Cactus Trails Elementary School and Sgt. Roberto Ituarte Elementary School were honored for their exceptional performance on the Texas STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) assessments, highlighting the Socorro Independent School District’s commitment to advancing student academic achievement.
The Council on Regional Economic Expansion and Educational Development (CREEED) recognized both schools through its new Achievement for All initiative, which honors educators and staff at El Paso County’s top five elementary campuses with the highest percentages of all third to fifth-grade students, including economically disadvantaged students, earning Meets standards in reading and math on the Texas STAAR exams.
Sgt. Roberto Ituarte Elementary placed second, with 70% of students and 64% of economically disadvantaged students meeting expectations, for a total score of 134. Cactus Trails Elementary placed fourth, with 61% of students and 55% of economically disadvantaged students meeting expectations, totaling 116.
CREEED awarded cash gift cards to all employees at Cactus Trails Elementary on Jan. 28 and at Sgt. Roberto Ituarte Elementary on Jan. 29.
“The thing that we thought was most important about celebrating this particular achievement is the fact that the economically disadvantaged demographic has actually outperformed in many instances, but in fact, it is performing on level to those students that are not considered to be economically disadvantaged,” said Eddie Rodriguez, CREEED's Executive Director. “And again, the only reason why that's relevant, in our opinion, is to dispel the notion that condition somehow limits your capability and your horizons.”
Miriam Chavez, a third-grade teacher at Cactus Trails Elementary School, said it was rewarding to be recognized because it highlighted the hard work of students and teachers.
Chavez was proud of her students' performance on the STAAR exam, especially since it was their first year taking the test. She said that teaching all subjects allows her to make connections between them, such as reading and math, enhancing her students' overall understanding of the subjects.
“I like that I get to have them for all the subjects so that it's easier to teach certain things that I can teach across the curriculum,” Chavez said. “So, it lends itself because I know exactly what everyone's doing. I can use prefixes and suffixes in math. So, I'm able to make those connections.”
CREEED honored not only the teachers but also the essential support staff, including custodians, teacher aides, bus drivers, administrative assistants and cafeteria workers for their vital contributions to student success.
“It takes everybody to run the school, and they all have a hand in the success of the students, whether you're a security guard, front office staff, an aide, or a custodian; everybody plays a part in the success of the students,” said SISD Superintendent James Vasquez, who also thanked CREEED for their generosity.
Kelly Gutierrez, a third-grade teacher at Sgt. Roberto Ituarte Elementary School, said she was proud of the school for raising the bar for student success and attributed that achievement not only to educators but also to the entire school community.
“I love that it recognizes every single person in the building because it takes a village. As cliché as that sounds, it really requires everybody's commitment. Everybody's goal is to help that child,” Gutierrez said.