New Mexico School for the Deaf Progress Magazine - English - Winter-Spring 2022-23

Dream! Explore! Achieve!

Vision

Children and students in New Mexico who are deaf/hard of hearing will become lifelong learners and contributing, well-rounded successful individuals in an increasingly global society.

Mission

The mission of the New Mexico School for the Deaf (NMSD), New Mexico’s first public school, is to provide for the unique needs of children and students who are deaf/hard of hearing, their families, and professional partners by providing a comprehensive array of school and statewide programs.

As a school, NMSD provides an American Sign Language and English bilingual learning environment that includes direct, ongoing access to language and communication in and out of the classroom with a wide range of peers and adults. The students are interactive learners who receive dynamic high quality standardsbased instruction in a variety of curricular and extra-curricular activities.

As a statewide service agency, NMSD collaborates with families, school districts, agencies and communities throughout the state to meet the critical language, communication, and learning needs of children and students in New Mexico who are deaf/hard of hearing, birth through high school.

Beliefs

In an environment of respect, trust, and safety, we believe in…

• viewing people who are deaf/hard of hearing from a cultural and linguistic perspective

• having high expectations that positively affect self-esteem, identity and whole person development

• providing early, ongoing, and fluid access to communication through natural language models

• developing proficiency in American Sign Language and English which is critical for fluent communication, literacy and academic achievement

• supporting the development of auditory skills and spoken language as appropriate to the strengths and needs of the individual child/student

• providing high quality early intervention and involvement services designed to help families give their children the earliest possible on-going opportunities for language, learning and meaningful relationships

• fostering strong partnerships with families through learning and social opportunities

• identifying each student’s unique strengths and using them as the foundation for learning and development

• ensuring the child/student is a consistent and active participant in planned and incidental learning experiences in and out of the classroom

• embracing ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity

• developing competence in the use of advanced technology

• having high quality and committed staff who possess and maintain expertise in their respective area

• supporting all students in the pursuit of their personal and professional aspirations

DEAR NMSD FAMILY & FRIENDS

The other day, I was thinking about the title of this magazine “The New Mexico Progress.” Who were the people who thought up the title? Did they envision the world that we have today? What defines Progress?

The Merriam Webster Dictionary gives us multiple definitions. Some of the most relevant are nouns: “A forward or onward movement (as to an objective or goal)” and “Gradual betterment.” Progress is also defined as a verb “To move forward: Proceed” and “To develop to a higher, better, or more advanced stage.”

How far have we come? Where are we going? As a global society in which we are all acting out our own roles, it is difficult to see progress especially when we read the works of ancient Philosophers grappling with many of the same issues that we face today. It is easier to see the progression when it comes to technology, especially with the dawning of the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Progression is not linear. We know from history that we do not start at one point and end at another point (the goal) but go backwards, forwards, left, right, to hopefully end up where we want to be.

In Deaf education, progress can be seen over the centuries. Throughout history, Deaf children were seen as deficient, unable to learn, and problems to be solved. Up until recent history, Deaf people were placed in asylums, prohibited from attending school, left to their own devices, or worse. Various Deaf and hearing people across time have pushed Deaf education forwards (and sometimes backwards).

I am often asked, “Aren’t residential schools for the Deaf outdated models of deaf education?” To this, I respond, “No, leaving children in isolation without direct and easy communication, access to peers, teachers, coaches, and other staff is the outdated model.” Deaf children must always have the option of receiving full access to communication in an environment where families as well as educators believe that their child/student can learn and be successful.

This is the crux of why NMSD exists, to support families, especially those of younger children (EIDS), to support children in school districts (Outreach), and to provide an option to be immersed in easy direct instruction and social learning experiences with a critical mass of peers (School Programs). Now that we have thought about why we are here, we must also consider where we are going. We are certainly not simply existing.

Where do we want to be? There are many critical questions that we must consider including the following:

• With modern progression in listening technology combined with the children’s continued desire to connect with their peers and adults through sign language, where are we going as a school and statewide agency?

• With rapid changes in this information age where it is easy to pull up information, solve complex mathematical equations, or create epic novels with a few clicks, where are we going as educators?

We will be developing our new strategic plan during the 2023-2024 school year and during this time, we will define what progress looks like for us. This will require the involvement of various stakeholders including our community members and families. I look forward to this meaningful process.

Then again, we could always ask AI.

With appreciation and gratitude,

Dr. Jennifer Herbold, Superintendent

FULL STEAM AHEAD!

BY SHA REINS & SCOTT VOLLMAR

Mix Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, and what do you get? Here are just some of the innovative projects completed in STEAM classes this year: a newspaper table that holds a cup of water, dropping eggs without breaking them from high heights, making sure the paper sleds students made carry ‘gifts’ down a steep slope to the bottom without losing any cargo, and building windmills, inspired by special people like William Kamkwamba who built one in his country in Africa.

STEAM classes are a major and valuable focus for our students. A STEAM committee was established on campus to help steer NMSD toward better STEAM integration across all subjects and grades. As a result, toddlers through seniors, our ECE programs in Albuquerque, Farmington, and Las Cruces, and our Family Playgroups were immersed in STEAM activities all year.

At the ECE and Elementary level, students are not told what to do. Instead, they are presented with a challenge, and asked to think creatively to solve problems. STEAM classes also provide students with opportunities to learn from each other. Students strengthen their communication skills as they work and collaborate in groups. When they experience solving their problems in STEAM classes, they become more confident and creative in solving problems in life.

Here are examples of the STEAM activities our ECE and Elementary students did this year:

• Maneuvered a Hexbug Maze

• Balanced straws

• Explored how air takes up space

• Engineered Q-tip bridges

• Made the longest paper chain with one sheet of paper

• Manufactured a table out of newspaper that could hold a cup of water

• Built the tallest snowman

• Desi gned a windmill that pulled a LEGO from the bottom to the top

• Powered a LEGO car with a fan

• Discovered plastic bags can catch air

• Compared different movement with different items in the wind

• Created pumpkin sinks

• Concocted slimes

• Observe d chemical reactions when two ingredients are mixed together

Creating a steep slope that sleds will slide down

Using STEAM vocabulary to create word art

For Middle and High School students, STEAM crosscurricular activities took place in their Science, Art, and Math classes. Everyone had lots of fun during our egg drop competition. Student and staff also developed literacy materials related to STEAM vocabulary. This enhanced their knowledge while improving their critical thinking and teamwork skills.

