Moises V. Vela Middle School

Harlingen CISD and TSTC have officially signed an MOU to strengthen our partnership and expand opportunities for our Dental Academy students. This collaboration will offer an opportunity for our students to learn at TSTC to get real-world experiences and advanced training. Together, we’re shaping the next generation of skilled dental experts!

In January, we celebrated the 100th Day of School—a milestone filled with learning, growth, and fun! From creative projects to classroom activities, our students and staff are making every day count.

🎉🏆 Huge Congratulations to Ms. Marisa Garcia! 🏆🎉 Moises V. Vela Middle School is proud to announce that our very own school counselor, Ms. Marisa Garcia, has been named the H.C.I.S.D. Secondary Counselor of the Year for 2025! 🎉💛🖤 Ms. Garcia’s dedication, compassion, and commitment to supporting our students make a lasting impact every day. This recognition is well-deserved, and we are incredibly lucky to have her guiding and inspiring our Panther family! 🐾💛 Please join us in celebrating this outstanding achievement! Drop a comment below to congratulate Ms. Garcia! 👏👏👏 #PantherPride #MVMS #CounselorOfTheYear #HCISD #ThankYouMsGarcia

🎻✨ Join Us for the 2025 H.C.I.S.D. String Fest Concert! ✨🎻 📅 Date: February 5, 2025 ⏰ Time: 6:00 – 6:30 PM 📍 Location: Moises V. Vela Middle School Gym 🎶 Experience the incredible talents of our student musicians as they showcase their hard work and dedication at this year's String Fest Concert! This is a wonderful opportunity to support our young performers and enjoy an evening filled with beautiful music. 📢 Everyone is welcome! Bring your family, friends, and neighbors to celebrate the arts in our community. We can’t wait to see you there! 💛🖤 #HCISDStrings #MVMSPanthers #CommunityThroughMusic

📚 Panther Pride Alert! 🐾 A huge thank you to Jillian Perez (Captain), Abigail Salazar, Xitlali Martinez, and Kennedy Puente for representing Moises V. Vela Middle School at this year's H.C.I.S.D. Battle of the Books Middle School Competition! Your hard work, dedication, and teamwork made us proud! 💛🖤 #MVMSPanthers #BattleOfTheBooks #PantherPride

📣 Attention Panthers and HCISD Families! 📣 Do you have a student dreaming of joining the high school cheerleading or mascot team? Mark your calendars! 🗓️ Mandatory Parent Meeting 🦅 Harlingen High Cardinals 🟢 Harlingen South Hawks 📍 Location: Dr. Abraham P. Cano Freshman Academy Cafeteria ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM 📆 Date: February 5, 2025 Important: Both the athlete and a parent/guardian must attend this meeting to be eligible for tryouts. Let’s cheer them on as they prepare to represent their school spirit! 🎉 #HCISD #CheerleadingTryouts #PantherPride

📣 Attention Panthers! 🖤💛 The National Junior Honor Society is hosting a Cozy Dreams Pajama Day fundraiser to support our membership renewal! 💤🎉 🌟 When: Friday, January 31st 🌟 What: Wear your pajamas to school! 🌟 How: Pay just $1.00 any day during lunch or the morning of in the cafeteria. Let’s get cozy while helping a great cause! Don’t forget, pajamas must be school-appropriate. 🐾💤 #PantherPride #CozyDreamsPajamaDay #NJHSFundraiser

📣 Attention MVMS Community! 📣 We are excited to host a Parent Orientation Meeting for Incoming 6th Graders on January 27th from 5:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. in the Moises V. Vela Middle School cafeteria. 🐾 This is a wonderful opportunity for parents of current 5th graders to learn more about our school and prepare for the upcoming transition to middle school! We kindly ask our current Panther families to help spread the word by sharing this post with any friends, family, or neighbors who have a 5th-grade student. Let’s welcome the next generation of Panthers together! 💛🖤 📅 Date: January 27th ⏰ Time: 5:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. 📍 Location: Moises V. Vela Middle School Cafeteria We can’t wait to meet you! #MVMSPanthers #PantherPride #FuturePanthers

🎉🏆 Panther Pride Alert! 🏆🎉 We are thrilled to announce that Dana Elizabeth Santiago’s Reflections entry, “Carrying Home With Me,” has advanced to state-level judging! 🖌️✨ Her creativity and dedication have truly shined, and we couldn’t be prouder. Let’s all cheer Dana on as she represents Moises V. Vela Middle School and takes her amazing work to the next level! 🎨💛🖤 #PantherPride #AboveAndBeyond #ReflectionsSuccess

📢 Join Our Student Health Advisory Council (SHAC)! 🌟 Parents, community members, and H.C.I.S.D. staff are invited to make a difference in shaping the health and well-being of our students. SHAC works together to advise on health policies and programs that impact education, nutrition, physical activity, and more. 🏫🍎🏃 🗓️ Next Meeting: 📅 January 30, 2025 ⏰ 4:30 – 6:00 PM 📍 H.C.I.S.D. Administration Building, Room 502 📍 407 N. Sunshine, Harlingen, TX 78550 ✨ Your voice matters! Join us in creating a positive impact on our students’ lives. Let’s work together for a healthier tomorrow. 💪

