and former BISD early college high school students earned Scholar Awards in the College Bound Advanced Placement (AP) Program. The breakdown by campuses is: Hanna, 8; Lopez, 7; Pace, 18; Porter, 2; Rivera, 9; and Veterans Memorial, 58. These students have demonstrated college level achievement through AP courses and exams by scoring a 3 or higher on 3 or more AP exams. One Hanna student and ten Veterans Memorial students were named AP Scholars with Honor by earning a 3.25 average score on all AP exams and scores of 3 or higher on 4 or more AP exams. Two students, Michael Maldonado, Pace ECHS, and Jessica Loera, Veterans Memorial ECHS, were named AP Scholars with Distinction for earning a minimum 3.5 average score on all AP exams and scores of 3, 4, or 5 on 5 or more of the exams. These AP achievements are acknowledged on any score report that is sent to colleges the following fall. View the complete list of BISD students who earned AP Awards by campus.

BISD School Board Election

Brownsville ISD will have four school board positions open for the Tuesday, November 8, 2016 election. The positions are 3, 5, 6, and 7. All are 4-year term, at-large positions. The last day to file for a place on the ballot is Monday, August 22, 2016 at 5 pm in the BISD Boardroom. Ballot applications are available at the BISD Administration Building, 1900 Price Road, Suite 306, Monday-Friday, 8 am – 5 pm and online. For questions, call 956.547.4113. Download the school board election forms here.

Summer Graduation 2016

Everyone is invited to attend the 2016 Summer Graduation honoring graduates from all BISD Early College High Schools on Thursday, August 25 at 7 pm in the Rivera ECHS gymnasium. Potential summer graduates need to contact a campus counselor immediately. Practice will be held on Thursday, August 25 at 10 am in the Rivera gym. Caps and gowns will be available for purchase before the ceremony. An 8x10 graduation photo will also be available for purchase for $15.00. KBSD TV will videotape the ceremony.

BISD Open for Labor Day

All BISD campuses and offices will be open on Labor Day, Monday, September 5.

Notice of Drawing for Place on Ballot

Notice is hereby given of a drawing to determine the order in which the names of candidates are to be printed on the ballot for the election to be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, in Brownsville Independent School District, Brownsville, Texas. The drawing will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, August 22, 2016 at the Brownsville Independent School District Board Room, 1900 East Price Road, Brownsville, Texas 78520. View the notice in English and Spanish.

ECHS Breakfast to Change

Beginning on Monday, August 22, BISD Early College High School (ECHS) students will be served breakfast in the cafeteria rather than the classroom in order to provide a greater variety of menu items that are more appealing and age appropriate. Students will have more choices than were available with the previous “Breakfast in the Classroom” program. The breakfast times for each ECHS campus are listed below: Campus Breakfast Begin Time Breakfast End Time Hanna ECHS 7:15 am 8:50 am Lopez ECHS 8:00 am 8:45 am Pace ECHS 8:30 am 8:45 am Porter ECHS 8:30 am 8:45 am Rivera ECHS 8:30 am 8:45 am Veterans ECHS 8:30 am 9:00 am

Canales Conjunto Earns Honor Choir Status

The Canales Elementary School Conjunto has qualified as a Texas Elementary Honor Choir. The Canales Conjunto won 1st place out of the 40 choirs that competed statewide and will perform in February at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) convention in San Antonio. The Canales Conjunto, under the direction of Santiago Castillo, is the first elementary group from Brownsville to qualify and compete as one of the best in Texas. The group, composed of third, fourth and fifth graders, was created in 2010 to accompany the school’s drill team during the annual Charro Days Children’s Parade. The group performed at the BISD Welcome Back to School Bash on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 and earned a standing ovation from the audience. Congratulations to the students and their director on this well-deserved recognition.

BISD Campuses Applying for TTIPS Cycle 5 Grants

BISD campuses that are currently designated as “Focus” or “Priority” schools by the Texas Education Agency based on prior years’ performance are eligible to apply for one of the ten Texas Title I Priority School grants. The intent of these grants is to provide supplemental funding to campuses to make significant and lasting reforms through the implementation of strong evidence-based interventions. The campuses must solicit stakeholder input into determining which of the seven reform models the campus will use to reform their school. In order to apply for these grants, these campuses are requesting parent, community and business involvement in determining the model for their campus. The following meetings have been set up at eligible campuses: Campus Date Time Location Aiken Pending Information Besteiro Thursday, August 18, 2016 4:30 - 5:00 PM Cafeteria Cromack Pending Information Cummings August 18, 2016 and August 19, 2016 1:00 - 4:00 PM Cafeteria El Jardin Friday, August 19, 2016 3:00 - 4:00 PM Auditorium Garza Pending Information Faulk Friday, August 19, 2016 4:30 - 5:30 PM Cafeteria Oliveira Pending Information Perkins Thursday, August 18, 2016 5:30 - 6:30 PM Cafeteria Stell Friday, August 19, 2016 8:00 - 11:00 AM Room 20 Porter Tuesday, August 23, 2016 5:30 - 6:30 PM Auditorium

26 BISD Schools Make Significant Increases

Congratulations to these 26 BISD campuses for making progress on all four State Accountability Indices: ECHS BECHS, Lopez, Rivera Middle Schools Faulk, Oliveira, Stell, Stillman, Vela Elementary Schools Champion, Egly, El Jardin, Gallegos, Garden Park, Garza, Gonzalez, Hudson, Keller, Martin, Ortiz, Palm Grove, Paredes, Perez, Putegnat, Russell, Southmost, and Victoria Heights 100% of all BISD campuses significantly surpassed the state expectations for Post-Secondary Ready Students (Index 4).

Budget Input Continues

BISD stakeholders and employees participated in four Budget Input and Solutions Workshops held on Tuesday, August 9, 2016 to share thoughts and make suggestions on reducing the district budget for 2016-2017 and future years. If you were unable to attend one of the meetings, you may email your recommendations to budgetinput@bisd.us.

Faulk Teacher Earns Presidential Math Award

Commissioner of Education Mike Morath announced that ten teachers from across Texas, including Robert Rivera from Faulk Middle School, have been named finalists for the 2016 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). The 2016 awards recognize kindergarten through sixth grade mathematics and science teachers whose innovative methods bring teaching to life in the classroom. It is the highest recommendation a mathematics or science teacher may receive for exemplary teaching in the United States. View the Texas Education Agency media release.

Business and Education Partner to Benefit BISD Students

Dr. Zendejas recently met with over a dozen Rio Grande Valley businessmen at a Business & Education Roundtable held on July 26, 2016. The group discussed specific ways to ensure BISD students are ready for post-secondary college and careers. To reinforce their commitment, the leaders made a 3-year commitment to contribute $100,000 in scholarships to be awarded to motivated BISD graduates. Read The Brownsville Herald story here.

