FMS In The News: Scorpions sweep Piedra Vista in regular-season finale. By Steven Bortstein, The Durango Herald. The Farmington High School baseball team likely put itself in a position to play in next week’s state tournament after an impressive doubleheader sweep over crosstown rival Piedra Vista on Saturday at Ricketts Park. Read more: https://www.the-journal.com/articles/scorpions-sweep-piedra-vista-in-regular-season-finale/
FMS In The News: Farmington elementary schools awarded $50,000 grants to develop community schools plan. By Mike Easterling, Farmington Daily Times. A variety of new services could be in the works at two Farmington elementary schools after each was awarded a $50,000 grant from the New Mexico Public Education Department to develop a community school plan. Read more: https://www.daily-times.com/story/news/education/2023/05/01/animas-apache-elementary-schools-receive-50000-grant-from-state/70160993007/
Here’s what we have coming up for breakfast and lunch in May, FMS. In addition to the events below, our Student Nutrition Department is also serving a special breakfast to our high school graduates on graduation day. On May 19, we’ll celebrate National Pizza Party Day! Pepperoni pizza for all and since it's a party, ice cream treats too! Don't worry if your student's school is not offering a hot breakfast item, they are still getting a delicious and nutritious grab-and-go breakfast to enjoy in their classroom!
Find our menus at https://fms.nutrislice.com.
Principals and Assistant Principals are leaders who inspire confidence and prioritize the needs of students. They create a welcoming and inclusive school culture. They are dedicated to their work, responsive to parents' concerns, and committed to building a nurturing and engaging learning environment for students, families, and staff. Happy Principal And Assistant Principal Appreciation Day!
All of our Principals and Assistant Principals are being presented with nacho kits today from our Student Nutrition Department. Enjoy!
Hello FMS families and community,
Great news! Registration for the upcoming school year (2023-24) is now open at FMS! If you are new to our district and not currently enrolled in one of our FMS schools, you can register your child at https://www.farmingtonschools.us/page/registration. Please be aware that there are two links available, one for the current school year (2022-23) and one for the upcoming year (2023-24). Make sure you select the correct link.
FMS, our partners at the San Juan College Continuing Education Department will host two one-week GenCyber Student Camp Program sessions during the summer of 2023. This FREE summer camp is for students who have completed grades 6-11 and will offer engaging, hands-on activities, guest speakers, cybersecurity activities, competitions, and exposure to computer architecture, operating systems, network fundamentals, and programming.
Apply before June 5 at https://fs11.formsite.com/MoRpnW/4iyuisdnhb/index
For more information, you can also visit: https://www.sanjuancollege.edu/community/kids-kollege/
From Superintendent Cody Diehl – This week, we officially welcomed a new member to the FMS Board of Education. I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Ms. Barbara Luna Tedrow.
The voices of our Board of Education members are a critical part of making sure we create the best learning environment that will help students in the City of Farmington thrive for decades to come.
Being a School Board member requires long hours that often go unseen, on top of the already-busy lives that members have. So, on behalf of the staff, students, and families of Farmington Municipal Schools – thank you all for your service to the district and your advocacy for improving the quality of education for our students.
#RisingToExcellenceInEveryPursuit
Happy Earth Day, FMS. This year's Earth Day theme is “Invest in Our Planet,” and it emphasizes the need to invest in our planet to improve our environment and give our descendants a better and safer future. As a school district, we have a responsibility to teach our students about the importance of sustainability and to help them develop a sense of environmental stewardship. To highlight this event at FMS, none of our 20 school kitchens used electricity or gas yesterday, and all meals were served cold so we could conserve energy, something we’ve been doing since 2014. Also yesterday, 5,000 growing kits were given to our students and we hope to see them register for our 3rd Annual Earth Day Challenge! Visit https://www.farmingtonschools.us/page/earth-day for more information.
Let's give a big congratulations to Coach Roy Johnson for his induction into the New Mexico High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor!
“This is a great honor. I’m really happy to be inducted and that my coaching work and reaching kids' lives are being recognized. I thank my family for standing behind me. If you are going to be a coach you need the support of family and administrators and I’ve had that,” said Coach Johnson.
Mr. Johnson, a 2-time state wrestling champion, is currently the Piedra Vista HS Softball Pitcher Coach. He has been coaching for 49 years. He was inducted into the Farmington High School Hall of Fame in 2013 for Softball and Wrestling, the NM Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009, and awarded Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, and 2001.
The New Mexico High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor is the highest award recognized in the NMHSCA and for the state of New Mexico. In order to be chosen as an NMHSCA Hall of Honor Inductee, the coach must have reached the pinnacle of coaching in New Mexico and be a member of the NMHSCA for a minimum of 20 years.
Congratulations, Coach Johnson, and thank you for inspiring generations of athletes!
We are honored to announce that Farmington Municipal Schools has been named a "Best Community for Music Education" for the 7th year in a row by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation! This prestigious recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our Fine Arts Department and our incredible music teachers who go above and beyond to provide our students with an outstanding music education. We couldn't be prouder of their achievements! Thank you to the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation for this recognition.
