NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Since early February, North Valley Academy‘s doors have been closed in an effort to protect staff and students. Parents of students going to the Los Ranchos charter school want answers after they say their kids have been moved to online learning for weeks.
“Can we do another location? Can we do something else? At this point I’m feeling like the severity of this situation seems like we are not going to be returning to school,” said a concerned NVA mom who wishes to stay anonymous. “I understand something unforeseen, but we didn’t have a say, it was just kind of thrown on us. I work. My husband works. They don’t go to daycare. We just had to figure it out,” added the NVA mother.
The mom also said it’s putting her kids through stress at home as they navigate online learning again. “It’s supposed to be a learning experience and fun and it’s giving them new emotions of anxiety and stress and things I don’t want my children to have as their experience of elementary school,” the parent added.
In the first email about the situation on Feb. 7, parents received word that the school would be closed for a few days because of maintenance. According to the email sent to parents, while making concrete repairs, contractors uncovered a sinkhole. Then on Feb. 10, the school sent out another email saying they would move to remote learning for the week of Feb. 13.
In a statement from the school to KRQE, the school said they moved to remote learning out of an abundance of caution after an “issue” made parts of their campus “potentially unsafe.” According to the school, construction contractors are handling the issue, but there has been no word on what exactly the snag is.
In the most recent email sent out on Thursday, Feb. 23, the school mentions they are working with engineers, risk control and insurance professionals, and the New Mexico Public Schools Facilities Authority. The email added, “the scope of work will be determined once all surveys are complete.”
The mayor of Los Ranchos said he wished the school contacted him about the complication but believes the school is doing the right thing. “It’s obvious from this email they don’t know the scope of the problem. It could be very serious, or maybe not as serious as we think,” said Los Ranchos Mayor, Donald Lopez.
In the email last week, parents were told students will remain in remote learning until Mar. 10 due to what they are calling an “emergency facility situation.” The school told parents they will reach out and help families of students who have in-person testing needs.