We also know that developing a strong curiosity, understanding, and passion for STEAM will support college or workforce integration. For the last five years, NMSD has partnered with Rochester Institute of Technology. We offer college credit courses, taught by trained instructors, with a primary focus on STEAM. These courses cover a wide range of topics, including forensics, graphic design, and CAD applications. In addition, our transition team has established connections for mentorships and apprenticeships in various fields.

There is no doubt in our minds how important STEAM is for our students. The educational and fun activities that took place throughout the school year allowed students and staff to have hands-on experiences that supported the development of new skills. This fostered a strong understanding and deep appreciation for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Our students are moving ‘Full STEAM Ahead’ into a promising future!

Tower power!

Fingerspelling the word “coding”

BORN TO EXPERIMENT

BY JOANNE CORWIN, DIRECTOR EIDS

When do babies start to experiment and become curious about their environment? Almost immediately! Research shows that, based on external incentives, within 24 hours of birth healthy, full-term babies begin to purposefully adjust one of the few behaviors in their control: their sucking patterns. In other words, they are already using STEAM strategies within their first day of life!

STEAM is an educational approach using Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as a way to guide student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) asserts that as babies, we are born with a desire for STEAM learning. All of the strategies used in STEAM (problemsolving, persistence, creativity, reasoning) are also linked to cognitive and language development.

Infants and toddlers have many expressive early visual communication strategies that help caregivers identify their interests and curiosity. Research also points out that a young child’s smiles, gestures, and hand and body movements can reveal their understanding of the world around them.

This is why families and EIDS Developmental Specialists work together to encourage STEAM learning. The work includes being careful observers of their child’s communication; responding to and supporting curiosity; and being intentional in their responses. This means providing the appropriate time for a child to process information and anticipating a response. Children are born with a desire to learn and experiment. Families and EIDS partner so that they can learn and grow.

Discovering the assorted properties of slime

Exploring the science behind bubbles

Learning about the fantastic environments of fish

Checking out the effect of running water on velocity

Baking Chemistry!

FULL STEAM AHEAD WITH REGGIO EMILIA!

BY ANGELA CORONA

All of NMSD’s ECE programs follow a philosophy called Reggio Emilia, a philosophy named after the city of its origin in Italy. Reggio Emilia practices have taught us to follow the interests of the child. Their interests are the building blocks of education. We use these “blocks” to build experiences, knowledge, and accomplishments in all the domains of learning.

These domains include STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. Our students are immersed daily in a multitude of transdisciplinary work and activities incorporating the many elements of STEAM. Here are some photos revealing how our curious and creative students engage in STEAM activities!

Sscience

Ttechnology

engineering

art

Learning how leaves change and fall off trees

Experimenting with how slime moves and stretches

Making a seesaw tip up and down

EWatching and copying penguin movements

Designing a city road map together

AFollowing a recipe

Mpenguins

math

THE SCIENCE OF PLAY

BY MARY HELEN PEREZ

Our preschoolers learn through play - experiencing the world by investigating, observing, noticing, questioning, and hypothesizing. Water play engages younger children with the fun of filling and dumping various containers. Children repeat this play until they are satisfied with all the “what ifs” in their mind.

As they get older, they build structures with tubes and funnels, tackling the drippy, messy, overflowing work of water play with a pile of towels and extra clothes. Friends Wyatt Benally and Brodan Morgan enjoyed working together at the water center. While Brodan assembled a stand with funnels; Wyatt filled a newly introduced container and delighted in the pumping action. They noticed each other’s work, smiled, and laughed! In addition to the scientific discoveries in motion, the social emotional impact of working together peacefully is huge.

Sometimes literature inspires our exploration. The book Stuck by Oliver Jeffers tells the tale of a boy getting his kite stuck and his hilarious efforts to get the kite unstuck by chucking other objects at the kite. The students were given supplies to build their own trees and see how many objects could get stuck until the entire tree collapsed. Haylee Gutierrez focused on carefully distributing the objects over her “tree canopy.” Through many trials, Haylee finally fit all the objects from the story onto her tree. Success!

While eating breakfast one morning, a student from a neighboring class asked, “What if I dropped my pear into my cereal?” A great question! His teacher promised that after everyone finished eating, they would conduct a science experiment to find out. All interested students gathered materials and poured their extra milk into the pitcher. One student marked the milk line with a dry erase marker, others added pears.

Many observations were made: “the milk is going up, up, up;” “too many pears;” "it's going to spill.” We drew a final line at the upper most level to demonstrate displacement theory. The teacher encouraged students to observe what happens to bathtub water next time they are in the tub.

Catapults are another great source of study. Students loved the DIY aspect of operating the catapults. They launched pom poms all over the classroom. Brodan Morgan added observations to our writing workshop board and was able to draw our experiment. He proudly shared his illustration and findings with others. Our preschool adventures reveal how naturally inquisitive children are, and how much they are drawn to exploration and discovery through play.

Playing with ramps and tunnels

Pumping water back into the sink

Balancing object in a tree

Loading catapults!

How many pears until the milk overflows?

Drawing the catapult experiment during writing workshop

STEAM ALL YEAR ROUND!

BY SOFIA VILLA

At the Las Cruces Preschool we are always running at full STEAM! We were delighted to once again host in-person our annual Winter Celebration - a time for families and community members to connect while offering science and art related activities for children.

Everyone had great fun experimenting with slime, which is always a hit! There was also a popular rock painting area and a bowling and ring toss station. But that wasn’t the only fun we had this winter! We also decorated and hung pinecones for the Christmas tree located in the Mesilla Plaza, and our enriched learning day gave students the opportunity to explore different technologies like Code-a-pillars. The Code-a-pillar allows students to experiment, problem-solve, and sequence toy segments.

