20 Jan 2007
School Named in Honor of Texas Hero
DALLAS—Dallas Independent School District officials were joined by community leaders, parents, students, and elected officials Saturday, Jan. 20, for the dedication ceremony of Henry B. Gonzalez Elementary School, 6610 Lake June Road.
The $13 million elementary school, which serves 800 students in the Pleasant Grove area, is named for Henry B. Gonzalez, the first Mexican-American elected to the Texas Senate and the first Mexican-American from Texas elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Principal Bob Fonseca kicked off the celebration, which included the presentation of colors and pledge of allegiance by the Skyline High School color guard. The event included remarks from Dallas ISD Trustee Nancy Bingham and Celso Martinez, associate superintendent of communications and community relations. U.S. Congressman Charles A. Gonzalez spoke about his father's legacy, emphasizing Gonzalez' passion for helping others, especially when it came to creating equal opportunities for all.
The Gonzalez Sakura Dancers directed by Fine Arts teacher Susan Higgins performed; fourth grade students recited haiku poems in honor of Gonzalez, and artwork made by students was presented to the Gonzalez family.
District 4 Trustee Bingham discussed several of the school's academic initiatives, including talented and gifted programs and after school tutoring in reading, writing, math and science. Gonzalez Elementary School is equipped with superior technology including videoconferencing facilities that permit students to learn and discuss lessons with students worldwide and receive instruction from experts in various fields.
The 90,000-square-foot school includes 34 classrooms, a fully equipped computer lab, science lab, art room with a kiln, music room, media center, cafeteria and food service area, gymnasium, and auditorium. The school has a special education suite furnished with speech classrooms and other facilities to serve students with special needs. Outside, a courtyard is available for outdoor instructional activities, and a landscaped plaza provides a safe place for children to be dropped off and picked up from school. Students and neighborhood children enjoy many opportunities for structured physical activity and play on the school's outdoor basketball court and playground and soccer and baseball playing fields.
Gonzalez Elementary received students from John Quincy Adams, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and John Ireland elementary schools. Students will continue their education at E.B. Comstock Middle School and H. Grady Spruce High School.
The construction and design team included program manager, Austin Commercial; architect, Corgan Associates; and builder, Turner Construction Company.
The 2002 Dallas ISD bond program funded a total of 21 new schools, more than 33 major additions and renovations to nearly every campus in the district. Henry B. Gonzalez Elementary School is the thirteenth new school dedication of the 2002 bond program. To date, 15 new schools and 94 of 155 planned renovations are complete. Thirteen hundred twenty-seven new classrooms have been added across the district with the capacity to serve more than 30,000 students.
The Dallas ISD opened 12 new schools during the 2006-2007 school year. Additional dedication ceremonies are scheduled as follows: