District overview
Quemado Independent Schools
A two-campus rural district in Catron County with a new superintendent and bond-funded building projects
Who runs Quemado's schools?
Quemado Independent Schools runs schools in Quemado and Datil in Catron County, with about 175 students including pre-K. A five-member board is elected at large. It meets the third Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m., alternating between Quemado and Datil, and streams on Zoom. In spring 2026 the board declined to renew Superintendent David Lackey after 14 years and hired Dawn Kalberg.
Superintendent
Dawn Kalberg, $140,000 a year, through June 30, 2028.
Budget
About $10.5 million for 2026-27, pending state approval.
Bonds
$600,000 of a $1.2 million voter-approved bond sold in 2026 at about 1.8%.
Board
Tim Hendricks (president), Eileen Dodds, Al Guthridge, Gina Craciunescu, Adrian McPhaul.
Most votes are unanimous, and the board approved the leadership change 5-0 in April.
Where the district stands
Major projects
Back parking lot paving
in_progressApproved 4-1 for $251,500 with Prestige; a state transportation grant of about $87,000 was also discussed. In October the district looked at using that money for drainage instead.
- Approved
- DOT funds possibly shifted to drainage
Funding
Forest reserve and bond funds
Air conditioning and electrical upgrades
in_progressMini-split air conditioning and new wiring for the elementary wing, offices, concession area and agriculture shop, by TLC, approved 4-1.
- Tabled for a third quote
- Approved
Funding
SB-9 state capital funds
New bus barn
in_progressElectrical rough-in passed inspection in fall 2025; propane, electricity and a bathroom were still needed in May 2026.
- Electrical inspection passed
- Propane and power still needed
Funding
Not stated
Resources
Practical guides to school phone policies, district budgets, and administrator hiring.
Explore resources →Built from the board's agendas, signed minutes (scanned, read with OCR) and meeting recordings, all in the district's public Google Drive folders, November 2025 to October 2026.
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