RioTECH gets $10K donation from district foundation

RIO RANCHO — RioTECH received a $10,000 donation from the Rio Rancho Education Foundation on Monday, marking yet another hefty contribution for Rio Rancho Public Schools’ newest campus, which will open its doors for the first time this summer.

The Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education unanimously approved the donation, introduced at the board meeting by Jessica Miranda, president of the foundation. She called the gift “more than a check” — it’s an investment that “solves tomorrow’s challenges.”

During the meeting, RioTECH Principal Kris Johnson thanked the foundation, stating the donation will directly impact students, preparing them for “real-world success” when they use the school, located at 7001 Zenith Court, off of NM 528.

RRPS Superintendent Sue Cleveland told Miranda that the district appreciates the foundation “thinking of us and the opening of this new school” that puts a focus on career and technical (CTE) education, allowing students to earn credits from Central New Mexico Community College.

The donation adds to the school’s one-time $3 million appropriation made by the Legislature earlier this year.

In an interview following the meeting, Johnson said the donation will be used to purchase CTE tools, school apparel and student backpacks for RioTECH.

“We want the community to say, ‘Hey, I belong to RioTECH!’ The same way they belong to Cleveland (High School), Rio Rancho High School and any other school in this district,” Johnson said.

Bill Stanage, past president of the Rio Rancho Education Foundation, said in an interview that funds may be used at the discretion of school officials.

The foundation approached RioTECH in September 2024 to discuss the possibility of a donation, Stanage said. The foundation had set aside $50,000, but school officials determined they did not need that much money and settled on $10,000.

The fact that the district’s latest school did not need as much cash convinced them that Johnson and Larry Davis, the district’s CTE director, “don’t just grab money.”

“They’re very focused on doing the right thing and making sure every dollar is spent correctly,” Stanage said.

In an interview, Miranda, who owns an Albuquerque-based electrical business, acknowledged that RioTECH is “doing something different from regular schools” with a “more hands-on approach” to learning.

“These students are going to come out learning with real-life materials that I use every day,” Miranda said. “When I was learning, most of the equipment I was (using) was outdated.”

Aside from the foundation’s contribution, Johnson said RioTECH is always interested in garnering more community support. Conversations are ongoing with numerous business leaders in the CTE industry who might be interested in donating to RioTECH, he said.

But for now, Johnson is focused on opening RioTECH. Albuquerque-based general contractor Bradbury Stamm Construction is still putting the finishing touches on the building, but by early August, Johnson expects up to 20 staff members to move in. Approximately 150 students will move in at the end of the month, when the school year starts.