Locate Your Zoned School

Brownsville ISD has implemented a new, user-friendly, interactive school locator map program for school attendance zones. Simply select the 2016-2017 BISD school year boundaries display option and enter an address to find the current zoned school and district boundary lines. View the school locator program here.

Community Helpers

The United Way of Southern Cameron County Board of Directors recently thanked BISD for its support of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) project. For a second year, six BISD early college high schools offered free income tax assistance to the public during the school year. Students at Hanna, Lopez, Pace, Porter, Rivera, and Veterans Memorial trained to become certified tax preparers and electronically filed a total of 633 federal tax returns, helping Brownsville families receive $707,888 in Earned Income Tax Credit. The VITA project helps families who struggle financially to file tax returns free of charge, access income supports such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, and prepare to meet FAFSA filing deadlines. Thank you to the BISD students and their lead teachers, Belinda Morales, Virginia Ramirez, Sylvia Reza, Alberto Velez, Gabby Marks-Cisneros, and Charles Flores, for assisting our Brownsville community.

BISD School Board Election

Brownsville ISD will have four school board positions open for the Tuesday, November 8, 2016 election. The positions are 3, 5, 6, and 7. All are 4-year term, at-large positions. The last day to file for a place on the ballot is Monday, August 22, 2016 at 5 pm in the BISD Boardroom. Ballot applications are available at the BISD Administration Building, 1900 Price Road, Suite 306, Monday-Friday, 8 am – 5 pm and online. For questions, call 956.547.4113. Download the school board election forms here.

No Taxes

The Texas Tax Free Weekend is scheduled on August 5-7. Check out the details here.

A Community Message

The BISD Board of Trustees and Dr. Esperanza Zendejas received the following message from the Business & Education Roundtable Members who recently donated $100,000 to a BISD Scholarship Endowment at an evening event held on July 26, 2016: “We strongly believe that the partnership between business and education is critical to helping raise student achievement and more closely align the work of educators with the workforce demands. Your involvement is critical, we need strong community leaders like yourselves to take a stance and make a difference. Our group has pledged a commitment to get involved within the schools, engage the students, and help them find their passion. Once they can visualize their career pathway, we can help them focus on higher education attainment… “Success by Degrees.” We must find ways to change the status quo mindset and raise the bar on our expectations. We strongly believe that in order to create a stronger and more vibrant economy in any community, we must invest in our human capital. The evening of July 26th symbolized the culmination of extraordinary community leadership in which you played a significant role. We are honored to have been part of this effort and to have the opportunity to thank you on behalf of our business colleagues. We look forward to Dr. Zendejas’s action items and initiatives.”

Board Extends Superintendent’s Contract

At the Regular Meeting held on Tuesday, August 2, 2016, BISD Board Trustees voted unanimously to extend the contract of Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas for another two years. The Board cited her positive performance and the continuity and stability she has provided to the school district. Dr. Zendejas stated, “I am humbled and pleased by this extension and I sincerely thank the Trustees for placing their trust in me. The district is doing well in spite of its challenges. We will continue to look for ways to engage our community and use our district’s resources to support the students we serve.”

Lopez Band Named Best in 6A

After an arduous process of multiple competitions, the Lopez ECHS Symphonic Band claimed the title of 2016 State 6A Honor Band on Thursday, July 21 in San Antonio. The band is under the direction of George Trevino. This marks the second time that Trevino and Lopez ECHS has earned Honor Band status. In 2004, Lopez earned the State 4A Honor Band title. The Lopez Band will perform on February 8-11, 2017 in San Antonio at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention (TMEA) as the 6A Honor Band State Champs. Congratulations to the Lopez band members and George Trevino, Sam Hjort, Dr. Ramon Vasquez, Mike Garza, and Monica Vasquez on this well-deserved state recognition.

Lopez Band Advances To State

The Lopez ECHS Band advanced to the final round of State Honor Band competition on Friday, June 24 at the 2016 Texas Music Educators Association Area Honor Band Contest. This marks Lopez's 21st time in school history to advance to this level. The band is under the direction of George Trevino. The final round of state competition will take place on Thursday, July 21 in San Antonio at the Texas Bandmasters Association Convention. Brownsville ISD has a rich history of band excellence with three other state-designated honor bands. In 1965, Robert Vezzetti led the 4A Brownsville High School Band to a State Honor Band title. In 1987, Paul Flinchbaugh directed the Oliveira Middle School Band to 2C State Honor Band recognition and, in 2004, George Treviño and the Lopez Band won the 4A State Honor Band Championship. Congratulations to these fine Lopez band members and Mr. Treviño on this recent accomplishment.

Faulk Math Teacher Earns Presidential Award

Robert Rivera, a Faulk Middle School 6th grade math teacher, has been selected as a Texas finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) program. This prestigious award recognizes Rivera’s outstanding contributions as a teacher of mathematics in Texas. The PAEMST are the highest honors bestowed by the United States government specifically for K-12 mathematics and science (including computer science) teaching. Established by Congress in 1983, the PAEMST program authorizes the President to bestow up to 108 awards each year. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspirations to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education. The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Congratulations to Robert Rivera on receiving this prestigious honor.

Dr. Z Gives Car to Porter Grad with Perfect Attendance

BISD Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas presented a new 2015 Mazda 3 Sport Sedan that she purchased herself to Enrique Soto, a deserving Porter ECHS 2016 graduate with perfect attendance since the day he first entered school, on Friday, June 24 at the BISD Administration Building. Soto was the captain of the Porter 2016 UIL State Championship Soccer Team and has not missed a single day of school in his entire public school career. Enrique’s father is an employee at the BISD Media Center. Dr. Esperanza Zendejas has become well-acquainted with Enrique Soto since becoming Superintendent of Brownsville public schools. He is an outstanding student academically with perfect attendance and has excelled as a soccer athlete at Porter. She wanted to make her own personal contribution to his family to assist this student as he moves forward in his postsecondary studies. “This young man has touched my heart since the day I met him. I have seen his academic progress and consistent attendance and I have been impressed with his determination and resilience. I wanted to do something to support Enrique and his family. Special thanks to members of the Cardenas family and Cardenas Motors for generously contributing and assisting with this initiative,” said Dr. Zendejas.

State Honors For Stillman Choir

The Stillman Middle School Mixed Choir, under the direction of Tammie Polano and Assistant Jessica Chapa, has been selected as an Honors Choir by the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA). The Stillman Choir will perform at the TMEA conference in San Antonio in February 2017, date to be determined. Over 100 choirs from across Texas were asked to submit audition tapes to perform at the world-renowned TMEA convention. Over a span of 12 years, four BISD choirs have earned the TMEA Honors Choir distinction. Most recently, the Hanna Varsity Men’s Choir, directed by Gene Holkup with assistance by Jesus Morales and Selina Charles, performed in 2014. In 2012, the Vela Middle School Varsity Treble Choir, directed by Melody Eriksen, was named a TMEA Honors Choir and, in 2004, the Vela Varsity Mixed Choir, directed by Denise Pitcock, was selected. BISD fine arts students once again excel at the state level.

