RAYMONDVILLE — School board President Lupe Ruiz has strongly denied the claims of an online petition that demands Superintendent Johnny Pineda’s termination.

The Facebook petition, with 32 signatures at 4:10 p.m. yesterday, claimed Pineda’s eight-year tenure led to low state test scores, fiscal mismanagement and student fighting and bullying.

The petition called on board members to terminate Pineda, whose contract expires in June 2017.

Pineda said he had no comment on the petition.

But Ruiz denied the accusations, adding trustees agreed Pineda met the board’s goals during an evaluation Tuesday.

“Everything on there is false,” Ruiz said of the petition. “It’s a waste of time.”

Ruiz said board members agreed Pineda met board goals set last summer.

“He’s doing his job,” Ruiz said. “He’s accomplished goals we set for him. We think he’s right on track.”

Ruiz said the board requested Pineda set student career paths and develop the district program allowing students to earn college credits through partnerships with universities.

“We want to make sure our kids are prepared for life,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz said the board requested Pineda interact with the community.

“We want him to be involved in the community, hearing them out — what they expect from our school,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz said the board requested Pineda’s “fiscal responsibility.”

“We want to make sure funds are handled appropriately,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz also said Pineda has operated fiscally responsibly.

“We have been financially sound,” Ruiz said. “We’re spotless.”

Last July, board members voted 5-2 against granting Pineda a one-year contract extension following an unfavorable job evaluation.

After last July’s evaluation, Pineda said he would work to improve state test scores, cut student disciplinary problems and curb absenteeism.

Pineda, who was hired in 2007 after serving with the Brownsville school district, has become the district’s longest-serving superintendent since at least 1990.

HARLINGEN – Aransas Haley wants everyone to enjoy swimming as much as she does.

However, they can’t enjoy themselves at the pool or the beach if a lifeguard isn’t keeping an eye on things, said Haley, a junior at Harlingen High School South.

She’ll soon be able to provide that peace of mind when she earns her certification as a lifeguard at the Aquatics Center on the east side of Boggus Stadium at South 13th Street and East Jackson Avenue.

“I can provide them with a sense of security,” said Haley, 16, who was delighted yesterday afternoon when Sandra Flinn, aquatics director, announced the school district’s plan to offer a program called “WATER Academy.” WATER stands for Water Awareness Training and Emergency Rescue. The course which will be taught in the program is called “American Red Cross Lifesaving Course.

Flinn made the announcement yesterday to swimmers from the varsity swim teams of Harlingen High School and Harlingen High School South. They’d gathered at the Aquatics Center for their daily swim class.

The Harlingen school district will offer the course to its swimmers in March, during the off season.

The course will be taught during their regular class time in the afternoon. A total of 75 swimmers are on the teams.

“We’re going to try it out,” she said. “We’re going to see what the response is. I think it will be positive. “

The students will earn a certification to work as a lifeguard, soaking up the sun, watching the swimmers.

“What better way to spend the summer than at a pool?” said Yvonne Moran, aquatics facilities specialist who will teach the course.

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HARLINGEN – Aransas Haley wants everyone to enjoy swimming as much as she does.

However, they can’t enjoy themselves at the pool or the beach if a lifeguard isn’t keeping an eye on things, said Haley, a junior at Harlingen High School South.

She’ll soon be able to provide that peace of mind when she earns her certification as a lifeguard at the Aquatics Center on the east side of Boggus Stadium at South 13th Street and East Jackson Avenue.

“I can provide them with a sense of security,” said Haley, 16, who was delighted yesterday afternoon when Sandra Flinn, aquatics director, announced the school district’s plan to offer a program called “WATER Academy.” WATER stands for Water Awareness Training and Emergency Rescue. The course which will be taught in the program is called “American Red Cross Lifesaving Course.

Flinn made the announcement yesterday to swimmers from the varsity swim teams of Harlingen High School and Harlingen High School South. They’d gathered at the Aquatics Center for their daily swim class.

The Harlingen school district will offer the course to its swimmers in March, during the off season.

The course will be taught during their regular class time in the afternoon. A total of 75 swimmers are on the teams.

“We’re going to try it out,” she said. “We’re going to see what the response is. I think it will be positive. “

The students will earn a certification to work as a lifeguard, soaking up the sun, watching the swimmers.

“What better way to spend the summer than at a pool?” said Yvonne Moran, aquatics facilities specialist who will teach the course.

