SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Independent School District closed 15 schools at the end of the school year as part of its “rightsizing” plan. Mark Twain Dual Language Academy is one of the campuses that will add more students to its roster because of those closures.
The academy staff will welcome about 70 more students this school year.
“I’m anticipating a lot of excitement,” said David Garcia, principal at Mark Twain Dual Language Academy. “And so, yes, there are going to be some changes here at my campus.”
Garcia said he’s looking forward to the first day of school and meeting dozens of new students.
“Kids coming to us, you know, with the ‘rightsizing’ and also with the growth,” said Garcia. “Twain continues to grow.”
With more students coming in, Mark Twain Dual Language Academy will now have two campuses.
The academy has expanded to the old Gonzales campus in addition to the existing campus on San Pedro, which initially housed Pre-K through 8th grade.
“We have now expanded, so we now have Twain Pre-K Dual Language Academy, just five minutes away. We are really excited about that,” Garcia said.
In addition to this move, the academy will add more teachers, such as a Spanish teacher for its middle school program, an additional art teacher, a PE assistant, and technology courses.
“We first have to move people,” Garcia said. “So, what was traditionally the Pre-K classrooms, the kinder class moves over there.”
Garcia said even with all the changes in the district, they are ready for the new school year and the students.
“With the ‘rightsizing,’ with the closings, I’m sure there are challenges,” said Garcia. “But they still have in mind, these are our schools, these are our students, and we’re still going to provide them the best support we can.”
