Moises V. Vela Middle School

We hosted a Middle School Career Expo for our 8th-grade students in November! This event gave students a chance to connect with local business partners, HCISD Academy teachers, and high school students to explore the amazing programs and opportunities offered to them. A huge thank you to our Career & Technical Education Department and our incredible partners for their ongoing support! It’s because of them that we can offer these events and innovative experiences to help our students succeed. To view more photos from this event, visit: https://photos.hcisd.org/DistrictEv.../8th-Grade-Career-Expo

📸 Picture Day is Coming! Panther Families, mark your calendars! School Picture Day is happening on Thursday, December 5th during Science classes. Make sure your student comes dressed to impress and ready to smile! 😁 Let’s capture those special memories together. 🖤💛

📣 Hello Panther Families! Join us in celebrating the hard work of our 6th-grade scientists tomorrow, December 3rd, from 5:00 to 6:00 PM at the Science Showcase! 🎉 Our students have been busy building cardboard arcade projects while exploring fascinating science concepts. Come and see their creativity and learning in action! 🧪🎮 📝 Important: If your 6th-grade scientist will be participating, please complete the appropriate Google Form below. Students will not be able to participate without the form. ➡️ Mrs. A. Martinez Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfkE0Zgaj4Alo3vHBdKhx_wrYCfEaNQU_VMsFYKeBY9Txe3qw/viewform ➡️ Mrs. Bee/Mrs. Esquivel Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxiHI1eMBKwvXzX1y0MrTmVDPHQxvHyqoMyek8yfTcnoxhQA/viewform?usp=sf_link We can’t wait to see you there! 🖤💛

We served up a delicious Thanksgiving feast in the cafeteria this week! 🦃🍽️ A few of our Board Members even stopped by to join in on the fun! 🧡

🏀✨ Annual Staff vs. Student Basketball Game! ✨🏀 Our exciting Staff vs. Student Basketball Game is just around the corner! This fun-filled event will take place on Wednesday, December 20th during school hours. Here's what's in store for our students: 🎶 Christmas Song Sing-Along 🎭 Cheerleader & Staff Halftime Show ⛹️‍♂️ Student & Staff Quarter Games 🎄 Most Festive Student Contest – Come dressed in your holiday best! 📍 Entry Fee: $1 per student 💡 Reminder: Students with referrals between December 2nd–20th will not be allowed to attend. All attendees must follow the school dress code policy. We can't wait to celebrate the holiday season with our students at this spirited event!

🎄✨ Twas the Week Before Break! ✨🎄 Get ready to spread some holiday cheer with our Holiday Spirit Week, starting Monday, December 16th! Check out the fun dress-up days we have planned: 🌟 Monday, Dec. 16th – Merry & Bright Wear lighted accessories and shine your way into the week! 🎅 Tuesday, Dec. 17th – Tree Topper Tuesday Top it off with a Santa hat, antlers, elf ears, or any festive accessory! 🎥 Wednesday, Dec. 18th – Holiday Movie Magic Come dressed as your favorite holiday character! 🛌 Thursday, Dec. 19th – Silent Night Stay cozy in your holiday pajamas! 🎁 Friday, Dec. 20th – Deck the "Paws" Bring your holiday spirit with your most festive attire! (Most spirited will win a goody basket!) 📝 Reminder: All outfits must follow the school dress code policy. Let’s make this week a festive one to remember! 🎉

🎉 Congratulations to the 2024-2025 MVMS Hope Squad Members! 🎉 We are excited to announce this year’s Hope Squad! These outstanding students are dedicated to fostering a supportive and caring environment at MVMS. 💛🖤 ✨ Check out the video for the list of student members. We are excited to see the incredible work they’ll be doing this year! 🎥 Let’s give a big round of applause to our Hope Squad members for their dedication to going above and beyond for our Panther family! 🌟

🎉🍕 Panther Pride Alert! 🍕🎉 A huge shoutout to our 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙡'𝙨 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙩 students who earned 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐀'𝐬 during the first 9 weeks of school! 🏆📚 Your hard work and dedication made you shining stars of excellence! 🌟✨ We recently celebrated your amazing achievement with a fun-filled trip to Peter Piper Pizza 🍕🎮, and it was such a joy seeing you enjoy the well-deserved recognition! 🎉 Even though it’s been a little while since the first nine weeks, we wanted to take another moment to let you know how proud we are of you! 🖤💛 Keep reaching for the stars, Panthers—you’re unstoppable!

🌟 Vela Middle School Family & Community Engagement Breakfast 🌟** What an amazing morning! We had a fantastic turnout at today's Family and Community Engagement Breakfast. It was heartwarming to see so many parents taking the time to share a meal with their child and connect with our school community. 🖤💛 Thank you to everyone who attended and made this event so special. Your involvement means the world to us and plays a huge role in your child's success. Together, we make Vela Middle School the great place it is! 🐾🏆

🌟 Join Us for a Whoville Winter Workshop! 🌟 🎄 Hosted by HCISD A.C.E., this Grinch-themed evening promises fun and festive activities for all! 📅 Date: December 5, 2024 📍 Location: Bonham Elementary School ⏰ Time: 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM ✨ Activities include: 🎬 Grinch Popcorn 🍪 Cookie Decorating 🎨 DIY Ornament Craft 🟢 Grinch Slime ❤️ Grow Your Own Grinch Heart 🎅 Christmas Sweater Contest & 🎁 Door Prizes! 📲 Click here to register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKhnrngP3Kd3OFbOShv3jSXFcr_jfd-lbAMy-MPgrADeDLJQ/viewform?pli=1&pli=1&fbclid=IwY2xjawGq0cRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHXnLN3qo5f1u8CSVhlNPr18pBJ72hC4a96khsQGaNvSfXWSAK9kJGUKBoA_aem_r8w7OjvE8a7kqcVWx5NDjA 🎉 Don’t miss this magical evening! We can’t wait to see you there!

