‘We are ready’: Ruidoso Municipal Schools prepares for school year amid flash flooding

RUIDOSO, N.M. (KRQE) – In a community beset by natural disasters, the superintendent of Ruidoso Municipal Schools is determined to keep the school year as normal as possible. News 13 spoke with the district about how they expect the year to shape up in the aftermath of the fire, and amid floods.

It’s been a tough summer for the Village of Ruidoso. “Well, some of the stories are absolutely heartbreaking, and we are very concerned,” said Becca Ferguson, Superintendent of Ruidoso Municipal Schools.

Devastation from the South Fork and Salt Fires have claimed 1,400 structures and more than 25,000 acres. “We’ve had 15 teachers that lost their homes in fire and we’ve had additional staff members that have lost, that are losing their homes due to the flooding,” Ferguson said.

Flash flooding from water running off of the burn scars is also destroying homes. “We’re well over 100 additional homes now lost to flood,” said Mayor Lynn Crawford, Village of Ruidoso.

Amid all that, the Ruidoso Municipal School District is now navigating how to start of the school year. “Each of the school sites are calling out, reaching out to parents and we just need to see how it has affected our families,” Ferguson said.

With a student body of 1,700 and 230 staff members, the school district is ringing in the school year on August 12. “What we have found is that we do have the majority of families that we’ve reached out to that are intending to re-enroll their students,” Ferguson said

They’ve discussed the possibility of virtual learning, or even postponing the school year due to ongoing flooding, “However, because the district facilities have not been affected by the fire nor the flooding, we are intending in-person learning so that the kids can come back and have as normal of a day as they can,” Ferguson said.

“Fortunately, the schools you know are in good areas where they’re high and dry, and we’ve got to get back to normal,” Crawford said.

They are focusing on contingency plans with the village for flash flooding, like for bus drivers.

“We’ve looked at what routes, because the way this village is built and this valley on the mountain, everything’s a drain. You know, when it rains it drains,” Crawford said, “If you’re in between places, what’s the closest highest ground? You know, is it going to be the grocery store parking lot or one of the churches or you know to make the bus drivers aware of where high ground is,” and making sure buses never drive through the water.

“Hopefully, that monsoon season will soon be over, but those contingency plans it’s going to take the village, the district, and our local transportation to make sure that we are keeping our students and staff safe,” Ferguson said.

They won’t know exactly how many students will indeed return until the first day of school. Ferguson says they’ve gotten hundreds of backpacks and school supplies from organizations like the American Legion, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the New Mexico PTA. Officials are hopeful FEMA and state funding will help get families back into housing ahead of the school year.

“You know we had some legislation that was passed on a $70 million loan last week that we’re starting to work off of,” Crawford said, “We don’t want anybody to have to move or leave town and so we’re working diligently to get those people in housing so that our kids can go back to school.”

“We are ready. We have a great staff, and we have many of our staff members that have been gravely impacted. But even that, they’re coming back and I just want to thank all of the staff members that have lost so much that they are coming back to give back to the kids and do what they are passionate about and that’s educating students,” Ferguson said. “To the parents: We are excited to have your child or your children coming back and getting back into whether its student council, football, volleyball, soccer, to bring back some normalcy to our students.”

If you’d like to donate to the supplies for the school district, click here.

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