BISD to hold ground breaking ceremonies

Ground breaking ceremonies for the new soccer fields at Rivera and Hanna Early College High Schools will take place on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. The Rivera ceremony is from 9-10 a.m., followed by the Hanna ceremony at 10:30-11:30 a.m. View the Rivera invitation. View the Hanna invitation.

Register today for the Inaugural Wildcat Run!

Besteiro Middle School is proud to announce its inaugural Wildcat Run, with a 5K or a 1-mile run/walk option. The event is scheduled for Saturday, January 20, 2018. Click here to register today.

BISD Superintendent nominated for 2017 RGV Citizen of the Year Award

Dr. Esperanza Zendejas, BISD Superintendent of Schools, was nominated for 2017 RGV Citizen of the Year Award. You can read the nomination by clicking on this link.

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, 2017. 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.

District of Innovation Update

At a special called meeting, the District-wide Education Improvement Council (DEIC) of the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) voted by a margin of 38-12 to submit the District of Innovation (DOI) Plan to the BISD Board of Trustees. The BISD District of Innovation Plan will be posted on the BISD website for at least 30 days. If approved by the BISD Board of Trustees, the DOI Plan will allow the BISD to propose a calendar whereby school may begin before the state mandated last Monday of August. During the regular school board meeting to be held on November 7, 2017, the BISD Board of Trustees will be asked to approve the District of Innovation Plan with a final vote requiring a 2/3 majority. In the event, the Board of Trustees approves the District of Innovation Plan, a copy will be provided to the Texas Education Agency for posting on its website. View the District of Innovation (DOI) Timeline and Plan.

Get Your Santa & Friends Tickets

The BISD Fine Arts Department will present its annual Santa & Friends Program on November 29-December 1, 2017, at the Central Administrative Building (CAB) Theatre. Tickets go on sale October 30 and 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 (956) 982-3730 for more information. Toy donations to the Annual Superintendent’s Holiday Toy Drive are welcome. View the poster for more information.

BISD Teacher Named CATCH Champ

The CATCH Global Foundation named Julian Salinas, a physical education teacher at Castañeda Elementary School, as a CATCH Champion of 2017 for his outstanding efforts to create an active and healthy environment for the children of Texas. Mr. Salinas is one of six CATCH Champions of 2017 at the school, district and community level across the state of Texas. The Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH) Program aims to impact the healthy-living messaging children receive in physical education, the lunchroom, the classroom and at home to improve and sustain their health. Mr. Salinas will be recognized in a ceremony on November 30, 2017, in Ft. Worth.

BISD is Open for Columbus Day

All BISD campuses and offices will be open on Columbus Day, Monday, October 9.

District of Innovation Update

At a special called meeting, the District-wide Education Improvement Council (DEIC) of the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) voted by a margin of 38-12 to submit the District of Innovation (DOI) Plan to the BISD Board of Trustees. The BISD District of Innovation Plan will be posted on the BISD website for at least 30 days. If approved by the BISD Board of Trustees, the DOI Plan will allow the BISD to propose a calendar whereby school may begin before the state mandated last Monday of August. During the regular school board meeting to be held on November 7, 2017, the BISD Board of Trustees will be asked to approve the District of Innovation Plan with a final vote requiring a 2/3 majority. In the event, the Board of Trustees approves the District of Innovation Plan, a copy will be provided to the Texas Education Agency for posting on its website.

District of Innovation Public Hearing

The District of Innovation Public Hearing will be held at the Regular Board Meeting on Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at 5:30PM.

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, 2017. 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.

Media Release

The Brownsville Independent School District and the Board of Trustees were made aware of a recently released audio recording. As a district we are disappointed that the audio recording included disparaging and inappropriate comments about BISD Board Members, Legal Counsel, and Administration, as well as racist statements. We neither condone nor support any of the comments found in the audio recording. The Brownsville Independent School District will continue to focus on our mission of educating all students and providing the best educational options for our community.

BISD High School Students Dominate the TMEA All-Region High School Jazz Audition

On Saturday, September 23, 2017, Region 28 held the annual audition for the TMEA Region 28 High School Jazz ensemble. Over 110 students from High Schools across the valley competed for one of only 40 chairs available. We are proud to announce that BISD Band students earned a record total of 8 out of the 40 chairs available. BISD Band students also earned 3, 1st chair positions and 6 of the 8 students will be competing at the area round of competition for a chance to make it to the TMEA All State Jazz Band. The TMEA Region 28 High School All Region Jazz band will perform on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at the Harlingen Performing Arts Center at 4:00pm.

Rivera ECHS Drumline Wins!

On Saturday, September 16, 2017, the Annual Roma Gladiator Drumline Competition was held at the Roma High School Stadium. Brownsville ISD was represented by the Rivera Early College High School Drumline at the contest. We are proud to announce that Rivera ECHS Drumline received 1st Place in the 6A Division at the contest. The drumline is under the direction of Donald McClain with support of the Head Director Alex Torres and Assistant Directors Sam Carpio and Daniel Villanueva. Congratulations to the students and directors for all of their hard work and dedication. We are all very proud of their accomplishment!

2017 Giant Pumpkin Growing Contest

Please save the date for this year’s Giant Pumpkin seed distribution! This year, the contest will consist of four entry divisions: Division One – Elementary School Campus w/sponsor (Grow on campus); Division Two – Middle School Student w/parent (Grow at home); Division Three – High School Campus w/sponsor (Grow on campus); and Division Four – Employee (Grow at home). The BISD Grants Department will be available at the central office main lobby on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 between 3:00 and 5:30 PM to distribute the seeds. For more information, contact Dr. Greg Garcia or John Rodriguez at 548-8227. View the flyer.

BISD is Open for Labor Day

All BISD campuses and offices will be open on Labor Day, Monday, September 4.

2017 Summer Graduation Ceremony

Thursday, August 31, 2017 • 7:00 PM Rivera Early College High School Gym 6955 FM 802 Everyone is invited to attend the 2017 Summer Graduation Ceremony honoring BISD Summer Graduates from all high schools. Graduates will wear their home-school caps and gowns and participate in a traditional graduation ceremony. A Note to Potential Summer Graduates Contact your campus counselor. Practice will be held on Thursday, August 31 at 10 AM at Rivera ECHS. Caps and gowns will be available for purchase before the ceremony from 5:00–6:45 PM. Cost is $15.00 for one 8 x 10 graduation photo. KBSD TV will videotape the ceremony.

Preparing for Harvey

BISD is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Harvey. Administration will continue to monitor to ensure the safety of our students and employees and will keep you informed of any new updates. We will notify our employees and community of any district measures taken in advance of this storm and possible hurricane

In memory of Arthur Cantu

Brownsville ISD is deeply saddened with the passing of Arthur Cantu, a long time BISD employee. He was the new Defensive Line Coordinator for Pace Early College High School. Prior to this, Mr. Cantu was the Athletic Coordinator for Stell Middle School. Mr. Cantu started working at BISD in 1993. The district offers our deepest condolences and unwavering support to his family in this difficult time. We will honor Mr. Cantu’s memory as a dedicated employee to this district.

