St. Pius X School’s Enriched Program provides extra challenge

Carolyn McNiff, left and Hannah Cazales, both fifth graders at St. Pius X School, work on a math enrichment puzzle in Casey Walter’s class. Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

For more than 25 years, St. Pius X School has offered an Enriched Program for children who need an extra challenge in the classroom. Today, it still stands as the only program of its kind, offering parochial students in grades 1-6 a unique opportunity to excel in the classroom.

“There are many benefits of an Enriched Program,” Bryan Krnavek, principal at St. Pius X, said. “It reduces class size, so teachers can focus on students who might need a little extra help. Students who need to be challenged can then move on to the next level. Plus, we’ve found a smaller learning group is always better for the children.”

Krnavek, who started at the school in June of last year and has been a parishioner for more than 20 years, added if children are not challenged, they typically become bored.

According to the school’s handbook, children qualify for the Enriched Program on the “basis of standardized test scores, report card grades, STAR Reading and Math evaluations and teacher recommendations.” The students are also required to maintain an 80 average throughout the school year.

Third grader Allison Kostoch, 8, uses a new classroom computer to access math exercises as teacher Katie Hyatt observes during Enriched Math class at St.Pius X School. Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

“In this day and age when teachers are faced with students of varying abilities and backgrounds all of our schools do a wonderful job meeting the needs of all their students,” she said. “Whether a student is above average or academically challenged our schools are prepared for them.”

Katie Hyatt has taught school for eight years, with the last three at St. Pius X as the reading and math Enriched Program instructor for first, second and third graders.

“Teaching the enrichment classes at St. Pius X is wonderful. My teaching schedule is full and classes change about every hour. No two days are the same, which I love. The children come to class ready to learn and I get to know the students very well over the span of three years, which helps in their educational progress,” she said.

Teacher Katie Hyatt instructs third grader Pierson Cazalas, left, how to draw geometric shapes while JP Hyatt looks on. The boys are in the Enriched Program at the school, which is the only one of its kind in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

For Casey Walters, teaching at St. Pius X means coming “back home.” She attended elementary school there from kindergarten through sixth grade. Walters teaches enriched math to fourth, fifth and sixth graders and said her students move at a steady pace with the enriched program and love to learn new skills in math.

Teacher Casey Walters plays a math quizzing game with fifth grader Tess English during math at St. Pius X School. The school offers an Enrichment Program for all grades in math and reading. Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

“The excitement on their faces is amazing when they realize how much they have accomplished in a day or week, they are so proud of themselves,” she said.

But for Walters, the best part about being a teacher in the Enriched Program is seeing her students “get it.”

“The relationships you develop as a teacher are absolutely amazing. You are meeting people at a critical point in their life and having a chance to build their lives. It’s fantastic! You see your students every day, or every other day, and you get to know their minds, and their hearts. It is a great privilege, and such a wonderful thing about being a teacher,” Walters said.