Sunday December 14, 2014 Photo Gallery

KSBG-TV 17 featured some of the district’s top elementary readers during a special production, Christmas Stories with Top AR (Accelerated Reading Program) Readers, which aired throughout the holiday season.

“The video that our television crew produced showcases our top readers participating in the Accelerated Reading Program in our district,” said Celia Longoria, the district’s Director of Communications. “We are introducing this program in an effort to reward these top-notched students for their hard work and showcase their love for reading. It is our hope that other students will follow suit and develop a love for reading, too!”

AR is a computer program Accelerated Reader (AR) created by Renaissance Learning, Inc. The program helps librarians and teachers manage and monitor student’s independent reading practice. The students are able to select their own books based on their reading level, read it at their own pace and take a short quiz on the computer and obtain points and rewards throughout the year.

Longoria praised the students for their reading ability.

“All of our participating elementary students did an outstanding job with their stories,” Longoria said.

Longoria added, “Our television staff members did an great job of producing this exceptional video for the community to enjoy during the holidays.”

Cynthia Quintanilla, Isaac Quintanilla’s mother, said the district’s AR program has helped her son, a fifth grader, in school.

“The program has helped him develop in so many different ways. Last year as a fourth grader, he did a great job with the STAAR (State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness) test,” she said. “It has helped him develop in so many areas. I see a more confident child and the focus is there.”

Quintanilla praised the efforts of the teachers and staff at the campus.

“The teachers do an amazing job. The kids that do the extra reading and take the tests get an extra boost,” she said. “They will have a great advantage.”

KSBG-TV 17 will continue highlighting the district’s top elementary readers via future television productions.

Lyla Ortiz, a second grader at La Encantada Elementary, selected “Frosty the Snowman.”	Jacinto Montez, a third grader at Rangerville Elementary, will be reading “Silent Night.”
Kristian Domanski, a third grader at Judge Oscar De La Fuente Elementary, selected “Snowmen at Christmas.”	Mia Marshall, a fourth grader at Sullivan Elementary, is featured reading “Olive, the Other Reindeer.”
Omar Mungia, a fourth grader at Angela Gerusa Leal Elementary, is featured reading “The Mouse Before Christmas.”	Isaac Quintanilla, a fifth grade at Dr. C.M. Cash Elementary, chose to read “December.”
Lauren A. Saldaña, a fourth grader at Ed Downs Elementary, selected “Santa’s Birthday Gift.”

Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 6 PM

Deadline for submissions extended through Monday, February 2, 2015

Click here to go to website or click on picture below:

2014-2015 San Benito Greyhounds Varsity Basketball Schedule. View all other Sports Schedules HERE

January 2015

Students, staff welcome Dr. Marc A. Puig, Superintendent of Schools

San Benito High School Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) Cadets Josiah Alcala, Robert Contreras and Valerie Garza participated in the Fiesta Marathon in Edinburg.

The cadets expressed an interest in running the 26.2 miles as a Mixed Relay Marathon Team, which consisted of Alcala, Contreras and Garza and chaperones, including NJROTC Instructor Jesus Gaytan and San Benito Veterans Memorial Academy English teacher Stacey Gonzalez.

After only a few short weeks of training, the Relay Team finally mustered at the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley campus in Edinburg for the Race. Despite a cold Sunday morning the cadets and instructors arrived all fired up.

The first leg of the race consisted of 4.25 miles which was completed by Cadet Valerie Garza, next came Chief Jesus Gaytan who ran 6.85 miles, Cadet Robert Contreras ran the third leg of 4.00 miles, the fourth leg of 6.85 miles was run by Cadet Josiah Alcala, and the final leg of 4.25 miles was completed by Stacey Gonzalez. The finish time for the Relay Team was 3:34:05.

Their efforts were rewarded with a finisher’s medal and a second place medallion. Cadet Alcala said, “Despite not training for very long period, we still came in second place out of 15 Mixed Relay Teams, not too bad.” The team was treated to food, drinks and music after the race by the race organizers.

