RAICES DEL SABER XINACHTLI COMMUNITY

Raíces del Saber Xinachtli Community School is located at 2211 N Valley Dr, Las Cruces, serving students in grades K through 5 as a dual-language charter school. It enrolls about 133 students with a student–teacher ratio close to 12:1. Recent state data show that roughly 15% of students are proficient in math and about 30% are proficient in reading. The student body is approximately 47% male and 53% female. The???????????????? school offers an environment that is inclusive, culturally grounded, and community-oriented, which is based on a two-way immersion model that combines English, Spanish, and Indigenous knowledge. The families living near Raíces del Saber find the local housing market to be quite affordable, with median home values around $205,000. This aspect is viewed as reasonable by many when choosing a place to live and a school for their children. Most of the parents like that the school recognizes parent involvement as an important factor and that it treats parents as co-leaders in children’s education. Being a culturally rich bilingual school with a strong community focus, Raíces del Saber Xinachtli Community School is on a mission to become the best elementary school in New Mexico through its commitment to academic and cultural ????????????????growth.

Raíces del Saber Xinachtli Community School announced Dr. Hector Girón as its new head administrator last year, succeeding Maria Artiaga. He plans to strengthen the dual-language, two-way immersion program and further integrate Nahuatl language and Mesoamerican culture into the curriculum.

Q1. How does Raíces del Saber teach about Indigenous farming knowledge?

Ans. Through guided classroom activities, students learn about the cultural importance of food-growing practices, traditional planting cycles, and how to take care of seeds.

Q2. What does the school do to help students learn about language patterns?

Ans. Teachers use chants, call-and-response, and patterned vocabulary routines to show how rhythm and structure work in language.

Q3. What types of activities assist students in understanding their roles within the community and the importance of reciprocity?

Ans. Students work together on projects, trade thanks, and talk about how families and communities can help each other.

Q4. How does Raíces del Saber use movement as a way to express culture?

Ans. Students learn about culture and connect with each other through traditional movement patterns, rhythm exercises, and guided cultural dances.

Q5. How does the school help with observational drawings that are related to nature studies?

Ans. Students draw plants, natural things, and scenes from outside to help them focus and learn to appreciate the world around them more.