Real Estate Photographer in Del Valle, TX

At Ojeda Middle School in Del Valle, salsa isn’t just a snack, it’s a lesson in creativity, teamwork and cultural pride.

Four years ago, teacher Efrain Garza started a club where students learn how to make their own salsa. Under Garza’s guidance, students follow a step-by-step process: chopping, mixing, blending and taste-testing.

But the students gain more than cooking skills. They also sell the salsa at picnic tables outside the school cafeteria, at farmers markets and at bus stops.

“We manage money, sell salsa and try to grow some ingredients ourselves,” Garza said. “It’s all about responsibility.”

Student interest in the Ojeda Middle School Salsa Club has grown over the years and now the club is a full-fledged class at the school. Today, Garza teaches three salsa classes.

Students in the program learn life skills like communication, collaboration, leadership and how to pitch a product.

“I love selling,” one student told Tacos of Texas in the spring.

“I want to be an entrepreneur when I grow up,” another added. “We get to work together and actually make something we’re proud of.”

In the beginning, Garza said, it was trial and error. He gives his students credit for being patient with him.

“Shout out to them that they were mature enough to actually deal with the fact that the person that should be in charge didn't know everything," he said.

The salsa club has become a point of pride for the school. Students, teachers, families and even local leaders have lined up to buy salsa.

“We’re the only class like this in the district,” Garza said. “And now the kids are known for something amazing — something they built together.”

Learn more about the program in Season 5 premiere of Tacos of Texas. Listen to the full episode in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts.

Del Valle ISD teachers just found out their work schedules are changing when students return next month.

AUSTIN, Texas — Teachers in Del Valle ISD are calling on district leaders to reconsider a recent decision that extends their daily work schedules by 30 minutes.

The change, which teachers said was announced over summer break, is set to take effect when students return next month, and it’s already frustrating some educators.

“The communication went out, it shocked people,” said Jessica Marquez, a Del Valle teacher and president of the district’s teachers’ union.

During their summer vacation, members of the union gathered to express concerns over the decision, which they said was made without their input and with little notice, just days before the resignation deadline.

"Do whatever it takes" is a message emblazoned on many teachers’ backs as part of a motivational slogan, but it has taken on new meaning this summer as they wrestle with how the added time will impact an already demanding profession.

Marquez said the change will lower morale.

“I think it's going to lower morale in our district, and it's going to contribute to teacher burnout," said Marquez. "Teacher burnout is real."

District leaders said the change is about ensuring better supervision during critical student transition times, such as arrival and dismissal. They said some teachers were arriving and leaving when the bell rang.

“It’s really just making sure that those big arrival and departure times have adequate supervision to ensure the safety of all our students," said DVISD spokesperson Chris Weddle.

District officials adjusted how teacher hours are tracked. The 30-minute teacher lunch will now be considered unpaid, and principals have the freedom to schedule those 30 minutes where they see fit. Weddle said a lot of other school districts don't pay teachers during their lunch break.

Marquez said that's a longer day without more compensation.

"Even though we're salary, they were saying that we weren't technically working 40 hours," said Marquez.

For some teachers, the issue is not just the added time, but the way the change was rolled out. Teachers said they were notified during summer break, just before the resignation deadline without prior consultation or discussion.

"So it was quite a shock to us," Marquez said. "We weren't expecting it. It hadn't been discussed with us at all."

The district maintains the move is student-focused.

"We were being student-centered in our decisions," Weddle said.

Still, the union believes the change won’t improve learning outcomes. A recent internal survey conducted by the union found that 90% of teachers do not believe the added time is necessary for a successful education program.

As the start of the school year approaches, teachers hope there’s still time for the district to reevaluate the policy.