Students Earn Technology Bundles for Good Attendance

A total of 15 BISD elementary, middle school and ECHS (grades 9-11) students won grand prize technology bundles in the Student Attendance Contest drawing held on June 22 at the Sunrise Mall Food Court. Dr. Zendejas drew the winning numbers for bundles valued at $2,000 each and the Board Trustees congratulated the winners. The Canales Elementary School Conjunto entertained the audience before the drawings. Congratulations to Jorge Luis Stinson, Hanna ECHS; Natalia I. Sanchez, Veterans Memorial ECHS; and Kayla B. Urbano, Pace ECHS; April A. Rangel, Garcia MS; Ana K. Davila, Besteiro MS; Kevin G. Lopez, Stillman MS; and Andres E. Gonzalez, Vela MS; Kimberly N. Mendoza, Keller ES; Celeste S. Saldaña, Garden Park ES; Fernanda M. Chavez, Skinner ES; Anilu Zamarripa, Gonzalez ES; Lupita Yvet Cisneros, Champion ES; Julian Vasquez, Russell ES; Maria G. Gonzalez, Longoria ES; and Christian Ramirez, Champion ES.

VMECHS Grad Wins Car

Gabriel Agustin Mascorro, a 2016 Veterans Memorial ECHS graduate, won the 2016 Mazda CX-3 in the BISD/Cardenas Mazda Student Attendance Contest drawing held on Wednesday, June 22. Mascorro was one of 14 finalists, 2 from each ECHS, who were pre-selected from a pool of eligible students. Dr. Zendejas drew Mascorro’s winning number 6 at the contest event held at Cardenas Motors in Brownsville. The Mazda Car Giveaway was the grand prize finale to the 2015-2016 contest designed to improve student attendance and enrollment. The 3 Runners-Up, Ruben Rios, Jr., BECHS; Diana Marie Flores, Hanna ECHS/BLA; and Luis Gerardo Banda, Pace ECHS; won computer tablets.

Off the Air

KBSD, BISD’s instructional television channel, will be off the air Friday, June 17 through Monday, June 20 due to a new chiller installation at Porter ECHS. Regular programming will return on Tuesday, June 21.

Cardenas Mazda to Award a New Car for Student Attendance

One lucky BISD graduating junior or senior will win a new, red 2016 Mazda CX-3 for perfect attendance within a six weeks period on Wednesday, June 22 at 10 am at Cardenas Motors Brownsville, 1500 North Expressway. The Cardenas Mazda Student Attendance Car Giveaway is the grand finale to a year-long contest designed to improve student attendance and enrollment. A total of 14 student finalists, 2 from each early college high school, were pre-drawn at an earlier date to ensure their eligibility. Superintendent Dr. Zendejas will draw one of the 14 numbers making one finalist the instant owner of a new 2016 Mazda CX-3. Additional prizes will be awarded to the 1st – 3rd Runners-Up. Local dignitaries, Mazda and Cardenas representatives, and BISD students and employees will be present to show their support. The Veterans Early College High School Drumline will perform. BISD sincerely thanks Cardenas Mazda for supporting our students and schools with this generous donation.

Good Attendance Rewards for BISD Students

Good attendance pays off in BISD! Fifteen BISD students will win grand prize bundles in the BISD Student Attendance Contest Drawing to be held on Wednesday, June 22 at 3 pm at the Sunrise Mall Food Court. The bundles contain a set of beats headphones, a computer tablet, and an iPod Nano. A total of 110 finalists, 2 per school, were pre-drawn at an earlier date to ensure their eligibility. Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas will draw the 15 winning numbers and the BISD Board Trustees will award the grand prizes to the student winners. The Canales Elementary Conjunto, under the direction of Santiago Castillo, will perform at the event.

TEA Announces Important Changes to STAAR Reporting Dates

The Texas Education agency has announced important changes to the reporting dates for the 2016 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) assessments. As indicated on the Calendar of Events, the results for the STAAR spring 2016 grades 3-8 administration were scheduled to be reported to districts on Wednesday, June 15, 2016. This date has been moved to Tuesday, July 5, 2016. Due to ongoing issues and concerns with reporting, The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has requested that ETS conduct additional quality control checks and verifications to ensure that results for all students for which answer documents or online records were submitted are reported error-free and attributed to the correct campus and district. The Texas Education Agency apologizes for this delay and understands the significant inconvenience late reporting will cause students, parents, teachers, and school district personnel. Given delays in reporting, TEA is altering the timeline for sending results to families. Districts are encouraged to provide results as soon as possible, once reporting issues are resolved and final data files and reports are provided. In addition, some districts continue to experience issues with missing or incorrectly attributed results for students tested during the STAAR May 2016 Grades 5 and 8 retest administration and/or the STAAR spring 2016 EOC administration. Corrected reports and files for these two administrations will be made available on Monday, June 20, 2016. These reports will also include any corrections made by the district during the resolution windows, such as student identification information updates and test taken information changes. Districts still awaiting results for students in grades 5 and 8 not yet reported should follow the guidelines outlined in the June 10, 2016 letter from Commissioner Morath to make promotion/retention decisions for these students. TEA is still determining possible implications of late reporting of assessment results to the release of the Consolidated Accountability File (CAF) and will notify districts if there are delays in the reporting of the CAF. If you have questions about STAAR reporting and the revised timelines, please contact the Student Assessment Division at 512-463-9536.

Public Meeting

Brownsville ISD will hold a public meeting at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 in the Boardroom of the Administration Building located at 1900 Price Road to discuss the school district’s budget that will determine the tax rate that will be adopted. Public participation in the discussion is invited. View the information.

BISD Grads Earn UT Scholarships

Krista Quiroz, a 2016 graduate of Porter Early College High School, is the recipient of the Brownsville Texas Exes Chapter/Joe and Theresa Lozano Long Challenge Grant in the amount of $1,000. The scholarship is renewable for four years if the requirements are met every year. Three BISD 2016 graduates received $500 scholarships from the Brownsville Texas Exes alumni chapter good for one year. They are Viviana Castillo, Hanna; Esteban Salinas, Pace; and Aleida Olvera, Veterans Memorial. Congratulations to these grads on earning these college scholarships.

College Connected

BISD early college high school students are actively applying to colleges and universities using the APPLY TEXAS Application. Check out the latest numbers below by BISD school. For questions, contact Pilar Janis, BISD Guidance and Counseling Department, at 548-8251. Name of ECHS Apply Texas % FAFSA% TASFA FAFSA/TASFA % HANNA 100% 79% 7 81% PORTER 100% 71% 13 74% PACE 100% 74% 10 77% RIVERA 100% 81% 30 87% LOPEZ 100% 95% 10 98% VETERANS 99% 77% 15 80% BECHS 100% 100% - -

Pace Horn Player Heads to New York

Nick Ochoa, an upcoming junior at Pace ECHS, has been selected to participate in NYO2, an intensive two-week training program for talented young musicians in New York City. Ochoa was featured in The Brownsville Herald on Sunday, June 5. Read the article here.

