The McAllen school district in 2001 became the first school district in the Rio Grande Valley to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. The city’s business community and the McAllen Chamber of Commerce played a pivotal role in the process. They recognized it as a way to attract businesses and families to the region. The district’s IB students have a home campus where they participate in UIL activities. In 2021,…
McAllen’s ongoing efforts to grow more trees within its urban landscape got a significant boost recently with the Texas A&M Forest Service awarding the local school district a $2.7 million grant. The grant will benefit seven elementary schools that are part of the McAllen Independent School District. Each campus will receive $390,000 to purchase and plant trees over the next three years from the $2,730,000 grant. A key goal at…
The McAllen Independent School District is the home of the Regional Day School Program for The Deaf and has long played a key role in the education of hard-of-hearing students. The McAllen program got its start in 1979 as the Regional School for the Deaf. An Easter Seals donation came to the program in the form of an audiometric booth for conducting student audiological examinations. On March 24, McAllen’s regional…
A walk into Quinta Mazatlan takes patrons into a visual and architectural history of McAllen. It was on this 80-acre site over eight decades ago that adventurer and writer Jason Chilton Matthews built one of the larger adobe homes in Texas. The 10,000-square-foot home stands tall today with a regal dignity overlooking an estate of lush green habitat. Quinta Mazatlan is one part an architectural wonder in how the Spanish…
Two Rio Grande Valley school districts have recently signed Memorandums of Understanding with UTRGV in support of the development and implementation of Collegiate High Schools. The McAllen Independent School District and the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District made the commitment to provide their students additional opportunities to pursue college credit during high school. “The leaders at the McAllen and Edinburg school districts know how important it is for students to…
McAllen Public Library invites the public to pick up a Grab & Go meal bundle as part of the Summer Feeding Program. The imitative aims to provide meals to those ages 18 and under in the most underserved McAllen communities. Starting June 15, families can pick up at the entrance of the McAllen Public Library, 4001 N. 23rd Street. The meal bundles include breakfast and lunch as well as a…
“Be prepared, not scared. Be proactive, not reactive.” ~ Stuart I.R. Haniff. When your mission is to fight hunger and to feed hope, countless people in your community are relying on you to be prepared. Stuart I. R. Haniff, the chief executive officer of the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley Inc., took that mission to heart in preparing his organization’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Haniff and his…
The City of McAllen has recently made free Wi-Fi hot spots available throughout the city. The McAllen Independent School District made available equipment necessary for the connection points to provide the Wi-Fi spots. With public schools across the Rio Grande Valley going virtual through April, many families who do not have internet service in their homes are struggling to find a way to fulfill these assignments. “These are just some…
The City of McAllen is adding to its Women’s History Month celebrations with a recognition of trailblazing women in the community. The focus in previous years was honoring women working in McAllen city government. This year, recognition expands to include female community leaders and their contributions. The women receiving honors this month are: Paula Gonzalez, athletic director, McAllen Independent School District. Alma Johnson, region bank president for Wells Fargo Bank/South…
The McAllen Youth Apprenticeship Program is inviting local businesses to participate. An offering from the McAllen Chamber, South Texas College and McAllen Independent School District, the program offers apprenticeships and work to high school juniors and seniors. A vehicle for talent development to meet future workforce needs, the program serves as a recruitment pipeline. Potential employees can also be molded and trained to a business’s specifications. The Chamber, STC and MISD…