APS Finally Has Some Foresight

In the not-to-distant past, Albuquerque Public Schools officials were criticized for taking too long to react to obvious overcrowding at West Side Schools.

But an announcement by APS that it plans to open two new elementary schools by 2009 to relieve crowded Ventana Ranch Elementary just might be a sign that the district is reacting much more quickly to the problems on the West Side.

Had the district stayed with its plan to add just one new elementary school near Ventana Ranch, the existing school would still have 1,200 students — 400 more than the school was designed to serve.

Another elementary school wasn’t scheduled to open until 2010. But APS capital master plan director Kizito Wijenje helped come up with a plan to move up the opening of the school. Wijenje said the plan was made possible because of the per-home exaction fee West Side developers now pay APS.

The boundaries for each of the schools still are being finalized, but it appears the APS plan for the second new elementary school does take care of overcrowding at Ventana Ranch Elementary.

Wijenje and his staff get the credit for taking a good look into the future and, seeing a problem, reacting positively to solve it.

(c) 2007 Albuquerque Journal. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.