BISD CELEBRATES 2017 ACCOUNTABILITY

TEA awarded 181 distinctions district wide, recognizing all of the care and attention BISD gives to their students. 17 campuses received 5 or more distinctions, Benavides, Breeden, Egly, Gallegos, Garden Park, Gonzalez, Keller, Longoria, Martin, Ortiz, Paredes, Pena, Pullam, Putegnat, Resaca Yturria, Manzano, Stillman and Vela. The increase in Index scores further recognizes all the hard work put in by teachers and students. 15 campuses across BISD made gains in all 4 Indices, Benavides, Burns, Cromack, Del Castillo, El Jardin, Garden Park, Keller, Longoria, Martin, Vermillion, Garcia, Oliveira, Hanna, Lopez and Porter. In addition to the Distinctions and Index scores, 15 campuses met 100% of the System Safeguards, Benavides, Castaneda, Gonzalez, Keller, Longoria, Martin, Ortiz, Pena, Perez, Pullam, Putegant, Resaca, Sharp, Southmost, Victoria Heights, Villa Nueva, Yturria and BECHS. An additional 18 campuses met between 90% and 99% of the System Safeguards, Breeden, Brite, Burns, Champion, Cromack, Egly, El Jardin, Gallegos, Garden Park, Hudson, Morningside, Palm Grove, Paredes, Russell, Vermillion, Lopez and Pace.

Veterans Memorial ECHS earns 5A Lone Star Cup Standing

The UIL Lone Star Cup honors the best overall athletic and academic programs in Texas and is open to all UIL participating high schools. Veterans Memorial ECHS placed 17th in the UIL 5A Lone Star Cup standing. View the standing list.

BISD Board Approves New Assignments

At a the Rescheduled Board Meeting held on Monday, June 26, 2017, the Brownsville ISD Board of Trustees approved Lorenzo Sanchez as the Chief Financial Officer of the Rio Grande Valley’s largest school district. Mr. Sanchez had previously been serving as the interim CFO of BISD since January 2016. The Board also approved Mary E. Rodriguez to serve as the new principal for Skinner Elementary. Mrs. Rodriguez, is the former Dean of Instruction for Veterans Memorial ECHS.

BISD Summer Administrative Schedule

Brownsville ISD will follow an abbreviated summer administrative work schedule beginning on Monday, June 12 through Friday, July 28, 2017. The schedule is 7:30 am – 5:30 pm, Monday through Thursday, and 8 am to 12 noon on Friday. All BISD administrative offices will be closed on Monday, July 3 through Friday, July 7.

Students Earn Grand Prize Bundles for Good Attendance

Good attendance pays off in BISD! A total of 20 elementary, middle, and ECHS (grades 9-11) students earned grand prize bundles in the BISD Student Attendance Contest drawings held on Wednesday, July 21 at the Sunrise Mall Food Court. Dr. Zendejas drew the winning numbers for 20 bundles valued at over $1,000 each and Board Trustees awarded the prizes. Each bundle contained a set of Beats headphones, a computer tablet, an iPod Nano, and a bicycle. Congratulations to all the prize bundle winners: Jesus Roberto Garza, Faulk MS; Brianna Encinia, Stillman MS; Jose A. Rodriguez, Perkins MS; Adrian Guevara, Manzano MS; Marvin M. Soto, Garcia MS; Israel Martinez, Russell; Jorge Luis Tijerina, Jr., Longoria; Adrien G. Gonzalez, Egly; Marco A. Vega, Perez; Miguel Alcocer, Resaca; Eddie Tapia, Burns; Seren Araiza, Benavides; Sergio Garcia, Garza; Javier Sanchez, Breeden; Alberto Abundiz, Cromack; Alycia Ramirez, Hudson; and Aliyah Castillo, Champion Elementary. Special thanks to the Veterans Memorial ECHS Estudiantina, under the direction of Aide De Anda, for performing at the Grand Prize Giveaway.

Porter Grad Wins New Car for Good Attendance

Antonio Calderon Sanchez, a graduate of Porter ECHS, won the 2017 Mazda CX-3 Sport in the Cardenas BISD Student Attendance Car Giveaway held on Wednesday, June 21. Antonio was one of 14 finalists who were pre-selected from a pool of eligible students. Dr. Esperanza Zendejas drew the names of four students who were given keys at the event held at Cardenas Motors in Brownsville. Antonio’s key was the one that opened the door of the new car. The Cardenas BISD Mazda Car Giveaway was the grand prize finale to the 2016-2017 contest designed to improve student attendance and enrollment. The 3 Runners-Up, Destiny Michelle McArdle, BECHS; Ashley Cervantes, Hanna ECHS; and Moises Coronado, Jr., Rivera ECHS; won Beats headphones. The Pace ECHS Drumline, under the direction of Michael Segura, performed for the event. Thank you to the Cardenas family for supporting BISD students!

U.S. News Highlights BISD Success

Brownsville ISD was featured in a national story about districts with high-performing students along the border which ran in U.S. News & World Report on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. View the story.

Free Health Services: Operation Lone Star

Operation Lone Star 2017 will be held in Brownsville on Monday, July 24-Thursday, July 27 from 8 am to 4 pm and Friday, July 28 from 8 am to 2 pm at Hanna ECHS, 2615 Price Road. Operation Lone Star brings FREE medical services to communities with help from local service groups and volunteers. Services included immunizations for children, diabetic screening, blood pressure screening, hearing and vision screening, sports physicals, dental services and vision exams for prescription glasses for adults and children. View the flyer in English and Spanish.

Notice of Public Meeting

Brownsville ISD will hold a public meeting at 12:00 pm, Monday, June 26, 2017 in the Administration Building Boardroom at 1900 Price Road. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the school district’s tax rate that will be adopted. Public participation is invited. View the Notices of Public Meeting and Proposed Projects and Tax Rate.

Cardenas Mazda to Award a New Car for Student Attendance

One lucky BISD graduating junior or senior will win a brand new 2017 Mazda CX-3 Sport for perfect attendance within a six weeks period on Wednesday, June 21 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. Superintendent Dr. Zendejas will draw 4 numbers and present keys to the 4 students whose names are drawn. Each student will try his/her key in the car door to determine the winner of the 2017 Mazda CX-3 Sport. The 3 Runner-Ups will each receive Beats Headphones. Local dignitaries, Cardenas representatives, and BISD students and employees will be present to show their support. The Pace Early College High School Drumline, under the direction of Michael Segura, will perform. BISD sincerely thanks Mazda for supporting our students and schools with this generous donation.

Good Attendance Rewards for BISD Students

Good attendance pays off in BISD! Twenty BISD students will win grand prize bundles in the BISD Student Attendance Contest Drawing to be held on Wednesday, June 21 at 3 pm at the Sunrise Mall Food Court. The bundles contain a set of Beats headphones, a computer tablet, an iPod Nano, and a bicycle. BISD Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas will draw the winning numbers for 20 grand prize bundles, 12 for elementary school students, 5 for middle school students, and 3 for early college high school students in grades 9-11. The Superintendent and Board Trustees will award the Grand Prize Bundles to the 20 students whose names were drawn. The Veterans Memorial ECHS Estudiantina, under the direction of Aide De Anda, will perform at the event.

Girls Can Code Camp Openings Available @ Lucio, Perkins, Stillman and Vela Middle Schools

There are still a few slots available for the Girls Can Code Summer Camp, June 8-30, at Lucio Perkins, Stillman and Vela Middle Schools. The tuition-free camp is open to incoming and current BISD females in grades 6-8. The camp will offer hands-on experiences that provide challenging and innovative concepts in learning, problem solving and analytical skills while fostering an interest in computer coding and programming. Call the Bilingual Department at 548-8271 for more information.

