Community Involvement

Community Involvement
Posted on 09/29/2021

Building Connections to our Students and Community
By: Allen Miles, Eugene Field Principal
#BulldogNationAheadofthePack

           Data has proven that student relationships and connections to their school make it more likely for students to find success, continue school, and ultimately graduate from high school. What we do in elementary school has a profound impact on a student's educational career and how students view themselves. These connections create a support system that increases the likelihood of student success. Schools differ from the traditional format that most parents remember from their childhood. Schools not only teach math, science and reading, but they also teach socio-emotional skills. Curriculum like Making Meaning help students navigate the various hardships they encounter while also teaching them how to regulate their own feelings and behaviors. Programs like Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) help build intrinsic value for making good choices by rewarding students for the good choices that they make.

This year we are working to expand the number of clubs available for students. Clubs provide an opportunity for students to build ties to our school. Clubs provide additional outlets for students to explore new interests. With several clubs already started at Eugene Field, a few more in the beginning process, and new ones on the horizon, we hope to eventually appeal to all students.

            Our Nature Playground is a new initiative this year. We are creating a place where students and families can come and explore. Our amazing businesses and families have donated tires, concrete, time, labor, and machinery to make our first stage of the nature playground come to fruition. Staff, families and students are actively engaged with the construction of the nature playground. Our first installation of tires has been a huge hit with students. As the nature playground expands, students will have more options to stay engaged and active. Not every student enjoys competitive sports, or swinging like traditional playgrounds offer. The Nature Playground is going to offer multiple options for student play. 

            Eugene Field Elementary is using Ty Lue Day to not just provide a day of service, but as a way to connect us more tightly with our community. Third, fourth, and fifth grades, along with our student council, are partnering with community members and the Career Center to build community food pantries and libraries. For this first stage, three libraries and five pantry boxes will be placed throughout our community. Two of the pantries and one of the libraries will be placed on Eugene Field school grounds for the needs of our students and immediate community. Once we have more pantries and libraries built, they will be spread throughout the community 

The other day I had a former colleague contact me and we were talking about our jobs. When I was talking about my experiences so far, they asked me what was so great about Mexico. I responded with a text wall describing how giving our community is, how supportive the district has been in regards to Eugene Field’s new initiatives, how compassionate my staff is, how awesome my assistant principal is, how amazing my students are, how receptive my families have been….And when I stopped and looked back over my comments….I was overcome by how thankful I am to have been given this opportunity to serve those who count on me every day. Without all of this positivity, there is no way that the initiatives at Eugene Field would be able to happen.

I would personally like to thank the Hode Family, Miller Tire, Plaza Tire, LaCross Lumber, Consolidated Electric, and Hacienda Rental Equipment for all of their work in helping make Eugene Field’s ideas a reality.