Dear Superintendents, Charter Leaders, and Educational Directors,
As we near the holiday season, we’d like to take this opportunity to reiterate the importance of keeping
New Mexico’s school communities safe and healthy by adhering to the public health order and following
all requirements as pertains to mass gatherings and quarantine.
The expectation for all New Mexicans is to limit travel outside the state as much as possible. There are
lots of creative ways to convene with family and friends, while still following COVID-safe practices.
Schedule a family facetime, go for a socially distant hike, have an outdoor movie night with masks on
and seats 6ft apart. And with internet access increasing across our state, there are tons of virtual
gathering platforms to explore! We know it’s not the same; we know it won’t be easy. But if we’re
committed to getting our children back in school as soon as possible, we have to do everything we can
to help New Mexico ensure it’s meeting the statewide gating criteria anew.
To note: According to the current public health order, the legal requirement is that all New Mexicans
must quarantine for 14 days following out-of-state travel. People visiting from out-of-state must
quarantine for 14 days or the duration of the trip. (These apply to states that have a test positivity rate
of 5% or higher.) In addition, those hosting someone who is quarantining must also quarantine for 14
days.
While we recognize the tradition and importance of holiday gatherings, the New Mexico Public
Education Department, along with our cross-agency partners strongly discourage holiday travel this
year. The rate of community spread is extreme and all New Mexicans are encouraged to stay home,
remain socially isolated, wear their masks on essential errands, and do everything they can to avoid
unnecessary and harmful exposure.
If you have any questions, please refer to the
New Mexico Department of Health website.