IMPACT 20th Anniversary

IMPACT A magazine for IDEA students, families, and supporters.

20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION | SUMMER 2020

STRONG START 2020 Making Campuses Safe and 1

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Ready for the New School Year

IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

TH HAPPY 20 IDEA! Celebrating Two Decades of Passion and Progress

BACK TO SCHOOL

Everything You Need to Know to Start The New Year Right

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

‘Twenty-years-old’ is a very special time in one’s life. In just two decades, one learns and grows so much, and then at twenty-years-old we are ready to dive head-first into creating our future.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

WHEN I WAS TWENTY, I HAD GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE and was working full-time. I was figuring out who I wanted to become and realized that real growth comes from stepping out of your comfort zone, embracing change, and challenging yourself to be better.

This makes me think of the growth IDEA has experienced over the course of the last twenty years. From its humble beginnings as a small after school program for 150 students, to solidifying its status as the largest charter school network in the United States.

As we turn 20, it is fitting—albeit unexpected and a little unwelcomed— that we are stepping out of our comfort zone, preparing to lead IDEA in the wake of a pandemic. However, our operations team stepped up to the challenge arranging childcare for first responders, providing families with technology for distance learning, and serving well over 3 million meals to families in each of our communities. IDEA’s efforts to provide families with the tools and resources needed to remain successful will continue this this August as part of our Strong Start 2020 plan, which is outlined beginning on page 38.

We have accomplished a lot together during our first 20 years; however, what matters most is where we go from here. I am sure we will emerge from our 20th year stronger, wiser, and ready for the next 20.

I look forward to embarking on new challenges and celebrating even greater milestones together with our dedicated Team & Family.

Cheers to the next 20, IDEA! Sincerely,

VANESSA BARRY Sr. Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Enrollment IDEA Public Schools

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LETTER FROM THE CEO

TEAM & FAMILY,

LETTER FROM THE CEO

As IDEA prepares to launch its 20th academic year, I have been thinking a lot about what that initial year was like at our first school in Donna, Texas. The first day alone was rocky—a school bus had caught on fire, so the students got home in a pickup truck. We got through that, and much more, and here we are two decades later preparing to welcome 20,000 new IDEA scholars into our community, at 24 new schools opening in August in Texas and Louisiana.

If we thought that first year was challenging, it was nothing like what IDEA and schools across America faced this past spring as we did our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep our students safe, fed and learning.

Our staff stepped up to the unprecedented challenge of preparing for distance learning, planning curbside meal pick-ups, deep cleaning facilities, and coordinating emergency childcare for first responders within one week. Our families stepped up to support their scholars’ learning at home, juggling work and household responsibilities with their unexpected roles as teachers. And our scholars stepped up, showing us over and over that they’re able and eager to meet and exceed the high expectations we have for them.

Although all 96 of our schools were closed, that didn’t stop our 53,000 scholars from achieving big goals. IDEA celebrated 14 years of 100% college acceptance, and we are on track to meet 100% college matriculation this fall. IDEA was one of six school districts named to the Texas Honor Roll, while seven IDEA college preparatory schools in the Rio Grande Valley ranked among the best-performing high schools in the nation.

As we prepare to begin the 2020-21 school year, we are gearing up for a "Strong Start." It will be an unusual year, to be sure, but IDEA’s keen focus on rigorous academics and high expectations for student learning will not change. We will continue to challenge our scholars to raise the bar on achievement as they work to and through college.

One way that we plan to meet this moment is by ensuring every scholar has the technology they need to learn successfully—at no cost to families.

We know that a computer in every child’s hands will significantly enrich the student learning experience whether they are learning at home or at one of our campuses.

While our teachers and staff hope to conduct learning in person for as many students who are able, we are remaining flexible. Our team has surveyed families and is working with local and state health departments to ensure that our campuses are safe and ready for our scholars.

Meanwhile, we have worked to strengthen our systems for those learning at home. The partnership that IDEA has with parents and scholars has never been more important and is the key ingredient to ensuring all our scholars—a record 63,000 of them this year—achieve academic success at this unprecedented time.

This school year will be one to remember. Let’s make it a great one.

Sincerely,

JOANN GAMA Co-Founder, CEO and Superintendent IDEA Public Schools 4

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IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPACT | CONTRIBUTORS

IMPACT: CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF IDEA'S HISTORY 03

Letter from the Editor

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Letter from the CEO: JoAnn Gama

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Organizational Update

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College Signing Day 2020

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Congratulations Class of 2020

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Success Starts Early: Pre-K at IDEA

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Scholar Spotlight: Melanie Medrano, IDEA Donna, Class of 2020

COPYEDITORS Marco Carbajal Grace Allen

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AP for All: A Cornerstone to IDEA’s College Success

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Meet Crystal Arreola, Founding Student

TRANSLATORS Santa Cruz Communications Felipe Butanda Gaby Casteñeda

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Paying it Forward: From Alumni to Employee

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No Excuses: Juan Gonzales, IDEA-U

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JoAnn Gama: 20 Years of Leadership

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Vanessa Barry EDITOR-AT-LARGE Irma Muñoz COPYWRITERS Marco Carbajal Matthew Dougherty Macarena Hernandez

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Stevenson LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Mitch Idol PHOTOGRAPHERS Johnny Quiroz Jennifer Stevenson COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? Email marketing@ideapublicschools.org IMPACT is produced for IDEA students, families, employees, and supporters by the Marketing, Communications and Enrollment team at IDEA Public Schools.

BACK TO SCHOOL RESOURCES 40

Uniform Guidelines

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Transportation Information

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Student Health Services Information

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Immunization Information

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Back to School Printables

EN ESPAÑOL Para leer la edición de IMPACT en español, favor de revisar la contraportada de esta revista.

CONTENTS © 2020 BY IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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ORGANIZATIONAL UPDATE Our Team & Family sure has been busy this semester. Take a look at some recent organizational highlights!

OH, BABY! IDEA PARENT GIVES BIRTH AT IDEA BLUFF SPRINGS

IDEA HIGH SCHOOLS RANKED AMONG BEST IN THE NATION

IDEA BREAKS GROUND ON 9 CAMPUSES FOR 2020-2021 This year, IDEA broke ground on nine new campuses including IDEA Harlingen and IDEA Palmview in the Rio Grande Valley, IDEA Converse and IDEA Hidden Meadow in San Antonio, IDEA Round Rock Tech in Austin, IDEA Edgecliff in Tarrant County (Fort Worth), IDEA Horizon Vista in El Paso, and IDEA Hardy and IDEA Spears in Greater Houston.

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For the 12th consecutive year, IDEA college preparatory schools in the Rio Grande Valley were ranked among the best performing high schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. In addition, our high schools ranked in the top 25% of charter schools both statewide and nationwide, with eight schools ranking among the top 10 in Texas.

In the Jay Mathews Challenge Index Rankings. IDEA College Preparatory McAllen ranked as the top high school in both Texas and the Rio Grande Valley, and third in the entire nation.

In January, an IDEA mother gave birth to a baby girl in the gym bathroom at the IDEA Bluff Springs during a student award ceremony.

Carina Rodriguez was attending the event for her second-grade son when she went into labor in the gym bathroom. Before paramedics could arrive, the baby girl was delivered with the help of teachers. Principal Virginia Callaway, along with teachers Valentina Davalos, Amberlynn Balli and Erica Beverly, visited the mother in the hospital with a surprise college scholarship for her newborn daughter upon graduation from an IDEA Public Schools campus.

IDEA ANNOUNCES 1:1 TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM FOR 2020-2021

IDEA TEAM & FAMILY BANDS TOGETHER IN COVID-19 RESPONSE

IDEA CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY IDEA Public Schools is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2020.

After its charter was approved in March 2000, IDEA has made a significant impact on students, communities and staff. As IDEA continues to drive toward its ambitious goal of reaching more students in more communities across the nation, its 20th anniversary serves as a great moment in time to pause and reflect on IDEA’s influence and success over the past two decades.

As school districts across the nation face unprecedented closures in light of the COVID-19, IDEA Public Schools remained committed to serving our families. IDEA cafeteria workers and Child Nutrition Program (CNP) staff worked hard to serve over 3 million nutritious breakfast, lunch and dinner options for curbside pickup across the district. Shout out to the dedicated staff at IDEA Oscar Dunn (pictured above) for being one of the first campuses to provide meals to families!

IDEA BROWNSVILLE TEACHER WINS YALE EDUCATOR AWARD

10 IDEA CARVER STUDENTS BECOME ROBINSON FELLOWS

100% MATRICULATION FOR 14TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR For the 14th consecutive year, one hundred percent of IDEA’s graduating class matriculated to college last fall. IDEA’s Class of 2019 saw 47 percent of students gain admission into the country’s top colleges, with one in five attending a Tier 1/Tier 2 college.

Additionally, 752 graduates are first-generation college students.

In June, IDEA announced its 1:1 Technology Program which gives each scholar access to learning by equipping them with a laptop, computer or tablet for the 2020-2021 school year, at no cost to families. The program will allow students to extend the learning day, create new opportunities and boost home-to-school connection.

Ten new IDEA Carver students were awarded the opportunity of a lifetime when they were named Robinson Scholarship Fellows, an opportunity that will help them propel themselves through college.

These seniors will receive $16,000 over four years to assist with college expenses and receive mentorship from former San Antonio Spurs player David Robinson.

Andres Altamirano, an International Baccalaureate (IB) English Language Arts teacher at IDEA College Preparatory Brownsville was recognized by Yale University’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions as a recipient of the 2019 Yale Educator Award. The program recognizes outstanding educators from around the world who support and inspire students to achieve excellence.

The award honors the unique and critical role that exceptional educators play in shaping their students’ futures.

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Their Legacy S TA R T S H E R E

One of our most treasured traditions at IDEA Public Schools is College Signing Day, but in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, our celebration happened virtually. This May, we had the pleasure of witnessing 16 senior classes announce their college choices in streaming ceremonies online. IDEA’s Class of 2020 saw 1,143 seniors earning 6,488 college acceptances from 388 universities, including 6 Ivy League schools, 291 Tier 1 college acceptances and 1,182 Tier 2 acceptances. In addition, the Class of 2020 was awarded more than $8 million in grants and over $12 million in scholarships.

IDEA Class of 2020 Seniors are headed to schools like: Yale University New York University University of Chicago The University of Notre Dame University of Texas at Austin University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Texas A&M University University of Texas at San Antonio RE-WATCH COLLEGE SIGNING DAY 2020 ONLINE! All sixteen of IDEA's College Signing Day ceremonies are available to stream for free online!

