Valedictorian Cesar Torres (left) and Salutatorian Dakota Briggs (right)

By SARAH M. VASQUEZ

MARFA –The Marfa High School Class of 2015 will receive their diplomas during commencement exercises at 7:30pm Friday, May 29, at Martin Field.

Cesar AlanTorres is this year’s valedictorian and he graduates with a grade point average of 98.038.

Salutatorian is Dakota Briggs who graduates with a 96.692 GPA.

The Class of 2008 valedictorian, Daniel Acosta Jr., will return to his alma mater as commencement speaker.

Acosta is the son of Daniel Acosta of Presidio and Isabel and Mark Cash of Marfa. After high school graduation, he attended the University of Texas in Austin where he earned a degree in mechanical and computer engineering with a minor in Russian language. He is currently a client technical specialist with IBM.

Torres is the son of Yadira and Cesar Torres and plans to attend the University of Texas in Austin where he will be a pre-medical student. He plans to attend medical school to become either a neurologist or an anesthesiologist.

An immigrant of Mexico, Cesar spoke no English when he began his formal education and on Friday he graduates at the top of his class.

During his time as a Shorthorn, Torres participated in marching and concert band since the eighth grade, UIL number sense and science and mathematics. He made it to state in the 4H Horse Bowl competition and placed 11th his junior year. He’s been on the robotics team since his sophomore year and placed first overall in the BotBall regional competition during his junior year. He was part of the Marfa Robohorns team that traveled to the FIRST World Championship this year to St. Louis, Missouri. He also ran track during his sophomore year.

Briggs is the daughter of Dr. Natalie Maria Roncone. She plans to attend Sarah Lawrence University in New York to pursue an English major and pre-law.

She participated in volleyball, basketball and track during her time at Marfa High School. She was president of the student council and a member of the robotics team.

She was a National Honor Society member along with Torres. She is a winner of the Robert Burns poetry competitions from 2009 to 2011 and earned a Gold Achievement in reading in 2012.

This year’s senior class is the largest the district has seen in a while with 27 students.

U.S. Border Patrol Big Bend Sector, $1,000, Cesar Torres.

Ex-Shorthorn Group of El Paso, $2,500, Orlando Sanchez; $2,500, Marissa Garcia. (The Ex-Shorthorn scholarships this year are presented in memory of Ex-Shorthorns Dr. Jose Roman and Ernesto Mendoza.)

Marfa Rotary Club, $ 1,000, Marissa Garcia; $ 1,000, Isaiah Martinez; $ 1,000, Juanita Nuñez.

Marfa National Bank, $500, Cesar Torres; $250, Dakota Briggs; $200, Anissa Lujan; $200, Cesar Torres.

Cindy Hibbitts Memorial, $500, Isaiah Martinez.

Judd Foundation, $500, Andy Garcia; $500, Jacqueline Lozano; $500, Erika Reyes Diaz.

Frontier Masonic Lodge #766 Alpine, $1,000, Isaiah Martinez.

SRSU Presidential Scholarship, $3,000 a year for four years, $12,000 total, Michaela Serrano.

Wes Tex Community Credit Union, $250 per semester for four years, $2,000 total, Anissa Lujan.

Vilis Inde and Tom Jacobs, $500, Orlando Sanchez; $500, Caleb Seegers,

(in recognition of their first place tie for the playwright competition

this year.)

Buck Johnston and Camp Bosworth, $250, Anissa Lujan.

Design Marfa, $500, Dakota Briggs.

Tom Edens Scholarship, $6,000, Cesar Torres.

Pfeifer Scholarship, $2,500 per semester for four years, $20,000 total, Marissa Garcia.

Big Bend Sentinel, $500, Cesar  Torres; $500, Andy Garcia.

CMC Business Scholarship, $500, Jacqueline Lozano.

Marfa Shorthorn Booster Club, $500, Orlando Sanchez; $500, Elijah Prieto.

Highest Ranking Senior, 1 year tuition, Cesar Torres.

UTPB Freshman Merit Scholarship, $1,500 per semester for four years, $12,000 total, Juanita Nuñez.

UTPB, $500, Robert Aragon, Dakota Briggs, Crystal Cataño, Caitlin DuPlooy, Andy Garcia, Gabriela Garcia, Marissa Garcia, Joel Hernandez, Christopher Ibarra, Gavin Livingston, Gisselle Lujan, Isaiah Martinez, Jayne Nuñez, Dillon Orr, Elijah Prieto, Martin Quinonez, Nohely Ramirez, Salvador Roman, Caleb Seegers, Coby Seegers, Michaela Serrano, Cesar Torres, Brianna Vasquez, Casey Walker (not all are seniors).

Total amount of scholarship awards: $81,400

MARFA – Marfa ISD last week closed on the sale of a 2015 tax refunding bond issue, saving taxpayers $825,260. It’s the third refunding issue over the past nine years, resulting in a total savings for its taxpayers of $1.5 million, according to a school district news release.

Here is a short summary of the district’s voter-approved bond issues, the reason the bonds were passed, and how the district monitors its debt and seizes every opportunity to lower its bond indebtedness.

On September 30, 2000, voters approved a $5 million dollar bond for a junior high school wing, as well as for renovations at the Marfa elementary and high school campuses. The bond was sold as two separate sales, Bond Series 2001 and Bond Series 2003.

On May 12, 2007, district voters approved a $2.9 million bond for the construction of an elementary physical education facility – Hibbitts Gym – and a varsity competition facility, the Marfa Shorthorn Gymnasium, Bond Series 2007).

The approved bonds were issued at the lowest interest rate available at the time. The bonds are paid annually with debt service tax revenues collected each year.

The district opted to re-sell (refund) the bonds when they became callable. They were sold at a lower interest rate, thereby decreasing the interest due per bond. This will result in a decrease in the annual payment and a lower debt service tax rate.

The schedule below will show the bonds that were refunded and the savings per issue.

Series 2001/$3 million, refunded on December 2006, Series 2006, resulting in a $323,662 savings.

