2018
Look for our 2018 Back to School Special Edition inside
Friday, August 10, 2018
www.ptrgv.com | 50 Cents
Vol. 46 No. 52
MCISD teacher one of six finalists for 2019 Texas Teacher of the Year award
By Jamie Treviño
For Rhonda Peña, teaching isn’t a profession, it’s a calling. Peña was recently honored as the Region One Elementary Teacher of the Year. She has now been named one of six finalists for 2019 Texas Teacher of the Year. She will be called for an interview on Sept. 13 in Austin, and the final selection will be made on Sept. 14. The awards program is facilitated by the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA). A 5th grade math teacher at Bryan Elementary School, Peña has been with the Mission Consolidated Independent School District for 25 years, and has been teaching for 28. She credits God and her family for her achievements so far. “The most important thing to me is that it gives recognition to our profession and also to our district and Bryan Elementary,” Peña said. “This is my home, and this is where I’ll stay until I retire.”
Peña was awarded the H-E-B Excellence in Education Lifetime Achievement Award last year. She said the announcements are still shocking and exciting. “It means the world to be recognized,” Peña said. “It’s not just my recognition, it’s recognition for our district, and for our school.” Peña originally moved to the Rio Grande Valley from her home state of Minnesota, in order to pursue teaching. Her original plan was to move back after one year. “I grew up in a big family, so they were always encouraging me to learn new things,” Peña said. “As far as getting into math, I credit that to my brothers. My family… they were my first teachers. They gave me the love of learning.” Peña credits her mother for her love of reading. Having big family reunions led to her enjoying babysitting and being around children. “All of those things kind of attributed to my choice,” Peña said. “I always say that teaching is not a profession, it’s a calling.”
Alton holds first National Night Out
By Jose De Leon III With an estimated 38 million citizens in 16,000 communities participating in National Night Out, one small city in the area celebrated this event for the first time. Tuesday marked the 35th annual National Night Out, a nationwide event that promotes relationships between communities and the law enforcement officers that protect them. For the first time ever, the city of Alton participated in this event by holding this community-building event at the Sylvia Vela Park. “This event is for the community, it’s for you guys to come out and enjoy all the good things going on in our community,” Jonathan Flores, Alton’s police chief said to the crowd attending the event. “We want you guys to meet our local department that serves you and also want to develop a strong partnership with the commu-
nity we serve. It’s because of the hard working men and women of law enforcement that we are able to gather and enjoy these activities. I thank you for coming here.” According to Samm Mercado, the city’s recreation director, an estimated 800 people were at the event. Attendees were treated to live music, 38 different vendors who were giving out free snacks and school supplies and 17 local law enforcement agencies from across the Valley. Speakers at the event included Flores, State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, State Rep. Bobbie Guerra, Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra and Hidalgo County District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez. “This is where you get to know officers, you’re not going to show up to the police department and say ‘Oh hi, my name is...’” Theresa Padilla said. She and her-
See ALTON NIGHT OUT Pg. 12
Theresa and Marilya Padilla (left) at Alton’s first ever-National Night Out Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. Progress Times photo by Jose De Leon III.
“I know that God called me to be a teacher,” Peña added. “He granted me with a lot of patience, and just a genuine love of children and
wanting the best for them.” After meeting her husband, who is from Mission, she decided to stay. Peña found an opening at Bryan
Elementary and settled in the Valley. According to Peña, the support from the Mission CISD is what keeps her in
Region One Elementary Teacher of the Year Rhonda Peña (right) and MCISD Superintendent Dr. Carol Perez, after Perez announced that Peña has been selected as one of six finalists for 2019 Texas Teacher of the Year.
the area. “From campus, to administration, the teachers themselves here at Bryan, we are very close,” Peña said. “Whenever you need anything in the district, the coordinators and central office support you, you just need to ask. We are all one team.” New technology and developments in curriculum have kept Peña motivated as a teacher over the years. “I’m very interested in new things with technology,” Peña said. “I never get tired of learning, I never get in a rut.” Peña tries to change things up every year and adjust her style so she can be the best teacher for Bryan Elementary students and keep them excited to learn. “I never do the same thing every year,” Peña said. “I try to make my lessons different just so I don’t get bored with it, because if I get bored with it, then the kids will.” Seeing the “aha moments” in students is, for Peña, the most rewarding thing about her calling.
