Moreno Valley High School
There are exhilarating moments of wonder in learning: the moment you’ve mastered a skill you would have otherwise thought beyond your grasp; the moment you recognize your own competency; the moment you stand confidently on the precipice of the rest of your life. And at Moreno Valley High School in Angel Fire, every student graduates with the prospect of a very bright future in front of them.
In addition to the scholastic excellence of its curriculum, MVHS prides itself on nurturing wellrounded critical thinkers who can engage in both meaningful listening and dialogue, are empathetic to others, and persevere with intention, said Tammy Dunn, Director of MVHS. It is the hallmark of MVHS, which was established as a charter school two decades ago and was founded upon the philosophy of education reformer Mortimer Adler.
The post-COVID return to classroom learning ushered in changes for both faculty and students, who were greeted with expanded opportunities and exciting additions to their school days, respectively.
MVHS staff were trained in the nationally-acclaimed Saga Education high-impact tutoring protocols and now lead daily English and Math labs for all students. A partnership with The New Teacher Project has provided teachers with a design that addresses learning gaps via acceleration in lieu of remediation to meet grade level expectations. Pre-AP and AP-targeted instruction is offered to all, in keeping with MVHS’s commitment to fostering confidence across the student body. “All this effort is starting to pay off as the sophomore class just beat the national average in English on the PSAT,” noted English teacher Megan Mitchell.
Students saw the return of their competitive golf and soccer teams and other athletic opportunities. “We also have ski days and utilize the mountain as a backdrop for lifelong fitness and recreation. Students snowshoe, hike, ride mountain bikes, ski and snowboard out in the village as part of the curriculum,” Dunn stated.
In 2022, MVHS became the only high school in New Mexico to have received the National Certificate for STEM Excellence, so it is no surprise that classrooms are outfitted with state-of-the-art devices, including upgraded smart boards and video conferencing tools. Students are furnished with their own Chromebooks and, if home access to the internet is unavailable, hot spots are provided on loan.
Rashel Larson, the faculty’s Instructional Coach and STEM Coordinator, identified the school’s recent acquisition of green screens and a 3D printer as equally significant technological enhancements to the learning process. “We believe in engagement through STEM as an assist in experiential learning, so we give students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of concepts by designing, building and creating.”
The wealth of these life skills acquired by MVHS students are on display in the Student Leadership Group, a panel of two representatives from each grade. “Right now, we are doing a study of ‘Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine,’” a best-selling book by Michele Borba, Ed.D. “We reached out to the author who said she was as excited as we are to be working with the leadership group and is planning to follow our work and participate on Zoom with us,” Larson said.
Of course, all students need time to relax and socialize with their classmates and the sprawling campus is designed to afford them plenty of chances to do so. “They love to be outside playing guitar, pickleball, volleyball, foursquare, and we often eat lunch outside at the picnic tables,” said Dunn. MVHS also boasts a music room with acoustic and electric guitars, drum sets, keyboard and piano; its thriving — and award-winning — theatre arts program has benefitted from the recent installation of advanced lighting and sound equipment.
Above all, MVHS prides itself on creating a protected learning environment. It has a unique openair layout that is architecturally designed for health and safety, and a campus safety system including access control, security cameras and environmental sensors.
The remainder of this school year at Moreno Valley High School is full of promise. If you are the parent of a secondary-level student, then consider scheduling a tour of the campus; the faculty and student body will be happy to share their hidden gem with you.
MORENO VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL 56 Camino Grande, Angel Fire 575-377-3100 mvhsnm.org