Save these dates! ¡Marquen estas fechas! Nahidizidï bikáá’ ádiiłiił!
Farmington HS and Piedra Vista HS will have their graduations at Hutchison Stadium, Rocinante HS at the Farmington Civic Center, and San Juan College HS at the SJC Graduation Plaza. See you there!
FMS In The News: House Bill 130 prompts longer school days for New Mexico students. By Debra Mayeux, Durango Herald. The Farmington Municipal School Board adopted a new calendar for the 2023-2024 academic year at its meeting Tuesday. The change occurred in response to House Bill 130, which extended the school day, and the number of days students attend school. Read more: https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/house-bill-130-prompts-longer-school-days-for-new-mexico-students/
FMS, an updated 2023-24 academic calendar with minor changes was approved by the Board of Education last night. The first day of school for Kindergarten, 6th, and 9th grades will now be August 10, 2023. The rest of the grades will start on August 11, 2023. May 24, 2024, will now be a full day for students instead of a professional day. The last day of school will now be May 24, 2024. Not on the calendar, but please note that the school day has increased in elementary by 20 minutes (class will end at 3:05 p.m.), 10 minutes in middle school (class will end at 3:45 p.m.), and 3 minutes in high school (class will end at 3:15 p.m.).
A preschool calendar should be available in May.
Read more: https://www.farmingtonschools.us/article/1079868
April 17, 2023: What a great day for tennis! Here are some images from Today’s District Dual between Farmington High School and Piedra Vista High School.
April 17, 2023: Congratulations to the PVC Pipettes on placing 2nd in the 5A Treble Choir Contest. Their music selections were “Tanzen und Springen,” “Weep, O Mine Eyes,” and “Witness.” Kudos to Music Director Mr. James Golden.
April 17, 2023: Congratulations to Piedra Vista Chamber Choir on placing 2nd in the Class 5A State Choir Contest. Their music selections were “Invictus,” “Sure On This Shining Night,” and “Rosas Pandan.” Kudos to Music Director Mr. James Golden.
April 17, 2023: Congratulations to the Heights Middle School Troubadours for winning the Middle School / Junior High State Choir Contest! This is the second year in a row that Heights has won the middle school competition. This year, their music selections were “O Magnum Mysterium,” “Bringers of Noise”, and “Ten Thousand Miles.” Kudos to Music Director Ms. Siromani Leath.
We had the pleasure of chatting with the tech-savvy quartet behind Farmington High School's “Server Central,” a student-produced podcast on all things tech. Austin Bechdol, Ronald Boushee, Dakota Thompson, and North Sloat shared their experiences creating the show, admitting that their first episode was a bit of a challenge. But you wouldn't know it from their fifth episode, where they worked seamlessly together, researching topics before diving into discussions. They even brought in a special guest, FHS Assistant Principal Mr. Christopher Argotsinger, to weigh in on the topic of Analog versus Digital.
This 30-minute student-produced podcast started as an idea at the start of the school year. The students pitched it to their Teacher and Athletic & Activities Coordinator, Johnny Curry, and the brainstorming began. The result is a thought-provoking and entertaining show. And the best part? It will continue even after the seniors graduate next month, ensuring that “Server Central” remains a staple of FHS Live.
Ready to tune in? Head over to https://www.fhslive.com to check out “Server Central” for yourself!
During our last Equity Council Meeting, the team tackled the important initiative of boosting attendance rates and showing students the immense value of regular school attendance. They came up with some great ideas, like providing transportation and assisting with clothing and hygiene needs that may be keeping kids away from class. Currently, around 800 students miss school every day, bringing the attendance rate down to 91 percent. But the team is determined to raise that number to at least 94 percent by the end of the school year.
During the second part of the meeting, special guests Genevieve Hiltebrand and Michele Yazzie spoke to the team about Navajo Math Circles and how incorporating cultural strategies can help Native American students make meaningful connections to math. In the photo, you can see Ms. Hiltebrand (left) and Ms. Yazzie brainstorming with the group about ways to engage students with exciting events and activities.
If you're curious about Navajo Math Circles, you won't want to miss this fantastic video: https://vimeo.com/207857116. To learn more about the Equity Council, which includes students, parents, community members, and district leaders working together to support underserved student groups, check out our website: https://www.farmingtonschools.us/page/fms-equity-council.
April 10, 2023: Earlier this month, Mario Acosta conducted training with our principals and assistant principals on high-functioning collaborative teams. The training lasted two days and included thoughtful discussions on the changes students experience going from middle to high school, how to help students underperforming, concentrate on the mastery of content, create a plan for recovery, inform parents on how to monitor their student’s progress, and making sure teachers receive the help they need to support students struggling in their classrooms.
We are always working to make sure our students get the best education possible, and we have professionals like Dr. Acosta to help us with this important work. Dr. Acosta is an expert in making sure schools have an effective culture, aiding teachers improve their skills, and making sure all students have the support they need to succeed. More to come.
