Relocating from the US Army base Fort Benning in Georgia to El Paso nearly two years ago took some getting used to for the Emmons family. However, the resources and services provided by the Socorro Independent School District have been instrumental in helping the Emmons and other families of military-connected students feel welcomed and supported.
On Aug. 12, SISD hosted the second annual Welcome to Socorro ISD event. During the event, military-connected families like the Emmons explored the district's different opportunities in academics, sports, and college and career-readiness programs to help their children succeed in school and thrive beyond the classroom.
“This was pretty cool because it kind of shows different families the different resources there are for military families like the community service, the counselors and stuff in the schools,” said Sgt. 1st Class Brian Emmons. Two of his children attend Americas High School, and one is a student at Capt. Walter E. Clarke Middle School.
Socorro ISD boasts the highest number of Purple Star Campuses in the El Paso region. This designation, awarded by the Texas Education Agency, reflects the district's exceptional commitment to supporting the unique needs of military-connected students and their families through a wide range of resources and services. They include a dedicated webpage for students and families affiliated with the military, a campus transition program, a military liaison at each campus, and special events such as the annual Military Summer Splash at the SISD Aquatics Center to celebrate the end of the school year.
Dr. Carmen Olivas-Graham, SISD director of Administrative Services, said the welcome event was more than an opportunity for military-connected families to learn about the district’s different academic and athletic programs, including Career and Technical Education programs, elementary academies and the Volunteer Sports Program (VSP). Families obtained information about state-mandated assessments such as the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR), adult education community programs, and more. Above all, the event also allowed military-affiliated families to connect with one another.
“We also have all kinds of events to involve them to make sure that they are connected with each other (and) that they know who the other military-connected parents are because often that is the only family that they have in this community,” Olivas-Graham said.
Ashley De Leon, whose spouse is a veteran, has five children in SISD schools. They attend Pebble Hills High School, Sun Ridge Middle School and Sgt. Jose F. Carrasco Elementary School. De Leon said her oldest son, a Pebble Hills Early College High School senior, was interested in becoming a paid referee in the VSP program.
“This was our first time, and I thought it was pretty helpful,” De Leon said. “We got a lot of information that we didn’t know about.”
Xellisex Carbajal's two children are in Pre-K and kindergarten at Mission Ridge Elementary School. Carbajal, who is in the Army Reserve, checked out the different programs, such as the Dual Language Academy, that might interest her children.
“They’re so young and I want to get them started early to make sure they can explore and see what they really like to do,” Carbajal said.
For information about SISD military-connected services and resources, visit www.sisd.net/page/military.