Registration for Spring 2010 continues at TAMIU

The coming holidays and the promise of a New Year brings the chance to renew, retool and reinvigorate with classes at Texas A&M International University.

Registration for the Spring 2011 Semester is now available at http://schedule.tamiu.edu/

Classes will begin Tuesday, Jan. 18. The final late registration day is Jan. 24.

Visit the Offices of the Registrar at the University Success Center, Suite 121 or call (956) 326-2250.

Office hours are from 8 a.m-5 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays; 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on Fridays.

Miller ready for new role as VP for instruction at LCC

Fueled by a longstanding passion to help improve lives, Dianna L. Miller, Ph.D., hopes to make a bigger impact in the lives of college students in her new role as the vice president for instruction at Laredo Community College.

A veteran nursing educator and college administrator with 18 years of service at LCC, Miller emerged as the top candidate for the job after the college conducted an extensive national search to fill the VPI position.

"Laredo Community College is very pleased to have Dr. Miller assume the role of vice president for instruction," LCC President Juan L. Maldonado said. "She has served on an interim basis this fall semester, and she has proven she is well organized, very professional and task oriented. She exhibits the qualities that will lead to the continued success of the college's Instructional Division."

He added, "Of four candidates who initially applied for the position, Dr. Miller was the sole candidate to advance to a formal interview, and the search committee was unanimous in "

Miller, who possesses a wealth of experience as a nursing practitioner, educator, and administrator, said that she is honored by the opportunity to continue serving LCC in her new capacity.

"Health care and specifically nursing has been my passion since I was young," Miller said. "As I moved into nursing education I realized I was making a difference in the lives of others on a larger scale. In nursing practice, I directly influenced the lives of my clients whose care I was responsible for. In nursing education, I could affect many students who in turn affected the lives of their clients.

"All of the nursing and administration experiences have provided me the foundation to pursue the VPI position. My motivation for pursuing this position was based on recognizing I had developed a specific skill set which consists of education and experience, and I felt that I could make a larger contribution to Laredo Community College by serving in this role."

As the vice president for instruction, Miller said she will strive to provide effective leadership by increasing communication and by being a transparent leader. She hopes to meet the college's challenges of increasing student enrollments through creative restructuring of course offerings, and addressing decreasing state budgets with minimal detrimental impact to the college's mission and goals.

"As the vice president for instruction, I need to focus on the best direction and decisions for the institution, while balancing the needs of those who work at the college and the students who attend it. The VPI must provide leadership and represent LCC in the local community, as well as on a larger state and national perspective," Miller said.

Miller has served a notable tenure at LCC, including 13 years as a faculty member for the vocational and associate degree nursing programs, six years as the chair for the Associate Degree Nursing Department and seven years as the Dean of Health Sciences, which included the task of being directly responsible for the success of the college’s nursing programs. Most recently, she has served as the Interim Vice President for Instruction.

"I am proud to be part of the LCC family and look forward to many more years," Miller said. "LCC has quality people who care about providing the best educational experiences for students in various settings. The college is intensely student success oriented, with people who care about each other and are willing to go above and beyond their job descriptions to assist others."

Miller holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership/Curriculum and Instruction, which she earned in 2009 from the University of Phoenix.

She also holds Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing.

'Holiday' Noche Romantica set for Wednesday

The sweet and romantic sounds will be heard just in time for the holidays as Laredo Community College's Spanish Traditional Group performs during the 20th Anniversary Noche Romantica concert.

The annual music concert will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 8, at 8:30 p.m. in LCC's Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center theater.

Admission is free and open to the public.

More than a dozen members from the LCC Spanish Traditional Group will perform Spanish and Christmas music.

"For 20 years now, we've been going strong with the LCC Spanish Traditional Group, and we're excited to bring this concert to the community to show our passion for this type of music," said Ruben Vargas, the group's music director.

The Noche Romantica program at LCC began in 1990 and is still going strong.

"When we started this group, we knew there were people interested in keeping Spanish music alive. And now, we have more than a hundred former members out there, and we invite them to come this 20th Anniversary Noche Romantica concert," Vargas added.

Some of the selections for the Noche Romantica concert include, "Odiame," "El Milagro de tus Ojos," "Dejame Vivir," and "Feliz Navidad."

For more information on the 20th Anniversary Noche Romantica concert, contact the LCC Performing Arts Department at (956) 721-5330 or email Ruben Vargas at ruben.vargas@laredo.edu.

UISD readies for fifth annual parent festival

The United Independent School District cordially invites all UISD parents and their children to join them at the fifth annual parent festival set for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13, at United High School (main campus), 2811 United Avenue, off of Bob Bullock Loop. The is event aimed at increasing parental involvement, and working together with district administrators and educators, as a crucial component to the academic success of students.

This year's event includes a wide range of sessions for parents that will equip them with knowledge and skills they can use with their child throughout their time in school. These sessions include: Fun with Math, What is Autism?, Homework Helpers, Make and Take Activities for Reading, Internet Safety, Hands-On Grammar and Vocabulary and more. There will also be activity camps available for children of all ages that range from dance, sports, arts and crafts, music, and much more.

Additionally, the event will feature guest speaker Simon Silva, who was a migrant farm worker as a student; and now speaks about those experiences through his popular art and books. His presentation at the festival will be titled "Culture, Creativity, & Art: A Source of Opportunity."

"This event has become a great tradition for UISD," said Superintendent Roberto J. Santos commenting on the many families he sees and at the event year after year. "We hope to see even more mothers, fathers, guardians and students at this year's event. As a unified force, that is our parents/guardians and District educators working together, we can help our students to be even more successful and prepare them for the global society we now live in," he emphasized.

