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Six district schools earn grade of “B” or “A” on PED report card

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Board members weigh in

With a fresh new year ahead, Gallup-McKinley County Schools students, faculty, and administrators, continue to work with students on improving and refining learning techniques and test scores.

It’s likely that many of the schools in the district have the New Mexico Public Education Department’s school grades, released on Dec. 18, on their minds as they look for ways to improve student performance.

The report card showed that six district schools earned a grade of “B” or “A” for the 2014-15 school year.

Miyamura High, Gallup Middle College High, Ramah High, Chief Manuelito Middle, Indian Hills Elementary, and David Skeet Elementary schools – all earned a “B” or higher.

The majority of schools, however, earned a C grade or lower, which means improvements are needed to bolster overall school grades.

District 5 Board of Education member Lynn Huenemann said he feels that the district made a few steps forward in the school grades; however, there is still a long way to go.

He also mentioned that the work session participation before Board meetings are highly encouraged because some good discussions take place at that time. No decisions or no votes are made but it is a time for “talking ideas.”

“There are many things to be looked at and many things to be addressed,” he said. “But, at least there is some movement in the right direction in school grade report cards. I said how one chain climbs the mountain, one step at a time. Well, we’ve taken a step for climbing a mountain.”

The Board’s Vice President Kevin Mitchell agreed that there were improvements across the board and that schools did a fantastic job.

“The ones that didn’t improve as much, I still think that they did well,” he said. “No matter what program they were following, our principals, our teachers, and our children all did a great job with the testing.”

Board President Titus Nez added a comment to the Gallup Sun’s Facebook page on Dec.18 with this statement: “I always stress to parents that the important key to student success is being actively involved in their education. We must inspire them to succeed and support their creativity. It takes a community to build a positive role model. Despite the negativity, dirty politics, and personal agendas; I stand firmly in my position of being a positive influence in my community and children. As I always stated, the teaching must come from the hogan level. Even though my great grandma was not educated, it was because of her teachings and discipline, I am who I am. That’s just my example of being a positive influence. Every home, every background have their own personal stories. To close my statement, I would just like to say we must always support our children’s education and be actively involve in their everyday education. Whether it is helping them read a book, solving a math problems or supporting them. Try it.”

District 4 board member Joe Menini refused to comment, saying, “I am not a spokesperson for the Board.”

Multiple efforts were made to contact Superintendent Frank Chiapetti and Board secretary Priscilla Manuelito for comment, but neither party could be reached for comment by press time.

To review the full list of school grades for Gallup McKinley County Schools, visit: www.gallupsun.com

By Chrissy Largo
Sun Correspondent

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