Sent: 17.09.2021
Election of the school board
In his weekly message, Supt. Elder invites staff and the public to the school board’s candidate forums and encourages them to vote in the upcoming election.
Board members Lorenzo Garcia, Candelaria Patterson, Elizabeth Armijo and Dr. David Peercy
All elections are important, but the one coming up in a couple of weeks is especially important to me because on November 2nd, Albuquerque voters will elect my bosses.
Four of the seven seats on the Education Committee of Albuquerque Public Schools are up for grabs, and one of the duties of the newly elected board members will be to lead the school principal. The board also sets guidelines, approves the district’s billion-dollar budget, and shapes the direction of education in our community.
As an APS employee and community member, you should also be interested in this choice. Our board of directors makes decisions that affect your work, our schools, the students we serve, and the families we support. The type of education we offer has a profound impact not only on the lives of our students, but also on our city, the state, our nation. As the New Mexico School Boards Association put it, the school board members “represent the public on a body responsible for providing the best possible educational opportunities for all children living in the school district.”
This is a great responsibility that current board members take to heart and one that will be difficult for new members.
Our board of directors will have four new members soon after election day. None of the incumbents – Dr. David Peercy, Lorenzo Garcia, Candeleria Patterson and Elizabeth Armijo – standing for re-election. I cannot thank these board members enough for their combined 30 years of invaluable service. I am proud to have worked with you and the three other board members – Barbara Petersen, Peggy Muller-Aragón and Yolanda Montoya-Cordova. The entire team has always put the best interests of the students first, despite controversy, resistance or rejection.
Our students are at the heart of the Board of Education’s work. This became particularly evident during the pandemic as board members faced difficult decisions regarding distance and incomplete learning. physical, mental, and emotional health; School security; Support from teachers and staff; Family work and communication; and parish partnerships. No decision is taken lightly as each board member spends countless hours reading, researching, and learning on often unprecedented topics. The amount of time and effort they put into their chosen positions is overwhelming. You answer emails and phone calls; visit schools and consult with administrators, teachers and staff; listen to students and families; demand more data, documentation and evidence; Brainstorm with the district management and with each other.
Since our appointment as APS Superintendent, we have developed a comprehensive strategic plan for this school year and beyond. We are working on a robust vision with achievable goals that APS can change for the better by building on strengths, culture, languages and experiences. The APS Board of Education has insisted on a plan that will celebrate our achievements and highlight our students, staff and schools in a way that has not been recognized before, even as we look for ways to keep improving
Much of Albuquerque’s success is reflected in the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education, which works tirelessly for the youngest members of our community so that they can thrive in life as well as in school.
This is why it is so important for you to find out more about the candidates and to cast your vote if you live in one of the four districts available for election:
- District 3, which includes the Valley and Albuquerque high schools
- District 5, which includes West Mesa High School
- District 6, which includes Eldorado, Manzano, and Sandia high schools
- District 7, which includes Del Norte and La Cueva high schools
In forums on September 27 and 28, which will be broadcast live on the APS YouTube channel, the public will have the opportunity to get to know the 13 candidates better. I encourage you to turn on:
- Monday, 9/27: 6:00 p.m. – District 3, 7:00 p.m. – District 5
- Tuesday, 9/28: 6:00 p.m. – District 6, 7:00 p.m. – District 7
You can also ask questions to the candidates that are due by 5:00 p.m. today (Friday, September 17). And we will publish candidate questionnaires for the election of school board members.
Make a plan to cast your vote. Even if your district doesn’t have a school board election, you can vote on an APS bond package that will help upgrade aging schools and institutions and pay for technology. The mayor’s race and some city council races are also on the ballot. Your voice, your voice matters.
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