I recently had the opportunity to visit the La Montaña Primary School for special needs children with my friend, Ramon, of Cocina de Ramon restaurant.

The school has been in Puerto Peñasco for 33 years.  The director, Diana, has been there for 3 years.  They currently have 104 students, 6 teachers, a social worker, a psychologist, a speech therapist and a physical therapist on staff.  While the facility, the utilities, and the teacher’s salaries are paid by the government, as well as a 250 pesos per year payment per student, that does not begin to cover their needs.

In addition to their students, the school works with the other public schools to provide remedial help for those students having difficulty with their studies.  The goal is to give them the extra help and prepare them to re-enter their regular classes.  The school provides a pre-school, grades 1-6 and a skills workshop for older students.

The City of Peñasco provides the gasoline for their van and the City’s DIF organization provides breakfast every day for each student.  At Christmas time you will find the ‘Angel’ program operating from Ramon’s restaurant.  This program provides an opportunity to help out these students and their families with gifts and a dinner.

In speaking with Diana, Yolanda and Cleo, I found out that their most immediate needs are plastic storage bins for supplies, any type of arts and craft supplies, games and puzzles, especially blunt nosed craft scissors.  They are also in need of maintenance help and supplies.  Ramon and his wife Lupita are going to work with the City to get another need met, and that is regular pick-up services for their trash.

As I am sure many of you know, having a special needs child places an extra financial burden on a family, so most of the parents of children in this school are unable to do much to help out.

The staff welcomes and appreciates any support that can be given.  You can visit the school on Lopez Mateos Street just a few blocks east of the Baseball Stadium.  Ramon’s restaurant and Rocky Point Times office are also happy to be a drop off site for any supplies or contributions that you would like to make.

The staff, students and parents thank you for your support to help this school.  It is a program that helps to make our paradise a better place to live.  Don’t forget to check this winter at Cocina de Ramon for the Christmas Angel program.