YESTERDAY AND NOW: 50 years of the IES “Antonio Calvín”

Yesterday

In the 1970s, Vocational Training was just beginning to take root in Spain. It was then that the Dominican friar Fernando Román Díaz, with vision and courage, decided to invest in an innovative project for Almagro and its surrounding region. His idea was clear: to create a center that not only taught within its walls but also became a bridge between education and the world of work, providing young people with professional skills and attracting companies so they could work there without having to emigrate. Fernando envisioned a cooperative model inspired by the successful Mondragón project, which would have transformed the Campo de Calatrava region into an industrial hub. Although a lack of political support prevented this plan from being realized, the center was launched with great momentum. On November 3, 1975, the first faculty meeting was held, and the first book of minutes was created . The initial courses offered were Administration and Cabinetmaking, with 140 students and 10 teachers. The building that housed us was special: a Dominican convent built in 1920 and remodeled in 1950, surrounded by gardens, antique wellheads, and a central fountain decorated with tiles from Puente del Arzobispo, depicting the eight towns of origin of the students: Almagro, Aldea del Rey, Bolaños, Calzada, Granátula, Pozuelo, and Valenzuela de Calatrava. These towns had a combined population of over 41,000 in the 1970s. This center was pioneering, unique, and innovative, and thanks to the crucial support of Mr. Antonio Calvín Guzmán, a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Education, the project was consolidated and expanded.

 

Now

 

Today, I am the IES “Antonio Calvin”, located in the town of Almagro, sharing in the charm of this La Mancha municipality, declared a Historic-Artistic Site. I am celebrating my 50th anniversary and continue to be an educational benchmark. I comprise several historic buildings within a landscaped setting of great aesthetic value. My main building, acquired by the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha in 2005, remains part of the former convent. In the early 1980s, another building was constructed with classrooms, Physics and Chemistry laboratories, Natural Sciences, and the Library. Later, a classroom building was added for the Business Administration and Finance program, and my courtyard houses the workshops and classrooms for the Wood and Furniture program, along with those for Technology. On the eastern side, I have sports courts, a soccer field, and a gymnasium. I am primarily attended by students from Almagro, but also from Pozuelo, Granátula, Valenzuela, Bolaños, and Moral de Calatrava. I offer secondary education (ESO), baccalaureate, and vocational training programs, committed to an inclusive, multicultural, and high-quality education. I believe in language learning through my Bilingual Section, the integration of new technologies, and an education open to Europe through Erasmus programs. My commitment is that no student is left behind and that all students develop their abilities and talents to the fullest.

Today I remain great, innovative and pioneering, maintaining my essence: to train people and professionals prepared to face the future.