• Category 1

    Selected in 2020

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: suburban
    Town Population: 79,707
    Student Enrollment: 450
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 0%
    Hispanic: 99.6%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0.4%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:16
    % Reduced Lunch: 100%
    % ELL Learners: 72%
    Founded: 1999
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Roel Faz
  • CONTACT:
    401 E. Thomas Rd.
    Pharr, TX 78577
    956-354-2720
    roel.faz@psjaisd.us
Cesar Chavez Elementary School
Pharr, TX
We strives to create happy and healthy students who are successful in life."

Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
Cesar Chavez Elementary recognizes family involvement as essential in educating students and preparing them for lifelong learning. Parents have consistently gone above and beyond to be part of the school and part of their children's educational experience. Parents, grandparents, and members of the community volunteer at Cesar Chavez daily, providing countless hours of support to enhance student learning. To reinforce family involvement and encourage communication, the school holds numerous events and programs, such as Meet the Teacher, Open House, Million Father March, Pastries with Grandparents, Mother's Day Program, Kite Day, Family Literacy Night, and book fairs. Community involvement also plays a significant role in keeping parents engaged. Cesar Chavez has partnered with a local grocery chain to promote a healthier lifestyle by encouraging families to grow sustainable gardens in their own back yard. To strengthen parental support and extend the learning of students in the home and community, Cesar Chavez offers workshops, meetings, and trainings for families on a variety of academic and social issues such as behavior management through the Parent Advisory Council (PAC). The PAC is dedicated to promoting the education and welfare of students at Cesar Chavez and provides parents with resource information for mental health counseling, food pantries, as well as medical and dental clinics to ensure all needs are met.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
The main practice that makes Cesar Chavez Elementary successful is not academic or assessment related, but a social-emotional focus on providing a safe and nurturing environment for all children. The staff strives to create happy and healthy students who are successful in life. The nurturing environment fostered at Cesar Chavez Elementary is evident throughout the school. Walking in through the doors, you will see educators warmly greeting students and monitoring to see if they have had their breakfast. You will also notice caring adults at children's eye-level taking a genuine interest in connecting with them.
The staff at Cesar Chavez takes an undeniable interest in each and every student. They recognize that children are not a reflection of their behavior, they are accepted while being received with love and empathy. Improving school climate by increasing trust between students and staff is a priority that allows students to flourish.
Overall, Cesar Chavez believes that academic success and closing the achievement gap would not be possible without first providing an environment that makes students feel safe and secure. All members of the Chavez community play an integral role in creating a safe and nurturing environment that leads to the school's success year after year.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
Cesar Chavez Elementary believes in achieving success through innovation and excellence. To ensure that students are mastering the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), teachers continuously reflect upon their instructional methods and interventions by collaboratively interpreting assessment data during their weekly CLC (Collaborative Learning Community) meetings. This approach has impacted their ability to close achievement gaps, which is evident in the growth of their students. The overview of the instructional approaches used to meet the individual needs of each student consists of utilizing resources that provide both a structured scope and sequence of the TEKS, as well as research-based instructional strategies. Technology plays a major role of how instruction is differentiated for students performing below and above grade level. Finding the right research-based intervention at the appropriate time has been a major focus of the Response to Intervention(RTI) team. RTI is a multi-tiered approach used to recognize and support students with specific educational or behavioral needs. Teachers monitor and record the progress of each student to determine the rate of learning and the level of performance in order to close any achievement gaps. The staff works to ensure that the curriculum, instructional methods, interventions, assessments, and professional development are fixated on closing achievement gaps.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
Chavez Elementary offers different professional development opportunities at a campus level that are aligned with academic standards and support school improvement. Cesar Chavez begins each school year with professional development days that focus on reviewing the campus improvement plan, setting new goals, and making curriculum changes. Along with professional development days, teachers and administrators participate in a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) each week. Through CLCs, they discuss lessons, TEKS, assessments, and any concerns they have about students. This time is utilized to problem-solve together and learn from each other. During CLCs, staff members often share strategies through modeling. CLCs encourage collaboration between teachers and administrators to achieve better student results. The major focus at Cesar Chavez is to build teacher capacity with the resources that are available, to build knowledge and confidence in effective teaching strategies, and to understand classroom and individual student data. All professional development aligns with the TEKS to support student achievement and school improvement.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
At Cesar Chavez Elementary, a safe and positive climate is established before the school year even begins. Every August, students are welcomed with a personal phone call inviting them to meet their teacher and see their classroom. This helps to instill the value of education and set the expectations for the school year.
Through a variety of community service projects, the social and emotional needs of Chavez students are also met. Each year, Cesar Chavez students partake in a myriad of programs in which all students and staff participate. Students make a difference in their community through projects such as Jump Rope for Heart, Thanksgiving can drive, Hurricane Relief donations, reforestation efforts, habitat restoration, and recycling projects. Humanitarian service projects give an opportunity for students to open their hearts and help those that are less fortunate. Additionally, students' emotional and social development is fostered through a variety of other activities, including dance, athletics, clubs, celebrations, and recognitions. All this creates optimal conditions in which teaching transforms school culture. This positive culture leads to a low teacher turn-over providing a stable learning environment for all stakeholders.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2020

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: suburban
    Town Population: 79,707
    Student Enrollment: 450
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 0%
    Hispanic: 99.6%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0.4%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:16
    % Reduced Lunch: 100%
    % ELL Learners: 72%
    Founded: 1999
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Roel Faz
  • CONTACT:
    401 E. Thomas Rd.
    Pharr, TX 78577
    956-354-2720
    roel.faz@psjaisd.us