History

Raquel Peña Elementary

Peña Elementary, opened in 2009, is named for Raquel Peña, a longtime BISD educator. Ms. Peña first taught at East Brownsville Elementary School (Longoria) prior to joining the U.S. Navy in 1944. Upon her return to Brownsville, she taught at Putegnat Elementary until her retirement in 1975. Peña is fondly remembered as a strong disciplinarian with a deep devotion to her students, her school and her community. Many of her former students, now community leaders, credit her teaching with their success. Ernestina Treviño was named the first principal of Peña Elementary.