Ann W. Richards Middle School

2023 ATHLETICS BI-DISTRICT BASEBALL • PLAYOFFS

DISTRICT UPDATE Dear La Joya ISD Family, La Joya ISD received notification that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) conducted a thorough evaluation of our district's governance practices and has recommended that our Board of Trustees be replaced with a state-appointed Board of Managers. In an effort to remain transparent, I want to provide you with the necessary information. The TEA's recommendation is based on concerns related to former district employees and the governance practices of the previous board, which did not align with our district's vision of providing educational excellence to our community. We recognize the importance of effective governance in ensuring all success and well-being of our students and the entire school community. I want to emphasize that this decision was not influenced by our district's academic performance. Rest assured, La Joya ISD remains committed to delivering educational excellence to each and every one of our students and we will continue to make administrative decisions with that focus in mind. I want to reassure you that our schools will continue to operate smoothly and without interruption. Our dedicated educators and staff remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to providing our students with the quality education they deserve. Our district will remain STUDENT FOCUSED, DATA DRIVEN, and RESULTS ORIENTED! Respectfully, Heriberto D. Gonzalez Interim Superintendent of Schools La Joya ISD ***************************** ACTUALIZACIÓN DEL DISTRITO 9 de mayo del 2023 Estimada Familia de La Joya ISD, La Joya ISD recibió una notificación de la Agencia de Educación de Texas (TEA) en la que se llevó a cabo una exhaustiva evaluación de las prácticas de gobernabilidad de nuestro distrito y se recomendó reemplazar a nuestra Mesa Directiva por una Junta de Administradores designada por el estado. Con el fin de mantener la transparencia, quiero brindarles la información necesaria. La recomendación de la Agencia de Educación se basa en preocupaciones relacionadas al comportamiento de antiguos empleados del distrito y debido a prácticas de liderazgo de ex-miembros de la mesa directiva, las cuales no se alineaban con la visión de nuestro distrito de proporcionar excelencia educativa a nuestra comunidad. Reconocemos la importancia de una gobernabilidad efectiva para garantizar el éxito y el bienestar de nuestros estudiantes y de toda la comunidad escolar. Quiero enfatizar que esta decisión no fue debido al rendimiento académico de nuestro distrito. Tengan la seguridad de que nuestro distrito sigue comprometido en brindar excelencia educativa a cada uno de nuestros estudiantes y continuaremos administrando con ese enfoque en mente. Quiero asegurarles que nuestras escuelas continuarán operando sin contratiempos e interrupciones. Nuestros maestros y la administración de nuestro distrito continuarán firmes en nuestro compromiso de proporcionar a nuestros estudiantes la educación que se merecen. Nuestro distrito se mantendrá enfocado en los estudiantes, impulsado por datos y orientados por los resultados. Sinceramente, Heriberto D. González Superintendente Interino de Escuelas La Joya ISD

DISTRICT UPDATE Dear La Joya ISD Family, La Joya ISD received notification that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) conducted a thorough evaluation of our district's governance practices and has recommended that our Board of Trustees be replaced with a state-appointed Board of Managers. In an effort to remain transparent, I want to provide you with the necessary information. The TEA's recommendation is based on concerns related to former district employees and the governance practices of the previous board, which did not align with our district's vision of providing educational excellence to our community. We recognize the importance of effective governance in ensuring all success and well-being of our students and the entire school community. I want to emphasize that this decision was not influenced by our district's academic performance. Rest assured, La Joya ISD remains committed to delivering educational excellence to each and every one of our students and we will continue to make administrative decisions with that focus in mind. I want to reassure you that our schools will continue to operate smoothly and without interruption. Our dedicated educators and staff remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to providing our students with the quality education they deserve. Our district will remain STUDENT FOCUSED, DATA DRIVEN, and RESULTS ORIENTED! Respectfully, Heriberto D. Gonzalez Interim Superintendent of Schools La Joya ISD ***************************** ACTUALIZACIÓN DEL DISTRITO 9 de mayo del 2023 Estimada Familia de La Joya ISD, La Joya ISD recibió una notificación de la Agencia de Educación de Texas (TEA) en la que se llevó a cabo una exhaustiva evaluación de las prácticas de gobernabilidad de nuestro distrito y se recomendó reemplazar a nuestra Mesa Directiva por una Junta de Administradores designada por el estado. Con el fin de mantener la transparencia, quiero brindarles la información necesaria. La recomendación de la Agencia de Educación se basa en preocupaciones relacionadas al comportamiento de antiguos empleados del distrito y debido a prácticas de liderazgo de ex-miembros de la mesa directiva, las cuales no se alineaban con la visión de nuestro distrito de proporcionar excelencia educativa a nuestra comunidad. Reconocemos la importancia de una gobernabilidad efectiva para garantizar el éxito y el bienestar de nuestros estudiantes y de toda la comunidad escolar. Quiero enfatizar que esta decisión no fue debido al rendimiento académico de nuestro distrito. Tengan la seguridad de que nuestro distrito sigue comprometido en brindar excelencia educativa a cada uno de nuestros estudiantes y continuaremos administrando con ese enfoque en mente. Quiero asegurarles que nuestras escuelas continuarán operando sin contratiempos e interrupciones. Nuestros maestros y la administración de nuestro distrito continuarán firmes en nuestro compromiso de proporcionar a nuestros estudiantes la educación que se merecen. Nuestro distrito se mantendrá enfocado en los estudiantes, impulsado por datos y orientados por los resultados. Sinceramente, Heriberto D. González Superintendente Interino de Escuelas La Joya ISD