Series 2003/$2 million, refunded on March 2013, Series 2013, resulting in a $334,469 savings.

Series 2007/$2.9 million, refunded on May 2015, Series 2015.

Series 2006/formerly Series 2001, refunded on May 2015/2^nd Refunding, Series 2015.

The combined bond series refunding resulted in a savings of $825,260. The total overall savings achieved by the district since 2006 is $1,483,391.53.

The district’s chief financial officer, Victoria Sanchez, business office executive assistant Bianca Gonzalez, and Superintendent Andrew Peters spearheaded the initiative.

The district, along with its financial advisor, Duane Westerman, SAMCO Capital Markets, will continue to monitor the market and will seize every opportunity to refund each callable bond and secure lower interest rates.

Marfa ISD’s Standard and Poor’s Rating is a AAA/A rating due to the district’s financial stability over the years.  The report states “The underlying rating reflects our (Standard & Poor’s) opinion of the district’s very strong finances, supported by good financial management practices under our Financial Management Assessment and methodology; and its moderate overall debt with not additional debt-financed capital needs.

For additional information or to review the district’s bond indebtedness and ratings, you may contact Sanchez at (432) 729-5503 or at vsanchez@marfaisd.com.

By SARAH M. VASQUEZ

MARFA –The Marfa High School industrial arts program held an open house on Saturday, May 16, in the new IA building. What was supposed to be ready for students on August 25, the first day of the 2014-2015 school year, wasn’t ready until the beginning of the spring semester in January. Constructing the program’s new home was a constant issue for the school year as each issue caused a delay.

Students showed off their projects and people could purchased hamburgers and t-shirts that benefit the program.

“We just want to give the community the opportunity to see what exactly it is that we do here,” said Josh Steinberg, Marfa ISD Industrial Arts teacher.

Below is the list of winners from the competition judged by Bradley Knight:

Home Convenience – Cooking Equipment

1st Casey Walker

2nd Jacy Holguin

3rd Andrew Briones

Home Convenience – Other

1st Jesse Walker

2nd Brizzy Mendoza

3rd Luis Sanchez

Buckle/Jewelry

1st Jacy Holguin

2nd Orly Holguin

Shop Equipment

1st Kevin Pippen

2nd Steven Granado/Josh Serrano

3rd Andrew Briones

4th Coy Dominquez

Welding Contest

1st Gavin Livingston

2nd Casey Walker

(all staff photos by SARAH M. VASQUEZ)

The sixth Annual Triple AAA awards from Lucy Rede Franco Middle School were presented at an awards ceremony last night. Photos will be published in next week’s issue of The International.

The following awards were preented:

Student of the Year:

7^th, Paul Valeriano, Adaly Ramirez 8^th Grader, Cole Galliete, Alejandrina Elms ,9^th Grader, Jaqueline Hernandez

Most Improved Students

Seventh Grader, Kevin Jaquez, Carmen Rodriguez, eighth Grader, Jose Gabaldon, Arely Leyva 9^th Grader, Daniel Garcia, Jocelyn Juarez

Academic Excellence Language Arts/ English 1

Seventh Grader, Ricardo Chapa, eighth Grader Alejandrina Elms, ninth Grader, Valeria Valenzuela

Academic Excellence Algebra

Eighth Grader, Leonardo Uribe, ninth Grader Heyzol Colomo

Academic Excellence Math

Seventh Grader, Ricardo Chapa, eighth Grader, Leonardo Uribe,

Academic Excellence Science/IPC

Seventh Grader, Russel Campollo, eighth Grader Leonardo, Uribe, ninth Grader Heyzol Colomo

Academic Excellence Geography/Social Studies

Seventh Grader Cornia Herrera, eighth Grader, Ramon Aguirre, ninth Grader Valeria Valenzuela

Academic Excellence Technology Award

Seventh Grader Carmen Rodriguez, eighth Grader, Desirae Lujan, ninth Grader, Daniel Madrid Sanchez, Juliet Acosta

A Honor Roll

Seventh Grader Paul Valeriano, eighth Grader Jazmin DeAnda, Alejandrina Elms, Katelyn Valenzuela

AB Honor Roll

7^th Grader, Alexandra Arroyo, Karime Baeza, Russel Campollo, Gisselle Chavez, Adrian Escontrias, Odette Escontrias, Jose A. Gutierrez, Cornia Herrera, Sebastian Madrid, Jisell Sanchez, Baldemar Solis, Arany Velasco

8^th Grader, Ruth Aguilar, Ramon Aguirre, Aaron Bustamante, Maria Vega, Paola Flotte, Cole Galliete, Yaritza Garcia, Gisselle Menchaca, Daniella Ramos, Stephanie Rivera, Erica Tavarez, and Leonardo Uribe

Rising Star/ ESL Award

7^th Grader, Ronaldo Saenz, Lliam Venegas, 8^th Grader, Brissa Pena, Jose Lopez Pando, 9^th Grader Rene Avila, Joselie Enriquez

Special Awards PTO

Eighth Grader, Karmina Proano

Band Most Improved

Seventh Grader, Sebastian Madrid, eighth Grader, Desirae Lujan

Band Student of the Year

Seventh Grader, Russel Campollo, eighth Grader Jazmin DeAnda

Office Aide of the Year

Seventh Grader, Paula Valeriano, eighth Grader, Mara Bustamante

Volleyball Award

Seventh Grader Osiris Alferez, eighth Grader Alejandra Proano 9^th Grader Karla Cepeda

Softball Award

Seventh Grader, Alexa Pando, eighth Grader Alejandra Proano 9^th Grader, Aylen Urias

Basketball Award

7^th Grader, Baldemar Solis, Gracie Loera, 8^th Grader, Oscar Moreno, Ivette Ramos, 9^th Grader, Edgar Galindo, Aylen Urias

Baseball Award

Seventh Grader, Albian Amancio, eighth Grader, Manuel Bustamante, ninth Grader, Ivan Cervante

