Teachers Gain Skills by Experiencing the “Real World”

City of Los Fresnos Participates in the innovative ExCEL Educator Program That  Allows Teachers to Externship at Local Businesses

by MBWright, LFN Editor

Ten area businesses and twenty Los Fresnos educators are working together on an innovative new pilot program designed by the school district to understand and experience how school learning relates to the workplace.

ExCel Educator stands for Excellence Through Classroom Experiential Learning and is a joint project of the Los Fresnos CISD and Rio Grande Valley LEAD. The educators participating will be able to have a deeper understanding of what an employer expects from employees and in turn, a curriculum can be designed using real-world applications.

Once a month, from October through April, each two-member team will travel to designated businesses and conduct a one day site visit. During the site visit, the team will be exposed to the workings of the business and participate where appropriate. The team working with the City of Los Fresnos is LFHS Educators Janice Lester and Amparo Aguilar. The duo experienced their first site visit at the city offices experiencing day to day activities, commission meeting planning and emergency services. The conclusion of their day included attendance at the city meeting.

After introducing the teachers at the commission meeting City Manager Mark Milum added, “We spent the day showing them what we do here at the city and we are privileged to be part of the program”.

“We are the ones who are privileged, and we appreciate being able to experience your workplace and bring it back to the classroom to benefit the students in the career choices,” commented the educators.

Mayor Polo Navaez said, “This is a good example for the kids and a way to help kids come back to their community to live and work after their education. Thank you.”

Other benefits noted about the externship included the knowledge of skills students need to develop for success in college and careers. It will also help the schools know the career opportunities in the local community and the real-life information gathered will be applied to create new curriculum.
Valley Baptist Medical Center, SpawGlass, Burton, McCumber and Cortez, The Medicine Shoppe Ambiotec, Brownsville Commjunity Health Center, Lone Star National Bank, PUB and Serafy Labs are also participating in the project.

In other business, the council approved a $1.425 Million Texas Water Development Board loan at the favorable rate of 2.25%. This funding will be used for design and engineering for water plant and line improvements so that the projects will be “shovel ready” when funding become available. The plans encompass upgrading some waterlines from two inch to four inch and some from six inch to eight inch. It will design plans to replace old clay lines and increase the capacity of the water plant from one million gallons per day to 2.5 million gallons per day. In addition, the engineers will be looking at looping some lines and some new hydrants.

“This will let us take advantage of grants and low-interest funding to do these projects, but we have to have them ready to go when we apply,” added Milum.

It was also announced that TxDOT will be installing the new street signs at all major intersections within the next 30 days.

Adan Cruz was appointed to fill a two-year position on the Park Board after Kendra House was hired by the City for Accounts Payable. A volunteer is needed to serve on the Planning and Zoning Committee. Please call the city offices if interested in this important position. The P&Z position meets on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. if there is business to discuss.