State Principal and Teacher of the Year from APS

NMPTA honors Chaparral principal and Georgia O’Keeffe teacher.

Florence Goldberg

May 10, 2012

The New Mexico PTA named its principal and teacher of the year at its recent convention, and both work for Albuquerque Public Schools. Chaparral Elementary Principal Florence Goldberg and Shelly Montoya, a second grade teacher at Georgia O’Keeffe Elementary, are the award recipients for 2011-12. 

Goldberg has served as principal at Chaparral since late 2007 and has been with APS for 24 years. She has also been principal at Alamosa Elementary and assistant principal at Barcelona and Pajarito. Prior to moving to Albuquerque, she taught and was an assistant principal in the New York City Public Schools in Brooklyn for 21 years. 

“I’m honored to receive this award from the New Mexico PTA,” Goldberg said. “We recognize the importance of parents in the lives of our students. They are integral to the success of our school.” 

Montoya began her career as an educational assistant while working on her bachelor’s degree and has been a teacher for 11 years, the past nine at Georgia O’Keeffe. Both of her parents were APS teachers, and she has worked for the district for 16 years. The nomination for Montoya described her as a strong supporter of the PTA at the school, even after her own children moved on to middle school from there. It also said parents seek placement for their children in Montoya’s class, in part because she makes parent volunteers feel welcome and valued in her classroom. 

“I was very moved,” Montoya said about the award. “I couldn't ask for a more rewarding job. Children touch my life daily.” 

The NMPTA held its 97^th annual convention in April.