Students, parents press Santa Fe board on Mandela rebuild, Early Childhood Center and locked bathrooms

Students and parents told the Santa Fe Public Schools Board of Education on Feb. 27 that proposed plans for Mandela High School reduce permanent classroom space and retain portable classrooms, and they urged the board to protect the district’s Early Childhood Center (ECC) and reconsider locked student restrooms at Santa Fe High School.

Lucas Robbins, the student representative who spoke in person, said he participated in a meeting with architects and that the plans the district presented are “essentially the final plans before construction will begin” and still do not meet student needs. "The main student concern with the new building was that we were losing classrooms," Robbins said. "The new school does not address this concern. It keeps our portables, which were designed to be temporary classroom spaces implemented seven years ago." Robbins said students and teachers have been affected by the lack of permanent classroom space.

Robbins also cited capacity concerns in the proposed cafeteria, saying it is designed for about 150 students — roughly half of Mandela’s student population. "Where will the other students eat lunch when it's cold, windy, or otherwise inhospitable outside?" he asked.

In written comments read at the meeting, Richard Scott Murray and Rachel Campos Murray urged the board to continue district support for the Early Childhood Center, which they described as “a fantastic educational and nurturing environment” that helps recruit and retain district employees. The written comments asked the board and Superintendent Veronica C. Garcia to preserve ECC funding for the 2025–26 school year and beyond.

An email from Michael Burt Jr., read at the meeting, praised Christina Gonzales for her management of music and arts funds and asked the board to consider her work a model. The board also received multiple student emails about bathroom access at Santa Fe High School; one writer said a science-building bathroom has been locked most of the school year and called the practice a health and safety problem.

Union and board announcements that followed public comment included a brief introduction from Lana Cartier, the newly elected president of NEA Santa Fe, who welcomed Superintendent Garcia and said the union looks forward to improving communication with the district. Board members used the announcements period to highlight arts and STEAM programs, including projects at the Institute of American Indian Arts, the Santa Fe Opera’s ALTO arts-integration program at Kearney Elementary School, National Dance Institute work in 10 district schools, and a video about Santa Fe High’s women-in-engineering program.

Superintendent Garcia reported district instructional activity and contingency planning. Garcia told the board that staff have completed about 1,600 classroom walkthroughs since August focused on instructional priorities and warned that losing federal funding would have a major fiscal impact. "We would lose probably $80,000,000. We can't replace that," Garcia said, urging board members to notify the congressional delegation about the importance of federal funds.

Board member updates included a facilities review update from Board Member Bose, who said the Construction Review Committee completed presentations on all facilities and that upcoming meetings will prioritize projects to fit within a proposed general-obligation bond scheduled for the fall ballot.

The board took no immediate action on Mandela’s building plans during the Feb. 27 meeting. Robbins urged the board to consider future expansions for Mandela if additional funding becomes available.