Aquatic Center Closes in July

The Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center will be closed July 1 for necessary maintenance and repairs. The community will be informed once the premier swimming venue reopens for regular operation.

Eat For Free at BISD

The BISD Food and Nutrition Services Department will provide free meals for children 0-18 years of age at more than 50 designated school and community sites in Brownsville this summer beginning on June 6. The free meals are not limited to BISD students or Brownsville residents. Anyone 18 years of age or younger is welcome to eat for free. Summer feeding will continue into August at several sites. Adults may purchase a meal for $2.25 for breakfast and $3.50 for lunch. Fresh fruit, cold milk, healthy breakfasts, and nutritious lunches are all available for free. Call (956) 548-8450 to learn more. View the flyer for locations, dates and times. English | Spanish

View BISD Graduations Live

The 2016 BISD Early College High School graduations that are held at the Brownsville Sports Park will be streamed live on the district homepage or YouTube at BISD-KBSD ITV for viewing by friends and family members who are unable to attend. This will also give military personnel who are on active duty an opportunity to see their loved ones graduate. The commencement ceremonies held at the Brownsville Sports Park will be live streamed beginning at 7:30 pm according to the schedule listed below: Rivera ECHS Saturday, June 4, 2016 Hanna ECHS Sunday, June 5, 2016 Veterans Memorial ECHS Monday, June 6, 2016 Pace ECHS Tuesday, June 7, 2016 Lopez ECHS Wednesday, June 8, 2016 Porter ECHS Thursday, June 9, 2016 View the designated ceremony here beginning at 7:30 pm.

Cavazos Scholarships Awarded to BISD Student Athletes

Congratulations to the BISD student athletes who received the 2016 Johnny N. and Nena S. Cavazos Athletic Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each. Sixty BISD seniors, ten from each early college high school, were recognized at the Student Recognition Ceremony held on Wednesday, June 1 at the Rivera ECHS gym. In 2007, Mr. and Mrs. Cavazos generously established an athletic endowment that has provided college assistance to male and female students who have participated in University Interscholastic League athletic sports. View the 2016 Cavazos Scholarship recipients.

Benavides First at DI Globals

The Benavides Elementary School Destination Imagination (DI) team earned 1st Place at the Global Finals held on May 24-28 in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Benavides team won the prestigious top award in the Get a Clue-Fine Arts Challenge. The Veterans Memorial ECHS team earned 5th Place in the Close Encounters-Improvisation Challenge, Ortiz Elementary won 16th Place in the In Plain Sight – Scientific Challenge, and Keller Elementary posted 27th Place in the Close Encounters Challenge. The DI Global Finals drew over 14,000 students from 20 countries. It is the world’s largest celebration of creativity. DI global competition encourages teams of learners to focus, frame challenges, take risks, and have fun while incorporating STEM, the arts, and service learning. The participants learn patience, flexibility, persistence, ethics, respect for others and their ideas, and the collaborative problem solving process. Congratulations to all the district’s DI participants and to the Benavides team for earning 1st Place at the international competition.

Pace Tops in U.S.

Pace ECHS was named the 2016 winner of the Gold National Excellence in Education Award in San Diego, May 24. View the story in The Brownsville Herald.

All Valley Sports Honors

Brownsville ISD received several nominations in the 2016 All Valley Sports Awards. The student athletes and coaches listed below will be honored at an awards banquet to be held on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 from 6-8 pm at the Double Tree Suites in McAllen. Congratulations to: Finalist School Category Jordan Rudd Jose Echevarria Alexis Armendariz Dianna Amaro Santiago Garcia Julie Lucio Anthony Garza Cassie Valdez Fred Villarreal Fred Villarreal Karla Sosa Brownsville Lopez Soccer Brownsville Porter Soccer Jose Espitia, Porter Soccer Brownsville Porter Soccer Veterans Memorial Lopez Porter Porter Hanna Hanna Rivera Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Porter Lopez Porter Porter Porter Girls Basketball Player of the Year Boys Soccer Player of the Year Boys Soccer Player of the Year Girls Tennis Player of the Year Boys Golfer of the Year Girls Golfer of the Year Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year Softball Player of the Year Baseball Player of the Year 6A Male Athlete of the Year Sub 6A Female Athlete of the Year Class 6A Boys Team of the Year Sub 6A Boys Team of the Year Boys Coach of the Year Moment of the Year Congratulations to these outstanding students and their coaches. Call Mark Guess, BISD Athletics Administrator at 548-8261 for more information.

Pace Brings Home the Gold

Pace Early College High School received the prestigious 2016 Gold National Excellence in Urban Education Award. The announcement was made on Tuesday, May 24 at the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST) awards ceremony held in San Diego, California. Dr. Esperanza Zendejas, Board Assistant Secretary Minerva Peña, Principal Rose Longoria, and Pace representatives received the award and a $5,000 check. Benavides Elementary earned the Silver Award and Breeden and Veterans Memorial were Bronze Award recipients. A total of 18 BISD elementary schools, Canales, Castañeda, Champion, Gallegos, Gonzalez, Keller, Martin, Morningside, Palm Grove, Paredes, Peña, Pullam, Resaca, Sharp, Skinner, Southmost, Vermillion, and Yturria were named to this year’s NCUST Honor Roll. All NCUST recognized schools serve low-income communities with an array of challenges but still boast achievement results that exceed state averages for all students. In 2015, Ortiz Elementary earned the NCUST Silver Award, Benavides and Breeden were Bronze recipients, and Paredes and Pullam were named to the Honor Roll.

Superintendent Awards $113,000 in Scholarships

Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas has announced the winners of the 2016 Superintendent’s Scholarships. A total of 113 graduating BISD seniors will each receive $1,000 to attend the college of their choice. The scholarship funds were raised at the 13th Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament hosted by Dr. Zendejas at the Rancho Viejo Resort on Saturday, May 7, 2016. Scholarship recipients were selected by committees of local community members and district personnel. Over 433 student applications were reviewed by the committees to determine the winners. “We sincerely thank the tournament sponsors and dedicated BISD employees who have made this tournament one of the largest in the Rio Grande Valley. We will award $113,000 in scholarships, the largest amount to date, to our 2016 early college high school graduates because of the generous donations of many businesses and organizations that value our students and want to see them continue their postsecondary education. It was a great golf tournament that truly benefitted a worthy cause, our students,” said Zendejas. With this year’s proceeds, the Superintendent’s Scholarship Golf Tournament will have provided $901,000 to 800 deserving BISD graduates over the past 13 years. Dr. Zendejas will personally award the 2016 Superintendent’s Scholarships to the following seniors at special ceremonies which will be held at their respective high school campuses on May 26-June 1, 2016. View the scholarship recipicents by campus.

