Rio Rancho Public Schools E-Expressions

RRPS E-Expressions (December 18, 2009) – Your New E-Newsletter! (Click here to subscribe and get this sent to you automagically!)

Welcome to the new Rio Rancho Public Schools E-Expressions, an electronic newsletter designed to provide information about our schools and district to Rio Rancho parents and the community!  We hope you find it informative and useful.  If you'd like to register to receive this newsletter automatically, complete this simple form.

We are anticipating publication of this e-newsletter at least every other month and may publish more frequently as events warrant.  You will receive an e-mail notification when each newsletter is published.  As funding permits, Rio Rancho Public Schools will also continue to publish its twice-yearly community newsletter, Inside our Schools, which is distributed to all households in Rio Rancho and via this web site.

Both Inside our Schools and the E-Expressions are publications of Rio Rancho Public Schools and do not accept advertising.   E-mail addresses and information will not be provided or sold to any third party.  Distribution of the newsletter is managed by Bravenet, a company with whom RRPS contracts to provide this service. 

If you need to change the e-mail address where you receive this link, or you prefer not to receive it at all, please click on the link at the bottom of the newsletter, or use the Unsubscribe link on the subscription form here.

Let us know what you think of the RRPS E-Expressions. Please send your comments or questions to district@rrps.net. Thank you for reading, and we hope you enjoy E-Expressions!

State Budget Cuts

No Additional Impact to RRPS Classrooms (at least not yet)

In mid-November, Governor Richardson signed legislation passed during the October special session cutting public school operational budgets by 2%, with larger cuts in other areas that are outside the operational budget such as transportation, technology, and instructional materials.    

The good news: Thanks to many sacrifices made by our staff last year and a very conservative budget approach for this year, RRPS was able to absorb the cut without impacting classrooms beyond the tight class loads already in place since the beginning of the year.  The bad news: more budget cuts from the state may be in store both for this year and next year. 

Last year, with our employees’ help, RRPS cut about $5 million from its budget during the year, avoided a reduction in force, and actually netted more than $2 million to put towards this year’s budget.  In anticipation that further cuts might be coming this year, the district budgeted and staffed very conservatively.  Although we anticipated we might see some modest enrollment growth that could generate additional revenue, we assumed zero growth for budgeting purposes.  This has created some hardships for schools and students, primarily in the form of larger class sizes than we would otherwise allow.

In the event, RRPS grew by about 500 students, which will generate additional revenue for the district.  We have already expended some of this revenue to hire additional teachers to serve these students and ease some of the overcrowding in classrooms.  However, instead of expending all of the funds to hire teachers to alleviate all of overcrowding and meet other costs of growth as we would in a “normal” year, we held back some of the money in case budget cuts were in store. 

The 2% cut to the school district operational budget amounts to approximately $2 million for Rio Rancho.  As a result, all district-level departments (except Transportation, already subject to a 4% cut from the state) were cut by 2%.  Individual school budgets were left intact.  The remainder of the $2 million will come from a combination of cash reserves and growth funding.  Thanks to the conservative approach to budgeting that allowed us to set aside these funds, we were able to avoid any further impact to schools and classrooms.

Like other districts around the state, RRPS has been advised that legislation that would have allowed the state to use state school capital funding to offset insurance costs may not be legal, and to not count on that funding (for RRPS, about $620,000) to help offset the 2% budget cut.  RRPS will be able to absorb the additional $600,000 for now, but it will reduce our ability to lower class sizes throughout the rest of the year.

The not-so-good news is that the state budget cutting may not be over.  Further cuts may be coming in the regular legislative session in January.  If these cuts are severe, we and all other school districts in the state could face more drastic measures such as furloughs (as has already happened with state employees outside education) or program and staff reductions.

Board Modifies Graduation Requirements (top of page)

How realistic is it to expect that every single student at Rio Rancho High and Cleveland High pass every single class in order to graduate?  It is everyone’s goal and is in keeping with the district’s high standards.  But at its December 14 meeting, the school board determined that the standard might be so prohibitively high that it could deny some students the opportunity to receive a diploma. 

