Jose de Wit
SUN Staff Writer
Velarde Elementary is weeks away from becoming one of only two New Mexico schools to receive a prestigious federal award.
The federal Education Department will not officially announce until September this year’s recipients of its Blue Ribbon, an award given to only a small handful of schools in each state.
But state Education Secretary Veronica García said in an Aug. 1 presentation that Velarde Elementary, along with Georgia O’Keefe Elementary in Albuquerque, will receive the award this year, and Española School District Superintendent David Cockerham said he is already making travel arrangements for Velarde Principal Roberto Archuleta to receive the award Oct. 21 in Washington, D.C.
“The whole school is very, very excited. We announced it to parents this morning (at the first day of school assembly),” said Alicia Gasca, president of the school’s Parent Action Committee. “It really shows they’re an exceptional school.”
The state Education Department nominated Velarde and two other schools late last year, and the District mailed in an application to the federal Department early this year, showing in 18 pages and four sheets of testing data why Velarde stands out among other New Mexico schools.
The award is part of the federal No Child Left Behind program, and emphasizes success in that program’s standardized tests. In that, Velarde has an almost spotless record of success. Except for last year, when the school’s overall scores met state expectations but its subgroup of English language learners did not, Velarde has consistently exceeded, often by wide margins, state goals for how many students should test at grade level each year.
Earlier this year, Velarde received an email from the federal Education Department, stating it would receive the award if it met state testing goals this year. It did, once again by a large measure. For that, Archuleta credits many factors, including support from parents, the school’s Spanish-language curriculum and the school’s small size.
Velarde Elementary’s parent committee is among the most active in the District, and academically, its support makes all the difference, Archuleta said.
The Committee’s involvement in the school is tangible, meeting needs the District can provide: sponsoring end-of-year field trips, publishing student agendas, buying physical education equipment and even sitting with teachers and administrators to pore over test data.
Gasca and Archuleta agreed that Velarde’s small student enrollment of roughly 170 students also contributes to its academic success.
“The kids are together from kindergarten through sixth, and they all know one another, like a family,” Archuleta said. “These things help make a school successful.”
Archuleta said the recognition is vindicating for a school the Española School Board, under pressure from state officials, only a few months ago considered shutting down and combining with Alcalde Elementary.
“The (Public School Capital Outlay Council) has known for years Velarde has done well academically,” Archuleta said. “Because I told them myself.”
Receiving the national award will drive the point home that Velarde Elementary is here to stay, Archuleta said.
“If we get this Blue Ribbon award, it’ll be the nail that closes the coffin on the idea of closing Velarde,” Archuleta said.