What does the face of success look like in Carlsbad, NM?
That is not a rhetorical question. We already know: Meet the new Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Carlsbad Municipal Schools! With a wealth of classroom and educational experience, Stacy Verdin’s accolades are difficult to miss, but her true success comes from how she translates those achievements into preparing your children—Eddy County children—for college and career readiness.
After completing a bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate in Mathematics and Secondary Education at Nicholls State University in 2001, Verdin began instructing Mathematics, Dual Credit Algebra, and Dual Credit Coding/Computer Science in the state of Louisiana. When she landed in Eddy County, New Mexico in 2018, two distinct events happened: Eddy County children were given the opportunity to learn from a master class educator, and Verdin became the new face of educational leadership.
Ever dedicated to her craft and students, Verdin taught Mathematics, Dual Credit Algebra, Dual Credit Coding/Computer Science Algebra II, Dual Credit Intermediate Algebra, and Dual Credit College Algebra for over 20 years before becoming the Academic Dean at Carlsbad High School from 2021–2023. Verdin was not sitting on her laurels during this time. She earned her first and second master’s degrees in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Technology in 2016, and ever the consummate student, she earned a third master’s degree in Educational Leadership in 2017 from Nicholls State University. Verdin views such achievements not for her glory but for the students she teaches and manages. She states, “These areas of study each played an important role in my career. Mathematics gave me the foundation for teaching, curriculum and instruction strengthened my understanding of effective teaching and learning, technology helped me understand how it can enhance student learning, and educational leadership prepared me to support teachers, students, and schools on a larger scale.” (Verdin, 2026). In the role of Academic Dean, her passion for education grew beyond mathematics. As she notes, “I now had the opportunity to help teachers and students across the district, but my purpose remained the same—to help students learn, grow, and recognize their own potential.” (Verdin, 2026). Grander and more sweeping student and personal success, however, were still on the horizon.
Closing the distance between the classroom and educational leadership sky, Verdin was promoted to Principal of Carlsbad Early College High School in 2023, and a dynamo could not be stopped. Under her three years of tutelage, CECHS was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top high schools in the nation, named a Spotlight School by the New Mexico Public Education Department, and received Exemplary Status from NMPED in the 2025-2026 academic year. Leading a tier one Early College program might have been enough for most people, but not Verdin. As always, she positions Eddy County students as first in her world of accomplishments. “We were also honored as a National Showcase School through Capturing Kids’ Hearts, which was especially meaningful because it recognized the culture and relationships we worked so hard to build within our school.” (Verdin, 2026). In fact, in 25 years, Verdin never left the classroom as a student or teacher, allowing her to distinctly help forge the future of educational culture in Eddy County.
As an advocate for continuous improvement, Verdin is now the Director of Curriculum and Instruction. When she landed in Carlsbad Municipal Central Office in 2026, her world came full circle. Two distinct events happened: Eddy County educators were given the opportunity to learn from a master of curriculum and instruction, and the face of educational leadership success was allowed to reflect brightly and influentially on those with whom she works the closest. “While I may not have a classroom of my own anymore, the decisions I make can impact classrooms throughout CMS. I focus on making sure our teachers have high-quality curriculum, resources, professional learning, assessments, and instructional support so they can provide the best possible learning experiences for their students, and what we are doing at the district level translates into meaningful instruction and improved outcomes for students in the classroom.” (Verdin, 2026).
Featuring Stacy Verdin in Focus on Carlsbad was not a difficult task. The story—her story—built itself. If anything, the author’s words are only glaring secondary to how Verdin sees and communicates the world of education from her lens. I did not, therefore, need to create a conclusion to this piece. The culmination of this story is related best in Stacy Verdin’s own words below:
“I am a proud mom to three handsome sons and two beautiful daughters-in-law, and Carlsbad is truly home for our family. My career has taken me from the mathematics classroom to school leadership and now to district leadership, but my heart has always been in education. I want the people of Carlsbad to know that I am committed to serving their children and doing everything I can to help provide them with the opportunities, support, and education they deserve.”
Article written by Dr. Jonathan M. Wilson and originally published in Focus on Carlsbad 2026 Fall edition.
Dr. Jonathan M. Wilson
Dr. Jonathan M. Wilson is the Dean of Teaching and Learning and an Associate Professor of English at Southeast New Mexico College. He holds a PhD in English Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington with emphases in 19th and 20th century American Literature, Rhetoric and Writing, and Literary Theory and a specialization in Native American Literature(s). He completed his BA and MA in English Studies at Eastern New Mexico University. Courses taught include Professional and Technical Writing, Rhetoric and Writing, Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences with emphasis on American Culture and Society, and Narrative Theory and Discourse. As Dean, he manages, evaluates, and implements assessment practices and processes, fosters a culture of reflection, and advocates and provides professional development opportunities for faculty.
