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Canutillo Alumni & District celebrate 60 years
Canutillo alumni and district celebrate 60 years
Posted on 11/14/2019
This is the image for the news article titled Canutillo alumni and district celebrate 60 years Canutillo ISD has come a long way since its establishment in 1959 and the entire community is celebrating its history, the people and the many accomplishments over the years.

The area was once a slow-paced rural community surrounded by cotton fields in El Paso’s Upper Valley. Canutillo had fewer than 200 students walking the halls of a single school building. Canutillo students interested in continuing their education after eighth grade had to travel almost 15 miles to attend El Paso High School. It wasn’t until 1963 that Canutillo ISD graduated its first senior class.

The new school district experienced growing pains through the 1960s until bonds were passed to support expansion. The high school on Bosque Road opened for the 1974-75 school year. Canutillo Middle School on Talbot Road was completed in 1980. In 1987, voters passed a $7.1 million bond issue for construction of Jose H. Damian Elementary School and Deanna Davenport Elementary School in Westway.

The growth continued. Bill Childress Elementary School opened in 1996 and Canutillo Elementary School was added in 1998. Then, the new $7.3 million Canutillo High School was opened in 2005. By 2006, Canutillo Middle School moved into the old high school and Jose J. Alderete Middle School was added. Gonzalo & Sofia Garcia Elementary School welcomed students in 2008.

Also in 2008, Canutillo ISD and El Paso Community College joined efforts to open Northwest Early College High School, CISD’s second high school, which provides high school students the opportunity to obtain a high school diploma and associate’s degree in just four years. Then, Canutillo’s most recent campus, Congressman Silvestre and Carolina Reyes Elementary School opened in 2015.

Today, fueled by an increasing student population and forward-thinking leaders, Canutillo ISD has emerged from its modest beginnings to become a top-rated, premier school district with ten innovative campuses serving more than 6,200 students. Northwest Early College High School earned a 2018 National Blue Ribbon Award. And, the District was selected as a finalist for the statewide 2019 H-E-B Excellence in Education award for the first time as an outstanding small district.

The accolades continue. In August, Canutillo ISD became the only traditional school district in the El Paso region to earn back-to-back “A” ratings in accountability from the Texas Education Agency. For the second consecutive year, the District received an Exemplary A-Rating with a grade of 91 in overall performance for the 2018-2019 school year. This makes Canutillo ISD the highest rated among districts in Region 19.

District leaders are pleased with the recent accomplishments that could be considered one of the most memorable and accomplished seasons Canutillo ISD has ever experienced.

“The Canutillo and surrounding communities have really taken notice of the remarkable progress our district has achieved over the years,” said CISD Board President Sergio Coronado. “We have a lot to be proud of and are thrilled for the prospect of an even brighter future.”

This year, Canutillo ISD has been celebrating 60 years of excellence and the Canutillo Alumni Foundation for Education (CAFÉ) will host a Diamond Jubilee Saturday, December 14, 2019 to commemorate the milestone. The large event will include dinner and feature live music, dancing, door prizes, a silent auction where attendees could win great prizes like a free night's stay in a hotel, and more. The entire community is welcome to attend.

The 60th Diamond Jubilee event coordinator and Canutillo alum, Sergio Martinez, says that this event is a tribute to all of the accomplishments the District has achieved recently.

“There have been so many good things coming out of the District lately and we, as a whole community, join with them to celebrate what Canutillo has become today,” Martinez said. “This event honors the heritage and people of the past and the present.”

Headlining the dance party will be El Paso band and Canutillo natives, Mainstreet. To purchase tickets and get more information, visit www.canutillo-isd.org/CAFÉ. Tickets are $50 general admission, $400 reserved table, or $1,000 Diamond Sponsor, and only available through Friday, December 6.