Las Cruces Public Schools Celebrates the 2023-2024 District Employees of the Year

In honor of Teacher Appreciation week, Las Cruces Public Schools is happy to announce the honorees for the 2023-2024 District Employees of the Year.

The 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year for Las Cruces Public Schools is Michele Lang, director of bands from Picacho Middle School. 

The Educational Support Personnel of the Year for LCPS is Jorge Legarreta, campus custodian at Central Elementary School. 

The Principal of the Year for the district is Jim Schapekahm, principal at Organ Mountain High School.

Each school campus selected a Teacher of the Year and Educational Support Personnel of the Year. Campus employees of the year were then eligible to participate for consideration in the district’s employees of the year process. This year, LCPS added a new category for Principal of the Year.

A committee made up of staff and educators were tasked with selecting the finalists for Teacher of the Year and Educational Support Personnel of the Year after a series of interviews. The top three finalists from each category were invited to attend the Celebration of Excellence dinner on April 28, where the winners for the district employees of the year were announced.

Michele Lang, the Teacher of the Year for Las Cruces Public Schools will advance as a candidate for the New Mexico Teacher of the Year award.

LCPS has launched a new web page dedicated to recognizing its District Employees of the Year. Click here to access the 2023-2024 district employees of the year web page or visit lcps.net.

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