Peñasco runners are pictured in the lead at a Peñasco cross-country invite competition in this file photo. The school district's track was impacted by flooding last week, school officials said.
Cell phone lock pouches and lock releases are becoming more common as school districts try to keep mobile devices out of the classroom. Peñasco Independent School District adopted a ban starting this school year, which began Tuesday (Aug. 5). Instead of pouches, which Taos High School debuted in 2024, the district requires students to keep their devices in a backpack at all times.
Earlier this year, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation held its annual New Mexico ProStart culinary competition in Santa Fe. Peñasco’s culinary team won third place and it was their first time competing.
Peñasco Independent School District's woodshop class is one of multiple opportunities students have to learn new skills. According to the district's superintendent, Michelle Gonzales, students have been able to both craft and sell their handmade furniture.
Peñasco runners are pictured in the lead at a Peñasco cross-country invite competition in this file photo. The school district's track was impacted by flooding last week, school officials said.
DANIEL PEARSON/Taos News file photo
Cell phone lock pouches and lock releases are becoming more common as school districts try to keep mobile devices out of the classroom. Peñasco Independent School District adopted a ban starting this school year, which began Tuesday (Aug. 5). Instead of pouches, which Taos High School debuted in 2024, the district requires students to keep their devices in a backpack at all times.
Earlier this year, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation held its annual New Mexico ProStart culinary competition in Santa Fe. Peñasco’s culinary team won third place and it was their first time competing.
Courtesy Michelle Gonzales
Peñasco Independent School District's woodshop class is one of multiple opportunities students have to learn new skills. According to the district's superintendent, Michelle Gonzales, students have been able to both craft and sell their handmade furniture.
The Peñasco Independent School District is joining districts statewide that have banned cell phones and other electronic devices from classrooms. The campus-wide policy, enacted in accordance with state Senate Bill 160, began on the first day of school this year, Tuesday (Aug. 5).
“In recent months, there has been growing concern across the nation about the effects of screen time and social media on the mental health and well-being of our youth,” Michelle Gonzales, Peñasco Independent School District’s superintendent, said in a letter to the district. “On June 17, 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, announced plans to call for a warning label on social media platforms, urging families to be aware of the potential harm these platforms may have on adolescents’ mental health."
SB 160 was passed during the last 60-day session of the state Legislature. It requires all school districts and charter schools in New Mexico to adopt rules for students’ use of cell phones, tablets, laptops and other electronic devices during instructional time. The bill was passed with the goal of improving students’ academic performance.
“I’m going to say it’s a double-edged sword,” Gonzales said. “When I say a double-edged sword, that’s because technology can be used as a tool. Our cell phones can be used as a tool, but at the same time we realize it’s also a distraction for our students. Studies show they’re on their devices for long periods of time, and I think this is probably where the Senate is coming up with this.”
Teenagers receive a median 273 notifications from cell phones per day, according to a 2023 report by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit studying technology’s impact on youth. The same study found that 1 in 5 students — or 20 percent — received more than 500 notifications per day.
According to the bill, districts had until Aug. 1 to hammer out a “wireless communication device policy.” During the school day, students are asked to keep their devices inside their backpacks at all times. Gonzales said feedback from parents and students has remained mostly positive. While the district hasn’t had a full week of school yet, there haven’t been many issues with students’ compliance.
“We’re definitely not doing that,” Gonzales said when asked if the district is using magnetic pouches to store phones, like Taos Municipal Schools District. “We’ve spoken to individuals from different districts, and we know that Rio Rancho has been very successful in their implementation of the cell phone policy. One of the big things is, keep it in your backpack, don’t take it out, don’t use it, keep it silent.”
Exceptions will be made for students with medical conditions that require access to technology with supporting documentation and an IEP plan.
“There’s some younger students that use their phone to monitor whatever illnesses they may have,” she said, then added, “It’s case by case.”
Students and parents can expect several new developments during the Peñasco Independent School District’s 2025-26 school year. In July, the district became fully staffed despite ongoing teacher shortages at the local and state level. Gonzales said Carla Martinez was hired as the middle and high school’s new principal, while Brandon Gurule was hired as the elementary school's principal in December.
Several teaching positions were also filled, including a position for a math teacher.
”Our teachers were very open with us letting us know they were retiring,” Gonzales said. “Some of them came out of retirement and now they’re going back into retirement, which is well-earned and well-deserved. We’re happy they returned when they did because we needed them, but the minute they started letting us know, we started advertising.”
The district’s Career and Technical Education Program is also expanding. Gonzales said the district secured a grant that will help fund paid workforce learning internships, partnering with local organizations and entities like Picuris Pueblo.
“We do have some work opportunities here in Peñasco, but it’s still limited,” Gonzales said, “So we’re excited we can offer some work-based learning and paid internships for them. We’re partnering up with Picuris Pueblo with a lot of things they’re offering up there. One of them is the after-school program that’s run by the Boys and Girls Club.”
Earlier this year, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation held its annual New Mexico ProStart culinary competition in Santa Fe. Peñasco’s culinary team won third place. It was their first time competing.
“For being the very first time in our small rural district, I’m very excited and pleased with our chef," Gonzales said. "[Adonius] Marquez did a phenomenal job and our students did an outstanding job representing Peñasco.”
Peñasco’s team included ninth graders Geo Lucero and Daniel Martinez, sophomore Rosie Romero, junior Santos Espinoza, and senior Lyrik Montoya. Montoya took Elija Garcia’s place as the manager role after Garcia broke his collarbone while skiing.
“We’re proud, you know?” Gonzales said. “There’s a lot of good things that are coming out of Peñasco.”
Gonzales said the district experienced one setback about a week before school started. On Thursday (July 31), storm-induced flooding damaged portions of the district’s softball field, track and campus.
Maintenance staff were able to clean up water that seeped inside one of the campus buildings, but the cost of repairing the softball field will need to be assessed.
”We came back Friday [Aug. 1] to orientation for teachers and driving up, we could see there was some damage to the baseball field and damage to our track,” Gonzales said. “ There was some water damage — I hate to say water damage — but we had some mud and water that went into the high school commons area.”
