Dell City School teachers, staff and students are excited to start the new school year – but, like so many other aspects of life right now, school won't be entirely “normal” when it resumes Monday, Aug. 10. Cougar administrators have released a “reentry plan” for the new school year, and you can read the full plan here.
Given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, all parents and family members in Texas can choose whether their students will have on-campus, in-person instruction as the new school year begins, or take classes at home, through remote digital learning. The Dell City School is committed to offering our families this choice. Read more about Texas Education Agency guidelines for the new school year.
The coronavirus pandemic cut short spring sports and prevented Cougar students from participating in organized athletics for months – but now the Dell City School is preparing to host a “Summer Strength and Conditioning Program.” Texas UIL recently opened the door to these summer programs, which include restrictions for safeguarding health. For Dell City-area youth looking for a summer activity, and for their families, it's a great opportunity.
For the members of the Dell City Class of 2020, senior year certainly hasn't gone the way they hoped. That's all the more reason to celebrate this special group of Cougars as they reach the milestone of graduation. The school hosts 2020 Graduation Friday, May 29. With coronavirus restrictions in place, it will be an unconventional event. But the entire Cougar Community – the school's staff, students, families and local residents – is committed to making it an event to remember.
Continuing the school year with the school closed has been a daunting challenge for Dell City School teachers and students – and families! To meet the challenge, our educators and students are connecting online, and sharing materials and continuing instruction remotely. It wouldn't be happening without Dell Telephone Cooperative, and its subsidiary, Delcom.
Clement Boakye, Dell City's secondary math teacher, and Karen Torres, the school's kinder and pre-K teacher, will join other standout educators from El Paso and Hudspeth counties in the running for regional and state Teacher of the Year. Principal Carlos A. Contreras said the two educators are distinguished by “the passion they bring to their craft,” and by the high expectations they hold for their students, and for themselves.
In the seven weeks since the coronavirus pandemic prompted the closure of the Dell City School, most of our staff have been working from home. But a few employees have been on campus every day. Our maintenance and custodial team – Angelica Galvan, Chris Czubinski and José Cabral – are certainly among our “essential workers,” and they're very busy around campus right now.
Karen Torres – who joined Dell City ISD this year as the school's pre-K and kinder teacher – brings almost 25 years of experience to her work here. And while her career has been diverse – she's worked with ESL and special-education students, in Head Start, elementary and junior-high classrooms – her Dell City job is definitely a new chapter, with new opportunities for growth.
Oscar Guerrero, Dell City ISD's new special-education teacher, has had a variety of roles in his five years as an educator – from teaching science and math in rural communities to administering testing and federal programs at a large El Paso charter school. But in working with Dell City's special-education students, he's finding a particular satisfaction.