Another focus of learning this past winter was caretaking. We practiced taking care of the planet by conserving water. We made it a priority to use less water when washing our hands, washing dishes, and brushing our teeth.

Our spring semester focused on everyday helpers, including construction workers. We learned they are similar to civil engineers. Alden had great fun dressing up as a construction worker and built amazing structures out of wood blocks. We also practiced writing numbers on chalkboards during Math center time, and mastering counting to 10 and adding to 5.

All in all, STEAM activities have provided countless opportunities to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.

Conserving water while washing dishes

Bowling!

Important construction work underway!

Engineering and building skills put to work

Decorating Pinecones

MAP QUEST

BY KRIS EATON

The kindergarten class has been immersed in a new unit of study called, “Where I live.” Several aspects of STEAM were woven throughout the projects and discoveries. We started by finding their houses on Google Earth - typing in their home addresses and finding a picture of their residence. We continued the study by learning the names of their street, city, and state.

The project has expanded to learning more city names, whether their friends live in apartments or houses, and how to find directions from one house to another using the Google Maps app. We also studied how to sign “left, right, and forward,” and then planned out a route from their house to a friend’s house. The students were fascinated to see who lived close by, while other friends lived much further away in another city.

The students are working on two final projects related to this unit. The first project is making a city/country map that connects all our homes by roads, trains, or walking paths. Students have added their homes, street signs, bridges, trees, rivers, and grass.

The second project has students creating individual books about where they live by including descriptions about their house, bedroom, street, and city name; adding the country name and Earth. Students wrote sentences connected to the picture and then gave an ASL description about each page. We typed up their stories, and are excited to turn them into books they can take home!

Smiling faces and the final map!

Creating travel routes and signing directions

A group map with each student’s house

Adding mountains to the group map

Building a 5-story apartment building!

Learning the sign for “LIVE”

Practicing giving directions

SAY “HAY” TO NEW FRIENDS!

BY KIM BURKHOLDER AND 1ST/2ND GRADERS

Our first and second graders are up to all kinds of fun activities! Recently they enjoyed a very cool field trip to the My Little Horse Listener therapy facility in Los Cerrillos. My Little Horse Listener is a non-profit organization where students can improve their reading skills while connecting with two miniature horses, a mini donkey and a mule. Our students found out how much fun it is to read to pint-sized equines!

Founder and Executive Director, Liz Delfs, introduced students to Mellie the mule, miniature horses Hot Dog and Thor, and Serafina, a miniature donkey. In addition to reading books to them, we learned the correct way to pet these sweet wee ones! We also learned that the animals use body language to communicate with humans.

Everyone took turns reading books to Mellie, Hot Dog, Thor, and Serafina. Students also had a chance to draw pictures of their new mini-friends and eat snacks! Here’s what students wrote about the experience:

1st Graders: On Thursday, we went on a field trip. The farm had two little horses, one little donkey, and one little mule. They communicate with their bodies and heads. Their names are Hot Dog, Serafina, Thor, and Mellie. We read to the horses. Some horses paid attention, but Hot Dog did not. Hot Dog was busy eating! We had a great time!!

2nd Graders: Last week on Thursday we went to the horse ranch. The ranch had two horses, one donkey, and one mule. They were all white or brown. They were 5 – 9 years old. We read books to the miniature horses. The horses liked our books! They were good listeners and watchers, but sometimes they tried to eat our books or us!! We thank the ranch for letting us come! We had an AWESOME time!

Hot Dog and Mellie with NMSD students, staff and Little Horse Listener volunteers

Sharing a drawing with Mellie

Reading to Thor the miniature horse

OVER THE MOON ABOUT SCIENCE

BY SARAH MACDONALD

Our middle school students journeyed back in time to the formation of the universe this past spring. We experienced the Big Bang, saw the Milky Way galaxy begin, and waited for Earth to become habitable. We learned about Earth and Space Science by enacting the phases of the moon by holding ping pong balls on golf tees. By darkening the classroom, we were able to watch the shadow growing and shrinking on the ball, revealing the phases of the moon. We also carved the phases of the moon out of the creamy center of Oreo cookies - and then enjoyed them as a snack. They were heavenly!

We also learned about the stars. Home Depot generously donated workshop kits that allowed students to build their own constellation viewers. After checking out the constellations, we took a field trip to the New Mexico Museum of Science and Natural History - including an exciting planetarium show with comets and asteroids. Then we met Earth’s early inhabitants by visiting dinosaurs and the skeletons of ancient Woolly Mammoths - who knew they once roamed New Mexico?

After learning about the stars and the Earth’s inhabitants, we looked at the ground under our feet and learned how it got there. We started with Plate Tectonics and figured out how the continents fit together to make Pangea. We explored Alfred Wegner’s evidence in seeing the fossils all over the world that could only have gotten there if all the continents were together. We discussed what might happen in the future to the still-moving continents.

A grant from the Santa Fe Civitans allowed us to hold trilobite fossils in our hands while marking where they were found. Students were shocked when they realized fossils were found in southern New Mexico. We also visited the Mid Oceanic Ridge with Google Earth. The 65,000 km ridge is a mountain chain that includes a volcano, and rose from the ocean in Greenland! Luckily, we could visit the Mid-Ocean Ridge without getting our feet wet.

We are looking forward to learning how the Earth continually changes through erosion and natural disasters, including the importance of water and the role of water in weather. The most important takeaway, however, has been that while the Earth may look mighty and strong, it is a delicate home that we need to protect. Let’s spread the word!

Matching planets with their names and description

Carving moon phases using Oreo cookies - yum!

Building a constellation viewer

Mapping locations of Trilobite fossils

FULL STOMACHS AND HEARTS!

BY JR. NAD MEMBERS, DOMINIC HARRISON AND JOHANNA SCHERLING

Did you know that hunger is a growing crisis in Northern New Mexico and that in 2023, one in eight adults and one in five children are food insecure in our state? Jr. NAD members are committed to fighting hunger and food insecurity in our community so that access to adequate food and nourishment are available to individuals in need. To help address these needs Jr. NAD members decided to do a food drive and make a difference in our community.

