Velarde Elementary has been recommended for closer by the latest Facilities Master Plan update- August 2014; a previous plan dated 2013- 2017 encompassed Velarde Elementary School with a renovation project, that project was approved again in 2013! But fell short in the same year under the leadership of two newly elected board members.

To date the district has spent over 1 million dollars (taxpayer’s money) in preparation of the renovation project and now face no return on investment. Rather, the school board has chosen to spend operational money on Salaries for the superintendent, associate superintendent, and on lucrative contracts to non-qualified, politically influential individuals, not to mention frivolous expenditures for Board Members and on a Board room; the amounts to the above mentioned exceeds $100,000.

Velarde Elementary is the only school in northern NM to be built by the WPA in 1938 and still be used as a school house. Since then, it’s been a school house that has served over three generations of families in the Velarde and surrounding Communities. The School house comprises of strong bones that include over two feet thick adobe walls and original hard wood floors—this school was built to stand up against the test of time.

In 2008, Velarde was one of two schools in the state to receive a Blue Ribbon Award under the No Child Left Behind Act; the only school in the district to receive such an award. Prior to that and traditionally Velarde is a top performing school. In 2011 Velarde qualified for a renovation capital outlay project from the Public Schools Capital Outlay Committee, in this same year the Espanola Public School Board Voted a "yes" to the project. A general obligation bond election was held in February 2011 and the taxpayers voted “yes” to the bond. Prior to the bond election, the school district bond information that was distributed stated that the Velarde renovation project “will be completed”. Velarde 6th Grade students even produced a short film encouraging the passage of the GO Bond and 2 Mil Levy!  http://www.schooltube.com/video/5b6c9e8b16aaaa2d1230/

Furthermore, Velarde Elementary has been the subject of top performing small schools. Velarde has been mentioned in resolutions that were adopted by the Santa Fe Public School Board, and on a study done by Think NM. Both these articles have used Velarde Elementary as a model school! Additionally, Velarde Elementary has garnered a reputation for having very polite, sincere, and genuine students.

Every year after 2011 Velarde has yet to see the project underway, in fact the opposite has happened, the school has seen a revolving door of principals, teachers, and staff. Additionally, the parents of existing and potential new students have been told “NOT” to send their kids to Velarde due to its closing in the "following" year. 2013-2014 school year the superintendent chose not to replace two teachers, consequently resulting in combine classrooms from 1st - 6th grade. The same is true for the current year (2014-2015). As a result of the motives and mismanagement of the Espanola School Board and administrators, Velarde Elementary went from a consistently top performing school, to a school that now faces closure by the School Board.

The reasons for the closure of Velarde is the result of political motives, I have attended 95% of all school board meeting going on the last two years, and there are no other reasons for the closure, not budget, not for increased quality of education, and nor for the betterment of the children---ALL Political!!! The Tactics that this new Superintendent, Dr. Danny Trujillo, and the Board are using are incomprehensible, unethical, immoral, and have no regard to the tax payer! The previous Superintendent was in full favor of the Velarde Renovation project and was very much opposed to closing Velarde. NOT once has a board member mentioned an idea or suggestion of what can we do to save Velarde from closing, conversely , regarding three board members, NOT Board Member Lujan or Chavez, its always been “we are closing Velarde”

Read the various articles on what this District is doing-- we need State Intervention!!!!!

New year, same problem​

District awards 2 Smooth Advertising $50k contract​

School building unsafe​

Who Should We Believe?

We, as the Velarde Community, appeal to you, to support this petition against the closure of Velarde Elementary. Keep Velarde Elementary Open so that it can continue to be a Viable Community School