Wall Street in BISD

What would you do with $100,000? Students at Benavides, Paredes, Skinner, Faulk, and Stell virtually invested the money in The Stock Market Game where they learned about financial literacy, investing money, and buying and selling stocks. The students, with the guidance of their teachers, built and managed investment portfolios and participated in the simulation during the Fall and Spring Competition. The Spring Stock Market Game results were as follows: 1st Place Skinner Elementary 2nd Place Paredes Elementary 3rd Place Stell Middle School The Fall Stock Market Game results were as follows: 1st Place Benavides Elementary 2nd Place Faulk Middle School 3rd Place Skinner Elementary The teams were recognized on Thursday, May 19, 2016 at Valley Federal Credit Union. The Brownsville Herald, Valley Federal Credit Union, Texas Council on Economic Education, and BISD Advanced Academic Services Department sponsored the competition.

Two BISD Schools Earn Library Grants

Two BISD elementary schools, Burns and Champion, were selected to receive library grants from the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries in the amount of $7,000 each. Sandra Cruz is the Champion Media Specialist and Melanie G. Smith is the Media Specialist at Burns. The grants are to be used to fulfill school library book and magazine requests. More than $831,000 is being distributed to 130 school libraries in 30 states this year. The mission of the Laura Bush Foundation is to encourage a love of reading and learning for students. View the media release.

Summertime Student Fun

The BISD Athletic Department has released the 2016 summer recreation schedule. For more information, call Mark Guess, BISD Athletics/UIL Administrator, at 548-8261. View the summer recreation schedule.

We Appreciate Our Auditors

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has proclaimed May 8-14, 2016 as Internal Audit Week in Texas. Internal auditors provide invaluable expertise and contributions. The Governor encourages all Texans to recognize and appreciate the role they play within their organizations. View the Governor’s proclamation.

Helping Students Communicate

May is Better Speech and Hearing Month. Brownsville ISD recognizes the hard work and commitment of the Special Services employees who work at the Regional School for the Deaf as well as those who work with students at our campuses. Thank you for your service and dedication.

BISD Teachers Recognized for Excellence

BISD teachers won five of the six available 2016 Brownsville Rotary Club Scholarships for Teaching Excellence in the amount of $1,000 each. Congratulations to Elisa Moreno, Brownsville Academic Center; Delia Lopez, Champion Elementary; Lucrecia Alanis-Cruz, Russell Elementary School; Virginia Ramirez, Lopez ECHS; and Dawn Hill, Vela Middle School. These outstanding educators will be recognized at a Brownsville Rotary Club luncheon on Wednesday, May 18 at 12 noon at the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art.

Veterans Memorial Athlete to Represent Texas

Veterans Memorial ECHS Student-Athlete, Alfredo Villarreal Jr., has been nominated for the Gatorade Baseball Player Of the Year for the State of Texas. This award is sponsored by the USA Today and Gatorade. The winner will be announced on May 24. Below is some information on the USA Today/Gatorade Player of the Year Program: The Gatorade Player of the Year award was established in 1985 to recognize and celebrate the nation's most outstanding high school talents for their athletic achievement, academic excellence and exemplary character. Now in its third decade, the Gatorade Player of the Year award has become one of the most prestigious accolades in high school sports. The Gatorade State Player of the Year award winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: Athletic Achievement — success made at the club, national or international levels of competition, and standout performances in their respective sport. Includes statistical production, honors, skill-set evaluation, leadership ability, overall impact on team success and historical context of accomplishments. Academic Excellence — review of GPA and class rank, as well as SAT and ACT scores, academic honors and distinctions. Exemplary Character — overall sportsmanship, but also membership and participation in positive activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community. State Player of the Year award winners are eligible for the Gatorade National Player of the Year award in their respective sports.

BISD and UTRGV Forge Partnership

BISD Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas and UTRGV President Dr. Guy Bailey formalized a partnership between their two educational institutions on Friday, May 6 that will provide free concurrent enrollment to all current BISD sophomores and juniors. A special signing ceremony to mark the collaboration was held at the Buchanan Center with student representatives and principals from all six BISD early college high schools in attendance. BISD students who meet eligibility will be able to begin classes this summer and though next school year at all UTRGV campuses. View the story in The Brownsville Herald.

BISD Artists Tops at State

BISD early college high school art students excelled at the state Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) competition held in San Antonio on April 25. BISD sent the largest group of qualifiers in district history and 20 students earned exemplary ratings and state medals with their artwork. Four BISD students won the coveted Gold Seal. Their artwork will travel with the Gold Seal Exhibit to numerous Texas venues including the state capital. Out of 32,000 entries statewide, only 2,000 advanced to the state VASE exhibit. Congratulations to these artists and their teachers.

Pace Historians Advance to Nationals

Two Pace ECHS students, Alma Gamez and Madeleine Gregory, placed 2nd in the Senior Division of the Group Website category at the Texas History Day event on April 30, 2016. Their project, “Florence Nightingale: The Woman Who Encountered Unsanitary Conditions and Explored Visionary Methods in Healthcare,” will represent BISD and Pace at the National History Contest to be held at the University of Maryland, College Park on June 12-16. Their sponsor is Marisa Medrano. Congratulations to the BISD schools and sponsors who earned Distinguished Achievement awards from the Texas State Historical Association. View the results.

Tournament is Full

The 13th Annual BISD Superintendent’s Scholarship Golf Tournament is closed to additional teams. Donations and tee box sign purchases are still being accepted. Thanks for supporting our students with scholarship funds.

TSI Deadline

Friday, May 6 is the deadline for BISD students who are interested in taking dual enrollment courses next school year to take the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Assessment. For more information, call the Advanced Academic Services Department at 548-8291.

5 BISD Seniors Named Gates Scholars

The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) Program has announced the Class of 2016 award recipients which includes 5 BISD seniors. The BISD Gates recipients are Zahira Correa, Brownsville ECHS; Daniela Butanda and Paulina Montez, Pace ECHS; Yannira Herrera, Porter ECHS; and Cassandra Gonzalez, Veterans Memorial ECHS. Each of these students will receive a scholarship that can be used to pursue a degree in any undergraduate major and selected graduate programs at accredited colleges or universities. Established in 1999, the GMS program is funded by a $1.6 billion grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

New Record for MS Choirs

Middle school choirs from Region 28 gathered in La Feria on Saturday, April 23 to audition for the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Middle School Region Choirs. TMEA Region 28 is comprised of schools from Donna to Brownsville. A total of 29 middle schools auditioned for 315 spots in 3 choirs, 7th Grade Treble Girls Choirs, 8th Grade Treble Choir, and 7th and 8th Grade Tenor Bass (Boys) Choir. BISD schools earned 220 of the available positions, 70%, in the 3 choirs. Special recognition to Nichole Fierro-Ryan, 8th Grade Soprano 2, Stillman MS; Allen Lopez, Tenor 2, Manzano MS; Dominic Chavez, Tenor 1, Oliveira MS; and Diego Hinojosa, Bass, Stillman MS; for placing first in their sections. View the results by campus.

