The Cobre School Board's November 10 meeting was held at Hurley Elementary, with all five members present. Board president Toy Sepulveda opened the meeting at 7:05, announcing that the earlier 6:00 closed meeting had been a time for discussing student identifiable information, limited personnel issues, concerning bus drivers and teacher aides, and additional goals for the superintendent.
The one request for use of facilities was outlined in a letter by Deanna Eby, who asked for the San Lorenzo school gymnasium on December 10, starting at 6:00 p.m., for the water users of the Mimbres Valley. The board approved the request.
The financial review of the October bills was also approved, with a total of $1,068,891.20 in the Operational Fund. The largest amount of that, $880,380.56, went for October payroll periods. Another about $50,000 went to utility expenses, mainly for water and electricity.
In the superintendent's report, Hurley Elementary Principal Margaret Kessler introduced a Buddy Reading project to the board, in which sixth graders shared with kindergarten children for an hour each Friday afternoon. A sixth grade student from Rebecca Barragan's class teams up with a child from Ashley Huff's class to communicate and help in many ways. They may read to the younger children, answer questions about the school, whatever the need may be.
This program has gone on for three or four years, and according to Huff, it helps the kindergarten students develop communication skills, increase reading interests, even stand before adults at meetings such as this one tonight, with confidence. The two classes are similar in size. Barragan has 18 students, Huff, 16. The one-on-one commitments do a lot for the smaller ones, Huff said.
Razanna Robinson-Thomas of Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition invited board members to a Town Hall to be held Wednesday, December 3, at WNMU's Global Resource Center where she said she hopes to address public school policies in Grant County to aid in the serious problem the county faces.
Robinson-Thomas said her group is state-funded and writes for additional grants to reduce the problems: Grant County youth are rated number one in the state for hopelessness and despondency, as well as other emotional negatives. She wants to increase communication across the county and develop a county-wide youth council to address the needs. The program has existed for two years and recent financial commitments have given her group a budget of $120,000 a year for four years, including this one.
She added that there are many misunderstandings about the law and substance abuse issues, which complicate relations between schools and families. Parents tend to think the school is responsible for decisions affecting their children, when it is simply state law going into effect. Schools have no choices in many of the decisions. She hopes to bring understanding to the community.
Superintendent Robert Mendoza announced that the Thanksgiving Break would begin Nov. 24 and last through Nov. 28. There will also be a Thanksgiving dinner at the schools before the break starts.
Cobre will host Hot Springs Football for state playoffs at 7 p.m., Friday, November 14.
The next board meeting will take place December 8, at Bayard Elementary, as the second meeting of November will fall during the break period.
The meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.