By ALEXANDREA BAILEY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
Point Isabel Independent School District [PIISD] welcomed back hundreds of students to its four campuses on Monday, Aug. 19.
Meet the Tarpons, a celebration kicking off the new school year and introducing the Mighty Tarpons, is slated for Thursday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. It will take place at Tarpon Stadium. Superintendent Theresa Capistran
describes the event as a way of reuniting the district with families, students and the community.
“Don’t forget to bring your pom-poms, noisemakers and wear your favorite Tarpon gear! Let’s show our school spirit and cheer on our team as they prepare for an amazing year ahead,” stated PIISD.
This school year, PIISD staff will receive a four percent salary increase. Capistran expressed her enthusiasm about the salary adjustments.
“Our educators and staff are the backbone of our district. By implementing this salary increase, we are showing our appreciation for their hard work and dedication,” stated Capistran.
Juliette Gonzalez, PIISD Communications Specialist, says the staff were incredibly excited about this increase.
“Other districts were actually letting employees go, and we were at a position to actually get a raise,” said Gonzalez.
Capistran stressed the district’s awareness of the effects inflation is having on the cost of living.
“Our district was looking at ways of helping out our families,” said Capistran.
In addition to the salary increase, PIISD is raising the starting salary for District Police Officers to $50,000. According to the official press release, the new starting salary for District Police Officers is part of a
broader strategy to enhance school safety measures. By offering competitive compensation, PIISD aims to recruit the best candidates committed to ensuring a secure educational setting for all students and staff.
“Safety is our top priority and we want to ensure that we are going to attract the best officers,” said Capistran. “We are still in the process of hiring officers, and we are excited about what this is going to do to
personnel that is critical to our school district.”
PIISD’s Device Policy varies between campuses. At elementary schools Garriga and Derry, students are prohibited from using personal wireless communication devices during the school day. The devices must be
turned off and kept in the student’s backpack. If a student must use a phone, they may use the phones in the main office with teacher’s permission. The same goes for the junior high, as well as the high school,
however at the Port Isabel Early College High School [PIECHS] cell phones will be placed in a “safe pouch” in the classroom. This school year, PIECHS is introducing Device Safe Zones, where students can “unplug,
relax, and connect with each other.” According to PIISD, these device policies are put in place in order to maximize learning, reduce distractions and support academic success. This policy was presented earlier this
month during a parent meeting.
“We presented our concerns in the classroom with students using their cellphones during the day…We listened to parents’ feedback and they agreed with students not using cellphones during the day, but still having access to them, and we agree with that…I believe cell phones go hand and hand with safety,” said Capistran.
PIISD is encouraging students and their families to download its Port Isabel Tarpons app, which provides the latest news, events, dining options, and more. The app is available on the App Store and the Google Play
Store.
“We want all of our families to download the app and have information readily available to them 24/7,” said Capistran.
PIISD reminds students of its No Outside Food/Drink Policy. According to PIISD, outside food or drinks are prohibited from being delivered to any campus. Students are welcome to bring their own lunch in a bag or
lunchbox. Parents must provide a two-day advance notice for birthday celebrations in the classroom. Celebrations without prior notice may be denied entry. Only store-bought cupcakes and juices are permitted. Due to current district policies and safety protocols, parents are currently prohibited from eating lunch with their children on campus.
Earlier this week, PIISD teachers participated in an engaging workshop instructed by Maria Elena G. Ramirez, Program Manager at Workforce Solutions Cameron County. The workshop was hosted by the College & Career Readiness Department at PIECHS. According to PIISD, teachers were provided valuable resources from Workforce Solutions, including career exploration activities, labor market data and insights into in- demand industry sectors and occupations.
Capistran says the last few school years have seen great student success in academics and ensures that the District’s goal is to continue that positive trend.
“We know that education breaks the cycle of poverty in the lives of students and opens up doors once our students leave our District,” said Capistran. “My goal is that we continue providing the very best education
that we can during the school day and that we also continue to inform our Tarpon families of all of the opportunities available to our Tarpon students.”