Track and Field Award

Seventh Grader, Joel Vasquez, Izabella Ornelas, eighth Grader Rogelio Galindo, Kate Valenzuela

Cross Country Award 7^th Grader, Luis Rodriguez, Izabella Ornelas 8^th Grader Oscar Moreno, 9^th Grader Katelyn Valenzuela, Ivan Cervantes

Student Athlete of the Year Award

7^th Grader, Joel Vasquez, Osiris Alferez, 8^th Grader, Manuel Bustamante, Alejandra Proano, Katelyn Valenzuela, 9^th Grader, Ivan Cervantes, Aylen Urias

Student Librarian Aide of the Year

Seventh Grader, Ricardo Chapa, eighth Grader, Arian Tavarez

Best in Spanish

Seventh Grader, Aaron Lujan 9^th Grader, Jennifer Moreno

Perfect Attendance

Eighth Grader Arely Leyva

Academic Excellence in Reading

Seventh Grader, Ximena Melendez, Lliam Venegas, eighth Grader, Manuel Bustamante, Arely Leyva, 9^th Grader, Wendy Alfaro

Leadership Award Student Council

Seventh Grader, Jisell Sanchez, eighth Grader, Arely Leyva, ninth Heyzol Colomo

Best in Art

Seventh Grader Vanessa Rodriquez, eighth Grader, Paola Flotte, ninth Grader Wendy Alfaro

Most Improved in Art

Seventh Grader, Anahi Velasco, eighth Grader, Alejandrina Elms, ninth Grader, Kate Carrasco

AR Award

Seventh Grader Ricardo Chapa, eighth Grader, Cole Galliete, Daniella Ramos

Citizenship Award

Seventh Grader Danthery Bonilla, Javier Vazquez,

Taylor Galliette and Diana Sanchez

PRESIDIO – The Presidio Class of 2015 valedictorian Taylor Galliete and salutatorian Diana Sanchez addressed their fellow graduates, family members and friends during their speeches at graduation this past Saturday.

Former congressman and state representative Pete Gallego was the guest speaker at the June 6 commencement exercises.

Taylor Galliete was born on September 5, 1997 in Sandwich, Illinois, where she attended school until the sixth grade before moving to Presidio. She is the daughter of Marlene and Ronald Galliete, who works in Presidio as a Border Patrol agent. She has five siblings: Mace, Cole, Casey, Elijah, and her twin, Tatum.

While attending Presidio High School, Galliete was involved in a number of extracurricular engineering challenges and clubs, athletics, as well as the National Honor Society. Her final grade point average was a 4.19 out of 4.0.

Galliete had an illustrious athletics career at PHS, where she participated in cross country, track and field, and basketball. She concluded her high school track career by placing sixth at the state championships in the 1,600-meter run this year. She was a cross country regional qualifier all four years of her academic career and placed eighth at state championships. She was named cross country athlete of the year her sophomore, junior and senior years.

Galliete is the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards – among them, the National Border Patrol Scholarship, the Local Border Patrol Scholarship, the William Soza Scholarship, and a scholarship from UT Austin. She is also a National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) national runner up winner and a local affiliate award winner.

As a participant of the robotics team, Galliete came in first place overall at the Regional Botball Tournament in 2014 and in second place overall for the same tournament in 2015. She was a national finalist at the Team America Rocketry Challenge in 2014 and 2015. At the Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering, she ranked fourth place regionally in geometry as a freshman, and in her junior year, ranked first place in physics, third place in engineering design and fifth place in pre-calculus in the regional competitions. She also ranked fifth place in physics at the state championships.

It is perhaps no surprise that Galliete intends to study mechanical engineering when she matriculates at UT Austin this fall. Galliete will also be attending the university this summer as part of the Summer Bridge Scholarship.

Of being named valedictorian, Galliete said, “Being valedictorian is great. Being part of the class of 2015 and all the things we are going to accomplish is amazing. Success is exceeding your comfort zone – don’t wait to be pushed, step out of it.”

Though Galliete is very academically and athletically driven, she named a number of hobbies and passions outside those realms, including fashion, Starbucks, and selfies.

It would appear selfies are also a hobby of the salutatorian, Diana Sanchez, who utilized a selfie stick to snap a picture of her and the graduating class of 2015 during her salutatorian speech.

Sanchez is the daughter of Hector Sanchez and Marta Alvarado. She has two siblings, Joevany Sanchez and Fernanda Alvarado. Her final grade point average was a 4.08 out of 4.

Sanchez played volleyball in her senior year, and was a member of the National Honor Society and Student Council. She cited math as her favorite subject.

Sanchez will also attend UT Austin in the fall, where she hopes to major in social work. Sanchez said, “It felt amazing to be the salutatorian. All the hard work and late nights studying were worth it!”

Presidio High School band members

PRESIDIO – Presidio High School student musicians earned 14 first-place, Division I, gold medals at the 2015 State Solo and Ensemble Contest held recently at Pflugerville High School.

This contest hosted some of the top 1A – 4A high school band students in the state performing college-level music for a final adjudication. Judges assigned rankings from Division I-V, with Division I performers going home with a state gold medal.

Here are the best and brightest Presidio student musicians:

Percussion Ensemble, Division I, Francisco Fernandez, junior; Jazmin Deanda 8^th grade; Alonzo Velasco, sophomore; Abraham Lozano, sophomore; Normando Rivera, senior; Andres Villa, sophomore; Maxwell Ferguson, sophomore; John Valeriano, sophomore; Hector Montemayor, sophomore; Flor Leyva, sophomore.

Flute Quartet, Division I, Diana Sanchez, senior; Verenice Tercero, senior; Alexa Udave, senior; Sindy Zubia, senior.

Flute Trio, Division II, Ambar Garcia, junior; J’lynn Goldston, sophomore; Karyme Valdez, freshman.

Saxophone Quartet, Division II, Noe Holguin, senior; Bryan Dominguez, sophomore; Andres Villa, sophomore; Adrian Velasco, senior.

