CISNT Program Manager Patricia Hernandez writes about the accomplishments at Hedrick Elementary due to leadership from her school principal, Esteva Bargo.

Each year, the Lewisville Independent School District has a banquet to recognize the wonderful service so many people give. This year, Ms. Esteva Bargo, Hedrick Elementary Principal, is one of the three finalists for Outstanding Principal of the Year.

This is an award that Ms. Bargo truly deserves. This is now my fourth school year with CIS at Hedrick, and each year it seems Ms. Bargo is busier and busier. Hedrick Elementary is a complex campus to oversee. Each year our enrollment numbers have grown. After the start of the last school year, Ms. Bargo had to add another Kindergarten classroom because of our high numbers. Seamlessly, Ms. Bargo hired a new teacher and had a new class up and running. It was projected that Kinder would go back to 5 classrooms, however, this year, Kinder has grown to 7 classrooms, 4 of which are bilingual classrooms.

Bilingual education is another factor that makes Hedrick Elementary complex. Students from various school zones are bused into Hedrick Elementary because the schools they are zoned for do not have the educational language services they need. During one new school year training, Ms. Bargo, organized for all staff to travel by bus to see the areas that feeds into Hedrick Elementary, which included all the students that are bused to our campus. This gave staff a better idea of the 'outside' view that our students live on a daily basis and how far they have to travel in order to receive bilingual services.

Hedrick Elementary is also complex because four years ago we had a surge in enrollment due to the Burmese refugees. These students presented a learning situation for everyone. Ms. Bargo welcomed any and all communication and family meetings that Communities In Schools organized in order to make the Burmese parents feel comfortable in their new surroundings. Last year was the first time that Hedrick Elementary received a Recognized Rating on overall TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) scores. This achievement alone means Ms. Bargo is deserving of this recognition. I'm sure other teachers and school staff can give many examples of how Ms. Bargo has demonstrated excellent leadership skills. Even if Ms. Bargo does not win the ultimate award, I believe she will always be a winner in the eyes of Hedrick Elementary staff.