VISIT VIMEO.COM/SHOWCASE/7155476 TO WATCH NOW!

Congratulations, CLASS OF 2020!

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Congratulations, CLASS OF 2020!

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Photo Credits: Johnny Quiroz, Luis Vazquez, Ismael Rodriguez

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IMPACT CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF IDEA'S HISTORY

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THANK YOU FOR

YEARS OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, IMPACT, AND GROWTH!

20 YEARS OF

VISIONARY LEADERSHIP 20 YEARS OF

IMPROVING COMMUNITIES 20 YEARS OF

RETHINKING EDUCATION 20 YEARS OF

STUDENT SUCCESS IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

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SUCCESS STARTS EARLY:

PRE-K AT IDEA Dolores Gonzalez remembers the moment she was inspired to go into education. She had recently finished college and was visiting her sister’s kindergarten classroom. She became enthralled watching her sister teach.

"I HAD A DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY AND A MINOR IN BUSINESS and was starting to have second thoughts about that career path," says Gonzalez. "When I saw my sister teaching, I just thought her day looked like fun, and the more questions I asked, the more I became interested in teaching."

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20 YEARS OF VISIONARY LEADERSHIP Gonzalez decided to earn a master’s degree in special education because of her close relationship with her brother who has special needs.

"I feel very connected to my brother Rudy and knew I wanted to teach students like him," she says.

"So I got my master's while also getting an alternative teacher certification."

After teaching special education for three years in San Diego, Texas, Gonzalez heard about IDEA at a party.

She was unfamiliar with charters but was impressed by Tom Torkelson and JoAnn Gama’s commitment to banishing educational inequities and getting every student to college.

She was invited to apply as a special education teacher; however, after JoAnn Gama observed her teaching, Gonzalez was offered the role of Director of Special Education at IDEA in 2004. Surprised, Gonzalez paused to consider the offer and agreed with the condition that she also be allowed to teach for part of the day.

After a year in the role, she was promoted to Vice President of Special Programs where she remained for the next five years. In the summer of 2011, Gonzalez was named IDEA’s Chief Program Officer and was tasked with shaping the organization’s academic model to uphold IDEA’s reputation of high expectations, rigorous academics and annual record of 100% college acceptance.

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Soon after starting her new role, Gonzalez found that roughly 40%-60% of IDEA students were starting kindergarten unprepared.

"Sonia Aguilar, the principal at IDEA Academy Pharr, kept asking when we would start a pre-K program. She was very persistent," she says with a laugh. "It was interesting because she told me ‘If we can do it here, at IDEA Pharr in the middle of Las Milpas in the lower Rio Grande Valley where 99% of kindergarteners were English learners, we can do it anywhere."'

Through IDEA’s Action Learning Project (ALP) — a transformative, mission-critical initiative that increases student outcomes — Aguilar and her lead team worked with Gonzalez on the pre-K pilot program at IDEA Pharr.

"We worked for about six months, and we had to find what staffing would look like, what programs we would use, what the curriculum would be like, and whether we would opt for a full- or half-day program," says Gonzalez. "Once we had those answers, we began recruiting students, and they filled it and were fully enrolled."

Research indicates that a strong foundation in pre-K has the potential to set the tone for a student’s entire academic career while reinforcing children’s attitudes about school and learning. In fact, pre-K can teach children several valuable skills including how to pay attention, manage emotions and build positive relationships with classmates.

Gonzalez tries to spend roughly two days per week meeting with students, teachers and principals to ensure academic programs are keeping scholars on track for success.

20 YEARS OF VISIONARY LEADERSHIP

Pre-K at IDEA provides an additional year with students to ensure they are prepared for kindergarten academically, socially, and emotionally.

"We don’t have time to work on those basic skills and basic procedures when they’re already in kindergarten," says Gonzalez. "Developing fine motor skills and gross motor skills at five years old may be too late."

By the end of the program’s pilot year, over 80% percent of its pre-K students were able to start kindergarten prepared.

In fact, the students were so prepared to hit the ground running that it surprised their new teachers.

"It threw our teachers a bit because they were expecting the usual from students entering kindergarten," she says.

"They were prepared to spend a few days teaching culture, how to sit, classroom routines, what to do in the restroom, but our students were ready. They didn’t need to spend the time that they did before, and that was a great affirmation from our kindergarten teachers."

As soon as they are enrolled at IDEA, pre-K students are given an assessment to gauge their current skills in literacy and math. They are then placed with other students who have similar skill sets. The assessments help identify and group students to maximize learning regardless of skill level.

"We do this for pre-K through second grade students, and it’s very individualized," explains Gonzalez. "This helps us spend more time with students who are behind and move that group together, but at the same time we aren’t holding

back those who are ready to accelerate and get ahead."

IDEA’s half-day pre-K program is offered at select campuses in the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, El Paso and Tarrant County. Students are in either a morning or afternoon cohort and engage in science, math, reading and writing instruction during the day.

Gonzalez still loves being in the classroom and aims to spend two days per week visiting IDEA campuses and meeting with students, teachers and principals. Doing so helps keep her focused as she spearheads IDEA’s academic programs through expansion across Texas, Louisiana, and beyond.

Still, as IDEA marks its 20th anniversary in 2020, Gonzalez and team will continue their work to strengthen the quality of its programs and instruction.

"I think there are three things that really drive our success," she says. "We have a comprehensive pre-K academic model, dedicated teachers who are invested in the model and student success, and a lead team that works to continually tweak our programs and make them better. We make sure we are ever-evolving and the proof point is in our results." ♦

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SCHOLAR SPOTLIGHT:

MELANIE MEDRANO CLASS OF 2020 Each April, thousands of family and friends file into a crowded arena to celebrate IDEA’s annual College Signing Day celebration. Just like a huge pep rally, there is music and celebration, heartfelt speeches, thunderous applause and tears of joy as each senior finally reveals their college choice.

MEDRANO SEES COLLEGE SIGNING DAY AS A RITE OF PASSAGE for every IDEA scholar.

However, in light of COVID-19, city ordinances and social distancing guidelines prohibited Medrano and the rest of IDEA’s Class of 2020 from participating in the traditional, in-person College Signing Day of years past.

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20 YEARS OF IMPROVING COMMUNITIES

Medrano (pictured here) has been an IDEA scholar at IDEA’s flagship campus in Donna since she was in kindergarten and is a proud member of the Class of 2020.

Instead, Medrano and her fellow seniors revealed their college picks during 16 virtual College Signing Day ceremonies on May 20. It was a bittersweet moment for Medrano, who says she is just grateful to be able to say goodbye.

“College signing day, prom, even graduation — these are things I think students look forward to, and you assume you’ll be there one day," says Medrano. “And when our time came, we had to accept that ours would be different, and that’s okay. I am just happy we had a chance to close this chapter and say goodbye to everyone who has been there for us."

Medrano has been a student at IDEA Donna since kindergarten after her mother heard of IDEA’s academics and stellar track record of success. Medrano, who will be the first in her family to attend Texas A&M University this fall, says finding a school with strong academics was important to her family.

“My parents didn’t get to go to college, and neither of them finished high school," says Medrano. “When they heard about IDEA and what it had to offer families like ours, I think they knew that’s where I needed to be."

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When she spoke to her cousins, who attended nearby traditional school districts, Medrano started to realize how unique her academic experience was.

“I would hear my cousins talk about their schools and teachers and compare it to my own experience at IDEA," she says. “What immediately stood out was how different we felt about our teachers and classroom environments. I just felt very cared about and supported by my teachers, and that wasn’t necessarily what they were experiencing."

As an English Learner (EL) in school, Medrano says speaking English came easily to her, but she struggled with writing and English language arts.

“I had a teacher named Mr. DeLeon, and I had him for two years because when I was in fifth grade, my writing and language arts skills needed extra support," she says. “He always made learning fun and made me feel like he was there for me to learn and succeed."

Medrano says IDEA always emphasizes excellence and accountability, especially as scholars transition into their final years of high school.

“As we finished eighth grade and prepared to begin high school, our teachers were awesome about being sure we were prepared for the rigors of AP and IB and holding ourselves accountable for our success," she says.

20 YEARS OF IMPROVING COMMUNITIES

While Medrano had to learn how to balance her studies, extracurricular activities, and required community service hours, she feels her experience as an IDEA student will help keep her disciplined and successful through college and beyond.

“IDEA prepares you for success," she explains. “It starts when you’re young and have to track homework in your planner. Then your classes get more challenging, and you have to prioritize your schedule and homework, you’re giving back to the community through service and the whole time you’re visiting colleges and universities in places you never thought you would go."

Medrano remembers her first visit to Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, during a college field visit with her school.

“Those field visits make you think about what college is going to be like," she says. “When I visited Texas A&M, I knew this was where I wanted to be. It’s a strange feeling — I felt excited about going somewhere new, but also thought about things like graduation, my parents, and how it was going to work."

“My family is very attached, and it’s not going to be easy to leave, but we have all accepted that I am going to go away to college," she says. “My parents were hesitant at first — for me to move away for college — but my counselor spoke with them about how much support IDEA gives students after they graduate. They’ll be there to be sure you’re on track, and they’ll support you if any unexpected things happen. I think my parents realized that I would be supported and taken care of even when I am in College Station."

Medrano learned how to be even more disciplined this spring when many communities enforced shelter-in-place orders and schools transitioned to distance learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In school, we saw the start of the virus, and we felt bad for people in other countries suffering but never thought it would affect us down in South Texas," she says. “We went on spring break, and it got extended by a week, and our whole senior year changed."

Medrano says the adjustment to online learning was difficult at first, but sticking to a schedule helped. She woke up early and had her first online class at 8:30 a.m. Her classes continued through noon, where she paused for a lunch break and spent the remainder of the afternoon exercising or in independent study before one last class.

“In a way, the schedule was preparing me for college. It’s teaching me to be independent and disciplined with my time and priorities," she says.

As Medrano begins her freshman year of college as a forensic science major at Texas A&M University, she is grateful to be a part of IDEA’s 20-year legacy.

“I’m very happy to have spent all 14 years at IDEA growing up," she says. “I have no regrets. Every one of my teachers and classmates has helped me become the person I am today." ♦

Medrano proudly announced her decision to attend Texas A&M University during IDEA’s Virtual College Signing Day ceremony this spring.

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AP FOR ALL A CORNERSTONE TO IDEA'S COLLEGE SUCCESS

Butanda, whose AP classes routinely see passing rates in record numbers, proudly displays his Teacher of the Year Award.