Jr. NAD held its 2nd annual food drive in late November and early December of last year. Members reached out to NMSD staff, students, and their families to donate canned and dry goods. Everyone rose to the occasion, filling the many boxes set up around campus. The food and dry goods collected were donated to two hard-working local Santa Fe nonprofits whose mission is to fight hunger and food scarcity in Northern New Mexico: The Food Depot and St. Elizabeth Shelters and Supportive Housing.

The Food Depot's vision is simple: Healthy, hunger-free communities in Northern New Mexico. They work toward that vision by engaging a network of partners to develop solutions and create a hunger-free New Mexico.

St. Elizabeth Shelters and Supportive Housing is dedicated to assisting homeless individuals and families by providing emergency shelter, food, case management, and counseling, as well as supportive housing and referrals to partnering human service agencies. St. Elizabeth’s ultimate goal is not only to shelter the most vulnerable, but to end the cycle of homelessness altogether.

Jr. NAD and the NMSD Community understand the importance of supporting these two entities. When we dropped off the boxes of goods, staff from St. Elizabeth’s and The Food Depot expressed their sincere gratitude and thanked us for making a difference in the fight to end hunger.

We have also set our sights on increasing the number of donated items each and every year and are passionate about challenging ourselves and the NMSD Community to help us achieve this goal.

Filling up The Food Depot carts

Gathering food items around campus

Jr. NAD members at the Food Depot

LIFE IS BETTER WITH TREES

BY KERI-LYNN MCBRIDE

“Learn character from trees, values from roots, and change from leaves.”

~ Tasneem Hamed

After nearly a year of extensive planning with Tree New Mexico (TNM), 108 new trees were added to the existing 616 trees on our beautiful Santa Fe campus. Students, staff, NMSD Alumni Board, Board of Regents, former Supt. Stern and Supt. Gallegos, Mayor Webber, and TNM’s staff and volunteers worked side-by-side on this massive undertaking.

TNM, founded in 1990, is a state-wide nonprofit dedicated to helping communities plant and care for trees throughout "The Land of Enchantment". When a donor approached them with a desire to give trees to NMSD, we graciously accepted this amazing gift and opportunity.

In addition to extensive planning throughout the school year for the planting day, we learned about NMSD’s carbon footprint and how vital trees are to human life. They give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilize the soil, and give life to the world’s wildlife. NMSD is committed to a cleaner and greener future, and we are profoundly grateful to the anonymous donor who donated our new trees.

Shannon Horst, Executive Director of TNM shared, “Tree New Mexico was honored to organize a planting of 108 trees at the NMSD Campus in Santa Fe. Working with the NMSD team was a wonderful experience. We were excited to facilitate a community planting and see what benefits these trees bring to this already incredibly special community.”

What a fun and educational way to benefit our campus and the earth!

Planting a tree near aquaponic greenhouse

High Schoolers & Staff signing "trees"

Watering a newly planted tree (left) Raking in mulch (right)

WINTER MAGIC

BY KERI-LYNN MCBRIDE

This December marked the first in-person Winter Variety Show since 2019! Younger students took the JAL stage for the first time, and older students and staff were thrilled to perform once again. It was an unforgettable evening of wintery skits and jolly acts - sending us off into the holiday season with a joyful and celebratory spirit.

Amazing gymnastic skills during a performance of “Boombayah” “Moose’s Loose Tooth” - a skit by 1st and 2nd graders

Student Life staff performing a hilarious skit about being in a Zoom Meeting

PreK students watching the Star Wars movie they created

Our illustrious MCs

“The Deaf Grinch Family” by Student Body Government and Jr. NAD

Spinning colorful ribbons during 5th graders' “Jumping for Joy”

AN EYE-OPENING CELEBRATION!

BY SCOTT VOLLMAR

The return of A Feast for the Eyes to our James A. Little Theater this winter was a decided triumph! Over twenty-five student ASL Masters showcased their creativity in various ASL genres, including ABC and number stories, deaf jokes, narrative of personal experiences (storytelling), group narratives, translated songs, and much more. Our audience ate up this spell-binding feast, and we're already looking forward to next year’s event!

NMSD's ASL Storytellers

ASL Handshape Poem, "Super Mario"

A Deaf Joke, “Which House?”, about a pizza delivery gone awry!

A Personfication, "Pick a Dress"

Winning logo by NMSD Junior Tori Melendez

TRAVELS TO GREECE

BY KIMM WIENS

After a 5-year hiatus due to the pandemic, NMSD's International Studies crew of 11 set out on NMSD's 11th International Studies Trip and the first one to Greece! Enjoy these musings from the students' travel blog chronicling the daily adventures of their 2023 trip.

New York City

Statue of Liberty and NYC Pizza

'We flew overnight to New York and in the morning we took the subway all the way to the Statue of Liberty, and visited its museum, the Statue and Ellis Island.

We had delicious pizza for lunch before going back to the airport. We are ready to fly to Greece!'

Alex Wilding

Olympia

Olive Trees and Ancient Ruins

'We saw mountains, hills, the ocean, cute villages and a lot of olive trees.'

Angelique Hernandez

'First, we entered the museum which focused on the history of the Ancient Olympics. We saw some cool artifacts. For example, some athletes ran with a heavy armor and shield as a part of their event, which seems impossible!'

Kieran Vollmar

Delphi

Mountains, Oracle and Greek Food

'This whole site was very grand and we saw imagined sketches and we can imagine how big and beautiful this place was and this was also located on high hill overlooking the valley. When we were done with that, we had delicious food for lunch. It was also a good break for our feet!'

Efrim Rodarte-Estrada

Leaving NMSD for the airport!

A must: New York City Pizza

The Statue of Liberty in NYC

Delicious Greek food in Olympia

Ancient site of Olympic Games

Ancient ruins in mountain-top Delphi

Exploring the streets of Delphi

Athens

Greek Cooking Lessons, Athens Deaf School, Greek Independence Day and the Acropolis

'Back in Athens, after a long day of travel from Delphi, we went to Little Kook for dessert. This place was fantastic, filled with crazy fun decorations with various themes.'

