New Rio Rancho Public Schools Superintendent, Robert Dodd, says the district will use a bridge year to expand academic challenges and strengthen classroom instruction.
RIO RANCHO, N.M. – New Rio Rancho Public Schools Superintendent, Robert Dodd, says the district will use a bridge year to expand academic challenges and strengthen classroom instruction.
On Thursday, Dodd started his first first day as superintendent of Rio Rancho Public Schools. He is only the second superintendent in the district’s history.
Dodd said the district will focus on stronger classroom instruction, improving math and reading, boosting student attendance and strengthening connections with families.
“We want to challenge kids. We’re going to offer more acceleration, more enrichment for kids,” Dodd said.
Dodd said one of the biggest changes students will see this year is more opportunities to challenge themselves academically.
“For example, we’re opening pipelines to advanced math in upper elementary school and in middle school,” Dodd said.
The district’s Chief Academic Officer, Janna Chenault, said one goal this year is advancing math skills starting at the elementary level.
“So they will see fifth grade and sixth grade standards by the end of fifth grade. So that, sorry, they can move into seventh grade math material when they’re in sixth grade. We already have those pathways in our middle schools. So we’re trying to just amp that up and get more kids,” Chenault said.
What changes this year?
Chenault said all middle schools already have an accelerated math program. She said the district wants to introduce higher-level math earlier, starting with five elementary schools.
The goal of the accelerated courses is to prepare students for the fields they choose to enter or what they choose to study in college.
“I think one of the challenging components of math is it’s not just math anymore. There’s a lot of reading that goes into math,” Chenault said. “And so making sure the students understand that academic vocabulary and what they have to solve in those problems is much higher level thinking math than maybe what we received traditionally when we went to school.”
The district also wants every student to graduate with more than a diploma and with a plan for what comes next.
“They need confidence, they need a plan, and they need a credential. If we do those three things as a school district for all of our students, we will be successful,” Dodd said.
Dodd said many of the district’s biggest goals will take years to reach, but the work starts now. He said the district plans to engage strongly with parents and the community as it shapes its long-term vision.
