RUIDOSO MUNICIPAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Celebrating 31 Years of Service: Angie Lane’s Journey with Ruidoso Municipal Schools

Ruidoso Municipal Schools have many dedicated and hard-working employees throughout the system. Some would say none more than Angie Lane who is celebrating 31 years with RMSD. Lane’s journey with Ruidoso School District began in 1994 as a substitute teacher, but a single day in the cafeteria changed her career path. Asked to help in the kitchen on a particularly busy day, she found she enjoyed the camaraderie in the cafeteria and soon joined the team as a part-time cashier.

Back then, the district’s food services were managed by a different company, operating out of what is now the Central Office’s payroll and receiving room. Walking into the Central Office today still brings back fond memories for Angie. In 2001, Angie was offered the role of Food Services Director, now known as K-12, by Elior. She has seen the food service operations evolve, welcoming the changes that have enhanced her team’s ability to serve Ruidoso’s students.

While she first planned to become an elementary school teacher, Angie earned a degree in Technical Education with a minor in Psychology. She later added two master’s degrees—one in Human Resources Management and another in Business Administration.

Food service has been in Angie’s blood since childhood. Growing up in Sweetwater, Texas, her family owned a local diner called Joe’s Café. She recalls fondly her role as a young server, helping her parents by washing endless dishes after school. This early exposure sparked her love for food service, which still drives her today. When the café burned down last year, it marked the end of an era but left Angie with cherished memories.

Since moving to Ruidoso at age 19, Angie has built a life and career rooted in the community. She loves the dynamic, ever-changing nature of food service and the daily interaction with students. “There’s never a repeat day,” she says, adding that the students’ fresh perspectives inspire her.

Angie’s tenure has included navigating significant challenges, from adapting to new regulations to finding creative solutions during COVID-19. During the pandemic, her team served meals from a bus, finding ways to make it work under challenging conditions. “We learned that things don’t have to be the same to be right,” she explains. She credits her dedicated team—some of whom she has worked with for over 25 years—for always rising to the occasion.

Food services have changed over the years, from soaking beans and frying taco shells to today’s healthier offerings. Increased regulations now require most meals to be whole grain-rich, which presents unique challenges at high altitudes. Angie and her team also balance the requirements of the Universal Free Meals program, making more items from scratch while meeting students’ expectations for familiar favorites.

Angie’s outlook on life and work is grounded in resilience and adaptability. She encourages flexibility and tackling challenges as they come. “Every step is a building block,” she says, noting that it’s essential to take things one step at a time to build sustainable success.

Her goal is to build a stable, resilient program, where small issues don’t cause everything to fall apart. She’s grateful for her staff, whom she considers as family, and she’s committed to finding roles that bring out each team member’s strengths. “Challenges give me something to work on,” Angie says.

And for more than 25 years, she has met each one with dedication and a spirit of service.

Ruidoso School District is continually working to improve our communication methods to ensure important updates reach our community efficiently and effectively. We encourage you to stay connected with the variety of platforms we use. Sign up to receive messages from our schools via the following channels:

Ruidoso School District App

In August 2024, we launched the official Ruidoso School District app, which is available as a free download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play. Simply search for “Ruidoso Warriors” to find it. The user- friendly app provides a central hub for important updates, school news, and essential information, with quick access to school calendars, events, and notifications. It also integrates seamlessly with our website, providing you with a one-stop source for all things related to the district. Download it today to stay informed!

Facebook Pages

The district maintains an active presence on Facebook, where we share timely updates, announcements, and photos. We manage five Facebook pages, including a district page for district-wide announcements and key updates and individual pages for each of our schools, where we post school-specific information, photos, and event details. Follow all relevant pages to stay up to date with all of our events and happenings.

Ruidoso School District Text Messaging Service

This service allows us to send critical messages directly to parents and guardians and is used for urgent notifications such as school closures, schedule changes, or emergencies.

To receive these automated messages, please ensure that your contact information is up to date in PowerSchool and that you have opted into the service. To do this:

• »  Text “Y” or “Yes” to the number 67587 to subscribe.

• »  You will then begin receiving messages from the number 575-630-7040. Please save this number in

  your contacts to prevent the messages from being marked as spam.

  Our text messaging service is vital for sharing urgent information, so we encourage all parents and guardians to subscribe.

Ruidoso School District Website

Our website, www.ruidososchools.org, is the go-to place for the latest and most accurate information and resources. Whether you are looking for forms, contact information, announcements, or district policies, our website is a reliable resource for all school-related inquiries.