BISD Celebrates Children and Books

Dr. René Saldaña, Jr., noted author, and Carolyn Dee Flores, a well-known illustrator, will visit several BISD elementary campuses in celebration of El Día de Los Niños/El Día de Los Libros on April 28 and 29. The visits are designed to highlight the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. View the schedule.

TSI Testing and ECHS Assistance

Incoming out-of-district 9th grade students who are planning to attend one of the BISD early college high schools can take the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Assessment and receive assistance with the Apply Texas application and TSC dual enrollment packet on Monday-Friday at Veterans Memorial ECHS from 4-6 pm until Friday, April 29 and on Saturday, April 23 and 30 from 8 am to 12 noon. For more information, contact Elizabeth Llongueras at (956) 574-5623.

Lopez JROTC to Celebrate 100th Anniversary

Lopez JROTC to Celebrate 100th Anniversary The Lopez Early College High School JROTC will celebrate the 100th JROTC Anniversary by hosting the largest run in military history. The Fun Run will be held worldwide on Saturday, April 23, 2016, with the local event at the Brownsville Sports Park. As part of a worldwide commemoration of the Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (JROTC) Anniversary, the Fun Run is a one-of-a-kind event that allows participants around the world to run together, with each time zone’s start time synchronized to 3:00 PM Greenwich Mean Time. The local Fun Run will begin at 10:00 AM. The public is encouraged to participate in this free event to support JROTC and help the Cadets break the world record. The Lopez Lobo Battalion is encouraging all JROTC and ROTC alumni to join them for the event, either as a participant or a volunteer. Background: JROTC stands for Junior Reserve Officer's Training Corps. It is a military-supported high school program whose purpose is to educate high school students in leadership roles while making them aware of the benefits of active citizenship. The JROTC curriculum emphasizes academics, citizenship, character development, leadership skills, physical fitness, and community service.

Challenging Schools

Pace and Hanna Early College High Schools made the list of America’s Most Challenging High Schools recently released by The Washington Post. Pace was ranked #888 and Hanna was #1685. View the list.

4 ECHS Named to Best Schools List

Four BISD early college high schools, BECHS, Veterans, Hanna, and Pace, have earned medals in the national U.S. News and World Report 2016 Best High Schools ranking. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded based on a methodology that incorporates state proficiency tests, participation in Advanced Placement, and other examinations and data. Brownsville ECHS was ranked #27 in Texas and #150 nationally earning the school a gold medal. Veterans Memorial ECHS at #145 in Texas and #1559 nationally earned a silver medal and Hanna ranked #185 in Texas and #2182 in the nation also received a silver medal. Pace ECHS completed the list by earning a silver medal for ranking #192 in Texas and #2296 nationally. Over 21,500 U.S. public high schools were reviewed and more than 6,000 received medals. View the rankings for the 4 BISD schools.

BISD Varsity Bands Earn Perfect Scores

A total of 15 BISD ECHS bands participated in the 6A and 5A UIL Concert and Sight Reading Competition held in Harlingen on April 12-14. The BISD varsity bands scored 100%, earning each school the top UIL Sweepstakes award for the 2nd consecutive year. All 15 BISD bands earned UIL awards and 12 earned Sweepstakes trophies. Congratulations to these outstanding students and their directors. View the results by campus.

2016 ECHS Graduations Relocated

Due to the maintenance and repairs being made at Sams Stadium, all six BISD 2016 Early College High School graduations will be relocated to the Brownsville Sports Park. This does not impact the Brownsville Early College High School, Brownsville Learning Academy or Lincoln Park School graduations which are scheduled at other venues. The district and community will be informed once Sams Stadium reopens for regular operation. View the schedule.

Learning About BISD Security

The Brownsville ISD Police and Security Services Department will host a Parent Police Academy on April 18-22 at the department headquarters located at 2477 E. Price Road. The sessions will run from 8:30 am to 12 noon daily and topics include disaster preparedness, fire and utility control, light search and rescue, CPR, disaster psychology, and much more. A total of 27 parents are expected to participate in this exciting community outreach program. The graduation ceremony will be held on Friday, April 22 at 11 am. For more information, call (956) 698-2085.

Volleyball is Back!

The BISD Wellness Fitness Center will host another employee co-ed volleyball league this summer. All interested employees are invited to come by and pick up a packet on Wednesday, April 20 or Thursday, April 21. View the flyer for more details.

Veterans Memorial Makes State Sports List

Veterans Memorial ECHS was ranked 8th on a list of the 100 best high school sports programs in Texas that was featured in the Houston Chronicle on Sunday, April 10, 2016. View the article.

Middle School Bands Write New Chapter

A total of 18 BISD bands received UIL awards and 11 earned UIL Sweepstakes awards at the 2016 Middle School UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest held on April 5-8 at the Harlingen Performing Arts Center. A total of 21 BISD bands competed. BISD nearly tripled the number of groups earning UIL Sweepstakes and doubled the number that earned 1st Divisions. These dramatic results are history making for the BISD band program. Congratulations to the students and directors on their awe-inspiring achievements. View the results by campus.

Students Earn Coveted Duke Recognition

A total of sixteen BISD 7th grade students have earned State Recognition in the Duke University Talent Identification Program with one student earning both State and Grand Recognition. The Duke Program focuses on the identification, recognition, and support of high ability students and offers qualifying 7th grade students the opportunity to take college entrance exams alongside high school students. Duke students must score 95% or higher on the national norms of a grade-level standardized achievement, aptitude, or mental ability test. Students who qualify for State Recognition are in the top 42% of all Duke participants nationwide. Students who qualify for Grand Recognition are in the top 5% nationally. Congratulations to BISD's 2015-2016 Duke recognized recipients. View the BISD list by campus.

Lopez One Act Play Advances to Region

The Lopez ECHS One Act Play Troupe qualified to advance to regional competition with their performance on Saturday, April 9 at the area competition held in Pharr, Texas. The Lopez theatre group now ranks in the top 24 of Texas 6A high schools. Maddison Jones earned Best Actress recognition and Lopez earned 6 acting awards including Best Chorus and Best Lighting. Congratulations to Johnny Trillayes, the Lopez Theatre Arts Director, and his students on their latest success. Regional competition will be held on Thursday, April 21 beginning at 12 noon at Jefferson High School in San Antonio. Admission is $10 for all performances. View the schedule.

Soccer State Tournament Broadcast Information

NFHS Network and Time Warner Cable Sports Channel will telecast and webcast the UIL Soccer State Tournament on April 13-16 from Birkelbach Field in Georgetown, Texas. View the schedule and catch all the exciting soccer action.