Rio Rancho and Cleveland High students take seven classes each day, allowing them to earn 28 credits during their four years of high school.  RRPS currently requires 28 credits for graduation from RRHS and CHS, meaning if a student failed a single class, they could not earn a diploma.   Current seniors and juniors have a cushion because under the old “four-block” schedule in effect through the spring of 2008 they could earn 32 credits.  But for younger students, there was no room for error – and  even good students sometimes make mistakes that cause them to fail a class.

The district’s plan at the time the 28-credit requirement was established was to provide tutoring and support during the school day to help struggling students.  However, the program had to be slashed as part of the last two years’ budget cuts.

The board’s action creates two types of diplomas at RRPS comprehensive high schools.  In order to receive the more desirable “Diploma of Distinction,” students must earn all 28 possible credits.  However, beginning with the class of 2011, students may receive a “standard” diploma with 26 credits, which is two more than the state of New Mexico requires.  Students will still be required to earn four credits in each of the four core subjects -- English, social studies, math, and science -- and will be required to take a class in each of the core subjects every semester they attend.  These requirements also significantly exceed the state of New Mexico’s. 

Students at RRPS’s two small high schools, Independence High and the Cyber Academy, can still earn a diploma with 24 credits.

Sports: A Great Fall Season! (top of page)

There’s nothing quite like being #1 – just ask the Rams volleyball team (at left).  The mighty Rio Rancho High spikers snared their seventh state championship in ten years, capping a great fall season for Rio Rancho teams in all sports. 

It was also a great year in cross-country.  The Rio Rancho High girls weren’t quite able to repeat as state champions, but still came home second.  The Rams boys were third in state.  And by virtue of finishing in the top ten individually, Rams runners Jenna Padilla, Tamara Lemintino and Caleb Rubalcaba and Cleveland Storm runner Malia Gonzales were named all-state.

The Cleveland Storm girls soccer team also had a wonderful year, making it into the semi-finals of the state tournament and battling through two overtimes before losing in penalty kicks to La Cueva.  The feat was all the more impressive considering that Cleveland has no seniors on their squads.  The Rio Rancho High boys and girls soccer teams both also made it into the state tournament. 

The Cleveland volleyball team, in its first year of competition, got an at-large bid into the state tournament and had some flashes of brilliance, but the senior-less squad was not able to prevail against stronger teams in the tournament. 

Last but not least, in a year when expectations were not all that high, the Rio Rancho Rams snared their football district championship (and district coach of the year honors for first-year coach David Howes) before falling in the first round of the state tournament.  The senior-less Cleveland Storm football team won five games in its first year of varsity competition.

Next Elementary School to be Named for Joe Harris (top of page)

On July 16, 2009, Sandoval County and Rio Rancho lost one of its finest law enforcement officers – and Rio Rancho students lost one of their best friends.  Sandoval County Sheriff’s Sergeant Joe Harris, killed in the process of apprehending a suspect in the Jemez Mountains, was a much-loved and frequent presence in Rio Rancho schools.  In a quarter-century of service to the community as a Rio Rancho and Sandoval County officer, Sgt. Harris brought drug and crime prevention programs including D.A.R.E, G.R.E.A.T., Neighborhood Watch, Citizen Police Academy, and McGruff the Crime Dog to Rio Rancho. 

Joe and his faithful law enforcement dog Harley were also part of the “Kasey Says” program which uses therapy dogs to help children learn to read.   On one occasion, Harley even made a drug bust – students saw the dog, assumed he was there to sniff out drugs (he wasn’t), and turned themselves in.  Harley also created op-art paintings that were auctioned at the Rio Rancho Education Foundation’s annual “Seats and Eats” fundraiser benefitting Rio Rancho schools. 

In the aftermath of Joe Harris’ death, many community members suggested RRPS honor Joe by naming a school in his honor.  The school board honored these requests earlier this month by adopting a resolution to name the community’s next elementary school in honor of Joe Harris.  This school will be built as soon as state matching funds become available in an area west of Unser between Southern and Northern Blvd. 

At the meeting, the board and Superintendent Sue Cleveland presented Joe’s wife Tonia with a copy of the resolution and with pictures of Joe taken through the years.  The board also directed that the school’s mascot be the “Harleys,” in honor of Joe and Harley.

Schools, District Give Back for the Holiday Season (top of page)

Every third grader in the Rio Rancho school district is now the proud owner of their very own dictionary, courtesy of Rio Rancho Elks Lodge #2500.

