1-05-2024 8:51pm

Alamogordo Public Schools Special Meeting a Non-Event No Action Taken

Chris Edwards Editor

The Alamogordo Public Schools special session convened on 1-5-24 at 630 pm. The room was full of chatter with anticipation that the board may make a recommendation for removing Pam Renteria from the role of school superintendent.

Several supporters of the new board were on hand to show support to the newly elected board members.

When walking into the meeting tonight one could not help but hear the tune Harper Valley PTA ringing in the background of small town infighting that is driving a wedge between the community at large to include the leadership of Holloman Air Force Base.

This adult infighting is putting the students of this community at risk for further failure, continued decline and potentially the state Department of Public Education eventually taking over the local system.
What was placed on the agenda as closed door meeting to meeting to discuss the superintendent led to speculation of her removal from office. The reality is the meeting became a non-event.

The special session convened for what was expected to be a quick session but went on for almost 2 hours. After the special session a quorum met in public session and made a motion to adjourn with no action.

While awaiting the results of the special session several employees of the district met in confidence and confided how sad they were to see Colleen Tagle had submitted her resignation. Several made comment that there were rivers of tears flowing down the corridors of the administrative offices after her announcement resignation midweek. Several other employees mentioned how tense the staff feels throughout the district and that many people are fearful for stability in their jobs.

The school board meeting was a nonevent for the 42 people in the audience awaiting in anticipation for some kind of action from the board.

Mayor Payne was present as was several other members of the community. Mayor Payne’s comment was asking if AMT “would retract our story concerning the meeting” we ran earlier.

We are not retracting the commentary, as we are unaware of what actually occurred during the closed door session.

What we will do is report on what is known, and are reporting as fact is the special meeting was a non-event with no action taken by the board. And that’s the facts.