All Valley Sports Honors BISD Athletes

Several BISD teams, student athletes and coaches earned awards at the 2017 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet held on Saturday, June 10 in Mission. Congratulations to: Jordan Rudd, Veterans Memorial, Girls Basketball Player of the Year; Aaron Villarreal, Veterans Memorial, Boys Basketball Player of the Year; Jose Echavarria, Lopez, Boys Soccer Player of the Year; Santiago Garcia, Hanna, Boys Golfer of the Year; Julie Lucio, Veterans Memorial, Girls Golfer of the Year; Maya Athena Imperial, Hanna, Girls Swimmer of the Year; Jordan Rudd, Veterans Memorial, Sub-6A Female Athlete of the Year; Mia Anzaldua, Veterans Memorial, Softball Player of the Year; Noe Guerrero, Hanna, Baseball Player of the Year; Veterans Memorial Basketball, Golf and Softball, Sub-6A Girls Teams of the Year; Lopez Soccer, Sub-6A Boys Teams of the Year; Amadeo Escandon, Lopez Soccer, Boys Coach of the Year; Rayner Cardenas, Veterans Memorial Softball, and Peter A. Rodriguez, Rivera Softball, Girls Coaches of the Year; and Veterans Memorial, Sub-6A Program of the Year. The 2017 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet was hosted by RGV Sports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame. A total of 98 athletes, coaches and teams were vying for 32 awards. View the complete list of awards.

New School Year Assignments

Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas has announced the following assignments for the 2017-2018 school year: Mary Solis, Principal, Porter ECHS; Hector Hernandez, Principal, Brownsville Academic Center (BAC); Dr. Juan Chavez, Jr., Assistant Principal, BAC; Obed Leal, Principal, Stell Middle School (Board Approved); Teresa de Saro, Principal, Brownsville Learning Academy (BLA) High School; Noe Garcia, Principal, BLA Middle School; Kathleen Jimenez, Principal, Garcia Middle School; Teresa Nunez, Principal, Besteiro Middle School; Norma Jean Canales, Principal, Rivera ECHS; Aimee Garza-Limon, Principal, Brownsville Early College High School (BECHS); Michelle Seney, Level 4, Curriculum Department; Dawn Hall, Principal, Lincoln Park High School; Richard Torres, Principal, Champion Elementary School; and Dr. Norma Ibarra-Cantu, Level 4, Professional Development. The Board of Trustees previously approved Blanca Lambarri, Principal, Hanna ECHS; Chester Arizmendi, Principal, Lucio Middle School; Patricia Garza, Principal, Ortiz Elementary School; and Alma Rosa Atkinson, Principal, Garza Elementary, at the Special Called Board Meeting held on Tuesday, June 6, 2017. Skinner Elementary School is pending.

BISD Expands Pre-K 3 Program to Four Options

BISD is pleased to announce four exciting half-day and full-day options for the new expanded Pre-K 3 Year Old Program for the 2017-2018 school year. Enrollment is still available at several BISD elementary schools. Contact the individual schools to register. Classes will begin on Monday, August 28, 2017. View the announcement in English and Spanish.

Honoring Our Students

Brownsville ISD Board Trustees and Dr. Zendejas recognized over 100 student groups for outstanding performance and achievement on May 30 and 31 at evening ceremonies held at the Rivera ECHS gym. View the district’s Flickr file to see the photos. May 30 / May 31

Girls Can Code Camp Openings Available @ Perkins MS

There are still a few slots available for the Girls Can Code Summer Camp, June 8-30, at Perkins Middle School. The tuition-free camp is open to incoming and current BISD females in grades 6-8. The camp will offer hands-on experiences that provide challenging and innovative concepts in learning, problem solving and analytical skills while fostering an interest in computer coding and programming. Call the Bilingual Department at 548-8271 for more information.

Photos of BISD Student Recognitions

BISD held Student Recognition ceremonies on Tuesday, May 30 and Wednesday, May 31 at the Rivera ECHS gym. View all photos in the BISD Flickr albums on: May 30, 2017 | May 31, 3017

Summer Fun for BISD Students

The BISD Athletic Department has released the 2017 summer recreation schedule for BISD students. For more information, call 548-8261. View the schedule.

Cavazos Scholarships Awarded to BISD Student Athletes

Congratulations to the BISD student athletes who received the 2017 Johnny N. & Nena S. Cavazos Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each. Thirty BISD seniors, five from each BISD early college high school, were recognized at the Student Recognition Ceremony held on May 31 at the Rivera ECHS gym. Mr. and Mrs. Cavazos generously established an athletic endowment that has provided college assistance to male and female students who have participated in athletics. View the 2017 Cavazos Scholarship recipients.

Preparing for the Next School Year

At the Special Called Board Meeting held on Tuesday, June 6, 2017, BISD Board Trustees approved the following principals: Blanca Lambarri, Hanna ECHS; Chester R. Arizmendi, Lucio Middle School; Patricia Garza, Ortiz Elementary; and Alma Rosa Atkinson, Garza Elementary; for the 2017-2018 school year. Dr. Zendejas had previously assigned Mary Solis as the principal at Porter ECHS for the 2017-2018 school year.

Helping Others Through VITA

A total of 93 students at five BISD schools, Hanna, Lopez, Pace, Porter, and Rivera ECHS, were certified in Basic Tax Law this year. The students participated in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program sponsored by the United Way of Southern Cameron County. They prepared 570 tax returns for free and brought $690,396 in Earned Income Tax Credits to Brownsville working families. In all, the Cameron County VITA Coalition, including the BISD students, prepared 4,624 income tax returns with $4.8 million in Earned Income Tax Credits. Thank you to these BISD students and schools for their outstanding service to the community.

TWC Awards BISD Coding Grant

Brownsville ISD is one of 8 recipients of a Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) grant for Camp Code. The $47,992 grant will fund 120 scholarships for the Girls Can Code Camp, a summer program in partnership with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The program will introduce middle school girls to coding and computer science. View the media release.

102 BISD Grads Earn Superintendent’s Scholarships

Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Superintendent’s Scholarships. A total of 102 graduating BISD seniors will each receive $1,000 to attend the college of their choice. The scholarship funds were raised at the 14th Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament hosted by Dr. Zendejas at the Rancho Viejo Resort on Saturday, May 13, 2017. Scholarship recipients were selected by committees of local community members and district personnel. A total of 291 student applications were reviewed by the committees to determine the winners. View the media release.

BISD Super Chess Results

Several Brownsville ISD chess teams competed at the SuperNationals Championship Chess Tournament on May 12-14, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. Congratulations to our outstanding chess students, parents, and sponsors on this year’s results. BISD is a national chess powerhouse. View the BISD campus rankings.

Final NCUST Results Announced

Five BISD schools were honored at the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST) Symposium on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. The final results were announced on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. Veterans Memorial ECHS, Stillman MS and Paredes ES earned Silver Awards and Breeden and Pullam Elementaries were recognized as Bronze Award winners. Congratulations to these BISD schools.

TWC Awards BISD Coding Grant

Brownsville ISD is one of 8 recipients of a Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) grant for Camp Code. The $47,992 grant will fund 120 scholarships for the Girls Can Code Camp, a summer program in partnership with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The program will introduce middle school girls to coding and computer science. View the media release.

102 BISD Grads Earn Superintendent’s Scholarships

Superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Superintendent’s Scholarships. A total of 102 graduating BISD seniors will each receive $1,000 to attend the college of their choice. The scholarship funds were raised at the 14th Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament hosted by Dr. Zendejas at the Rancho Viejo Resort on Saturday, May 13, 2017. Scholarship recipients were selected by committees of local community members and district personnel. A total of 291 student applications were reviewed by the committees to determine the winners. View the media release.

