Dr. Bonnie Marlow, Principal

 

MISSION STATEMENT

The original School, 518 E. Magnolia, Ave., was built in 1908.  The school then consisted of a two room brick structure with a hole between that allowed one of the rooms to serve as an office.  Two frame buildings were later added.  The School, which had an opening enrollment of 114 students, was known as the “Rock Quarry School” (“La Piedrera”), because of it’s proximity to the old rock quarry near what is now Brackenridge Park.  The students came from families living around the quarry.  The quarry was later converted into the Sunken Gardens.

 As the result of action instigated by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the former “Rock Quarry School” was named for Don Rafaél Gonzáles, a man prominent in early Texas history.  Don Rafaél Gonzales served as provisional Governor of Coahuila, Mexico and Texas in 1824.  Gonzáles, TX, is also named in honor of Don Rafaél Gonzáles.

 The present school was erected in 1948 to replace the original.  The new structure was a one story brick building with six classrooms, an office, a clinic, and restrooms for the children, and a closet for the janitors’ supplies.  The long frame building, which stood at the rear of the original structure, was converted into a cafetorium, one classroom, a bookroom and a teacher’s lounge.  During the 1966-67 school year, two activities were initiated at Gonzáles Elementary for the first time; In March of 1967, the first P.T.A. was organized and a Good Citizens’ Club was started to promote good citizenship.

 Gonzáles Achievement Center as we know it today was established in the fall of 1986.  The school was created in an effort to meet the needs of the district’s severely emotionally disturbed/behaviorally disordered students, and to serve as the alternative setting for students who violated the district’s Student Code of Conduct.  As a self-contained campus Gonzáles served as the most restrictive environment for the emotionally disturbed students.

 The District’s 1997 Facilities Expansion authorized the addition of a West Wing, with a state-of-the art Computer Lab, classrooms and student restrooms; and a South Wing that included a cafeteria, clinic, offices, staff restrooms, bookroom and a utility room.  The school was rededicated on April 10, 2002.

 In 2007, Gonzáles was awarded the Area II SDAA Exemplary Status recognition from the Texas Education Agency.  This award reflects the commitment of the teachers, support staff and school administration to all the students.  In 2008 Gonzáles celebrated its 100^th anniversary of academic service to the students of the SAISD.  In 2011, after 103 years of academic service to the students of the SAISD and after 25 years of serving the districts most at-risk students, Don Rafaél Gonzáles Achievement Center will close at the end of  the 2010-2011 school year.