Anticipated influx of new students to make SISD second-largest school district in area
Facility improvements await arrival of students and staff
Socorro ISD’s teachers and support staff are back at work preparing for the launch of the 2012-13 school year. With facility improvements under way and the anticipation of 1,200 to 1,500 new students, the new year promises to be full of milestones and continued success. The first day of classes for all schools is Monday, July 30. Watch the 2012-2013 Building on Excellence - Welcome Back to School video.
“We are excited to launch another excellent milestone year for the Socorro ISD,” said Interim Superintendent Pat O’Neill. “We’ve had a great summer, and we are ready to serve our ever-growing student population.”
A TEA Recognized school district, Socorro ISD is anticipated to enroll some 45,000 students this school year, making it the second-largest school district in the area; surpassing Ysleta ISD which ended the 2011-12 school year with less than 44,000 students and second to El Paso ISD’s 64,000 student enrollment. Using historical data combined with planned housing development schedules, the District has projected enrollment growth within a quarter of a percent (.25%) annually which has allowed the District to anticipate and manage growth successfully.
Working to maintain pace with growth, the District’s facilities and planning team has capitalized on the summer break making tremendous progress with Bond 2011 and other capital improvement projects designed to improve students’ and teachers’ educational environment and opportunities.
The major projects in Bond 2011 will increase the District’s building capacity to 50,000. The new combination elementary/middle school in the El Dorado community and the final phase of Eastlake High School are on schedule to be completed in June 2013, within budget. Two additional elementary schools and the conversion to the El Dorado 9th Grade Academy into Pebble Hills High School are scheduled for completion in June 2015.
The most anticipated project of the summer is the conversion from swamp coolers to refrigerated air conditioning at six elementary schools: Robert R. Rojas, Campestre, Hueco, O’Shea Keleher, Myrtle Cooper and Benito Martinez. The installation of new units has been completed in the majority of classrooms and will continue in the fall in the schools’ main hallways, support areas and specific classrooms.
As an added benefit, the District was able to utilize cost savings to provide the campuses with new interior paint, new lighting and ceilings, a new fire alarm system, and a new roof. In addition, the project afforded the opportunity to alter and improve the schools’ kitchens which for some campuses will be completed the second week of school. For the first week students will be provided with healthy, sack meals.
“This is an exciting time for our school communities,” school administrators said in a letter to parents. “Soon, all work within these buildings will be completed and our students and teachers will have beautiful new classrooms to continue Building on Excellence. In the interim, we ask for your patience and understanding as the final pieces of our schools’ transformations are completed. You can rest assured that your child(ren) will be welcomed back to a safe and secure school and that teachers will have the resources needed to hit the ground running.”
The District anticipates no interruption to its fundamental mission of teaching and learning as any ongoing work will be completed after hours.
Also completed this summer was the installation of new artificial turf at the District’s four comprehensive high schools’ practice fields and the Student Activities Complex (SAC). And, several schools across the District are receiving new classroom furniture.
“We have a lot to look forward to this year,” O’Neill added. “Personally, I look forward to seeing our elementary students walk in to a nice, cool classroom – especially after playing outside in the hot sun.”
