El Paso ISD board approves district’s first early childhood center at Vilas Elementary

The El Paso Independent School District Board of Managers voted in favor of creating its first early childhood center.

Master principal Laila Ferris will oversee the Mesita Early Childhood Center, that will be built where Vilas Elementary stands now — just about two miles from Mesita Elementary. Mesita Elementary will become a second through fifth grade school.

The changes are expected to be ready by August.

“I’m 1,000 percent behind it,” said trustee Bob Geske who oversees Mesita. He’ll be in office to see the new Mesita Early Childhood Center open it’s doors.

What El Paso ISD wants to do is take over-capacity Mesita, and deliver it’s Pre-K-through 1st to the under capacity Vilas. Vilas would become the Mesita Early Childhood Center.With less little ones, Mesita Elementary will have enough room for the handful of second through fifth-graders at Vilas.

Mesita Elementary staff and parents cheered after the board voted, some even getting emotional as they hugged each other.

“Opportunities don’t come to you like this in the world of education,” said Ferris. “[Opportunities] where you have that opportunity to step out of a box, out of the traditional mode of teaching, and have that time to grow innovatively.”

“It’s very emotional, it’s just such a fabulous opportunity,” said Mesita Elementary Diagnostician Loretta Valdespino-Ochoa. “That’s how the staff is –very visionary, very innovative. It’s just such a wonderful feeling. And it’s so exciting for our kids that are going to be able to go through that.”

But the night wasn’t without objection. A handful of parents got up to speak about the potential traffic mess the changes will cause at the Vilas campus. Others complained they’d have children attended two different schools.

“One of the thrusts of our new board is transparency,” Geske said, “is get the parents involved, tell them what’s going on and make sure they understand what we’re doing.”

Now both the Mesita and Vilas campuses will form parent committees, requesting their perspectives as they move forward with the plans.

“It’s a win-win situation,” Geske said.

Vilas students would have access to Mesita,which has an annual waiting list of hundreds of students,has dual language and gifted-talented programs, and a principal with a strong reputation.

Parents with little ones will have a place with not only small furniture, but curriculum tailored to 4-and-5-year-olds, including technology training and Chinese.

UTEP is partnering with the schools to provide student teachers. Head Start is also working with the ECC as it forms its campus-based program.

Right now Ysleta ISD and Region 19’s head start are the only Pre-K campuses in the city. To qualify for Pre-K, your child has to be low-income, English-learners or military. If you don’t qualify, you can pay a $406 annual tuitionwhich the district said it most likely will lower.

EPISD has open enrollment,so any parent can apply to have their kids attend these schools.