Dear El Paso ISD,
Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope everyone enjoys this day filled with kindness and appreciation. As we wrap up the week, I want to wish our students, staff, and families a relaxing and well-deserved three-day weekend. On Monday, February 17, we will observe Presidents’ Day, and the district will be closed. May this extra day off provide an opportunity for rest, reflection, and quality time with loved ones.
This week, we had the honor of welcoming El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson back to his alma mater, Andress High School, for an exciting basketball game against El Paso High School. Mayor Johnson shared words of encouragement and motivation with our students, reminding them that with hard work, dedication, and perseverance, they can achieve their goals. We are grateful for Mayor Johnson’s continued support of public education and his inspiration to the next generation of leaders.
I want to take a moment to congratulate our outstanding student-athletes for their hard work and dedication this season. The Burges, Chapin, and Franklin girls' basketball teams secured victories in the first round of the playoffs, while the Chapin boys team clinched its fifth consecutive District 1-5A championship, and Austin’s boys team earned the District 1-4A title. Additionally, we are proud to send 14 El Paso ISD wrestlers to the UIL State Championship this weekend in Houston, where they will compete for the gold medal. Best of luck to all our student-athletes—we are cheering you on!
Congratulations are in order for two of our outstanding educators who have earned their National Board Certification! We are incredibly proud of Rebecca L. Altieri from Park & Sunrise Elementary Schools and Lydia Lauretano Hernandez from Logan Elementary School. Their remarkable achievement reflects their unwavering dedication to excellence in education and highlights the commitment and effort of everyone involved in the National Board Certification Cohort (NBCC).
We also celebrate the achievements of our talented mariachi students. The El Paso ISD mariachi groups from Austin, Chapin, Coronado, and Franklin earned superior ratings at the UIL regional competition and are advancing to the UIL State Mariachi Festival in Seguin, Texas, on Feb. 21-22. A special recognition also goes to Jefferson/Silva’s newly formed mariachi for making its UIL debut and to Bowie for reestablishing its program. Their success is a testament to the passion and dedication of our fine arts students and educators.
At Herrera Elementary School, creativity and learning have come together in an inspiring way. Teachers recently led a project that helped students develop their writing and drawing skills, turning their imaginative work into a published book. This initiative not only encouraged literacy and self-expression but also empowered students to see themselves as storytellers and creators. We are grateful to our teachers for fostering such a dynamic and engaging learning environment.
As always, thank you for your commitment to making El Paso ISD a place where students thrive. Whether in academics, athletics, fine arts, or innovative classroom projects, our district continues to shine because of the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, and staff.
Enjoy the long weekend, and we’ll see you back on Tuesday, ready for another week of learning and success!
It starts with us.
Sincerely,
Diana Sayavedra
Superintendent, El Paso ISD