SAN BENITO — Next month will bring new resources for migrant students.
The school district will open a Migrant Go Center in late September or early October.
The center will work as a resource for migrant students and will provide supplemental services such as tutorials, career counseling and access to iPads and computers.
According to Migrant Coordinator Rick Hernandez, the migrant program has been looking for new ways to assist students.
Last year SBCISD started an initiative providing all migrant students laptops and iPads if they chose and brought on migrant parent specialists.
“A few of us got together and said what else can we do,” Hernandez said.
The project is being funded by the Migrant program and Federal Program Director, Theresa Servallon estimates they have roughly spent $150,000 so far.
“It is going to be an ongoing cost,” Servallon said.
An old portable classroom that had been sitting at Frank Roberts Elementary has been moved to San Benito High School and is under renovation.
Although the center will be located at the high school, it will be open to all migrant students including elementary and middle schools.
Currently, there are more than 800 migrant students in the district making up 7.4 percent of the student population.
Servallon said they looked at the migrant student population and wanted to do something that was after school hours.
“It was born from the need to be able to support our migrant students,” Servallon said.
There are no other Go Centers specifically suited to fit the needs of migrant students, according to Servallon.
While they looked at models of other Go Centers around Texas and the nation, Servallon said they were very original in their own model.
“What we are going with is the college career readiness standards,” Servallon said.
The Center is scheduled to be opened from Monday to Thursday and on Saturday with extended hours during testing seasons.
“Hopefully they’ll stick around and get some tutoring,” Hernandez said.
Secondary and elementary teachers along with a migrant counselor will be at the Center providing assistance to students.
Those who have fallen behind and are trying to accrue credit hours through PLATO will have a chance at the center with the supervision of the educators at the Center.
The students come and go throughout the school year and they end up losing their credits and falling behind, Hernandez said.
Students who haven’t taken advantage of the laptop initiative can check out one at the Center to use throughout their duration there.
The Migrant Go Center will be a resource center for migrant students. It will host electronics and teacher personnel who can help the students with their projects, homework or college applications.
