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Parent Group To Look At Student Uniforms

http://youtu.be/lTP5yVLIcSc

(LAS CRUCES) -- Class is back in session for two of the area's balanced-calendar elementary schools.  The economy may play a big role in how many students dress.
  
Students at Booker T Washington are in the classroom, getting re-acquainted with reading and math. 
 
"It's really neat to meet my students.  I've had a lot of the older siblings and so just making sure I separate myself from the old siblings that I've had it, making sure I focused on the new kids," said fourth grade teacher, Virgina Esparaza.
 
Esparaza says getting students back on track can be a bit of challenge.  Although their summer is cut short, she says young people at Booker T are benefiting from being back earlier than students at other schools in the district.
 
"I really love the fact that a lot of the students don't have a lot of that math and reading skills that we need, they haven't had that long lap for the summer and then we have the different periods in the spring and the fall with breaks as well," she said.
 
The school's parent organization is also planning for a busy school year.  On the agenda: pushing for students to wear uniforms.  
 
"I know that this year, several parents, a large group are emphasizing uniforms so, we're going to look at that and the community will vote for on uniforms for the coming year," said principal Julieta Marta.
 
Principal Marta says school supplies and new clothes for class can add up.  So, implementing uniforms can help parents save money every year.  
 
"The parents wanted, they feel it's important to have uniforms, that it's more economical for a lot of them, some of them struggle so they looked at all the benefits of having that," she said.
 
While planning for that new policy could take months, school leaders will focus on other new programs.
 
"Our main focus this year a multi-age classroom.  We have three multi-age classrooms and it's a program based on the dynamics of having different age groups and students and how they learn and also, our dual language program we're going to really emphasis on a dual language program and their focus and make it real rigorous," she said.
 
Booker T. Washington has a projected enrollment of 331 students this year.  The Las Cruces Public School district's other balanced-calendar elementary school, Macarthur's projected enrollment is 413.

Carlos Correa previously served as KRWG's News Director. He covered stories throughout the area, and previously anchored the weekly program Fronteras-A Changing America, which airs Thursday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 5:30pm, and Sunday at 11:30am on KRWG-TV.