Harlingen CISD board approves mentoring MOU, election contract and multiple budget, construction items

Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District trustees on Tuesday approved a memorandum of understanding with the Live Your Dream Foundation to pilot an in-school mentoring program at Lamar Elementary and voted to contract with Cameron County to administer the district’s May 3, 2025 election. The board also approved a package of routine business items including budget amendments, awards for supplies, a Bonham Elementary playground contract and final construction payments for completed roofing projects.

The Live Your Dream Foundation partnership, called “Inspire Success Grama” in board materials, will fund the pilot’s first year at Lamar Elementary at “just a little over $10,000,” with ongoing maintenance and materials estimated at “a little over $2,000” annually, administration said. Interim Superintendent Dr. Corton recommended the memorandum of understanding for board approval.

The MOU aims to add structured mentoring to the campus’ social-emotional supports. “The partnership … will build students’ confidence, promote empathy, cultivate life skills, and foster resiliency,” Tanya Garza, HCISD administrator, told the board during the presentation on the item.

In a separate action, trustees authorized a joint election contract with the Cameron County Elections Department to administer the district’s May 3, 2025, school board election. Remy Garza, representing the county elections office, told trustees the May uniform election day will include early voting from April 22–29 and described several factors that drive the county’s cost estimates, including higher worker pay rates, new “ballot on demand” printing equipment that supports countywide polling and the number of jurisdictions participating on that date.

Other business approved by the board included: - Award of locally funded contracts for jackets and recognitions (value up to $50,000). - Approval of seven budget amendments submitted by campuses and departments for end-of-year supplies and activities. - Acceptance of the district’s monthly tax collection report showing year-to-date tax collections and approval of December financial statements (the board was presented a general fund balance of roughly $20.7 million as of Dec. 31, 2024). - Authorization to award a construction contract for the Bonham Elementary playground (low bidder: El Cardio Construction, $126,210) and final payments to close out ESSER-funded roofing projects (American Contracting USA and RGO Roofing and Construction). - Approval of employment of listed teachers and other professional staff; administration noted those positions are grant-funded for three years.

Votes at a glance - Approve consent calendar (proclamations, minutes): approved unanimously. - Approve MOU with Live Your Dream Foundation for Lamar Elementary (Inspire Success Grama): motion made and approved unanimously; administration recommended; initial funding covered by the foundation for year one. - Approve joint election contract with Cameron County (May 3, 2025): approved unanimously; contract carries a county administrative fee up to 10% of actual costs and a deposit schedule tied to application deadlines. - Award jackets/recognitions contract (local funds, up to $50,000): approved unanimously. - Approve seven budget amendments across campuses and departments (various transfers between function codes): approved unanimously; no net increase in district budget, only reclassifications within funds. - Approve monthly tax collection report (December): approved unanimously. - Approve December financial statements (cash basis): approved unanimously. - Award construction contract for Bonham Elementary playground (El Cardio Construction, $126,210): approved unanimously. - Approve final construction payments to American Contracting USA and RGO Roofing & Construction for ESSER roofing projects: approved unanimously. - Approve employment of teachers and professional staff (100% grant-funded positions for three years): approved unanimously.

Why it matters The mentoring pilot could expand district social-emotional supports at the campus level if the program is sustained and scaled. Approving the county-run joint election sets the logistics and budget framework for the May school board election. The construction and final-payment approvals close out grant-funded capital projects and advance campus facility upgrades.

What trustees said Tanya Garza outlined the mentoring program’s goals and funding timeline. Remy Garza explained the election timeline and the drivers of the county’s estimate, including increased pay rates for judges and clerks and the county’s ballot-on-demand equipment, which he said enables countywide polling. Finance staff reminded trustees that the contract estimate is conservative and that the district pays only assigned actual costs plus the county’s administrative fee.

Next steps Administration will work with the Live Your Dream Foundation and Lamar Elementary to finalize mentor recruitment, training and a February rollout timeline. The county said it will provide an updated cost estimate after the Feb. 14 application deadline so the district has clearer figures for the joint election costs.

Ending note Board members praised the district’s financial reports and the plan to begin a mentoring pilot. Trustees approved all motions by voice vote; in each instance the clerk recorded “motion carries unanimously.”