Editor's Note: This is part 6 of a multi-part series. This article covers two education presentations—Cobre Consolidated Schools and Silver Consolidated Schools.

By Mary Alice Murphy

George Peru, director of operations, and Maureen Peru, director of information technology represented the Cobre Consolidated Schools.

"We have two priorities, and we are struggling to keep up," George Peru said.

"The Public Education Department has increased the demands on technology with testing and a push for technology in the classrooms," Maureen Peru said. "We can do the equipment, but the infrastructure and network demands are difficult. When the main server goes down, we're down. We need increased servers with backup."

She said the schools don't have the $75,000 that would pay for additional servers and the equipment to monitor them.

"We are also looking at increasing speed and capacity on the network," she said. "With all students testing at the same time, it bogs down the system. Our rural school is always a problem. For that we are requesting $15,000.

"Our second priority is the activity buses," George Peru said. "We've upgraded the classrooms, but our youngest bus is 10 years old. We just purchased one and we need another. We also travel in Suburbans, when we have smaller groups, and we could use $30,000 for a new one. The bus costs $170,000.

"Congrats to the district," Sen. Howie Morales said. "Technology upgrades are unfunded mandates. And PED wants more testing."

He commended Cobre for its school remodels, which "look amazing."

"On the fleet and the IT requests, we will need the capital outlay forms," Morales said. "Priscilla (Lucero, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments executive director) can help you with those."

Superintendent Lon Streib and Assistant Superintendent Trish Martinez presented for Silver Consolidated Schools.

"In the Growing Tree program, we have a $70,000 shortfall," Streib said. "The university and we keep it open. We want to keep it a lab school for Silver High students who are working on certifications and associates degrees at the university. The Silver High students can use it on their way toward certification. If we could ask for big numbers, and break it down—$75,000 would make or break the program.

"We talk about partnership," Streib said. "We partner in the childcare, andwe need to open our own facilities to work with the university.

"We request to continue the partnership, but we request money for Growing Tree," he continued.

Streib said Silver schools are starting the Career Pathways program. "We have welding and next semester, we will have building trades and training for certified nurse assistants."

"We've gotten it off the ground, but some seed money will help us gain airspeed to make it fly," he said. "We will continue accessibility of students to Western."

He said, with today's technology, "kids today don't learn the same way we did. We will begin to turn away from books to technology. We would request diverting money from textbooks to computers and technology."

"The state has a cycle," Martinez noted. "We need to look at the cycle to make sure we are properly funded. The technology piece costs more than textbooks. We need to look at instructional materials funding."

"I love what you said about information technology," Rep. Dianne Hamilton said. "I appreciate what I see with my grandkids."

"To clarify, are you asking for appropriations?" Morales asked.

"We could fill out a form if you need it," Streib said. "The $75,000 we and Shepard asked for means jobs and it's for people."

Martinez noted: "Those students, who receive childcare, stay in school."

Morales agreed and said community members use it, too.

"For the Freeport Community Enhancement Fund, did you make a Growing Tree request?" Morales asked.

"No, but there were others submitted," Streib said.

Morales asked if any building upgrades were needed.

"The roof is fixed. HVAC is fixed. We're in pretty good shape," Streib said.

Terry Anderson, Prospectors president, forum moderator and retired WNMU Early Childhood Program director said: "Those who use Growing Tree, stay in school, finish high school and then go to Western."

Note: This article is taken directly from a transcript this writer is paid to deliver to the Prospectors each year for them to put the differently formatted information into the legislators' notebooks to be used during the legislative session and throughout the year.