Superintendent Earns National NCUST Award

Dr. Esperanza Zendajas was awarded the 2017 Ronald Edmonds Award for Leadership in Urban Education on Tuesday, May 16 at the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST) Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Foundation Recognizes 21 BISD Students and 14 Employees

A total of 21 BISD students received $1,000 scholarships at The Brownsville School District Centennial Gala held on Thursday, May 11. Congratulations to: Lidia Guerrero, BECHS; Victoria Garcia, Hanna ECHS; Leticia Hernandez Rodriguez, Hanna ECHS; Zuila Margarita Baez, Lopez ECHS; Arixel Euiga, Lopez ECHS; Jacqueline Mercado, Lopez ECHS; Eduardo Peña, Lopez ECHS; Sergio Perez, Lopez ECHS; Cecilia Estefania Hernandez, Lopez ECHS; Jose Miguel Gonzalez, Pace ECHS; Lizbeth Flores, Pace ECHS; Kayla Urbano, Pace ECHS; Jesus Lopez, Porter ECHS; Anja Martinez, Rivera ECHS; Pablo Loo, Rivera ECHS; Cassandra Cruz, Veterans Memorial ECHS; Luis Guerra, Veterans Memorial ECHS; Caesar Gutierrez, Veterans Memorial ECHS; Veronica K. Froozan, Veterans Memorial ECHS; Pedro Pinales, Veterans Memorial ECHS; and Gloria Ramirez, Veterans Memorial ECHS. Teaching mini-grants ranging from $500 to $3,000 were awarded to: Tonya Cook, Champion ES; Jazmin Barrientos, Pace ECHS; Monica Vasquez, Lopez ECHS; Gloria E. Vital, Victoria Heights; Gloria E. Vital, Resaca ES; Cecilia D. Salinas, Stell MS; Eduardo Figueroa, Gallegos ES; Bernardo Reyes, Gallegos ES; and Marie Munoz, Hanna ECHS. Five BISD Assistant Principal and Deans of Instruction were also recognized: Maria J. Garcia, Assistant Principals, Champion ES; Maria C. Lara, Dean of Instruction, Garcia MS; Maria Isabel Ybarra, Assistant Principal, Hudson ES; Sara Alanis, Assistant Principal, Lopez ECHS; and Juan C. Chavez, Dean of Instruction, Hanna ECHS. Thank you to the Brownsville School District Centennial Foundation Corporation for honoring these outstanding BISD students and employees.

Challenging Schools

Pace and Hanna Early College High Schools made the list of America’s Most Challenging High Schools which was released by The Washington Post on Friday, May 5, 2017. Pace was ranked #958 and Hanna was ranked #1984. Rankings are based on a formula that includes the Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Advanced International Certificate of Education tests given each year, divided by the number of seniors who graduated that year. A total of 12% of all U.S. high schools made the cut. The Challenging Schools list first debuted in 1998. Congratulations to Pace and Hanna ECHS! View the information.

Meeting the Highest Financial Standards

Brownsville ISD has recently been awarded two prestigious Certificates of Excellence and Achievement in Financial Reporting. The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) recognized the BISD Finance Department for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report which is the highest form of recognition in the area of government accounting and financial reporting. In addition, the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International recognized the district’s Comprehensive Annual Performance Report for the fiscal year ending 2016 for having met or exceeded the program’s high standards for financial reporting and accountability. Both awards confirm the district’s commitment to financial accountability and transparency. Congratulations to the BISD employees who handle accounting and financial reporting.

13 More BISD Schools to Offer Pre-K 3

Brownsville ISD is pleased to announce an exciting new expansion of the current Pre-K 3 Year Old Program. The district is now pre-registering pre-k 3 year olds for a half day program that will start next school year at 19 additional BISD schools. Learn more.

Trio of BISD Schools Up For Gold NCUST Awards

Three BISD schools, Veterans Memorial ECHS, Stillman Middle School, and Paredes Elementary, will soon learn if they have earned the titles of 2017 America’s Best Urban Schools. The three BISD schools have already received Silver Awards from the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST). These Silver Awards could possibly become Gold Awards when the final announcement is made at the National NCUST Symposium on Tuesday, May 16 in Nashville, Tennessee. Also competing for Gold Awards are schools in New York City District 14, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and Socorro Independent School District. Breeden and Pullam Elementary Schools have already earned Bronze Awards. Eleven additional BISD elementaries earned Honor Roll rankings for meeting all eligibility requirements: Castañeda, Champion, Gallegos, Keller, Longoria, Morningside, Peña, Resaca, Sharp, Southmost, and Yturria. BISD schools have participated in the NCUST process since 2015 and have received one Gold, two Silver, four Bronze Awards, and numerous Honor Roll recognitions. Best wishes to our BISD schools in Nashville!

BISD History Fair Success

Students Jack A. Jordan, Monserrat Sandoval-Malherbe and Richard Zayas from Stillman Middle School placed 1st, 2nd, and 1st respectively at the Texas History Day event celebrated in Austin, Texas on April 29, 2017. They will be representing BISD at the National History Contest at the University of Maryland, College Park from June 11-15, 2017. The students were also recipients of the The Jewish History Award, The C.M. Caldwell Memorial Award for Texas History, and The Locke Lord LLP Legal History Award respectively. Their sponsors are Frances Garcia and David Blackmon. Stillman Middle School continued their unprecedented success with Maya Garcia and Javier Gallegos placing third in Group Documentary and Emma Gonzalez and Isabela Soto placing 4th with their Group Website. Their sponsors are Frances Garcia, David Blackmon, and Patrick Alvarez. BISD’s historic run at Texas History Day was confirmed as Pace, Porter, Rivera, and Veterans Memorial ECHS were also State Finalists as well as recipients of the Distinguished Achievement award. View the BISD Texas History Day results.

BISD Auditors Are The Best!

Governor Greg Abbott has proclaimed May 7-13, 2017 as Internal Audit Week to increase public awareness of the important contributions made by internal auditors. BISD appreciates the efforts of its internal auditors and urges all district stakeholders to show their appreciation to these invaluable employees. View Governor Abbott’s proclamation.

5 BISD Seniors Earn CAMP Scholarships

Five BISD seniors have been awarded the College Assistance Migrant Program (Camp) Scholarship to St. Edward’s University valued at $226,900 each. Congratulations to Rebecca Sanchez, Lopez ECHS; Karen Mendiola and Karolina Bonilla, Porter ECHS; David Rojas and Rolando Garcia, Rivera ECHS. The five-year scholarship covers tuition, books and materials, room and board, health insurance, transportation, and a monthly stipend. The future is bright for these five ECHS students.

Keep Your Fingers Crossed

The wait is almost over. The 2017 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards state winners will be announced on Sunday, May 7 evening at the Hilton Austin Hotel Ballroom in Austin, Texas. Brownsville ISD is one of five finalists in the Large District Category which includes a $100,000 prize. The four other finalists are Allen ISD, Grand Prairie ISD, Northwest ISD, and Soccorro ISD. Rose Longoria, the Pace ECHS Principal, was named a finalist in the Principal Category. She is competing against other educators for cash prizes ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. Created in 2002, the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards are designed to honor outstanding public school professionals and to thank them for their dedication and commitment. It is the largest monetary awards program for educators in Texas and one of the largest in the nation. Best of luck to BISD and Rose Longoria!

BISD Nurses Are the Best

Governor Greg Abbott has proclaimed Wednesday, May 10 to be School Nurse Day. BISD applauds its school health care professionals for their caring student support. View the Governor’s Proclamation.

