Superintendent's News

As we work to improve outcomes for all students, we can’t shy away from our challenges. But we also need to seize every opportunity to celebrate our wins.

We’ve had several big wins recently, among them:

• Thirty-nine of our seniors have been named National Merit Semifinalists, the biggest crop for APS in my memory! Fewer than 1 percent of high school seniors get the designation, which goes to those receiving the highest scores on the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. La Cueva did particularly well, with 25 recipients, more than any other high school in New Mexico. Go Bears!
• At Albuquerque High, we have a student who did something extraordinary. Sinahi Oaxaca received a perfect score on the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. In a letter to Albuquerque High Principal Cesar Hernandez, the head of the Advanced Placement Program noted that Sinahi was one of only 247 students in the world to earn every point possible on the exam!
• And finally, on Tuesday, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona announced that one of our elementary schools, Monte Vista, is being recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. Monte Vista is one of just three New Mexico schools to receive the designation this year. Of the tens of thousands of schools throughout the country, only 353 were recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools this year.

Congratulations to each of our National Merit Semifinalists and to Sinahi Oaxaca for these amazing accomplishments. I’m so proud of you, and I’m grateful to everyone along the way who helped you attain this success. And congratulations to everyone at Monte Vista Elementary for all that you do every day to make your school shine.

Success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes dedication and lots of hard work.

Sinahi didn’t just wake up one morning and decide she was going to ace the AP Spanish exam. She worked hard, studied, and put in the time to be great.

That hard work is obviously paying off for her, and we couldn’t be happier. The same goes for our National Merit Semifinalists, who have obviously taken their academic pursuits seriously and are now in the running for a number of scholarships.

But they didn’t do it alone. I’m sure they had people in their lives cheering them on and assuring them that their hard work would pay off. And they had teachers, counselors, principals, and others at their school challenging them and helping them to grow academically. Congratulations to all of you for making a difference in these students’ lives!

As for Monte Vista being named a Blue Ribbon School, Principal Cicely Ryan said it best in the letter she sent to members of her school community informing them of the award.

“We’ve got an amazing community here at Monte Vista Elementary School,” she wrote. “This honor belongs to each and every one of you, from our teachers, students, and administrators to our parents, custodians, and bus drivers.”

The honor truly does belong to everyone at the school and those who have supported the school and its students and staff this year and in prior years. So, congratulations Monte Vista Elementary School community. You are amazing, and we’re proud of you.

To everyone else at our schools and district offices, thank you so much for all you do for our students. Your hard work is paying off.

There are so many good things happening in our schools. We’re going to do our best to get the word out and celebrate them.