Santa Fe Standard

Superintendent Hilario “Larry” Chavez announced that Jessica Garcia has been named principal of Amy Biehl Community School starting with the 2024-25 school year. Garcia has served as Piñon Elementary assistant principal since 2021. She takes the helm from Felicia Torres, who has served as principal since 2019 and is taking a leave of absence.

“We’re delighted to welcome Jessica Garcia as Amy Biehl’s principal. She brings the experience of having taught at Amy Biehl for eight years before serving as an assistant principal at Piñon Elementary School and, before that, dean of students for Nina Otero Community School. We are confident that Jessica will continue doing what she’s done so well for the Santa Fe Public Schools: promote and facilitate academic success for all students and staff,” said Superintendent Chavez.

“We wish Felicia Torres the best during her leave of absence. She ended the year on a high note with three of her sixth-grade students advancing to the National History Day contest in Maryland. She has been an amazing leader. We look forward to her return in 2025-26,” he said.

Garcia said, “I’m enthusiastic about this opportunity to once again join the amazing team at Amy Biehl. I care deeply about building strong relationships and creating a family environment among our students, staff and families. By working together and focusing on student achievement, I know that we will provide excellent learning experiences for every student in our care.”

During her time as assistant principal at Piñon Elementary, Garcia assisted in all areas of supervision and planning and ensured that learning standards were implemented with fidelity. She was dean of students at Nina Otero Community School from 2018 to 2021, where she supported over 700 students and nearly 100 staff, mentored new teachers on best practices for engaging students in learning, and notably built a restorative justice program from the bottom up.

Garcia was a first-grade teacher at Amy Biehl in 2017-18 and a second-grade teacher at the school from 2010 to 2017. She was an elementary teacher at E.J. Martinez Elementary from 2008 to 2010.

She holds a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from New Mexico Highlands University.