Powerlifting Excellence

Congratulations to Jose Alvardo from Lopez ECHS who won a State title at the Texas High School Powerlifting Association Championships held in Abilene, Texas on April 2, 2016. Three additional Lopez lifters earned medals, Hugo Salas, 3rd Place; Rogelio Pulido, 4th Place; and Danny Ramos, 5th Place, enabling Lopez to finish earn 4th Place in the overall team standings. Eric Tong from Hanna ECHS also earned a 4th Place medal.

4 BISD Teams Bound for DI Globals

A total of 14 Brownsville ISD teams represented the South Border Bridge Destination Imagination (DI) Region at the Texas DI State competition held on April 1-2, 2016 at Anna High School in Anna, Texas. Over 430 teams participated. Four BISD teams qualified to participate in the Global Finals in Knoxville, Tennessee in May by earning places 1-6 at the state competition. Benavides Elementary placed first in the Get a Clue Challenge, Ortiz Elementary placed third in the In Plain Sight Challenge, Veterans Memorial ECHS placed second, and Keller Elementary placed sixth in the Close Encounters Challenge. DI competition encourages teams of learners to focus, frame challenges, take risks, and have fun while incorporating STEM, the arts, and service learning. The participants learn patience, flexibility, persistence, ethics, respect for others and their ideas, and the collaborative problem solving process. The Global Finals is the world’s largest celebration of creativity with representation from over 18 countries. Congratulations to all BISD DI teams and their sponsors.

ECHS Chess Teams Post National Results

Four BISD early college high schools participated in the National High School Chess Championship held on April 1-3 in Atlanta, Georgia. In the K-12 Championship division, the Porter ECHS team placed 31st and Pace ECHS placed 40th. In the K-12 U1900 division, the Veterans Memorial ECHS team placed 10th. In the K-12 U1600 division, the Hanna ECHS team placed 4th and Veterans Memorial ECHS placed 10th. In the K-12 U1200 division, the Veterans Memorial EHCS team placed 25th and Hanna ECHS placed 42nd. Congratulations to our secondary chess teams on their national results!

BISD Summer Schedule

Brownsville ISD will follow an abbreviated summer schedule beginning on Monday, June 13, 2016 through Friday, July 29, 2016. The summer schedule is 7:30-5:30 pm on Monday-Thursday and 8am-12:00 noon on Friday. The BISD administrative offices will be closed on July 4-July 8, 2016.

It’s a Three-Peat for NAMM Award

Brownsville ISD is one of 476 school districts from across the United States recognized by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation as among the 2016 Best Communities for Music Education, out of the nation’s 13,515 school districts. This is BISD’s third consecutive NAMM award. Now in its 17th year, the Best Communities award recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders who work together to ensure access to music learning for all students as part of the school curriculum. View the media release.

Lopez One Act Play Advances

Lopez ECHS theatre arts students qualified to advance to One Act Play (OAP) Area Competition at the Bi-District competition held on Friday, April 1, 2016 at the Buchanan Center @ Hanna ECHS. This places Lopez in the top 48 of the 6A high schools of Texas. Four Lopez students were ranked in the top 18 actors at the competition. Congratulations to Johnny Trillayes, the Lopez Theatre Arts Director, and his students. The Area Contest will be held on Saturday, April 9 at the PSJA Performing Arts Center in Pharr starting at 12 noon. Lopez will perform at 2 pm. Admission is $5 for the entire day of six performances. View the schedule.

Employee Insurance Notice

The Brownsville Independent School District has mailed out the 1095-C Health Coverage form, as required by the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The 1095-C form is a health insurance tax form which reports the type of coverage you have, dependents covered by your insurance policy, and the period of coverage for the prior year. Please keep your 1095-C for your records with your other important tax documents. While you will not need to attach your 1095-C to your tax return or send it to the IRS, we request that you review the information for accuracy. If there is a discrepancy, please contact the Employee Benefits Department at (956) 548-8061. Please visit our website http://www.bisd.us/EmployeeBenefits for additional information. View the information in Spanish.

State Chess Meet Comes to Brownsville

Paredes Elementary hosted the 2016 Texas State Scholastic Chess Championship at Rivera ECHS on March 5-6. Almost 1,800 players from across Texas participated in the two-day event. Channel 5’s Rick Diaz featured the state competition on a segment of Con Mi Gente which aired on Tuesday, March 29, 2016. View the story.

Spotlight on the BISD Pharmacy Program

The BISD Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pharmacy Technician Program was featured in The Brownsville Herald Education Extra on Wednesday, March 30, 2016. Read the story here.

Apply for Summer School

The application for the 2016 BISD Summer School is now open online. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, April 5 at 5 pm. Late applications will not be accepted. Current, full-time BISD employees may apply here.

BISD Students Are Making Powerlifting History.

Congratulations to Julieann Delgado who won the Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association (THSWPA) State Championship to earn Brownsville ISD’s first ever State Powerlifting championship title. Hanna ECHS Students Alexa Alaniz earned 2nd place, Alexandra Chavez earned 3rd place, and Maya Perez placed 5th at the state competition enabling Hanna to finish 6th place overall. A total of 22 BISD male powerlifters are heading to the Texas High School Powerlifting Association (THSPA) State Powerlifting Championship. Congratulations to Eric Tong, Arturo Mancias, Ramon Delgado, Nathan Silva, Leo Gonzalez, Rafa Pena, Ricky Arreola, Andre Gonzalez from Hanna ECHS; Alex Berrones, Leo Alaniz, Jose Alvarado, Danny Diaz, Hugo Salas, Rogelio Pulido, Danny Ramos, Alexis Olalde, Jose Trevino from Lopez ECHS; Misael Marquez, Yayo Segura, Pablo Garza from Pace ECHS; and Joel Sanchez, Brandon Martinez from Veterans Memorial ECHS. The state competition will be held at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene, Texas on Saturday, April 2. Congratulations also goes out to the Lopez ECHS Boys Powerlifting Team for their THSPA Region V, Division I win. Best of luck to these fine athletes and their coaches as they head to state competition.

BISD Schools Earn NCUST Awards

Four BISD schools have been ranked among the best performing urban schools in America by the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST). Benavides Elementary and Pace ECHS earned the coveted Excellence in Education Silver Award with the possibility that those awards could become Gold Awards when the final announcements are made on May 23-25 at the 2016 National Excellence in Urban Education Symposium in San Diego, California. Breeden Elementary and Veterans Memorial ECHS were both named Bronze Award winners. A total of 16 BISD elementary schools, Canales, Castañeda, Champion, Gallegos, Gonzalez, Keller, Martin, Morningside, Palm Grove, Paredes, Peña, Sharp, Skinner, Southmost, Vermillion and Yturria, were named to this year’s NCUST Honor Roll. The NCUST finalists all serve low-income communities with an array of challenges but still boast achievement results that exceed state averages for all students. In 2015, Ortiz Elementary earned the NCUST Silver award and Benavides and Breeden Elementary Schools were Bronze award recipients. Paredes and Pullam Elementary Schools were both named to the Honor Roll. View the 2016 National Excellence in Urban Education Award Winners.

