Message from the Superintendent

One thing is clear as we head into 2012 – there is more at stake for New Mexico children than ever before. We are committed to the fact that every child has the right to a high-quality public education, and every student has the right to expect to be safe in our schools.

With that in mind, we embrace thoughtful efforts to change the way we educate our children that will improve their academic success. We understand that these changes are not easy to make. Reforms require community acceptance and input of educational experts. We ask that you support local school boards and districts in making informed, research-based decisions on reform programs and initiatives that best fit the unique communities of New Mexico. We then welcome you to hold us accountable for those decisions.

The education of our students comes at a price, and reforms require proper resources for implementation. As our partners in public education, we ask that you support Albuquerque Public Schools students and provide sufficient funding for public schools. Budget decisions have been difficult for all of us, and we  honor the work the State of New Mexico has done to protect students as much as possible. But we urge you to replace funds that are so desperately needed for public schools to complete their mission and educate our students.

Finally, we urge you to recognize an independent police department authorized by the APS Board of Education and overseen by me as superintendent. It’s  crucial that students and families are confident that their schools are safe and know that safety issues are addressed by a police force that is sensitive to the special environments of schools.

Sincerely,
Winston Brooks, Superintendent