Albuquerque Public Schools
To the People Who Power Our District
In her weekly message, Superintendent Durán Blakey thanks APS staff for their hard work and dedication to our students.
Happy Friday, everyone!
During my State of the District speech on Monday, I talked about the incredible programs we offer across Albuquerque Public Schools and the exciting things happening in our district — from the opening of our first-ever Early Childhood Center to our plans for a new special needs school on the West Side and a Career and Technical Education facility near our Osuna transportation hub.
But I also made one thing very clear. None of that would be possible without you.
Albuquerque Public Schools is nothing without the incredible people who show up every day for our students: our teachers, educational assistants, principals, counselors, custodians, cooks, bus drivers, administrative assistants, nurses, accountants, and the countless other employees who work in our schools and district offices. Every one of you plays an essential role in helping our students succeed.
I am grateful to you every day, and as we prepare to celebrate Labor Day, I want to take a moment to thank you for your hard work and dedication. We had a smooth start to the school year, and that is because of you.
I know firsthand that working in education isn’t easy. There are days when you get home and are so exhausted that all you want to do is crawl into bed. But there are also those moments that make it all worthwhile, like when a student who has been struggling finally has that lightbulb moment, when a student finds a passion they never knew they had, or when one of our hardworking seniors gets accepted into the college they have dreamed of attending for years.
Most of us didn’t choose a career in education because we thought it would make us rich. We chose this work because we believe in something bigger, that we can make the world a better place by nurturing, educating, and empowering the next generation.
That doesn’t mean we should overlook the challenges of this work. Working conditions are learning conditions. If we want to provide the best possible education for our students, we have to make sure we are doing right by the people who serve them every day.
That is why I am proud of the respectful relationships we have built with our five labor unions. Just this week, we approved changes to our negotiated agreements with the Albuquerque Teachers Federation and the Albuquerque Federation of Classified Professionals. That spirit of respect and partnership is important, not just because it makes us a stronger district, but because it reflects the deeper meaning of Labor Day.
Before workers organized and demanded a voice in their workplaces, it was not uncommon for people to work 12-hour days, seven days a week, simply to survive. Children worked in mines and factories. Workers were injured and killed because of unsafe working conditions. The rights and protections many of us take for granted today were won because ordinary people had the courage to stand together and demand dignity, fairness, and a seat at the table.
People such as Dolores Huerta and generations of workers who organized before and after her helped change what it means to be a worker in America. Labor Day honors that history, but it also celebrates the people who keep our communities running every day, people like you.
Thank you for everything you do for our students, our schools, and one another. Thank you for the long days, the extra effort, the patience, the creativity, and the care you bring to this work.
I hope you enjoy the three-day weekend. Take some time to rest, recharge, and spend time with the people you love. You’ve earned it.
Happy Labor Day, everyone, and thank you for all that you do!