Staying Active

Four BISD elementary campuses, Breeden, Castañeda, Russell and Vermillion, participated in the Make Your Move Experience sponsored by the UT School of Public Health. This initiative is designed to get adults moving through walking, running, or cycling. All four campuses won hydration stations. Each campus designated a Champion to document the miles and they all received Fitbits. Congratulations go out to the Champions, Elisa Ramirez, Breeden librarian; Monica Vega, Castañeda 5th grade teacher; Marby Sweeney, Russell counselor; and Beatriz Porras, Vermillion librarian.

Powerlifting Regionals

Congratulations to the BISD male powerlifters who have qualified to compete at regional competition. Congratulations to Joseph Serino, Eric Tong, Arturo Mancias, Ramon Delgado, Nathan Silva, Leo Gonzalez, Rafa Pena, Ricky Arreola, Andre Gonzalez, and Adrian Arredondo from Hanna ECHS; Alex Berrones, Leo Alaniz, Jose Quintero, Jose Alvarado, Danny Diaz, Rogelio Pulido, Daniel Ramos, Hugo Salas, Alexis Olalde, and Josh Trevino from Lopez ECHS; Misael Marquez, Ricky Cuellar, Yayo Segura, Pablo Garza, Julian Hinojosa, and Christian Castro from Pace ECHS; Bradley Salinas, Juan Lopez and Kevin Garcia from Porter ECHS; Joel Sanchez, Sammy Deleon, Jimmy Deleon and Brandon Martinez from Veterans Memorial ECHS. They will compete at the Texas High School Powerlifting Association (THSPA) Regional Championships to be held at Weslaco East High School on Saturday, March 12. Lifting begins at 9am. Best of luck to these athletes and their coaches.

Four BISD Schools Earn NCUST Awards

Four BISD schools have been ranked among the best performing urban schools in America by the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST). Benavides Elementary and Pace ECHS earned the coveted Excellence in Education Silver Award with the possibility that those awards could become Gold Awards when the final announcements are made on May 23-25 at the 2016 National Excellence in Urban Education Symposium in San Diego, California. Breeden Elementary and Veterans Memorial ECHS were both named Bronze Award winners. Castañeda Elementary and Resaca Elementary were named to the NCUST Honor Roll. All six BISD schools were visited by teams of educational experts in February. The NCUST finalists all serve low-income communities with an array of challenges but still boast achievement results that exceed state averages for all students. In 2015, Ortiz Elementary earned the NCUST Silver award and Benavides and Breeden Elementary Schools were Bronze award recipients. Paredes and Pullam Elementary Schools were both named to the Honor Roll.

Loss of Power at El Jardin

El Jardin Elementary is experiencing loss in electrical power in some parts of the campus and phone lines are down due to transformer problems. The students are safe but some classes have been relocated to other areas of the campus that have power. Meals will be served and teaching and learning will continue today while the transformer is being repaired. While every effort is being made to ensure a normal school day, parents may pick up their children at any time.

Possible Bus Delays

Brownsville ISD parents are advised that possible inclement weather on Wednesday, March 9 may delay school buses taking students to school in the morning. For more information, contact the BISD Transportation Department at 548-8085 beginning at 5:15 am. Thank you.

BISD Schools Tops in State Chess

Four BISD schools claimed the titles of Texas Chess Champions in their respective sections, Yturria Elementary, K-1; Paredes Elementary, K-3; Stillman Middle School, Middle School; and Veterans Memorial ECHS, High School; at the 2016 Texas Scholastic Chess Tournament. Paredes Elementary School hosted the state tournament at Rivera ECHS on Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6. Garden Park and Hudson Elementary Schools and Manzano Middle School brought home 2nd place awards. Vela Middle School placed 3rd and Brite Elementary placed 4th and 5th in two sections. Benavides Elementary also earned a 5th place. Congratulations to these outstanding BISD chess teams, sponsors and parents. Special thanks to Paredes Elementary and Rivera ECHS on a very successful state tournament. View the BISD results here.

Summer School Employment

Online applications for the 2016 BISD Summer School will be available on Tuesday, March 22.

ACE Teacher Earns National Award

Diana Hite, a BISD Adult Continuing Education (ACE) teacher, was recently named the national Runner-Up for the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award sponsored by the Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE). Hite was also selected as the 2013-2014 Texas Teacher of the Year for the Texas Association for Literacy and Adult Education (TALAE). She currently works as the ACE Welcome Back Teacher for students who have degrees from other countries by assisting them in finding employment better suited to their degrees. COABE is 13,000 members strong and growing, and provides a variety of services including competitive national-level awards, incentive grants, and scholarship opportunities annually through special funding provided by Dollar General Literacy Foundation. View the COABE media release.

Garden Park Wins Match Cup

Garden Park Elementary School was named the Texas Lonestar Math Cup Champion for Region One. The contest is sponsored by Think Through Math! Congratulations to the third through fifth grade students and their teachers for earning this well-deserved recognition of their hard work. As the Region One winner, Garden Park will receive a $100 Wal-Mart gift card and a Lonestar Math Cup Top Region banner to hang at the school.

BISD Welcomes Texas Chess Teams

The 2016 Texas Scholastic Chess Championship, hosted by Paredes Elementary School, will be held at Rivera ECHS on Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6. Over 1,800 players from across Texas are expected to participate. View the story posted on Thursday, March 3 in The Brownsville Herald.

BISD to Develop District of Innovation Plan

At the regular Board Meeting held on Tuesday, March 1, BISD Trustees approved a resolution that will start the process for Brownsville to become a District of Innovation. This concept, passed in the 84th Legislative Session in House Bill 1842 (2015), gives traditional independent school districts most of the flexibilities available to Texas open enrollment charter schools. BISD is pursuing the District of Innovation designation for purposes of flexibility in the school year start date and for flexibility in the tools used for professional staff evaluation. To access these flexibilities, a school district must adopt an innovation plan, as set forth in Texas Education Code 12A.

7 BISD Schools Named to Texas Honor Roll

The Educational Results Partnership and the Institute for Productivity in Education has named seven BISD schools to the Inaugural 2015 Texas Honor Roll. Congratulations to Castañeda, Benavides, Breeden, Longoria, Ortiz, and Resaca Elementary Schools and the Brownsville Early College High Schools. The 2015 Honor Roll includes public elementary, K-8 and high schools that are recognized for demonstrating consistently high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement over time, and reduction in achievement gaps. For high schools, Honor Roll recognition includes measures of college readiness in students. In its inaugural year, the Texas Honor Roll recognized 713 higher performing, higher poverty schools that are distinguished for their academic achievement and closing achievement gaps.