Former Rio Rancho school board members recognized

RIO RANCHO — Three recently departed members of the Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education were honored for their service by their counterparts Monday.

Gary Tripp, Jeffrey Morgan and Jessica Tyler all received words of praise from the new five-member board and RRPS Superintendent Dr. Sue Cleveland during the traditional commendations segment of board meetings. The former members, all elected in 2021, were also given awards bearing their names to take home.

"We've had a really great board over the last few years," RRPS Board President Amanda Galbraith said. 

Since Tyler was the only former board member to attend the meeting, Galbraith laughed that the board would hold awards "at ransom" for Tripp and Morgan until they picked them up.

Jessica Tyler

Tyler — elected in 2021, succeeding Catherine Cullen before she was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives — had a confession to make when she stepped up to the podium: She only attended the meeting at the request of her husband, Rio Rancho City Councilor Bob Tyler.

"He's like, 'You have to be there,' and then I saw it was on the agenda, so I couldn't allow nobody to be present for your accommodation," Tyler said. 

Tyler, who represented District 5, called her time on the board "a pleasure," adding she was happy to "pass the baton" to her successor, Rebecca Murray.

Tyler, who served as board secretary, also served as an RRPS teacher following a career in law enforcement.

District 4 board member Beth Miller, who worked with Tyler, said she appreciated Tyler's honesty when she answered Miller's questions about being a board member.

"Seth (Muller) is fine, but I miss you," Miller said with a laugh, referring to the new board secretary.

Jeffrey Morgan

 Morgan, who represented District 3, was praised as a larger-than-life figure by board members.

"He was so passionate that I felt like if I really needed the preacher to give some heartfelt words, that came from Jeffrey Morgan," Galbraith said. 

Cleveland added a similar sentiment, stating that she thought Morgan sounded like "God is speaking" during one particularly challenging meeting.

Cleveland went on to say that Morgan was a real asset to the board and was a member who saw "things differently sometimes."

"He didn't talk a lot, but I noticed when he said things, everybody listened," Cleveland said. 

Morgan brought "the cool factor" to the board, Galbraith said — a quality that came in handy when it was time for board members to pass out diplomas to students at graduation.

Gary Tripp

Tripp, who began his term in November 2021 due to a vacant seat, said in an interview he decided not to run for re-election for District 1 because he wanted to be able to balance professional commitments with his family. Tripp, 65, is an educational consultant and trustee of the New Mexico Highland University who often travels to other states where his children and grandchildren live.

Tripp is no stranger to RRPS, board members and Cleveland noted Monday. He was Rio Rancho High School's second principal, including when Galbraith was a student.

"What a neat thing — that someone who had been my principal at one point, now we're both working for students together," Galbraith said. 

She joked that one "annoying" quality of Tripp was that he knew how to make connections with people. 

Cleveland added that those who know Tripp often say, "He knows half the state, and the other half, he's related to."

"(Tripp) is the one that can work a room," Cleveland said.

She mentioned Tripp's move to Rio Rancho from the Moriarty-Edgewood School District, where he was a popular principal. With serious issues at RRHS, Cleveland worried about keeping staff.

"Once it was announced Gary Tripp was the principal, that all stopped," Cleveland said. "Everyone just kind of breathed a sigh of relief."