Garza Teacher of the Year - Ms. Alexa Mouser
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On Friday, one of the country’s best alternative high schools was recognized by the country’s favorite grocery store when H-E-B Excellence in Education stopped at Garza Independence High School on its Texas Loves Teachers Tour.
As part of the tour, H-E-B stopped by with a signature red school bus filled with branded items, coupon books for free groceries, and $2,500 worth of gift cards for Garza’s teachers and staff.
Garza High School principal Dr. Webb feels grateful to have H-E-B honor her staff in this fantastic event. Garza earned H-E-B’s recognition for its solution-focused approach to dropout prevention and successful work and career transition programs.
“My staff is beyond thrilled because we know there is greatness throughout this district and the state,” said Dr. Linda Webb, principal at Garza. “They have done everything it takes to keep those relationships with their students because that is the most important part––to make sure we’re meeting their needs. We realize even though we are getting this award, we hope the light is shining on all of those that have gone the extra mile this school year.”
This is not the first time Garza principal Dr. Webb has been recognized by the grocer. In 2007, Dr. Webb was named the H-E-B Excellence in Education Principal of the Year.
Teachers dropped into the celebration to get their gift bags and a delicious lunch plate throughout the school day. Laughing, dancing, and singing to “The Wheels on the Bus,” Garza teachers felt imminent joy to be celebrated after a challenging year in education.
“This event of appreciation is incredibly special,” said Jacqueline Vidal, a social studies teacher at Garza. “It has been a difficult year, so it touches our heart to know that there are community organizations out there that care about telling us that they appreciate us.”
Garza is an award-winning, self-paced high school for 10th to 12th graders. Garza is an open-enrollment, open-exit high school that allows students to work independently to complete their required coursework. The school offers a rigorous curriculum that helps students build life skills, discover personal passions and prepare for bright futures.
The U.S. Department of Education recognizes Garza among 40 schools in the country that exemplify the best practices for improving outcomes for at-risk students. It was also named one of the top five alternative schools by the Stanford University Research Center.
As part of the tour, H-E-B stopped by with a signature red school bus filled with branded items, coupon books for free groceries, and $2,500 worth of gift cards for Garza’s teachers and staff.
Garza High School principal Dr. Webb feels grateful to have H-E-B honor her staff in this fantastic event. Garza earned H-E-B’s recognition for its solution-focused approach to dropout prevention and successful work and career transition programs.
“My staff is beyond thrilled because we know there is greatness throughout this district and the state,” said Dr. Linda Webb, principal at Garza. “They have done everything it takes to keep those relationships with their students because that is the most important part––to make sure we’re meeting their needs. We realize even though we are getting this award, we hope the light is shining on all of those that have gone the extra mile this school year.”
This is not the first time Garza principal Dr. Webb has been recognized by the grocer. In 2007, Dr. Webb was named the H-E-B Excellence in Education Principal of the Year.
Teachers dropped into the celebration to get their gift bags and a delicious lunch plate throughout the school day. Laughing, dancing, and singing to “The Wheels on the Bus,” Garza teachers felt imminent joy to be celebrated after a challenging year in education.
“This event of appreciation is incredibly special,” said Jacqueline Vidal, a social studies teacher at Garza. “It has been a difficult year, so it touches our heart to know that there are community organizations out there that care about telling us that they appreciate us.”
Garza is an award-winning, self-paced high school for 10th to 12th graders. Garza is an open-enrollment, open-exit high school that allows students to work independently to complete their required coursework. The school offers a rigorous curriculum that helps students build life skills, discover personal passions and prepare for bright futures.
The U.S. Department of Education recognizes Garza among 40 schools in the country that exemplify the best practices for improving outcomes for at-risk students. It was also named one of the top five alternative schools by the Stanford University Research Center.
Welcome to Garza High School
I and many of my academically successful and creative friends voluntarily transferred to Garza from [another Austin high school] because it gave its students the freedom and tools they needed to build their own success. At Garza you learn an unprecedented amount of self-agency and critical-thinking skills, all within an understanding and supportive environment. I can say this school is the reason I graduated at all. At Garza not only are the staff genuinely caring, but the student body is as well. I can't recommend this school enough
- Marcie, Garza Graduate
About Gonzalo Garza High School
At Garza, we celebrate and support “different”.
Garza is an award-winning self-paced high school for third and fourth-year high school students. Garza is an open-enrollment, open-exit high school. We offer a rigorous curriculum that helps our students build life skills, discover personal passions, and prepare for bright futures.
Garza holds a grade-A rating with the Texas Education Agency and was named as one the top five alternative schools in the country by the Stanford University Research Center.
Our students refer to Garza as a sanctuary, a family, a community, a home.
Garza holds a grade-A rating with the Texas Education Agency and was named as one the top five alternative schools in the country by the Stanford University Research Center.
Our students refer to Garza as a sanctuary, a family, a community, a home.
Meet Our Students
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Garza students come from all backgrounds and all walks of life. What our students share is their uniqueness. At more traditional schools, many of our students were held back, stifled, not properly accommodated, or reprimanded for their differences. Here, they are trusted, respected, and understood.
Garza students support one another. They are extremely bright and highly motivated. They connect authentically with our faculty and staff. They work toward personalized plans for life after high school and are provided with everything they need to put these plans into action. |
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Watch "We Are Garza"
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Happening at Garza
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Garza Gulps
A time for parents and community members to meet in the library with the principal to have coffee and chat Black History Month Garza High School will be celebrating Black History Month all throughout the month of February. Garza will have a school-wide virtual celebration and will be doing other activities to explore African American culture. |
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Recognized for our
Solution-Focused Approach
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Imagine a high school where students are in control of their destiny. Imagine a high school that believes that environment and past history do not decide a student's future. Imagine a high school that teaches that a student's family problems or neighborhood do not have to dictate personal success in school or work.
Imagine a high school that considers a student's personal adversities and life difficulties to be strengths that can be harnessed for the better. — An excerpt from Principal Webb's book Solution Focused Brief Therapy in Alternative Schools: Ensuring Student Success and Preventing Dropout |
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Garza helped my gifted, but depressed child pick himself up and try again. Not just at school, but at life in general. If it weren't for Garza, he would have never made it.
— Parent testimonial on greatschools.org
A Non-Traditional School
with Impressive Results
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Quick Contacts
Bell Schedule
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Location1600 Chicon St.
Austin, TX 78702 |