Due to forecasted precipitation and the potential for flooding in surrounding areas, including school bus routes, MISD will remain in remote learning status on Thursday, September 24, 2026. Please stay safe.
Please be safe!
Celebrating 50 Years of the Mora High School Gym - Thank You, Mora! 💚🤍
What a wonderful evening on September 16, 2026, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Mora High School Gymnasium and honoring the history, memories, and people who have made this facility such an important part of our community. On behalf of our Board of Education, very special thank you to all who made this event possible.
To the Class of 1976 panelists: Shirley Vigil, Mark Cassidy, and Elmer Aragon, for taking us down memory lane and sharing their oral histories of Mora High School and community life during 1975–76, including their recollections of the construction, opening, and dedication of the gym.
Thank you to Reyes Perea Duran and Jordyn Pacheco, Mora High School sophomores and members of the MHS Chapter of Business Professionals of America, under the leadership of sponsor Jessica Lucero, for their informative biographical presentation on Senator Joseph Montoya, the namesake of our gym. Senator Montoya played an instrumental role in securing federal financial assistance for construction of the facility.
Our appreciation also goes to MHS History and Spanish Teacher, Rosa Pacheco-Romero, who co-led the discussion and interpretation of the remarkable Aarón Piña Mora mural, helping us better understand and appreciate this important piece of cultural history.
Thank you to Rachel Rogers and our Food Services staff for providing the cookies and lemonade, and to Kendrick Martinez for donating supplies and ice. We are grateful to Audrey Vigil-Archuleta, Executive Administrative Assistant, and Vanessa Martinez, HR/Athletics Coordinator, for their tremendous assistance in planning, organizing, and coordinating the celebration.
Thank you also to Principals Angelo Archuleta and Martina Tapia for their ideas and leadership, and to Ms. Tracy Gonzales and Ms. Faith Rivera for helping collect community surveys. A special thank you to Randy Bucholz, IT Director, for his assistance with the audio/visual equipment and community input survey.
Thanks to Coach Arthur Romero, for sharing some of his memories, as well. And heartfelt appreciation to our Custodial Staff: Nick Branch, Charlene Mares, Melvin Salas, and Sally Valdez, for preparing the facility for this celebration and, every day, for helping care for and maintain this important community space.
Thank you as well to MHS Student Council, Sponsor Mrs. Melinda Leyba, and all students and staff who decorated with balloons and streamers helping to make the evening festive and welcoming. Thanks to MHS Cheerleaders from the Class of 1976: Fran Martinez and Debbie Martinez for leading the School Song.
As you can see, this was a collective effort, please forgive me if I have inadvertently omitted anyone who assisted. Most of all, thank you to the students, parents, families, alumni, community members, and stakeholders who attended, participated, shared memories, and provided valuable input. Your engagement is meaningful as we move forward with the planning and assessment phase of our partnership with the State of New Mexico concerning the District’s Facility Master Plan.
The conversation does not end with the celebration. We invite everyone to share their perspective about the future of the Mora High School Gymnasium by completing this short survey: Community Input Survey: Future of the Mora High School Gymnasium https://forms.gle/FNoBtuGASZV1HfkC8
Thank you, Mora, for helping us celebrate our past while continuing to envision the future of our schools and our community.
💛 MISD is Proud to Support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and our Student and Friend Jeremiah Duran 💛
I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation to Nick and Natalie Marrujo of Quality Care and their family for their incredibly generous donation of T-shirts for every Mora student, staff member, and Board Member as we came together to commemorate Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and stand beside our own 5th Grade student, Jeremiah Duran, in his courageous battle with cancer.
What the folks from Quality Care have done for our school community is about so much more than providing a T-shirt. They have given us something that allows us to visibly and collectively say to Jeremiah and his family: You are not alone. We are with you. We are standing with you, praying for you, encouraging you, and believing in you.
Seeing our students and staff wearing these shirts was a powerful reminder of what makes Mora Independent Schools such a special place. We are a small school, but we are a community with a very big heart. When one of our own faces a difficult journey, we come together, not because we are asked to, but because that is who we are.
