The right choice forENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES.

#TeamSISDLeading • Inspiring • InnovatingSocorro Independent School District

Mission EarlyCollege High SchoolBlending High School & CollegeA Bold Approach to Education

MECHS... • features smaller classes which provide opportunity for individualized attention,

• provides a comprehensive fine arts program, student clubs, and organizations,

• allows students to pursue advanced academic areas of study offered by EPCC, and

• offers students an opportunity to graduate high school and earn an AA degree.

• maximizes the instructional quality of the years of high school and facilitate the transition of motivated students to higher education

• demonstrates new ways of integrating levels of schooling to better serve the intellectual and developmental needs of young people

• provides the rigor, depth and intensity of college- level work in high school

• inspires average, underachieving and well prepared high school students to work hard and stretch themselves intellectually

• saves money and time by integrating high school and college-level work

Other ActivitiesStudent clubs and organizations which center onstudentcurricular interests, academic advancement and social growth are available. Courses in fine arts such as guitar and piano are also available.

Associate of Arts Disciplines AvailableThe Associate of Arts degree is fully transferable to four year colleges and universities and is endorsed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Mission Early College High School is designed to assist students in pursuing advanced studies in many areas such as:

Mission Early College High School is founded on the belief that many high school students are ready and eager to do serious college work. Through a partnership with the El Paso Community College (EPCC), the school’s unique degree plan enables highly motivated students to move in four years from the ninth grade through the first two years ofcollege, earning an associate’s degree or sufficientcollege credits to enter a four-year college or universityas a junior. Read more about Early College HighSchool in Texas at www.thsp.org.

MECHS opened on the El Paso Community College Mission Del Paso campus in 2006 with 125 students. In May 2009, 23 students in the program’s inauguralcohort graduated from EPCC with their Associate of Arts (AA) degree as high school juniors – one yearahead of schedule. Since then, MECHS has had over 350 students graduate with their associate, with more students graduating from EPCC each semester. Commencement exercises are planned each semester for students to receive their AA degree.

Mission Statement: Mission Early College High School will promote a highly rigorous environment to ensure that students earn a high school diploma as well as an Associate of Arts degree from El Paso Community College.

Program Enrollment and ContactAll incoming high school ninth grade students who have a sincere interest in academics, a willingness to work hard and reside in the Socorro ISD are invited to apply forenrollment in MECHS. Students are accepted to theprogram based on their academic achievement and test scores in the seventh and eighth grades and the contents of the school application. A maximum of 140 students are accepted to MECHS each year.

MECHS AdministrationPrincipal: Jason LongAssistant Principal: TBACounselor: Gustavo Alvarado

For more information on Socorro ISD’s Mission Early College High School, please call the campus at 915-937-1200 or visit schools.sisd.net/mech.

Mission Early College High School is located on the El Paso Community College Mission del Paso campus at 10700 Gateway Blvd. East; El Paso, Texas 79927.

• Art • Business• Business Accounting• Chicana/Chicano Studies • Communication: Advertising,

Journalism, Radio & Television• Computer Science • Criminal Justice• Economics• Multidisciplinary Studies –

Educator Preparation • English • Music • Philosophy • Psychology • Speech Communication • Texas Symbol Courses • Theater• General Studies • Dance• Architecture

• Engineering • Industrial Engineering • Architecture • Biological Science: • Pre-Dentistry, Pre-Medicine,

Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Veterinary• Biology • Chemistry • Engineering Civil, Electrical,

Industrial, Materials, Mechanical

• General Studies• Geological Sciences • Kinesiology: Exercise, • Pre-Occupational Therapy,

Pre-physical Therapy, Physical Education

• Mathematics • Physics• Psychology

• Academic Decathlon• Accounting Club• Business Professionals of

America (BPA)• Community Service

Organization (CSO)• Computer Club• Dance Team - The Flames• Environmental Club• Intramurals• Literary Anthology• Mathletes• Mock Trial• National Honor Society

• National Technical Honor Society

• Persuasive Speech• Principal’s Student Advisory

Committee• Science Bowl• Science Fair• Science National Honor

Society• Speech and Debate Team• Student Council• Teen Court• “The Phoenician Newspaper”• UIL Competitive Teams• Yearbook

Types of students servedMECHS welcomes students who embrace an academicchallenge and express an interest in a non-traditional high school experience. Mission Early College High School focuses on creating a smooth transition into post-secondary education. MECHS is committed tosubstantially increasing the number of low-incomestudents who will pursue advanced studies. Students do not have to be in the Academically/Intellectually Gifted Program to participate. Students and parentsneed only demonstrate a commitment to fullyparticipate in an academically rigorous program.

