San Antonio Independent School District

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About Montessori

Rodriguez Montessori Elementary School will open with students ages 3-6, expanding to fifth grade in subsequent years.

Rodriguez joins Steele Montessori Academy as one of only two public Montessori schools in the city – both within SAISD.

The Montessori approach offers student-centered learning and a strong emphasis on creating independent individuals who show empathy and compassion.

In Montessori classrooms, children make creative choices in their learning, while the teacher offers age-appropriate activities at each student’s pace to guide the process. Children work in groups and individually to discover and explore the world and to develop their maximum potential through interactive learning and self-directed activities.

Based on research, the school’s dual language pathway is expected to help increase students’ creativity and problem-solving, boost their mental ability, and promote higher performance on standardized tests. In addition to the cognitive benefits, a dual language education helps students cultivate a deeper understanding of not only their own cultures but the cultures of others as well.

School History

Cleto Rodriguez

Rodriguez Elementary School was built in 1932. It was originally named Ivanhoe Elementary School after the title character of the novel by Sir Walter Scott. The school is located on the western border of the the San Antonio Independent School District. The surrounding neighborhood is made up of single and multi-family dwelling, commercial business and Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU).

In 1975 the school’s name was changed to Cleto L. Rodriguez Elementary School at the request of the community. There are a number of schools in the San Antonio District named for former educators; Rodriguez is the only school named in honor of a former alumnus. This distinction was bestowed upon Master Sgt. Cleto L. Rodriguez who attended this school in the 1930s.

Cleto L. Rodriguez was a World War II veteran. His extraordinary courage during battled earned him over twenty-one medals, including a Silver Star, a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars.

After returning in 1970, Mr. Rodriguez was very involved in San Antonio and at Rodriguez Elementary School until his death on December 7, 1990. His name has also been given to the 8.5 mile stretch of Highway 90 from I-35 to I-410 and to a Veterans of Foreign War post in San Antonio.

Rodriguez opened in 1932 with 200 students. By the turn of the century a Physical Education facility, three classrooms, a library, technology improvements, safety and security upgrades, and accessibility for the handicap were completed as part of the SAISD Bond Program.