Alamogordo Public Schools attempt to find ways to improve student achievement

ALAMOGORDO – On Sept. 20, the Alamogordo Public Schools Acting Superintendent Jarrett Perry and the APS Board of Education sent a letter to Air Force Secretary Dr. Heather Wilson and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein explaining changes Perry and the board wish to make to help Alamogordo schools become a higher-achieving school district.

“The first course of action will be swift and significant and will affect Alamogordo High School,” the letter states. “The first of these is to transition to new school leadership and immediately provide instructional support to the teaching staff. We have begun recruiting for a highly-qualified high school principal for AHS.”

Although the letter is addressed to the U.S. Air Force, Perry said that it was to the community at large. He does not expect a response from the Air Force.

Alamogordo Schools receive grades

The state Public Education Department (NMPED) released the state’s school grades and APS did not do as well as the community would have liked.

Of APS’ 15 schools, two had Fs, three had Ds, six had Cs, two had Bs and two had As.

The A grade schools are Holloman Elementary School and High Rolls Mountain Park Elementary School.

The two B schools are Holloman Middle School and Yucca Elementary.

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The C grade schools are Mountain View Middle, Chaparral Middle, Desert Star Elementary, Heights Elementary, North Elementary and Sierra Elementary.

The D grade schools are Academy del Sol Alternative High School, La Luz Elementary and Buena Vista Elementary.

The F grade schools are Oregon Elementary and Alamogordo High School.

For elementary schools, the D grade spectrum is 25 points to 49.9 points. Oregon Elementary got 32.8 points.

'Immediate interventions'

The letter outlines changes that will be applied at the high school.

"We feel that it is important to have immediate interventions that include transitioning district-wide instructional coaches, assistant principals, instructional assistants and counselors to, first of all, carefully monitor at-risk students or students who are under-performing academically," Perry said. "Our mission is to develop and implement programs of study that are relevant to the study, interests and needs of the student body."

The changes are going to be a systematic approach, "Change can be difficult but change can also be great,"Perry said."It's not going to happen overnight."

One of the more immediate changes is at the high school.

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AHS Principal George Heaton submitted his letter of resignation effective at the end of the school year, APS Human Resources Director Colleen Heaton said. The end of the school year is also the when Heaton's contact expires.

However, the search for a new high school principal is ongoing and if a new principal is hired before the end of the school year, Heaton will be redistributed to serve out the remainder of the school year.

These include monitoring and intervention for at-risk or under-performing students; enacting “sophisticated programs of study that are relevant to the interests and needs of the student body” including certification programs; expanding partnerships with colleges including expanding dual credit programs; strengthen College Prep Academy and Upward Bound Programs and improving upon the newly awarded Pre-AP program.

Drastic changes at Alamogordo High

The high school fell to an F because it did not test 95 percent of eligible students, otherwise it would have gotten a D. In 2016 and 2017, AHS got a C grade.

The test coordinator last school year is no longer employed by the district.

“New personnel will be monitored carefully to ensure this issue never occurs again,” the letter states.

As to the F grade at Oregon Elementary, changes taking place there include the district-wide implementation of the Engage New York math curriculum, monitoring and interventions for under-performing students, supporting instructional coaching for teachers and “onsite monitoring and increased principal supervision and coaching,” the letter states.

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For the three middle schools, which all dropped a grade, emphasis will be placed on writing and vocabulary.

“With new vision and energy, we accept the responsibility of our shortcomings and are committed to finding solutions rather than making excuses,” the letter states. “We are approaching these challenges with purpose and are dedicated to achieving the greatness our community deserves.”

The APS letter to the Pentagon can be found on the the APS website alamogordo.ss12.sharpschool.com/.