Author: Ashley Berrones

Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District received a rating of Superior Achievement under Texas’ School FIRST financial accountability rating system. The Superior Achievement rating is the state’s highest, demonstrating the quality...

The Harlingen CISD Board of Trustees approved a resolution to grant COVID-19 leave to all district employees. According to this resolution, HCISD employees will qualify for eight days of leave...

Blended learning is a model of teaching that provides students with voice, choice, and an opportunity for instruction that is tailored to each individual student. “Blended learning is personalized and...

On August 26, the Harlingen CISD Board of Trustees held a special board meeting where they approved a resolution advocating for the district to make local decisions regarding COVID-19. After...

Before the start of the new school year, Harlingen High School South students Mackayla Ledezma, Camila Sanchez, and Kylie Ruiz participated in the 2021 Virtual National Junior Classical League where...

The HCISD Transition Academy, which stands near Harlingen School of Health Professions and Memorial Middle School, was completed at the end of last school year. However, the Harlingen Area Educational...

The Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Tanya Garza as Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction. Garza has worked in education since 2002. She...

Over the last three years, HCISD has lowered property taxes by more than 16 cents.  This year, the school district will be lowering the tax rate by 1.6 cents. “We...

House Bill 3, passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in June 2019, established an optional Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA). The Teacher Incentive Allotment is a program meant to provide incentive...

Gabriela Molina, a seventh-grader at Vernon Middle School World Languages Academy is a top 12 student in her class and an advocate fighting against animal cruelty. She was recently named...

Rebecca Rodriguez has been named interim principal for Lamar Elementary Dual Language Academy. Rodriguez has 24 years of experience in education. Most recently, she served as assistant principal at Austin...

Aspiring female leaders listened intently to the powerful words presented to them on a Saturday morning at the Summer LeadHERship Summit. The group of high school girls sitting in the...

From the outside, it looks like an ordinary yellow school bus, but the inside has been transformed into an innovative learning space with carpeted floors, TVs, iPads, and books. Traveling...

She is passionate, self-driven, and always looking for the next challenge.  Zena Nazar Arocena is a 2021 Early College High School alumna who has been a part of the Boys & Girls Club of Harlingen for nine years.   “I...

The HCISD Virtual Teacher Academy began last year as a way to prepare educators for teaching during the pandemic. Now, it has evolved into more than 200 courses.  “It’s teachers teaching teachers during this time,” instructional technology specialist Monica Alvarado said. “We...

Patricia Muniz has been named interim principal of KEYS Academy. Most recently, Muniz served as an assistant principal at Harlingen High School. She began her career with Harlingen CISD in...

Every year, Beyond the Bell offers engaging summer activities for students. The program features a variety of courses in academics, athletics, and the arts. This year, the program was held...

At Tuesday’s board meeting, the HCISD Board of Trustees approved to keep Blue Cross Blue Shield as the district’s medical insurance provider and approved to change its pharmacy benefit manager...

During the 2019-2020 school year, Cesar Ruiz Elizondo was a senior in the classrooms of Harlingen School of Health Professions, preparing for college and his future career. This year, he...

Elementary and middle school students in the ACE afterschool program discovered that Leonardo da Vinci was not only a famous painter but also an inventor. Crockett Elementary, Long Elementary, Gutierrez...

The Speech, Drama, and Debate team at Gutierrez Middle School of Arts and Sciences received the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) Schools of Excellence in the Middle School Speech...

School nurses Verna Garza and Elvia Loera were selected as HCISD Nurses of the Year. They were celebrated for their selfless spirits and all that they accomplished this year, even...

The Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees approved the hiring of two new directors at the June 8 regular meeting. Kara Hoeflinger was hired as Director of Music...

Seniors Pedro Cervantes, Alejandro Becerra, Jonathan Trevino, Cameron Ermel, Jessiah Medrano, and Leonel Ponce Morin successfully completed all four portions of the Texas Commission on Fire Protection state exam. “Students...

He strides across the track at an incredible speed, pumping his arms back and forth, racing towards the finish line. Ten seconds later, Jose Garcia completes the race and is...

The Robostormers, the robotics team at Lamar Elementary Dual Language Academy earned first place in the HCISD FIRST Lego League Robotics Championship. The team was presented with a traveling trophy...

