Page 8 - The Cardinal - Winter 2021

Campus News

Menchaca Early Childhood Center

For the fourth
consecutive year,
Menchaca Early
Childhood Center
was nominated as an
Outstanding Early
Childhood Facility
as part of the H-E-B
Excellence in Education
Awards.The Early MECC student waves to crowd at Lighting of the Teacher of the Year Nominees walk the track at
Childhood Award is S parade walk. Lighting of the S parade, with Principla Herrera.
intended to help public and private schools that specialize new sensory routes this year that assist students to
in the care and education of children under the age of five. improve neural connections, balance, and gross motor
The award’s goal is to provide assistance in developing skills while also providing a mechanism for children
or improving Kinder Readiness programs that equip experiencing high emotions to de-escalate through
children to start Kindergarten socially and intellectually self-regulation. For us, the H-E-B award emphasizes
prepared to learn. The Menchaca team is passionate about the value of early childhood education. Here in
what they do. While their passion for their kids propels Southside, we’re laying the groundwork for the next
them ahead, it is their skill, knowledge, and unwavering generation of learners, and H-E-B’s recognition of
devotion to their students that has catapulted their work to how critical this is means the world.
new heights. MECC has new sensory routes this year that
assist students to improve neural connections, balance,
Gallardo Elementary

Southside Mom Becomes
2nd Grade Teacher

For years, single mom Sandy teacher. Today, Ms.
Freidberg supported her Freidberg is enjoying
three children by working her first year as a second
as a Zumba instructor. She grade teacher at Gallardo
had fun in her role, but Elementary School. “I
had always been drawn want parents to know they
to education. As a parent, can achieve anything they
Ms. Freidberg served on set their mind to doing,”
the District Education she said in her classroom.
Improvement Committee “Life can be hard. I know
and also chaired the that first hand. However,
District’s School Health I quit making excuses and
Advisory Council. Well into I’m not stopping until I
her forties, Ms. Feidberg earn my doctorate!”

A second grade student Students swarm around teacher obtained her bachelor’s
presents his homework for Sandy Freidberg and show degree and became a certified
review to Ms. Freidberg. affection with a group hug.

8 www.southsideisd.org