[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 161 (Tuesday, October 23, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E2208]]
    IN TRIBUTE TO LOURDES CASTILLO-URIBE, PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 23, 2007

  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a 
compassionate leader, an educator, and an advocate for children, Ms. 
Lourdes Castillo-Uribe. Ms. Castillo-Uribe has served as principal at 
Escuela Vieau School for 15 years. Vieau School serves Head Start 
through 8th grade children, 96 percent of whom are of Hispanic descent. 
Ms. Castillo-Uribe achieved a 95 percent attendance rate at Vieau 
School, even though 69 percent of the students are bussed. Vieau School 
is the only P-5 DPI program and bilingual school recognized as high 
achieving by the Milwaukee Public School district.
  Ms. Castillo-Uribe prioritizes knowing the students, their families 
and their challenges such as lack of healthcare and food insecurity. 
For example, 95 percent of Vieau School students qualify for free or 
reduced lunch. Ms. Castillo-Uribe knows a positive early school 
experience strongly influences the future academic success of children 
in poverty. She sets high expectations for students and teachers and 
encourages creative thinking from teachers. She instituted the High 
Scope model for family involvement, providing daily opportunities for 
parental involvement in the academic and social lives of their children 
during school hours and after school in their Community Learning 
Center.
  For her commitment to our children and for her many efforts and 
gifts, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the 
Association of Wisconsin School Administrators named Ms. Castillo-Uribe 
as Principal of the Year from the Milwaukee Public School system for 
2007.
  Ms. Castillo-Uribe's belief in ongoing professional development for 
teachers has lead Vieau School to become a training and professional 
coaching school. Instructional Practice Inventory, IPI, is a new 
initiative focusing on both high expectations and best practices for 
teachers. All the classroom teachers at Vieau are guided and mentored 
by teachers who are trainers and coaches for IPI.
  Ms. Castillo Uribe has formed a number of private/public partnerships 
to provide programs for students. The partnerships include: the Helen 
Bader Foundation, Medical College of Wisconsin, Alverno College, 
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, United Migrant Opportunities Services, 
UMOS, Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Mexican Fiesta, 
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and Wisconsin Hispanic Professional 
Association.
  Ms. Castillo-Uribe graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in 
elementary education and a master's degree in curriculum and 
instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
  Madam Speaker, for these reasons, I am honored to pay tribute to M. 
Castillo-Uribe who has dedicated her life toward educating and 
improving the lives of the children in the Fourth Congressional 
District and is an outstanding recipient of the Principal of the Year 
award.

                          ____________________