Board of Education:
The Board of Education met just before break on Wed., Nov. 19 at 6:30p in the Centennial library. Prior to the regular meeting, the Board of Education held a work session to debrief the threat response process, review the District communication plan, and discuss current attendance trends. The Board has requested the safety team explores recommendations related to additional security options (SRO, Security, Concealed Carry, etc.). They also shared that they see communication with families from the classroom improving. They asked that administration keep regular communication through class bulletins, messages, positive postcards, and other means at the forefront of staff minds. One idea is to provide communication opportunities as a regular agenda item at staff or team meetings. Additionally, they suggested admin develop additional positive marketing materials to share with students and families including shirts, social media posts, and other opportunities to celebrate staff, student, and programming accomplishments.
During the regular meeting of the Board, there was a full agenda that included the swearing in of three new or continuing Board of Education Directors. The Board is now complete with the following directors representing each of the five Districts: Elizabeth Gettel (Board President), Russell Maestas (Board Vice President), Rebecca Romero (Board Secretary), Gilbert Apodaca (Board Treasurer), and Austin Hubbard (Board Member). Congratulations to each new member on your 4- or 2-year term of service.
The meeting began with the approval of the October 30, 2025 meeting minutes. During public to be heard, three people requested the Board approve an exemption to allow the bus to pick-up in their long driveway. The Board will revise policy to provide for an exemption process and directed the superintendent to work with District insurance and legal counsel to develop a waiver. Another person addressed the Board requesting a reconsideration of the eligibility policy in the student and athletic handbooks to allow students to attend practice while ineligible.
Discussion: The Board discussed the question of changing eligibility requirements in the handbooks and will look at any revisions at the end of the year for changes to take effect in the 2026-27 school year. The Board discussed concerns they have with some elementary courses meeting academic standards and Ms. Mansheim shared the standards courses are using to guide their curriculums and lesson planning. This discussion connects with last month's discussion about maximizing a heavy amount of elective time at the elementary level to provide increased targeted interventions to improve academic growth and performance.
This month's policy discussion focus was H: Negotiations. There is not much language reflected in policy, and the Board would like to consult with CASB to see if any additional language should be added. Three action items were added to the agenda during this time including to review exemptions for requested bus routes, negotiations, and a trip out of state with Soul Players of the Valley.
Action: Gilbert Apodaca and Austin Hubbard were appointed to the seats for their respective districts following a reading of their letter of intents to serve as Board members. Rebecca Romero, Gilbert Apodaca, and Austin Hubbard were sworn in to their seats and Austin Hubbard joined the Board for the remainder of the Action items.
The consent agenda items were approved, which included all Board reports. The second and final reading of Policy KF-R was approved. This revision makes the weight room available for public use through a facility request. The heat pump 1 and water heater replacement items were tabled pending a potential recommissioning of our facilities. The Board initiated a sub-committee to explore the costs/benefits of recommissioning versus replacing aging/broken systems. This sub-committee will consist of Steven Sanchez, Austin Hubbard, and at least one outside stakeholder.
The Board held its annual reorganization electing Elizabeth Gettel to continue in her role as Board President, Russell Maestas as Board Vice President, Rebecca Romero as Board Secretary, Gilbert Apodaca as Board Treasurer, and Austin Hubbard as Member. The request by the art class for a trip out of state was approved, and the Board requested that the policy regarding field trips is revised to include Taos County as local when needing to request out of area/state field trips.
Next, the resignation of Veronica Lomas as a high school paraprofessional was approved. The Board also approved the exemptions for the requested bus route pick up locations based on a signed waiver. They asked that revisions to policy EEAC has its first read at the next regular Board meeting. The Board also approved to enter into annual negotiations with CEA following a late request for negotiations. It was asked that CEA not enter into financial negotiations due to their delay of the negotiations timeline, which is structured to accommodate financial negotiations prior to the adoption of the amended budget in January.
Finally, the Board approved the trip to Taos in partnership with Soul Players of the Valley on December 22.
The Board set the following meetings with special considerations for each meeting. The next regular meeting will be on Dec. 17 at 7:30p for the annual mill levy approvals. This meeting will be short, so no reports will be submitted by directors. There will be a special meeting on Wed., Jan 7 for the Board to complete the Superintendent evaluation. The Board will have a first reading on policy at the next meeting to change its regular meetings from the last Thursday to the last Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm.