UISD approves appointment of administrators

United Independent School District trustees and Superintendent Roberto J. Santos are pleased to announce the following appointments of three individuals who will serve pivotal roles for the district in their respective positions. They are Raul Ramirez Jr. the new director of the Food Services Department, Raul Nuno, principal at Salvador Garcia Middle School and Gilbert Castro, principal at Prada Elementary School.

Ramirez Jr. is the new UISD Food Services director succeeding Adalberto Ramirez, who is retiring after 21 years of service with the district. Ramirez earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Laredo State University in 1986, and began his career as an assistant general ledger coordinator for Laredo Independent School District. Ramirez was then hired by UISD in 1998 as a Food Services accounting manager, and has served in that capacity to the present day. Ramirez is a member of the Texas Association of School Business Officials, and has participated in many professional development programs that focus on school nutritional awareness, purchasing, accounting and the management of department personnel and finances.

Nuno is the new principal at Salvador Garcia Middle School. Nuno is a graduate of Texas A&M International University, and holds a Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary studies and Master of Science in Educational Administration. Nuno's appointment as the new principal at Salvador Garcia Middle marks his return to the fold since starting his career at the school in 1990 as an instructional aide for special education. Nuno also served as vice principal and summer school principal at Lyndon B. Johnson High School from 2002 to 2009. More recently, Nuno served as the career academies dean at Dr. Leo Cigarroa High School. Nuno will continue his studies in the Superintendent Program at TAMIU where he plans to enroll in the Special Education Doctoral Program.

Castro is a graduate of TAMIU, with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Masters of Science degree in educational administration. Castro has 22 years of experience in the field of education. His professional journey has provided him with the opportunity to serve as a teacher in Laredo and San Antonio public schools. He has served as summer school principal and his most recent assignment in UISD was as an assistant principal at Kennedy-Zapata Elementary School. Castro is a member of the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association and has participated in many professional development programs throughout his career.

LCC names new administrator to lead center

Miguel Berry hopes to improve the first stop to a student's brighter future as the new coordinator for Laredo Community College's Assessment Center.

Earlier this month, LCC officials named Berry to oversee the center, which administers 11 placement and career exams, including the GED, CLEP, and TCLEOSE.

A native Laredoan, Berry will lead a team of four employees at the Fort McIntosh and South campuses.

"As an administrator, I am honored and look forward to leading this center because we administer some of the most important exams to members of Laredo and surrounding communities," Berry said.

For nearly five years, Berry was the college's Director of Grants and Foundation unit.
Before joining LCC, Berry was a research assistant with the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio and has worked on local projects with the City of Laredo Health Department.

"Research and assessment go hand in hand," Berry said. "My focus has always been in trying to find solutions and help those individuals. As the new center coordinator, this will be a great opportunity to help others seek a better future."

The LCC Assessment Center is comprised of two centers, the main one, located at the Fort McIntosh campus, and a satellite center, located at the South Campus.

Both sites have been approved by the American Council on Education (ACE) as official GED testing sites.

"We basically service all of Webb County and the surrounding areas because we are the only official GED testing center in the region," Berry said. Three other 'addendum,' or approved sites, also service Webb County.

Other tests administered by the LCC Assessment Center include THEA, ACT, CLEP, and TCLEOSE exams.

For testing information, contact the LCC Fort McIntosh Assessment Center at 721-5418.

Laredoans earn degrees from UTMB

Sandra Herrera and Monica L. Guzman-Limon were awarded medical degrees on June 5 at the 120th commencement of the School of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

Dr. Herrera is a 2002 graduate of J.B. Alexander Magnet High School in Laredo, and a 2006 graduate of Texas A&M International University.

Dr. Guzman-Limon, daughter of Enedelia and Juan Guzman Jr. is a 2002 graduate of United High School in Laredo, and a 2006 graduate of Texas A&M International University. She is a recipient of the George and Mary Josephine Hamman scholarship.