Coordinated through the Office of Federal and State Compensatory Programs, with the assistance of a Districtwide Steering Committee, the Annual Parent Festival will also feature over 65 community organizations who will be on hand to give information on their respective programs and services. There will also be many door prizes given away to event participates. One of the main door prizes includes a laptop computer donated from Safari Kids Rehab.

"Parents involved in the education of their children provide an overall stronger foundation for their student," said Estela De La Garza, UISD parental involvement coordinator. "Our hope is that more parents realize this and make plans to attend this event. The event is also a wonderful way to spend quality time with your children, as well," she continued.

For more information about UISD's fifth annual parent festival, call the Office of Parental Involvement at (956) 473-6452.

UISD receives TEA's highest fiscal accolade for eighth consecutive year

United Independent School District (UISD) is once again proud to receive its' eighth-consecutive award of "Superior Achievement" by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) under the First Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) for the 2009-10 school year. The rating, which is the state agency's highest honor, is given to Texas public school districts, who are accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and resources. UISD has continued to receive this coveted honor since the inception of the program in 2001-02.

"I would like to congratulate our Business/Finance Department for garnering this outstanding achievement for the eighth-consecutive time," said UISD Superintendent Roberto J. Santos. "This award reflects how UISD understands the importance of fiscal accountability to our tax payers. It reflects the steps we take to achieve the most cost effective and efficient results, as we provide all of our students with a quality, first rate educational program they deserve," added Santos.
Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Laida P. Benavides agreed, adding that ensuring "a sound financial position for UISD, that is accountable to the taxpayers, and the community at large, will always be our goal."

The FIRST program mandates that school districts hold a public meeting to distribute a financial management report which explains the District's rating and its performance under each of the FIRST fiscal indicators for the current and prior school year. A presentation on this was made on October 20, at the Student Activity Complex (see board agenda hyperlink at https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicMeetingMaterials.aspx?ak=240903&mk=50013472).

For more information about the District's FIRST "Superior Achievement" rating, contact the Business and Finance Department main number at (956) 473-6222.

Cigarroa students earn National Hispanic Scholar Recognition

Caption: CHS administration congratulate Brandon Romero and Enrique Alvarez on their NHRP recognition. Pictured left to right are Rogelio Garcia, CHS counselor; Brandon Romero; Enrique Alvarez; Cynthia Davila, CHS counselor; and John Eric Salinas, CHS principal.

Two seniors at Cigarroa High School have been recognized by the College Board's National Hispanic Recognition Program. Cigarroa High School is proud to announce Enrique Alvarez and Brandon Romero as this year's scholars.

Alvarez and Romero were among nearly 5,000 students selected from a pool of over 200,000 students who took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) and identified themselves as Hispanic/Latino. To qualify for the program, a student must be at least one-quarter Hispanic, have earned a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher, and meet their state's cutoff scores on their critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills on the PSAT/NMSQT.

Cigarroa High School students, faculty, staff, and administration congratulate these two young students. "Brandon and Enrique are fine representatives of Cigarroa High School and LISD," said Cynthia Davila, Cigarroa High School Counselor. "They are fine young men who continually demonstrate academic excellence, belong to numerous organizations, have vision and ambition for themselves and are multi-talented."

Alvarez is the son of Enrique and Xochitl Alvarez. Enrique plans to pursue a degree in English at Texas State University. Alvarez's academic achievement's includes National Honor Society and perfect attendance. Enrique is also a member of the Cigarroa High Power Lifting team. He attended Cigarroa Middle School and Ligarde Elementary School.

Brandon is the son of Israel and San Juana Romero. He is interested in pursuing a degree in Political Science from Williams College in Williamstown Massachusetts. Romero's academic achievement's includes Honor Roll, National Honor Society, and is ranked third in his class. Brandon's extra-curricular activities include Orchestra, VMT Government Club, VMT Senior Class President. Romero attended Zachry Elementary School.

According to Davila, taking the PSAT/NMSQT Test as juniors allows students to see for themselves where they rate academically in comparison to other juniors all over this state and country. For some, like Brandon & Enrique who achieve national standing, it is the time to make final selections of colleges or universities as being a National Hispanic Scholar opens the door to many opportunities. Taking a test like the PSAT is the first important step in planning for the future.

Both Enrique and Brandon expressed their excitement about the recognition.

"It's a good honor. Receiving this recognition has helped colleges contact us," Romero said. "It has opened my eyes. I am now more aware of the application process."

Enrique Ramirez honored as 'Youth of The Month' by Border Patrol and local sponsors

Caption: Pictured, from left to right, are Enrique Benavides, his mother Marta L. Ramirez, and Roberto J. Santos, UISD Superintendent

Enrique Ramirez, a senior at Lyndon B. Johnson High School, has been named October's "Youth of The Month."

Ramirez describes himself as ambitious and driven to succeed in everything he does. His exemplary grades are evidence of his dedication to his education, and his hours of service to our community through various clubs and organizations demonstrates that he is committed to serving others. Ramirez is currently ranked first in his class with a grade point average of 101.2.

Nominating educator Brenda Cognata said she is amazed by Ramirez's passion to succeed in every aspect of his life.

"Enrique is an example of a hard worker who is determined to achieve his goals. He has also managed to maintain an outstanding academic record while contributing much of his spare time to his community. He always has an uplifting attitude towards life."

Ramirez plans to attend Harvard University to pursue a bachelor's degree in science and a medical degree in the field of otorhinolaryngology.

Youth of The Month is sponsored in part by the US Border Patrol, H-E-B, A&E Office Products, Best Buy, KGNS-TV, Rock Fitness Center, IBC, Royal Laser Wash, McDonald's, and the Public Access Channel.