NJROTC Relay Team members, from left, Chief Jesus Gaytan, Stacey Gonzalez and Cadets Josiah Alcala, Valerie Garza and Robert Contreras are shown after their participation at the Fiesta Marathon.

Important Notice for Parents/Aviso importante para padres:

Friday, January 16, 2015

Letter to San Benito CISD Parents:

On Friday, Jan. 16, the San Benito CISD Police Department received information from the local police department about an individual who allegedly made “potential threatening statements.” As a result, this prompted us to place all schools on lockdown at approximately 9 AM as a precautionary measure.

The district implemented a “soft lockdown” at 11:07 AM and the lockdown was finally lifted at 11:27 AM, with the remainder of the school day resuming as scheduled. Today, our students and staff did an outstanding job in following the proper procedures. They are all to be commended on a job well done.

At San Benito CISD, student and staff safety is of highest concern. In situations where the district has reason to believe that the students and staff may be in any immediate danger, the district will immediately take precautionary measures and follow the proper procedures to safeguard everyone’s safety.

We appreciate your patience and understanding regarding our procedures. We thank you in advance for being understanding during this ordeal and allowing us to keep your children safe in our care while the matter got resolved.

Parents, we urge you to provide school officials with updated contact information so that we can continue to send important messages during a crisis situation and/or so that we may keep parents posted regarding other important updates.

Please be advised that I will be reviewing the crisis communication procedures with all key staff to determine how we can further enhance existing procedures.

Dr. Marc A. Puig
Superintendent of Schools

Viernes, 16 de enero del 2015

Carta a los padres de familia del distrito escolar de San Benito:

El viernes, 16 de enero, el departamento de policía del distrito escolar de San Benito recibió información del departamento de policía local sobre un individuo que presuntamente hizo “declaraciones amenazantes.” Como resultado, esto nos impulsó a poner todas las escuelas en cierre forzoso aproximadamente a las 9:00 AM como una medida de precaución.

El distrito implementó un “cierre preventivo” a las 11:07 AM y finalmente el cierre fue suspendido a las 11:27 AM, con el resto del día escolar restaurando como estaba programado. Hoy, nuestros estudiantes y el personal hicieron un trabajo sobresaliente en seguir los procedimientos adecuados. Son dignos de elogio por un trabajo bien hecho.

En el distrito escolar de San Benito, la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes y el personal es de máxima preocupación. En situaciones en las que el distrito tiene razones para creer que los estudiantes y el personal pueden estar en peligro inmediato, el distrito tomará inmediatamente las medidas de precaución y seguirá los procedimientos adecuados para proteger la seguridad de todos.

Apreciamos su paciencia y comprensión con respecto a nuestros procedimientos. Le damos las gracias de antemano por ser comprensivos durante esta situación y por permitirnos mantener a sus hijos seguros en nuestro cuidado mientras el asunto se resolvía.

Padres, le recomendamos que proporcionen al personal de las escuela información de contacto más reciente para que podamos seguir enviando mensajes importantes durante una situación de crisis y/o para que podamos manteneros informados con respecto a otras actualizaciones importantes.

Por favor, tenga en cuenta que voy a estar revisando los procedimientos de comunicación de crisis con todo el personal clave para determinar cómo podemos mejorar aún más los procedimientos existentes.

Dr. Marc A. Puig
Superintendente de Escuelas

Dear San Benito CISD Team,

Last night the Culberson County-Allamoore ISD School Board accepted my resignation.  Therefore, I will be officially joining SBCISD as your new superintendent on January 5, 2015.  I wish to take this time to say how much I appreciate Mr. Limon for his kindness and professionalism during this transition. I plan to build on Mr. Limon’s previous successes and continue to push our district into the future.

