APS, ATF Redesigning Emerson Elementary

Joint effort intended to improve student achievement

April 24, 2012

Albuquerque Public Schools and the Albuquerque Teachers Federation are working together to transform Emerson Elementary into a Common Core State Standards Demonstration Magnet School in 2012-13. A new principal will take over and a reorganized staff will be put in place during the summer. 

“We have an opportunity as a district to collaborate with the Albuquerque Teachers Federation on a total redesign of Emerson that will better meet the needs of its students,” APS Superintendent Winston Brooks said. “The school has a substantial number of English Language Learners, and we’re going to use the Common Core State Standards and teachers’ strengths to create a whole new learning environment for our students.” 

Denise Brigman has been named principal at Emerson, effective July 1. Brigman has served as principal at John Baker Elementary for the past eight years. She is charged with hiring licensed teachers who must hold a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or bilingual endorsement. Job postings will be available soon at the APS website. 

All current teachers at the school are required to apply for a position at Emerson or transfer to another school. No teachers will be laid off. 

“We want to match teachers more closely to the needs of the student population,” Brooks said. 

The changes at the school of about 430 students are similar to the redesign of Rio Grande High School and Ernie Pyle Middle School four years ago. Emerson’s history of low test scores led the district and teachers’ union to create a new plan. 

Common Core State Standards set more rigorous, consistent benchmarks for what students are expected to learn in each grade. They will be implemented in all kindergarten through third-grade classes in New Mexico next fall, and all other grades in 2013-14.