Jesus Rios-Pena

'After lunch, we went to the famous Greek destination, the Acropolis! We climbed to the top and saw lots of cool buildings like the Parthenon and Temple of Athena Nike.'

Adrien Ercolino

'At the Deaf School in Athens , we learned how to use international signs and gestures to communicate with each other. It was a fun and good experience. The school had a skit relating to Greek Independence Day. We watched them sign in Greek Sign Language.'

Kieran Vollmar

Santorini

Blue Domes, Red Beaches & a Cruise

'Santorini is famous for its bluedomed churches and white buildings. Our hotel is by the water and is in a quiet place on the island.'

Julian Aranda-Sotelo

'We were excited to see the famous sunset from the town Oia on the island. It would be the last sunset that we would see in Greece by the ocean.'

Efrim Rodarte-Estrada

'After coming down from Lyabettus Hill....we explored the local fish and meat market, and then we went to cooking class. There, we made spinach pie, mosaic cake, and tzatziki sauce. After eating our creations we went back to our hotel and watched the sunset.'

Alex Wilding

'The parade was so cool. We saw all the Greek militia, including trucks, tanks, missile trucks, fighter jets, and helicopters. We also saw different militia groups in their full uniform, including their equipment and weapons.'

Melinda Johnston

In the city of Oia on Santorini island Dr. Fish Spa left feet smooth and silky!

International Studies at the Acropolis Wild and delicious desserts at Kooks!

A view of Athens

Greek food cooking lessons in Athens

At the Deaf School in Athens

Greek Independence Day Parade

WINTER TEAMS

VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL

VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL

MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL

GO ROADRUNNERS!

WINTER CHEER TEAM

MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL

From left: Jesse Dimas, John 'LJ' Hernandez, Emmett Lee, Adrien Ercolino, Matteo Leija, Kieran Vollmar, Efrim Rodarte-Estrada, Tyler Todorovic, Alex Gonzalez-Lopez and Zion Holmes. Not pictured: Head Coach Leo Gutierrez and Assistant Coach Pat Ercolino.

Front row from left: Kimora Vollmar, Chloe Willey-Saunders, Stacy Vargas and Sirrah Wilding. Second row from left: Angelique Quinonez, Serenity Adams and Jodie Dimas-Haley. Third row from left: Soniya Vigil and Toni Chaco. Top row: Ovilia Chaco. Not Pictured: Head Coach Letty Perez and Assistant Coach Kimberly Herrera.

Top row from left: Alivia Vacher, Sirrah Wilding and Serenity Hardy. Middle row from left: Alex Wilding, Madison Bunch, Serenity Adams and Efrim Rodarte-Estrada. Bottom from left: Head Coach Skye Dreumont, Leilani Crespo and Assistant Coach Adriana Martinez.

Standing from left: Head Coach Emilio Garcia, Jody Perez, Joshua Esquibel, Greyson Lobato, Jesse Crespin, Zeriah Baca, Esteban Ruiz and Assistant Coach Scott Vollmar. Sitting from left: Anthony Ibarra, Kane Wilding, Tavian Plonski, Arthur White and Mateo Perez.

From left: Head Coach Cheyenna Wilding, Tamryn Smith, Nicole Begay, Lacey Gilpin, Neeva Goff, Nevaeh Garcia, Aubrianna Baca and Assistant Coach Elizabeth Fry. Not pictured: Serenity Hardy.

SPRING TEAMS

VARSITY COED TRACK & FIELD

MIDDLE SCHOOL COED TRACK & FIELD

MATHLETES

ELEMENTARY VOLLEYBALL

ELEMENTARY BASKETBALL: RED & WHITE TEAMS

Alaska Scott-Williams, Tyshawn Pablo, Ezrah Pacheco, Ariele Vest, Aspen Mohan-Litchfield, Brody Keller, Nicole Garcia and Coach Misty Skye Dreumont. Kneeling from

Arlene Galindo, Rianza Ercolino, Gabriella “Gabby” Maestas, Tyr Thrower and Angel Sanchez. Not pictured: Iesha Franklin, Twilah Joe, Tahliah Joe and Micah Gutierrez.

ELEMENTARY FLAG FOOTBALL

Coach Emilio Garcia, Tyr Thrower, Tahliah Joe, Brody Keller, Gabriella Maestas, Tyshawn Pablo, Ezrah Pacheco, Twilah Joe, Micah Gutierrez, Ariele Vest, Iesha Franklin, Aspen Mohan, Arlene Galindo, Daniel Mendoza, Angel Sanchez and Student Coach Adrien Ercolino.

Standing from left: Coach James Litchfield, Assistant Coach Sabrina Cabbage, Alex Gonzalez-Lopez, Emmett Lee, Adrien Ercolino, Matteo Leija, Alex Wilding, Efrim Rodarte-Estrada, Logan Donelan, Kieran Vollmar, Zeriah Baca, Assistant Coach David Jessup and Head Coach Nora Torres. Kneeling from left: John “LJ” Hernandez, Jesse Dimas, Sirrah Wilding, Tamryn Smith, Serenity Adams, Madison Bunch, Stacy Vargas, Zion Holmes and Manager Jesus Rios-Pena.

Sitting from left: Kimora Vollmar, Neeva Goff and Tamryn Smith. Standing from left: Coach Adriana Martinez, Kane Wilding, Manager Kieran Vollmar, Manager Chloe Willey-Saunders and Tavian Plonski.

Front row from left: Nicole Garcia, Twilah Joe, Tyr Thrower, Ariele Vest, Gabriella "Gabby" Maestas, Angel Sanchez, Alexis Brady and Tyshawn Pablo. Middle row from left: Daniel Mendoza, Rianza Ercolino, Brody Keller, Ezrah Pacheco, Iesha Franklin, Aspen Mohan-Litchfield and Arlene Galindo. Back row from left: Coach Emma Lozada and Coach Sabrina Lozada Cabbage. Not pictured: Coach Leo Gutierrez.

From left: Assistant Coach Mollie Sachs, Serenity Hardy, Anthony Ibarra, Demi Padilla, Neeva Goff, Aubrianna Baca, Khadija Shandor, Arthur White and Head Coach Richie Moses. Not pictured: Greyson Lobato and Kane Wilding.