Last week I had an opportunity to tour SBCISD campuses.  From elementary to secondary, I came away incredibly impressed with every student I talked to during my visit.  Because of you, San Benito students are achieving now and striving toward future success in college and the work place.  Thank you for your hard work and dedication.  I consider it an honor to be joining such a talented team.

In the coming days I will be emailing you a brief survey to gauge your feelings regarding areas of district strength, as well as areas in need of improvement.  I expect nothing less than open and honest responses from everyone.   In short, if I am provided an opportunity to know about an issue then we can plan to solve it together.

Finally, please know that my door is always open, so feel free to stop by my office to say hello when you have a chance.  I look forward to meeting all of you and I am certain that we will do amazing things for the children of SBCISD.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Marc A. Puig, Ed.D.

Thursday, January 15, 2015 Photo Gallery

Monday, January 19, 2015 Photo Gallery

An important message about lockdown procedures in case of a San Benito CISD emergency

In light of the districtwide lockdown that our school district recently experienced, we would like to inform parents, the community and the public in general about the importance of keeping everyone safe and free of harm’s way during an emergency and/or potential crisis. I encourage you to carefully review the following information regarding the types of notification codes, safety procedures, and notification process implemented should an emergency and/or potential threat or crisis occur in the vicinity of a school which may endanger the safety of the students and staff.

What codes are used for the notifications?
San Benito CISD uses the following codes for notifications during an emergency and/or when a threat or crisis arises:

Code Red – Armed intruder/individual on campus or nearby
Code Blue – Medical emergency on campus
Code Green – Lost child or runaway
Code Yellow – Severe or dangerous weather
Code Black – Bomb threat
Code SOS – Fight

What does the term “lockdown” mean?
This procedure (Code Red) is activated when law enforcement officers are searching for a suspect near a school or when an intruder invades a campus.

Why is it necessary for schools to activate a lockdown?
If an emergency situation occurring in the vicinity of a school endangers student safety, the school may be placed under lockdown. Whenever a threat arises, schools are the focus of heightened attention for Police and local authorities. Although such measures may seem extreme, they have proven effective to make sure students are safe.

What happens when lockdown procedures are activated?
All doors, windows, classrooms and administrative offices are locked. Students and staff remain in their classrooms or offices. No one, including parents, will be allowed to exit or enter the school until the police authorities give the “all clear” message.

When a lockdown is activated, what should parents do?
If a lockdown were to be implemented, parents should:

• Remain calm as school and local authorities manage the situation.
• The school district will send an automated telephone message to keep parents informed.
• If a lockdown lasts for an extended period of time, or goes beyond dismissal time, students will not be allowed to leave until recommended by the appropriate authorities. School staff will attempt to notify parents by phone.
• Once it is determined to be safe to do so, parents may be required to pick up children from school or another designated staging area.
• Parents may be required to present identification.
• The reunification location will be given to parents over the phone, if possible, and will always be publicized to the media.
• School officials will work with the district’s transportation department regarding bus transport.
• Students and parents are reminded that during an emergency situation, cellular sites may be overwhelmed due to a high volume of calls. It is critical that text messaging and cell phone use be kept to a minimum so that emergency services have priority to assist the students and staff on the site.

Crisis Training
Campus administrators and staff members have been trained according to San Benito CISD’s crisis procedures to help prepare our schools in the event of an actual crisis.

Are routine drills conducted at campuses?
San Benito CISD campuses conduct drills, such as lockdown drills and fire drills. Staff members receive training regularly.

How can I ensure I am receiving important messages?
Please update contact information with your child’s school. The automated phone messaging system will alert parents using the phone number on file with the school.

Where can parents check for updates?
The district will post “official” and “factual” information to the district’s web page (www.sbcisd.net), on the district’s official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/sbcisd), via KSBG-TV 17, and through the local news media.

How else will parents be informed?
If the event warrants, a letter will be sent home with students informing parents about the incident/situation. The district places great emphasis on communicating with our parents, and as such, we will do our best to keep parents informed about major incidents as quickly as possible.