Taste the flavors! 😋 Our Harlingen CISD Child Nutrition Department hosted a food-tasting event for community members, staff, and students to help them decide what will be on next year's lunch menu. ☺️ Potential new recipes for next year's menu include pulled pork sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, overnight oats, and more! 🥖🍔🍜🍎🥦

We’re excited to announce that school registration is officially open for the upcoming school year! To ensure a smooth and stress-free start to the year, we encourage all families to register early. 🙂 How do you register? We're glad you asked! Just visit our online registration page, complete the online registration form, and submit any required documents. 💻 If you need help with registration, please contact our HCISD Family and Community Engagement Department at (956)427-3515. ☎️ Link to register: https://www.hcisd.org/page/online-registration ⬅️⬅️

"As a teacher, I am always trying to find ways to make what I am teaching more engaging and interactive while still adhering to the rigor. Whether it’s collecting post-it notes with a net or using candy corn for bingo—it’s little things like that. I do these things in my classroom to make learning fun for them. Recently, a student asked me, ‘Mrs. Vela, you’ve been teaching for 30 years. Aren’t you tired?’ I went home that same day and kept thinking about it. Of course, we get tired day to day, but she meant the profession. So, I asked myself, ‘Why am I not tired?’ I came back the next day and told her, ‘Do you know why I’m not tired? Because I love what I do.’ Then she came up to me and hugged me, and it melted my heart. I really love what I do. That’s my purpose. That’s my why." Rosalva Vela 4th Grade Teacher

We had a fantastic morning with our HCISD Ambassadors, giving them an inside look at our Instructional Services. The day kicked off with exploring the exciting world of Blended Learning at Bowie Elementary, followed by time spent with our Transition Academy ambassadors. We also dived into Advanced Academics, which included a visit to a GT classroom at Treasure Hills Elementary School.

🎉 Attention MVMS Parents & Guardians! 🎉 Join us for a special Parents Involvement Day Breakfast on Wednesday, November 20th, from 7 to 8 a.m. in the MVMS cafeteria! Enjoy breakfast with your child and show your support. Parents and guardians can purchase their breakfast a la carte through the cafeteria (cash only), while students will be provided breakfast at no charge. We can’t wait to see you there for a morning of connection and community! 🖤💛 #EmpoweringFamilies #MVMSAboveAndBeyond

🍂 Thanksgiving Break Notice 🍂 Vela Panthers, please note that there will be no school from November 25th to November 29th in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. 🦃 We hope you all have a safe, restful, and enjoyable break filled with family, friends, and gratitude. Classes will resume on Monday, December 2nd. 🖤💛 Enjoy your Thanksgiving, Panthers! 🍁 #PantherPride #ThanksgivingBreak #AboveAndBeyond

🎉🎉 You're Invited! 🎉🎉 Join us in celebrating 20 incredible years of Moises V. Vela Middle School! 🥳 We’re opening our doors to all Panthers, past and present, along with our wonderful community, to mark this special milestone. 📅 Date: November 22, 2024 🕒 Time: 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 📍 Location: 801 S. Palm Blvd., Harlingen, TX 78552 Let’s make this celebration unforgettable! Spread the word and help us gather as many Panthers as possible to honor the legacy of Moises V. Vela Middle School! 🖤💛 #VelaMS20th #PantherPride #AboveAndBeyond

📢 Reminder for NJHS Members! 📢 The National Junior Honor Society meeting is just around the corner! Join us in the Library on Wednesday, November 13th from 4:05 to 4:35 p.m. Let's make sure we’re ready for all our upcoming projects and events! 🖤💛 Let’s keep going above and beyond, Panthers! 🖤💛 #MVMS #NJHS #PantherPride #AboveAndBeyond

Friendly reminder, there is no school for students tomorrow, November 5th. Classes will resume on Wednesday, November 6th.

“It’s not just about serving students a meal, but about greeting them with a smile and saying, ‘Hey, how are you doing today? Harlingen South has been my school for almost 19 years. When my son was here, he was in the Cardinal Band. I was a band booster, and I helped sew their uniform pants. I always made sure to carry things in my bag that students might need for games and competitions, like new socks and gloves. Being able to help them made me so happy. When my son went to college, I said, ‘God, what am I going to do now?’ But he gave me thousands of kids to serve. God gave me the opportunity to be here, and if he keeps giving me the chance to help the students in one way or another, I’ll be here for them. The food we give out—it's fruit, it's milk, it’s a complete meal, and it’s free. Why not take advantage of it? I always tell students things like, ‘Come on, mijo, get your breakfast, save your money for college, or get your supper. Come on, please don’t go. Try it—you’ll love it.’ Something I always tell our athletes is, ‘Play with your heart, not with your bones. Bones can break, but your heart—no matter what happens, the spirit rises.’ At the end of the day, do you know what the most important thing is? It’s that we fed those kids and that we made them feel safe and important just by asking, ‘Hi, how are you doing today?’” -Silvia Posadas Child Nutrition Food Service Specialist II #HeartofHCISD