I also want to recognize members of our school community for the compassion, care, and support shown to Jeremiah and his family. Our responsibility as educators extends far beyond the classroom. Sometimes the most important lessons we teach our students are the ones they experience through the way we care for one another, show courage in difficult circumstances, and surround a member of our school family with love and support.
Jeremiah, we want you to know that your Mora School family is standing beside you. Keep fighting, keep believing, and know that you have an entire school community in your corner.
Nick and Natalie, thank you for helping make this expression of love and solidarity possible. Your generosity touched every member of our school community, and we are deeply grateful.
With sincere appreciation,
Dr. Trujillo
Fidel J. Trujillo, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Mora Independent School District
PO Box 179
Mora, NM 87732
Telephone:
(575) 387-3100 (office)
(505) 398-6891 (mobile)
E-mail: fjtrujillo@mora.k12.nm.us
💛 **Friendly Reminder!** 💛
Just a friendly reminder that our **Childhood Cancer Awareness T-Shirts** are to be worn **tomorrow, September 16, 2026**, in support of **Team Jeremiah**.
Thank you all for helping us show our support and bring awareness to Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! 💛🎗️
Let’s wear our shirts proudly and show our support for **Team Jeremiah!**
For the safety of all students, please remember to follow the designated student drop-off procedures each morning. The student drop-off time is 7:45 a.m. –7:55 a.m.
Thank you for helping us keep our students safe and making morning drop-off run smoothly.
Mora Independent School District is incredibly grateful for a generous donation of books to the Mora Elementary School 2nd Grade classroom - a gift that will help nurture a love of reading and strengthen literacy among our young learners.
This wonderful contribution was made possible through the generosity of three individuals who, although they have no direct affiliation with Mora, chose to invest in the children of our community:
📖 Gregg Willard, General Manager of Toyota of Tampa Bay
📖 Dr. Christian Jordan, Chair of Drexel Couple and Family Therapy
📖 Dennis Bristol, Vice President of GC&E Federal, LLC
We are especially grateful to a Mora High School alumna from the Class of 2003, who facilitated this connection and helped bring these generous individuals together in support of our students. She has asked to remain anonymous, but we want her to know how much we appreciate her continuing to find ways to give back to the community that helped shape her.
Thank you, Mr. Willard, Dr. Jordan, and Mr. Bristol, for investing in our youth and promoting literacy. Your generosity will make a difference, not simply in the books our students now have on their shelves, but in the opportunities, imagination, confidence, and lifelong love of learning those books can inspire
Reminder: there will be no school on Monday, September 7, 2026, for Labor Day. There will be school on Friday, September 11, 2026. Have a fun and safe holiday weekend!
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • 6:00 p.m. -- Joseph M. Montoya Gymnasium
Join Mora Independent Schools and members of the Mora community for a special Community Forum celebrating 50 years of the Joseph M. Montoya Gymnasium.
Dedicated in 1976, the gymnasium has been much more than a place for basketball and volleyball. For five decades, it has served as a gathering place for generations of students, families, athletes, educators, and community members. It has hosted championship moments, school celebrations, graduations, community events, and countless memories that have become part of the story of Mora.
Honoring the Class of 1976
The evening will feature a panel of Mora High School Class of 1976 graduates - the first graduating class to use the new gymnasium. Panelists will share firsthand memories of the gym's opening and their experiences during its first year.
Invited panelists include:
• Shirley (Gauna) Vigil - Class of 1976 Student Council President, who participated in the original gym dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Mark Cassidy - Class of 1976, legendary Mora basketball player and coach, college athlete at New Mexico Highlands University, and former professional player in Australia
• Elmer Aragon - Class of 1976 Valedictorian and Stanford-educated attorney
The History Behind the Gym and Its Famous Mural
Dr. Fidel Trujillo will provide a historical presentation exploring the story of the gymnasium, its 1976 dedication, and the significance of its connection to Mora's educational and community history.
The presentation will also examine the gym's remarkable 37-by-11-foot triptych mural, painted by renowned Mexican muralist Aarón Piña Mora, who served as an artist-in-residence in the Mora schools through the New Mexico Arts Commission. The mural's imagery tells a story of New Mexico's history and cultures and remains one of the gymnasium's most distinctive and treasured features.