On behalf of the entire La Joya ISD community, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to our nurses and nurse assistants on this National Nurse Week. We appreciate your unwavering commitment, dedication, and compassion towards our students, staff, and their families. Amidst unprecedented times, you have been at the forefront of our health and safety efforts, going above and beyond to provide care, comfort, and support to those in need. Your tireless efforts and selfless service have not gone unnoticed, and we are eternally grateful for everything you do. Your unwavering resilience, professionalism, and expertise have been an inspiration to all of us, and we take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks for all that you have done and continue to do. Thank you, nurses and nurse assistants, for being the heart of our school community. You make a tremendous difference in the lives of our students, and we are honored to have you as part of our team. Happy National Nurse Week!

ATTENTION LA JOYA ISD STAFF 👩🏻‍🎓 👨🏻‍🎓 We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to all the staff members who have recently graduated from a college or university with an undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degree! We are immensely proud of your hard work and dedication, and we celebrate this remarkable achievement with you. If you happen to know any La Joya ISD employee who has graduated and is a part of the graduating class of 2023, we encourage you to share their photo along with a brief description via email to diamondnews@lajoyaisd.net. Please include their job title, campus/department, the degree they earned, and the name of the college or university they attended. We look forward to recognizing and celebrating the accomplishments of our staff members, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors! #LJISDTraditionOfExcellence

Congratulations La Joya ISD Class of 2023! All La Joya ISD graduation ceremonies will be live streamed. Facebook Page: La Joya ISD 👩🏻‍🎓 👨🏻‍🎓 🐾

Class of 2023!! 👨🏻‍🎓👩🏻‍🎓 Congratulations to all our La Joya ISD STC graduates on such a great accomplishment! Our School Board President Mr. Alejandro “Alex” Cantu had the honor to attend and greet all of our La Joya ISD - South Texas College graduates. We hope you all feel proud of yourselves and your hard work. Once again, congratulations, graduates! You did it! 🎉 #LJISDTraditionOfExcellence

We're thrilled to share that today our Interim Superintendent of Schools Mr. Beto Gonzalez visited with the Child Nutrition Services Department to express his appreciation for their vital role in shaping the lives of our students. The Child Nutrition Services team works tirelessly to provide nutritious and delicious meals to our students, ensuring their overall wellbeing. Our Superintendent recognizes the importance of this critical work, and he wanted to personally thank each member of the team for their hard work and dedication. Their commitment to creating healthy and tasty meals for our students is an integral part of their success in the classroom and beyond. Thank you for all that you do, Child Nutrition Services Department. Your work is invaluable, and we're incredibly grateful for your contribution to the growth and development of our students.

🎉 Happy School Lunch Hero Day! 🎉 Help us thank ALL of our La Joya ISD Child Nutrition Services Department for the exceptional work they do every day to ensure our students are provided the appropriate nutritional needs to excel in our schools. Thank you!!! #LJISDTraditionOfExcellence #SchoolLunchHeroDay

At La Joya ISD we are a Tradition of Excellence to ensure all students Shine Bright. Now enrolling for the 2023 - 2024 school year. ENROLL TODAY, Choose La Joya ISD! To complete the online enrollment, click on link below: https://www.lajoyaisd.com/page/office-of-admissions-records For more information, visit www.lajoyaisd.com or call (956) 323-2545. #LJISDTraditionOfExcellence

On behalf of La Joya ISD, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all La Joya ISD teachers for the incredible work that you do each day. As we celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to take a moment to recognize your unwavering dedication to our students and their education. You are the backbone of our district, and your passion for teaching and nurturing young minds is truly remarkable. Your tireless efforts have not gone unnoticed, and we are proud to have you as part of our La Joya ISD family. We are grateful for all that you do, and we want you to know that your hard work and dedication are truly appreciated. Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week, and thank you for being amazing La Joya ISD teachers!