She seemed energized by the prospect of teaching the students how to save lives.

“I think it’s good, especially when it’s not something I had in high school,” she said.

Lifeguards must also be ready to move at a moment’s notice to help a distressed swimmer.

The demands of the course are high, beginning with eligibility requirements. In order to even take the course, students must be at least 15 years old. They must be able to swim 300 yards, tread water for two minutes, and retrieve a brick from the bottom of the pool in one minute and 40 seconds.

Because the varsity swim teams athletes already are experienced swimmers, they are excellent candidates for the course, Moran said.

Neida Razo, 17, was looking forward to the course. Neida, a Harlingen High School junior, hoped she could work as a lifeguard this summer, perhaps at Pendleton Pool or Schlitterbahn. The skills she’ll learn will empower her to possibly save a life.

“I would feel I guess proud of myself,” she said.

Having the skills can eliminate the helplessness some people might feel if a swimmer is having trouble and the others don’t know what to do.

Allen Kuhaneck, 16, a Harlingen High School sophomore, remembers clearly an incident when he was only six or seven years old back in Maine.

Of course he was too young to do much, but he remembers his fear when a friend became distressed.

“He didn’t know how to swim too well,” he said. “I wanted to help.”

Fortunately, he was able to run to a nearby lifeguard and his friend was rescued.

Aransas said she’s never seen anyone in distress while swimming, but she wants to be able to help if she ever does. She emphasized the importance of remaining calm.

“In panic situations, it’s about thinking clearly,” she said.

HARLINGEN — A $158,000 project at Hugh Ramsey Nature Park will filter runoff to help improve the waters of the Arroyo Colorado.

City officials have closed the park through Feb. 1 as crews build a bio-retention basin on its parking lot.

The 100-foot by 8-foot basin will filter motor oil and other chemicals before the runoff streams through wetlands and flows into the arroyo.

“I don’t know of any other place with bio-retention like this,” Javier Mendez, the city’s park’s director, said Tuesday.

A $158,000 grant from the Texas General Land Office’s Coastal Impact Assistance Program will fund the project.

Made up of layers of bull rock and soil, the retention basin will act as a natural filter.

Underground piping will carry the water through a network of ponds and wetlands before it is discharged into the arroyo.

“That’s a neat project,” Jeff Lyssy, the city’s park’s supervisor, said. “It will trap oil and other hazardous chemicals, filter the water and slowly release it through wetlands to improve the water quality of the arroyo.”

When crews complete the project, Mendez said, native trees and shrubs like wild olive and sage will stand over the retention basin.

“Aesthetically, it will add native plants that will hopefully attract birds and butterflies,” Lyssy said.

For years, the Lower Rio Grande Valley Audubon Society pushed for the project that will “scrub” the parking lot’s contaminants.

“We advocated for that project for quite some time,” said Sue Griffin, an official with the organization. “As a volunteer at the park, it’s great to see this project come to reality.”

Along with the project, Mendez said, the city will double the size of the park’s five ponds.

“It will attract wildlife and improve the quality of the water of the arroyo,” Mendez said.

As part of the project, he said, Cameron County crews will pave the park’s gravel parking lot.

Residents like Griffin helped turn the 40-acre park, built over a landfill, into a thriving natural showcase that became part of the World Birding Center.

Now, city officials have applied to the General Land Office for grant money to fund construction of a welcome center that schools could use as a science classroom, Mendez said.

“This is going to be a major step to bring the park up to the standards of other parks in the Harlingen area,” Griffin said.

PORT MANSFIELD — After a two-day search, authorities have recovered a man’s body about 12 miles south of the Port Mansfield jetties.

Willacy County sheriff’s deputies recovered the unidentified man’s body at about 10:42 a.m. yesterday, Sheriff Larry Spence said.

Spence said officials will order an autopsy.

“What we’re trying to do is positively identify the guy so we can let the family know for sure,” Spence said.

Spence said the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office alerted authorities at about 2 p.m. Tuesday after residents believed they spotted a body in the surf.

But a high tide, choppy waters and high winds stopped Willacy County deputies from continuing the search late Tuesday, Spence said.

“We couldn’t get in by land, we couldn’t get in by air and we couldn’t get in by water,” Spence said of Tuesday’s recovery efforts.

HARLINGEN – I’ve spent four years watching you work harder than any teacher I know.

When Jesus Gonzalez returned to his classroom earlier this month, a card with this poignant note and a mug were waiting for him. A student had nominated Gonzalez for the LifeChanger of the Year Award.

