Download the 2017-2018 Color Planning Calendar

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, Perkins, 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.

BISD Bands Shine at the State Once Again

After an arduous process of Honor Band competitions, BISD bands have once again proven to be at the top of the state. The competition has three rounds that started in the beginning of June with the regional competition in Harlingen. During the regional rounds, only six bands advance to the area round of competition. BISD had four of the six bands advancing to the second round of competition. Amazing performances were turned in by Stillman Middle School Band, Vela Middle School Band, Oliveria Middle School Band, and Veterans Memorial Early College High School Band. View the press release.

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 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.

20 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.

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 Soccer, 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, Curriculum Department; Dawn Hall, Principal, Lincoln Park High School; Richard Torres, Principal, Champion Elementary School; and Dr. Norma Ibarra-Cantu, Professional Development. The Board of Trustees previously approved Blanca Lambarri, Principal, Hanna ECHS; Chester Arizmendi, Principal, Lucio Middle School; and Patricia Garza, Principal, Ortiz Elementary School; at the Special Called Board Meeting held on Tuesday, June 6, 2017. Skinner and Garza Elementary Schools are pending.

Eat for Free @ BISD

BISD Food and Nutrition Services 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 8. 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 flyers for locations, dates, and times in English and Spanish.

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.

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 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.