Felipe Butanda never dreamed he would become a Spanish teacher. Today, he holds the title of IDEA Carver’s first Master Teacher and has won Teacher of the Year and Regional Teacher of the Year as an AP Spanish Teacher.

THE IRONY ISN’T LOST ON BUTANDA, as he humbly recounts his journey from first-generation American to recipient of two master’s degrees. He reflects on the joy he feels watching his students succeed.

"One of the reasons I wanted to become an educator was because of my own experience as a student in Brownsville, Texas," says Butanda. "I moved to the United States when I was 15 years old and didn’t speak a word of English. I graduated from high school without knowing English."

While his math and science skills were excellent, Butanda required two years of remedial courses in college, which would not count towards his bachelor’s degree.

"I spent thousands of dollars for two years on courses that didn’t count toward my degree, and I thought, ‘How could this happen?’" he says. "How could no one have caught this while I was still in school?"

Butanda’s experience as a student who was unprepared for college fuels his passion as an Advanced Placement (AP) teacher for his students’ success and achievement.

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IDEA’s ambitious AP for All initiative is a key driver to its 14-year record of 100% college acceptance across its growing network of schools. Advanced Placement courses, developed by the College Board, give students the chance to tackle college-level work and earn college credit while still in high school.

IDEA’s AP for All Program prepares students for the demands of college, enhances their applications to Tier I and Tier II schools and increases the likelihood of completing their degree. In addition, taking a single AP course and passing the corresponding exam makes a student over six times more likely to earn their high school diploma and save money in college.

After trying a few different majors, Butanda took a Spanish course in college and discovered a new love for his native language.

"You might think that because I know Spanish, it was very easy, but I realized I didn’t know as much as I thought and loved it," he says with a laugh.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and double master’s degrees in Spanish and Translation and Interpretation, Butanda spent several years teaching in different contexts, including as an instructor at the Police Academy in Brownsville and an adjunct professor at the university. It was here that he encountered freshman college students who were registering for remedial courses, like he had, because they were unprepared for college.

"In my case, it was my language skills. In theirs, they did not know how to study, write or think critically," he says.

"I saw this year after year, and unfortunately, most of these students ended up dropping out of college within one to three semesters."

20 YEARS OF RETHINKING EDUCATION Butanda knew students needed a stronger education before college and sought to become part of the solution as a Spanish teacher at IDEA College Preparatory San Benito. IDEA’s AP for All program was precisely the kind of initiative Butanda wanted to be part of — preparing every student for success in college.

"There are no differentiated tracks for students at IDEA," explains Butanda. "Every student is expected to take AP courses, succeed and receive access to rigorous, college preparatory experiences that will prepare them for success when they get to college."

Successfully executing an ambitious plan to provide AP courses for all students requires a significant investment in training for teachers, students and administrators. That is why IDEA partners with the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), a nonprofit organization that supports teacher success in AP courses. NMSI specializes in helping AP teachers in math, science, and English Language Arts.

Butanda says the key to IDEA’s successful AP for All program comes from setting high expectations for every student.

"We need to challenge students and hold high expectations because that is the key to success," he says. "It is what they will encounter in college, in their careers, in everything."

"I was only able to graduate high school because my teachers had low expectations for students like me," says Butanda. "Education is transforming, both in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond, and classes are getting more rigorous. If we do not prepare students, they will end up dropping out of college. I’ve seen it."

Butanda, who has taught middle school Spanish and high school AP Spanish, says waiting to prepare students for the rigors of college until they are juniors or seniors is too late.

Butanda’s first year teaching AP Spanish Language and Literature finished with an 83% passing rate on the exam, which was good. Still, Butanda knew his scholars were capable of more.

"There’s a perception that since everyone speaks Spanish in the Rio Grande Valley, it should be easy, and everyone should pass, but that’s not the case," he explains. "We don’t expect that from our AP English students. It takes a lot of hard work and commitment to succeed."

When Butanda moved from the Rio Grande Valley to IDEA Carver in San Antonio, the demographics in his classes were different, but the stellar test results were the same.

"Three years ago, I had a 100% passing rate in AP Spanish Language and Literature, two years ago I had a 100% passing rate, and last year I had a 97% passing rate," he says.

Through the accolades, Butanda remains focused on holding each of his students to the highest standards because he wants each to succeed as if they were his own. In fact, his daughter, a junior at IDEA Carver, is one of his students.

"She is upset with me because she earned an 83 on a test," he says with a laugh.

Of IDEA’s AP for All program, Butanda says it is what scholars need to prepare for college and remain successful.

"The best thing about the AP program is that it gives students a lot of responsibility," he says. "We model the work, but they must work independently and do it on their own."

He believes IDEA’s commitment to accountability and high expectations are what have sustained the organization over the last 20 years and what will continue to propel it forward.

"IDEA will always be committed to doing what is best for students, and we all have to do the work," he says. "Even during distance learning because of COVID-19 — the classroom format has changed, but our expectations have not. We must give every student a chance for success." ♦

Last year, Butanda partnered with EF Educational Tours to take 10 IDEA Carver students to study in London, Paris and Barcelona.

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MEET

CRYSTAL ARREOLA CLASS OF 2007 FOUNDING STUDENT

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20 YEARS OF IMPROVING COMMUNITIES

AND SO I KEPT THINKING WHILE I WAS IN COLLEGE ABOUT HOW I COULD GIVE BACK TO IDEA BECAUSE I FELT THAT THEY HAD GIVEN ME SO MUCH." Arreola hugs her high school sweetheart and future husband Juan at IDEA’s first-ever graduation day in 2007.

The thought of leaving childhood friends behind and transferring to IDEA Public Schools to finish the last three years of high school was daunting for Crystal Arreola. She still remembers how she resisted and how her parents, Sylvia and Juan, insisted.

THEY WERE SOLD ON THE PROMISE IDEA OFFERED:

that every scholar would go to college. Even as a high school sophomore, Arreola says, college didn’t seem like an option.

"My mom had asked me, ‘Do you think that you’re going to go to college?’ And I said, ‘No, nobody goes to college,’" she recalls. "And I think my response kind of scared my mom, to be honest."

At first, IDEA felt foreign to her. The classes, for one, were much more challenging than the courses she had taken at her previous high school. IDEA teachers, however, were quick to offer tutoring and turn daily interactions into teachable moments.

Arreola was caught off guard by how teachers interacted with students. The teachers encouraged dialogue and engaged in the kind of "productive struggle" that provided opportunities for growth.

"I had my teachers' phone numbers to help with homework," Arreola says. "I had never experienced anything like that. And I just specifically remember every teacher checking up on me, asking me how I was doing, which was very different."

By junior year, Arreola was confident she would attend college. And in 2007, after graduating from IDEA Donna, with the first ever IDEA high school graduates, she left the Rio Grande Valley to attend Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, Texas.

"To me, that was the biggest accomplishment thus far in my life," Arreola says. "And so I kept thinking while I was in college about how I could give back to IDEA because I felt that they had given me so much."

Six years ago, she began working at IDEA Walzem in San Antonio, where she started as a co-teacher and moved into administration a few years later. She is currently the Direct Instruction program manager for the San Antonio region.

Now that she is "on the other side," Arreola works closely with teachers to ensure the success of every scholar.

"I now know the work that my teachers did for me and what it takes," she said. "I want to make sure that I instill that same hard work and dedication in our teachers and students."

Arreola also credits IDEA with introducing her to her husband, Juan Arreola. Both graduated from IDEA Donna, where they met. They married in 2012 in her hometown of McAllen, which neighbors his hometown of Hidalgo.

"Both my husband and I know that IDEA teachers and staff and everyone we interacted with on a daily basis invested so much in us," Arreola says. "We are very grateful for what IDEA has done for us. They were a stepping stone to where we are today."

The couple now lives in San Antonio, where Juan works as a software developer and where they are raising their two children, six-year-old Kevin and one-year-old Kamila.

Even though her educational journey was "tough," Arreola says she would do it all over again. Working for her alma mater feels bigger than her, like a calling.

"My time at IDEA was significant because the work that I had done and the labor that my teachers had done and everything that they poured into me really did prepare me for what I experienced when I was in college," she says.

"College is hard, but I definitely remember thinking IDEA was harder, so if I could do that, then I definitely can do this."

Looking back to her high school graduating class of only 25 scholars, Arreola says she is impressed by how much IDEA has grown throughout Texas and now Louisiana over the last 20 years. What’s most reassuring to her is that IDEA has remained "true to the promises that we give our families, our students, our teachers."

"No matter what obstacle comes our way," she says, and "no matter where our students are from, we are going to deliver on that promise that everyone can go to college." ♦

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PAYING IT FORWARD

FROM ALUMNI TO EMPLOYEE

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20 YEARS OF IMPROVING COMMUNITIES

The sign that first greeted sixth-grader Andrea Casiano at IDEA Donna reads, "The home of the hardest working students in the Rio Grande Valley."

OVER A DECADE LATER, the sign now stands by the campus garden.

Both the sign and the garden make Casiano, who today is a talent partner for IDEA Public Schools, teary-eyed. They are testaments of her own hard work.

"When I was in tenth grade my friend Nidia Cavazos, who is now an Emmy-winning journalist, and I were the ones who actually started the organic garden as a part of our IB Middle Years Program personal project," Casiano recalled.

"This garden has blossomed into what it is now, a program in the entire network. We even have hydroponic gardens in some of our schools."

Casiano speaks passionately about that garden. She says that the sign and the ground it stands on serve as a powerful metaphor for the growth and transformation she has seen-classmates who went on to graduate from college, teachers who became administrators, assistant principals who became regional supervisors. Beyond metaphor, they are a real-life manifestation of how IDEA had continued "to grow and flourish" since Casiano first enrolled at the flagship campus in Donna in 2007.

"We are only getting better with time," says Casiano, "and I love it."

Casiano graduated from high school in 2014. Like many IDEA alumni who have returned to work at their alma mater, Casiano is excited to be on the frontline, where her job entails recruiting and hiring top talent.

Zanyace Aguiñaga and her brother Juan Aguiñaga never imagined they would become teachers, much less return to the Rio Grande Valley to work for IDEA, after years away at college. For the Aguiñaga siblings, IDEA Donna is a family affair. Their mother, Maria Salinas, is a custodian there. Their aunt, Isabel Garza, once worked there as a librarian, and her two children Horacio and Yxari Garza, like the Aguiñaga siblings, graduated from IDEA Donna.

