Peralta Elementary Principal Placed on Paid Leave Amid Investigation

Peralta Elementary School's principal has been removed from campus and barred from contacting staff or students, according to a district memo that directed Pam Golliheair to stay off all Los Lunas Schools property effective March 26 pending an investigation.

The directive came from Los Lunas Schools Superintendent Susan D. Chavez. The memo's restrictions are comprehensive: Golliheair cannot set foot on any Los Lunas Schools campus, cannot reach out to staff or students, and must remain available by phone during regular contract hours. Any questions she has must go through Andrew Saiz, the district's assistant superintendent of personnel and athletics.

Parents learned of the leadership change one day later, on March 27, when the district sent a message through the Remind app describing a "change in leadership" at the school. That message named Cathy Chavez, who previously served as Peralta Elementary's School Advocate, as the campus's lead administrator until further notice. Elizabeth Schilling remains in place as dean of students, with additional district administrators supporting the school during the transition.

The district declined to provide further detail, characterizing the matter as a personnel issue. District media staff said they could not confirm specifics and offered no comment on the nature or timeline of the investigation, leaving parents without a clear answer on how long the interim arrangement will last.

Golliheair is in her 26th year in education. She began her career teaching middle-school math, science, and health at Valencia Middle School, later serving as an instructional support coordinator before spending 13 years with Albuquerque Public Schools. She returned to Los Lunas Schools in 2022 as assistant principal at Raymond Gabaldon Elementary and moved into the principal's role at Peralta in 2024.

Under the terms of the memo, Golliheair will be called to a meeting at the district's central office once the investigation concludes, with Saiz responsible for scheduling that follow-up. Until then, Chavez's existing familiarity with Peralta, built during her time as the campus's school advocate, positions her to maintain continuity while the district works through its review.