From left: Head

Standing from left: Coach

left:

ATHLETIC AWARDS BANQUET

Front row from left: Varsity Girls Volleyball GPSD Champs Kimora Vollmar, Manager Leilani Crespo, Sirrah Wilding and Tamryn Smith. Standing from left: Assistant Coach Joi Holsapple, Manager Julian Aranda-Sotelo, Claire Stephens, Angelique Quinonez, Chloe Willey-Saunders, Stacy Vargas, Jodie Dimas-Haley, Madison Bunch and Head Coach Letty Perez.

From left: Varsity Boys Basketball GPSD Champs Tyler Todorovic, John “LJ” Hernandez, Assistant Coach Pat Ercolino, Efrim Rodarte-Estrada, Zeriah Baca, Kieran Vollmar, Adrien Ercolino, Zion Holmes, Emmet Lee and Head Coach Leo Gutierrez.

From left: Celebrating Varsity Field & Track Seniors Assistant Coach David Jessup, Head Coach Nora Torres, Stacy Vargas, Kieran Vollmar, Efrim Rodarte-Estrada, John “LJ” Hernandez, Matteo Leija, Assistant Coach Sabrina Cabbage and Head Coach James Litchfield.

Dr. Herbold and Kieran Vollmar, Athlete of the Year.

From left: Division II Cheerleading Champs Head Coach Skye Druemont, Efrim Rodarte-Estrada, Madison Bunch, Alex Wilding, Sirrah Wilding and Assistant Coach Adriana Martinez.

Middle School Roadrunner Pride award recipients Jesse Crespin and Emilia Van Gunten with Head Coach Richie Moses.

From left: Middle and High School Scholar Athletes of the Year Emilia Van Gunten, Tavian Plonski, Greyson Lobato, Maureen Yates, Adrien Ercolino and Chloe Willey-Saunders.

Guest speaker Keith Adams from CSD-Riverside, inspiring all.

Celebrating Elizabeth Fry for all her years of coordinating volunteers.

STARRY NIGHT

Seniors had a marvelous time at this year’s prom. A big thank you goes to the junior class and their sponsors Ericka Allen and Gloriann Gurule for their outstanding job at planning such a fun evening. The festivities began with photo-taking on campus and then everyone loaded into the decorated bus that transported them to Topgolf in Albuquerque. Students had a great time in this fun venue where they were able to drive golf balls at giant targets while socializing and eating yummy food. Upon return to NMSD, they danced the night away, and played games in the RAC and Larson Gym. They also had more yummy food to nibble on. It was a starry night to remember!

Dancing in the RAC

Lots of fun and yummy snacks

Surprise decorated prom platters from Topgolf

Prom Royalty Chloe Willey-Saunders & Stacy Vargas

PROMOTIONS

Kindergarten to 1st Grade

5th Grade to Middle School

8th Grade to High School

HONOR AWARDS

Students of the Year

SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

Dr. Brasel Memorial Scholarship

Residential Students of the Year

From left: Madison Gallegos, Oliver Gutierrez, Mika Yates, Lucas Lujan and Jac Carwell.

Sitting from left: Tyshawn Pablo, Angel Sanchez, Jesse Jimenez and Gabriella Flores. Standing from left: Ezra Pacheco, Tyr Thrower, Alexis Brady, Ariele Vest, Iesha Franklin, Arlene Galindo, Gabriella Maestas and Rianza Ercolino. Not pictured: Twilah Joe and Eliana Hatch.

Front row from left: Wendy Fuentes, Jodie Dimas-Haley, Serenity Hardy, Nicole Begay, Tamryn Smith, Kimora Vollmar and Isac Velo-Tarin. Back row from left: Mohammed Zaman Rahimi, Emmett Lee, Logan Donelan and Jesse Crespin. Not pictured: Zeriah Baca.

From left: Dr. Herbold, John “LJ” Hernandez, Wendy Fuentes, Arlene Galindo, Ariele Vest, and Kieran Vollmar.

From left: Roddy Cabbage, Serenity Hardy and John “LJ” Hernandez. Not pictured: Twilah Joe.

Rotarian Vic Brenneisen and the Rotary Club’s Brasel Memorial Scholarship recipient, Kieran Vollmar.

Ricardo and Dolores Gonzales awarding Stacy Vargas the Robert and Irene Clingenpeel Scholarship.

Lathaniel Williams being presented with the Jaelyn “Pu-da-kah” Sanchez Award by Collin Acoya and Welana Sanchez.

Robert & Irene Clingenpeel Scholarship

Jaelyn “Pu-da-kah” Sanchez Award

SENIOR CLASS OF 2023

ABOUT THE SENIOR CLASS OF 2023

CLASS COLORS: Black and Teal

CLASS FLOWER: Dahlia

CLASS SONG: “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper

CLASS MOTTO: “We’re the class of 2023 and that’s the tea.” ~ NMSD Class of 2023

Graduation Speaker Renca Dunn shared her “A BCs” with the Class of 2023: Ask Questions, Be Creative and Create a Way so that life is meaningful and colorful!

Jade Cruz

Kieran Ercolino Efrim Rodarte-Estrada

Stacy Vargas

Bria Vigil Kieran Vollmar

Chloe Willey-Saunders

Lathaniel Williams

Kieran Vollmar, this year’s class speaker, advising his fellow classmates to be compassionate when working with others and to let courage lead the way.

Class of 2023

Matteo Leija

SUPPORTING CLASSROOM INTERPRETERS

BY LENA STAVELY

It was our priority this year to support ASL fluency in interpreters throughout the state. We successfully developed tools and resources to meet that goal - including fingerspelling workshops and discussion groups.

