Vanguard superintendent named leader of the year
Vanguard Academy Superintendent Dr. Narciso Garcia was named Leader of the Year 2021 by the Texas Public Charter Schools Association (TPCSA). The award honors outstanding Texas administrators for achievements and excellence in charter school administration. The presentation was made in Dallas late last week at the annual TPCSA conference.
For a little charter school that began inside a few Sunday School classrooms at Templo Bethel Church 20 years ago (Veterans Blvd. in Pharr), six years after the Texas State Legislature approved the state’s charter school law in 1995, that’s saying something when the charter’s superintendent is now recognized as the top Charter School Leader in the state for 2021.
Now spread across three cities — Alamo, Edinburg, and Pharr — Vanguard includes eight campuses, comprised of elementary and secondary schools.
Garcia has been in education for 26 years, having served at both Hidalgo and PSJA ISD where retired Superintendent Dr. Daniel King was his mentor. He has served as Vanguard Academy superintendent since 2017 and attributes his recognition to God, family, “and the great students and staff we have at Vanguard Academy.”
If you question the man about his formative years, trying to figure out what makes him tick, it’s a humbling experience.
According to Garcia, he grew up outside the Edcouch-Elsa area all the way through high school. What makes his story somewhat unique is that his family’s home lacked indoor plumbing his entire childhood. If you mention “out house” to him, he knows well the concept — hot in the summer and cold when the blue northers blow through..
“My family lacked indoor plumbing until I left for the Army after high school graduation. In fact, I gave my Army sign-on bonus to my dad and told him to use it for some indoor plumbing. When I returned home, it was nice to see that the out house was no longer needed.”
A childhood friend who coincidentally works with The Advance remembers Garcia’s perseverance even as a kid.
“The guy would never give up. He hated to lose at any sport we played even if some of the other kids were bigger. He would never back down — never quit.”
Growing up poor stymies some people, holds some people back, but Garcia says his parents always underscored the need for an education, so he got his bachelor’s degree and then went for his doctorate while working as a full-time teacher.
“It is the serving of God, family, students, teachers, and staff that really deserve this recognition,” Garcia said following last week’s announcement that he had been named top charter school leader in the state.
According to the award presented to him, Dr. Garcia serves as an example of leadership for all Texas Charter Schools, advocating for local and state charter movements. Vanguard Academy has transformed into an innovative charter school that is among the highest-performing school systems in the region. Vanguard has established strong partnerships with community and city organizations to better serve the communities of Pharr, Edinburg, and Alamo.
“Serving the communities of Alamo, Edinburg, San Juan and Pharr in the Rio Grande Valley has really allowed us to step it up to not only ensure a student’s academic well-being, but also meeting their needs,” he said.
As per TPCS, Leaders of the Year are selected by a committee based on the advocacy for local and state charter movement, who serve within their community and serve as a leader within their region.
“When selecting a leader, we look for someone who has done a fantastic job running the school system, how they have impacted their community and made a difference in the educational system,” TPCSA Vice President of Communications and Research Brian Whitley said. “We were extremely impressed with Dr. Garcia, (his work), and (his) advocating for the charter systems.”
In February 2021 Garcia was instrumental in leading the cause that gave charter schools access to the Jobs and Education for Texas (JET) grant program. This grant would allow charter schools to purchase equipment for career and technical educational courses. During the legislative session, the bill was signed into a law.
“Charter schools like Vanguard Academy get to work collaboratively with parents to make sure ALL students and young people get out of poverty. We place children, young people, and families first,” Garcia said.