• Category 2

    Selected in 2022

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 0
    Student Enrollment: 405
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 1.3%
    Hispanic: 98.7%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:20
    % Reduced Lunch: 99.8%
    % ELL Learners: 66.4%
    Founded: 1999
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Erika Garcia-Reyes
  • CONTACT:
    401 E Thomas Dr
    Pharr, TX 78577
    956-354-2720
    erika.reyes@psjaisd.us
Cesar Chavez Elementary School
Pharr, TX
"Our goal is to empower teachers with ownership and raise student achievement."
1. Tell us about your school’s success.
Cesar Chavez Elementary School was founded in 1999 to serve the amazing community of South Pharr. We are a 2018 National Blue Ribbon School, 2018 & 2019 Texas Honor Roll, 2020 & 2022 ESEA National Distinguished school, and a TEA “A” rated campus. However, we are so much more than academics, our staff strives to create happy, balanced, caring, and knowledgeable students. All students are accepted, respected, and treated with respect and love.
2. Talk about the greatest contributing factor(s) that promoted positive change in your school.
There are several contributing factors that have helped shape a positive change in our school. Cesar Chavez Elementary has adopted a social-emotional learning curriculum after the pandemic. Implementing SEL activities and lessons has been shown to increase self-awareness, academic achievement, and positive behaviors in and out of the classroom. At Chavez, we also have strong RTI framework structures that allow teachers to identify students in need of intervention and implement evidence-based interventions to help our students overcome academic struggles. Early identification of students allows teachers to implement concentrated instruction that is focused on a small, targeted set of skills. Our teachers have improved their skills and knowledge, expertise exchange, and professional dialogue through collaborative weekly meetings. We are a mutually supportive group of professionals who share the same values and vision and have a common mindset when it comes to developing our students’ learning skills. We have witnessed a positive shift in our professional learning community.
Our goal is to empower teachers with ownership and raise student achievement.
3. How has ESEA funding supported the school's success?
ESEA funding has supported Cesar Chavez’s success by providing our teachers the opportunity to attend high-quality professional development, purchased technology programs, and innovative learning resources, help with an attendance recovery program, and have been able to implement a research-based response to the intervention program.
4. What professional development activities were used to improve teaching and learning?
Cesar Chavez Elementary staff has participated in a number of professional development activities to improve teaching and learning. Technology training sessions conducted by the campus technology representative started pre-pandemic but went into overdrive during the pandemic and continue to be implemented. Teachers received training on Good Notes, an application that Chavez teachers have been utilizing to deliver instruction utilizing technology and be in the power zone. Teachers also received training on the Common Instructional Framework, The Fundamental Five teaching strategies, and on differentiating instruction.
5. Talk about the cultural shift leading up to your school's success.
We saw a significant cultural shift in our campus post-pandemic. Coming back to in-person learning came with many challenges for both our students and our staff. As a team, we created collective commitments to focus on what changes needed to be implemented that would directly impact student learning. We adopted a mission of ensuring high levels of learning for all students is accessible and reasonable. Through our collective commitments, we can clarify how each individual on our campus contributes to forming lifelong learners and helps create a sense of mutual accountability.
6. How has community involvement strengthened your success?
Community involvement is a critical component that strengthens school success. At Cesar Chavez Elementary School, we embrace the idea that it takes a village to educate a child. Parental involvement is vital, and parents are encouraged to actively participate in their child's education. Parents attend sessions with our school counselor. Some topics covered include Understanding and Motivating Students, Attendance and Child Development. Parents also participate in Curriculum Nights, Report Nights, and Literacy Night. The local Food Bank has partnered with our school to help provide nourishing meals for our families. Cesar Chavez Elementary School has partnered with The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to educate our school community on the benefits of a nutritious diet. Our local law enforcement agencies have partnered with us to educate our students on Halloween safety, the adverse effects of drug use, and the importance of staying in school. Our school applied and was also selected by the Secret Santa Society as one of ten schools to receive $2500 towards Christmas gifts for our students. Our school has also received school supplies and student uniforms from them. We have also received donations such as shoes, sweaters, and shirts from the True Love organization for our students.
Stats
  • Category 2

    Selected in 2022

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 0
    Student Enrollment: 405
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 1.3%
    Hispanic: 98.7%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:20
    % Reduced Lunch: 99.8%
    % ELL Learners: 66.4%
    Founded: 1999
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Erika Garcia-Reyes
  • CONTACT:
    401 E Thomas Dr
    Pharr, TX 78577
    956-354-2720
    erika.reyes@psjaisd.us