📢 Attention NJHS Members! 📢 Start the new year strong by joining us for our next National Junior Honor Society meeting on Wednesday, January 15th at 4:05 p.m. in the school library. Let’s kick off 2025 with new goals and exciting plans! 🖤💛 Let’s go above and beyond, Panthers! 🖤💛 #MVMS #NJHS #PantherPride #AboveAndBeyond

🎨 Congratulations to Annalise Phothirath! 🎉 Annalise has been selected by the Youth Art Month Committee for the prestigious Texas Art Education Association Youth Art Month Spring Exhibition 2025! Her stunning artwork, "Louie" (Acrylic Paint), will be proudly showcased at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin throughout March 2025. 🖼️ We are so proud of Annalise for this incredible achievement! 🌟 #PantherPride #YouthArtMonth

🎉 January is School Board Recognition Month! 🎉 Moises V. Vela Middle School extends a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Bobby Muñiz and all of our H.C.I.S.D. Board Members for your unwavering dedication and support of our students, teachers, and staff. Your commitment to Leadership for Tomorrow’s Texas inspires us all! 💡💛 #SchoolBoardMonth #HCISDProud #LeadershipForTexas

🎽🖤💛 MVMS Families! 💛🖤🎽 Get your P.E. and Pre-Athletics uniforms! These sets are available for just $16 (plus tax). 👉 Order yours today at https://www.techstarprinting.com/shop/vela-panthers/65. #MVMS #PantherPride #BlackAndGold #Spring2025

📚🎒 Reminder: School Resumes Tomorrow! 🎒📚 We are excited to welcome back all our students on Tuesday, January 7th after the Winter Holiday! ✔️ Parent drop-off begins at 7:15 a.m. ✔️ First bell rings at 7:55 a.m. Let’s make it a great start to the new semester! 💛🖤 #WelcomeBackPanthers #MVMSPride

Christmas with the Coakley Cougars! 💙🎄🎅 For the third year in a row, Coakley athletes have visited their feeder campuses to spread some holiday cheer by giving toys to future Cougars! Instead of paying for their school dance, the Cougars brought an unwrapped toy as their entry ticket. 🎁 “I feel good about giving presents to little kids because I know they’ll have fun, and it shows them what they can look forward to in middle school,” said Bryanna Heiskell, Coakley 8th Grade Student. 🫶

“Anybody who knows me knows that I am Cathey with an E. My mom, busy with six kids, taught me to spell it with an E. My sister took my father’s name, Tracy, but my mom added an E to her name. Somehow, the E jumped into my name too, and I’ve embraced it ever since. It’s unique, just like me. I identify with Cathey, with an E, more than my legal name, Cathy. To serve children and be trusted with their emotional well-being is such a big responsibility. Working with the ESA (emotional support animal) dogs is the biggest impact I've seen in my career. Levi and Piper have allowed me immediate emotional access to the hearts of some of the hardest-to-reach kids. HCISD has been more than just a job to me. It enabled me to carry out my calling and has been a place of growth, inspiration, and friendships. You don’t get here by yourself. I stand on the shoulders of so many friends, colleagues, and bosses who have helped and supported me along the way. I truly believe that if you serve with your whole heart when you get to the finish line, you’ll be full of gratitude—and that’s exactly where I’m at. I’m so grateful for the opportunities the district has given me.” – Cathey Steadman Student Wellness Specialist

🌟🎉 Congratulations to our amazing MVMS PTSA! 🎉🌟 We are proud to announce that our PTSA has earned the prestigious Golden Apple Award for achieving 100% faculty membership! 🏆🍎 Thank you to our dedicated teachers and staff for your unwavering support and commitment to making a difference in our students' lives. Together, we shine brighter! ✨ #MVMSProud #GoldenAppleAward #Teamwork

📣 Spirit Night Fundraiser! 📣 Support the Vela Middle School Cheer Team! 🖤💛 Join us at either Chick-fil-A on Dixieland Road or Bus. 77 Sunshine Strip on Thursday, December 19th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM for a delicious dinner and a great cause. 🐄 🏆 How to Participate: Simply mention the Vela Middle School Cheer Team when placing your order or show the flyer (digital or print) at checkout. Chick-fil-A will donate a portion of the evening's sales to our Cheer Team! 📍 Where: Chick-fil-A, 1021 Dixieland Rd. or 1814 S. Bus. 77 Sunshine Strip 🕔 When: Thursday, December 19th, 5 PM – 8 PM Let’s come together and support our Panther Cheerleaders! 🎉 Go Panthers! 🐾 #MVMSCheer #SpiritNight #GoPanthers #BlackAndGold

🚨 Attention Panthers! 🚨 Please note no backpacks and Chromebooks on Friday, December 20th. 🛑🎒 Thank you for your cooperation as we ensure a smooth and safe day! 🐾💛🖤