Roswell school board indefinitely tables proposed survey on renaming Nancy Lopez Elementary after hours of public comment

The Roswell Independent School District Board of Education voted on Tuesday to table indefinitely a proposal to circulate a community survey about whether the district should rename Nancy Lopez Elementary School.

The motion to table was made by Board member Mrs. Sanchez and the board carried the motion after a roll-call vote. The action came after more than two hours of public testimony in Pueblo Auditorium from current and former school officials, teachers, parents and longtime residents who both opposed and supported seeking community input.

Why it mattered: Nancy Lopez Elementary — named for the Roswell-born professional golfer in 1991 — drew a large crowd of speakers who described Lopez as a role model and urged the board to leave the school’s name unchanged. Other speakers and some school staff said they wanted a formal, district-run survey to let current neighborhood residents and school stakeholders choose the name for the brand-new building being constructed north of Mesa Middle School.

At the microphone, Diane Taylor, identified as a former school board member, urged the board to keep the name: “Nancy Lopez is not known just in New Mexico, not just in The United States. She's known worldwide. I implore you…Do not change. Do not make fools of Roswell, New Mexico.”

Resident Juan Lopez, who said he lives near the new facility, pressed the board on the motive for proposing a name change and asked the trustees to “vote against this issue.” He also noted demographic figures he said were relevant to the discussion: “Let us not forget that 78% of the student population in our district is Hispanic. And Hispanic enrollment in Nancy Lopez is 89%,” he said.

Teachers and school staff who spoke asked the board to authorize a short survey so current families, staff and neighborhood residents could express a preference. Anna Garcia Irby, who identified herself as a second-grade teacher at Nancy Lopez Elementary, asked for permission to distribute a short community questionnaire to gauge interest in returning the school to its original local name, Flora Vista, or adopting a different local name such as Rio Hondo. “We simply seek approval to create and distribute a survey to our community to gauge interest in the possible renaming, rebranding, if you will, of the existing Nancy Lopez Elementary School,” Garcia Irby said.

Board discussion focused on competing principles. Several trustees said they had received large volumes of phone calls and public correspondence urging the board to keep the Nancy Lopez name. Board member Orlando Padilla, speaking from the dais, urged the board to focus on students’ instruction and not become embroiled in a divisive debate. Board member Mr. Padilla (commenting as a community member and retired teacher) told the board: “We should be focused on the business of teaching students.” Board member Mrs. Sanchez said she believed tabling was in the district’s best interest.

The board did not schedule further action on the survey item. Minutes show the motion was to table the proposal indefinitely; the motion passed and will remain tabled unless a board member moves to remove it from the table at a future meeting.

Votes at a glance - Motion to table proposed Nancy Lopez Elementary community survey — Moved by Mrs. Sanchez; outcome: tabled indefinitely (motion carried after roll call). (See actions[] for provenance.) - Goddard High School FFA out-of-state travel to El Reno, Oklahoma, April 20–May 2, 2025 — Motion to approve made by Mr. Ashby; second by Mr. Edwards; outcome: approved. Students will attend national competition following state results. - Goddard High School FFA out-of-state travel to Indianapolis, Indiana, Oct. 28–Nov. 1, 2025 — Motion to approve made by Mr. Edwards; second by Ms. Sanchez; outcome: approved. - Notice of intent to issue $9,000,000 general obligation bonds (first issuance of voter-approved 2023 authorization); delegation to award sale to superintendent/finance officer — Motion to approve made by Mr. French; second by Ms. Sanchez; outcome: approved. Sale expected May 14 with closing on or about June 4; district expects to maintain a $5.63 debt-service tax rate subject to sale results. - 2024–25 student transportation contract adjustment (replacement of two buses with Hammel Transportation) — Motion to approve made by Ms. Sanchez; second by Mr. Ashby; outcome: approved. - Policy J-4450/J-4461 (drug use in school activities; random drug and alcohol testing) — Third reading and adoption; motion to approve made by Mr. Ashby; second by Mr. French; outcome: approved. Policy changes include an option for students to reduce an initial suspension after completing a district-provided substance-abuse program and a provision that middle-school violations will not carry forward to high school.

What the board decided and next steps - The survey item was tabled indefinitely; board minutes record that the motion carried after roll call. No staff work or additional outreach on a district survey was directed by the board while the motion remains tabled. - The district will proceed with previously scheduled items: student travel approvals for Goddard High FFA, adjustment of a transportation contract to replace aging buses, and the first issuance of voter-approved bonds (sale expected in mid-May, closing in early June). Superintendent Luck and financial staff were authorized to complete contracting and award the bond sale to the lowest responsible bidder.

Context and background Nancy Lopez Elementary was renamed in 1991 for Roswell native and professional golfer Nancy Lopez after a community-driven effort and a unanimous board vote at that time; speakers at Tuesday’s meeting repeatedly referenced the 1991 dedication and the community support that produced the renaming. Some speakers stressed that the new school building will open in a different location and argued that a survey of neighborhood residents and school families was appropriate for a brand-new facility; others said the community’s history and the national stature of Lopez make any renaming inappropriate.

Public comment: volume and themes Dozens of residents, former board members, retired educators and current teachers addressed the board. The dominant theme in public comment was opposition to removing Lopez’s name. Speakers emphasized Lopez’s accomplishments and local roots; others called for a formal process to gather current community views in the neighborhood that the new school will serve.

Ending The board’s indefinite tabling leaves the current Nancy Lopez name in place for the existing and under-construction school. Several other items on Tuesday’s agenda moved forward without controversy, including student travel, transportation contracting and the district’s planned bond sale. If a trustee later moves to remove the tabled item from the agenda, the board could reopen the question at a future meeting.