May 2, 2023 Dear La Joya ISD Family, We are thrilled to inform you that power has been restored at JD Salinas Middle School, and normal operations will resume for the District at all campuses tomorrow, Wednesday May 3, 2023. We want to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to all the electric companies, their crews and district staff who worked tirelessly, collaboratively, and with utmost dedication to get our district back on track after the severe storm. Their unwavering commitment and hard work have been truly commendable. We also want to thank our parents, students, and staff for their patience, understanding, and support during these challenging times. It is your resilience and positivity that have kept our spirits high and motivated us to do better. As we resume our normal operations, we want to assure you that we remain committed to providing a safe, supportive, and enriching learning environment for all our students. We look forward to welcoming our students back to school and continuing to provide them with a quality education. At La Joya ISD we will remain STUDENT FOCUSED, DATA DRIVEN and RESULTS ORIENTED! **************************************** Estimada familia de La Joya ISD, Estamos encantados de informarles que se ha restablecido la electricidad en la Escuela JD Salinas Middle School y que las operaciones normales se reanudarán para el distrito en todas las escuelas mañana, miércoles 3 de mayo del 2023. Queremos aprovechar esta oportunidad para expresar nuestra más sincera gratitud y aprecio a todas las compañías eléctricas, sus equipos y el personal del distrito que trabajaron incansablemente, en colaboración y con la mayor dedicación para que nuestro distrito volviera a la normalidad después de la severa tormenta. También queremos agradecer a nuestros padres, estudiantes y personal por su paciencia, comprensión y apoyo durante estos tiempos difíciles. Es su resiliencia y positivismo lo que ha mantenido nuestros espíritus en alto y nos ha motivado a hacerlo mejor. A medida que reanudamos nuestras operaciones normales, queremos asegurarles que seguimos comprometidos a brindar un entorno de aprendizaje seguro, de apoyo y enriquecedor para todos nuestros estudiantes. Esperamos dar la bienvenida a nuestros estudiantes de regreso a la escuela y continuar brindándoles una educación de calidad. ¡En La Joya ISD permaneceremos ENFOCADOS EN LOS ESTUDIANTES, IMPULSADOS POR DATOS y ORIENTADOS A LOS RESULTADOS! Sincerely, Heriberto D. Gonzalez Interim Superintendent of Schools La Joya ISD

May 2, 2023 Dear La Joya ISD Family, We are happy to share that power has been restored at Leo J. Leo Elementary and Guillermo Flores Elementary. Classes will resume as scheduled for all campuses. However, electrical service interruption continue at J.D. Salinas Middle School. The following arrangements have been made for JD Middle School students: • Morning bus routes will run as scheduled. • Breakfast will be served at JD Salinas Middle School. • 6th grade students will be bused to Paredes Elementary for instruction. • 7th grade students will be bused to Garcia Middle School for instruction. • 8th grade students will be bused to Treviño Middle School for instruction. • At the end of the school day, all students will return to JD Salinas Middle School and normal bus routes and parent pick-ups will resume. • Due to these unforeseen circumstances, extra-curricular activities for JD Salinas Middle School will be canceled. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging time. We look forward to welcoming our students back to school and continuing to provide them with a quality education. At La Joya ISD we will remain STUDENT FOCUSED, DATA DRIVEN and RESULTS ORIENTED! ************************************************ Estimada familia de La Joya ISD, Estamos felices de compartir que se ha restaurado la energía en las escuelas primarias Leo J. Leo y Guillermo Flores. Las clases se reanudarán según lo programado para todas las escuelas. Sin embargo, continúa la interrupción del servicio eléctrico en la Escuela J.D. Salinas Middle School. Se han hecho los siguientes arreglos para los estudiantes de la Escuela JD Salinas Middle School: • Las rutas de autobuses de la mañana funcionarán según lo programado. • El desayuno se servirá en la Escuela JD Salinas Middle School. • Los estudiantes de 6to grado serán transportados a la Primaria Paredes para recibir instrucción. • Los estudiantes de 7º grado serán transportados en autobús a la Escuela Irene García Middle School para recibir instrucción. • Los estudiantes de 8º grado serán transportados a la Escuela Domingo Treviño Middle School para recibir instrucción. • Al final del día escolar, todos los estudiantes regresarán a la Escuela Secundaria JD Salinas y se reanudarán las rutas normales de autobús y los padres podran recojer a sus hijos. • Debido a estas circunstancias imprevistas, se cancelarán las actividades extracurriculares de la Escuela JD Salinas Middle School. Agradecemos su paciencia y comprensión durante este momento difícil. Esperamos dar la bienvenida a nuestros estudiantes de regreso a la escuela y continuar brindándoles una educación de calidad. ¡En La Joya ISD permaneceremos ENFOCADOS EN LOS ESTUDIANTES, IMPULSADOS POR DATOS y ORIENTADOS A LOS RESULTADOS! Sincerely, Heriberto D. Gonzalez Interim Superintendent of Schools La Joya ISD