Dr. Garland D. Anderson, executive vice president and provost and dean of the School of Medicine, presided over the 2010 commencement ceremony, and U.S. Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin addressed the graduates.

Students win Knowledge for College championship

Caption: The winners of the Championship Game were students from Col. Santos Benavides Elementary, who each took home a $1,000 scholarship. The runners-up were from Prada Elementary, who each won a $500 scholarship. On hand to make the presentation was Javier Santos from the Fernando A. Salinas Charitable Trust Fund andRicardo Moreno, director of financial aid for Laredo Community College. Pictured sitting in front row, left to right, are Prada Elementary students Ricardo Molina and David Blanquez. From Col. Santos Benavides Elementary are students Jacob Abdallah and Greta Villarreal.

Four United ISD fifth-grade students recently received scholarships from the Fernando A. Salinas Charitable Trust Fund after competing as finalists in UISD's Knowledge for College Academic Game Show.

Throughout the school year, fifth-grade students from UISD's 27 elementary campuses competed against each other in an effort to win scholarship money. The game show requires students to spin the Wheel of Knowledge and answer TAKS type questions in the categories of Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts. Through a process of elimination, the final two schools faced-off for the championship game.

Jacob Abdallah and Greta Villarreal who represent Col. Santos Benavides Elementary school won first place in the championship game. Through the generosity of the Salinas Trust Fund, Abdallah and Villarreal were each presented with a $1,000 scholarship to Laredo Community College.

Prada Elementary was the runner-up school, and students David Blanquez and Ricardo Molina each received $500 from the Salinas Trust Fund. All four students plan to go to college and said they would put the money to good use.

On hand to present the scholarships to the four students were Javier Santos from the Fernando A. Salinas Charitable Trust Fund and Ricardo Moreno, director of financial aid for Laredo Community College.

Santos said, "We were very honored to be asked to participate in this program. It promotes education, it promotes our students and it motivates them."

Moreno went on to say, "We always look forward to providing students with an opportunity to attend college."

Knowledge for College is produced by United ISD's Instructional Television Department. The academic game show recently won a Gold Star Award in the Texas School Public Relations Association contest.

UISD Instructional Television Director Susan Carlson says, "UISD and the ITV Department are proud of our collaboration with the Salinas Trust Fund. And we would like to thank Mr. Javier Santos for his generosity and support of the students of United ISD."

The Knowledge for College Academic Game Show will resume next school year, with middle school and high school students competing for scholarship money.

Knowledge for College airs regularly, and can be seen on several local channels including KVTV, KGNS, CW, FOX and Public Access (PAC).

LISD announces free Summer Food Service Program

Once again this summer, the Laredo Independent School District will sponsor the free Summer Food Service Program. LISD Summer Food Service Program in conjunction with city and community agencies will provide free meal service to all children 18 and younger starting June 2, through Aug. 13.

The LISD Child Nutrition Program will be serving free meals including breakfast, lunch, snacks, and supper at 61 meal sites including 28 LISD campuses, city recreation centers, libraries, housing centers, churches, and other community sites throughout the city.

All LISD campuses are open feeding sites for youngsters from the surrounding neighborhood. Meals at the campuses will be provided Monday through Thursday. Kitchens will be open on Fridays at Martin, Nixon, and Cigarroa High Schools in order to provide meals to the community sites. Meals at the community sites will be provided Monday through Friday. To participate, just show up. You don't need to register or get a meal ticket and no identification is required.

The Summer Nutrition Program is offered statewide by local sponsors who operate sites where children up to 18 years-old can get meals at no charge. The service is open to all children, regardless of income. People who are over age 18 and enrolled in school programs for people with disabilities also can receive meals at no charge. The sites are located in areas where more than 50 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program.

More than 2,000 summer food meal sites across Texas are expected to be in operation. Many of the sites will offer recreational activities for children as well as meals at no charge.

