New Mexico / School Districts / RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
District leaders presented an arts‑integration pilot at two elementary schools, showed videos and student demonstrations, and asked the board for $130,000 over two years to complete staff training and embed coaching; board members pressed staff on scaling, selection bias and what the money would buy.
New Mexico / School Districts / RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Independence High School staff told the Rio Rancho school board the alternative high school is showing steady gains in student outcomes and described supports being expanded as construction continues on a new Independence campus with a guaranteed maximum price of $33.8 million and an expected August 2027 opening.
New Mexico / School Districts / RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Rio Rancho school board accepted the resignation of Secretary Dr. Beth Miller for health reasons, appointed Rebecca Murray as board secretary, approved a vacancy announcement for District 4 with materials due March 27, and scheduled candidate review and interviews April 7–9.
New Mexico / School Districts / RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
District AP leaders told the board the district has reinvigorated Advanced Placement offerings, ordering 2,064 AP exams (up from 1,367 last year), expanding pre‑AP courses and introducing new APs including African American Studies, cybersecurity and personal finance, and hosting statewide AP training at Rio Rancho High School.
New Mexico / School Districts / RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Facilities director Patrick Martinez briefed trustees on active bond and capital projects, including a $550,000 RioTech PV lab design and major systems work at Rio Rancho High; the board approved an on‑demand concrete and CMU block wall contract to five firms and discussed security upgrades including forced entry, access control and an Evolv weapons‑detection system.
New Mexico / School Districts / RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
District administrators recommended Tasha Young of the RADA department for the New Mexico School Boards Association Student Achievement Award for her work building a districtwide DASH planning template and supporting schools’ data use; the board approved the nomination unanimously.
New Mexico / School Districts / RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Trustees voted unanimously to enter an executive session under Section 10-15-1(H)(8) of the New Mexico Open Meetings Act to allow the superintendent to brief the board on possible acquisition, disposal or purchase of real property or water rights; the board did not reconvene the public meeting that night.
New Mexico / School Districts / RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
District IT director Scott Leppleman told the Rio Rancho Public Schools Board that education is currently the most-targeted sector for cyberattacks, that about 90% of incidents begin with phishing, and that layered defenses and 0-trust policies helped the district avoid the 2024 PowerSchool breach.
New Mexico / School Districts / RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The board approved RFP 2026-021-SND to secure vendors for high school stores and co-curricular programs, awarding contracts to local Chillzone and a Chick‑fil‑A operator; the procurement team emphasized nutrition compliance and the option to reissue an RFP to expand vendors.
New Mexico / School Districts / RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Trustees approved two state-funded capital outlay grant adjustments to cover tariff-related price increases on previously approved buses; the superintendent said the state paid 100% of necessary electric-bus infrastructure for a pilot project, with no district funds required.