The Governing Board of Los Cariños Charter School has hired a new, albeit familiar, figure as that school’s top administrator this school year.
Vernon Jaramillo — who has over the past 25 years been superintendent of the Española and Mesa Vista school districts, regent on Northern New Mexico College’s board, counselor at Española Military Academy and, until a month ago, member of Los Cariños’ own Board — has replaced former principal Victoria García.
The Board did not renew García’s contract at the end of the school year, Board President Rev. Terry Brennan said.
“A reporter at the SUN wrote that she didn’t have an administrative license,” Brennan said. “We decided that we needed a principal that had the proper credentials.”
According to state Education Department records, García holds a level three teaching license. That allowed her to oversee most of the school’s administrative functions except for conducting teacher evaluations, which forced the school to hire an outside consultant to evaluate teachers. A delay in hiring that consultant before the end of last school year forced Department officials to intervene.
Brennan said García could have obtained an administrator’s license.
“You’d have to ask her why she didn’t get it after two years,” Brennan said.
García could not be reached for comment.
Brennan said Jaramillo resigned from Los Cariños’ Board July 10, was hired as interim principal July 11 and started working full time Aug. 4. He has also since resigned as the Academy’s counselor. Academy Principal Steve Baca would not say whether he has hired a new counselor.
Jaramillo said he only plans to head Los Cariños this school year.
“At least that’s what it looks like right now,” Jaramillo said. “The Board asked if I’d be willing to take over for a year, and I agreed.”
This could leave Jaramillo open to pursue his old job as superintendent of the Española School District next June, when current Superintendent David Cockerham’s contract expires. Jaramillo would not comment on that possibility.
Jaramillo, who will receive the title of “chancellor” at Los Cariños, is responsible for the school’s budget, staffing and operations as well as academics, he said. He will earn an annual salary of $82,000 and will also be the school’s counselor, he said.
Los Cariños will also have a new business manager this year. Former business manager Joann Marquez resigned to take a job with a former employer, Blue Sky Builders, Brennan said. She will be replaced by Alex Salazar, a former employee of the state Education Department’s audit office, Brennan said.
Jaramillo became Mesa Vista superintendent in 1987. Though his final contract there expired in 2003, he was removed from that spot roughly 18 months earlier, when that district’s school board reassigned him to Mesa Vista High School’s bilingual program. A five-page affidavit from Jaramillo stating the reassignment was “retaliatory” became the centerpiece for an unsuccessful 2002 petition to recall three members’ spots on the Board.
Jaramillo became Española School District superintendent in July 2003 and held that position for two years, until the Española School Board decided in a 3-2 vote split along political lines to not extend his contract in 2005.