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Principal's Corner

An outline of a horse's head with the words Principal's Corner

Melissa Sanchez Ed.S

Principal's Message

I am honored to be your principal here at Alameda Elementary School.
As we embark on this school year, I want to share my key goals and desires for our school:

  1. Implement and Expand Place-Based Learning:

    Our vision is to deepen our commitment to place-based learning, enriching our students' educational experiences by connecting them more closely with their local environment and community.

  2. Improve Student Academic Outcomes:

    As your instructional leader, I am dedicated to enhancing our academic programs and strategies to ensure all students achieve their highest potential. Together, we will focus on rigorous and engaging instruction to drive academic success.

  3. Advance Equity for Minoritized Students:

    A crucial goal is to improve outcomes for our minoritized students, particularly those furthest from equity. We will prioritize inclusive practices and support systems to ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Together, we can make this a transformative year for our students and community.

Principal Announcements

Alameda Community School Vision

Alameda is a vibrant community school rooted in the rich heritage of the Rio Grande Valley. We honor our history while inspiring innovation in education. Through strong family partnerships and hands-on, place-based learning, we empower every child to grow with confidence, curiosity, and a love for learning.

Alameda Values (Expected Behaviors)

  • Our Hands are for working and helping
  • Our Words are kind and true
  • If you see something, say something
  • Please help your student to understand what their behaviors should be when they are at school. Anytime we need to talk with a student regarding their behavior- Principal and Teacher will communicate with you!
  • Families are our biggest support when it comes to how students act. These are the behaviors I support the most with:
  • Hitting has an automatic consequence of loss of recess for a reteach with the teacher or principal, or In School Suspension with the Principal
  • School Vandalism in the restrooms, classrooms, or campus may result in limited access in those area, restitution (payment for repair), and a conference with the students, Family, and Principal
  • Defiance in Class with Teachers and Staff will result in a conference with student, teacher, and principal, possibly counselor

Dress Code

Alameda Elementary follows the Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) District Dress Code. Students are expected to wear clothing that is appropriate for a safe, respectful, and productive learning environment. Please refer to the APS Student Handbook for complete dress code expectations.

Family/Teacher Conferences

Family-Teacher Conferences: Families have dedicated opportunities to meet with their child's teacher to discuss academic progress, classroom performance, and any behavioral or social-emotional needs during our scheduled conferences on November 23–24, 2026, and March 29–30, 2027.

As partners in your child's education, we encourage you to reach out at any time with questions, concerns, or to schedule a meeting. Open communication between home and school is essential to supporting every student's success.

Our Grading system

  1. Student is experiencing difficulty understanding the concepts and skills in this marking period and is in need of additional support
  2. Student is approaching or nearing the expectations for the standards covered in this marking period
  3. Student meets expectations for the standards covered in this marking period
  4. Student exceeds expectations for the standards covered in this marking period

Effort Grades

  • E- Excellent Effort
  • S- Satisfactory Effort
  • M- Minimal Effort
  • I- Improvement Needed

Personal and Social Development

  • S- Secure
  • P- Progressing
  • D- Developing
  • I- Improvement Needed

Assessments

IStation

The IStation assessment is taken at the Beginning, Middle, and End of Year and is used as a school, district, and state assessment score to analyze student and school growth/need.

Description of Instructional Levels

  • Level 5: Above the 80th percentile rank
  • Level 4: At or below the 80th percentile rank
  • Level 3: At or below the 60th percentile rank
  • Level 2: At or below the 40th percentile rank
  • Level 1: At or below the 20th percentile rank

Alameda is showing positive growth across all grade levels, and while we average 60% in level 1, each of our students are showing positive growth. Teachers will be sending home this report and will discuss further in relation to new learning before and during the next conference

iReady

The iReady assessment is taken monthly and is typically used by Alameda for intervention biweekly assessments and a school wide to see how students are progressing through each school year, which helps us improve our instructional practices and strategies.

Description of Levels

  • Green: Mid or Above Grade level
  • Yellow: One grade level below
  • Red: 2 or more grade levels below

This means they are working within the above grade level standard - this assessment meets the student where they are academically.