Zanyace majored in history at Tufts University in Boston, where she met a Teach for America representative who encouraged her to apply to their program. Her brother Juan, who studied at Texas A&M College Station, also considered Teach for America after his mentor and former elementary school principal Jeremy Beard motivated him to apply.

"The way I see it, Teach for America was the beginning of IDEA. Had Tom and JoAnn not taught in the Valley through Teach for America IDEA may have never happened," says Juan referring to IDEA co-founders Tom Torkelson and JoAnn Gama who both taught in Donna through Teach for America. "I don’t know that I would have gone to college

Siblings Juan and Zanyace Aguinaga are proud IDEA alumni (pictured above with JoAnn Gama) who have both been named Teacher of the Year at their respective campuses.

had it not been for IDEA. My education there set me on the right path."

For both siblings, living away from the Rio Grande Valley had been a bit of a culture shock. They were happy to return home, where they had only planned to stay for a couple of years to fulfill their Teach for America obligations and plot their next move.

Upon her return to the Valley, Zanyace’s initial thought was, "This gives me an opportunity to go back home, root myself again in my own culture and my own traditions for a little bit." Zanyace has worked at IDEA for eight years. "The first year was definitely the toughest," she says. "Second year, it got easier, and by the third year, I realized I actually love this. This is something that is meaningful."

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20 YEARS OF IMPROVING COMMUNITIES

Witnessing students have "aha moments" feels like a major win to Zanyace. "I taught you something, something clicked."

Zanyace, who graduated from IDEA Donna in 2008, seven years after she first enrolled, still receives emails from former students. They remember her history lectures and want to talk to her about what they’ve read or heard on the news. Even now, she says proudly, her former students continue to connect dots and to become better-informed citizens.

"Teaching may not be for everybody," says Zanyace, who also earned a master’s in education from John Hopkins University in 2015. "But for those who are dedicated to education and teaching in the classroom, it boils down to a labor of love, patience, commitment, and being very passionate about what you do."

She adds, "I tell our kids that teaching is what makes all the other professions. Teachers make the doctors. Teachers make the lawyers. It all starts here."

Juan can attest to his sister’s words. He started at IDEA barely knowing how to read. In one year, his educational achievements skyrocketed. He credits his academic growth to his teachers who were invested in him from day one.

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He remembers quickly realizing that, at IDEA, teachers had high expectations and held students accountable. This included setting him on the path to college and graduate school. In 2015, Juan graduated from Texas A&M at College Station, where he studied international relations, politics, and diplomacy. He is currently working on his Masters in Organizational Leadership at Columbia University through the Summer Principals Academy at Teachers College. The program meets in the summers, which allows Juan to continue working as a 6th-12th-grade humanities teacher at IDEA Toros College Preparatory.

"I had a passion for kids, for the little ones, but I never saw myself as a teacher. But in those two years with Teach for America and working at IDEA Weslaco, I ended up falling in love," says Juan, who was recently recognized as the Teacher of the Year for his campus. "Those kids grew on me and so did my dedication for them. I felt a calling to stay in my hometown and help students from my community have access to the same educational opportunities I had."

The Aguiñaga siblings were the first in their family to attend college.

20 YEARS OF IMPROVING COMMUNITIES

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE WORK WE DO AT IDEA, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GETTING KIDS TO COLLEGE IT’S ABOUT TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES."

Casiano’s father had attended college in Mexico, where he studied mechanical engineering. But in the United States, his educational background wasn’t equally valued the same.

And Casiano herself soon found out that navigating the U.S. college system was its own endless maze.

Her IDEA college counselor helped her complete her application and then convinced her skeptical parents to let her move away to Austin after graduation. Casiano attended St. Edward's University on a full ride. As a college student majoring in international business, with a concentration in Latin American studies, Casiano continued working closely with IDEA at the regional and national levels.

Through her work with the Alumni Internship Program, the New Teacher Institute and the Founding Teacher Fellowship, she was able to deepen her understanding of how IDEA works.

"Knowing where we come from--and where we are at now, and where we are going as an organization--is super exciting for me to talk about, because I can talk about what this looked like ten years ago as a student," she says. "That’s why my job is so exciting, because I know that, as we continue to grow, getting people who are truly the best of the best will only make the rest of us be the best of the best."

Casiano, who is based in San Antonio, adds, "When I think about the work we do at IDEA, it's not just about getting kids to college. It’s about transforming communities, and we’re doing that across state lines." ♦

Andrea Casiano, an IDEA alumna and current employee, says IDEA’s success lies in its ability to motivate both students and staff to exceed expectations.

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MEET JUAN

GONZALES

IDEA-U GRAD

Much of who we are and who we become happens through defining moments. For Juan Gonzales, a defining moment came when his son asked why he needed to go to college if his dad had not.

"MY SON WAS IN SIXTH GRADE, and I told him you will get a college degree no matter what,," recalls Gonzales. "And he said, ‘Why do I have to get my degree? You did not, and you are fine.’"

The exchange struck a nerve with Gonzales. At the time, he was working at IDEA South Flores as a business clerk and was surrounded by adults daily expounding the value of a college education to students.

However, college had never been a priority for Gonzales. Born and raised in San Antonio, Gonzales and his two older sisters were raised by their mother, who worked two jobs to make ends meet. The family moved often, and he attended over eight different elementary schools as his mother struggled to find work.

"It was a struggle financially," he says. "If our lease was up, and we didn’t have the money, we would have to leave. My mother tried so hard but kept telling us that our situation was not normal and that we needed to do better."

The family moved from public housing on San Antonio’s west side to rental homes on the city’s south side, where Gonzales went to high school.

"I’m sure my high school had terrible scores," he says. "It’s not even open anymore. The teachers were looking out for their safety because that’s how bad it was."

Gonzales says the campus was riddled with security cameras and police officers, and there was no college or career talk.

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Juan Gonzales, shares his inspiring journey to and through college with the community at his IDEA-U commencement ceremony in San Antonio.

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20 YEARS OF RETHINKING EDUCATION

While his eldest sister did not graduate, his middle sister was the first to finish high school, and Gonzales admits he felt a certain amount of pressure to graduate.

After completing his high school education in 2001, he began working at a restaurant. He was quickly promoted to kitchen manager and then restaurant manager, which came with a generous salary.

"At the time, if someone spoke about college, I was completely against it," he says. "I had a career and was making as much as or more than those who had gone to college. The only difference was they were $60,000 in debt with school loans, and I was not. I felt like I had beat the odds."

Gonzales, who was now married with a young son and newborn daughter, says the next period of his life was chaotic. As his wife was finishing her last year of college and the couple was caring for their newborn daughter, their four-year-old son was diagnosed with stage three Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

"It was a parent’s worst nightmare. We lived at the hospital and watched him get chemotherapy and radiation all while my wife was trying to finish her degree," he says. "It was a tough time."

Thankfully their son fully recovered, and the couple started looking for a quality school with a good education for their son.

"My son was going to a school on the southside near where I went to school, and I was not satisfied with the instruction he was getting," recalls Gonzales. "He was finishing kindergarten, and we considered finding a private school as he entered first grade when we met an IDEA alumna sharing her experience with families, and everything changed."

Gonzales said IDEA sounded like precisely the kind of school his family had been looking for. He was astonished when he asked how much tuition would cost and heard that IDEA is free for all students.

Gonzales loved IDEA’s focus on academics and citizenship and thought the structure was what his son needed.

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Gonzales’ family was on hand as he received his degree, but his proudest moment was showing his son that the sacrifice was worth the reward.

Though IDEA stressed the importance of a college education, Gonzales watched his college-educated wife work long hours at a nearby school district for much less than his salary as a restaurant manager. The experience only reinforced his opinion that college is not necessary.

However, after applying for a position at IDEA and earning a better salary, Gonzales says his wife became a strong advocate for IDEA and its mission of College for All. "She would talk about IDEA daily," he says, laughing.

"She would talk about IDEA’s mission with strangers at the grocery store, to family and friends. Soon, she began telling me I needed to come work for IDEA!" Gonzales was torn. On the one hand, he was earning an excellent income at the restaurant, but on the other hand, he was missing holidays, birthdays and weekend barbecues because of his schedule, and he felt like his children were growing up without him.

"It was a different industry, but my wife convinced me I could take a pay cut and work my way up," he says.

Gonzales had always been good with numbers, so he applied for a business clerk position at IDEA. During the interview process, he experienced yet another defining moment.

"They put final candidates in a room where we had to do exercises and roleplay," he explains. "I noticed that a number was off in one of the scenarios [for another candidate]. But if I am going to beat someone, I am going to beat them with integrity. So I told the other candidate about the mistake."

When the other candidate informed the interviewers that he had gotten the problem correct because of Gonzales’ honorable gesture, Gonzales was hired.

The transition from managing staff to having a direct manager was tricky at first for Gonzales. He laughs as he recalls giving regular feedback to IDEA South Flores principals Hailey McCarthy and Constantine Polites.

"I’m sure it was strange for them, but they never made me feel like I couldn’t speak up," he says with a laugh. "They kept encouraging me to consider getting my college degree.

20 YEARS OF RETHINKING EDUCATION They told me they’d do anything in their power to help me earn a degree."

Gonzales always laughed off the remarks until the fateful day his son asked him why he needed to go to college if his father had not.

"I realized I was telling my 12-year-old son and students in the hallways they needed to go to college. I was pitching this idea and living and breathing it every day, but I was not a living example. I am a man of integrity and knew I had to practice what I preach."

"I knew I was a hard-working, intelligent person, but when I stopped making excuses about college, I realized I wasn’t where I could be without a degree," he says.

Going back to school with a full-time job and a family was not easy. Gonzales knew it could end up being one of the most challenging periods of his life, but when he heard about IDEA-U, his commitment to his word spurred him on.

Based in San Antonio, Weslaco and Brownsville, IDEA-U is open to all adults in the community who want to pursue higher education. Featuring flexible, self-paced programs and accessibility on nights and weekends, IDEA-U boasts an 82% persistence rate, with 100% of bachelor’s degree graduates gaining employment after graduation.

IDEA’s push to promote education and lifelong success to adults comes when nearly 74% of American undergraduates are "non-traditional," or over age 25. Many of these nontraditional students are working and raising families while going to school.

According to RTI International, non-traditional students now outnumber those who start as 18-year-old freshmen supported by their parents.

"It was tough. It was incredibly tough, but I poured every ounce of myself into it," he says.

