Donna ISD believes   one of  the best   investments a   parent   can   make for their   child is to enroll   them   in an   early childhood   program.   Research   shows that   educating   our youth at an   early   age allows for   remarkable growth   and brain   development. An early   childhood education   not only   prepares a   child for primary

school, it promotes the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development   of the child. For these   reasons, the district is committed to enhancing and strengthening its early childhood program.

Beginning this fall (2022-2023 school year), Rivas School of the Arts will transition into Donna ISD’s specialized M. Rivas Primary Discovery Academy. The campus will be the only one-of-its kind in the Rio Grande Valley to serve PreK 3 – 2^nd grade students exclusively. This change will allow the district to focus on developing a state-of-the-art, innovative instructional curriculum geared toward cultivating young minds. The school will offer open enrollment and accept children living inside or outside the city of Donna.

Superintendent Angela Dominguez is leading the effort. “I am thrilled to launch this new initiative that focuses on creating an innovative early childhood curriculum,” Dominguez said. “Through this effort, we look forward to establishing a premier early childhood program in our region.”

As part of the process, the district hired an Early Childhood Coordinator, Maricelda Campos to oversee the project. “It is an honor to be a part of something spectacular and mind-blowing,” Campos said. “With these innovative changes, early childhood students will be able to amplify their learning in an enriched classroom environment.”

 Exciting changes are   also   forthcoming for   J.W. Caceres   School   of the Arts when the   upcoming school year   begins. The campus   will be transformed into J.W. Caceres Intermediate Discovery Academy, which will be dedicated to serving 3^rd – 5^th grade students. “We are thrilled for the opportunity to custom tailor instruction to this age group,” Dominguez said. “We know that specialized instruction helps prepare students with good study habits and grade-specific curriculum so they will be ready when they move on to middle school, high school and beyond.”

Both Rivas and Caceres will offer STEM related programs such as robotics and coding together with fine arts disciplines including music, dance, theatre, and visual arts. 

Existing campuses that offer PreK 3 and 4 programs will continue to offer their services.