Rio Rancho Public Schools officials are seeking extensive community feedback as it begins the search for a new superintendent to replace Dr. V. Sue Cleveland, who announced her retirement in September after more than 30 years leading the district.
The Rio Rancho Board of Education announced it will hold public meetings Oct. 15 and 16 to gather input from constituents and stakeholder groups. The board also launched a community survey to help define characteristics and priorities for the district’s next leader.
“Selecting a superintendent is one of the board’s most significant responsibilities — and a vital investment in our students, families, staff, and the entire RRPS community,” the board said in a statement to the community.
Cleveland announced in September that she would step down later this school year, with a leadership transition expected in spring 2026. She has served as the district’s only superintendent since its founding in February 1994.
Under Cleveland’s leadership, Rio Rancho Public Schools grew from 5,900 students in seven schools to more than 16,000 students across more than 20 campuses. The district now includes a preschool, 11 elementary schools, four middle schools, four high schools and a career-technical center.
The board is asking community members to complete what it calls the “31 Qualities Survey,” available in English and Spanish online. The survey will remain open until 7 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 19.
“The feedback collected through both the survey and the public meetings will play a key role in shaping the search for our next district leader,” the board said.
Additional details about the October meetings will be posted on the district’s website and shared via email, officials said.
Cleveland, a native New Mexican and University of New Mexico graduate, previously said the retirement decision was “heartfelt” but not easy. She called Rio Rancho Public Schools her “home, my passion and my greatest professional calling.”
The district has earned statewide and national recognition for student achievement in academics, fine arts, athletics and career-technical education during Cleveland’s tenure.
Board President Amanda Galbraith praised Cleveland’s impact, saying her “vision and dedication have shaped Rio Rancho Public Schools from the very beginning.”
Cleveland’s honors include being named an AASA National Superintendent of the Year finalist and receiving the Governor’s Award for Outstanding New Mexico Women. She was inducted into the New Mexico Coalition of Educational Leaders Hall of Fame in 2020.