State issues breach of contract notice to Alma d'Arte Charter High School

After two turbulent public meetings last week related to the leadership at the school and how it affects students, the Alma d'Arte Charter High School governing council has scheduled a special meeting on Thursday.

The meeting comes after the state's Public Education Commission voted unanimously, 7 to 0, on April 19 in Santa Fe that the school was in breach of its contract. The PEC oversees charter schools in the state.

"I move that the PEC issue a notice of breach of contract to Alma d'Arte Charter High School to re-establish a respectful, safe and effective learning environment at the school and remedy the following concerns and charter contract provisions," chair Patricia Gipson said at the PEC meeting.

The approved notice of breach of contract addressed concerns related to academics, attendance, enrollment, addressing parent and student complaints as well as organizational and financial concerns at the school.

The school's governing council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m., on April 25 to discuss the breach of contract decision.

The PEC extended school's charter in 2022 through 2027. The contract included a number of conditions.

"That is a very tall lift but ultimately it's about kids," PEC Vice Chair Steven Carrillo said.

"Today I can say we are ensuring that any child and family that attends Alma has a certain culture at the school that they need, it's safe and they can learn. Everything is set up for them to learn at every level."

Parents, teachers, students detail concerns at council meeting

The April 25 special meeting will also include a public comment period, which has been a platform in recent months for former teachers and students to voice complaints for months regarding how Alma d'Arte Charter High School operates under Principal Adam Amador, and the school's current governing council. The council removed the public comment period from its April meeting, which was held April 15.

Security was hired for the meeting after the Las Cruces Police Department was called to the school last month as one former student's public comment apparently included a curse word. There was no action taken by police last month, but the council removed public comment as a result. A group of current and former students and teachers were in attendance during the council meeting at the school, stomping the wooden floor of the auditorium while Amador presented his monthly administrative report.

"Some of this nonsense is coming from the community so that's why there is no public comment until the Board establishes decorum because that behavior wouldn't be allowed here, it's not allowed at the roundhouse, but why is it allowed at Alma," Amador said during the PEC meeting.

But despite the lack of public comment, concerns regarding retaliation against or expulsion of students and termination of teachers persist.

"I'm afraid of the mistreatment and bullying of students and staff that is coming from this administration," said Jennifer White, a former science teacher at the school from 2020 to 2023, who said her contract was wrongfully terminated.

"We would like to see him (Amador) be removed as administrator at the school and also the Board be replaced with people who are more in line with the mission, the protocol and the charter at the school."

Chris Bardey was a former art teacher at the school, who said he was fired in December 2023.

"We have counted at least eight kids who were pushed out with no due process," Bardey said. "If kids have attendance issues, there is a process."

Also in the audience was Doña Ana County NAACP President Bobbie Greene, who said she is in the process of meeting stakeholders regarding complaints against people of color at the school, as well as the LGBTQ+ community.

"It seems to be disproportionately those groups and I just want to see if that's the case," Greene said. "If that is the case, we will have to make some adjustments, but I have to do more fact finding.

"I'm hearing some disturbing information and complaints from parents and students. I simply want to make sure we are going in the right direction here."

Amador was formally appointed the school's principal in 2023, but turnover rate has been high both in his seat and on the council in recent years. At last week's meeting, the Council accepted the resignation of long time member Ron Fitzherbert.

"I had a 1.8 grade point average when I moved to Alma," said former council member Gabriel Holguin, a 2018 graduate of the charter school. "My grades went to a 3.6 and I graduated. That is the type of school that Alma was back then. It was all about the arts and helping students succeed. I was traveling from Anthony and the administration went as far as looking for bus passes for me. Now it is not very student friendly."

Holguin said he voted against Amador's contract and resigned from the council in 2023.

"Charter schools are second chance schools that give students a chance to get back on track like how it was for me," Holguin said. "They survive with numbers. The fact that the administration is basically shooting themselves in the foot, not welcoming students and they are going to have less resources."

Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or jgroves@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on X @jpgroves.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: PEC says Alma d'Arte Charter High School in breach of state charter