Not your typical high school.
RioTECH, Rio Rancho Public Schools’ newest campus, opens next week with a focus on career-oriented education. The school hosted a community night Wednesday to show parents, students and others what it has to offer.
Principal Kristopher Johnson is actually in his third year on the job. His first two years were spent developing the building and the curriculum.
Johnson came to RRPS after serving as an assistant principal at Volcano Vista High School in Albuquerque; he previously served 20 years in the U.S. Army before going into education in El Paso, Texas.
Johnson said the chance to lead RioTECH was one he couldn’t turn down.
“As an administrator, it’s always a dream to open your own school,” he said.
Johnson said the school’s mission is also special to him — he wasn’t geared toward college and joined the military after high school before finding his path.
He said he wants to help other young people prepare for the real world, whether that’s higher education, the trades or military service.
There are some tasks that need to be finished by the first day of classes Aug. 7, but Johnson said he’s 100% confident that the campus will be ready on time.
He acknowledged the stress that comes along with launching a brand new-school, but said the staff is fully hired and the process has been enjoyable.
“We still have quite a bit of stuff to get ready,” Johnson said. “But, everything’s just coming together and we’re just excited to have kids roam the halls.”
He said RRPS probably saved $20 to $30 million by using a former Victoria’s Secret call center instead of building from the ground up. He said an added benefit of the Zenith Court location is that Central New Mexico Community College is building a brand new automotive-technology center on an adjacent piece of land. Johnson said the two buildings will share resources and that RioTECH students will earn college credit at no cost for participating. Dual enrollment courses will be available in other fields of study as well.
Johnson said families interested in enrolling their students will apply each winter, with the school holding a lottery in April. One goal, he said, is to produce graduates who help relieve New Mexico’s shortage of skilled tradespeople.
“Our number-one export has always been our students,” Johnson said, adding that he’s hoping skills they leave RioTECH with — earned in class and paid internships that give them meaningful experience — help them land high-paying jobs close to home.
James Anderson, about to be a sophomore at the school, said the value of a certificate he’ll earn is worth about $10,000 — a major reason why he chose to transfer to RioTECH from Rio Rancho High School.
Anderson said he expects to have a leg up on other candidates when looking for a job in HVAC right after graduation.
Johnson said RioTECH will have 140 students the first year. When fully up and running, he said, the campus will have 300 high school students (in grades 10-12) and 300 CNM students, who will take trades classes together.
The old call center was essentially gutted, he said, with the interior remodeled to fit the school’s purpose.
“It’s been a great experience to be able to see the building grow from a call center to an empty shell of a building to seeing the framing go up to where we’re at now,” Johnson said.
The campus is divided into several spaces, with large shop rooms on the east side for teaching various building trades. More traditional classrooms are near the entrance, where students will learn standard academic subjects.
Kinsley Huston, who had been teaching in Hobbs, is joining RioTECH as a chemistry and biology teacher.
“I’m very excited to be here with this big lab room next to my big, beautiful classroom,” Huston said.
While the room is still being equipped, she said it will be outfitted with the latest technology. One example was already in place: a Newline interactive board resembling a giant touchscreen tablet the teacher can use to navigate lessons.
Huston said that she’s noticed a substantial amount of support and camaraderie among the staff during new-teacher meetings.
“I’ve been here less than a week, and I already feel like it’s where I’m supposed to be,” she said.
Rion Reece is coming aboard as a special education teacher.
He said his 35 years of experience in the construction trades have prepared him to share his knowledge. Reece also taught at a local private school and in Japan.
“When you talk about the construction trades, you’re talking my native tongue,” he said. “But I’ve learned there’s more value in me building people than in me building things.”
Andrew and Natalie Chavez visited with their daughter Victoria, who is about to start her freshman year at Cleveland High School.
Natalie Chavez was impressed by the infrastructure at the school, which she said is suitable for the next-generation learning that will produce the tradespeople the state will need as more workers retire.
She said increasing the ranks of skilled workers will allow the construction industry to expand.
Even the cafeteria at RioTECH is different. Manager Carla Gonzales said she’s preparing a menu built around fresh ingredients and high-quality foods. It will be designed as a “build-your-own bar,” with students customizing their plates.
Natalie Chavez said she’s pleased that the school district is creating alternate pathways for graduates, including some with hands-on components.
“Not everybody wants to be a doctor,” she said. “Not everybody wants to be a journalist. AI can’t repair itself. When the power goes out, someone has to go out and physically repair it.”