Hawkins Elementary School - El Paso, TX

Hawkins Elementary is a little school located in El Paso, Texas, off I-10 east and just three short miles from the United States-Mexico border. More than half of the students at Hawkins are second language learners and face challenging situations. However, no matter the struggle, it will never be an excuse for students not to reach their full potential. The overall success at Hawkins is not about a program or an intervention. Instead, it is 100% due to the partnership made with families and the consistent collaboration between administration and teachers during weekly planning.

Families attend monthly core-content meetings hosted by their student's teacher in English and Spanish. These meetings are focused on teaching parents different strategies to implement and bridge the connection between school and home. When families are directly involved in knowing what their child is learning, it sets clear expectations. Hosting monthly food banks and a yearly Health Fair is one of many supports Hawkins offers families and the surrounding community. Hawkins strives to eliminate barriers that interfere with academic success.

Consistent collaboration between teachers is a necessary practice essential to track student growth. Hawkins' 90-minute Professional Learning Communities allows cross-grade levels to meet simultaneously, highlighting the importance of vertically aligned lessons. Careful, rigorous planning directly impacts learning and creates a stable and safe environment that supports all students in reaching their full potential. Hawkins is no longer the little school that could. WE are the little school that DID!