FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9, 2009
Starr County Classrooms Awarded School Readiness Certifications
Rio Grande City, TX – TMC a member of the Texas School Ready Project, formerly the Texas Early Education Model program, announced today that 31 classrooms in Starr County were awarded the “School Readiness Certification for 2008-2009 by the State Center for Early Childhood Development at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. A ceremony was held at the Starr County Court Annex to announce the 31classrooms that were certified from Starr County. Representative Ryan Guillen congratulated the teachers on their certification and presented the teachers with their Certificate.
The following classrooms received the Texas School Ready! designation teachers Hector Saenz, Elvira O. Garcia and Sandra Olivarez from Dr. Mario Ramirez Elementary; teachers Belinda Garza and Maria Dolores Garza from La Union Elementary; and Irma Maria Lozano, Ninfa Aracely Trevino and Thelma E. Garcia from La Grulla Elementary; schools from the Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District. At the Roma Independent School District teachers Carlos Artemio Lozano, Elizabeth Gonzalez, Fabiola R. Garcia, Gabriel Resendez, Gladys Rocha, Gloria Moreno, Janet Cantu, Jose G. Cantu, Maria L. Pena, Marienela Lopez, Melissa Medrano, Mirella Martinez, Norma A. Gonzalez, Olga R. Martinez, Rosa M. Ramirez, Santa Guerra, Virginia Alvarez and Ysenia F. Maldonado all from Anna S. Canavan Elementary. Also, the classrooms of Adanelia Garcia and Celinda Cantu from the Las Lomas Head Start Center and Maria Guadalupe Garza, Albeza Barrera, and Perla Olivo from the Roma Child Development Center.
The School Readiness designation indicates that after two years of compliance, the designated classrooms have demonstrated a high level of performance in providing a quality pre-school curriculum to children ages 4 and 5 years old. These teachers have successfully implemented the School Ready Project principles of classroom management, phonological awareness, vocabulary building, letter knowledge, early writing, early math, and preparatory reading.
“We are excited that we are able to offer TEEM-mentor classrooms in Rio Grande City and Roma this program helps Starr County’s children start school ready to learn," stated Mary Capello, CEO.
Background
Pre-schools and child-care centers apply yearly to SCECD and provide their review staff with information about classrooms and educational programs, including the learning environment and curriculum. Children attending applicant classrooms are then followed from pre-K into kindergarten and evaluated by the SCECD for early reading and social development to determine if the pre-K classroom helped prepare the student for success in elementary school.
