Maes Will Lead APS Board; New Members Sworn In

New APS Board of Education member Kathy Korte, right, is sworn in by Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Puglisi at her first board meeting.

March 3, 2011

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Paula Maes, who has represented District 5 in the near Northeast Heights for the past six years, was chosen to lead the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education as president when the board met to swear-in new members Wednesday night.

Maes said she is honored to serve as the president of the seven-member board, which also swore in two new members--Analee Maestas and Katherine Korte—and re-elected member Martin Esquivel.

Maestas, who represents the South Valley and Southwest side, also was chosen to serve as vice-president after being sworn in by District Judge Violet Otero. Following her swearing in, Maestas thanked her supporters and pledged to do her best for the students in APS.

“It was my grandson who inspired me to come back and be more vocal about education,” Maestas said.

Korte, who was sworn in by Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Puglisi, was chosen to serve as secretary of the board. Korte, who represents the West Side, echoed Maestas remarks, saying that it was the students who inspired her to run for the board of education.

“My four kids are the reason I’m here,” Korte said, adding that it was while serving as president of the parent group at LBJ Mid-School that she was asked to consider running for the position.

Esquivel, who has served on the board for the past four years representing the downtown area, including the last two as president, was also sworn in by Judge Puglisi. He too pledged to continue working on behalf of the district’s 90,000 students.

Board members also chose new committee chairpersons. David Peercy will continue as chairman of the board’s Policy & Instruction Committee. David Robbins will be the new chairman of the Capital Outlay & Technology Committee. Esquivel will chair the Finance Committee. Lorenzo Garcia will chair the District Relations Committee, which he asked board members to consider renaming the District & Community Relations Committee.

All officers and committee chairmen are elected for one-year terms.