St. Mike’s To Start Drug Testing in Fall
St. Michael’s High School is moving ahead with plans to conduct random drug tests on students.
Kimberly Hamerdinger, a parent who attended a meeting at the school on the drug test issue Tuesday night, said principal Sam Govea announced the testing policy would be implemented next fall and that a contract has already been signed with company that will analyze student hair samples, Psychemedics Corp. of Culver City, Calif.
Hamerdinger is among parents who have opposed the policy, which school officials announced was under consideration in a Feb. 9 letter to parents. She said Wednesday that the school “went from zero to 60″ so fast in deciding to go forward with the tests that many parents felt “simply excluded.”
Other parents have been supportive. Govea, who did not return calls seeking comment Wednesday, has said the tests are an effort to be proactive about drug use among young people and would give students another reason to say no to drugs. He had a similar policy at a Catholic school in El Paso where he previously was principal.
Hamerdinger said that Govea did tell parents this week that the school will soften part of the policy which called for expulsion of a student if there is a second positive test 100 days after an initial positive finding. Hamerdinger said Govea told parents that if a second test shows a lower reading, plans could be made to work with the student.
SFPD Deputy Chief To Retire Friday
Santa Fe police Deputy Chief Gillian Alessio is set to retire from the department on Friday and a current police captain is expected to fill her position on an interim basis.
Alessio is retiring after serving with SFPD for about 15 years. Before that, she was employed with the state’s Regulation and Licensing Department.
“I’m brutally sad,” she said. “This is the best career ever.”
Santa Fe Police Chief Ray Rael commented on Twitter that Alessio “will be missed” and thanked her for her dedication.
Alessio said that Santa Fe police Capt. John Schaerfl will take over for her as interim deputy chief.
Wise Fool Names Managing Director
Wise Fool New Mexico’s managing director, Katy Medley, is taking a new job with a private foundation and is being replaced by Devon Hawkes Ludlow, whom the board of directors selected from a pool of 38 applicants.
A native of Santa Fe, Ludlow has worked as both a performer and administrator in numerous performing arts/media organizations. He helped create and organize the New York International Clown Theater Festival, served as associate director for Il Teatro Calimari and Jollyship The Whizbang (doing puppetry, theater and song), assisted in starting and running an independent film production and promotion business, and recently created and performed a multimedia puppet musical on Meow Wolf’s The Due Return.
Workshop Covers Child Protection
A free workshop, “Protecting Young Children,” will be held March 3 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center, 3221 Rodeo Road.
It will cover topics such as real vs. perceived dangers to children; the facts about molestation and child abduction; how parents can encourage their child’s intuition and instill self-reliance instead of fear. This workshop is open to parents and caregivers; it is not appropriate for children.
Email Lisa Gulotta at lfgulotta@ci.santa-fe.nm.us to reserve a free spot.
Hockey Tourney Takes Over Rink
The Genoveva Chavez Community Center and Santa Fe Youth Hockey are hosting a weekend tournament from Friday through Sunday.
As a result, there will be no public skating Friday evening, Saturday morning or Sunday morning. Saturday’s afternoon public skating session will end at 4:15 p.m.
Independent Movie Now Filming in N.M.
An independent feature, “Biomass,” is shooting in and around Albuquerque and Santa Fe, the New Mexico Film Office announced Wednesday.
The production will employ at least 17 New Mexico crew members and 39 principal and background talent.
This is the first feature for Anthony Riazzi, a New Mexico transplant from Los Angeles who supervised digital and visual effects and was technical director for movies there. He wrote the screenplay for “Biomass” and will produce alongside former Disney executive, Alicia J. Keyes.
New Mexico’s cast includes Juliet Lopez, Brenden Wedner, Matt Page and Alejandro Montoya Marin, as well as Steve Cormier, Katalina Parrish, Zach Dulin, Matt Berlin and Nomar Rizo.
“Biomass” tells the story of a secretive government research facility that suffers a containment breach of a genetically engineered new life form, with catastrophic results.