Maintaining Control of Rumors
During a school crisis, please DO NOT BELIEVE “rumors” that you may hear via social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, etc. The school district will keep parents updated with the district’s automated phone messaging system, via the district’s website, Facebook page and KSBG-TV 17, and through the local news media.

An Important Reminder to Parents!
Please remind your children about the importance of being alert, avoiding strangers, and reporting suspicious behavior, activities or rumors to adults on campus.

Your cooperation is extremely critical, especially during a crisis. Thank you in advance for your partnership in ensuring the safety and welfare our students and staff.

Sincerely,
Dr. Marc A. Puig
Superintendent of Schools

Un mensaje importante acerca de los procedimientos de cierre forzoso en caso de emergencia del Distrito Escolar de San Benito

Ante el cierre forzoso que recientemente nuestro distrito escolar experimento, nos gustaría informar a los padres, la comunidad y al público en general sobre la importancia de mantener a todos salvo y libre de peligro durante una emergencia y cuando se suscita una amenaza. Les animo a revisar cuidadosamente la siguiente información respecto a los tipos de códigos de notificación, los procedimientos de seguridad y proceso de notificación si llegara a ocurrir una situación de emergencia en la cercanía de una escuela que ponga en peligro la seguridad de los alumnos y el personal.

¿Qué códigos se utilizan para las notificaciones?
El distrito escolar de San Benito utiliza los siguientes códigos para las notificaciones durante una emergencia y cuando se suscita una amenaza:

Código Rojo – Intruso/individuo armado en la escuela o en sus cercanías
Código Azul – Emergencia médica en la escuela
Código Verde – Niño perdido o fugitivo
Código Amarillo – Clima severo o peligroso
Código Negro – Amenaza de bomba
Código SOS – Pelea

¿Qué significa el término “cierre forzoso”?
Este procedimiento (Código Rojo) se activa cuando oficiales de la policía están buscando un sospechoso cerca de una escuela o cuando un intruso invade una escuela.

¿Por qué es necesario que las escuelas activen un cierre forzoso?
Si llegará a ocurrir una situación de emergencia en la cercanía de una escuela que ponga en peligro la seguridad de los alumnos, probablemente la escuela tenga que tener un cierre forzoso. Cuando se suscita una amenaza, las escuelas son puntos de alta atención para la Policía Escolar y autoridades locales. A pesar que estas medidas parezcan extremas, han probado ser efectivas para la seguridad de los alumnos y el personal de la escuela.

¿Qué sucede cuando se activan los procedimientos de cierre forzoso?
Todas las puertas, ventanas, salón de clases y oficinas administrativas se cierran con llave. Los estudiantes y miembros del personal permanecen en sus salones de clases o en sus respectivas oficinas. Nadie, incluyendo los padres, tendrá permiso para salir o entrar a la escuela hasta que las autoridades de la policía nos informen que todo está “fuera de peligro.”

¿Cuándo se activa un cierre forzoso, que deben hacer los padres?
Si llegará a ocurrir un cierre forzoso, los padres deben:

• Permanecer con calma a la vez que las autoridades escolares y locales manejan la situación.
• El distrito escolar mandara un mensaje telefónico automatizado para mantener a los padres informados.
• Si un cierre forzoso va a durar un período prolongado o continuará más allá de la hora de salida, no se permitirá a los alumnos salir hasta que las autoridades apropiadas lo recomienden. El personal de la escuela hará su mejor esfuerzo para notificar a los padres por teléfono.
• Una vez que se determine que es seguro, se podría pedir a los padres recoger a sus hijos en la escuela o en otra área de congregación asignada.
• Probablemente los padres tengan que presentar identificación.
• La ubicación de reunión se dará a los padres por teléfono, si es posible, y se publicará a los medios de comunicación.
• Los funcionarios escolares trabajarán con el departamento de transportación del distrito concerniente al transporte escolar.
• Se recuerda a los padres y alumnos que durante una situación de emergencia, los sistemas celulares pueden estar extremadamente ocupados debido al alto volumen de llamadas. Es de suma importancia que el envío de mensajes de texto y las llamadas telefónicas se mantengan reducidas para que los servicios de emergencia tengan prioridad de asistir a los alumnos y personal de las escuelas.

