The community of Placitas was devastated by the news of the death of Joe Lepre, Placitas Elementary School principal, on April 30.
Bernalillo Public Schools provided support to families and staff by offering access to counselors for discussions and assistance.
Lepre, a 48-year-old husband and father of two, graduated from Bernalillo High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from New Mexico State University and his master’s in educational leadership from New Mexico Highlands University.
He gained experience in various schools across the district before finding his place in Placitas.
During his three-year tenure at the elementary school, he started teaching fifth grade before earning a promotion to principal, a position he dedicated himself to for the following two years.
“His legacy is that he put it all out on the table for the people he served,” Superintendent of Bernalillo Schools Matthew Montaño said. “He believed that education was a game changer for our students and I think he lived that as an example of his profession.”
According to Montaño, after assuming the role of principal, Lepre’s primary focus was on revitalizing the school’s enrollment numbers following the pandemic. Through his efforts, he successfully increased the student count from 91 to 127. In 2023, the elementary school expanded to include sixth grade.
Lepre helped start the Placitas Elementary Garden, an after-school program that has since been taken over by the Sandoval Extension Master Gardeners. The initiative was designed to offer students additional activities and opportunities after school hours.
Montaño said Jennifer Trujillo, the district’s assessment coordinator, has stepped in as the interim principal for the last month of school.
Lepre’s family has directed contributions to an education account for his children at https://gofund.me/72b687a9.