For the second year in a row, five middle schools in the Socorro Independent School District have achieved the highest scores on the 2023-24 STAAR Algebra I exam at the MEETS level in El Paso County, reaffirming the district’s commitment to preparing students for success in high school, college, and careers.
The Council on Regional Economic Expansion and Educational Development (CREEED) recognized the faculty and staff from the following middle schools for their achievements in Algebra I: Spec. Rafael Hernando III Middle School: 83% of eighth-grade students at MEETS level; Montwood Middle School: 79% of eighth-grade students at MEETS level; Col. John Ensor Middle School: 77% of eighth-grade students at MEETS level; Hurshel Antwine Middle School: 68% of eighth-grade students at MEETS level; and SSG. Manuel R. Puentes Middle School: 67% of eighth-grade students at MEETS level.
During its second annual Algebra In Middle School (AIM High) event on Oct. 14 at Pebble Hills High School, CREEED awarded $58,250 in gift cards to recognize the faculty and staff at each of these schools for their efforts in empowering students with the tools for academic success. This was the second year Rafael Hernando III, Col. John Ensor and Montwood middle schools were recognized.
Superintendent James P. Vasquez thanked CREEED for its generosity to support and reward Socorro ISD teachers and staff for their hard work and accomplishments. Vasquez highlighted that SISD had the eight top-scoring middle schools and 15 of the top 18 at the MEETS level on the Algebra 1 exam in the region. He attributed the district’s success to more than 90% of SISD’s eighth-grade students enrolling in Algebra I classes.
“It really is a systemic plan that we have in place here in the district to ensure the academic success of students at the middle school level on Algebra I,” Vasquez said. “So, we're extremely proud of them, of all of those schools, the support staff at the district level, who helped them get those scores.”
Middle school students AIM High in Algebra I
AIM High is designed to increase the number of El Paso County students who take and pass Algebra I in middle school by recognizing and rewarding all the faculty and staff at the top performing schools in the region. It builds on CREEED's effort of increasing the number of students taking dual credit and early college courses so they can experience college-level courses while in high school.
Research shows that students who perform well in Algebra are more likely to enroll in and take advanced math coursework essential to college preparation and success. Additionally, students who perform at the MEETS level on the Algebra I exam become eligible to take more dual credit courses while in high school, increasing the likelihood that they will complete a college degree in four years.
Fernando Albisurez has been teaching math at Hernando Middle School for six years. He begins teaching Algebra fundamentals such as one-step equations before winter break to prepare students for their Algebra I class when they start eighth grade. He said he appreciated CREEED recognizing him and his colleagues for their hard work, but the real reward was watching his students succeed.
“It's pretty awesome because again, it's not just the $500 gift card, but it shows, how we help students grow from sixth grade to eighth grade in their Algebra I class,” Albisurez said.
Montwood Middle School math teacher Mayra Balderrama and her colleagues were recognized for a second year. Montwood had the second highest Algebra I score at the MEETS level. She said the key to helping her students succeed in math was being consistent in helping them improve, especially since math affects everyday life.
“I think it's the basics for everything,” Balderrama said. “For math, it's the basics for any career that they want to do in the future.”
Success is a team effort
In addition to being the highest-performing middle school in Algebra I in El Paso County, Hernando Middle School has one of the top eighth-grade algebra teachers, whose students achieved the highest scores on the exam. Christopher Marquez, an educator for 29 years, has taught Algebra at Hernando Middle School for 11 years. He emphasized that effectively teaching Algebra I to students requires collaboration from teachers, students, and staff.
“These scores are a result of many people,” Marquez said. “It starts with the instructional officers at our district, who lay out a great plan, my partners here at Hernando, who always teach me new and innovative ways to present material, and, of course, the students, who worked very hard to achieve great results.”
CREEED not only recognized the teachers but also acknowledged the support staff at each school, including custodians, teachers’ aides, bus drivers, administrative assistants, and cafeteria workers, for their vital efforts in preparing students for success.
"This is just a small token on our part in terms of recognizing the great work not only of the Algebra teachers but all the other teachers that support that," said Manny Soto, CREEED director of analytics. “The custodians who keep the schools clean and safe. The cafeteria workers who serve nutritious meals. The bus drivers who get them to school safely so they're ready to learn. All this is part of a team concept that these five schools really exhibit.”
CREEED celebrates SISD’s top five performing middle schools event photos