Superintendent Presents Cummings, CTE, and BLA Plans

Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas made a presentation to the BISD Board of Trustees at the Board Meeting held on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 about the current and future plans for the Cummings Middle School campus. The Superintendent explained that the Brownsville ISD Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs need to expand. The district CTE 3-Year Plan calls for the expansion of high-demand programs that lead to licensures and certifications. Currently, the Webb campus, originally constructed in 1916, houses several of the CTE programs including Cosmetology, Patient Care Tech, and Pharmacy Tech which serve students from all the district’s Early College High Schools. The size of the Webb campus limits the CTE program capacity to instructing 100 students in the morning and another 100 students in the afternoon. The four CTE Department employees are also located at Webb. The building has no capacity to expand and the parking is limited. In addition, the Webb campus is in need of significant repairs. The plan to move CTE programs to the Cummings campus will allow for additional students and classrooms which will maximize CTE allocated instructional funds. The plans also include moving the Brownsville Learning Academy (BLA) to the Cummings campus. BLA has outgrown its campus of portable buildings, located on Morrison Road, and needs additional classrooms to serve its high-risk, overage student population. The proximity to CTE classes will give the BLA students, in grades 9-12, multiple opportunities to earn industry licenses and certifications that lead to viable careers. Dr. Zendejas has already shared these plans with the Cummings staff on several occasions and will hold meetings with the Cummings parents in the very near future. View the plan for Cummings, CTE and BLA.