RRPS superintendent finalists to be announced, sit for 'meet and greet'

RIO RANCHO — Three finalists for superintendent of Rio Rancho Public Schools are set to be announced by the Board of Education this week ahead of their visit to the City of Vision.

The board will announce the finalists' names during a public board meeting Dec. 9, when board members are expected to approve the top candidates, according to RRPS spokesperson Wyndham Kemsley and the board meeting agenda.

The announcement will come following initial interviews of the candidates Dec. 8-9, according to board meeting materials.

The finalists will participate in a meet and greet, scheduled for 6:30-8 p.m. Dec. 15 in the RRPS Training Center, 500 Laser Road NE in Rio Rancho, where the school board typically meets, according to an RRPS Facebook post.

The event is open to the public and is "a great opportunity to meet the finalists, hear about their backgrounds and vision for our district, and share feedback with the Board of Education as part of the selection process," RRPS stated.

In addition to the community meeting — the only gathering open to the public — the finalists will meet with numerous school district stakeholders between Dec. 15-16, Kemsley said.

The finalists will also participate in closed-door meetings with the board that will run from Dec. 15-17, according to board meeting materials.

The board could hold potential meetings Dec. 17-19, when members are expected to make a decision and announce who the new superintendent will be.

The search for a new superintendent began in early October, following Dr. Sue Cleveland's Sept. 17 announcement that she would step down from the role in spring 2026.