Gonzales took advantage of IDEA’s breaks and holidays to get ahead. During the school year, he implemented a grueling schedule to finish even faster. He would wake up between 3:30 a.m. and 4 a.m., study and do homework until waking the rest of the family around 5 a.m. McCarthy and Polites worked out a schedule with Gonzales that allowed him to leave work at 3 p.m. so that he could continue his studies until 7:30 p.m. Depending on his workload, he would return home between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Gonzales says quitting was never an option.

"It would have been a disservice to my family if I had said how important this was and then quit when it got hard. I could never do that. Our choices define us," he says.

Gonzales earned his associate degree in just five months and his bachelor’s degree seven months later. He was also promoted to regional business manager at IDEA’s headquarters in San Antonio.

To add to his victory, he was able to speak and share his story at his IDEA-U graduation.

"It was an amazing moment to be able to share my story with my peers, their families and my own," he says proudly.

"I am a 36-year-old first-generation college graduate and was able to look my son in the eyes and tell him that earning a college education is important enough that I had to go back and get my degree."

He says he is just one example of many students who have decided to go back to college, earn their degrees and move their careers forward.

While Gonzales has been working remotely for much of the spring due to COVID-19, he looks forward to to returning to the office and continuing to make an impact in the lives of students.

Though IDEA-U is only a few years old, Gonzales says its purpose is invaluable for students looking for a second chance at higher education. As IDEA marks its 20th anniversary this spring, Gonzales can imagine a future where IDEA develops its own university to continue its mission of College for All. For now, he recommends IDEA-U for anyone looking to finish their degree on their schedule.

"One of our core values is ‘no excuses.’ It means no matter what, you do everything in your power to make things happen," he says. "If you need an opportunity to do something you’ve always wanted to do in life, this is it." ♦

IDEA-U is open to all adults in the community. Start your degree today.

For more information on IDEA-U and its range of programs and majors,

PLEASE VISIT IDEA-U.ORG. IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

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JOANN GAMA

20 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP

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20 YEARS OF VISIONARY LEADERSHIP

As a low-income student living in North Houston, JoAnn Gama turned to reading to escape the boredom she often felt in school.

“I ATTENDED A CHRONICALLY FAILING MIDDLE SCHOOL,"

she says. “Our assignment was always to read the chapter and answer the questions. I was done in 15 minutes and still had 45 minutes left in class, so I would drown myself in a book."

Gama laughs as she recalls getting in trouble at home for neglecting her chores because she was reading too much.

“In high school, I was active in a lot of clubs and activities but was not in any AP or IB courses," she says. “I don’t feel like I was challenged or learned a lot."

Her experience in school left an indelible impact on Gama’s approach to education.

After graduating from Sam Houston High School in 1993, Gama attended Boston University on a full scholarship. Her acceptance to college was a big deal for her family. The opportunity to attend a selective university nearly 2,000 miles away was typically only for students from wealthier neighborhoods. In fact, without a full scholarship and savings from her part-time job, Gama would not have been able to go to college.

Inspired by her mother, who had served as a cafeteria worker before going back to school for her GED and becoming a co-teacher, upon graduation Gama joined Teach For America, a national corps of high-achieving leaders who commit to teach in underserved communities for at least two years.

Gama was assigned to teach elementary school in Donna, Texas, along the Texas-Mexico border. As a teacher, Gama loved motivating students who, much like herself, exhibited potential despite their location or socioeconomic status.

After one successful year of teaching, Gama was nominated by her peers as Teacher of the Year. However, she was still troubled by her students’ low learning levels. Many of her fourth graders struggled to read first grade books. She knew that if nothing changed, most of her students would fall victim to the achievement gap or disparities between students of different socioeconomic, or ethnic groups.

Through no fault of their own, her students were losing the possibility of a college and career of their choice.

It was around this time that Gama met another corps member on campus, Tom Torkelson, who was also concerned with the educational landscape in Donna. Both decided to do something about their students’ learning gaps by launching an after-school program for students at Moya Elementary called IDEA, which focused on student achievement and college readiness.

“The students had so much potential. We knew we could close these huge gaps, but we needed our kids to get [to school] earlier, stay later, and come in on Saturdays," she says. “We knew if we could get that extra time, we would get our kids on grade level by the end of the next year."

Gama with her husband Juan, and their two children, Gael and Jimena, both IDEA Edinburg students.

Both Gama and Torkelson pitched the idea to students and families and were overwhelmed with the response.

They had more families sign up for the program than they could accommodate — a sign that families were ready for a better education for their children.

“I think parents had high expectations of their kids and believed that their kids could do more and learn more," says Gama. “They realized their kids were behind and just needed more time, more instruction, and better teachers."

Gama and Torkelson launched the after-school program and taught students as much as possible outside of traditional school hours. At the end of the year, Gama and Torkelson were pleased with the program and its results.

Unfortunately, two new elementary schools were opening in northern Donna, and Moye Elementary was set to close.

The students who had been in the IDEA after-school program would now be scattered and attend elementary and middle schools they were zoned for.

Gama says the team tried to petition to keep the students they had worked so hard with, but their hands were tied.

The team knew they had to do something to retain students to really make an impact, so they decided to apply for a charter and form their own school.

In March 2000, IDEA’s charter was approved, and both Gama and Torkelson began the arduous task of hiring staff, planning curriculum, recruiting students, and securing a location for the school before it opened in August.

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20 YEARS OF VISIONARY LEADERSHIP

I.D .

y em

. Acad A .

E

IDEA Academy’s first logo. The school was founded in August of 2000 with just 150 students attending classes in old classrooms at the First Baptist Church in Donna.

Some of IDEA’s first students post with Founder and CEO Emeritus Tom Torkelson in 2000.

"We practiced our pitch together and started with the families who had been in the program, just sharing our vision and mission," recalls Gama. “We thought we would have to twist some arms to get them to come to IDEA, but the families were so excited and even introduced us to other families they knew. So those original founding students were from a lot of the same colonias as our original students."

"We made promises to parents and kids, and we had those families who could talk about how we delivered on those promises, so I think that’s what helped us hit enrollment," adds Gama.

IDEA Academy successfully opened in August of 2000 at the First Baptist Church in Donna with 150 students in grades 4-8 with just 25 staff members. However, the first day was not without incident.

“Tom was 45 minutes late to school on the first day because we had been up the night before at the school until 4 a.m. painting classrooms, fixing a ceiling fan and getting the AC working ," Gama says with amusement. “At the end of the day, we got a call that one of our buses caught on fire. So we rushed out there to find that our students had all made it safely home in a pickup truck, and not a single parent complained."

Without a real lunchroom or playground area, students spent most of the school day in old Sunday school classrooms. However, what the school lacked in facilities was more than made up for in passion and dedication. Gama and Torkelson even chose to continue teaching to remain close to the students.

“Some people were saying here are these two 24-year-olds leading a school and managing teachers, and they’ve only taught three years," says Gama. “But teaching was a great way to stay close to the kids. The arrangement allowed us to remain in the classroom while learning about the profession at the same time."

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Parents were pleased with the progress they saw.

However, since IDEA only offered limited grade levels, students were “aged out" and had to attend nearby districts only to get lost in the system again. As the demand for high school and early elementary grades grew, Gama and Torkelson started planning to turn IDEA into a full-scale school, offering grades K-12.

After adding a new grade level each year, IDEA’s first graduating class celebrated with a modest ceremony in the spring of 2007. The milestone would be one of many to come; soon plans were made to add even more campuses around the Rio Grande Valley.

The expansion did not stop there. As IDEA’s co-founder, president, and superintendent, Gama helped lead the replication efforts of the flagship school so that more scholars can realize their dream of graduating from college.

Over the past 20 years, IDEA Public Schools has become the fastest-growing network of tuition-free, pre-K-12 public charter schools in the United States with 53,000 collegebound students in 96 schools across Texas and Louisiana, and there are plans for new schools to open in 2021 in Florida and Ohio in 2022.

Gama’s experience as an unchallenged student in a lowperforming school district continues to be the driving force behind her mission to provide a rigorous college-bound education with AP courses for every student.

To date, IDEA college preparatory schools in the Rio Grande Valley have been ranked among the top-performing schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 12 consecutive years, and most recently, 15 eligible IDEA college preparatory schools were ranked among the top 1% of the most challenging high schools in the nation by the Jay Mathews Challenge Index High School Rankings, formerly known as The Washington Post rankings.

20 YEARS OF VISIONARY LEADERSHIP

IDEA’s founding teachers and faculty pose for a group photo in the early 2000’s.

Gama says the secret to IDEA’s many successes lies in its people.

“When people apply to work at IDEA, they are applying because they see our mission and want to commit to it," she says. “We look for dedicated educators that fit our mission.

People who truly believe that all students can and should go to a four-year college or university, regardless of their zip code or background."

Many often overlook the importance of serving all students with the same level of commitment.

“People always think that IDEA serves a particular type of student, and not that’s true. We serve all different kinds of students who need and deserve to have the best educators," she says. “I do think we have a particular type of parent who is looking for a choice and who has decided that their current school is not meeting their kids’ needs, but IDEA does not have one type of student."

For her contributions to education, Gama received the prestigious Peter Jennings Award for Civic Leadership in 2009 and was appointed to President Barack Obama’s White House Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in 2010.

In 2018, Gama was inducted into the National Charter School Hall of Fame alongside co-founder Tom Torkelson, and they were both named Texans of the Year Finalists by The Dallas Morning News in 2019. Gama was also recently honored by Teach For America with the Alumni Leadership Award in the Rio Grande Valley.

Gama poses with Amber Montiel and Yaritza Garza, two of IDEA’s founding students, on graduation day from Gama’s alma mater, Boston University.

In April 2020, Gama was appointed IDEA’s Chief Executive Officer and tasked with leading IDEA into its next chapter.

As she reflects on the last 20 years, Gama says there are many points of pride. Still, a personal favorite is seeing Amber Montiel and Yaritza Garza, one of IDEA’s founding students, graduate from Gama’s alma mater, Boston University.

“I was thrilled when Amber and Yari decided to go to Boston University and promised them that when she graduated from college, I would be there," says Gama, who took her entire family back to Boston for the ceremony.

With IDEA’s solid track record of student success, Gama says she hopes IDEA’s students and alumni continue to pay it forward.

“I want our students to continue to change trajectories for themselves, their siblings and their families, and remain civic-minded," she says. “I dream of the day when I’m in a room full of state and national leaders and discover that one of them graduated from an IDEA school. That would be powerful." ♦

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RESOURCES FOR BACK TO SCHOOL

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IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL TIME! Team & Family, now is the time to submit your Annual Forms as part two of the re-registration process for the 2020-21 school year! The next step is to log in to your STREAM account and upload your required forms before the first day of school.

