New Mexico s Karen Trujillo: A huge advocate for students and teachers
Tracey Bryan
“New Mexico just lost a huge advocate for kids,” said Michael Chavez, superintendent of Hatch Valley Public Schools.
The enormity of that loss advanced like a black fog across Las Cruces and New Mexico, as news of the tragic death of Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Karen Trujillo spread across social media.
Karen loved kids, and she loved teachers. She wanted both to realize their potential and to know that we, as a community, believed in them.
“Karen was truly a shining light in our educational community,” said Dr. Michael Morehead, past chair of The Bridge of Southern New Mexico’s Board of Directors and Dean Emeritus of New Mexico State University s College of Education. “Whether she was running a STEM program at NMSU, coordinating Educators Rising an organization for future teachers or as superintendent of schools. Students and teachers were always first in her though
East-central Illinois school districts have an even greater difficulty filling teaching positions than the statewide average, according to a new study from a regional superintendents group.
Karen Trujillo,
Las Cruces Public Schools superintendent was passionate about her work and loved her school district. As hard as it was and as hard as she worked, I can tell you that I don t think she felt like she worked a day while she was in this district, he said. It was her passion and you guys need to know that she loved you guys.
Karen Trujillo died Thursday evening after she was struck by a minivan while walking the family s dogs on
Edgewood Drive, right around the corner from the family home.
She leaves behind her husband Ben, a local insurance agent and the girls basketball coach at
Justin Haggerty, MHS 2021 Homecoming king
On Feb. 17, at a virtual ceremony recognizing the 2020-21 Homecoming Court, Justin Haggerty was selected as Homecoming King. Haggerty was the 2016 Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens (DFRC) All Star Buddy for the Blue Gold Game. Justin represented Chorus on the Homecoming Court.
“I was very happy to be honored with the title of Homecoming King,” Haggerty said. “I appreciate the support of my classmates who came together and voted for me, honoring me with the title. It is an honor I will cherish forever.”
Haggerty majors in agriculture at Milford High School and is a veteran showman of sheep at the Delaware State Fair. He enjoys raising and caring for animals on the family farm. After graduation, Justin plans to own his own business. He enjoys running lawnmowers and doing yardwork, but has a passion for food and cooking. He would one day like to own a food truck.
COVID-19 upends classrooms and fewer people study to become teachers, but the Class of 2020 can’t wait to start MarketWatch 1/18/2021
DISPATCHES FROM A PANDEMIC
In early 2020, John Larson, the president of Oregon Education Association, the state’s teacher’s union, was preparing to head to Minneapolis for a national conference on what he and fellow teacher advocates were worried was becoming, as Larson put it, a “crisis:” Too few teachers to meet the needs of the nation’s schools.
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“We were going to meet and start talking about strategies for encouraging people to go into the teaching profession,” Larson said. Those tactics include fostering interest in teaching as a second career or creating an affordable path to a teaching license for professionals with an aptitude for teaching. “We have a lot of really talented instructional assistants in this state and oftentimes the only reason they’re not certified teachers is because they didn’t h