Clarinet Quartet, Division III, Andres Escontrias, freshman; Karina Jimenez, senior; Carmen Rodriguez, senior; Samantha Rey, senior.

Brass Quintet, Division III, Alec Rey, senior; Daniel Bailon, sophomore; April Crowder, senior; Hector Montemayor, sophomore; Maxwell Ferguson, sophomore.

Brass Sextet, Division III, Denise Salazar, senior; Roxana Rodriguez, sophomore; Carolina Rodriguez, senior; David Rivero, freshman; Brian Hernandez, junior; Rodolfo Olivas, sophomore.

French Horn Solo, Division IV, Carolina Rodriguez, senior.

PRESIDIO – The Presidio community stepped up once again to provide local scholarships for many of its graduating seniors of 2015, said Presidio ISD counselor John Ferguson.

In a program started in the mid-1970s, the Presidio Local Scholarships this year generated about $60,000 from a cross section of businesses, organizations, families and individuals.

Presidio High School thanks everyone who contributed to this year’s local scholarship campaign, Ferguson said. Best wishes to graduates who will be continuing on to college or technical school.

Alfonso N. Renteria Memorial, $200, Eddie Hernandez, Kevin Hernandez, Carlos Nieto, Alec Rey, Samantha Rey, Carolina Rodriguez, Diana Sanchez, Valeria Vega, Adrian Velasco, Hugo Zuniga, Waldo Zuniga.

American Electric Power, $500, Emmanuel Carrasco-Calderon.

Association of Texas Professional Educators, Presidio, $100, Abigail Gomez, Julissa Rodriguez.

Bullet Transport, $200, Jonathan Aguilar.

City of Presidio staff and officials, $200, Franchesca Aguilar.

Dennis McEntire, $500, Raul Urias.

Desert Frost Snow Cones, $100, Franz Biantan.

D’Y Convenience Store, $1,000, Noe Holguin, Karina Jimenez.

Eric Turner Social Studies State History Fair, $500, Franz Biantan, Daisy Perez (2011).

First Baptist Church of Presidio, $200, Leonel Baeza.

First Presidio Bank, $1,000, Karen Manriquez.

First Presidio Bank R.C. Slack Memorial, $1,000, Miriam Esparza.

Foundation for Rural Service, $2,500, Noe Holguin.

Fort Davis State Bank, $1,000, Balam Olivas.

Glenn and Hazel Omar, $200, Kyle Rubner.

Guadalupe Singh, $500, Shaylyn Garcia, Kevin Ruiz.

Harper Hardware, $1,000, Omar Guerrero.

John and Lucy Ferguson, $200, Normando Rivera.

Junie’s Car Wash, $200, Sergio Ramos.

Kleinmann Consultants, $1,000, Kevin Hernandez, Carlos Nieto.

Las Flores de Van Gogh, $200, Rita Samaniego.

McBride and Ferguson families, $500, Lluvia Olivas.

MARKO Garage, $200, Andre Aguilar.

Oasis Café, $200, Eric Knight.

Porter’s Grocery, $500, Jonathan Carrasco.

Presidio County Health Services, $1,000, Denise Salazar.

Presidio ISD Migrant Program, $500, Eddie Hernandez, Noe Holguin.

Presidio Truck & Auto, $200, Alonzo Ortiz.

Presidio Youth Athletic Association, $200, Jiovannie Escontrias, Kevin Hernandez, Balam Olivas.

Ramirez Insurance of Presidio, $500, Julio Garcia, Alec Rey, Samantha Rey.

Riata Inn, $500, Javier Ramos, Rita Samaniego.

Rio Grande Wrecker Service, $250, Julissa Chapa, Jose Galindo-Sanchez.

Rohana’s Garage, $200, Marco Zuniga.

Spirit of Presidio, $100, Normando Rivera.

Texas Exes, $2,500, Diana Sanchez.

U.S. Border Patrol, $400, Tatum Galliete, Taylor Galliete, Arturo Madrid.

WTG Fuels, $500, Sindy Zubia.

William and Susan Soza Family, $1,000, Franz Gilbert Biantan, Jonatan Brito, April Crowder, Pamela Enriquez, Tatum Galliete, Taylor Galliete, Sayra Grado, Omar Guerrero, Araly Gutierrez, Eddie Hernandez, Noe Holguin, Guadalupe Licon, Arturo Madrid, Carlos Nieto, Carmen Rodriguez, Carolina Rodriguez, Kyle Rubner, Denise Salazar, Alexa Udave-Villanueva, Valeria Vega.

By SARAH M. VASQUEZ

MARFA – Marfa ISD is taking a proactive approach toward its potential Chapter 41 status, which would classify the district as a “rich” school.

Chief Financial Officer Victoria Sanchez discussed with the board of trustees at the June 15 meeting five different options they could possibly choose for the Chapter 41 status and heavily stressed that the board should consider each option carefully as three of them would have permanent repercussions.

“We would need to gather all of our information to make sure that any decision that we as a district make is in the best interest of our students,” said Sanchez.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) determined Marfa’s property values in the district exceeds the amount of wealth TEA determines for the number of students enrolled at MISD.

According to Sanchez, the projected weighted average daily attendance (WADA) for the 2015-2016 school year is $623,696 and the 2014 state values is $240,798,452, giving a projected equalized wealth level (EWL) of $386,083. That EWL exceeds TEA’s maximum EWL of $319,500 by $66,583.

Sanchez ran her own calculations and was very close to TEA’s. She told the board that very likely MISD would receive the letter from TEA deeming them a Chapter 41 school. The district would have to see a significant increase in enrollment or decrease in property values to avoid the Chapter 41 status.

“Once again, we know that’s not the direction that we’re heading in, so we might as well at this point accept the fact that we may be a Chapter 41 school district,” said Sanchez.

The letter will also let the district know the next step in terms of how much they would pay TEA and when.

However, they could also be a Chapter 42 school, meaning they receive funding from the state. The district could make arrangements with the state to recoup what they owe from the Chapter 41 status through their state funding.