Statewide interpreters participated last fall in a 10-week series for improving their fingerspelling comprehension. Weekly homework enhanced their receptive fingerspelling skills while monthly two-hour Zoom-based discussion groups grounded their individual investments. Interpreters’ weekly tasks throughout the school year drew from resources from the CATIE Center’s Graduation-to-Certification program, Patrie and Johnson’s text, Fingerspelled Word Recognition through Rapid Serial Visual Presentation, and facilitator-produced materials that use fingerspelling as source texts. Interpreters received six hours’ worth of CEUs for their participation in the series, although they invested much more time than that. Participants reflected positively on their experience:

“I loved the video resources. The drills also helped change my approach to reading fingerspelling.”

“The readings and exposure to new theories made the biggest difference for me.”

“Thank you. I feel better prepared to tackle this impossible work.”

School district interpreters were offered the following professional development opportunities:

• “Students with Hearing Loss: Implications in the Classroom”

• “Receptive ASL: Practice and Improvement Plan”

• “Expressive ASL: Practice and Improvement Plan”

• “The K-12 Interpreter as a Language Specialist”

In addition, they received more than 80 hours of individual tutoring focused on the language needs, individual goals, test-taking skills, the ability to participate in educational teams, and ASL fluency of students receiving interpreting services.

Many districts are struggling to find personnel who can deftly change to meet the needs and grow language and academic skills of Deaf students who need ASL supports. Our team provides consultation regarding students’ readiness to benefit from interpreting services. Nine districts have evaluated student readiness to use interpreting services.

By growing and strengthening the statewide network of ASL supports, New Mexico’s Deaf students can be better served in all settings.

Evaluating a mainstream student’s readiness for interpreting services

Supporting Public School’s interpreter’s fluency with classifiers

Staff members supporting Rio Rancho Interpreter over Zoom

ALUMNI IN ACTION

FEATURING JOHN HOOPER

Many alumni think of NMSD as their home away from home and we hold them in a very special place in our hearts. NMSD is a place where they grew up, gained an education, made life-long friends, and built happy memories. Below, John Hooper shares about his time as an NMSD student and what he is up to currently.

What year did you enroll at NMSD and where are you from? I enrolled in 1968 when I was 5 years old and I'm originally from Hobbs but we officially moved to Santa Fe in 1969.

Who were your best friends while at school? My best friends were Tommy Morrow and Kenny Reitz. We were all hard of hearing and they loved to tease, pull tricks, and joke around with other students and staff. I was the serious one and afraid of getting caught or in trouble and didn’t want to take the risk. We also played basketball and other sports just about every day.

What were your favorite subjects while at NMSD? My favorite subjects were math and social studies. Who were your favorite teachers or staff members and why? There were many that I admired but my favorite teachers were Roz Eisenburg and Edna “Eddy” Edwards. They both inspired me to work hard academically, and they were tough!!

What are your fondest memories while a student at NMSD? My fondest memory at NMSD was when I played on the Middle School’s “C” team and we won the Santa Fe small school division basketball championship game in 1977. That was the same year that the Varsity “A” boys’ basketball team won the Western States Basketball classic in California.

What year did you graduate from NMSD? I graduated from NMSD in 1982.

After you graduated, what college did you attend and what did you major in? I attended the New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs where I received an AA degree in Physical Education in 1984. I then moved on to the University of New Mexico (UNM) and got my BA degree in Business Economics in 1988.

In what ways have you stayed connected with NMSD? I’ve stayed connected to NMSD by attending football and basketball games. I also officiated (referee) several basketball games for NMSD teams. I always attend various alumni events and reunions that are held at NMSD. A couple years ago, at the New Mexico State Legislature, I participated in a protest on a bill that would have hurt NMSD. Another major connection to NMSD were my parents (now deceased). They were very involved as I was growing up. My dad, Gailen Hooper, was the first parent by state statute to be appointed to the Board of Regents in 1980 by Governor Bruce King. He was also the President of NMSD’s Parents and Teachers Association during the 1970’s. My mom, Shirley Hooper-Garcia, former NM Secretary of State, was a den mother in the early 1970’s, on the Board of Regents in mid-2000’s, as well as on NMSD’s Foundation Board.

What are you currently up to in your life? I retired in 2014 after working for 25 years in New Mexico’s State Government. I worked for four different state agencies including the State Land Office, the Department of Transportation, the Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NMCDHH), and my last state job was at the Public Regulation Commission.

Currently I’m serving on the Board for the NMCDHH, appointed by Governor Lujan-Grisham. I am also the President of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Santa Fe chapter, and I officiate middle and high school basketball games.

Freshman year football game, 1978

Alumni and Deaf

John (far right) with students in 1968

Senior Portrait

2022 DONOR GRATITUDE REPORT

GRATITUDE

GRATITUDE

Thank you to all of our donors for supporting our students. There is no limit to what they can Dream! Explore! & Achieve! with your generosity.

BRONZE ROADRUNNER (UP TO $25)

Ericka Allen

David & Laurie Anderson

Patricia Anderson

Anonymous

Samantha Barela

Ed & Barb Beaupre

Kim Burkholder

Cassandra C de Baca

Loreta Cargo

Andy & Melinda Carrillo

Roberta Cohen

Denise Dumesnil

Sara Eaves

Lisa Eckbert

Steve & Debbie Erickson

Dena Fahlquist

Kim Flom

Alice Garnanez

Cathrael Hackler

Maguire Hause

Julie Lambert

Dylan Herrera Loera

Cynthia Jiron

Mei Kennedy

Jim MacFarlane

Aaron Martinez

Peter Mizrahi

Tina Moser

Elise Nye

Mario Perez

Keith & Ronda Prechel

Steve Romero

Michael Sanders

Marcus Seabock

Suzanne Sferrazza

Melissa Sisneros

Sue Stadler

Vicki Thalheimer

Rose Wasilewski

Ruby Wiens

Joe Wright

SI LVER ROAD RUNNER ($26-$99)

