Socorro Independent School District principals, assistant principals, counselors, and teachers participated in Walk for Success, the district’s annual student recovery outreach, on Sept. 17 to invite students back to complete their high school education and earn their diploma.
SISD educators met at the SISD Technology Services Center where they divided into teams to visit students’ homes within every feeder in the district to connect with students and their parents, hear their situation case-by-case, and present solutions to their academic barriers.
Some of those barriers include the challenges students and families have faced as they move on from the pandemic, recover from learning loss and work to improve their social-emotional health.
Angelica Hernandez, SISD director of attendance, promotion, placement & retention, said she was happy that families were responsive and grateful to be provided with the information right at their doorstep during the Walk for Success.
“Sometimes students experience life challenges that discourage them from pursuing a high school diploma,” Hernandez said. “Our role as educators is to identify barriers students may encounter, motivate, encourage, and support them in achieving their goals.”
Students and/or their parents were given information on how to return to their comprehensive high school to complete their education and earn their diploma. Other options for students include transferring to Options High School, the district’s alternative high school, which provides students a flexible schedule in a competency-based learning system; or the district’s adult education program, which pairs students with workforce development opportunities and a GED.
Americas High School principal Nancy Torres said sometimes it is simply a matter of talking it out with the students and figuring out what obstacles are keeping them from completing their education.
“Our Trailblazers need to know that they are important,” Torres said. “That we care about them, that we are here to help and support them.”
Torres said that it’s the job of educators to help bridge students over to the real world and that a high school diploma is a part of that, as it will allow them to start off their career.
Esther Valle, an assistant principal at Eastlake High School, said this was her first time participating in the Walk for Success and that it was inspiring to see everyone working together as a team.
“It was nice to see the lengths that SISD goes to, to support the students,” Valle said. “It was great to make those connections with the kids and we look forward to them coming back.”
El Dorado High School principal Venessa Betancourt said that Socorro ISD’s family approach to helping kids succeed is what sets it apart from the other districts.
“Here in Team SISD we have endless opportunities and all kids matter,” Betancourt said. “Sometimes having these one-to-one conversations with the kids and their families is a game changer.”
Hector Perez, who is currently doing his principal fellowship at Montwood High School, was excited to be a part of an event that puts an emphasis on the students.
“Today was a very important day for the district,” Perez said. “It was great to provide these students and their parents with the options that are offered at the district, and we are excited to see these students come back.”
The walk is the second phase of the annual Walk for Success, after the previous week when educators first reached out to students and their parents through phone calls to share the opportunities available in SISD.
Initially, volunteers attempted to contact approximately 600 students during the call out phase of the event, and after the call out 260 students remained to be contacted during the walk.
Overall, volunteers were successful connecting with about 100 students during the Saturday morning event and efforts will continue to reach out to students.
Since its inception in 2017, Walk for Success has generated great results in bringing back more than 250 students to graduate.
Published September 30, 2022
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