Region One revamps teacher certification program
Throughout the last 50 years, there has been a steady decline in people earning degrees in education. Combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, retirement, extreme burnout and low pay, the Rio Grande Valley is one of the regions facing what has been dubbed a national teacher shortage. However, education researchers recently spoke about how shortage might…
Read MoreMission joins statewide wellness competition
Mayor Norie Gonzalez Garza announced that Mission signed a commitment to participate in the It’s Time Texas Community Challenge — a statewide health and wellness program encouraging Texans to get active. It’s Time Texas is a nonprofit organization that champions a culture of health in Texas by promoting physical activity, nourishing eating habits and optimal…
Read MoreSISD undergoes intruder detection audit
Jan. 10: This article has been updated to include information from the Sharyland ISD public relations department. Sharyland ISD had at least one campus undergo the state-mandated intruder audits in the first half of the school year. The Texas School Safety Center conducts the inspections and determines if unauthorized individuals can enter the building from…
Read MoreSharyland cracks down on student vaping
Sharyland ISD is among the many school systems nationwide trying to stop students from vaping or smoking e-cigarettes on campus. At the Dec. 19 board of trustees meeting, the board approved a contract for vape detectors. Out of eight proposals, the board agreed to a $142,789 contract with Howard Technologies to install the detectors —…
Read MorePillar of Mission community retires
This article originally ran in the Dec. 21, 2022 issue of the Progress Times. After nearly 30 years, Adela Ortega’s time as a City of Mission employee has come to an end. With her last day on Dec. 29, the Missionite reflects on the past three decades as she enters retirement. “Oh, it was wonderful,”…
Read MorePutting Peñitas on the board
This article originally ran in the Dec. 16, 2022 issue of the Progress Times. This week the Peñitas community flocked to the Walmart at 1705 Expressway 83 in the hopes of getting their hands on a tailor-made party game with familiar sites and attractions — Peñitasopoly. The Peñitas-themed board game is a customized version of…
Read MoreDowntown Mission gets official revitalization plan
This article originally ran in the Dec. 16, 2022 issue of the Progress Times. Since the 1990s, the City of Mission has put money toward breathing new life into its downtown district. And although millions of dollars and events have gone toward reviving the area, the city did not have an official plan in the…
Read MoreSISD feels effects of HVAC shortages
Ongoing issues with heating, ventilation and air conditioning supply chains have reached Sharyland ISD, and there is not much district leaders can do about it. The board of trustees approved HVAC building upgrades at Sharyland High School at the November meeting, but the estimated completion date for the project is in 2024. SISD leaders have…
Read MoreComing soon to the City of Mission
City Manager Randy Perez spoke about upcoming initiatives and projects planned for the City of Mission. CONSTRUCTION The old Kmart building on Bryan Road will be a Murdoch’s in the not-too-distant future. The sporting goods and supply store will fill the 100,000 square foot space; it will be the first one in the Valley and…
Read MoreA different kind of Thanksgiving, how a Sharyland educator celebrates
Dr. Leila Flores-Torres has spent the last 20 years traveling for Thanksgiving. Her destinations of choice? Areas with rich Indigenous cultures. Flores-Torres is a Mexican immigrant who has lived in the United States for 26 years. She moved to the U.S. at age 24 after she earned her degree and became a licensed psychologist. Once…
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