New digs: Many Hidalgo County students begin this school year in freshly built facilities

Sophomores Celeste Cisneros and Michelle De Leon are looking forward to cheering for their team at their new high school.

They just have to remember their team's name.

"At times we'd say Coyotes instead of Lobos," Michelle said about their practices during the summer.

The two 15-year-olds are among more than 2,600 students who started classes Monday at temporary locations for the district's newest high school — Palmview.

The La Joya school district expanded from one four-year high school to three four-year high schools this year to accommodate the district's student population growth.

Before, the district had La Joya High School educating freshman through seniors and Jimmy Carter and Juarez-Lincoln high schools serving only freshmen and sophomores.

But starting this year, Jimmy Carter is no longer a school within the district and Juarez-Lincoln started also taking juniors and seniors.

The new students at Palmview, however, must wait three months to start classes in their new building. Until then, they are taking classes at the old Jimmy Carter High School and using an old elementary school across the street from the Jimmy Carter building.

Even though the girls are starting the new year in familiar surroundings, they already notice a difference: more students.

Jimmy Carter High School, which held classes for freshmen and sophomores in the past, usually had between 1,600 and 1,800 students.

Palmview High School is squeezing its 2,600 students into the temporary locations until it can move into its 400,000-square-foot facility off La Homa Road, said principal Mary Ann Contreras. The school should be ready by Dec. 1, Contreras said.

"It is worth the wait," she said.

For some, however, the transition to a new school is not so smooth.

Alain Ramirez is starting his junior year at Palmview with fewer friends. The 17-year-old attended Juarez-Lincoln High School his freshman and sophomore years. But this year, some of his friends stayed at Juarez-Lincoln while the others were switched to La Joya High School or Palmview.

"We're all separated," he said.

Alain said he plans to make the best of his new situation. He's thinking about trying out for some athletic teams this year.

His mother, Annette Ramirez, said she sympathizes with her sons. Her younger son, Everardo, 15, is starting his freshman year at Palmview.

"For them I see a totally different school, rules, dress code, a new environment. I don't know if it's good or bad," she said. "It's a new start, a new beginning."

Other districts opening new schools include McAllen, which opened Fossum Middle School and Lucile McKee Hendricks Elementary School; Mission, which opened Escobares/Rios Elementary School and R. Cantu Junior High School and IDEA Public Schools, which opened two schools in Mission and San Benito.

It is an exciting time for the district because more students will be able to participate in extracurricular activities, dual enrollment programs with South Texas College and become valedictorians and salutatorians, Contreras said.

Contreras spent much of the morning directing students to either the cafeteria or gymnasium if they needed to register for school.

She quickly spotted students who did not come to school dressed appropriately and sent them to the front office to call their parents.

"So far it's going on very well," she said.

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Jennifer L. Berghom covers education and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4462.