27 Oct 2006
Cigarroa is One of 12 New Schools Opening This School Year
DALLAS—Dallas Independent School District officials were joined by community leaders, parents, students, and elected officials Friday, Oct. 27, for the dedication ceremony of Leonides Gonzalez Cigarroa, M.D. Elementary School, 9990 Webb Chapel Road.
Built with funds from the 2002 bond program, the $13 million elementary school is named for Dr. Leonides Gonzalez Cigarroa, a Laredo surgeon and civic leader who was active in expanding educational opportunities for young people. Cigarroa's devotion to education and child welfare was recognized by two American presidents: President Lyndon B. Johnson named him to the National Commission on Health Facilities, and President Richard M. Nixon selected him for service on the Health Manpower Development Program Advisory Board.
Principal Donna Treviņo-Jones kicked off the celebration, followed by remarks from Dallas ISD Trustee Adam Medrano and Deputy Superintendent Steve Flores. Cigarroa's daughter, Martha Cigarroa de Llano, who represented the family, spoke of her father's contributions to students and patients. The Cigarroa student choir and Thomas Jefferson High School Band performed at the ceremony.
District 8 Trustee Medrano spoke about several of the school's academic initiatives, including an innovative approach to teaching English to young children whose first language is Spanish. The one- way dual-language model uses students' Spanish language skills as a foundation to increase their knowledge of English. Teachers are using the approach this year with prekindergarten, kindergarten and first-grade English learners at Cigarroa. One grade will be added each year until all students whose native language is Spanish are participating in the new model.
Additionally, fourth-grade language arts and fifth-grade science students can expand their learning beyond the classroom, communicate with other students across the country and learn from top experts with the school's video teleconferencing capability.
Through a joint use agreement between Dallas ISD and the city of Dallas, neighboring Brownwood Park will share an improved parking lot, playground and athletic fields with Cigarroa Elementary. The school's construction and design team included Orendain/Little Associates- architect, program manager Jacobs/Pegasus Joint Venture, and 3i/J.E. Dunn Joint Venture-builder.
The new school is adorned with a 15-foot mural commissioned by the Cigarroa family at the main entrance. The 95,000-square-foot school houses 37 core classrooms, an art room, a science lab, a performing hall with practice rooms and instrument storage, an instructional technology classroom, and a media center. The school will serve 650 students from prekindergarten to fifth grade. Students attending Cigarroa will continue their education at Edward H. Cary Middle School and then Thomas Jefferson High School.
Other schools scheduled for dedication this fall include C.A. Tatum Jr., Frank Guzick, Celestino Mauricio Soto Jr., Jimmie Tyler Brashear, Jerry R. Junkins elementary schools. Four additional schools will be dedicated in the spring.