• Category 1

    Selected in 2022

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 11
    Student Enrollment: 543
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 1%
    Hispanic: 99%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:22
    % Reduced Lunch: 100%
    % ELL Learners: 92%
    Founded: 2008
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Odette E. Garcia
  • CONTACT:
    310 Southgate Road
    Roma, TX 78584
    956-849-7230
    oegarcia@romaisd.com
Roel A. & Celia R. Saenz Elementary School
Roma, TX
"We are committed to challenging our students to reach their maximum academic and social potential."
1. Tell us about your school’s success.
According to Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” At Roel A. and Celia R. Saenz Elementary, we are committed to challenging our students to reach their maximum academic and social potential. Parents and community members play an integral role in the development of a strong collaborative culture. Together we instill a learning environment promoting high academic excellence for all students. Students have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities. These experiences have led our campus to reach high levels of academic success. This contributes to the fulfillment of our mission in educating a well-rounded, lifelong learner who is college and career ready. We have received several accolades reaffirming our commitment to student excellence. These include; Texas Honor Roll School, TEA “A” rating with six distinctions, H.E. B. Excellence in Education Award, Gold Ribbon School, and recently a TEA “A” rating.
2. Talk about the greatest contributing factor(s) that promoted positive change in your school.
The greatest contributing factor promoting a positive change in our school has been our ability to confront, adapt to, and work towards overcoming challenges imposed by the Pandemic. We worked collaboratively to embrace a “non-negotiable” adaptation to the use of technology. Our teachers prevailed towards the challenges in efforts to continue providing high-quality instruction with rigorous levels of learning. As a team, we commit ourselves to understanding, implementing, engaging, and interacting with each other to sustain our progress. Our teachers work diligently to guarantee student excellence, “No Excuses.” Individual devices are provided to differentiate and diversify learning for students. The interactive flat panels in each classroom allow for highly interactive and engaging lessons. Social media plays an important role in fostering strong communication with our school community. It promotes our events and provides an inside look at the interactive learning experiences.
3. How has ESEA funding supported the school's success?
ESEA supports by helping fund a developmentally appropriate education which emphasizes academic rigor and social expectations for all students. This funding enables our teachers the opportunity to continue learning, thus building teacher capacity. ESEA provides a variety of initiatives intended to meet the needs of all learners and minimize or attempt to close the learning gap across diverse student groups. These initiatives include an After-School Tutorial Program and students needing to meet HB4545 High Impact Tutoring requirements. This funding enhances and increases our students’ STEAM program. These students have an opportunity to compete annually at both the district and regional levels. Our music program, offers students an opportunity to learn and appreciate the arts. In addition, this funding allows for an extended school year where students are to continue their learning and refine targeted skills or master any weaknesses identified throughout the regular school year.
4. What professional development activities were used to improve teaching and learning?
Research has continuously proven the most significant factor impacting student achievement is the effectiveness of the teacher. Building teacher capacity is top priority. Professional development opportunities are provided based on the needs of our teachers and student data. We meet as Professional Learning Communities (PLC) to collaborate and analyze student data, identify new and innovative teaching strategies, share findings, discuss ideas for differentiated instruction, and to reflect upon how we can improve as educators. Working collaboratively has helped teachers gain ownership of student learning and the overall teaching process.
5. Talk about the cultural shift leading up to your school's success.
An African Proverb, “it takes a village to raise a child” is accurate. Since the pandemic, our parents have become more appreciative towards our teachers and our teachers have become more empathic towards our students’ struggles. Together we work diligently to educate our students at high levels and close the achievement gap. Being a goal oriented school, we focus on student excellence for everyone. Our teachers strive to promote a positive school climate conducive to student learning. Recognizing our parents are an important contributor in our students’ education, teachers maintain a constant communication with them. By building this strong partnership with the entire school community, we take pride in working as a team to ensure SPARTANS learn every single day. We embrace high standards leading toward student excellence! Our dynamic work environment supersedes any obstacles we may encounter in our day.

6. How has community involvement strengthened your success?
Our school’s successes can be attributed to the strong relationship between our school and the community. Leaders in our community are involved in modeling positive expectations to the students. Roel A. and Celia R. Saenz Elementary has the city’s first responders and school bus department involved in promoting safety. This demonstrates the interdependence we have on one another. Parental involvement and monthly meetings are scheduled to connect with parents to address their children’s needs. Pursuing our students’ educational goals is our primary focus and we know it takes our stakeholders, parents, community members, teachers, and administrators to make it possible. Together we celebrate our accomplishments.

Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2022

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 11
    Student Enrollment: 543
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 1%
    Hispanic: 99%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 0%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:22
    % Reduced Lunch: 100%
    % ELL Learners: 92%
    Founded: 2008
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Odette E. Garcia
  • CONTACT:
    310 Southgate Road
    Roma, TX 78584
    956-849-7230
    oegarcia@romaisd.com