John Hoang
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Past articles by John:
Vanguard receives grant for school climate program
Vanguard Academy is taking a “proactive” approach to create an ideal learning environment for students. Vanguard Academy has campuses in Pharr, Edinburg and Alamo. The U.S. Department of Education awarded $3.7 million to Vanguard Academy to implement the School Climate Transformation Grant. This grant will give the open-enrollment charter over $700,000 each year for five years. Read the full… → Read More
PSJA university center named after longtime superintendent
Surrounded by friends and family, Superintendent Daniel King, the community here and across Pharr and Alamo honored him with a physical honor, reminiscent of his over 40-year career as an educator. The Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District celebrated the naming of the Dr. Daniel P. King PSJA College and University Center after the soon-to-be retired superintendent. King is slated to… → Read More
PSJA students join global climate event
Chanting “climate change now, don’t let us down,” students of various ages marched toward city hall holding signs pertaining to climate change issues as part of a global effort on the issue. Students from across the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo school district took part in the Global Climate event, promoting sustainability and environmental awareness in a worldwide movement on Friday morning. Groups of… → Read More
Judge requests more evidence in McAllen schools election contest
EDINBURG — After about two hours of oral arguments, District Judge Romeo Flores on Wednesday requested that more evidence be presented with regard to a McAllen school district election contest before making a decision. This allows for the attorneys to move forward with finding evidence. Gina Karam Millin filed a petition for an election contest in June against school board member Tony Forina,… → Read More
Edcouch-Elsa ISD makes changes after data breach
The Edcouch-Elsa school district is taking further action to address the sale of computers with sensitive information through policy changes and efforts in public transparency after failing to do so earlier this year. Administration sent a letter Sept. 5 to all district parents with information about an April 6 auction in which computers with sensitive information, such as names, Social Security… → Read More
PSJA school board names Houston ISD area super as lone finalist
The Pharr-San Juan-Alamo school board has named a lone finalist for the superintendent position to succeed Daniel King, who announced his retirement in June. Trustees named Jorge Arredondo, an educator with over two decades of experience in the field, as the lone finalist for the post in a 4-3 vote Thursday evening. In accordance with state law, school districts must wait 21 days before being… → Read More
Progreso school district marks official opening of $3 million tech building
The Progreso Independent School District held a ribbon cutting ceremony for an over $3 million technology building on Tuesday morning. After more than four years of construction, the district will offer a variety of classes for engineering and manufacturing to be taught in the new building, which is located nearby the district’s high school and middle school. Most of the instructors are from… → Read More
STC gets $1.9M grant for migrants
South Texas College received $1.9 million from the U.S. Department of Education through the High School Equivalency Program grant. The grant funds a five-year project to assist about 500 migrant and seasonal farmworkers. This group, along with their eligible family members can earn the equivalent of a secondary school diploma and receive postsecondary education or training. The project aims to… → Read More
PSJA ISD police department poised to apply for state certification
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District is continuing the process of creating an in-house police department and is near its final stages as it waits for a state agency to certify the department. The district in June hired Police Chief Rolando Garcia, who is tasked with hiring, making policies and creating the department. The school board approved Garcia’s current position in May… → Read More
Teacher feedback helped influence McAllen ISD pay raise adjustment
McAllen school district trustees voted to increase compensation across the board in a room filled with veteran teachers and concerned employees during a contentious board meeting last week. Many local representatives from the Texas American Federation of Teachers, a union with local chapters, and trustees felt that the initial proposal presented by administration did not compensate experienced… → Read More
AgriLife panelists explore agriculture-health connection
Connecting agriculture and health, making the state a model for the agriculture industry to follow and making the field more appealing to future generations, were among the major ideas during a panel between three key figures on Thursday evening at the Texas A&M Higher Education Center here. This is also a part of the Advancing Texas Roadshow, with Texas A&M AgriLife visiting different venues… → Read More
School districts’ financial ratings show drastic changes
School districts across the Rio Grande Valley either saw significant progress, regression or simply maintained their financial rating in the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas, a state program that holds school districts accountable for their money management practices. The Texas Education Agency released the preliminary results for the schools districts in August. The FIRST ratings are… → Read More
As healthcare needs grow, UTRGV's new multispecialty clinic aims to be 'one-stop shop'
EDINBURG — UT Health Rio Grande Valley has added its second multispecialty clinic, providing four departments in health care under one roof in a facility that boasts about 18,000 square feet. The multispecialty clinic has four sections with primary and urgent care, OBGYN, vision and surgical specialty — ear, nose and throat, endocrine surgery, plastic … → Read More
Grant to fund live science show at UTRGV
Thanks largely to a federal grant, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is planning to create a large-scale live science show to instill interest in science and engineering while providing entertainment to children. The National Science Foundation will provide over $1.5 million to UTRGV to provide a science show with a focus on young … → Read More
UT Austin representatives welcome Upper Valley students
EDINBURG — As students from the Rio Grande Valley prepare to leave for college to attend the University of Texas for the upcoming semester, their family, UT Austin representatives and alumni celebrated them in an annual send-off celebration at the Edinburg Conference Center Wednesday evening. The Texas Exes Hidalgo-Starr Chapter, which is a UT Austin … → Read More
$700,000 grant to fund cybersecurity resources for local students
PHARR — The South Texas College Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence will convert a classroom through a $700,000 grant to expand a lab with special equipment to educate students on cybersecurity. South Texas College and Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District are under a partnership to receive the grant. District students can take classes in … → Read More
Moved by humanitarianism, student-led effort seeks to educate migrant kids
McALLEN — As migrant families trickled into the Humanitarian Respite Center here Monday afternoon, a group of about eight high school students laid out LEGO bricks, colored paper and Crayons, teaching migrant children basic English skills and arts and crafts. The students do this as a part of Beyond the Border, a recently formed student … → Read More
UTRGV gets $375k for gravitational waves research
The National Science Foundation awarded about $375,000 to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to further research into gravitational waves, which are 1,000 times smaller than the smallest nucleus, hydrogen. The NSF grant will support the university’s Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave-Observatory (LIGO) instrumentation and data analysis, and provide funding for new gravitational wave… → Read More
Edcouch-Elsa ISD approves pay raises
EDCOUCH — The Edcouch-Elsa school district approved pay raises for employees this week, with priority given to teachers with over five years of experience. Interim Superintendent Richard Rivera said the increases are relatively high compared to other school districts that he has seen. For teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians, there will be a projected increase … → Read More
UTRGV med school’s fourth cohort don white coats in ceremony
EDINBURG — Friends and family trickled into the Performing Arts Complex Auditorium on Saturday morning waiting for the 55 students to don their white coats in a ceremony symbolizing their journey as medical students beginning their first year at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s School of Medicine. UTRGV’s School of Medicine held the … → Read More