4 BISD Schools Ranked on Best List

Four BISD early college high schools earned medals in the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking of the Best High Schools in America. Brownsville Early College High School (BECHS) received a Gold Medal Award ranking 56th in Texas, out of 589 high schools. Veterans Memorial ECHS, ranked #132, Pace ECHS, ranked #154, and Hanna ECHS, ranked #207, earned Silver Medal Awards. Rankings were based on a 4-step process that determined if students performed better than expected in their state, if disadvantaged students performed better than the state average, if student graduation rates met or exceeded a national standard, and if students are prepared for college-level coursework. View more information about the BISD schools here.

Eight BISD Schools Make State Honor Roll

Eight BISD schools have been selected by the Educational Results Partnership (ERP) and Institute for Productivity in Educations (IPE) to receive the title of 2016 Texas Honor Roll School. Brownsville Early College High School, Pace Early College High School, Stillman Middle School, Vela Middle School and Ortiz, Paredes, Perez, and Pullam Elementary Schools were named to the Star Honor Roll. The STEM Honor Roll distinction was also awarded to Paredes Elementary. A total of 727 Texas public schools received the title of 2016 Honor Roll School. The Honor Roll is part of a national effort to identify higher-performing schools and highlight successful practices that improve outcomes for students. Schools receiving this distinction from leaders in the Texas academic and business communities have demonstrated consistent high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement levels over time and reduction in achievement gaps among student populations. For High Schools, the Honor Roll recognition also includes measures of college readiness. Star Schools are those with significant populations of socio-economically disadvantaged students that have shown a significant increase in grade-level proficiency over time.

BISD Singers Earn Most Choir Chairs

On Saturday, April 22, auditions for the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Region 28 Middle School 7th Grade Treble, 8th Grade Treble, and Tenor-Bass Choirs were held at Pace ECHS. Initial entries numbered over 1,200. BISD students earned 228 or 72% of the available 315 seats in the Region Choirs. The choirs will perform on Saturday, May 6 at 6 pm at the Harlingen CISD Performing Arts Center. Special recognition goes to the following 1st chair students: Alexandra Elvira, 7th Grade Treble Soprano 2, Manzano MS; Alyssa Rosales, 7th Grade Treble Alto, Stillman MS; Leah Rodriguez, 8the Grade Treble Soprano2, Stillman MS; Jorja Zamora, 8th Grade Treble Alto 1, Oliveira MS; Dominic Chavez, Tenor-Bass Choir Tenor 1, Oliveira MS; Rey Garza, Tenor-Bass Choir Tenor 2, Stillman MS; and Jose Ruiz, Tenor-Bass Choir Bass, Oliveira MS. View the campus results.

Brownsville Rotary Recognizes Teaching Excellence

Five BISD teachers won 2017 Brownsville Rotary Club Endowments for Teaching Excellence in the amount of $1000 each. Congratulations to Fatima Lai, Skinner Elementary; Juan Mantiel, III, Pace ECHS; Sandra Gamez, Champion Elementary; Ruth Salina-Augustus, Ortiz Elementary; and Andy Najera, Manzano Middle School. These outstanding BISD educators will be recognized at a Brownsville Rotary Club luncheon on Wednesday, May 3 at 12 noon at the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art.

BISD Employee Transfers

The BISD Transfer Application is now available. The deadline is Friday, May 5, 2017. Complete the application. View the Guidelines in English and Spanish

BISD Joins in Guitar Pilot Program

BISD Classical Guitar Ensembles competed in the Region 28 UIL Classical Guitar Concert and Sight Reading Contest on Saturday, April 8 at Veterans Memorial ECHS. BISD has joined with the Houston, Austin and El Paso school districts in pilot testing this UIL program. Congratulations to all participants and their coaches. View the regional results.

BISD Summer Administrative Schedule

Brownsville ISD will follow an abbreviated summer administrative work schedule beginning on Monday, June 12 through Friday, July 28, 2017. The schedule is 7:30 am – 5:30 pm, Monday through Thursday, and 8 am to 12 noon on Friday. All BISD administrative offices will be closed on Monday, July 3 through Friday, July 7.

BISD Students Apply Texas

BISD supports a college-going culture. A large percentage of the district’s seniors and graduating juniors have already put in their college applications to Apply Texas. For questions, contact Pilar Janis, Lead and Higher Education Counselor, at 548-8251. View the number of BISD applicants by campus.

Atkinson Joins TASB Board

The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) has elected Sylvia Perez Atkinson of Brownsville ISD to an interim position on the TASB Board of Directors, representing Region 1A. With over 23 years of experience in public education, she currently serves as assistant superintendent in Rio Hondo ISD. View the media release.

Veterans Memorial Musician Headed for New York

Adolfo Peña, a sophomore at Veterans Memorial ECHS, is one of 78 young musicians selected from across the country for the second session of NY02, a three-week, intensive summer program for outstanding American instrumentalists, ages 14-17. Peña is one of seven students from Texas and is the youngest selected for this year’s program. View the media release.

BISD Dance Contest Posts Results

BISD middle and early college high school dance groups competed in a UIL compatible dance contest on Friday, March 31 at Lopez ECHS. Adjudicators from Austin, Texas served as the judges. All the dance groups impressed the judges with their talent. Congratulations to the BISD dancers and their teachers. View the results by campus.

Girls Can Code Summer Camp

Brownsville ISD, in conjunction with the Texas Workforce Commission, received a grant to offer a tuition-free Girls Can Code Summer Camp for BISD female students in grades 6-8 on June 8-June 30, 2017. The camp will offer hands-on experiences that provide challenging and innovative concepts in learning, problem solving, and analytical skills while fostering an interest in computer coding and programming. BISD current/incoming 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls are eligible to participate. Call the Bilingual Department @ 548-8271 to learn more.

ECHS Color Guards and Drumlines Make TECA History

The Texas Educational Colorguard Association (TECA) hosted the South Zone State Finals competition on Saturday, April 1 at H.M. King High School in Kingsville, Texas. BISD is proud to announce that for the first time in BISD history, four groups came home with the title of TECA Circuit Champions and two groups were named Bronze Medalists at the competition. Color Guard Results: Porter ECHS, 1st Place Scholastic Novice Division; Pace ECHS, 1st Place Scholastic Regional AA Division; Lopez ECHS, 3rd Place Scholastic Regional A Division. Drumline Results: Pace ECHS, 1st Place in Scholastic AA; Rivera, ECHS 1st Place in Scholastic A; Veterans Memorial ECHS 3rd Place Bronze Medalist Scholastic A; Lopez ECHS 6th Place Scholastic A; Porter ECHS 10th Place Scholastic A. Indoor Winds Results: Pace ECHS 4th Place Scholastic AA. Congratulations to all of the students, directors, and parents on their hard work and dedication.

Lopez Once Act Play Advances to the Next Stage

The Lopez ECHS One Act Play (OAP) qualified to advance to Regional competition during the OAP Area competition held at Del Mar College-Finley Performing Arts Center, Corpus Christi on April 1. The Regional competition will be held on Friday, April 7 at Southwest High School in San Antonio and will determine the two performing groups to compete at the State Contest in Austin, Texas. Congratulations to these outstanding Lopez Lobos.

BISD Choirs Snag Top Ratings

Every BISD ECHS Varsity Mixed Choir earned a Sweepstakes rating at the Region 28 UIL Concert and Sightreading contest held at the Harlingen Performing Arts Center on March 22-24. Of the 27 choirs that BISD entered, 23 earned top awards. Two other groups received Superior ratings. Congratulations to these amazing vocalists and their directors. View the results by campus.

