Remember those days of doodling in notebooks or daydreaming during lectures? Peter Gloyd, a 1998 Academy alum, math teacher, coach, parent of three Chargers, and the school’s director of Diversity, Culture, and Belonging (DCB), has turned such distractions into tools for learning with his creation of Class Bucks – a platform designed to enhance engagement and promote learning.
Peter’s path to educational innovation began in the Navajo Nation, where he grew up in the remote community of Chinle, AZ. The son of a Black mother and a White father, his early education emphasized the Navajo language, history, and culture. Despite being bullied and facing adversity because he was different from his classmates, Peter eventually found acceptance through sports and strong friendships, even being named an “honorary Navajo” by his close friends after years of immersion in the culture. “That meant a lot to me, receiving that acceptance,” Peter said. “I love the culture and the great people.” By the time he was in middle school, Peter’s parents sought better educational opportunities for his family, ultimately enrolling him at Albuquerque Academy.
The transition from a small, predominantly Navajo town to the Academy was challenging, but Peter found his footing in math classes, as part of the Students of Color Association, and on the football field. “I was able to make connections and find people with relatable experiences and backgrounds,” he said.
After graduating, Peter pursued advanced degrees in education, focusing on social justice and closing opportunity gaps. While teaching at a charter school and earning his MBA at UNM, he was encouraged by his former Academy adviser, Sonia Roth, to return to Albuquerque Academy as a teacher. Initially concerned that he didn’t have the professional pedigree of other faculty members or that the Academy didn’t need the kind of support he hoped to enact, his hesitancies fell away through discussions with former Head of School Andy Watson, then-10-12 Division Head Christine Lenhart, and others.
He joined the Academy’s faculty in 2019 and soon broadened his impact by directing DCB initiatives and the Vincent Cordova Summer Scholars Program (formerly the Multicultural Summer Honors Program). Joining the Academy faculty and taking on the role of director of DCB, Peter said, “was a full-circle moment. I had a great experience here as a student and feel privileged to be here now.” He credits Head of School Julianne Puente for supporting DCB. “She has been instrumental in championing the importance of belonging at the Academy.”
His work fosters student-led affinity and cultural groups, reflects the school’s diverse student body, and contributes to inclusive hiring practices. “I think it sends a really strong message to the applicants and future employees that this is something we value, and this is part of who we are and what we do.”
Peter’s entrepreneurial spirit and MBA marketing classes fueled his development of Class Bucks. Originally a classroom economy system that taught financial literacy and incentivized positive behaviors, it evolved into a sophisticated platform – an interactive game that seamlessly integrates with any lesson to engage students and enhance learning across various content areas. “I was tracking it with Excel spreadsheets and using these different websites that I pieced together, like a student stock trader website and a bank application, but it was just a lot to manage,” Peter recalled. Despite the technical challenges, the concept worked really well, not only to promote financial literacy but also to motivate students and evaluate positive behaviors in the classroom.
After winning the UNM Rainforest Student Pitch Competition in 2019, Peter and Class Bucks cofounders from his MBA cohort secured significant grants, including $275,000 from the National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research program. The innovative prototype transforms students’ devices from potential distractions to powerful learning tools while measuring student engagement objectively, using real-time data and learning metrics. Currently in beta testing, Class Bucks has the potential to revolutionize education, with further development supported by ongoing grants. “It has been a rewarding experience to witness aspects of our design come to life and for some of its benefits to be actualized.”
