A real Homecoming: Rivera returns to her roots

In the early 90s, Elizabeth Rivera walked the halls of Socorro High School as a student, an athlete, and even as a prom queen. Now, 30 years later, she is navigating the same halls as the new principal.

“I’m very happy to serve here; for me, it’s a privilege and an honor to be here,” Rivera said. “I felt like I got an excellent education when I was here that really prepared me for college and the world. We have to ensure that we’re providing that same service.”

She wants her students to have the same positive interactions she experienced and believes dreams can come true with education. Her goal is for her students to have opportunities and to be on a path to success.

“We want them to be career ready, and we want them to be college ready, or military ready or whatever they’re choosing, but with a plan that’s established while they’re here in school,” Rivera said.

When circumstances pulled Rivera back to her home state, she figured she would return to Albuquerque Public Schools. Her first teaching position was at Garfield Middle School, where Socorro native Nancy Romero was the principal. She later served as a dean of students at Rio Grande High School and later as an assistant principal.

When she saw an opening in Socorro, she felt that it was her opportunity to return home, as she had always hoped.

“An advantage I have is that a lot of parents are people I grew up with or went to high school with and having my family connections. I think there’s a cultural benefit to that. There is an unspoken understanding.” Rivera said.

Rivera is in her 27th year working in education; after graduating from Socorro High, she went to New Mexico State University and worked at Las Cruces Public Schools as a college student.

Most recently, she served as a middle school principal in Tucson, Arizona, for four years and then as principal at Tucson High School for the last two years. The high school had 3000 students, 190 teachers and 230 employees, double the size of the whole Socorro School district.

“You don’t get to make a lot of those like personal connection with teachers because you just see them mostly in staff meetings, in an auditorium of 200 people,” Rivera said “So you don’t get to build those relationships like you do in smaller schools”

She said although it was a good experience, she is looking forward to working in a smaller community and having those connections because she believes the school’s most important asset is its teachers.

Rivera said she would approach the issues with behavior, absenteeism and academic scores with a solution-based, growth mindset. Her plan is to implement restorative practices, early intervention, professional development for teachers, preventative measures, and educate parents on how they can monitor their children’s social media use.

“I think there are going to be solutions for everything that you face,” Rivera said.

Rivera is committed to being accessible to parents, encouraging communication and an open mind.

“I’m your principal, seven days a week,” Rivera said