See MCISD TEACHER Pg. 10
Photo courtesy of MCISD Public Relations and Marketing.
Agua SUD may increase School and community water rates leaders walk over 21 miles
By Dave Hendricks
The Agua Special Utility District board is considering a five-year plan to increase water rates. During a workshop at Schlitterbahn on Aug. 4, the utility board met with Jeff G. Snowden, the president of Frisco-based Capex Consulting Group. The utility board hired Snowden in September 2017 to conduct a comprehensive analysis of operating costs,
tomer would pay about $1.44 more per month, Snowden said. Snowden also suggested the utility district change how the sewer rate is calculated, which would increase sewer bills. The utility district currently calculates residential sewer bills by averaging the three lowest months of water usage from the previous year. Snowden said many utilities use the “winter average” — December, January and February.
to pray at LJISD
Participants in the first walk held from St. Jude’s Catholic Church to the LJISD Central Office in order to pray for students, staff and administrators in the district for the upcoming school year after the completed journey. Photo courtesy of Facebook.
By Jamie Treviño
Agua SUD Board during a workshop at Schlitterbahn. Progress Times photo by Dave Hendricks. debt obligations and the current rate system. After reviewing the numbers, Snowden recommended the utility board increase water rates every year for the next five years. “Systems that don’t do small, gradual, annual increases, they’re the ones that make the paper in five years,” Snowden said, adding that they suffer financial crises when revenue doesn’t cover expenses. “You don’t want to be there.” The average water cus-
Calculating sewer charges based on the winter average would increase customer bills by $1 to $1.25 per month, Snowden said. “Not a huge burden on your ratepayers, but it helps tremendously with your revenue,” Snowden said. The change would also apply to commercial customers, who receive a substantial break on sewer bills under the current system. Some commercial customers
See AGUA SUD Pg. 10
Last week several community members walked from St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Pharr to the La Joya Independent School District central office to hold a prayer service. Led by La Joya ISD Board Member Alejandro “Alex” Cantu, the group began walking at 4 a.m. last Friday morning and finished at the offices close to 12 p.m. This was the first prayer walk to take place for the district, and the group walked about 21.32 miles. “[There is] so much stuff going on around the world right now, especially with our kids,” Alex Cantu said. “I figured since politics and religion don’t mix in the schools, and we’re not going to put this [prayer] in our schools, I
thought we needed God in our schools somehow.” Victoria “Vicky” Cantu, a board member at South Texas College and Alex’s wife, said there was no better way to bring in the new school year. “My husband felt the calling in his heart to fulfill this promise and decided to open the invitation to all community members,” Vicky Cantu said. “My simple motivation was to seek refuge in our Lord Jesus Christ to fulfill a promise to our students, teachers, staff and administration so they know they are not alone and we as community members support them.” According to Alex Cantu, the trek was a way to exercise humility and incorporate prayer for the upcoming school year.
See PRAYER WALK Pg. 10
INSIDE LJISD Election Update Team L1berty has split over the upcoming La Joya ISD school board elections, leading to the creation of a coalition called Un1ted. For the latest, check out the article by Dave Hendricks.
See Pg. 4
INDEX
Entertainment | pg. 2
Memorial held for SISD teacher
MCISD Back to School Bash
Memorial services were held for Sharyland ISD Criminal Justice Professor Rey Molina, who unexpectedly passed last week. Jose De Leon III has the details on the tribute.
The Mission CISD held their 5th annual Back to School Bash last week, drawing large crowds from the three cities served by the district. Jamie Treviño has the coverage, inside.
See Pg. 7
Lifestyle | pg. 3
Obituaries | pg. 9
See Pg. 12
Classifieds | pg. 10