Every year, students, teachers, and staff across the district pitch in to make the holiday season a little brighter in our community.  Schools around the district collect food, toys, and other donations to benefit less fortunate families.  One of the first drives completed this year was at the district office, which holds an annual food drive “competition” among departments to benefit Storehouse West.  This year, district level employees donated more than 4,300 pounds of food, nearly double last year’s total.

School choral and musical groups throughout the district visit nursing homes and local businesses and offices during the holiday season to perform seasonal music and provide a little holiday cheer (at right, Enchanted Hills Elementary).

RRPS bands stepped out smartly during the city’s annual Winterfest Parade, with the award-winning bands from Rio Rancho High, Cleveland High, and Mountain View Middle School all participating.  Groups representing several schools also entered floats or marching units, and the district decorated one of its new activities buses for the parade.

High School Students Help Community during “Big Event” (top of page)

Dozens of local residents got a helping hand from Rio Rancho and Cleveland High School students in November as a result of one very “Big Event.”
The “Big Event” is a one-day community service project where teams of high school students, under adult supervision, complete odd jobs at the homes of Rio Rancho residents as a way of saying “thanks” to the community for supporting schools.  Nearly 200 students and adult volunteers split into teams to rake leaves, pull weeds, paint, and wash windows for residents in need. 

“Big Events” are held around the country, but most are sponsored by post-secondary institutions.  The program originally began more than 25 years ago at Texas A&M University as a way for students to say “thank you” to the community for its support.  Rio Rancho’s is one of the very few “Big Events” in the country at the high school level.

Schools Honor Veterans on November 11 (top of page)

Veterans Day in Rio Rancho is a school day and an educational opportunity.  Schools throughout the district take advantage of the holiday to teach students about the contributions made by veterans and to host guest speakers. 

Some schools also hold special ceremonies honoring veterans.  At the new Cleveland High (left), veterans and JROTC members unveiled a flag flown in the Afghanistan battle zone and donated to the school. At Lincoln Middle School (right), veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf wars displayed vintage military equipment, answered student questions, and were part of a student assembly honoring veterans.

 

 

The 2010 Census is Coming! (top of page)

Next spring, Americans will be getting a form in the mail from the U.S. Census Bureau – and filling out that form could mean lots of money for our community and our schools.

The census is as old as the country.  The U.S. Constitution requires a count of the country’s population every 10 years.  The data collected is used to allocate hundreds of billions in federal funds to local communities. 

Rio Rancho’s population has grown by more than 25,000 residents since the last census.  What this means is that the community isn’t getting its fair share of money from the federal government, since the funds are allocated on the basis of 2000 census information.  The data is also used to draw federal, state legislative, and local government districts – which means Rio Rancho is currently underrepresented in federal and state government.

So how do we fix this?  Simple – when the census form shows up at your home, just fill it out and send it in.  If we can get an accurate census count of every Rio Rancho resident, it’s very likely our community and our schools will qualify for more money and a bigger voice in government policymaking.  Census data is confidential and is not turned over to any other agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service or immigration. 

Watch this space for more on the census.  The forms will be mailed in mid-March, and “Count Day” – April 1 – is coming soon!

Walking the Extra Mile – or 60 (Part Deux)! (top of page)

Later this month, a Rio Rancho Public Schools team will spend three days trekking 60 miles in support of research to conquer breast cancer.

In the last issue, we told you about the Rio Rancho Public Schools team of cancer survivor Deb Schindel, and her boss LaJuana Coleman from Secondary Curriculum and Instruction, B.J. Hartford of the Special Services Department, and retired Mountain View principal Kathy Pinkel.  They were getting ready to celebrate Deb’s completing her chemo and radiation therapy by participating in the Susan G. Komen for the Cure “Breast Cancer Three-Day” in Scottsdale, AZ.  The grueling event involves walking 20 miles each day and spending two nights in a pink pup tent.  

We’re very pleased to let you know they made it – and in so doing raised more than $10,000 to support efforts to cure breast cancer.  LaJuana calls it “a demanding feat,” even though they trained beforehand.  She writes:  “We did the walk and it was amazing – a very powerful experience for all of us.  Two nights in a pink pup tent were interesting, but meeting all kinds of people doing the walk for all kinds of reasons meant the most to me.  I would even consider doing it again!” Way to go!