“I was really moved that somebody cared enough to nominate me for the award,” said Gonzalez, 43, who teaches algebra and geometry at Early College High School. He also teaches tutorials in college algebra and pre-Calculus.

LifeChanger of the Year, sponsored by the National Life Group Foundation, recognizes and rewards K-12 school educators and employees for making a positive impact on the lives of their students. When Franchesca Lopez, 16, saw a commercial about the program, she felt compelled to nominate him.

“I thought that he should be nominated because this past semester myself and a lot of other students were taking pre-calculus at TSTC with this particularly difficult professor,” said Franchesca, a junior at ECHS. “We weren’t really comprehending the material as well as we needed to pass the class. And I actually failed the first two exams that he gave us.”

TSTC stands for Texas State Technical College. ECHS take college courses there while simultaneously earning their high school diplomas.

With only two more exams left before the end of the semester, she felt in danger of failing the class. Past experience had told her that Gonzalez was the teacher to help her out of this jam. She and 15 to 20 students began showing up during his conference periods for help with their math dilemma.

“I got a lot of help in understanding my homework, and that helped with my last two tests,” she said. “I actually got a 92 on my third test.”

She doesn’t know what she scored on her final, but it was good enough to earn her a B for the course. Franchesca first became aware of Gonzalez’s teaching skills while at Vernon Middle School. She was attending eighth grade and Gonzalez taught math there. She wasn’t in his class, but she was frustrated by the situation in her class.

“My actual teacher took a long time for maternity leave,” she said. “The math assignments that the substitute had for us weren’t challenging enough, so he allowed me to sit in his classroom. I got to learn a lot from him.”

A year later, they were both surprised to run into each other at ECHS. This time she was able to acquire a seat in his algebra class.

He recalls a conversation in which she expressed real doubt in her ability to learn algebra.

“Sir, I can’t keep up with the rest of the students,” she said.

“Frenchie,” he told her. “I know you put your heart into it and work hard.”

By now he was familiar with her hard work and determination to achieve. He guaranteed her she could learn the coursework. With that support and inspiration, she earned the highest score on her End-of-Course exam.

Gonzalez tries to simplify math so students can understand the concepts better. He also uses various strategies for different students. Long hours of repetitive practice also are part of the plan.

The long, hard work paid off for Franchesca.

“He’s kind of the reason I found out I was really good at math,” she said. “Every time I’d have a problem with something or I didn’t understand a certain concept, he’d go over it with me and help me understand. It started clicking in my head and I started understanding more and more.”

While Gonzalez appreciated the accolades, he pointed out the success that earned him the nomination was actually a reflection of the hardworking teachers at ECHS. Without them, he wouldn’t succeed.

“You can’t do it alone,” he said.

HARLINGEN – Danny Gidora knows a thing or two about baseball and what it takes to be successful at the sport

In 2007, the Harlingen native pitched the Harlingen South Hawks all the way to the UIL state baseball championship game – a feat that no other Valley team has accomplished since.

The Hawks ultimately fell short in the title contest, but Gidora went on to have a very successful college career at the University of Texas at Brownsville and even pitched professionally as part of the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings.

And while his playing days may now be behind him, Gidora’s love of baseball continues as the founder and head of his own training academy.

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Gidora Training is dedicated to the long-term development of young players with an emphasis on fundamentals and teamwork.

“I’m not interested in having kids train to win a youth tournament here and there,” Gidora said. “There is nothing wrong with that, but my main goal is to help develop young ball players over time so that they can one day win state titles in high school and then possibly attend college on a baseball scholarship and, finally, maybe play professionally.”

Gidora already has been working with individuals, but currently is seeking players 14 and under to form teams that would compete in monthly tournaments throughout the year.

“I want to take these teams and have them play against top-notch competition to help build their confidence as well as help give these youths much-needed exposure,” he said.

Right now Gidora Training is using a field behind Harlingen High’s KEYS Academy baseball facility, but Gidora said he’s looking to move things to a site at Victor Park.

The cost to join one of the traveling teams is $150 a month and includes eight practices, four games and one tournament per month.

“I’m looking for players who desire exposure, want to compete at a higher level, and are willing to sacrifice time and effort to become fundamentally sound,” Gidora said. “I’m looking for heart and commitment. Athletes that come to me must be more than willing to become better players. I’m looking for hard-woking, zero-excuse-making, good ol’ fashion ball players that will do whatever is necessary to help the team. My program definitely isn’t for everyone.”

