Editor's Note: The forum was long and extensive. We decided on a simplified format to make it easier for the voter to make a decision before heading to the polls on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
By Margaret Hopper
Under the combined sponsorship of CATS TV/KOOTS Radio and the Silver City Daily Press, a last-minute forum was held at the Grant County Administrative Building in the commissioners' meeting room Thursday, January 29, 2015. Nick Seibel, SCDP owner/publisher, moderated the meeting and Lori Ford, CATS executive and Stewart McClintic, reporter for the Daily Press, supplied questions to the candidates along with the audience. Frances Vasquez and Trent Petty are running for a seat in School District 3; Mike McMillan and Anthony Gutierrez are running in District 5.
Opening with credentials, Vasquez said she was a retired 27-year employee of the district as a secretary in human resources and bus transportation. She stressed stewardship of funds and respectful attitudes for all parties within the various schools.
Petty, incumbent board president, cited experience with FAA radar systems after military service, board experience on the local Chamber of Commerce and CATS TV, membership in Leadership New Mexico and Mounted Patrol, and awards in school board work. He said his interests were in creating dual pathways for students with VoTech training and college track, with improved technology and project-based learning. His five children all graduated from Silver.
McMillan is a sports trainer with Southwest Bone and Joint, after experience in other states. His wife is a teacher in the district and they have three sons going to school here. He said he wanted to bring a collaborative atmosphere to the board.
Gutierrez claims 18 years with the County and much experience in a number of areas, such as grant writing, community development, infrastructure, capitol projects, finances and more. He thought he could "bring a lot to the table." His four children went or go to Cliff. He claims budgeting and testing as areas of concern.
Ford's first question was whether candidates were for or against a test immigrants should pass before graduation, as is being given in Arizona.
(Editor's Note: The following are not exact quotes, but represent the nature of what they said.)
McMillan: Against it.
Gutierrez: There is a need for more training in history, government, civics and the like.
Petty: For it, for all students, not just immigrants.
Vasquez: No. This additional effort would be formidable for them.
McClintic asked what one thing would each want to change, and why.
Gutierrez: Soft skills; improve skills like reading, math and science, as they are practical and students need them to be marketable.
McMillan: Updated technology and infrastructure. Silver needed good solid plans, major renovations and funding plans.
Vasquez: Respect and appreciation for all, reduced stress and less testing.
Petty: Students know our technology is still behind. We can't drag technology backward. And fix the budget problems.
Audience question: What about the New Mexico TEACH test to evaluate teachers?
Petty: We have had had meetings on this, with the bill's writer, Goodlaw, all principals, the union co-presidents, and superintendent present. It isn't that frightening after you understand it.
Vasquez: Current testing is unfair, a tool to punish students and teachers. It doesn't truly evaluate what they have learned.
McMillan: Do a pilot program for a year or two. Tweak it, present it after it is corrected, reduce these fears.
Gutierrez: It's an unfair system. Consider self-evaluations, management evaluations, as part of it. I looked at the questions. They are difficult for students. Incorporate more into a much larger system.
Audience question: What about all the testing of students; it may be interfering with teaching.
Vasquez: Children spend too much time on testing and not enough on curriculum. Out of 175 school days, 75 to 80 of them are given to testing. I don't believe that's a healthy atmosphere.
Petty: Students are over-tested. That's a good reason to go to project-based learning. Students choose projects, do research and orally present their projects to parents and teachers. Testing is greatly reduced, communications skills increased.
Gutierrez: My four kids attend Cliff School. There is homework, too much time preparing for tests, then forgetting while preparing for the next test; not enough communication skills. They need the practical applications, too.
McMillan: Too much testing, not enough learning time.
Question: Governor Martinez had three educational priorities. 1. Are you for or against performance based evaluations (teachers scored on student improvements)?
Petty and McMillan: Yes. Vasquez and Gutierrez: No.
2. Retention of (non-reading) third graders: (excepting special education students).
Petty, McMillan and Gutierrez: Yes. Vasquez: No.
3. School grades of A through F: Petty, McMillan and Gutierrez: Yes. Vasquez: No.
Ford: what are the duties of a school board member?
Gutierrez: The superintendent's contract, set policies, approve expenditures.
McMillan: Responsible for superintendent, the budget, listen to the community and bring information back to the superintendent.
Petty: Responsible for the superintendent, policy and budget. Ambassador for the school to others in and beyond the district.
Vasquez: Responsible for superintendent, set and change policies, see that funds are properly spent.
McClintic: In talking with Howie Morales about the budget and cash reserves; since HB-33 was passed three years ago, the district has been getting $800,000 a year for capital improvements. Could the funds have been used to update technology over the past few years instead of a recent push to up the standards now?
Vasquez: This is the third year of 6 years; Silver Schools get $800,000 each year for purchasing tangible items. The talk is "we had to do it for PARCC". PARCC was not adopted in NM until 2013-14, so how could HB-33 funds be spent on technology before that time? Reserves were depleted to spend for the upgrades, and $175,000 from operational funds. HB-33 funds were earmarked for technology and should have been sufficient for this. There was over-hiring, raises were given, and travel. Operational and reserve funds are down, lost to reckless spending. Equipment and salaries should come out of other funds. When HB-33 funding ends, what will happen? Technology has to be constantly upgraded. Losses of equipment, licenses, fees, those things come out of operational funds.
Petty: According to our financial manager, we got $20,800, less than 3 percent of the promised $800,000. Once again, that's the unfunded mandate. But technology changes fast. In about three years, we will need to upgrade again. You can't pace this and hope to keep up. Cursive writing has been replaced by typing, as early as fourth grade. $800,000 for HB-33 is not correct. $20,800 is all we got for it. For this PARCC Test alone, the district had to pay $48,000-plus just to take it. That was unfunded. Next month we will lobby the state for that and other needs.
McMillan: If HB-33 was earmarked-money for technology, it should be spent that way, but it wasn't enough; it's a constant struggle; we will have to find the funds.
Gutierrez: Capitol funds are never enough. Our technology is not up to date. Not all the elementary schools have it. But we can take what funds we have and leverage them; we can look for grants, check our bonding capacity, be more competitive, and look for other resources.
This ended the first half of the forum questioning. The second half will continue in a subsequent article.