The FMS Board of Education celebrated the district being named one of the Best Communities for Music Education and four educators becoming National Board Certified Teachers during this afternoon’s regular meeting.
Best Communities for Music Education
This is the eighth year in a row that FMS has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation for its commitment to music education. The Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded by The NAMM Foundation to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in providing music access and education to all students.
Our FMS Fine Arts Coordinator Mr. Daniel Fear presented the recognition. Read more here and here.
National Board Certified Teachers
The Board presented Ms. Heidi Clark (Country Club Elementary School), Lorie Gillen (Country Club Elementary School), Jessica Ortiz (Farmington High School), and Benjamin Nabors (Hermosa Middle School) with certificates of excellence for achieving National Board Certification. Our educators' names will now be added to a plaque recognizing their achievement, which is featured at the FMS Central Office.
National Board Certification is the most respected professional certification available in education and provides numerous benefits to teachers, students, and schools. It was designed to develop, retain, and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools.
Our FHS Librarian Ms. Kyla Johnson presented the certificates (and plants).
Community School Grant
The Board approved the Community Schools Resolution Report, in support of Apache Elementary and Animas Elementary for the implementation phase. Annual implementation grants of $150,000 each year are available from the NM Department of Education for each eligible school. NMPED will announce the schools that will receive the award on April 22. Read more here.
Trip Approvals
Lastly, the Board approved two important trip requests.
The first one was for the CATE’s Spring Trip to Washington DC as part of John Hopkins University High School Redesign. Two educators and two students will travel to present on the CATE Center’s High School Redesign on belonging and focusing on student voices for school improvement.
The second trip approved was for Piedra Vista’s Educators Rising program, which will be traveling to the National Competition in Washington DC this summer. Four students will travel to this unique opportunity and compete for national titles in events designed to allow students to develop and showcase their teaching skills. The team will also see keynote presentations from national education leaders.
The next Board of Education meeting will take place on May 7, 2024.