VISIT IDEAPUBLICSCHOOLS.ORG/BACK2SCHOOL2020 for quick and easy steps and answers to frequent questions, back to school information, supply lists, and more resources.

BATON ROUGE AND NEW ORLEANS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6 RIO GRANDE VALLEY

MONDAY, AUGUST 10 AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, TARRANT COUNTY AND PERMIAN BASIN

TUESDAY, AUGUST 11 HOUSTON

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13 EL PASO

MONDAY, AUGUST 17 If you’re new to IDEA and still need to register for the 2020-21 school year, please visit ideapublicschools.org/registration.

For questions or concerns, please email info@ideapublicschools.org.

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// UNIFORM GUIDE 2020

IDEA’S DRESS CODE AND UNIFORM POLICY Professional, color-coded school uniforms help students focus on what matters most at school - learning!

IDEA Public Schools continuously strives to create a positive school culture so that our students can focus on learning. This means paying attention to every detail, big and small, to ensure that our students succeed academically and #BeyondTheClassroom.

We believe that school uniforms have a beneficial impact on students’ self esteem, attendance, graduation rates, and discipline. Uniforms eliminate unnecessary distractions (such as who has the coolest tennis shoes), and ensure students’ focus remains on academic success. Uniforms are an important part of the IDEA culture.

1

POLO SHIRT

IDEA Polo Shirt

Color depends on grade level: Blue: K - 5th, 8th; Red: 6th & 10th; Orange: 7th & 11th; Green: 9th; Black: 12th No Excuses embroidered shirts are required in all regions except for Southern Louisiana.

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BELT

3

PANTS

Plain black leather belt for 2nd grade and up

Flat front khaki pants

(Poly cotton twill material recommended; no jeans; no cargo)

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SHOES

All black shoes with black laces and black soles.

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// UNIFORM GUIDE 2020

OVERALL APPEARANCE MALE STUDENTS: Short, clean-cut hair (above the neck), natural hair color, no mohawks or shaved hair designs, and no facial hair FEMALE STUDENTS: Combed hair and natural-looking hair color, only light makeup for young women in grades 9 - 12

POLO SHIRT IDEA embroidered polo shirt Polo shirt must be long enough to be tucked in IDEA scholars who are engaged in distance learning and attending school online should wear their branded IDEA polo shirt Monday through Thursday.

SPIRIT SHIRT School spirit shirt with jeans (or college shirt) can be worn on Friday and during other principal designated days OUTERWEAR IDEA embroidered jackets or hoodies may be worn in the classroom and to/from school Jackets in IDEA blue w/gold accent from approved vendor or same style jacket in IDEA-designated school colors.

Non IDEA embroidered sweatshirts may only be worn to/from school and during extracurricular activities IDEA blue eece lined jacket BELT Plain black belt No embellishment (studs, ornate buckles, cutouts, etc.)

BOTTOMS Monday - Thursday: khaki style pants in approved styles and colors Friday: blue jeans with no holes, tears, studs, or designs No khaki or skinny jeans, cargo pants, cargo shorts, leggings or jeggings Skirts and shorts must be knee length HATS All hats or headbands can be worn to/from school but shall not be worn into classrooms or hallways.

Exceptions may be made by the Principal during cold-weather months.

JEWELRY No body piercings (eyebrows, nose, face, tongue, etc.)

No earrings of any kind for male students Earrings for female students must not be larger than 1 inch SHOES All black sneakers with black laces and soles No boots, heels, sandals, wheels, lights, or open toe shoes.

White or black socks

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// UNIFORM GUIDE 2018 // UNIFORM GUIDE 2018 // UNIFORM // UNIFORM GUIDE GUIDE 2018 2018

BACK TO SCHOOL // UNIFORM GUIDE 2020

POLO SHIRTS: // // UNIFORM UNIFORM GUIDE GUIDE 2018 2018 POLO SHIRTS: POLO POLO SHIRTS: SHIRTS: POLO SHIRTS

Short Sleeve, Now Available! $9.95 - $13.00 + Tax Short Sleeve, Now Available! $9.95 - $13.00 + Tax Short Short Sleeve, Sleeve, Now Now Available!

Available! $9.95 $9.95 - $13.00 - $13.00 + Tax + Tax

POLO SHIRTS:

Shirts available at select locations and ideashirts.net. All locations will have inventory by June 1.

GRADES: K-5, 8 GRADES: K-5, 8 GRADES: GRADES: K-5, K-5, 8 8

GRADES: 6, 10 GRADES: 6, 10 GRADES: GRADES: 6, 6, 1010

Short Sleeve, Now Available! $9.95 - $13.00 + Tax

OUTERWEAR: GRADES: K-5, 8 GRADES: 6, 10 GRADES: 6, 10 OUTERWEAR: OUTERWEAR:

GRADES: PRE-K – 5, 8 OUTERWEAR:

GRADES: 7, 11 GRADES: 7, 11 GRADES: GRADES: 7, 7, 11 11

GRADE: 9 GRADE: 9 GRADE: GRADE: 9 9

GRADE: 12 GRADE: 12 GRADE: GRADE: 1212

GRADES: 7, 11 GRADES: 7, 11

GRADE: 9 GRADES: 9

GRADE: 12 GRADES: 12

Mid-Weight, Available Mid-June Fleece, Available Mid-June Light Weight, Available Mid-June Mid-Weight, Available Mid-June Fleece, Available Light(Available Weight, Available Mid-June (Available at RGV ProDirect-McAllen (Available at selectMid-June locations at all approved Mid-Weight, Mid-Weight, Available Available Mid-June Mid-June Fleece, Fleece, Available Available Mid-June Mid-June Light Light Weight, Weight, Available Available Mid-June Mid-June OUTERWEAR: (Available at RGV ProDirect-McAllen (Available at select locations (Available at all approved and at www.ideashirts.net) and www.ideashirts.net) locations and www.ideashirts.net) (Available (Available RGV at RGV ProDirect-McAllen ProDirect-McAllen (Available (Available at select at select locations locations (Available (Available at all at all approved approved Jackets available at select locations and ideashirts.net.

All locations will have inventory by June 1.

OUTERWEAR and www.ideashirts.net) and www.ideashirts.net) locations and www.ideashirts.net) and and www.ideashirts.net) www.ideashirts.net) and and www.ideashirts.net) www.ideashirts.net) locations locations and and www.ideashirts.net) www.ideashirts.net) Mid-Weight, Available Mid-June Fleece, Available Mid-June Light Weight, Available Mid-June $40 + Tax $25.00 - $27.00 + Tax $23.50 - $25.50 + Tax $33.50 + Tax $40 + Tax $25.00 at - $27.00 + Tax $23.50 - $25.50 + Tax $33.50 + Taxat RGV ProDirect-McAllen (Available (Available select locations (Available at all approved $40 $40 + Tax + Tax $25.00 $25.00 - $27.00 - $27.00 + Tax + Tax $23.50 $23.50 - $25.50 - $25.50 + Tax + Tax $33.50 $33.50 + Tax + Tax and www.ideashirts.net) and www.ideashirts.net) locations and www.ideashirts.net) $23.50 - $25.50 + Tax

$33.50 + Tax

ALL IDEA CAMPUSES ALL IDEA CAMPUSES LIGHT WEIGHT ALL ALL IDEA IDEA CAMPUSES CAMPUSES

MID-WEIGHT

ALL IDEA CAMPUSES ACCESSORIES:

Samples below

ACCESSORIES:

Samples below

Sample images below.

ACCESSORIES Samples below ACCESSORIES: Samples Samples below below ACCESSORIES: ACCESSORIES:

4 4 4 4 42

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IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

4

$40 + Tax

$25.00 - $27.00 + Tax

FLEECE

BACK TO SCHOOL // UNIFORM GUIDE 2020

BOYS BOTTOMS

// UNIFORM GUIDE 2018 Refer to the sample images below before purchasing at retail locations.

BOYS BOTTOMS: Refer to the sample images below before purchasing at retail locations.

SHORTS SHORTS

PANTS PANTS

FLEX PANTS // UNIFORM GUIDE 2018 FLEX PANTS // UNIFORM GUIDE 2018

BOYS BOTTOMS: Refer to the sample images below before purchasing at retail locations.

BOYS BOTTOMS: Refer to the sample images below before purchasing at retail locations.

SHORTS SHORTS

PANTS PANTS

FLEX PANTS FLEX PANTS

GIRLS BOTTOMS: Refer to the sample images below before purchasing at retail locations.

SHORTS SKORTS CAPRIS Refer to the sample images below before purchasing at retail locations.

GIRLS BOTTOMS GIRLS BOTTOMS: Refer to the sample images below before purchasing at retail locations.

GIRLS BOTTOMS: Refer to the sample images below before purchasing at retail locations.

SHORTS SKORTS CAPRIS SHORTS SKORTS CAPRIS SHORTS *must include shorts SKORTS CAPRIS for activities.

PANTS

FLEX PANTS

PANTS PANTS PANTS

FLEX PANTS FLEX PANTS FLEX PANTS

5

5 5

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// UNIFORM GUIDE 2020

BACK TO SCHOOL

POLO SHIRTS:

Short

POLO SIZING CHART

Uniform shirts tend to run slimmer compared to national brands, but experience little to no shrinkage.

CHEST MEASUREMENT

GRADES: K-5, 8 SIZE

CHEST SIZE

Youth X-Small

23” - 24”

Youth Small

24” - 26”

Youth Medium

26” - 28”

Youth Large

30” - 32”

Youth XL

32” - 34”

Adult Small

34” - 36”

Adult Medium

38” - 40”

Adult Large

42” - 44”

Adult X-Large

46” - 48”

Adult 2X-Large

50” - 52”

Adult 3X-Large

53” - 56”

Adult 4X-Large

57” - 60”

Adult 5X-Large

61” - 64”

GRADES

OUTERWEAR:

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IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

Light Weight, Available Mid-June (Available at all approved locations and www.ideashirts.net)

// UNIFORM GUIDE 2020

BACK TO SCHOOL

UNIFORM FAQ Q: Why are we enforcing uniform standards consistently across IDEA Public Schools?

A: IDEA Public Schools believes that uniforms play an important role in maintaining a culture of focused learning and positive behavior, and in many respects, the image of IDEA Public Schools. Uniforms promote a sense of school identity and cohesion, helping to raise the standards of school academics and prepare students for success in college and citizenship.

