Media arts teacher dies of COVID-19 in Las Cruces

LAS CRUCES — Staff at Las Cruces Public Schools are grieving the death of Elizabeth Placencio, a 42-year-old media arts teacher at Mesa Middle School.

The district was notified of her death Monday night after she lost a nearly monthlong battle with COVID-19, according to a district news release. She is the fifth educator in the district who has died of COVID-19.

Placencio was a teacher with LCPS for more than 20 years, teaching film and broadcast at Mesa Middle since the school opened in 2010.

“Liz was part of my core team that helped open the doors at Mesa,” said Gabe Jacquez, deputy superintendent of operations at LCPS, who served as the principal at Mesa between 2010 and 2016. “She had an amazing impact on our students and the programs at Mesa, and built the media program from scratch at our school. She will be missed in the hearts of many.”

Placencio is survived by her husband and daughter.