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Taos High expands ‘Flex Friday’ into College and Career enrichment program
Summary
Taos High School presented revisions to its Flex Friday program — renamed College and Career Enrichment Opportunities (CEO) — describing academic interventions, internships, dual-credit gains and plans to track attendance and pathways. Board members asked for clearer student outreach and quarterly reports on outcomes.
Taos High School officials presented a retooled Friday program July 23, saying the school will rebrand Flex Friday as the College and Career Enrichment Opportunity (CEO) program to emphasize post‑secondary readiness and consistent academic intervention. The program’s leaders told the Taos Municipal Schools Board the changes aim to combine classroom instruction, intervention for low literacy and numeracy scores, and off‑campus internships that expose students to college and career pathways.
The school’s principal, Emmy Martinez de Herrera, said the program is meant to serve rural students who balance school with sports, family and work and that it grew out of student requests. “This program would really support students in rural areas,” Martinez de Herrera said. She reported 91 students completed internships during 2023–24 and 40 students earned three or more UNM dual‑credit hours; she said roughly 155 freshmen earned first‑aid/CPR certification and 86 students completed credit recovery.
School leaders told the board they plan an alternating block schedule for Friday sessions so teachers keep core instruction time and students use afternoon blocks for CEO activities; the proposal calls for eight CEO Fridays each semester. The administration highlighted a proposed geo‑tracking check‑in to confirm students on site at partner locations and described efforts to use data (iReady, PLCs) to identify students needing targeted help.
Community partner Ben Mortensen of Friends of the Rio Grande del Norte described his Outdoor Academy internships and weekend programs, and said the program places students in summer work paid at $15 an hour. “These internships are a key part of our workforce pipeline,” Mortensen said, citing placements at a local fly shop, Far Flowing Adventures and the U.S. Forest Service.
Board members pressed for clearer student outreach and follow‑up. Board member Susan Trujillo asked whether the district has surveyed students about their Friday experience; Martinez de Herrera said an information email and prior open‑house events have been used but acknowledged more outreach is needed. Vice President Sprague asked for follow‑up reports and recommended quarterly updates on attendance and program outcomes; Martinez de Herrera agreed to provide periodic reporting.
The presentation also flagged grant opportunities tied to CTE, including an ‘‘innovation zone’’ grant that could reach roughly $200,000 to expand career technical education. Administrators said the program will continue partnering with UNM, county EMT programs and local employers and will refine an explicit graduate profile tying CTE competencies to post‑secondary goals.
Board members said they supported the program’s direction but asked staff to tighten communications to students and families, to document attendance and to return with measurable outcomes. Martinez de Herrera said she will work with the district to report results and to collect broader student and parent feedback.
The board did not take formal action during the presentation. Staff said they will return with implementation details, a calendar of CEO Fridays and quarterly outcome data for the board to review.
