Ledes from the Land of Enchantment

Alamogordo Public Schools receives $39,000 grant for STEM activities

New Mexico Public Education Department announced on Aug. 26 that it awarded $300,000 in outdoor learning grants to New Mexico schools and school districts.

The Alamogordo Public Schools received a $39,000 grant from the program.

“We are incredibly grateful to have these funds to support outdoor STEM activities for our middle schools,” Alamogordo Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Colleen Tagle said.

While students were being taught virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Alamogordo Public Schools was setting up outdoor spaces for lunchtime and learning time.

“If there is anything positive that’s come out of all of this is our ability to be flexible and transition to learning virtually very quickly,” Alamogordo Public Schools Health Director Lisa Patch said in April 2021. “Some of the other things that will have long -term positive effects are all of our outdoor learning spaces…anytime the kids are outside, it’s a good thing.”

Heat protection such as awnings were set up to allow outside learning as long as weather permits.

From April 2021:Alamogordo Public Schools Health Director shares lessons of COVID-19

New Mexico Public Education Department awards grants to six schools and four school districts to help promote innovation and expand access to outdoor learning and environmental education.

“Opportunities to learn in the natural world help students reduce stress and engage creativity,” Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus said in a news release. “The Outdoor Learning Program is another way we can help students succeed academically and emotionally.”

The grant purpose is to help teachers spend class time outdoors to help students discover, experiment and connect to the world outdoors.

“Spending class time outdoors can help students think beyond the blackboard and engage them in the real-life application of their schoolwork,” a New Mexico Public Education Department news release said.

The other schools and school districts that won the grant are Albuquerque Public Schools, Aztec Municipal Schools, Las Cruces Public Schools, Monte del Sol Charter School in Santa Fe, Mountain Mahogany Community School in Albuquerque, Native American Community Academy in Albuquerque, Rio Gallinas School for Ecology and the Arts in Las Vegas, Siembra Leadership High School in Albuquerque and Vista Grande High School in Taos.

From June 2021:Alamogordo Public Schools Parachute STEM Camp has visitor in MEL

“The goal of each grant is to increase teacher confidence in utilizing outdoor spaces, provide high-quality instruction aligned to standards and expand all students’ access to outdoor learning opportunities,” New Mexico Public Education Department Math and Science Director Shafiq Chaudhary said in a New Mexico Public Education Department news release.

Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at [email protected], by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter.

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