⚠️DISTRICT UPDATE⚠️ May 2, 2023 Dear La Joya ISD Family, We hope this letter finds you and your family well. We would like to take this opportunity to update you on the status of our schools following the recent storm. After assessing all our campuses, we are pleased to inform you that we are ready to resume instruction on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. However, despite the ongoing efforts of the electrical companies, Leo J. Leo Elementary, Guillermo Flores Elementary and J.D. Salinas Middle School continue to have service interruptions. Updates for these campuses will be made available as we receive them. We understand that the storm has caused inconvenience and disruption to our students' learning, but we are committed to ensuring a smooth transition back. Advance Placement (AP), STAAR and EOC Testing window will continue as scheduled for Wednesday, May 3, 2023 – Friday, May 5, 2023. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging time. We look forward to welcoming our students back to school and continuing to provide them with a quality education. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your school administration. At La Joya ISD we will remain STUDENT FOCUSED, DATA DRIVEN and RESULTS ORIENTED! ************************************** Estimada familia de La Joya ISD, Espero que esta carta los encuentre bien a usted y a su familia. Nos gustaría aprovechar esta oportunidad para informarles sobre el estado de nuestras escuelas después de la reciente tormenta. Después de evaluar todos nuestros planteles, nos complace informarles que estamos listos para reanudar las clases el miércoles 3 de mayo de 2023. Sin embargo, a pesar de los esfuerzos continuos de las compañías eléctricas, las escuelas Leo J. Leo Elementary, Guillermo Flores Elementary y J.D. Salinas Middle School continúan teniendo interrupciones en el servicio. Las actualizaciones para estas escuelas estarán disponibles a medida que las recibamos. Entendemos que la tormenta ha causado inconvenientes e interrupciones en el aprendizaje de nuestros estudiantes, pero estamos comprometidos a garantizar una transición sin problemas. La ventana de pruebas de colocación avanzada (AP), STAAR y EOC continuará según lo programado del miércoles 3 de mayo del 2023 al viernes 5 de mayo del 2023. Agradecemos su paciencia y comprensión durante este momento difícil. Esperamos dar la bienvenida a nuestros estudiantes de regreso a la escuela y continuar brindándoles una educación de calidad. Si tiene alguna pregunta o inquietud, no dude en comunicarse con la administración de su escuela. ¡En La Joya ISD permaneceremos ENFOCADOS EN LOS ESTUDIANTES, IMPULSADOS POR DATOS y ORIENTADOS A LOS RESULTADOS! Sincerely, Heriberto D. Gonzalez Interim Superintendent of Schools La Joya ISD

💎Attention La Joya ISD Community💎 La Joya ISD - McKinney-Vento Act The McKinney-Vento Act ensures educational rights and protections for homeless children and youth. We are gathering information to properly identify students and families who were affected by the storm to ensure their educational rights are protected. Please can a few minutes to fill out survey below, deadline is May 15, 2023 https://forms.gle/ZkDkhjM3BNqwqwYL6 *********************** 💎 Atención Comunidad de La Joya ISD💎 La Ley McKinney-Vento garantiza los derechos educativos y la protección de los niños y jóvenes sin hogar. Estamos recopilando información para identificar adecuadamente a los estudiantes y las familias que se vieron afectados por la tormenta para garantizar que se protejan sus derechos educativos. Tome unos minutos para completar la encuesta a continuación, la fecha límite es el 15 de mayo del 2023. https://forms.gle/ZkDkhjM3BNqwqwYL6

La Joya ISD Family: We are excited to announce that free breakfast and lunch meals will be served to ALL children 0 - 18 years at the following locations on May 2, 2023 from 10AM to 1PM. Please take advantage of this opportunity and stay safe. Thank you!