CurriculumStudents are emerged into college courses asfreshmen while high school courses match or exceed the rigor of college courses. A syllabus is provided forevery course. The course schedule includes:

Pre-Freshman YearTwo-Week Summer CampGoals: - have all students meet the college-readiness standards- provide opportunities for students to interact with each other- prepare for the TSI assessment

Freshman Year Hours EarnedBiology - BIOL 1306/BIOL 1307 - Dual Credit 6Biology Lab - BIOL 1106/BIOL 1107 - Dual Credit 2EDUC 1300 - Dual Credit 3BIM I - Technology 3P/AP Algebra I/GeometrySpanish I, II or IIIAP Human GeographyP/AP English ISummer VoluntaryCollege Course to fulfill Visual & Performing 3Arts category

Range of Total Hours Earned: 14-17

Mission Early College High SchoolRecent Accolades:• In 2016, Children at Risk ranked Mission Early College High School #55 of 1,159 Texas High Schools. The ranking is based on the school’s work toward student achievement, performance and growth. For additional information, go to childrenatrisk.org.

• In 2016, Mission Early College High School earned 7 of 7 possible high school distinctions in the following areas: Math Academic Achievement, Postsecondary Readiness, Reading/ELA Achievement, Science Achievement, Social Studies Achievement, Top 25% in Student Progress, Top 25% Closing Performance Gaps. These distinctions were established by the State of Texas and were given based on performance when compared to similar campuses (cohort). For further information, go to tea.state.tx.us (Testing and Accountability).

• In 2016, Newsweek ranked Mission Early College High School #58 of 14,000+ under “Beating the Odds - Top Schools for Low Income Students.” For more information, go to Newsweek High School Rankings, 2016. Sophomore Year Hours Earned

Financial LiteracyFine ArtsPhysical Ed/HealthSpanish II or IIIAP World HistoryP/AP English IIP/AP Geometry/Algebra IIGovernment - GOVT 2305/GOVT 2306 - Dual Credit 6Professional Communication - SPCH 1321 3College Course towards field of study 3Summer VoluntaryEconomics - ECON 2301 3Degree Elective (3-4hrs)

Range of Total Hours Earned: 3-21

Junior Year Hours EarnedP/AP Physics English III - ENGL1301/ENGL 1302 - Dual Credit 6US History - HIST 1301/HIST 1302 - Dual Credit 6P/AP Algebra 2 and/or High School Pre-CalPre-Calculus - MATH 1314/MATH 2412 - Dual Credit 7*

*By Placement Exam

Physical EdSpanish III - SPAN 2313 3Chemistry - CHEM 1311/CHEM 1312 - Dual Credit 8*

* By Major

College course toward Field of Study 3Summer VoluntaryDegree Elective (9-12hrs)

Range of Total Hours Earned: 12-30

Senior Year Hours EarnedEnglish IV - ENGL 2322/ENGL 2323 Dual/Concurrent 6P/AP Anat & Phys - BIOL 2401/BIOL 2402 or Dual 6*AP Environmental Science * By Major

Pre-Calculus - MATH 1314/MATH 2412 - Dual Credit 7**By Placement Exam

Electives College course to complete AA Degree 3-9

Total College Hours Earned: 60+

Texas Honor BoardRegion 19 Board of the Year

Gary Gandara - PresidentPaul Guerra - Vice President

Cynthia A. Najera - SecretaryHector F. Gonzalez - TrusteeMichael A. Najera - Trustee

Antonio ‘Tony’ Ayub - TrusteeAngelica Rodriguez - Trustee

Region 19 Superintendent of the YearJosé Espinoza, Ed.D.

The Socorro Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs, activities or employment.

Socorro ISD District Service Center12440 Rojas Dr. • El Paso, TX 79928 • Phn 915.937.0000 • www.sisd.net