Meet Relocated to Sams

Due to road construction and traffic issues, the Special Olympics Texas Area-1 Meet scheduled for Friday, March 31, 2017 from 9 am – 1:30 pm has been relocated from Veterans Memorial ECHS to Sams Memorial Stadium. Be a fan in the stands and cheer these fine athletes!

EOC & STAAR Testing

Brownsville Independent School District would like to remind you that BISD students in several grades will be End Of Course and STAAR testing on March 28-30, 2017. Student attendance on these dates is critical. Please stress the importance of rest, proper diet, and a positive attitude so that our students do their very best. It is also very important that students arrive to school on time. No cell phones or electronic devices are allowed on BISD campuses during testing. As per the Texas Education Code, “Any irregularities in test security or confidential integrity may result in the invalidation of student results.”

Mini-Grants/Student Scholarships Available to BISD Employees and Students

Dr. Esperanza Zendejas initiated the Dollars for Champs and Champions Program through the Brownsville School District Centennial Foundation Corporation to provide college scholarships to deserving BISD graduates and educational mini-grants to motivated teachers and employees. Applications for the employee mini-grants, ranging from $500 to $3,000, and student $1,000 college scholarships are now available. The application deadline is Tuesday, April 18, 2017. Download the employee mini-grant and student scholarship applications here.

Middle School Choirs Post 18 Top Awards

BISD middle school choirs earned 18 sweepstakes awards at the 2017 Region 28 Choir Concert and Sight-reading Contest on March 8-10 in Harlingen. Special recognition to the Besteiro Middle School Boys Choir on earning the school’s first sweepstakes award. BISD is proud of these amazing vocalists. View the results by campus.

A Message to BISD Students in Grades 9-11 and Their Parents

Summer school dual enrollment courses with Texas Southmost College (TSC) are now open to all current 9th, 10th, and 11th grade BISD students. All costs related to taking dual enrollment summer courses are free to BISD students – this includes tuition and textbooks. Learn more here.

Garden Park and Hudson Claim Champion Titles

Congratulations to the Garden Park Elementary K-1 chess team and Hudson Elementary Primary chess team for placing 1st in their respective sections and claiming the titles of South Texas Chess Champions at the 2017 TCA South Texas State Scholastic Chess Tournament held on March 11-12 at the UTGRV Edinburg campus. The event attracted over 1,200 kinder-12th grade participants from across South Texas. BISD chess players represented the district in every section. View the tournament results.

BISD Drumlines/Colorguards Place @ TECA

Lopez ECHS hosted colorguards and drumlines from across the Rio Grande Valley at the 2017 Texas Educational Colorguard Association (TECA) Indoor competition held on Saturday, March 18, 2017. BISD schools were well-represented by students and directors and earned top places in several divisions. Congratulations on these achievements. View the results.

BISD Makes State Soccer History

Brownsville ISD is set to make state history by fielding 12 soccer teams, male and female, in the UIL Bi-District Soccer Playoffs. All six BISD early college high schools have qualified both their soccer teams for the playoffs which will begin on Thursday, March 23 at 7 pm at Sams Memorial Stadium in Brownsville. Best of luck to our soccer athletes. View the latest updated playoff schedule here.

BISD Launches Mini-Grant Program

Dr. Esperanza Zendejas initiated the Dollars for Champs and Champions Program this school year to provide college scholarships for deserving BISD graduates and educational mini-grants for motivated teachers and employees. Applications for the fall mini-grants, ranging from $500 to $3,000, are now available. The application deadline is Tuesday, April 18, 2017. Student college scholarship applications will also be made available at a later date. Download the Dollars for Champs and Champions mini-grant application here.

Hanna Drummers Are Tops in the State

The Hanna Golden Eagle Indoor Drumline proved it is the best in Texas by earning 1st Place at the 2017 WGI Competition held in Houston on May 11, 2017. Groups from all over Texas attended this competition to earn an opportunity to compete at the world level. The Hanna Drumline qualified to compete in the WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio on April 20-22. Congratulations to the students, directors, and Sam Rodriguez, the Hanna Percussion Director, on this outstanding achievement.

Employee Summer School Applications

The application for the 2017 BISD Summer School is now open online. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 3. View the directions, flyer, classified vacancy list, and certified vacancy list.

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.

5 More National NCUST Awards for BISD Schools

Five BISD schools have been ranked as some of the best performing urban schools in America by the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST). Paredes Elementary, Stillman Middle School, and Veterans Memorial ECHS have earned the coveted 2017 Excellence in Education Silver Award with the possibility that those awards could become Gold Awards when the final announcements are made on May 15-17 at the National Excellence in Urban Education Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee. Breeden and Pullam Elementary Schools were both named 2017 Bronze Award recipients. NCUST finalists all serve low income communities with an array of challenges but still boast achievement results that exceed state averages for all students. Congratulations to the students, parents and employees at these 5 campuses.

Attention

Please be advised that false information stating that a BISD principal has been arrested was recently posted on a social media site. This is totally false and hurtful to our school district. The BISD Police Department is conducting a full investigation into this matter.

Reading Award for Breeden

Dyslexia students at Breeden Elementary earned 6th place for special honors as a top 10 school in the National Learning Ally’s Great Reading Games contest. BISD dyslexia students competed against 17,308 students in more than 1,200 schools across the country to achieve this recognition. Congratulations to Canales Elementary (23rd Place), Stillman Middle School (31st Place), and Perez Elementary School (45th Place) for earning places in the National Reading Contest for students with dyslexia for the 2016-2017 school year. Thank you BISD dyslexia teachers, campus staff, and administration for your commitment to promoting literacy for all students.

District OAP Teams Advance to Bi-District

At the High School One Act Play (OAP) district competition held on Tuesday, March 7, three BISD teams qualified to advance to bi-district competition. The Hanna ECHS team qualified to compete at the 6A competition on Thursday, March 23, 2017 at PSJA Memorial High School. Rivera ECHS was named an alternate. The Lopez and Veterans Memorial ECHS teams will compete in the 5A bi-district competition on Tuesday, March 21 at Valley View High School. Congratulations and best of luck to our BISD One-Act Play troupes as they move up in competition.

Showing Appreciation to Our Diagnosticians

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has proclaimed March 6-10, 2017 to be Educational Diagnosticians’ Week. Brownsville ISD recognizes and appreciates the district diagnosticians who assess, diagnose and work with children to enhance their classroom performance. View the Governor’s proclamation.

9 DI Teams Head to State

Nine BISD Destination Imagination (DI) teams from Veterans Memorial ECHS, and Garcia (2), Manzano and Stillman Middle Schools, and Perez, Benavides, Keller, and Paredes Elementary Schools placed 1st and qualified to advance to the Texas DI State Tournament on April 7-8 in Lubbock, Texas. A total of 75 district DI teams competed at the South Border Bridge DI Regional competition on Saturday, February 18 at Veterans Memorial ECHS. Over 190 Rio Grande Valley teams participated in this regional contest. 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 learning patience, flexibility, persistence, ethics, respect for others, and the collaborative problem solving process. View the DI Regional Tournament results.