Two options that could equalize wealth and not require voter approval are to consolidate the schools with another district or to detach property to another district. However, the wealth per student must be equal to or less than the EWL from either option.

MISD could also consolidate their tax base with another school district to equalize wealth, but that would require voter approval.

The two most selected options amongst Chapter 41 schools would be to purchase attendance credits from the state or contract to educate non-resident students. Both would require voter approval, but won’t be a permanent change. To purchase credits, the state will determine how much the district will need, which MISD doesn’t know yet.

There’s a catch for the options that require voter approval. Should the taxpayers vote against the proposed option, TEA will then decide which property to detach from the school district.

Sanchez mentioned the possibility that the district might be a “false 41” status as she thinks they are at the baseline of the status. Superintendent Andrew Peters said it happened with Fort Davis ISD when they detached from the High Frontier School in 2012 and they also received a letter regarding Chapter 41 this year as well.

She added that any school district would prefer to retain all their revenue, but it doesn’t mean the Chapter 41 status would place the district in a financial bind.

“If the district is in fact a Chapter 41 and funds need to be returned to the state, the district will still be receiving a higher revenue per student than we have in the past,” said Sanchez.

She said she’s going to request that credit be applied to the recapture amount, which is what they pay the Presidio County Appraisal District, as well as tuition they pay to Presidio ISD for educating Marfa ISD students from Redford. Should that be granted, the district might not have to return the money in the first year or two and could break even. She is currently working on the 2105-2016 budget, with the goal to present a balanced budget.

Peters told the board of trustees that the appeals regarding the state-determined property values will not go in Marfa’s favor.

The school district is trying to appeal the state values that are not close to the local values, which are used to determine state funding. Peters said the school’s attorney Carla Pope-Osborne told him that the district will not receive local values this year, next year or possibly ever because the property values are climbing so high due to residential home sales and residential lots.

“The values in Marfa are the highest priced values in the state. Basically Midland is the hot real estate market right now, according to Mr. Petree, and we are significantly higher than that,” said Peters.

Due to Texas’ truth-in-taxation and tax equalization measures, local taxing entities are required to lower their tax rate when the tax revenue increases. All the taxing entities – county, city, school districts and hospital district – lowered their tax rates last year due to the countywide reappraisal. Presidio ISD did not lower its tax rate, as they are committed to not raise taxes. Their rate of $1.41 hasn’t changed in six years.

That means to taxpayers that they should see another decrease with the tax rates due to this year’s increase in property values.

MISD’s total tax rate is currently at $1.24. The maintenance and operations (M&O) tax rate is locked at $1.04 and the interest and sinking (I&S) tax rate, also known as debt service, is at 20 cents. However, Sanchez said the I&S tax rate will see an additional deduction due to the future infrastructures in Marfa.

“Any increase in value through the pipelines or through the new hotels will decrease the tax rate, so the majority of your taxpayers will see a decrease in that portion of the tax rate,” said Sanchez.

She said the decrease in the I&S tax rate could drop by five to six cents.

Peters initially said the pipeline would not help Marfa ISD, because he thought it would continue to fuel the increasing property values that are driving the Chapter 41 designation. However, his opinion has modified since he learned having a pipeline within the school district’s boundaries could add not only value to the tax base but a property tax check from the pipeline company each year.

In the pipeline advertisements that have been running in area newspapers, Energy Transfer Partners have stated it would pay Presidio County, Marfa and Presidio ISD, and the hospital district about $1.9 million in property taxes each year.

A rough estimate is that Marfa ISD could pocket about $700,000 per year, but that is purely speculative and not confirmed.

Similar to the Shafter mine, the appraisal district can appraise the pipeline infrastructure as well as the natural gas that will run through it, as it’s a mineral.

It should be noted that Aurcana Corporation did suspend operations at the Shafter silver mine in December 2013, and Rio Grande Mining Company settled their lawsuit with Presidio County Appraisal District last summer because they thought their property value was “excessive and unlawful.”

“The pipeline could reduce the tax burden on the local taxpayers,” said Peters. “For taxpayers, it’s a great deal assuming the values will come in where they said they would.”

Peters said he was so focused on the Chapter 41 status that he was focused on how to bring less property and more students to the district.

“In my opinion, we need to look at businesses that bring in jobs and families to Marfa,” said Peters.

Peters notified the board that the Big Bend Conversation Alliance will host a public forum at 6pm on Tuesday, June 23, in Marfa High School’s auditorium regarding the Trans-Pecos Pipeline.

“We’re not taking a stand on it, but they’re going to use our auditorium just to have a place to meet next Tuesday,” said Peters.

The district is also planning to host a public forum with Pope and consultant Richard Petree, who conducted the 2014 countywide reappraisal, about the district’s situation with property values.

By SARAH M. VASQUEZ

MARFA – After his first semester as Marfa ISD Curriculum Director, Oscar Aguero shared preliminary STAAR test scores at the school board meeting on Monday.

“Are they rough? Yes,” said Aguero.

The majority of the test scores show decreases from the 2013-2014 to 2014-2015 school year. The average percentage of MISD students passing their tests was 71 percent last year, but in 2015, the average percentage of MISD students passing lowered to 56 percent.

The biggest decrease occurred with 67 percent of fourth grade students passing this year’s test compared to last year’s 79 percent.

Aguero mentioned enrollment changes and changes to the test itself affected the scores. Several fourth-grade students left the district and there was a completely new math test this year. Aguero said different school districts, including Valentine, told him that these were the worst test scores they have seen in years.

With the fifth-grade students, 48 percent passed the science test, which is a drastic decrease from last year’s 90 percent.

Aguero also noted three fifth-grade teacher changes during the year, including the math and science teacher, may have affected student performance.

He’s not sure what happened with eighth-grade social studies as the passing percentage decreased from 44 percent passing last year to 26 percent passing this year. There was a 15 percent decrease in eighth-grade science as half the students went through three teachers this year. Forty-eight percent passed the test compared to last year’s 63 percent.

