Belen Middle School’s new neighbors

December 20, 2008

A group of Belen Middle School parents asked the Belen Board of Education on Tuesday night to protect their students from the potential negative influence of the middle school’s imminent new neighbors: Infinity High School students.

“We’re concerned about the message this would send to our students at the middle school,” said Jeanette Sainz, a parent, who noted that the alternative high school students have been seen loitering and smoking.

Infinity High School, currently a set of portable classrooms, is located on Becker Avenue, about three blocks from Belen Middle School. The school system is seeking bids for construction of a new building for the high school that will move it to the corner of Baca Avenue and Fourth Street, across the street from the middle school.

Parents are concerned that 12- to 14-year-old middle school students could be negatively influenced by 14- to 18-year-old high school students.

Board President Jamie Goldberg said it was “really too late in the ball game” to consider changing the chosen site for the new high school, but he promised to work with parents and school administrators to guarantee proper security and supervision.

Board Vice President Sam Chavez said the design for the building limits interaction between the two schools.

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