Laurene Abato-Earwood

Josie Abbenante

Jan Agens

Carol Alcorn

Becky & Frank Anderson

David & Laurie Anderson

Tara Archuleta

Leticia Arellano

Ann Bennett

Brugh Family

Ai-mee Chang-Say

Clancy Family

Lorraine Crespin

Brian Crider

Stephen DaSilva

Deaf Senior Citizens of Greater ABQ

Pat Delaney

Janet Dobecki

Dror Family

Veronica Duffy

Francis & Denise Ercolino

Steve & Debbie Erickson

Elizabeth Fry

Kim Flom

Aaron Garcia

Carla Garcia-Fernandez

Emilio Garcia

Margarita & Tim Garcia

Tina Gjerald Jacobson

Bert Goldblatt

Laird Graeser

Carolyn Grogan

Becky Groseth

Rongqing Gua

Leonardo Gutierrez

Martin Gutierrez

Dr. Sheree Hall

Hallet Family

Kristi Halus

Robert & Patricia Herbold

Rose & Tom Himrod

Caitlin Holmes

Diane Huizar

Sadia Khan

Janet Kauzlaric

SILVER ROADRUN NER (CONT)

($26-$99)

Christopher Kuhn

Mary Lambourne

Herb & Caroline Larson

Jessica Larson

Darlene Lee

Merrilyn Lemons

Tim, Sue & Katelynn Malecha

Julie Maner

Mary Melecha

Samantha Miller

Todd & Mary Miller

Scott Mohan

Allison & Jeff Moody

Erin Moran

Lily Mow

Julie Nagle & Kris Eaton

Marcy Nordhus

Stacy Nowak

Dolores Overton

Sonya Rawson

Brian Reeder

ShaShonie Reins

Camille Reyes

Ron Riechman

Donna Riley

John Robertson

Dennis Russell

Ted Salazar

Santa Fe Quota Lions Charities

Martin Schwedhelm

Frankie Serrano

Jerry Seth

Tiziana Simpson

St. Bede’s Episcopal Church

Sue Stadler

Sharon Stoeck

Zelda & Michael Sweeney

Ann Swanson

Leslie Tamppari

Tommy Tischler

Dr. Julia Thom

Ben Thomas

Kay Warren

Richard Williams

Jesse Woosley

Valerie Worthen

Maureen Yates

GOLD ROADR UNNER

($100-$999)

Joyce Abdulian

Mark & Marla Apodaca

Berta Baldovino

Lynann & Andy Barbero

Willie, Christina & Kelly Benavidez

Jennifer Brown

Donald Bunch

Gloria Candelario

Harvey Corson

Joanne & Kim Corwin

Kay Crane

Dr. Rosemary & Robert Gallegos

Ric & Dolores Gonzales

Steve Greene

Julie Hect

Dr. Jennifer Herbold

Laura Hobart

Robert Hobart

Tim Hobart

John Hooper

Jerald Huber

Patty & Tony Ivankovic

Kathryn Burns-Jepson

Bill & Sandra Joines

Guyan Long

Leonard & Lu McComb

Duncan & Jillian McGregor

Keri-Lynn McBride

Patricia McBride

Cel Mercado

Dr. Michael & Sheri Milone

NMSD Alumni Association

NM United Soccer

Cynthia Paul

Mary Helen Perez

Suzanne Pope

Randall Rael

Sonia Randazzo

Sam & Debbie Ray

David & Julie Salas

Jason & Rachael Sanchez

Santa Fe Civitans

Lisa Skantze, Mats Nyman & Family

Dr. Ronald & Hedy Stern

Luanne Stordahl

United Way of Central New Mexico

Leo Webb

John Winkley

Shonda Wilson

PLATINUM ROAD RUNNER

($1000-UP)

City of Santa Fe Arts & Culture Division

Roy Collins

Renca Dunn

Margie Propp

Janet Jones Wadsworth

Thornburg Foundation

Zia Credit Union

IN-KIND DONATION

Hodgin Neighborhood Association

Old Town Optimist Club

Donations were received from January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022. Great care is given in preparing the Donor Gratitude Report. Any omissions and errors are unintentional. Corrections and/or questions should be addressed to Keri-Lynn McBride at 505-476-6399 or keri-lynn.mcbride@nmsd.k12.nm.us.

A LOVE LETTER

BY KERI-LYNN MCBRIDE

My heart is bursting with gratitude as I write this letter to all the amazing members of Quota International of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe Civitans.

Earlier this year, when I received letters sharing the news that both of your clubs decided it was the right and perfect time to dissolve due to new priorities and “nexts” for your members, I have to say that I teared up. While there’s a bit of sadness, I am also very happy for you all and am cheering you on.

Both civic organizations have been the most amazing supporters and partners for decades. Without a doubt, our students and school have benefited greatly from your passion and commitment.

Quota International of Santa Fe’s support has ranged from contributing funds in the 1950’s to help purchase a bus to transport students home, to providing cameras to students going to NASA space camp, to hosting the annual Saint Patrick’s dinner, to raising scholarship funds for NMSD graduates attending college.

Santa Fe Civitan’s support has ranged from providing funding for materials and books for babies, to annually delivering holiday stockings filled with goodies for our youngest students, to hosting an Outstanding Student Banquet every May to celebrate 8th graders from NMSD and the public schools.

Know that you have made a profound difference in our students’ lives and your support and love will have a lasting imprint on us all. On behalf of the entire NMSD family, I extend our appreciation and best wishes for grand new adventures!

first bus, purchased

Love, Keri-Lynn & the NMSD Community

Civitan members during one of their holiday stocking deliveries

NMSD’s

in 1952

Civitan Outstanding Student Award Banquet

Quota International of Santa Fe members at St. Patrick’s Dinner

Brenda Archuleta 25 Years

Kimberly Burkholder 24 Years

RETIREE RETIREE

Anna Chavez 5 Years

Gary Hand Kim Hand

Stephanie Loya

Heather Lujan

RETIREE RETIREE

Nadine Henning 25 Years Jackie Martinez 25 Years

Taras Dykstra 5+ Years

Keri-Lynn McBride

David Anderson

Laurie Anderson Levi Anderson Mitchell

Curtis

Dean Krohn

Lena Stavely

Elizabeth Fry Claudia Hernandez

Missy Lamb

James Litchfield

Dennis Catron

Marissa Pargas

Stephen Parson

Abenicio Martinez

Judy E Rodriguez

JoAnn Pacheco

Patrick Ercolino

Not pictured: Maria Jaramillo 10 Years