H-E-B Surprises Pace Principal

Rose Longoria, the principal at Pace ECHS, has been named a finalist for the 2017 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards, one of the largest monetary awards programs in Texas and the nation. Longoria was surprised with the news at a student assembly on Thursday, March 2 at 9 am by a group of H-E-B representatives carrying gifts of balloons, flowers and cake. As a principal finalist, she received a $1,000 check for herself and a $2,500 check for her school. Longoria will compete against other educators for the chance to win greater cash prizes ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. Overall statewide winners will be announced in Austin in May. Best of luck to Rose Longoria as she advances in the H-E-B awards program.

BARSEA Awards Scholarships

Eight BISD students earned $1,000 scholarships from the Brownsville Area Retired School Employees Association (BARSEA). Congratulations to Victoria Guerrero, Hanna ECHS; Leisel Estephania Villarreal, Lincoln Park School; Sergio Perez, Lopez ECHS; Karen Mendiola and Miranda Campos, Porter ECHS; Eduardo Fabian Gonzalez, Rivera ECHS; and Andre Hernandez and Paulina Martinez, Veterans Memorial ECHS. The students will receive their scholarships at an upcoming BARSEA luncheon. Congratulations to the scholarship recipients and thank you to BARSEA for supporting our students.

Morningside Hosts Rock Stars

The Reading Rock Stars will bring books to life for young readers at Morningside Elementary on Thursday, March 2 from 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Reading Rock Stars is an engaging literacy program in which authors from across the country are invited to present their works to students in economically-disadvantaged public schools. At the end of the book presentations, each Morningside student will receive an autographed copy of the book and a set of books will also be given to the Morningside library. Reading Rock Stars is part of Festiba 2017 sponsored by the Texas Book Festival. View the Morningside schedule.

BISD Welcomes UT Austin

Brownsville ISD is pleased to welcome Dr. Leonard Moore, UT Austin Associate Vice President of Academic Diversity Initiatives and Professor of History, who will speak to admitted BISD students and top 7% juniors on Thursday, March 2 at 2 pm at the Veterans Memorial ECHS auditorium. Dr. Moore is a nationally recognized speaker on student success, race, sports, and hip hop. He will share his perspective on the value and opportunities of a UT Austin education as well as advice on making a successful transition to college.

5 Students Earn Mr. Amigo Scholarships

The Mr. Amigo Association has awarded $1,000 scholarships to five BISD students. The recipients are: Miguel Mascorro, Brownsville ECHS; Sarah N. Chacon, Hanna ECHS; Karen Ramos Mendiola, Porter ECHS; Sergio Eduardo Diaz, Rivera ECHS; and Dana Guerra, Veterans Memorial ECHS. The scholarship recipients will be recognized by Fernando Landeros, this year’s Mr. Amigo, at the Walk of Fame event on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at 5 pm at Linear Park.

Middle School Scientists Are State Bound

Congratulations to all the BISD students who competed on February 10, 2017, at the UTRGV Rio Grande Valley Science & Engineering Regional Fair. Congratulations to Steven Betancourt from Stillman Middle School who won 1st Runner-Up Overall in the competition. All BISD students who placed in the top 3 of their division are eligible to compete at the Texas Science & Engineering Fair on April 1, 2017. In the Junior Division, BISD has 15 projects with 17 student representatives who are eligible to participate at the State Science & Engineering Fair. View the UTRGV Regional Fair Junior Division results for BISD by category.

The Fiesta Will Go On

Since weather forecasts predict that the rain will clear, the BISD Fiesta Folklorica will be held on Monday, February 20 at 6 pm at Sams Stadium. Pre-entertainment by the Lopez Amanecer and Rivera Brisas de la Noche will begin at 5:30 PM. The Fiesta Folklorica is an exciting festival of folkloric dances and music from Mexico. This year’s performers are students from Benavides, Brite, Burns, Champion, El Jardin, Garza, Pullam, Longoria and Skinner Elementary Schools. Admission is free.

Regional BISD History Qualifiers Are Off to State

A total of 65 BISD secondary students have qualified for the Texas History Day Competition on Saturday, April 29 in Austin, Texas. These students advanced after competing in the Rio Grande Regional History Day on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at UTRGV-Edinburg. View the RGV Regional History Day Awards Summary.

BISD ECHS Scientists Advance to Regionals

The Brownsville ISD ECHS Science & Engineering Fair was held on Saturday, January 21, 2017 at Hanna ECHS. A total of 193 projects and 285 students participated in this annual competition. BISD will have 83 projects and 135 students advancing to the UTRGV Regional Science & Engineering Fair on February 10-11, 2017. Special thanks to Hanna ECHS for hosting this year’s competition. View the results by category.

Middle School Musicians Dominate Jazz Audition

BISD middle school band students earned 22 of the 40 chairs available in the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Region 28 Middle School Jazz ensemble on Thursday, February 2. BISD students also earned 3 of the 9 available first chair positions. These students will perform on Saturday, February 18 at 4 pm at the Harlingen Performing Arts Center. Congratulations to our middle school musicians and their directors. View the results by campus.

BISD Principal for a Day Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Brownsville ISD will host its 25th Annual Principal for a Day (PFAD) activity on Friday, February 17. Each BISD campus, 58 in all, has invited a business or civic leader to serve as a guest principal for one entire morning. Guest principals will begin their day at their respective schools where they will shadow the campus administrator and participate in a variety of school activities. Their day will conclude with a luncheon which allows participants to share stories about their morning spent in the principal’s office. Initiated in 1992 by Dr. Esperanza Zendejas, PFAD has enabled hundreds of local leaders to experience the joys and challenges of public school administration. Many of these guest principals, inspired by their experience, have continued their involvement with BISD schools.

BISD Welcomes UT Austin Representative

Dr. Leonard Moore, Associate Vice-President of Academic Diversity Initiatives and Professor of History at the University of Texas Austin, will speak to students who have already been admitted to UT Austin on Thursday, March 2 at 2 pm at the Veterans Memorial ECHS auditorium. This is an opportunity for BISD students who have been admitted as incoming Longhorns to hear from one of the school’s most dynamic professors about the many opportunities that await them in Austin. For more information, call the BISD Guidance and Counseling Department at 548-8251.

BISD Selected to Apply for HEB Leadership Program

Brownsville ISD is one of 26 public school districts from across Texas invited to apply for The Holdsworth Center, a new leadership institute based in Austin. Founded by H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt, the Holdsworth Center has the goal of supporting and developing public school leaders in order to improve, over time, the quality of education offered to every child in every Texas classroom. View the media release.

Top 8 BISD Spellers Advance to Regional Bee

At the 2017 BISD Spelling Bee held on Saturday, February 4 at the Porter ECHS auditorium, 8 top spellers qualified to represent the district at the regional spelling bee. For a second consecutive year, Richard Emmanuel Zayas, a Stillman Middle School student, earned the BISD Spelling Bee Championship. Abraham Ramirez, a Garden Park Elementary student, was first runner-up. The other regional qualifiers are: Julian Ybarra, Breeden Elementary; Mariana Melendez, Gallegos Elementary; Paris Cho, Manzano Middle School; Sophia Jaramillo, Garza Elementary; Alexander Martinez, Castañeda Elementary; and Gerardo Lara, Perkins Middle School. They will compete in the 29th Annual Rio Grande Valley Regional Spelling Bee which will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017 at South Texas College in Weslaco in the New Instructional Building G Lecture Hall. The winner of the regional competition will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. during Bee Week, May 27 to June 2. View the BISD 2017 campus spelling bee finalists.

Veterans Memorial Boys Team Ranks at State

The 2016-2017 rankings by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches lists the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Boys Class 5A Team at #6. The rankings were released on January 30, 2017. Congratulations to the team and coaches. View the list.

