Carlos Rivera Elementary School was named for a well known local educator Mr. Carlos Rivera. Born in 1916 Rivera was an El Paso native who attended El Paso public schools and graduated from El Paso High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Western College now known as UTEP. He received a Master's degree in foreign languages from the University of Texas at Austin in 1947. He began his career in education in 1938 in Presido, Texas, returning to El Paso in 1940 to teach at Bowie High School where he served as Chairman of the Spanish Department, served in the U.S. Army as a translator and as an interpreter-investigator in the Office of War Crimes. He continued to serve as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve until his death in April, 1973 at the age of 57. In 1964 he was appointed coordinator of Elementary Spanish and Bilingual Education for the school district. In 1971 was appointed as an assistant superintendent for the school district.
In 1972 he was chosen as the new West Area Superintendent. He was head of 23 schools on the Westside of El Paso. Rivera was widely known for his work in bilingual education in the United States and overseas. He conducted bilingual education workshops for teachers in many states and in several South American countries. He was recognized as a national consultant on bilingual Education and Migrant Education. He worked for the U.S. State Department, U.S. Office of Education, and the Texas Education Agency. He was listed in the 1969-1970 Who's Who in the South and Southwest. He was the first El Pasoan to be named International Relations Chairman for the Texas PTA. Commenting on Rivera's life and 27 years as an El Paso educator, G.P. Estrada wrote this tribute: "Historians may never record the entire good done by a native El Pasoan...but humanitarians will concede that many lives were enriched by the unselfish service and dedication of a great American." It is a great honor for our school to be named after such a great educator.
Assistant Principal
Evelyn Springer, Discipline
( 915)236-3700
-Title lX Campus Coordinator
Important Numbers
Main Line: 915-236-3700
Fax: 915-585-2337
Principal's Secretary: 915-236-3704
Discipline: 915-236-3705
Attendance/PIEMS: 236-3701
Student Records: 915-236-3700
Student Records Fax: 915-585-2337
Cafeteria: 915-581-1555