Fall Institute Begins Soon
(Thursday, July 3, 2008)
The Fall Training Institute begins Monday, July 28. To reserve your spot in the Institute, please remember to pay your fees by July 24.

Review Dates for Content Exams
(Thursday, July 3, 2008)
The review dates for the August 2 Content Exams will be Tuesday, July 22 and Tuesday, July 29 at PSJA North High School.

Please remember that you need to register to attend these review sessions. You may do so by logging on to the ACT website and clicking on "Register - Test Prep." Fill in the required information and select the test review you plan to attend from the drop-down box. If you do not see your test on the drop-down, please email shudgens@actrgv.com to see if there will be a review in your content area.

Have You Been Hired to Teach?
(Thursday, July 3, 2008)
If you have been hired to teach beginning this fall, please be sure to notify the ACT office. Also, please plan to attend the mandatory Orientation to Internship on Friday, August 15, from 6 - 9 PM at the PSJA North Auditorium.

Credit/ Debit Cards Now Accepted
(Thursday, April 3, 2008)
All costs associated with ACT-RGV may now be paid with credit/debit cards. We will continue to accept cash and checks. Please call 994-9732 if you have any questions.

Help With Rubrics
(Tuesday, September 25, 2007)
Do you need help building rubrics? Try this GREAT FREE WEBSITE.
Rubistar.4teachers.org.

NEW COMPUTER TESTS AVAILABLE!
(Tuesday, September 25, 2007)
Beginning September 2007, the following tests will also be offered as computer administered tests): (cost is $117.00 and this includes a $35.00 computer usage fee)

#102 for Bilingual Education Supplemental EC-4
#111 for Generalist 4-8
#133 forHistory 8-12
#154 for English as a Second Language Supplemental
#158 for Physical Education EC-12
#177 for Music EC-12

NEW MAKE-UP POLICY
(Tuesday, April 17, 2007)
Beginning with the 2007 Summer Institute, persons who miss classes will be allowed to make-up missed classes free of any additional charges IF they are made up during the NEXT scheduled Institute. If classes are NOT made up during the next scheduled Institute, a $50.00 fee will charged for each three hours of class.

Could You Use This?
(Friday, October 13, 2006)
You might want to check out Google's venture into educational tools. Go to www.google.com/educators and see what looks helpful to you. The possibilities seem endless.

New Test Registration Procedure
(Thursday, September 7, 2006)
Here is what we know so far about the new testing procedure:

1. Go to the SBEC link on our website. Log in using your username and password. Your TEA ID# will be in the blue part above the white box. WRITE IT DOWN.

2. Go to the testing site, www.texes.ets.org and select 'register'. Go to the blue 'log in' button. If you have already created your account, log in. If you have NOT created an account, select 'new user' and complete the information requested and hit 'continue'. You will create a username name and password. WRITE THEM DOWN. You will use this username and password every time you want to register for a test.

If you have difficulty, please call our office.

Lesson Planning Resource
(Monday, February 6, 2006)
The following website is a great resource for lesson ideas in many areas and it's ALL FREE. Check out http://www.ed.gov/free for help with different ideas on how to present a lesson.

How to Apply for Your Probationary Certificate
(Thursday, June 9, 2005)
Ø Go to www.sbec.state.tx.us
Ø Click on SBEC Online for Educators
Ø Click on New User? Create New Account
Ø Enter information and click Search
Ø Complete Educator Profile Setup and click Continue
Ø Create User Name and Password and click Continue. WRITE DOWN YOUR USER NAME AND PASSWORD, YOU WILL NEED IT LATER!!
Ø From menu on the left of screen, click Applications
Ø Click on Probationary Certificate
Ø Click on Apply for Certification
Ø Answer the yes / no questions. Where it says, ‘I request to be recommended by this Entity’, select – ACT Rio Grande Valley (Alternative Program) from the drop down menu. Under ‘subject applying for’, type in the certification area that is on your approval letter from ACT and that matches what you were hired to teach
Ø Click Apply – You will have two fingerprint options. You may select the FAST Pass to use the Live Scan (our reccomendation) or the fingerprint card with instructions on how to complete the process. If you select the FAST Pass, you will wait until you receive an e-mail with instructions on how to sign up for an appointment. There will be a number on the FAST Pass that you will need to sign up.

Need Help With Lesson Ideas?
(Tuesday, February 15, 2005)
Is this the time of year you could use some new ideas about how to present a lesson? You might want to check out the Teacher Toolbag on the TEA website at www.tea.state.tx.us/tchrtoolbag. You will find a wide variety of ways to approach almost any curricular challenge.