T
he presentation will also explore the role of Senator Joseph M. Montoya, for whom the gymnasium is named, and the broader legacy of education, athletics, and community that the facility represents.
Looking Toward the Next 50 Years
This celebration is also an opportunity to look forward.
As Mora Independent Schools enters the Planning and Assessment Phase of its facilities planning process with the Public Schools Facilities Authority (PSFA), community stakeholder engagement is an important part of determining the future of our facilities.
The high school gymnasium is currently being evaluated for needed improvements, including structural repairs and renovations to areas such as the lobby, restrooms, and locker rooms. While replacement has been raised as one potential option, the District believes there is significant value in exploring how the existing gymnasium can be preserved, renovated, and modernized while retaining the character, capacity, and community functions that make it special to Mora.
The gymnasium continues to serve the community well beyond athletics, including graduation ceremonies, school activities, community gatherings, and emergency shelter needs.
During the forum, community members will have an opportunity to:
• Share memories and stories about the gym
• Learn about its history and significance
• Discuss what the gym means to Mora today
• Identify priorities for renovation and modernization
• Consider how the facility can remain functional and accessible for future generations
• Help shape the District's thinking as it plans for the next 50 years
This is more than a celebration of a building. It is a celebration of the people, memories, accomplishments, and community that have filled it for 50 years, and an invitation to help determine what comes next.
Please join us on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 6:00 pm at the Mora High School Gym.
Parent/Guardian Registration Reminder
Parents and Guardians: We need your help!
If you have not yet completed all required registration forms and information in PowerSchool for your child, please do so as soon as possible.
This is more than a routine or optional form. This is part of the required enrollment process for New Mexico public schools and ensures that Mora Independent Schools has the accurate information we need to properly serve and account for every student. Our reporting processes to the state require complete information.
Please complete your child's registration by Wednesday, August 26.
Having trouble accessing PowerSchool or unsure what remains to be completed? We're here to help! Please contact school administrative assistants or stop by the school front office, and we will assist you in completing the process.
If you have already completed registration, thank you! No further action is needed.
We appreciate your help in making sure every student is fully registered.
A Message to Our Community During Difficult Times
Dear Mora School Community,
I'd like to send this note to acknowledge that this has been a difficult and painful time for our community.
When tragedy touches a small community like ours, its impact reaches far beyond the people directly involved. We know that many of our students, families, staff, and community members are hurting, grieving, worried, or simply trying to make sense of what has happened. Some may be struggling with emotions that are difficult to put into words.
As a school community, we want you to know that you do not have to carry those feelings alone.
Our School Counselors are available to support students and staff. Please avail yourselves of the opportunity to talk to someone. If you know a student who might benefit from talking through things, please point them in the right direction. Our Secondary Counselor is Amanda Nolan-Trujillo, she can be reached at 575-387-3124. Her email address is mhscounselor@mora.k12.nm.us. Our Elementary Counselor is Michelle Cruz. Her phone number is 575-387-3132 and email address is mescounselor@mora.k12.nm.us. Our School Social Worker is Jessica Lucero. She is attending training off campus the next couple of days, but feel free to reach out to her upon her return. She can be reached at 575-387-3190 or jlucero@mora.k12.nm.us.
Our partners at the Mora Valley Community Health Services are also available to provide support to members of our extended community who may need someone to talk with. Please visit their website at www.mvchs.org.
There is no right way to process something like this. Give yourself, and one another, a good measure of grace. Check on your neighbors. Listen to your children. Be patient with your colleagues. And remember that sometimes the most meaningful thing we can do is simply be present for one another.
We are a close-knit community. We are connected by our schools, our families, our friendships, and our shared sense of home. In moments like this, that connection matters.
There is one thing I am certain of: we will take care of one another.
Our thoughts are with everyone who is hurting, and we will continue to support our students, staff, families, and community as we move through this difficult time together.
Sincerely,
Dr. Trujillo
Fidel J. Trujillo, Ph.D.
Superintendent