La Joya ISD Family: We are excited to announce that free breakfast and lunch meals will be served to all La Joya ISD students at the following locations on May 2, 2023 from 10AM to 1PM. Please take advantage of this opportunity and stay safe. Thank you!

Dear La Joya ISD Family, We hope this letter finds you well. We want to inform you that after careful consideration and assessment of the conditions in our district and continued power outages throughout our schools, we have made the decision to cancel all classes on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. However, all staff members will be required to report to work. The STAAR - EOC testing has been rescheduled to take place from Wednesday, May 3 to Friday, May 5 of this week. The AP exams scheduled for this week will be postponed until a later date. Once the district calendar has been adjusted and approved, it will be shared with all staff members. We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our dedicated staff during this time. We recognize your commitment to our district and our students, and we know that you will continue to work hard to provide the best education possible. We want to assure our community that we will be closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as needed. We encourage you to continue to check our social media platforms and website for the latest district updates. We thank you for your continued support and understanding during this challenging time. We are proud to be a part of the La Joya ISD community, and we are committed to doing everything we can to keep our students and staff safe. At La Joya ISD we will remain STUDENT FOCUSED, DATA DRIVEN and RESULTS ORIENTED! ******************************************************** Estimada familia de La Joya ISD, Esperamos que esta carta lo encuentre bien. Queremos informarle que después de una cuidadosa consideración y evaluación de las condiciones en nuestro distrito y continuos cortes de energía en nuestras escuelas, hemos tomado la decisión de cancelar todas las clases el martes 2 de mayo de 2023. Sin embargo, se requerirá que todos los miembros del personal para reportarse a trabajar. Los exámenes STAAR - EOC se ha aplazado del miércoles, 3 de mayo hasta el Viernes 5 de mayo . Los exámenes AP se reprogramarán para una fecha posterior. Una vez que se ajuste y apruebe el calendario del distrito, se compartirá con todo el personal. Agradecemos la comprensión y cooperación de nuestro dedicado personal durante este tiempo. Reconocemos su compromiso con nuestro distrito y nuestros estudiantes, y sabemos que continuará trabajando arduamente para brindar la mejor educación posible. Queremos asegurarle a nuestra comunidad que estaremos monitoreando de cerca la situación y brindaremos actualizaciones según sea necesario. Lo alentamos a que continúe revisando nuestras plataformas de redes sociales y el sitio web para obtener las últimas actualizaciones del distrito. Le agradecemos su continuo apoyo y comprensión durante este momento difícil. Estamos orgullosos de ser parte de la comunidad de La Joya ISD y estamos comprometidos a hacer todo lo posible para mantener seguros a nuestros estudiantes y personal. ¡En La Joya ISD permaneceremos ENFOCADOS EN LOS ESTUDIANTES, IMPULSADOS POR DATOS y ORIENTADOS A LOS RESULTADOS! Sincerely, Heriberto D. Gonzalez Interim Superintendent of Schools La Joya ISD

⚠️DISTRICT UPDATE⚠️ Attention La Joya ISD community, the Crisis Team has met and completed a thorough assessment of our district. We are working diligently to gather all necessary information and will provide you with an update shortly. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time. ********************************* ⚠️ACTUALIZACIÓN DEL DISTRITO⚠️ Atención comunidad de La Joya ISD, el equipo de crisis se ha reunido y completado una evaluación exhaustiva de nuestro distrito. Estamos trabajando diligentemente para recopilar toda la información necesaria y les proporcionaremos una actualización en breve. Gracias por su paciencia y comprensión durante este tiempo.

⚠️DISTRICT UPDATE ⚠️ La Joya ISD Family! Just a friendly reminder that La Joya ISD will be closed for students and staff on Monday, May 1, 2023 due to recent severe weather conditions and continued power outages throughout our district and community. Stay safe! ************************************** ⚠️ACTUALIZACIÓN DEL DISTRITO ⚠️ ¡Familia del Distrito Escolar de La Joya! Solo un recordatorio amistoso de que La Joya ISD estará cerrado para los estudiantes y el personal el lunes 1 de mayo de 2023 debido a las recientes condiciones climáticas severas y los continuos cortes de energía en todo nuestro distrito y comunidad. ¡Mantenerse seguro!