Reprint from the Progress Times - August 24, 2007
©Progress Times 2007 - All Rights Reserved

LJISD approves fees for new high schools

By Claralexis Rios

In a regular meeting of the La Joya Independent School District (LJISD) board on August 8, the board heard a presentation by Raymond Gignac from Gignac and Associates LLP about the new high school to be built on the corner of Western Road and Hwy 107. He presented the new high school’s floor plans and announced the estimated construction cost will be $47 million.

The trustees approved the application and certification for payment of contractor’s fees in the amount of $2,720,834 for the new 5-A La Joya High School on Mile Three Road and La Homa Road. According to Lizette Martinez, La Joya ISD Public Relations Officer, this school is planned to be completed in May 2009 and should be ready to house students by August 2009. Once the new high school is opened, it will have a capacity of more than 2,000 students. Students attending this school will be coming from Memorial Middle School and Irene M. Garcia Middle School.

Board member Jose A. Salinas made a motion to approve the proposal submitted by the previously selected engineering firm to survey property in the amount of $10,600 for construction of the new 5-A La Joya High School on Mile Seven Road and Texan Road. Board secretary Johnn Alaniz seconded the motion and the board unanimously agreed. According to Martinez, this school is planned to be completed in May 2010 and should be ready to house students by August 2010. Once the new high school is opened, it will also have a capacity of more than 2,000 students. Students attending this school will be coming from Ann Richards Middle School and proposed Middle School number seven.

Rita M. Garcia-Uresti, school board president, announced that the new principal for John F. Kennedy Elementary is Diane Hinojosa. Hinojosa was the Dean of Instruction/Assistant Principal at La Joya Senior High School.

Board member Jose A. Salinas made a motion to approve the renewal of self-funded medical/dental insurance plan services which include American Administrative Group for Third Party Administrator, Scriptcare for PMB-Prescription Drug Card Services, HealthSmart for PPO Networks Services, Q Elements for Utilization Review, Interface EAP for the EAP Program, Standard Life for Stop-Loss Carrier and Sunlife for Basic Life Insurance at approximately $19 million. The board unanimously approved the action.

The board also approved changes to the Medical Plan document that will become effective on Sept. 1, 2007. The first benefit change is the coverage of all Mexico charges billed by Plaza Internacional Hospital from Mexico. These charges will be paid as Out-of Network with a 20 percent discount. Second, the plan will now cover Morbid Obesity up to a maximum payable of $4,000 per plan year. Finally, each hearing aid replacement will be covered every five years.

The trustees also recognized and presented Michael Acevedo, Jr., an 8th grade student at Garcia Middle School, a certificate for being selected to participate at Southern Methodist University’s Talented and Gifted (TAG) Program due to his high SAT or ACT scores.

The TAG program offers intellectual challenges and exciting learning experiences to academically accelerated students completing the seventh, eighth, or ninth grade. It also gives students the opportunity to participate in two courses that include both noncredit and college credit courses.

Michael was offered a scholarship from the Hearst Foundation to attend SMU during the summer session. While he was there, he took a class in Mechanical Engineering and received a B. This class will be included in his transcript for college courses.

Michael was offered a scholarship from the Hearst Foundation to attend SMU during the summer session. While he was there, he took a class in Mechanical Engineering and received a B. This class will be included in his transcript for college classes.