Intermediate (4-5)

May all be merry and bright!

Athlete of the WeekSanta Fe New Mexican Dec 23, 2025 Monique Arrietta scored 40 points overall during the Ben Luján Tournament to help the Elkettes win their home tournament for the first time in six years. Monique Arrietta never thought twice about diving for a loose ball late Friday. Even though the Elkettes were comfortably ahead in a Ben Luján Tournament semifinal against Peñasco, their junior point guard threw herself at the ball and faceplanted into the hardwood during a 50-35 win. Arrietta’s reward? A nine-stitch wound on her chin and an all-tournament selection as she helped Pojoaque win its own Ben Luján Tournament over the weekend for the first time in six years. Arrietta did her part by scoring 40 points over the three-day event and saved the best for last — an 18-point performance against Santa Fe Indian School in a 45-36 win Saturday night while wearing a bandage over her chin. She had 10 points in the win over the Panthers and scored a team-high 12 points in an opening-round 44-31 win over Crownpoint. Arrietta said she will wear the scar with pride. “Just another battle wound,” Arrietta said. “It’s what happens when you play hard.” Arrietta is a key cog to the Elkettes’ success, as they improved to 8-3. Honorable mentions St. Michael’s junior forward Ryan Hunt scored 29 points and had five dunks during a 70-45 win over undefeated Tularosa on Dec. 16. Peñasco’s Kaileb Atencio finished his run in the Ben Luján Tournament with a flourish. He had 18 points in a 52-49 loss to Cuba in the consolation semifinals Friday, then he dropped 38 on Moriarty to win seventh place with a 61-28 win. Santa Fe High wrestler Leyton Opare pinned four of his five opponents on his way to winning the 215-pound title at Roswell’s Rio Hondo Scuffle on Saturday. He is now 10-0. Pojoaque Valley’s Mariah Leyba won the 120-pound title at the Rio Hondo Scuffle on Friday, while Capital’s Madelyn Rodriguez claimed the 125 crown. Leyba beat Capital’s Jadyn Rodriguez by pin in the finals.

Each month, we shine a spotlight on a New Mexico student who’s making an impact through athletics and activities. This month, that spotlight lands on Pojoaque Valley sophomore Mariah Leyba—a powerhouse of energy and involvement. Mariah doesn’t just stick to one lane. She’s on the volleyball court in the fall, wrestles her way through winter, and hits the hardwood for basketball before moving on to softball in the spring. On top of that, she steps up as a leader in programs like National Honor Society, AVID, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and school leadership. Of all her commitments, wrestling holds a special place. “I’d say wrestling is my favorite sport,” she said. Inspired by her brothers who wrestled in high school, Mariah jumped at the chance to get on the mat herself. “I thought that looked so fun!” But for Mariah, it’s not just about winning matches or filling her calendar—it’s about purpose. “Keeping busy keeps you focused. Teens often lose themselves throughout high school, and staying focused and having something to work for keeps me feeling valued.” Driven, determined, and always ready for the next challenge—meet Mariah Leyba of Pojoaque Valley High School, this month’s Dion’s Student Spotlight.

The PVSD BOE and Superintendent Segura were proud to recognize our December Students, Educators, and Student Scholars of the Month! You all represent what it means to be true Elks and Elkettes! Keep shining!

Dear Families,

We will be handing out meal kits from 8:30am - 11:30am on Monday December 22nd. You can pick up the meals in the lane in between the gym and student parking lot .

Thank you!

Pojoaque Valley Little League will be holding its Annual Meeting and Board Elections on December 15, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the Buffalo Thunder Conference Room, located across from the Iguana Café. It is time to begin planning for the 2026 Little League Baseball and Softball seasons! This meeting is open to everyone interested in volunteering to help run our league. During the meeting, the PVLL Board will elect Executive Officers. A board member is defined as any current Executive Officer or anyone who completed a volunteer background check during the 2025 season. We will also begin planning for the 2026 season, discussing important items such as registration dates, fees, coaching staff, umpires, and the many other components needed to help our league grow and succeed. Anyone interested in coaching, umpiring, volunteering, or helping in any way is encouraged to attend. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Board President Adam E. Muller at 505-690-7193.

Pojoaque Valley School District Succeeds in Appeal to Move from Class 4A to Class 3A in All Sports. Please click on the link to review the press release: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gwHubiV3y4XFh_7V1jiD5TMe8eCBFdcL/view?usp=sharing

Attention! This evening's Board Meeting is canceled due to technical difficulties and will have to be rescheduled. Thank you for your understanding.

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Superintendent Segura co-facilitated a breakout session at the NMSBA Conference with Stephanie Wyka regarding PVSD's journey to reframe our district Strategic Plan to be student-outcomes focused. It was a packed room with standing room only and very well received.

Superintendent Segura and the Board of Education are at the NMSBA Conference to learn and collaborate. Board Vice President, Jerome Lujan, was sworn in by the Honorable Alexandra C. Naranjo.

Pojoaque Valley Schools will be on a 2-hr delay tomorrow, December 4th. There will be no school for students in grades PreK-5th grades due to it being an early release day. Drive safely. Thank you.

The NM Grown Coalition recognized PVSD for its dedication and outstanding work in promoting NM Grown initiatives. The district received a certificate of recognition signed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, acknowledging PVSD’s commitment to bringing local, healthy foods to New Mexico children and supporting the food and farming economy of our community. Thank you to our Student Nutrition staff for their hard work and commitment to serving healthy meals to our students.

📅 Monday, December 1st is the 80th day of the 2025–2026 school year and an important 🚌 student bus-ridership count day for PVSD. This count helps determine our transportation funding from the New Mexico PED.

To maximize funding, we encourage all students to ride the bus to and from school on Dec. 1st 🚍. School buses are the safest way to travel 🛡️.

Please remember: All Pre-K–12 students must use their Z Pass cards 💳 for safety and tracking.

Thank you for your support! 🙌 Let’s boost ridership on December 1st! 🟩🚌

PVSD wishes our students, staff, families, and community a safe and joyful Thanksgiving!

It's always the season to think and pause before you click.

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Our PVSD staff throughout the district welcomed our families to share Thanksgiving lunch 🦃 🍽️ with our kids. We are so grateful for the tremendous family engagement and support. It was a great week full of love and appreciation. #ElkPride 💚🤍

Superintendent Segura and Central Office Leaders popping into our schools to say "THANKS" to our hard working teachers and staff!