NMPED selects who will serve in place of Floyd School Board

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico Public Education Department has announced that the executive director of the New Mexico Coalition of Educational Leaders will serve in place of the Floyd School Board while the board remains suspended.

NMPED Secretary Ryan Stewart said Stan Rounds now has the legal authority of any New Mexico school board member to govern the Floyd district in Roosevelt County. Rounds has previously served as superintendent in four New Mexico school districts.

The five-member school board was suspended after refusing to comply with the NMPED’s guidelines on masks and COVID-19 protocols.

Before the suspension, the board had also voted to place Damon Terry, the superintendent of Floyd Municipal Schools, on administrative leave. Stewart reinstated Terry as superintendent on Aug. 4.

NMPED officials said Terry will report to Rounds.

“I want to be sure I don’t usurp Damon’s role. I’m there to serve him. He’s my only employee,” Rounds said. “New Mexico communities are each uniquely wonderful. I see my task as one that assists the school children of Floyd, the teachers and staff who serve those children and to assure that we act in a responsibly fiduciary fashion to support the mission of the district.”

Stewart said he could designate additional individuals to the interim governing council.

“As Secretary of Education, I or my successor will continue to reserve the ability to appoint additional designees to serve alongside you in this capacity,” Stewart wrote.

Stewart’s resignation as PED secretary is effective Aug. 20.