According to Margaret Lopez, LISD Child Nutrition Director, last summer the Child Nutrition Department served 72,622 breakfasts, 166,190 lunches, 39,455 afternoon snacks, and 949 suppers for a grand total of 279,164 meals.

Meal sites are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information on Summer Food Program meal sites and hours of operation call 2-1-1 or visit the LISD website at www.lisd.org. For more details on the Summer Food Program visit www.summerfood.org.

UISD, USDA to offer free meals to all children of the community

The 2009-2010 school year may be over, but the United Independent School District knows the importance of good health and nutrition for all students of the community-especially over the summer months. That's why the district is, once again, proud to be a partner of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2010 Summer Food Service Program.

Open to all children, ages 18 or younger, the program will provide free breakfast and/or lunch that will be served at over 25 UISD campuses and various community sites. The district wants to encourage all children to participate in this program as this beneficial service kicked off Monday, May 31, and will run throughout the summer.

"UISD has always supported this program for our students and the community because we want our children to continue to receive the proper nutrition they need over summer vacation," said UISD Superintendent Roberto J. Santos, who further explained that a poor diet over the summer can possibly set up children for poor performance in the classroom once school begins again in August. "A lack of nutrition can also make our children more prone to illness and other health issues."

The district wants to remind families' that summer program meals are free of charge to all children, regardless of their child's school meal eligibility during the regular school year. Additionally, no registration is required for those who attend. Lastly, a child does not have to attend a UISD school to benefit from this program, as this project is designed to fill the nutrition gap and make sure all children can get the nutritious meals they need.

The 2010 Summer Food Service Program sites, including contact information and the times each site will be serving breakfast and lunch, will be as follows:

STEP Academy*: 473-6500, breakfast at 7:30-8:30 a.m., lunch at 11:30-12:30 p.m., open 6/07-7/15

5201 Bob Bullock Loop, 78041

United South HS*: 473-5400, breakfast at 8-9 a.m., lunch at 12-1:30 p.m., open 6/07-7/15

4001 Ave Los Presidentes, 78046

United High School*: 473-5600, breakfast at 8-9 a.m., lunch at 12-1:30 p.m., open 6/07-7/15

2811 United Ave., 78045

Bruni Vergara Middle*: 473-6600, breakfast at 7:30-8:30 a.m., lunch at 11:30-1 p.m., open 5/31-7/01

5910 St. Luke Blvd, 78046

Salvador Garcia Middle**: 473-5000, breakfast at 8:15-8:45 a.m., lunch at 11:30-12:30 p.m., open 5/31-8/13

499 Pena Dr., 78046

Washington Middle****: 473-7600, breakfast at 7:30-8:30 a.m., lunch at 1:30-12:30 p.m., open 5/31-7/30

10306 River Bank Dr., 78045

United South Middle**: 473-7700, breakfast at 7:30-8:30 a.m., lunch at 12-1 p.m., open 5/31-8/13

3707 Ave. Los Presidentes, 78046

Kennedy/Zapata Elementary*: 473-4100, breakfast at 7:45-8:15 a.m., lunch at 11-1 p.m.,

5/31-7/01

3809 S Espejo-Molina Rd, 78046

Kazen Elementary**: 473-4200, breakfast at 7:45-8:15 a.m., lunch at 11-1 p.m., open 5/31-8/13

9620 Albany Dr., 78043

Zaffirini Elementary*: 473-2900, breakfast at 7:30-8:30 a.m., lunch at 11-1 p.m., open 5/31-7/01

5210 Sta. Claudia Lane, 78043

Perez Elementary*: 473-3600, breakfast at 8-8:45 a.m., lunch at 11:15-1:15 p.m., open 5/31-7/01

500 Sierra Vista Dr., 78046

Killam Elementary*: 473-2600, breakfast at 7:45-8:15 a.m., lunch at 11-1 p.m., open 5/31-7/01

