The Canutillo Independent School District is a nominee for the Secretary of Defense Employee Support Freedom Award recognizing employers who have gone above and beyond in its support of military guard and the reservists.
Representatives with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) on Friday visited Canutillo to personally deliver the news of the nomination to Superintendent Dr. Pedro Galaviz. ESGR is the lead U.S. Defense Department program promoting cooperation and understanding between civilian employers and their National Guard and Reserve employees.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for the efforts we promote in support of the men and women of Canutillo ISD who have made a commitment to not just the children of our community, but also the armed forces of the United States,” Galaviz said. “This award comes to us for what we know is the human and right thing to do: to take care of our own.”
Canutillo is the only employer in the El Paso region to receive this recognition.
ESGR receives nominations for the Employee Support Freedom Award from guard or reserve personnel nationwide who think their employer has excelled in backing them and their families while they’re deployed.
Canutillo ISD was nominated by former Reyes Elementary School teacher Lorenzo Soliz, a U.S. Army reservist who said the District provided him with support and care during his military duty. His application said his former principal, Dr. Jessica Melendez-Carrillo, checked in on his wife and family frequently during his leave of absence. He also said the CISD Human Resources Department kept him abreast of his rights as an employee and took care of health insurance issues while he was off serving the country.
“I have never had such a supportive supervisor and administrative staff,” Soliz wrote in his documents to ESGR.
Canutillo is a proud partner with its military-connected community and boasts two Purple Star School Awards for work done to serve and support the children of military families.