St. Michael’s blanks Robertson in a dominating performance Sports, D-1
Locally owned and independent
The lawmaker has played a key role in a bill that would overhaul the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976.
Chemical bill earns surprise support Industry backs Udall’s efforts to overhaul rules for toxic substances By Steve Terrell The New Mexican
www.santafenewmexican.com $1.25
Santa Fe-based online academy offers alternative experience for 500 students statewide
New Mexico coNNectioNs acadeMy by the NuMbers
$23M
New charter school’s operating budget
$4K
per-pupil amount paid annually to parent company
15
teachers
503
total students
A recent television commercial funded by a chemical industry group praising U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D.-N.M., left some New Mexico viewers scratching their heads. Why would the American Chemistry Council, which represents Dow Chemical and other manufacturers, air ads for a senator long known as an environmentalist? And why would the group spend its money to build up the image of a candidate whose seat appears safe? (So far Udall, who is up for re-election next year, has yet to attract any Republican challenger.) The answer apparently lies in Udall’s leading role in a high-profile, bipartisan Senate bill that would overhaul the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. While the Chemistry Council
27
students from Santa Fe
161
students from Albuquerque
Asian 1 percent Pacific Islander
Yvette Martinez teaches a physical science and chemistry class Thursday from her office at New Mexico Connections Academy’s headquarters in Santa Fe. The statewide online learning school for grades 4-12 has 500 students enrolled in its first year. PHOTOS BY LUIS SÁNCHEZ SATURNO/THE NEW MEXICAN
1 percent
Other
2 percent
Please see udaLL, Page A-5
Black
4 percent
Region’s Catholics embrace Francis’ comments
Native American 8 percent
BY ROBERT NOTT THE NEW MEXICAN
I
t’s 2 p.m. on a recent Thursday, and science teacher Yvette Martinez is preparing to review some math skills with her ninth-grade science students. But instead of handing back their papers, she fires up her computer in a small room at New Mexico Connections Academy’s headquarters in an office complex south of the Santa Fe Place mall.
Hispanic 37 percent
By Anne Constable The New Mexican
Catholics in Northern New Mexico, even those who adhere to the party line on hot-button issues, reacted warmly to recent comments by Pope Francis in a wideranging interview published in a number of Jesuit journals. Amid extensive statements on why he became a Jesuit, his experience in church government and his vision of the Pope Francis church as a “field hospital” whose mission is to “heal wounds” and to “warm the hearts of the faithful,” the pope spoke frankly about abortion, contraception and gay marriage, acknowledging he had been reprimanded for not talking more about these issues. Francis stressed the teaching of the church on these matters is clear, and that he is a “son of the church.” But he
White
47 percent
Firing pumpkins Martinez’s students get to do all kinds of cool things — from firing a pumpkin, or even a piano, out of a cannon to testing the speed and impact of the object at various distances, to dissecting a frog or accessing episodes of the popular Myth Busters program to see how quickly bacteria contaminate a kitchen floor.
Curb appeal
Fiesta in Cerrillos
While a driveway may still be a utilitarian afterthought for many homeowners, some are moving beyond basic options like grass or gravel, asphalt or concrete.
The village brings new life to an old tradition, celebrating with live music, art displays and interactive history events at Cerrillos Hills State Park. LocaL News, c-1
reaL estate, e-1
obituaries
iNside
Tate Joe Hall, 88, Sept. 13 George S. Lewis, 76, Sept. 20
u Pope’s remarks pose challenge for bishops. Page a-4 u Our view: Above all, deliver mercy. Page b-2
Classifieds e-9
None of her students is physically present: They’re all sitting in front of their own computers at home. She gives them a few minutes to log into the system as she organizes some papers on her own desk. Martinez uses a microphone, an online white board and a question-and-answer box near the bottom of the screen to communicate with the students. She can instantly see who is responding to her questions. This is the world of virtual learning, the latest trend in K-12 education. New Mexico Connections Academy, a privately owned but publicly chartered school that opened in August, is the second virtual school in the state. It already has an enrollment of more than 500 students, as well as a wait-
ing list for some grades. The students come from all over New Mexico, including 27 from Santa Fe. It is yet another choice for students whose needs are not being met in regular public schools. According to a recent report by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, about 275,000 public school students attended full-time online schools in 2011-12, while close to 2 million students enrolled in some sort of distance-education courses in K-12 school districts in 2009-10. Online schools now operate in 31 states and Washington, D.C., and many states are considering legislation to regulate them. Martinez, a 14-year veteran of public charter schools and one of 15 teachers hired by the new virtual school, says she sees a lot of value in bricks-andmortar campuses, but she doesn’t believe kids need to be in a classroom to learn. Although she might not recognize her students if she passed them in the mall, she said, online education allows her to better monitor their progress. “I like that the student is responsible for his or her education,” she added. “And we are more responsible for evaluating their learning.”
coNNectioNs’ New Mexico coNNectioNs’ studeNt studeNt body CONNECTIONS’ STUDENTdeMograPhics DEMOGRAPHICS
Please see eMbrace, Page A-4
Calendar a-2
Sunday, September 22, 2013
A different way to learn
Sen. Tom Udall
index
Santero recalls memories of childhood in Santa Fe Neighbors, C-6
Lotteries a-2
Neighbors c-6
Opinions b-1
Alfred Collins von Bachmayr, 65, Tesuque, Aug. 4
today
Page c-2
Page d-6
Police notes c-2
Editor: Ray Rivera, 986-3033, rrivera@sfnewmexican.com Design and headlines: Kristina Dunham, kdunham@sfnewmexican.com
Real Estate e-1
Mostly sunny; breezy in p.m. High 77, low 46.
Sports d-1
Time Out/puzzles e-16
Main office: 983-3303 Late paper: 986-3010
Please see LearN, Page A-4
Pasapick www.pasatiempomagazine.com
santa Fe Pro Musica orchestra Featuring pianist Conrad Tao and trumpeter Brian Shaw; music of Haydn, Mozart and Shostakovich; 3 p.m., Lensic Performing Arts Center, $20-$65, ticketssantafe.org, 988-1234. More events in Calendar, A-2 and Fridays in Pasatiempo
Six sections, 44 pages 164th year, No. 265 Publication No. 596-440