Hurshel Antwine Middle School and SSG. Manuel R. Puentes Middle School, both in the Socorro Independent School District, have been designated as Texas Schools to Watch through the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform and the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals.
The schools were named to the national recognition program for academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, social equity and organization structure and processes. The two SISD campuses are among 70 campuses across Texas that have earned the distinction, according to a Texas Schools to Watch press release.
Hurshel Antwine and Puentes administrators will be recognized in Austin at the Making Middle School Matter Symposium hosted by TASSP on March 2-4, 2025. They will be recognized nationally with all the other recognized STW schools from across the country in Washington DC at the National Forum of Schools to Watch Conference on June 26-28, 2025.
Both schools were noted for having strong leadership, teachers who work together to improve curriculum and instruction, and a commitment to assessment and accountability to bring about continuous improvement.
Under the Puentes Middle School leadership, the campus went from a state C rating to an A rating from TEA in one academic school year. Puentes students feel that their teachers connect with them by making assignments engaging and students and teachers maintain respectful relationships. The campus provides ongoing professional development based on data assessments and by teacher request.
“Puentes is proud to be an A-rated School, a CREEED award recipient, and a National School to Watch. Our entire staff has worked tirelessly to make Puentes a place where everyone feels safe, valued, and loved,” said SSG Manuel R. Puentes Middle School Principal Greta Brasgalla. “The teachers at Puentes are the core of the school's success. They are genuine, committed, and terrific at their jobs. I am so proud of their achievements and happy that the teachers and staff are getting the recognition they have long deserved.”
Hurshel Antwine Middle School was recognized for providing common formal assessments, having regular data reviews and providing small group instruction called “All In Thursdays.” Hurshel Antwine students say their teachers are caring, try to get to know them better, show concern when they are absent, and praise students for their efforts. Teachers participate in professional development that best benefits them and parents are involved in decision making through special campus meetings and events.
“Receiving the Texas Schools to Watch recognition is a tremendous honor for our campus. It reflects our commitment to excellence in education and our dedication to fostering a supportive and innovative learning environment,” said Hurshel Antwine Middle School Principal Patricia Fernandez. “This recognition not only celebrates the hard work of our teachers and staff but also highlights the incredible achievements of our students. It serves as a reminder that we are on the right path, inspiring us to continue striving for improvement and to serve as a model for other schools in our community.”
Leticia Menchaca, State Director for Schools to Watch in Texas and TASSP Associate Executive Director for Middle-Level Services, said in the release that both Puentes and Hurshel Antwine Middle Schools are achieving great things for all their students and have demonstrated that these high-performing middle schools are focusing on academic growth and achievement.
“SSG Manuel R. Puentes Middle School and Hurshel Antwine Middle School recognize the importance of meeting the needs of all students and ensure that every child has access to a challenging high-quality education,” she said.
The Schools to Watch selection process is based on a written application that requires schools to show how they met criteria developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. Schools that appeared to meet the criteria were then visited by state teams, which observed classrooms, interviewed administrators, teachers, students and parents, and looked at achievement data, suspension rates, quality of lessons, and student work.
Schools are recognized for a three-year period, and at the end of three years, they must demonstrate progress on specific goals to be re-designated. Unlike the Blue-Ribbon recognition program, “Schools to Watch” requires schools to not just identify strengths, but to also focus on areas of continuous improvement; thus, the three-year re-designation.
Learn more about the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform at https://www.middlegradesforum.org/