Aguero said they were expecting higher scores with English I and II, but only 50 percent passed both tests. Peters said they pulled every trick out of the hat to prepare the students, but they were still shocked.

“The challenge is that we’re paying for years of trouble in the primary grades,” said Peters.

He said they discovered after they surveyed their students that some were two or three years below grade level.

Aguero said for the coming school year, a writing rubric will be used from second grade to 12th grade that is specific to Marfa. The English teachers will pilot the new rubric for the first weeks of the next year, and the plan is to hopefully include writing in every subject in every grade.

The biggest increase, though, occurred with the sixth-graders with 73 percent passing this year’s test compared to 45 percent passing last year. In the reading test, 73 percent passed compared to last year’s 45 percent, and 68 percent passed the math test.

In the high school level, 80 percent passed the U.S. history test, which was a decline from last year’s 100 percent passing. Aguero said the two students who failed that were first-year English as a Second Language students, so the language barrier may have been a factor.

In biology, 89 percent passed compared to last year’s 93 percent, which was also a result of the first year ESL students’ language barrier as well.

Trustee Katie Price Fowlkes asked why ESL students were tested with the other students, which Peters replied they couldn’t test in Spanish unless they teach the class in Spanish. However that’s only allowed until the fifth grade. Augero said those students can be pulled out and tested separately but are still counted in the scores. The school will not be held accountable if it’s the students’ first year as ESL students.

Tracking how the students progress as they go through the school district shows they have reached a plateau.

The same percentage of fourth-grade students, 67 percent, passed this year’s reading test compared to last year. With the fifth-graders, 78 percent passed when they were in third grade. 79 percent passed when they were in the fourth grade, which then decreased to 68 percent during their fifth grade year. The trend stays within the rest of the age groups, except for the eighth-graders.

When those students were in the sixth grade, 43 percent passed the test, which increased in the seventh grade with 63 percent passing. This year as eighth graders, 70 percent passed their tests.

“That way I can see are we’re growing over the years and that tells us we’re pretty flat,” said Aguero. “We’re not doing much of anything. Kind of scares me.”

However, the district doesn’t know how they compare to the rest of the state until those scores are released later this summer.

Aguero and Peters shared ideas they have to address the scores, including a reading period for the entire school district. Everyone including the custodian and Peters will read on campus for 40 minutes every morning.

“We’re going to build a culture of reading. We don’t have a culture of reading here and we’re going to model it, live it and everybody’s going to read,” said Peters.

Another idea is to address the middle school where they feel the grades are lacking. They are thinking about changing the entire middle school concept, essentially removing the bell system to allow flexibility of instruction time and building a pod, mainly with seventh- and eighth-graders, three teachers and two aids. There will be four traditional classes, two eighth grades and two seventh grades, and one blended class of seventh- and eighth-graders.

“Not that we’re holding them back, but that we can have no limits on what can we do,” said Aguero.

Board trustee Mahala Guevara mentioned that the district hasn’t made process nor have they seen the payoff since they were academically unacceptable in 2011 until 2013.

“Yeah, they changed the test, but if we’re providing a really great education, our kids should pass the tests,” said Guevara.

She feels that the writing programs they are suggesting has the same intention with the writing program they had this year, but again she hasn’t seen the payoff.

Aguero said the writing program he saw since he got here in November focused more on the creative side of writing, but not the technical part, which is tested in these standardized tests.

“We spent three weeks writing a play. They don’t write a play on this test. We spent an additional three weeks writing a poem. They don’t write a poem on there,” said Aguero.

He said that they should have spent two months prior preparing for the writing test, which includes a short answer and a persuasive essay.

In other matters, school board members addressed personnel, offering contracts to five new teachers, all with West Texas backgrounds.

Adamina Molina-Morlock will return to Marfa ISD for the 2015-2016 school year after a year of teaching at Marfa International School. She will teach fourth grade.

Joel Natividad will teach biology and joins the coaching staff. He is a Balmorhea native and attended Sul Ross State University. He previously taught and coached in Fort Davis for one year and two years in Grand Falls.

Eliza Barton will teach fifth and sixth grade science. This will be her first year teaching public education. She lives in Fort Davis and previously taught at a private school in El Paso.

Susana Holguin of El Paso will teach first grade and is a first-year teacher from Sul Ross State University. Also a first-year teacher is third-grade teacher Mihaku Nishizava-Rodriguez from Sul Ross as well. She also comes from El Paso.

Aguero will be the new campus-wide principal – in addition to his curriculum director duties – replacing Mary Paul who turned in her resignation.

First-grade teacher Jo Nevares, second-grade teacher Kayla Weaver, and early college high school facilitator Shawn Adams have also resigned.

This year’s Presidio ISD Solar Car Challenge team is comprised of PISD students Mace Galliete, Taylor Galliete, Tatum Galliete, Esequiel Hernandez, Asa Bishop, Alberto Rodriguez, Leslie Mendoza, Edwin Anaya, Raul Rios, Gilberto Madrid, Sebastian Torres, and Enrique Garcia. The competition will be held at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth/Dallas from July 17 to 23.

PRESIDIO – This month, students from Presidio High School will participate in the Solar Car Challenge.

The annual nationwide challenge was established in 1993 to motivate students in science and engineering. Each year, students and teachers choose to accept the challenge, and learn to design, engineer and build solar cars, which they ultimately race at the Texas Motor Speedway.

This year, motivated by Presidio ISD superintendent Dennis McEntire, students and faculty from Presidio High School and William Soza Early College High School accepted the challenge. Faculty members Rolando Gloria and Aimee Peralta attended the initial training with students in Fort Worth in August of last year.

The team is divided into different categories of skill and is comprised of the following students: Mace Galliete, Taylor Galliete, Tatum Galliete, Esequiel Hernandez and Asa Bishop, all of whom will be responsible for marketing and documentation; Alberto Rodriguez, Leslie Mendoza and Edwin Anaya, who are responsible for the electrical components; and Raul Rios, Gilberto Madrid, Sebastian Torres and Enrique Garcia, who are responsible for the mechanical aspects of the challenge.