5315 Fairfield Drive, 78043

Gutierrez Elementary**: 473-4400, breakfast at 7:45-8:15 a.m., lunch at 11-12:30 p.m., open 5/31-7/30

505 Calle Del Norte, 78046

Malakoff Elementary*: 473-4700, breakfast at 7:45-8:15 a.m., lunch at 11-12:45 p.m., open 5/31-7/01

2810 Havana Drive, 78045

Nye Elementary*: 473-3300, breakfast at 7:45-8:30 a.m., lunch at 11-1 p.m., open 5/31-7/01

900 E Del Mar Blvd., 78041

Muller Elementary*: 473-3900, breakfast at 7:30-8:30 a.m., lunch at 11-1 p.m., open 5/31-7/01

4430 Muller Memorial Blvd., 78045

Prada Elementary**: 473-3500, breakfast at 7:45-8:30 a.m., lunch at 11-1 p.m., open 5/31-8/13

510 Soria Dr., 78046

Salinas Elementary*: 473-3200, breakfast at 7:45-8:30 a.m., lunch at 11-1 p.m., open 5/31-7/01

1000 Century Drive, 78046

Roosevelt Elementary**: 473-3400, breakfast at 7:45-8:30 a.m., lunch at 11-1 p.m., open 5/31-8/13

3301 Sierra Vista Rd., 78045

DeLlano Elementary****: 473-4000, breakfast at 7:30-8:30 a.m., lunch at 11:30-12:30 p.m., open 5/31-7/30

1415 Shiloh Dr., 78045

United Middle School: 473-7300, call school for schedule

700 E. Del Mar Blvd.

Rio Bravo Community Center**: 728-9898, breakfast at 9-10 a.m., lunch at 1-2 p.m., open 5/31-8/13

1600 Orquidia, 78046

Fred Bruni Community Center ***: 417-3330, lunch at 12-1 p.m., open 5/31-8/13

452 West Rancho Penitas Road, 78045

El Cenizo Community Center**: 718-8531, breakfast at 9-10 a.m., lunch at 12-1 p.m., open 5/31-8/13

3519 Cecilia Lane, 78046

Northeast Hillside Center****: 795-3045, breakfast at 7:30-8:30 a.m., lunch at 11:30-1 p.m., open 6/07-7/30

320 Wyoming, 78041

El Eden****: 794-1760, breakfast at 8-9 a.m., lunch at 12-1 p.m., open 6/07-7/30

4735 Loma Vista, 78046

Children's Advocacy Center****: 712-1840, lunch at 12-1 p.m., open 6/07-6/18

111 North Merida, 78043

Rosemont at Laredo Vista* 717-2991, lunch at 12-1 p.m., open 5/31-7/01

5606 St. David Lane, 78046

* These schools will open from Monday through Thursday only.

** These sites will open from Monday through Friday.

*** This site will not serve breakfast.

**** This site will be closed July 5, 2010

Please note that program sites are subject to change to due the amount of children participating in the program.

For more information on the 2010 Summer Food Service Program, please call the UISD Food Service Department at (956) 473-6556.

JROTC cadets place flags at cemetery for Memorial Day ceremonies

Martin High School JROTC cadet Sophmore Alfredo Rosales kneels placing an American flag at a burial spot of a veteran at the Laredo City Cemetery Sunday morning. He is helped by Cigarroa JROTC cadets and J. W. Nixon cadets placing flags on the tombs of veterans. American Legion Post 59 along with other veteran organization helped placed flags on all veterans at both cemeteries over the weekend for Memorial Day services Monday morning.


Karla Martinez, Martin High School JROTC cadet reads the headstone for purple heart veterans at the Laredo City Cemetery Sunday morning as she places American flags on sites of all veterans. LISD JROTC cadets helped local veteran organizations place American flags on the gravesides of local veterans in preparation for Memorial Day ceremonies Monday morning.