Las Cruces could be getting a second Early College High School and a coordinator has been hired for a half million dollar grant to make the dream a reality. Ray Swinney, a former New Mexico public school administrator with 35 years of experience as a superintendent, principal and classroom teacher has been hired as LCPS’ Kellogg grant coordinator, according to Las Cruces Public Schools' Superintendent Stan Rounds.
Swinney’s job over the next two years is to work with community partners to plan and facilitate the opening of the school district’s second early college high school. ECHS II will prepare students for successful entry into medical and healthcare jobs throughout Doña Ana County.
“Mr. Swinney has a very strong background in all aspects of education, especially at the secondary and administrative level,” said Rounds. “He knows the value of education and how important opening ECHS II is to this community, and he knows how to bring the right people together to do it,” said Rounds.
LCPS was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Kellogg Foundation to support the planning effort that will result in the opening of a second early college high school in August 2014.
Swinney will work with NMSU, Doña Ana Community College, the Bridge of Southern New Mexico, Doña Ana County officials and medical and healthcare leaders to “identify gaps in the local medical, health care and social services sectors and work together to educate and train students to fill jobs in those fields,” said Swinney.
Studies show that there were more than 13,000 jobs in the medical and healthcare fields in Doña Ana County in 2011, and that number is expected to grow by almost a third in the next seven years.
“The need is there and the student interest in these jobs is there,” said Swinney. “ ECHS II will allow LCPS to prepare students for entry-level positions and togo on to become doctors, nurses, dentists, laboratory technicians, physical therapists and so much more. I’m really impressed with what has been done at APECHS. I’m very hopeful we can replicate what they have done and build on their success,” he said.
Swinney said one of his most important tasks as grant coordinator will be to solicit participation and support from a large number of educators and medical and healthcare leaders and practitioners to make ECHS II a success.
“This has to be a collaborative effort. There are so many knowledgeable people in this community who can help us make sure we do the correct design, develop the right curriculum, determine the right size for the school and make other informed and thoughtful decisions so this school can provide our students with a solid education and prepare them to work in the medical and healthcare fields,” he said.
Swinney has a bachelor of science and a masters of education degree, both from Eastern New Mexico University. He began his education career as a classroom teacher in Portales, where he also served as an assistant principal at an elementary school. He also has served as principal of an elementary school in Milan, Grants High School, a middle/high school in Mescalero and as assistant director of Instruction and business manager for Grants Municipal Schools. He has 15 years’ experience as a school superintendent in Deming, Tucumcari and Mescalero. Swinney was named National Administrator of the Year in 2001 by the National Indian School Boards Association.
Swinney’s office will be at APECHS.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation was created in 1930 by breakfast cereal king Will Keith Kellogg (1860-1951). Kellogg donated $66 million (about $1.1 billion today) that included company stock to the foundation in 1934. Both the Kellogg Company and the foundation are located in Battle Creek, MI. The foundation is governed by an independent board of trustees and is ranked as the 11th largest philanthropic foundation in the United States. It focuses on “propelling and strengthening impoverished children through Kellogg Foundation programming goals and objectives,” according to www.wkkf.org.