WACO, Texas — The new principal at Bell's Hill Elementary brings a certain uniqueness to the school's history.
Not only was she a student and a teacher, but her home used to sit on the playground of the campus.
One Waco ISD educator has been with the district for 15 years, but her heart has been with the district her whole life, from learning in the classroom to teaching students.
“I remember as kids we used to go out back and you know just climb the tree and have a good old time,” Maria Antonio said.
Maria Antonio is the Assistant Principal at Bell's Hill Elementary.
“My sister would get us ready and she would literally open the door and we would run to school,” Antonio said.
She was a Pre-K student at Bell's Hill, and her childhood home is where the schools playground sits now.
“My house was here, the tree was on the lower end of my backyard, it was the first thing my dad bought when we came from Mexico, so he was very proud,” Antonio said.
But when the district came with plans to expand bells hill elementary 12 years ago, Antonio's old home was set to be demolished.
“He was said to let the house go when they built the new Bells Hill, so when I got the job here as a teacher, I told them, 'Daddy, I’m Home,'."
With the school's high Hispanic population, Antonio also makes her students feel at home.
“I love being able to walk by and the kids know that I know Spanish so they feel comfortable — the parents as well,” Antonio said.
Antonio has walked the school halls with many titles — student, then teacher and now assistant principal. Through that walk she’s enjoyed creating bonds with her students.
“I think my favorite part about my journey is that I can look at kids and say, 'Si se puede' — you can do this, you can do this,” Antonio said.
Antonio said when she’s having a difficult day, she’ll walk out to the playground and reminisce about her old home and that special tree.
