School Before 2004
Ramirez Elementary was opened in the spring of 1987 with a building dedication and recognition ceremony for Jose. S. Ramirez. Mr. Ramirez had the honor of having an elementary campus named after him as a result of his outstanding commitment to his community and to education. Mr. Ramirez was the first Hispanic member of the Lubbock Independent School Districts School Board of Trustees and served faithfully for twelve years. He also served in many leadership positions throughout the city. To name a few of Jose's contributions, he was on the Board of Directors of Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boy Scouts of America, Advisory Board of the Lubbock Juvenile Authority (his favorite), thhe Lubbock County Health Board, Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, Knights of Columbus, State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee, the Republican Party, LULAC, LEARN, Inc., Lubbock Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau and others. He was also the owner operator of Jose's Dining Room, a restaurant located on 50th Street and Avenue H for many years. Jose Ramirez was an entrepreneur, an innovator, a groundbreaker, a social pioneer in the city, a businessman, an encourager, and an advocate for minorities, a man willing to make sacrifices as he served his country in WWII, and a man who was not afraid of hard work. Mr. Ramirez was dedicated to his wife and family, as well as to his strong faith. If Jose were here today and you asked him about education he might tell you this... "There is an old saying, Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Jose was a good friend, not just an LISD trustee, but a friend to administrators, teachers, and students. He was a good man who served a lifetime in helping fellow man.
The Jose. S Ramirez Elementary campus continues to thrive at 702 Avenue T. If you walk in the door and are greeted by a nice lady named Rachel Ramirez, she is Jose Ramirez's daughter and the school clerk. She too is a lovely and dedicated individual who loves all of the children and serves them well every single day.
School and the change
With the North Overton area under redevelopment, Dr. Sheryl Santos, Academic Dean of the college of Education at Texas Tech University along with LISD trustees, began to discuss ways to keep the school open during construction of North Overton. It became clear that it was possible to reopen the school as an LISD Public Charter School. In so doing, the freedom to explore many new methods of teaching the required curriculum could explored. With the university at the school's doorstep, and downtown Lubbock at the heart of the school's location, perhaps parents just might explore the idea of transferring their students into this "new school"! With Texas Tech university promising to partner with LISD in this endeavor, with parents eager to help, and with a new hand picked staff and administration, it looked like the school could come alive.
The school was closed forever as Ramirez Elementary School in May of 2004. The newly hired staff for the new concept of Ramirez Charter School met each other for the first time in June of 2004. The entire staff knew that they would have to work throughout the majority of the summer, receive specific training, and be ready to roll at the end of August 2004. All teachers were required to receive Gifted and Talented Certification, and were hired for their unusual ideas, talents, experiences and willingness to go the extra-extra mile for the success of the students and the school. Diversity and international interest was very important to the overall concept. Teachers and most of the support staff were required to take sixteen computer competencies. Technology was considered paramount to preparing our students for their future. Parent involvement was not only valued, but encouraged and welcomed. An "After School Enrichment Program" was put into place and available for all students. University professors were ready to help and two classrooms were dedicated for Texas Tech instruction and use.
Today....University students are observing, participating and practicing instruction on the Jose S. Ramírez Charter School campus. Thirty to forty "After School Enrichment Clubs" and programs are active and thriving. Theatre Arts is valued emphasis and is practiced both at the primary and secondary level. Second grade students performed their first "Midsummer Night's Dream" by Shakespeare, along with a 'formal' dinner theater in March of 2005. A variety of plays continue to be performed by the RCS Thespians. "Juanita's Diary" and many other productions have graced the cleverly crafted stage and props. With the variety of projects and daily practices, parent-volunteers have clocked in over 1000 volunteer hours per month during the busiest times of the year. The children attending school on this campus have come from many different countries, partly due to the university community being just a few blocks away. There are marvelous things happening at this magnet campus that only a visit can clarify. The atmosphere on this campus is teaming with clever activities, creativity, and adventure. A quick reflection back to the schools beginning is in order... education is changing... children continue to change... and learning changes. When the school became a charter school in 2004, it returned to a vital, energetic and thriving school that Jose Ramirez envisioned. On the first day of school in August of 2004 enrolment jumped from less than 200 students to over 400 students. This alone stands as a strong indicator of the success of the mission. We are confident that this campus is on the cutting edge of education. Instruction is research based and RCS students are thriving. We continue to be amazed at the successfulness in reaching our original goal; keeping the school open. Additionally, RCS is the first new public charter school under the umbrella of LISD in Lubbock, Texas. This school is alive and well! Excellence abounds! Life has returned to the neighborhood! Houses and businesses are going up and the school still stands as the 'heartbeat' of the neighborhood!
