Meet The Team: Mr. Josh Harrelson, MAS Director of Middle School Math

As one of our longest-tenured team members, Mr. Harrelson has seen it all and then some. Since July 2012, he has served in no fewer than nine roles, including teaching middle school math, coaching the Math Dept., leading at the campus and district levels, and serving as our chief academic officer. He now focuses on strengthening middle school math through clear instruction, aligned curriculum, and data-driven support. Meet Mr. Harrelson, in his own words…

MAS: Let’s start at the beginning... Where did you grow up, and what did you want to be when you were 13 years old?

MR. HARRELSON: I grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico. When I was 13, I wanted to be an airplane pilot like my grandpa.

MAS: Give us your MAS origin story. How did your past roles prepare you for this work?

MR. HARRELSON: I started as a middle school math teacher in 2012. I became a math coach in 2015 and coached the entire math department. In 2018 I became the lead instructional coach. I served as an elementary school leader at the Yale campus from 2019 to 2021, then as district leader for the math department from 2021 to 2022. I served as chief academic officer from 2022 to 2024 and also led the English Language Arts (ELA) department from 2023 to 2024. After 2024 I returned to math coaching, which led to my current role.

MAS: Where did you work before MAS?

MR. HARRELSON: I worked at Escuela Luz Del Mundo, a small school in Albuquerque’s International District with a mission similar to MAS. I taught middle school math and social studies.

MAS: Tell us about your education and training.

MR. HARRELSON: I earned a bachelor’s in elementary education and a master’s in curriculum and instruction from New Mexico State University (Las Cruces, NM). I also completed work with Relay / GSE Graduate School of Education and additional classes at Highlands University (Las Vegas, NM) to receive my administrative license.

MAS: What do you want people to know about MAS?

MR. HARRELSON: MAS is always working to do what is best for students. We look to improve every year so we can serve students better.

MAS: What are your top priorities for the 2025–2026 school year?

MR. HARRELSON: First, improve math proficiency on the New Mexico MSSA. Our goal is for grades 3–8 to reach 70 percent proficient, which is a major jump. I am also collaborating with MAS teachers to write our own MAS math curriculum.

MAS: What might surprise people about you?

MR. HARRELSON: Some people may be surprised to know that I am an avid rock climber and enjoy climbing outdoors and at an indoor gym in town.

MAS: Last question… What’s favorite restaurant and go-to dish?

MR. HARRELSON: My favorite restaurant in Albuquerque is Wrap N Roll (121 Eubank Blvd NE; Albuquerque, NM 87123). It’s a newer Vietnamese spot in the southeast part of the city. The food is excellent and the service is always great. I usually order the Noodle Bowl with Lemongrass Beef, and it never disappoints.