The team and its sponsors – Rolando Gloria, Jesus Zubia and Ofrael Galindo – have ensured that their solar car, which they’ve named the “Blue Devil,” meets all regulations and requirements. The challenge has also been a way for the school and students to promote solar power as an alternative source of energy in Presidio.

The competition will be held at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth/Dallas from July 17-23.

(photo courtesy PISD – DPS)
STEP students work on the Community Park Project.

By DIANA AGUIRRE ARMENDARIZ

PRESIDIO – Students of Texas Exploring Prevention (S.T.E.P.) program of the Presidio ISD Department of Public Safety continue their path toward the success of the Community Park Project.

The Texas Department of State Health Services recently sponsored training in El Paso for Presidio ISD students to learn skills to be used in the project. They visited the University of Texas at El Paso to take a course on health issues as well as visited with other schools making their gardens and agricultural projects.

Adriana Luevanos of TDHS has strongly supported this project from the beginning in the interest of health awareness in border communities. School Police Chief Joel Nuñez and the Presidio ISD police officers hope this initiative will promote a healthier community while providing activities for school students to participate in.

“These are valuable programs that build bridges between our youth and law enforcement,” said Nuñez. The Presidio school board and Superintendent Dennis McEntire recently provided a property near the Texas Department of Transportation facility on Millington and Farm Road 170 for this project, during a board meeting.

Students participating this summer are Alexa Pando, Adaly Ramirez, Paola Flotte, Gracie Carrasco and Breeana Hernandez.

“We are very proud of our students” said Ana Martinez, PISD DPS-POLICE Community Liaison. This project is long term and will require many hours of work by all our volunteers.”

The Presidio ISD Department of Public Safety would like to invite any community volunteers to stop by and participate or call at 432 229 1164.

MARFA – The Shorthorn cheerleaders are gearing up for another sports season with their annual mini cheer camp beginning Monday.

Registration begins at 5pm, and the cheer learning runs to 7:30pm, all at the Marfa Shorthorn Gym. The camp continues through Thursday, August 6.

Camp fee is $20 for first child, $15 for a second cheerleader-in-the-making, and $10 for each child after that. This fee covers the sessions and a tee shirt for your little ones to wear at the games.

The camp is open to all children, ages 3-12. Please come out and join us for some Shorthorn fun!

MARFA – Marfa ISD will host an informational workshop for the interested public on the property value study at 7pm Monday, August 10 in the boardroom, 400 West Lincoln Street.

City and county public officials are also invited.

Carla Pope-Osborne with Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott law firm will conduct the workshop, an hour-long presentation on the importance of the study and the implications it can have on school funding.

MARFA – All students – new and returning – are asked to come to Marfa elementary next week, Monday-Thursday, August 10 – 13 and register for classes.

On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, hours are 9am-1pm and 2-4pm. Wednesday will be from noon to 6pm.

New students please bring your shot record, government form of ID (photo of the parent), birth certificate, social security card. Returning students must bring a state issued picture ID for the parent of the student.

If any member of the household has SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR assistance, please bring eligibility number so we can process your child’s meal application.  Parents may pre-pay for their child’s meals during this time.

Students entering pre-kindergarten must be 3 years old by September 1.

High school students will sign up for their electives.

Information: marfaisd.com and 432-729-4252.

Sul Ross State University Lobo Fieldhouse

ALPINE – Sul Ross State University’s Lobo Fieldhouse will be officially dedicated Wednesday, Aug. 12, with the ceremony incorporated with the August 13-14 meeting of the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System.

An open house of the facility will begin at 4:45pm, followed by the dedication at 5:45pm. Light refreshments will be served, and the event is open to the public.

The 5,000 square-foot structure was constructed primarily through funding provided by the Texas State University System Foundation. The building, located behind the west end zone of Jackson Field, has 120 lockers, as well as restrooms, showers, whirlpools, a training area, and laundry and storage facilities.

In addition to construction of the fieldhouse, the Foundation gift also provided funding to convert the former Lobo football facilities to a visiting team locker room and a student weight training facility.

By ROBERT HALPERN

MARFA – Marfa school board members by unanimous vote Monday approved a proposed fiscal 2015-2016 budget and property tax rate.

The proposed budget of $3.9 million is the second consecutive balanced budget after several years of deficit budgeting by the district. It’s also $325,000 less than the 2014-2015 budget of $4.3 million.

In addition, the proposed property tax rate is $1.21 per $100 value, three cents less than the current tax rate of $1.24. The district’s property values that were raised by 20 percent or more last year, coupled with a smaller five percent value increase this year, has lowered the debt service portion of the tax rate by three cents. The district’s maintenance and operation portion of the tax is maxed at $1.04.

Marfa ISD will conduct a public hearing before voting on the proposed budget and tax rate at 5pm Monday, August 24 in the boardroom located at the middle school.

Robert Halpern is a Marfa school board member.

By SARAH M. VASQUEZ

MARFA – Marfa ISD board of trustees had much to discuss at their August 3 meeting, as the start of 2015-2016 school year gets closer. With the first day of school on Tuesday, August 25, the board needed to discuss a proposed budget and other matters before students return to their classes later this month.

“This is a very unusual year for the district as far as the funding goes,” said Chief Financial Officer Victoria Sanchez.

Administration has worked all summer to prepare for the district’s Chapter 41 status, which it was officially classified last month by the Texas Education Agency. Being a Chapter 41 district, or “property wealthy, means Marfa ISD’s property values exceed a state formula that requires school districts to pay the state a determined amount of funds to “property poor” districts, hence the name the “Robin Hood” plan. A state court has ruled the system is unconstitutional, and oral arguments begin in September on an appeal by the state.

This year, at the same time, Marfa ISD is also classified as a Chapter 42 district – or property poor – so it is still eligible for some state funding only less.

At a previous board meeting, Sanchez presented five options the district could take in regard to its Chapter 41 status. Two options that wouldn’t require voter approval include consolidating with another school district or detach property from MISD, but both options are permanent changes.