Q: Why do we have the same uniform standards Pre-K – 12?

A: The only variation in uniforms by grade level is the color of the polo shirt. It is important to share uniform standards across the organization. In most instances, Academy and College Prep schools are located on one campus. Younger students learn and emulate older students. In turn, older students serve as role models. Unifying standards allows for consistency in and across all of our schools.

Q: Why are male students required to have short clean-cut hair (above the neck)?

A: Clean-cut hair eliminates unnecessary distractions (i.e. who has the coolest hair style or color?). Extreme, eccentric, trendy haircuts or hairstyles are not acceptable. If students use dyes, tints, or bleaches, they must choose those that result in a natural hair color. Colors that detract from a professional student appearance are prohibited.

Q: Why can’t we have slight variation in the standards, our own shoes for example?

A: Experts say that standard uniforms reduce peer pressure by removing attention from economic and social differences among students. They also find that standard uniforms save parents money, time, and energy.

For these reasons, IDEA Public Schools is committed to making sure that IDEA students’ uniforms are the same across all schools.

Q: Why do we have approved vendors?

A: We have approved vendors for two reasons: IDEA Public Schools has approved vendors in order to ensure the most competitive pricing and consistency for all IDEA parents and students. Our vendors are dedicated to superior customer service and serving IDEA families.

Q: What if people are not able to afford the uniform requirements?

A: We understand that uniform costs can be expensive, particularly for our lowest-income families and those families with multiple children. We have worked with our approved vendors to provide the most cost effective and durable product possible. If the uniform expenses represent a hardship for families, we will work with them during and throughout the school year to ensure all students are in uniform.

Q: What are the uniform requirements if my child is attending school online via distance learning?

A: IDEA scholars who are engaged in distance learning and attending school online should wear their branded IDEA polo shirt Monday through Thursday. On Fridays, scholars may wear a t-shirt with the college of their choice. For more information on uniforms, visit ideapublicschools.org/parents/uniform-guides

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BACK TO SCHOOL

// UNIFORM GUIDE 2020

APPROVED VENDORS

Due to COVID-19, stores are currently closed to in-store shopping. We strongly encourage you to call your local store to determine their hours, curbside options, and appointment options. More information will be made available regarding hours via your campus Facebook page.

If clothing size changes are required prior to the beginning of the school year, you may exchange items at your local store. However, clothing must be unworn and unwashed, and proof of purchase is required.

RIO GRANDE VALLEY

AUSTIN

1. RGV PRO DIRECT

1. TODAY’S STYLE #1

2. DICKIES FACTORY STORE

2. TODAY’S STYLE #2

1913 W HOUSTON AVE. MCALLEN, TX 78501 956-627-6161 506 S. NEVADA WESLACO, TX 78596 956-280-5209

1900 N. EXPRESSWAY 77/83 BROWNSVILLE, TX 78521 (956) 280-5209

3. CHUY’S CUSTOM SPORTS 1975 US-77 BUS SAN BENITO, TX 78586 956-399-5685

4. FABY’S EMBROIDERY & UNIFORMS 603 E. 2ND ST. RIO GRANDE CITY, TX 78582 956-487-0751

LOUISIANA 1. YOUNG FASHIONS SCHOOL UNIFORMS 11111 COURSEY BLVD. BATON ROUGE, LA 70816 225-766-1010 5700 CROWDER BLVD. NEW ORLEANS, LA 70127 504-841-0377

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IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

1915 E. RIVERSIDE DR. AUSTIN, TX 78741 512-447-000

4631 AIRPORT BLVD., #104 AUSTIN, TX 78751 512-300-2772

3. AUSTIN UNIFORM SHOP 5510 S IH 35 FRONTAGE RD. AUSTIN, TX 78745 512-785-0855

HOUSTON 1. THE UNIFORM SUPER STORE

IDEA UNIFORM GARMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE STARTING JUNE 1, 2020.

12300 NORTH FWY HOUSTON, TX 77060 281-876-1552

EL PASO 1. MEX-TEX UNIFORMS

1155 N. ZARAGOZA RD. #B101 EL PASO, TX 79907 915-858-1465 1850 HUNTER DR. #105 EL PASO, TX 79915 915-590-1965

BACK TO SCHOOL

// UNIFORM GUIDE 2020

APPROVED VENDORS

Due to COVID-19, stores are currently closed to in-store shopping. We strongly encourage you to call your local store to determine their hours, curbside options, and appointment options. More information will be made available regarding hours via your campus Facebook page.

If clothing size changes are required prior to the beginning of the school year, you may exchange items at your local store. However, clothing must be unworn and unwashed, and proof of purchase is required.

SAN ANTONIO

TARRANT COUNTY

1. RGV PRO DIRECT

1. ACADEMIC OUTFITTERS

2. BEACONS

2. DOROTHY’S SCRUBS

10720 PERRIN BEITEL RD. SAN ANTONIO, TX 78217 210-647-6227

321 N. NEW BRAUNFELS SAN ANTONIO, TX 78202 210-223-3311

3. NATIONAL OUTDOORS 5600 BANDERA RD. SAN ANTONIO, TX 78216 210-680-3322

5945 POSEY LN HALTOM CITY, TX 76117 817-840-6270

IDEA UNIFORM GARMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE STARTING JUNE 1, 2020.

1220 PENNSYLVANIA AVE FORT WORTH, TX 76104 817-332-7580

6900 SAN PEDRO AVE. #117 SAN ANTONIO, TX 78238 210-979-8111

4. STREET GEAR

1717 SW. MILITARY DR. SAN ANTONIO, TX 78221 210-932-4327

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INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS LOW-COST FOR QUALIFYING FAMILIES IDEA is committed to ensuring each of our scholars have the tools and resources needed to be successful this school year. If you are searching for affordable connectivity options, the following Internet service providers offer special rates for qualifying families. Please contact one of the providers below to see if you qualify for reduced rates and learn more.

SERVICE PROVIDER

AT&T

PROGRAM

AT&T Access

STATES/REGIONS

Texas Louisiana

MONTHLY COST

$10/mo

REQUIREMENTS

• Household participates in Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) • NSLP/FARM award letter and proof of enrollment

HOW TO SIGN UP

Online application form: att.com/internet/access

Note: eligibility requirements extended due COVID-19 crisis, check website for adjusted income limits.

SPECTRUM

COMCAST XFINITY

COX

SUDDENLINK (ALTICE)

CENTURYLINK

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Spectrum Internet Assist

Xfinity Internet Essentials

Connect2Compete

Altice Advantage Internet

CenturyLink Internet Basics

IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

Texas: Austin El Paso RGV San Antonio Tarrant County

Houston, TX

Southern Louisiana

Texas: Midland Pflugerville

Texas: Austin Forth Worth Houston San Antonio

$14.99/mo

• National School Lunch Program (NSLP) • Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the NSLP • Supplemental Security Income (for applicants age 65+ only)

$9.95/mo

• Eligible for public assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI and others.

• Live in an area where Comcast Internet service is available.

• Are not an existing Xfinity Internet customer and have not subscribed to Comcast Internet within the last 90 days.

• Have no outstanding debt to Comcast that is less than one year old. Families with outstanding debt that's more than one year old may still be eligible

$9.95/mo

$14.95/mo

$9.95/mo

Participate in one or more of the following government subsidy programs: • National School Lunch Program (NSLP) • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • Public Housing • Have not subscribed to Cox Internet service within the last 90 days • Have no outstanding debt or unreturned equipment with Cox (Families can pay off their bill or return equipment then sign up) Not specified • Federal Public Housing Assistance / Section 8 • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • Medicaid • Health Benefits Coverage under Child Health Plan (CHIP) • Chapter 62 • Total household income at or below 150% of the Federal • Poverty Guidelines

PDF applications available for download from the website (English & Spanish):

spectrum.com/browse/ content/spectrum-internet-assist

Online application form: xfinity.com/support/ articles/comcast-broadband-opportunity-program

cox.com/residential/internet/connect2compete. html

apply.alticeadvantageinternet.com/main

PDF Form ecfsapi.fcc.gov/ file/60001329493.pdf

TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION At IDEA Public Schools, the journey to and from school each day is an extension of classroom learning.

HERE ARE THE TWO WAYS TO ACCESS YOUR TRANSPORTATION ROUTES: HERE COMES THE BUS® APPLICATION:

When students consistently use their bus pass, this application enables parents to see, in real time, where their child’s bus is and when and where their child got on or off. This easy-to-use technology is free.

Simply download the Here Comes the Bus® application on your smartphone, create a secure account, add your children, and you’re all set!

IDEA’s school code for Texas is: 83127 IDEA’s school code for Louisiana is: 87857 To sign up or to learn more about Here Comes the Bus® and Scholar Ridership, visit: herecomesthebus.com POWERSCHOOL:

Log into PowerSchool and click on the transportation tab. From there, you can log into PowerSchool to register for transportation (student route should be available within 2 business days of submission) or verify your child’s bus stop information.

CAMPUS TRANSPORTATION MANAGER CONTACT INFORMATION To ensure the safe transportation of your child to and from school, we ask that you contact your campus transportation manager if you have any questions regarding your bus assignment or bus stop.

IDEA Alamo (956) 975-1403

IDEA Hardy (713) 304-6837

IDEA North Mission (956) 332-9916

IDEA Riverview (956) 678-6541

IDEA Tres Lagos (956) 309-1825

IDEA Bridge 956) 650-3499

IDEA Harlingen 956-363-3830

IDEA Oscar Dunn 956-343-3685

IDEA Robindale 956-332-6671

IDEA Weslaco (956) 373-5570

IDEA Brownsville (956) 373-4033

IDEA Innovation (225) 241-0698

IDEA Owassa (956) 272-4291

IDEA San Benito (956) 647-7618

IDEA Weslaco Pike (956) 332-4451

IDEA Donna (956) 373-6152

IDEA Los Encinos 956-351-1089

IDEA Palmview 956-363-3896

IDEA San Juan (956) 369-4738

IDEA Edinburg (956) 647-7635

IDEA McAllen (956) 647-7382

IDEA Pharr (956) 369-9239

IDEA Spears 713-210-9011

IDEA Elsa (956) 272-3295

IDEA Mission (956) 607-9662

IDEA Quest (956) 369-7254

IDEA Sports Park 956-363-7023

IDEA Frontier (956) 371-9916

IDEA Montopolis (512) 993-7153

IDEA Rio Grande City (956) 256-0160

IDEA Toros 956-272-8976

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STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES

The Health Services Team provides basic first aid to students with minor injuries and illnesses. The clinic staff members tend to students’ medical needs, maintain student medical records, conduct state-mandated health screenings, and communicate regularly with parents and staff members.

