Los Fresnos News

STEP UP Teacher Candidates at LFE Recognized

 

by Ronnie Zamora/LFCISD

Four teacher candidates who completed The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Student Teacher Educator Preparation University Partnership (STEP UP) received certificates for completing the program Monday in a reception at Los Fresnos Elementary School.

The group was the first cohort from Los Fresnos CISD.

The UTRGV College of Education and P-16 Integration, in partnership with school districts in Harlingen, Los Fresnos, and McAllen, offers the teacher preparation experience.

STEP UP offers undergraduate teacher education program students a year-long, clinically-rich, K-12 school-based experience through a collaborative preparation approach. STEP UP Program teacher candidates receive opportunities of guided sustained supervision and mentorship from an experienced teacher and university faculty liaison as they spend an entire school year in the classroom.

Presenting the certificates to the prospective new teachers was Alma Rodriguez, Dean of the College of Education and P-16 Integration at UTRGV.

Four Los Fresnos Elementary teachers – Patricia Coronado, Hilda Gracia, Luis Macias and Andrea Salazar – were mentors for the student teachers.

The four teacher candidates were Arlynna Garza, Alexa Cortez, Veronica Castro and Paola Jimenez Gutierrez.