RRPS seeks 2040 vision from community

Superintendent Robert Dodd called for more community input at the second of four strategic planning meetings held last week at Rio Rancho High School.

The district is developing a new strategic plan called Horizon 2040. The name references the year the current preschool students will graduate. Dodd launched the initiative to update the district's goals for student outcomes. He also aims to position Rio Rancho Public Schools as a model for other districts in New Mexico.

The plan focuses on three specific areas: student success, school success, and district success. Staff, students, board members, and residents attended the high school meeting to discuss what success means for each group. They also debated how to achieve those goals.

"Community input is the key to this," Dodd said. "If there’s an area we’d like to get better at right away, it’s more community input."

The district has scheduled two more meetings to gather public feedback. The next in-person session is set for 6 p.m. on Nov. 12 at Maggie Cordova Elementary, 1500 Veranda Drive SE. A virtual meeting will follow on Nov. 19.

Dodd said the district will hold additional meetings over the coming year to refine the strategic plans. He noted that the data collected from residents provides useful insights into what families want to see in the future.

"This is a plan that has to have life," Dodd said. "We all have an obligation to ensure that whatever plan we come up with remains alive for these students for years to come."