August 2007

 Dear Parents, Students, and Quemado Schools Stakeholders,

 Welcome to our school.  I am beginning my fifth year with the Quemado School District and it seems that each year our school system gets better and better.  The media has stated that Quemado Elementary and Quemado High School did not make adequate yearly progress.  I believe, however, that this is a gross misrepresentation of how we are really performing.  To begin with, we did meet the required growth expectation for both math and reading in the total population of elementary and high school students.  Additionally, we made the grade with our attendance rate as well as our testing participation goals.  In fact, of the 37 cells in which we were to meet the expected goals, Quemado Elementary only failed to meet the goal in one cell: math skills growth in our economically disadvantaged population.  Quemado High was only deficient in one cell as well:  graduation rate.  I believe that overall, our schools are performing extremely well and we have many exciting plans for the upcoming school year.

  We have many familiar faces returning to staff both Datil and Quemado Elementary Schools and are extremely fortunate to have such a low turn over rate with the teachers in our district.  I am also pleased to welcome Cindy Albin back as our second grade teacher in Quemado.  Our dedicated and professional educators have been working throughout the summer to ensure that the students in Kindergarten through sixth grade will have the best possible education. 

 This school year our elementary students will see a few exciting changes in their schedules.  The teachers will be implementing a new Math curriculum entitled “Real Math”, we will offer physical education on a daily basis, and all students K-6 will learn keyboarding skills twice per week in our new elementary computer lab.  We will also continue our successful Reading First program and plan to offer a pre-school program for 4 year olds in the district.  Details about the preschool will be offered to parents at a later date.

 We have just as much good news from the high school arena.  We welcome one new addition to our stellar staff this year as Blaine Atwood joins the team to teach our Social Studies offerings and to coach basketball.  Some of the new classes available this year include video game design, English Honors as well as English prep classes, an integrated science elective, and Pre-Calculus. Additionally, we will issue a laptop computer to each student grades 7-12 as we did last year. 

 It is especially thrilling to note that our students are ready to rise to the higher math standards mandated by the state of New Mexico.  We have more of our students ready to enroll in Algebra I their freshman year than ever before and we are confident that the new math curricula in the middle and high school will provide a challenging learning experience.

 I would like to extend an invitation to each of you to come and visit our schools.  You may call to make an appointment to observe classes, attend sporting events, apply to be a substitute teacher, volunteer in the classrooms, or attend the Open House and/or parent/teacher conferences.  I am sure you will be as impressed with the learning environment, the teachers, and the students as I am.  I hope to see you soon.

 Sincerely,

Valerie Brea, Principal, Special Education Director, Freshman English Teacher

You may contact me at valeriebrea@quemadoschools.org