Bilingual Education Day to be held February 2,
At Legislature

(Santa Fe, NM)-- The New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) will join with the New Mexico Association for Bilingual Education (NMABE) in celebrating Bilingual Education Day at the Legislature on Wednesday, February 2, 2005 from 2:00 pm to 3:00 p.m.

“This event is an excellent opportunity to highlight the richness of the languages and cultures in our state. Our celebration recognizes, celebrates and endorses the importance of Bilingual Education programs in New Mexico’s public schools,” said Dr. Gladys Herrera-Gurulé, the state director for Bilingual Education and Title III Programs at PED.

“New Mexico’s government has consistently been a national leader in supporting bilingual school programs. The recent signing of memorandums of understanding with Spain, Mexico and Native American tribes will help us to bring more highly qualified bilingual teachers to New Mexico which underscores this administration’s commitment to bilingual education,” said Secretary of Education, Dr. Veronica C. García.

The event will open on Wednesday, February 2nd at 2:00 pm in the State Capitol Rotunda, with opening remarks by Gabriel Baca, NMABE president and Dr. Veronica C. García, secretary of education, as well as other distinguished guests from the legislature and the PED.

The following student groups will provide entertainment from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.:

2:00 pm Mariachi Pantera del Yermo (Pecos Independent Schools)
2:20 pm Zuni Pueblo Student Dancers
2:40 pm Student Singers (Central Consolidated Schools)
2:50 pm La Casita Folklorico (Clovis Municipal Schools)
3:10 pm Student Mariachi (Ortiz Middle School, Santa Fe Public Schools)

For more information on the activities, please contact David Briseño, executive director of the New Mexico Association for Bilingual Education, at 505-769-0742 or via e-mail at nmabe@plateautel.net.