IMPORTANT!

State law requires students attending school to be immunized against certain vaccine-preventable diseases.

All student records must be current before the first day of school in order to attend. Students whose records are non-compliant will not be allowed to attend school until they are updated..

If you choose not to vaccinate your child, you must submit a valid exemption to the campus before the first day of school.

Getting your child vaccinated protects your child’s health and that of the community. If necessary, please make an appointment to get your child vaccinated before the first day of school Remember, students cannot attend school without the appropriate documentation.

PRE-K (4-YEAR-OLDS) • 4 doses of DPT/DTaP/DT/TdaP/Td • 3 doses Polio • 1 dose MMR received on or after the 1st birthday • 3 doses Hib (one of which must be on or after 12 months) or 1 dose Hib after 15 months of age • 2 doses Hepatitis A received on or after 1st birthday • 3 doses Hepatitis B • Pneumococcal Conjugate (Prevnar, PCV7)—3 doses given with 1 dose given after the age of 12 months, or 2 doses if given between 12-24 months, or 1 dose if given after 24 months • 1 dose Varicella on or after the 1st birthday (if child has not had chickenpox) * TEXAS For information regarding immunization exemption in Texas, visit:

https://www.dshs.texas.gov/immunize/school/exemptions.aspx 2020 - 2021 Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements for Students Grades K - 12

This chart summarizes the vaccine requirements incorporated in the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 25 Health Services, §§97.61-97.72. This document is not intended as a substitute for the TAC, which has other provisions and details. The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is granted authority to set immunization requirements by the Texas Education Code, Chapter 38.

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS A student shall show acceptable evidence of vaccination prior to entry, attendance, or transfer to a public or private elementary or secondary school in Texas.

Minimum Number of Doses Required by Grade Level Grades K - 6th Grade 7th Grades 8th - 12th K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Vaccine Required (Attention to notes and footnotes) Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP/DTP/DT/Td/Tdap)

5 doses or 4 doses

Polio

3 dose primary series and 1 booster dose of Tdap / Td within the last 5 years

3 dose primary series and 1 booster dose of Tdap / Td within the last 10 years

4 doses or 3 doses

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)

2

2 doses

2

Hepatitis B

3 doses 2, 3

Varicella

2 doses

Meningococcal (MCV4) 1 dose Hepatitis A2

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2 doses

Notes For K – 6th grade: 5 doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine; 1 dose must have been received on or after the 4th birthday. However, 4 doses meet the requirement if the 4th dose was received on or after the 4th birthday.1 For students aged 7 years and older, 3 doses meet the requirement if 1 dose was received on or after the 4th birthday.1 For 7th grade: 1 dose of Tdap is required if at least 5 years have passed since the last dose of tetanus-containing vaccine.* For 8th – 12th grade: 1 dose of Tdap is required when 10 years have passed since the last dose of tetanus-containing vaccine.* *Td is acceptable in place of Tdap if a medical contraindication to pertussis exists.

For K – 12th grade: 4 doses of polio; 1 dose must be received on or after the 4th birthday.1 However, 3 doses meet the requirement if the 3rd dose was received on or after the 4th birthday.1 For K – 12th grade: 2 doses are required, with the 1st dose received on or after the 1st birthday. 1 Students vaccinated prior to 2009 with 2 doses of measles and one dose each of rubella and mumps satisfy this requirement.

For students aged 11 – 15 years, 2 doses meet the requirement if adult hepatitis B vaccine (Recombivax®) was received. Dosage (10 mcg /1.0 mL) and type of vaccine (Recombivax®) must be clearly documented. If Recombivax® was not the vaccine received, a 3-dose series is required.

For K – 12th grade: 2 doses are required, with the 1st dose received on or after the 1st birthday.1 For 7th – 12th grade, 1 dose of quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine is required on or after the student’s 11th birthday.

NOTE: If a student received the vaccine at 10 years of age, this will satisfy the requirement.

For K – 11th grade: 2 doses are required, with the 1st dose received on or after the 1st birthday.1

NOTE: Shaded area indicates that the vaccine is not required for the respective grade. ↓ Notes on the back page, please turn over.↓

IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

Rev. 01/2020

BACK TO SCHOOL LOUISIANA For information regarding immunization exemptions in Louisiana, visit:

http://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/2846

Louisiana School Immunization Entry Requirements1 Vaccine type

Doses required for entry into Kindergarten2 - 12th grade

Diphtheria Tetanus Acellular Pertussis vaccine (DTaP)

5 doses in student record at kindergarten entry and for entry into all subsequent grades thereafter3

Poliovirus vaccine (IPV)

4 doses in student record at kindergarten entry and for entry into all subsequent grades thereafter4

Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine (MMR)

2 doses in student record at kindergarten entry and for entry into all subsequent grades thereafter

Hepatitis B vaccine (HepB)

3 doses in student record at kindergarten entry and for entry into all subsequent grades thereafter

Varicella vaccine (VAR)

2 doses in student record at kindergarten entry and for entry into all subsequent grades thereafter

Tetanus Diphtheria Acellular Pertussis vaccine (Tdap)

1 dose in student record at 6th grade entry and for entry into all subsequent grades thereafter; or starting with any student 11 years of age in any grade

Meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY)

1 dose in student record at 6th grade entry and for entry into all subsequent grades thereafter, through the 10th grade; or starting with any student 11 years of age in any grade 2 doses in student record at 11th grade entry and for entry into all subsequent grades thereafter; or starting with any student 16 years of age in any grade (NEW FOR 2019)

Requirements are in accordance with Louisiana Revised Statute 17:170 and Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 51, Section I-701.

2 Entry requirement exception for students who are four years of age when entering kindergarten at start of school year: To attend kindergarten in Louisiana, students must be five years old by September 30 each school year. Therefore, there are instances where a student is still four years old when entering kindergarten. In these instances, the four-year-old student may be admitted into kindergarten so long as a parent/guardian presents a record indicating that the student is in progress of receiving the required vaccinations. In these instances, follow-up from school staff must be provided for compliance with the above requirements.

3 Those students who received their fourth dose of DTaP at age four or older do not need a fifth dose on record.

4 Those students who received their third dose of IPV at age 4 or older do not need a fourth dose on record.

1

Note: Students can participate in school without the required immunizations listed above if either of the following are presented: 1) a written statement from a physician stating that the procedure is contraindicated for medical reasons; or 2) written dissent from the parent/guardian.

Revised October 2019

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IMMUNIZATION REMINDER Student Immunization Records Summer 2020

DEAR IDEA TEAM & FAMILY, At IDEA Public Schools, the safety and well-being of every student is our top priority. We are committed to ensuring that every IDEA campus is a safe, healthy environment where students can learn. Maintaining high immunization rates in schools is critical to preventing contagious disease outbreaks and ensuring the health of our students. This letter serves as a reminder of IDEA’s expectations regarding student health records.

WHAT IS THE IMMUNIZATION POLICY?

All families must submit updated health records, including current immunization records, during registration every year. All students must be immunized or hold a current, official exemption from the state. Any returning student whose records are not current and on file by the first day of school will not be allowed to attend school until they are received. The 30-day provisional enrollment only applies to new students.

HOW LONG DO FAMILIES HAVE TO SUBMIT UPDATED RECORDS?

All paperwork must be submitted during the registration process before the first day of school every year. Health Aides will notify parents who have uploaded incomplete paperwork or whose records show students are non-compliant with their current vaccinations.

All records must be updated and indicate that students are current on all vaccinations by the first day of school in order to attend.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN STUDENTS NEED UPDATED SHOTS DURING THE YEAR?

Health Aides will run reports monthly and notify parents when their child needs an updated shot. Families will have 30 days from the date of notification to ensure their child receives the noted vaccination(s). If the student has not received subsequent dose(s) of the vaccination within the 30-day period, the student will be deemed non-compliant and will be withdrawn from school attendance until the required dose is administered and updated paperwork is submitted to the school.

WHAT ABOUT STUDENTS WITH STATE EXEMPTIONS?

IDEA will only accept exemptions that are obtained through the state and submitted during registration. We must receive the original affidavit provided by the Department of State Health Services. Conscience exemptions expire every two years, and parents must reapply and re-submit affidavits to ensure student records are updated. Medical exemptions must be updated every year and include the list of specific vaccines the child is exempt from. The exemption must be signed by a physician.

For more information, please visit ideapublicschools.org/parents/health-services.

Thank you, Health Services Department IDEA Public Schools

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IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

This year, IDEA Public Schools hosted the first Plugged In & All in virtual event.

Together we celebrated the strength of our community and generosity of our supporters.

Nearly 1,200 guests joined virtually to celebrate the class or 2020, teachers adapting to an online classroom, and the hard work of our team on the frontlines. We know that these strange times have worn heavy on us all, and we are so grateful that our supporters and communities have been steadfast with us in our mission for College For All. Together we raised over $500,000 to support IDEA seniors and alumni on their journey to and through college.

On behalf of IDEA Public Schools and all our current scholars, alumni and staff, thank you!

IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

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FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

PRINTABLES In preparation for the first day of school, and to make sure you’re ready to take your annual first-day-of-school photograph, we’ve created printables for your use! All you need to do is use the grade level your child is entering this year and snap your photo!

We encourage you to share your photos on social media on BATON ROUGE AND NEW ORLEANS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6 RIO GRANDE VALLEY

MONDAY, AUGUST 10 AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, TARRANT COUNTY AND PERMIAN BASIN

TUESDAY, AUGUST 11 HOUSTON

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13 EL PASO

MONDAY, AUGUST 17 with the hashtag #IDEABack2School.

We look forward to seeing thousands of photos on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

THE JOURNEY DOESN’T END HERE! VISIT IDEAPUBLICSCHOOLS.ORG/IMPACT-MAGAZINE for an interactive IMPACT experience on the web.

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IMPACT 20TH ANNIVERSARY

#IDEABack2School

at IDEA

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PRE-K

TODAY IS MY FIRST DAY OF

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en IDEA

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PRE-K

HOY ES MI PRIMER DIA DE

#IDEABack2School

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!

KINDER

TODAY IS MY FIRST DAY OF

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!

KINDER

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GRADE

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TODAY IS MY FIRST DAY OF

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TODAY IS MY FIRST DAY OF

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12 TH

TODAY IS MY FIRST DAY OF

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