A group of administrators arrived at Harlingen High School with balloons and a floral arrangement for a surprise visit to Teresa Cuellar’s classroom on the morning of June 2.   Cuellar, a Career Technology Education teacher at Harlingen High School who...

A group of four Harlingen High School South athletes made the commitment to pursue their academic and athletic dreams after high school. Seniors Sandra Lopez, Isaac Garza, Carlos Hernandez Jasso,...

The Speech, Drama, and Debate team at Gutierrez Middle School of Arts and Sciences earned first place overall in the National MASQ Jr. tournament which was held virtually in May....

Mario Leal, an art teacher at KEYS Academy and STEM2 Preparatory Academy won third place in the 2021 Texas Mental Health Creative Arts Contest. His winning piece, “Lost in Space”...

Middle school and high school music programs across the district earned 22 sweepstakes trophies at the 2021 UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Evaluation. These groups received a 1st division in concert...

Water splashed into the stainless-steel tub in Kristen Rike’s classroom as pre-veterinary students practiced their dog washing skills. This is in preparation for the upcoming opening of Pampered Pooches.   Pampered Pooches is a dog washing station and student training lab...

Crockett Elementary and Lamar Elementary Dual Language Academy pre-K students and their families had an opportunity to read food-themed books and engage in activities based on those books through Texas Storytime. “We are excited to partner...

Design and Modeling students at STEM2 Preparatory Academy presented animal behavior research at the Animal Behavior Meets Social Science: A Research Symposium.   “I am a graduate student enrolled in a course that has a...

More than fifty Hawk and Cardinal athletes were recognized by the Texas High School Coaches Association, Texas Tennis Coaches Association, and Texas Girls Coaches Association as 2020-2021 Academic All-State recipients....

Roxanna Moore, a chemistry teacher at Harlingen High School South was appointed to the Pre-AP National Faculty for demonstrating effective teaching practices, proven classroom success, and her experience leading professional...

The South One-Act Play advanced to the State contest this year, serving as the third appearance by Harlingen South on the stage of the State competition. The following company members...

On Sunday, May 9 the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions announced Benjamin Trevino and Alexa Strubhart as this year’s national champions in Duet Acting. The Harlingen High School Speech/Drama...

Harlingen High School senior, Jose Garcia was named state champion in the 100-meter dash with a record-breaking time of 10.00 seconds at the UIL Class 6A State Track and Field...

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the HCISD Transition Academy kicked off to the beat of the Harlingen High School Jazz Band on the morning of April 29.  The Harlingen High School...

Educators across the nation are celebrated yearly during Teacher Appreciation Week. On May 3, district administration surprised Gladys Sanchez from Long Elementary and Erika Uribe from Vela Middle School with...

Animal Behavior Meets Social Science: A Research Symposium is a virtual event that will be held on May 5, 2021. The goal of our research symposium is to educate the public...

After successfully becoming International Baccalaureate World Schools, Austin and Houston Elementary held ribbon-cutting ceremonies at their campuses.   The ceremony at Austin Elementary consisted of several performances by the Austin Knights IB Choir, a few...

This year, the Latin Club at Harlingen High School South excelled at the Texas State Junior Classical League State competition. All seven students in the team placed and have advanced...

Harlingen High School Track and Field team made history winning the Class 6A Region 4 Boys Championship in San Antonio. The Cardinals shattered longstanding regional records in the 100m, 200m,...

Harlingen High School and Harlingen High School South Tennis Teams earned top rankings in the 32-6A district meet. Five athletes from each school have advanced to the regional competition in...

Harlingen High School and Harlingen High School South students in CTE classes were invited on a tour of the SpaceX facility in Boca Chica in early April.    “The best thing about the tour...

Randy Bermea, a Class of 2012 Harlingen High School graduate and former Cardinal track athlete, raised money for the HCISD Clothing Closet by running 48 miles in 48 hours. “So,...

The sound of joy resounded in the playground at Bowie Elementary as students went out for recess. Playgrounds at this elementary campus and other campuses across the district have reopened...

HCISD Board of Trustee Dr. Nolan Perez was reappointed to the University of Texas System Board of Regents by Governor Greg Abbott on April 13. He has served as a...