New Rio Rancho schools superintendent settles in

RIO RANCHO — For incoming Rio Rancho Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert "Robby" Dodd, March 1 was a school night and he felt the same sense of anticipation that most educators do before a new week of instruction. He had spent the weekend unpacking his new home in the City of Vision to "make sure my nerves didn't get the best of me."

That's because Monday marked his first day working for RRPS following his appointment by the Board of Education in December. Dodd is shadowing his predecessor, Dr. Sue Cleveland, for the month, according to a spokesperson. The two leaders are scheduled to host business leaders March 12 for an invitation-only event at the RRPS training center, 500 Laser Road NE.

Shadowing Cleveland means not only sitting down with her and School Board President Amanda Galbraith to craft a school board agenda, it includes visiting schools - a promise Dodd made when he was appointed last year.

"It's really important for me, as the new superintendent, to see what happens in our schools," Dodd said. "Rio Rancho already has such a strong foundation in our schools, so for me to see that firsthand, that's really my priority in this first month, where Dr. Cleveland and I are together."

His goal is to visit all 21 Rio Rancho schools by spring break, March 30-April 3. Dodd's first visit was to Mountain View Middle School, where he watched students complete a project constructing their own bee hives. Later, a Mountain View student, noticing Dodd in a suit, jokingly asked the new superintendent, "are you my new attorney?" 

"There's no time in life like being an early adolescent," Dodd said with a smile. "They love to engage with adults - and he was joking with me, as were a lot of other kids."

Dodd admitted not all students may know who their superintendent is or what the position entails.

"But once we explained it, the kids got it," he said. 

Dodd was also impressed with principal and assistant principal Ann Arnold and Tanya Baker, respectively, who discussed teaching, learning and their vision for Mountain View. Listening is part of Dodd's plan for RRPS, which he previously said includes "building the future" of the school district. He will use this feedback to craft a “100-day entry plan” that he will share with the school board and the public later this year.

"Before I leave each school, I ask each principal what their main priority is and how central services can support them being successful in accomplishing their primary goal," Dodd said. 

For Arnold and Baker, the top issue they presented to Dodd was the need for the school district to support them on providing more professional development to teachers.

“The conversation that came after that request of Dr. Dodd was around how do we get creative to provide that support to teachers within the confines,” Baker said. “We understand there are certain boundaries that are set we can’t go beyond, but what creative thinking does he bring to that to help prepare our teachers?”

Closed-door conversations aside, Arnold and Baker thought Dodd was engaging when he met with students, faculty and staff during a tour of Mountain View.

“I had told the kids, ‘We’re going to have a special visitor,” Arnold said. “Many kids walked up to him, introduced themselves to him. He really enjoyed and interacted with the kids really well.”

Students asked Dodd who he was, where he lived and if he had a dog, said Baker and Arnold.

Dodd also “popped his head” into several classrooms not on his official schedule, according to Baker.

“Very warmly, (he said), ‘Hey, I’m the new guy,’” Baker said.

Arnold’s impressions of Dodd was that he has positive energy, is knowledgeable, confident and calm.

“I’m excited to work with him,” she said. 

Baker added that Dodd is candid and open.

“He recognizes that the school district has only ever known one superintendent, that those are big shoes to fill, and that there’s a lot of work ahead,” Baker said. “He seemed most set on creating relationships and building that team spirit so we can move forward together to do what’s best for the students.”

Dodd officially begins his duties April 1.