Gidora firmly believes the Valley has the potential to become a hotbed for baseball talent if young players learn early what it takes to succeed.

“There is no reason why it’s been nearly 20 years since a Valley high school team has made it to the state tournament,” he said. “There is plenty of talent down here and I believe with the right preparation, the Valley can become regulars (at state).”

BY Karen Perez

RIO GRANDE VALLEY – When Stephanie Hernandez’s mother first told her that she could complete two years of college concurrently with her last two years of high school tuition-free at the Mathematics and Science Academy (MSA), she knew it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.

Now 19 and a biomedicine major with 60 credit hours under her belt, Hernandez is a biology tutor for MSA students and is on the fast track to medical school as a member of the university’s A-PRIME TIME program.

“If I wouldn’t have come to the Academy, I would not be where I am right now,” the Brownsville native said. “It opened doors for me and I gained the opportunity to learn and grow professionally. The Academy helped me mature and take things more seriously, and that helped me realize who I wanted to be as a professional.”

Beginning fall 2016, high school students in the Upper Valley will have the same opportunity to jump-start their college career, at no cost.

The MSA, established in 2007 under The University of Texas at Brownsville, has expanded its program to the UTRGV Edinburg Campus to accommodate the growth of the program.

“The expansion alleviates the burden of students traveling from the Upper Valley to Brownsville – saving them time, money and other resources,” said Dr. Wilma Smetter, principal of the Mathematics and Science Academy.

Parents and students are invited to attend informational sessions Jan. 30, Feb. 13, March 5 and April 2. All presentations will be at 10 a.m. on the Edinburg Campus, in MAGC 2.208, and on the Brownsville Campus in Main 2.112.

The MSA has produced more than 270 graduates who have gone on to colleges and universities nationwide. Students who choose to complete a bachelor’s degree at UTRGV and have a 3.0 GPA or higher might be eligible for a full scholarship.

The cost of tuition, fees and books is covered by the academy, which is funded by UTRGV and the Foundation School Fund. The financial responsibilities for parents and students are meals and transportation.

Camilla Montoya, MSA program coordinator, said the academy’s purpose is to close the gap between the need for people with STEM skills and the number of jobs available to them.

“We want to make sure we accelerate the opportunity for students and bring that set of skills to the Valley at a higher speed and quality,” she said.

Although most students come in with an interest in math and science, they are allowed to major in any given discipline. Montoya said they are looking to recruit 50 sophomore students for each of the 2016-17 junior cohorts at the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses.

“They do need to be disciplined, and be able to take a full college load and be willing to spend a lot of hours studying to get that done,” she said.

Montoya said the MSA allows students to experience the college life and participate in campus activities.

“Students here are a lot more independent than high school students are in their regular schools, but they are more supervised than a regular college student is, so it’s really a hybrid program,” Montoya said.

Hernandez encourages students interested in MSA to not be intimidated and to “go for it.”

“Even though it was challenging, I did get a lot of support,” she said. “They have tutors here who help with the coursework, so students are not alone. It’s definitely a doable thing, and it’s to the students’ advantage to get ahead.”

All items required for the MSA application for fall 2016 entrance are due April 30.

For the MSA application checklist or directions on how to apply, visit www.utrgv.edu/msa or call (956) 882-7573.

HARLINGEN — When the Harlingen School of Health Professions opened, it was surrounded by numerous outlets with which it could connect and power up its program.

The beauty of HSHP is its proximity to the RegionalAcademicHealthCenter and the University of TexasRio GrandeValley, said Veronica Kortan, administrator for organizational development.

“We are right in the medical hub,” Kortan said. “When we talk about professionals coming to the table and helping us design specialty classrooms and to be a part of the curriculum, we are a lot more likely to have somebody that can travel miles down the road to help us.”

In creating the program and orienting students toward the medical field, several talking points emerge, one of them being “team work.” The study and practice of medicine is not a solitary activity. It requires the combined efforts of many people. Surgeons need numerous team members to perform a successful operation. Dentists have assistants as do family practitioners.

Development of a relevant curriculum at HSHP requires the continued efforts of many people.

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Subscribe to it for only $6.99 per month or purchase a print subscription and receive the online version free, which includes an electronic version of the full newspaper and extra photo galleries, links and other information you can’t find anywhere else.