Rio Rancho Schools Incoming Superintendent Shares 100-Day Plan With Business Leaders

Dr. Robert "Robby" Dodd had barely introduced himself to Rio Rancho's business community when the conversation turned to New Mexico chiles, a lighter moment that broke the ice at a Sandoval Economic Alliance breakfast on March 6 before the incoming Rio Rancho Public Schools superintendent got down to the business of unveiling his 100-day roadmap.

The SEA billed the event "A Milestone Morning: The RRPS Leadership Transition," and Fred Shepherd, the alliance's president and CEO, captured the significance of having both Dodd and his predecessor, Dr. Sue Cleveland, in the same room. "This is a special day, a special opportunity," Shepherd said.

Cleveland, who has led the district since 1994, spoke first, tracing the history of RRPS before the spotlight shifted to Dodd. He delivered a condensed version of his 10-page 100-Day Entry Plan and then opened the floor to questions. Dodd is spending March shadowing Cleveland before formally taking the reins on April 1.

The full plan, published by the RRPS Communications Office on March 13 under the heading "Honoring the Past, Building the Present, Inventing the Future," is structured in four parts that unfold across the first 100 days. The opening phase, Days 1 through 30, centers on listening: visiting schools and communities and meeting with students, families, staff, and community leaders to understand what is working and where support is needed.

Dodd's plan sets a clear benchmark for where that phase should leave the district. "By Day 30: Working together, we will have built early trust by listening carefully and honoring the strengths of Rio Rancho Public Schools," the plan states. "I will have a clear, grounded understanding of what is working well across our schools and where improvement is most urgently needed. Just as importantly, students, families, staff, and community partners will know that their voices are shaping early decisions - from organizational design to near-term priorities."

Days 31 through 60 move into a study phase, pairing community input with a review of student outcomes, programs, and resources to identify both strengths and gaps. The plan's remaining phases, covering Days 61 through 100, have not yet been released publicly.

In his letter to Rio Rancho students, staff, and families accompanying the plan, Dodd acknowledged the weight of following Cleveland's tenure. "Rio Rancho Public Schools has a unique and proud legacy built under Dr. Cleveland's 31 years of inaugural leadership, and it is humbling that the Board has selected me to follow in her remarkable footsteps," he wrote, signing off: "In partnership, Robert W. Dodd, EdD Superintendent."

The full text of the 100-Day Entry Plan is available through the RRPS Communications Office.