BISD Bee on Saturday

The 2017 BISD Spelling Bee, hosted by Sharp Elementary School, will be held on Saturday, February 4 at the Porter ECHS auditorium located at 3500 International Boulevard. Registration will begin at 7 am and opening exercises commence at 8 am. BISD’s 48 best 2016-2017 elementary and middle school spellers will represent their schools at the Bee. The theme is, “Building Words One Tile at a Time.” The spellers will compete to be one of 8 BISD spellers who will advance to the 29th Annual Rio Grande Valley Regional Spelling Bee which will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017 at South Texas College in Weslaco in the New Instructional Building G Lecture Hall. The winner of the regional competition will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee to be held in Washington, D.C. during Bee Week, May 27 to June 2. View the BISD campus Spelling Bee Finalists.

BISD Students are TMEA Stars

BISD will have three Honors Ensembles performing at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) convention on February 10 & 11 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center as the best in Texas. The Lopez ECHS Symphonic Band is ranked as the 1st Place 6A Band in Texas. The Stillman Middle School Mixed Choir qualified as the top Honors Choir and the Canales Elementary Conjunto qualified as the top Elementary Honors Ensemble. The BISD ensembles will perform locally in Brownsville before their convention appearances. Make plans to attend one of these free concerts: Wednesday, February 1, 2017, Canales Conjunto, CAB Theatre, 6:00 pm; Friday, February 3, 2017, Stillman Middle School Choir, Veterans Memorial ECHS Theatre, 7:00 pm; Monday, February 6, 2017, Lopez ECHS Symphonic Band, Lopez ECHS Theatre, 7:00 pm.

Students Invent Solutions

The BISD Brainsville Inventions 2017 competition was held on Saturday, January 28 at Stillman Middle School. A total of 287 projects and 360 students in grades 3-12 participated. Students identified problems and created solutions by inventing products. Special thanks to Stillman for hosting this year’s Brainsville Inventions and to the community representatives, campus personnel, and Texas Southmost College students who served as judges and monitors. Your support made this inventors’ competition a big success. View the final results by category.

A Message to BISD Biweekly Payroll Employees

Due to technical difficulties in processing the BISD biweekly payroll through the Automated Clearing House (ACH), the payments made to banks for our BISD biweekly employees were delayed last night. The district has taken immediate action to limit any inconvenience to our biweekly employees by working with banks to ensure that the appropriate deposits are made today to the appropriate banks. The district will work with all banks to ensure that any fees caused by this payment delay are waived and that employees are not negatively impacted by this complication. BISD apologizes to the biweekly employees for this inconvenience. This is the first time that the district has experienced a technical difficulty of this sort. All steps will be taken to ensure that it does not reoccur. For questions, call the BISD Payroll Department at 548-8391.

BISD ECHS Scientist Advance to Regionals

The Brownsville ISD ECHS Science & Engineering Fair was held on Saturday, January 21, 2017 at Hanna ECHS. A total of 193 projects and 285 students participated in this annual competition. BISD will have 83 projects and 135 students advancing to the UTRGV Regional Science & Engineering Fair on February 10-11, 2017. Special thanks to Hanna ECHS for hosting this year’s competition. View the results by category.

W-2 Forms Are Online

Current BISD employees may now access their W-2 forms through the Employee Online Program. The paper copies will be distributed on Wednesday, January 25, 2017. The W-2 forms for former BISD employees will also be mailed by that date.

Bus Delay

BISD afternoon school buses will be running late on Friday, January 20, 2017. The Transportation Department apologizes for the inconvenience and appreciates your patience and understanding.

Magazine Highlights Canales

The Elementary State Honor Choir, the Canales Elementary Conjunto, is featured in Southern Music Magazine. View the story.

BISD Students Offer Tax Help

Five BISD early college high schools, Hanna, Lopez, Pace, Porter, and Rivera, have been designated as Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites this year. Students in the business classes at these schools have been trained to assist with free tax preparation for families or individuals with an earned annual income under $54,000. View the BISD and Cameron County locations to receive this free tax assistance.

BISD Middle School Bands Rock the Region

On Saturday, January 14, 2017, BISD middle school band students swept the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-Region Band audition held at Rivera ECHS. BISD students earned 180 All-Region band chairs and 11 of 16 first chair positions. Collectively, BISD won two-thirds of all available chairs. More than half of the BISD middle school programs improved their results from last year. Congratulations to our middle school band musicians, parents and directors on these outstanding results. View the number of chairs earned by campus.

2017 BISD History Day Results

The 22nd Annual BISD History Day was held on Saturday, January 14, 2017 at Hanna ECHS. All district middle and ECHS schools were represented with a combined total of 458 students. Stillman Middle School and Veterans Memorial ECHS won the district championships at their respective levels. All first and second place BISD winners will advance to the Regional History Day to be held on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at UTRGV-Edinburg. Special thanks to Hanna ECHS for hosting this year’s district History Day and to the BISD social studies teachers, UTRGV professors and community representatives who served as judges and monitors and made this year’s event a success. View the BISB History Day Awards Summary.

Notice of Public Hearing

Brownsville ISD will hold a public hearing for the 2015-2016 Texas Annual Performance Report (TAPR) during the Board Meeting to be held on Tuesday, January 17 at 5:30 pm in the Boardroom of the BISD Administration Building located at 1900 Price Road. The TAPR includes a wide range of information on the performance of students. The report also provides extensive information on school and district staff, programs, and student demographics. Parents, community members and other interested persons are invited to attend.

Champions for Kids

January is School Board Recognition Month. BISD is joining districts across the state in thanking local leaders for their willingness to serve as advocates for children and public schools. Our Board of Trustees is an All-Star Team committed to public education. Brownsville ISD will celebrate School Board Recognition Month at the Board Meeting on Tuesday, January 17 at 5:30 pm in the Administration Building Boardroom located at 1900 Price Road.

Open for Business on MLK Day

BISD will be open on Monday, January 16, 2017. The district will follow a regular schedule for classes and offices.

BISD Fine Arts Students Earn Most Area All-State Chairs

The BISD Department of Fine Arts is proud to announce that 31 secondary fine arts students earned chairs in the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) 2016-2017 All-State Band or Choir, more than any other school district in Area G. The final round of auditions was held on Saturday, January 7, 2017 in Corpus Christi and Rockport-Fulton. BISD students competed against students from Del Rio, South San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Laredo, and the Rio Grande Valley to earn a place at the state level. These 31 BISD students rank in the top 2% of Texas music students. They will perform in the prestigious All-State Band or Choir at the TMEA convention on Saturday, February 11, 2017 in San Antonio. Congratulations to these top Texas high school musicians. View the results.

BISD Students Apply Texas

BISD supports a college-going culture. A large percentage of the district’s seniors and graduating juniors have already put in their college applications to Apply Texas. For questions, contact Pilar Janis, Lead and Higher Education Counselor, at 548-8251. View the number of BISD applicants by campus.

District Selected HEB Finalist

Brownsville ISD has been selected as one of five Large District Finalists in the 2017 HEB Excellence in Education District Award Category which includes a prize of $100,000. The four other finalists are Allen ISD, Grand Prairie ISD, Northwest ISD and Socorro ISD. A panel of Excellence in Education judges will visit BISD on Thursday, January 19, 2017 to speak to the Superintendent, tour campuses, and participate in a round-table luncheon with district stakeholders.

W-2 Forms Are On The Way

All current BISD employees will receive their W-2 forms no later than Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at their respective work locations. The W-2 forms for former BISD employees will also be mailed by that date.