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Education news and events

THANKSGIVING IS COMING — SO SCHOOL IS OUT

Thursday, Nov. 23, is Thanksgiving, which means most local schools and colleges will be closed all or part of the week. Santa Fe Public Schools, for example, closes Wednesday, Nov. 21, through Friday, Nov. 25, while some private and charter schools are closed from Monday through Friday. Check websites of individual schools and colleges for a schedule of closures.

HOLIDAY SEASON INSPIRES SCHOOL MUSIC SHOWS

As the holiday season approaches, Santa Fe Public Schools’ music program kicks into gear with a number of holiday- and winter-themed performances. For example, at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, Capital High School will present a Collaborative Choral Concert with choirs from a number of schools, including El Camino Real Academy, Nina Otero Community School and Ortiz Middle School performing an array of tunes, including some holiday classics. The show culminates in a choir of 200-plus student voices. The event, which is free, is held at the Bryan Fant Theatre on Capital High’s campus at 4851 Paseo del Sol in Santa Fe.

These concerts will run through mid-December, up until the district’s winter break, which begins on Dec. 16.

SUPERINTENDENT GIVES STATE OF THE SCHOOLS TALK

Superintendent Veronica García gives the district’s annual State of the Schools’ address at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 30, at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center on Marcy Street. The event is free and open to the public and includes musical performances by some school groups, including the Academy of Technology and the Classics’ African marimba ensemble, Capital High School’s Jaguar band and Santa Fe High School’s advanced mixed choir.

STATE LAUNCHES NEW WAVE OF TEACHER LEADERS

The Public Education Department announced earlier this month that it has launched the second wave of its New Mexico teacher Leader Network of some 500 teacher-leaders from school districts and charter schools around the state.

These educators will work to share best practices, open new communications channels and give teachers a chance to engage in discussions about policies and programs and improve the quality of instruction in the state.

The education department started the program in January with 50 teacher ambassadors. The new group’s leaders are Alicia Duran, a high school teacher in Albuquerque, and Isaac Rivas-Savell, an elementary school teacher from Eunice.

The group held a number of meetings in November around the state.

STUDENTS CAN REGISTER FOR GED CLASSES AT SFCC

The Santa Fe Community College has opened the registration period for classes to prepare for the High School Equivalency-GED exam. Classes begin Jan. 16 in Spanish and English. New students must fill out and submit an orientation packet. Packets are available in Room 520 of the Adult Education office on the college campus, 6401 Richards Ave.

New students must attend an orientation session, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 5 or Jan. 9, and 5 to 9 p.m., on Jan. 11. Registration for new students will take place at orientation.

Returning students — those who have enrolled in the program in the last 12 months — are required to take a placement test, which usually takes about two hours.

The enrollment period for returning students continues through Jan. 12. The classes, which begin Jan. 16, help students prepare for both state-approved tests — the GED and HiSet. Classes are offered at various times in the mornings, afternoons, evenings and Saturdays to fit students’ schedules.

A $25 fee covers all of the classes. Call the Adult Education office at 505-428-1356 (se habla Español) for information, or visit www.sfcc.edu.