News from the Superintendent: September 15, 2008

September 14, 2008

Dear APS Community Member,

Today we’re starting off another week on the bus, this time with a tour of Board of Education District 4, encompassing northeast, southeast and downtown parts of Albuquerque. The tour takes us to Nob Hill, Kirtland Air Force Base and UNM, in addition to several APS schools. We cap the tour with a District Relations Committee meeting at Jefferson Middle School at 12:30 p.m. On Thursday, board members, leadership team members, state legislators and I will tour District 2 on the West Side, followed by a District Relations meeting at Volcano Vista High School at 12:30.

Let me clarify that the meetings following bus tours are considered open discussions that let us debrief after the tour and bring up any other issues of concern. There will be a round of Conversation Series meetings taking place primarily in October to present Celebrate the 8 Essential Goals to Better Education for the Albuquerque Community. These evening meetings are designed specifically to discuss the goals I have submitted to the board and how we will achieve them. We will visit District 6 for the first one at 6:30 p.m., Sept. 30, at Roosevelt Middle School. For those on the west side of the mountains, there will also be a meeting at Manzano High School on Oct. 2. Everyone is welcome. Watch the APS website for information about future meetings.

Speaking of the eight goals, I’d like to mention another of them briefly. We will review, evaluate, enhance and publicize plans to upgrade and maintain facilities to support and enhance student achievement. That covers things like building or renovating schools when needed and letting you and the whole community know about what we’re trying to accomplish. For example, there is a series of community meetings scheduled this week and next to discuss attendance boundaries for new southwest elementary and middle schools. The new schools will help ease overcrowding and create more space for Navajo and Adobe Acres elementaries and Truman and Harrison middle schools.

Upgrading facilities also includes updating technology to enhance student learning. Qwest has installed a high-speed network at schools all over the district that, among other things, will help speed up computer performance on testing days. We will be recognizing Qwest at Wednesday’s board meeting.

A couple of schools were recognized for remarkable accomplishments and I want to congratulate them here. Georgia O’Keeffe Elementary has been named a NCLB-Blue Ribbon School for ranking among the top 10 percent in state assessments in math and reading. This is a national honor.

I presented Cleveland Middle School with a rebate check for students’ efforts to conserve electricity and water as part of the Energy STARS program. Some 53 APS schools participate in the program, and I want you to know how delighted I am that so many students and teachers are taking an interest in energy conservation.

Remember that Wednesday is Constitution Day, and there will be celebrations at schools across the district. The Founding Fathers created an extraordinary document, and it is up to educators and families to instill its significance in our students who are our future.

Have a great week.

Sincerely,

Winston Brooks, Superintendent
Albuquerque Public Schools