By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.
It’s that week that many students fear and many parents, including myself, celebrate. It’s back-to-school week. Here’s what you need to know as the 2026-2027 Rio Rancho Public School year kicks off.
Most RRPS students head back to class Thursday, Aug. 6. Preschoolers at Puesta del Sol start a few days later, on Aug. 10. Secondary students new to the district get a head start with Jump Start orientation Aug. 5. Classes resume for more than 16,500 students districtwide, marking the first full school year under Superintendent Dr. Robert W. Dodd, who took the district’s reins in March. RRPS has released its 2026-2027 Back-to-School Reference Guide, a district-wide rundown of schedules, transportation, meals, safety and technology.
Dodd, hired after a unanimous Board of Education vote in December, is RRPS’s first new superintendent in 31 years, taking over from Dr. V. Sue Cleveland. In his 100-Day Progress Report released in June, Dodd called 2026-27 a “bridge year” for the district, with priorities that include a new math curriculum, expanded special education support, and the start of a new long-term strategic plan. He’s also set a bold, long-range goal: every member of RRPS’s Class of 2040 walking a stage prepared for college, career, military service or life.
By the numbers
- 21 — school campuses across the district
- 16,500+ — students enrolled districtwide
- 132 — students at RioTECH, the district’s technical education career hub, which graduated its first class this spring with a 100% senior graduation rate
School start and end times
- High School: 7:20 a.m. – 1:50 p.m.
- Early Elementary (Colinas del Norte, Ernest Stapleton, Puesta del Sol): 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Middle School: 8:40 a.m. – 3:10 p.m.
- Late Elementary (all other elementary schools): 9:20 a.m. – 3:50 p.m.
- Shining Stars Preschool: 8-11 a.m. (AM) or noon-3 p.m. (PM)
Meet the Teacher and orientation events
Most elementary schools hold Meet the Teacher events Aug. 4-5, with times varying by campus — check your school’s listing below. Middle schools host “Jump Start” orientation for new and incoming 6th graders Aug. 5 from 8:40-11:40 a.m., and Rio Rancho and V. Sue Cleveland high schools host Jump Start for incoming 9th graders that same morning from 7:20-10:10 a.m. Independence High School and Rio Rancho Cyber Academy hold orientation from 9-10 a.m., though no transportation is provided for those two events.
Key dates to mark on the calendar
- Aug. 6 — First day of school (all students except Puesta del Sol PreK)
- Aug. 10 — First day for Puesta del Sol PreK students
- Sept. 7 — Labor Day holiday, no school
- Oct. 7 — End of first quarter
- Oct. 8-9 — Fall break
- Nov. 3 — Election Day, no students or instructional staff
- Nov. 25-27 — Thanksgiving break
- Dec. 18 — End of first semester
- Dec. 21-Jan. 1 — Winter break
- Jan. 5 — Students return from winter break
- Mar. 12 — End of third quarter
- Mar. 22-26 — Spring break
- May 21-26 — Graduation ceremonies for RRCA, RioTECH, IHS, CHS and RRHS
- May 28 — Last day of school
What’s new to watch this year
- Free meals continue. All RRPS students again qualify for free breakfast and lunch this year under the state’s universal meals program.
- Phones away during class. Under state Senate Bill 11, students are now barred from using personal electronic devices during instructional time; devices must stay powered off and stored away.
- KEV SchoolCash Online expands. The district is pushing families toward its online payment portal for fees, field trips, and other school transactions.
- RFID bus cards. Students will receive an RFID card from their bus driver to scan when boarding and exiting — optional, but meant as an added safety layer. Families can also track buses through the My Ride K-12 app, available for Apple and Android.
School board meets twice a month
The RRPS Board of Education holds regular meetings at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of most months — exceptions are December and May, which get one meeting each, plus two dates that fall outside the usual pattern (Nov. 16 and March 15). Meetings take place at the RRPS Training Center, 500 Laser Rd. NE, and stream live on the district’s YouTube channel. The public can speak in person (three minutes per speaker) or submit written comments through the district’s online comment form.
More details
Registration, calendars, supply lists and transportation routes are all posted on the district’s Back-to-School Reference Guide. High schools don’t publish universal supply lists; teachers will share classroom-specific needs in the first days of school. Elementary and middle school supply lists, broken out by campus, are also posted on the district site.
Back to School Resources
- Full guide: rrps.net
- Elementary/middle school supply lists: Online
- Find your child’s bus route: My Ride K-12 app (Apple/Android) — Online
- RRPS App: Online
- Report a concern: STOPit anonymous reporting app
- Share good news: RRPS “Share the Good News” form on rrps.net
Read more:
- Reaching for the Sky: New RRPS superintendent seeking gains at high-performing district
- Tour of RioTECH with AFT President Randi Weingarten
- RRPS names first new superintendent in over three decades