Albuquerque Public Schools
APS Leaders Kick Off School Year with Energetic Welcome Back Event
Superintendent Blakey and renowned educator Ron Clark challenge APS leaders to create environment where students, staff can thrive.
Albuquerque Public Schools principals, assistant principals and other district leaders were greeted by cheerleaders, a drumline, dancers and a rousing speech from Superintendent Gabriella Blakey during an energetic welcome-back event held at Manzano High School on Thursday.
While the first day of school for students is still two weeks away, principals are already hard at work laying the groundwork for a successful school year. Thursday’s event marked the second year all APS leaders have gathered for an assembly-style kickoff of the new school year.
“I've been a principal. I know how hard it is, and I also know how rewarding it can be,” Blakey told the crowd of several hundred. “As school leaders, it's our responsibility to create an environment where our students and teachers can thrive.”
The superintendent’s speech was followed by a keynote address from renowned educator Ron Clark, who has enjoyed significant success with students from low-wealth areas in North Carolina, Atlanta and New York City. Clark shared many of the strategies he has used to help his students and staff succeed. He emphasized the importance of bonding with every student, being responsive to families when they reach out, and letting staff know you appreciate all that they do.
In her speech, Blakey seized the opportunity to highlight the success several schools achieved last school year.
- Carlos Rey, Collet Park and Los Padillas elementary schools increased their reading proficiency rates for first-grade Yazzie-Martinez and African American students by more than 20 percentage points from the beginning to the end of the school year, according to internal assessments.
- Carlos Rey also saw an impressive 30 percentage point increase in its second-grade reading proficiency rates for Yazzie-Martinez and African American students. Alamosa, Mary Ann Binford, East San Jose, and Collet Park elementaries saw gains of 14 percentage points or more.
- Jefferson Middle School sixth graders achieved a 25 percentage point increase in math proficiency from the beginning to the end of the school year.
- Sixth graders at Cleveland, Taylor, and Grant had math proficiency gains of more than 14 percentage points.
- Washington, Cleveland, Jefferson, and Garfield middle schools and Tres Volcanes Community Collaborative all saw double-digit gains in seventh-grade math proficiency.
- With the college and career readiness goal, Valley, Del Norte, and Cibola high schools each saw double-digit gains.
- And Eugene Field, Carlos Rey, Pajarito, and Alamosa elementary schools; Roosevelt, Harrison, and Ernie Pyle middle schools; and Atrisco Heritage Academy High School achieved significant gains in the APS skills, habits and mindsets goal. Each of these schools moved the needle on perseverance, self-regulation, self-efficacy and social awareness.
Blakey, who took over as APS superintendent 13 months ago, thanked the leaders of those schools for making growth part of their school cultures and for driving success at their schools.
“We know we can improve student outcomes if we pull the right levers and believe in our students, but this isn't a paint-by-numbers exercise,” she said. “Every one of our school communities in Albuquerque is different. And as a leader, it's up to you to figure out what your students and your teachers need to succeed and to create those conditions.”
The superintendent emphasized that while schools are free to make their own path, everyone at APS is expected to work to achieve the four goals the Board of Education set in collaboration with the community: ensuring that students can read, analyze information, and understand mathematical reasoning; helping them develop important life skills, habits and mindsets; and getting them to lay the foundation for their careers that they want through Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate., dual credit courses, or by earning an industry certification or bilingual seal.
“I’m proud of the work we’re doing, and I challenge each of you to keep pushing yourself, your staff and your students to reach higher this year than they ever have before,” Blakey said. “Success is within our reach, but it requires us to stay focused and to work hard each and every day."
Clark, whose work was the subject of a movie and whose popular books have received national attention in education circles and beyond, also held a special session with the district’s middle school and K-8 leaders. During his talk, six school leaders – Crystal Friedman of Eisenhower; Hannah Mainolfa of Tres Volcanes K-8, Trini Gallegos of Jefferson, Matt Kraus of Madison, AJ Tarr of Grant and Michelle Velasquez of Jimmy Carter – won trips to visit the Ron Clark Academy in Georgia.