Another option would be to consolidate tax bases with another district that is also a permanent change, but that would also require voter approval.

The two most used options include purchasing attendance credits from the state or contracting to educate non-resident students with another district. Both require voter approval.

Marfa ISD made the decision to purchase attendance credits, which will bring the district at or below the equalized wealth amount.

“In other words, the district is buying attendance credits, which actually means it is paying funds to educate students in other districts that are not considered ‘property rich’ districts,” said Sanchez. “This is considered ‘sharing the wealth.’”

This district won’t need to take the issue to the voting booth though. Sanchez said that’s because Texas Education Agency (TEA) allows some districts to offset the Chapter 41 funds they are required to pay with their Chapter 42 funds.

Board trustee president Cosme Roman asked how much the district is projected to pay. Sanchez said TEA is projecting $65,000 for the year, but that won’t be determined until the end of the school year. She wants the board to keep in mind that TEA deducts the Presidio County Appraisal District’s cost, but she wouldn’t expect it to be less than $65,000 and may break even because it’s the first year with this Chapter 41 status. She also added that if the enrollment increases, it would, of course, decrease the amount the district is over in equalized wealth.

Cafeteria, coffee bar, closed campus

The board voted to decrease the price for visitors to eat in the cafeteria from $5 for lunch to $4 as a way to entice more customers. There will also be a coffee bar from 7:30-10am this year and a new menu that can be sampled at the Meet the Teachers night at 5pm Monday, August 24. Campuses will also be closed during lunch for high school students.

Cell phone use prohibited

Students won’t be able to use their cell phones during class, beginning on the first day of school. Students will be required to put their cell phones in their provided lockers before first period and cannot get them out until the end of the school day.

New MISD principal and curriculum director Oscar Aguero said the student will receive a warning the first time they have their phone out. Then it progresses with the phone kept for a day by a second offense, three days for the third offense and five days for the fourth offense.

Several board trustees were concerned about parents’ reactions to their child’s phone confiscated for days at a time as the phones are typically used for emergencies when a parent is unavailable. However, Aguero said that many students used their phones during class, disrupting instructional time, and that teachers requested this policy.

“What I’m seeing is there’s more kids playing on the phone than using the phone as a tool of reference,” said Aguero.

The old policy required parents to pay $15 to pick up the confiscated phone.

He said the students will receive Google Chromebooks so they have access to the internet for school-related activities and stressed he will communicate with parents about the new rules.

New teachers hired

The board also hired three new teachers for the upcoming school year, including Zach and MacKenzie Buie. Zach will be the new band director and will also work with the early college high school students. He has a bachelor’s in music education from the University of Texas in Austin and a master’s in performing arts from Baylor University in Waco. MacKenzie will work with at-risk students in credit recovery and special education. She has her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Texas in Austin. The husband and wife have spent the last year teaching English in Korea.

Jose R. Salgado will teach seventh- and eighth-grade math in the new “Learning Academy” for all junior high school students. He has five years teaching experience in Texas, but his family, wife, two children and one on the way, will move from Matamoros, Mexico to teach in Marfa. They are currently seeking housing though. While the district has housing options for their staff, all the units are currently filled.

Florencio Urias Aranda III

LUBBOCK – On Saturday, August 8, 2015, Florencio Urias Aranda III, a Presidio native, graduated from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas with his Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education.

The 29 year old Ph.D., focused his doctoral research on analyzing Latino Male U.S. Congressmen from the Southwest region of the United States and their impact on Higher Education.

A graduate of the Presidio High School Class of 2004, Aranda commenced his undergraduate education at Texas Tech University where he went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish, with a minor in Political Science in May 2007, in 3 years. His undergraduate education allowed him to explore the policies of the American government, as well as his Spanish cultural and racial past.

He continued his graduate studies at Texas Tech University, where he earned a Master of Arts degree in Romance Languages in Spanish & Portuguese, in May 2010.

During his Master’s studies, he was chosen to study and teach abroad in Seville, Spain, as a Graduate Part-time Instructor of Spanish.

Aside from receiving his Ph.D., Aranda recently graduated with a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Studies (Spanish, Higher Education, & Curriculum & Instruction) in May 2015 from Texas Tech University.

During his time at TTU, Aranda served as President of the Texas Tech Graduate Student Advisory Council, President of the Nu Sigma Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education, and Vice-President of the Alpha Phi Chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society.

His commitment to the Latina/o population is very evident, as he was selected as a Ford Foundation Graduate Academic Scholar by the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education in 2013. Moreover, Dr. Aranda was selected as the 2015 College Young Adult at the Adelante Awards hosted by Los Hermanos Familia in Lubbock, Texas.

Professionally, he served as the 2013 Social Justice Chair, 2014 Southcentral Region Legislative Chair, and the 2014 Director of Legislative Affairs for the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS). Additionally, he interned with U.S. Congressman Pete P. Gallego of the 23rd District of Texas during the 113th Congress.

Florencio’s professional goal is to become a leader and advocate in the educational field, whether it is at the university setting or an educational governmental agency where he can use his diverse background, knowledge, and leadership experience in education policy, social justice topics, political, and multi-linguistic education to further shape policy in the United States.

Aranda is the son of Florencio Aranda, Jr. and Maricela Urias Aranda. Aranda extends his most sincere gratitude to his parents, family members, and friends for supporting him throughout his academic journey. Furthermore, he extends his gratitude to his maternal grandmother Tela Urias for instilling in him that with God and humility all things are possible.

Attending the graduation of Dr. Florencio U. Aranda III were, from left, Juanita Bishop (godmother), Jo Ann De La O (sister), Heriberto De La O & Heriberto, Jr. (brother-in-law & nephew), Tela Urias (grandmother), Dr. Florencio U. Aranda III, Dr. Fernando Valle, Maricela U. Aranda (mother), Florencio Aranda, Jr. (father), and Asa Bishop (cousin). Standing in frontt is Xiomari De La O (niece) and Mason Bishop (cousin).