Entrenamiento de crisis
Los administradores y miembros del personal de las escuelas han sido entrenados de acurdo a los procedimientos de crisis del distrito escolar de San Benito para ayudar a preparar nuestras escuelas en caso de una crisis real.

¿Se llevan a cabo ejercicios de rutina en las escuelas?
Las escuelas del distrito escolar de San Benito llevan a cabo ejercicios, tales como ejercicios de cierre forzoso y ejercicios en caso de incendio. Los miembros del personal reciben entrenamiento regularmente.

¿Cómo puedo asegurarme de que los mensajes importantes lleguen a mí?
Por favor actualice la información de contacto más reciente con la escuela de su hijo/a. El sistema automatizado de mensajes de teléfono les avisara a los padres a través del número de teléfono en los archivos de la escuela.

¿Dónde pueden los padres obtener información sobre los sucesos más recientes?
El distrito publicará información “oficial” y “de hechos” en la página de internet del distrito (www.sbcisd.net), en la página oficial del distrito en Facebook (www.facebook.com/sbcisd), por medio del canal 17 de televisión KSBG, y a través de los medios de comunicación local.

¿De qué otras maneras se les informaran a los padres?
Si es necesario, una carta será enviada a casa con los estudiantes informando a los padres sobre el incidente/la situación. El distrito pone gran énfasis en la comunicación con nuestros padres, y como tal, haremos todo lo posible para mantenerlos informados sobre los principales incidentes lo más rápido posible.

Mantener control de rumores
Durante una crisis, por favor NO CREA “los rumores” que puede escuchar a través de los medios sociales, como Facebook y Twitter, etc. El distrito escolar mantendrá a los padres actualizados con los hechos más recientes con el sistema de mensajería de teléfono automatizado del distrito, a través de la página de internet del distrito, la página oficial de Facebook, el canal 17 de televisión KSBG, y por los medios de prensa local.

¡Un recordatorio importante para los padres!
Por favor recuérdeles a sus hijos sobre la importancia de estar alerta, evitando contacto con personas desconocidas y reportar alguna conducta, actividades o rumores sospechosos a los adultos en la escuela.

Su cooperación es extremadamente crítica, especialmente durante una crisis. Gracias de antemano por su colaboración para garantizar la seguridad y el bienestar de nuestros estudiantes y personal.

Sinceramente,
Dr. Marc A. Puig
Superintendente de Escuelas

Important Notice for Parents/Aviso importante para padres:

Pre-Sale tickets $7 (students) Tickets $10 (Adults and Seniors)

Download Pre-Order Form

San Benito CISD students from all grade levels are currently showcasing their artwork creations at the John F. Barron Administration Building.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marc A. Puig praised the efforts of students and staff.

“The artwork is absolutely amazing,” he said. “Our students and teachers are so talented. I have received so many compliments about the artwork that they have created!”

Watch the SBCISD’s television channel “Live” on the web 24/7

National School Counseling Week is being observed February 2-6.  San Benito CISD counselors attended a city council meeting, where they received a proclamation. Shown at the presentation, are bottom, from left, Districtwide counselors Idalia G. Garza and Juanita Moran, Guidance and Counseling Director Janie Lopez, Mayor Celeste Z. Sanchez, and districtwide counselor Enedelia A. Salinas and top, from left, Commissioners JD Penny and Joe D. Gonzalez, Mayor Pro Tem Tony Gonzales and Commissioner Rene Villafranco.