By Margaret Hopper

Cobre school board opened its public session at 7:20 p.m. Monday evening with all five board members present, Frank Gomez, Robert Montoya, Toy Sepulveda, Frances Kelly and Frank Cordova. The earlier closed session started at 6:00; they discussed student identifiable information and limited personnel, but no decisions were made, according the board chairman Sepulveda.

Unfinished business included approving the 2015-2016 athletic/activities handbook and code, which was quickly passed, and the in-person reports from the California trip the 8th graders had taken earlier.

Judy Morris and many of her Snell kids and parents who had made the California trip in June were on hand to give the board a slide show of their activities.

The trip was a first for many of the students; their first plane ride, first ocean beach encounter, first professional baseball game, so many experiences. Adults were well pleased with the kids and their attitudes. A parent, Annette Pas, remained overwhelmed with the trip well after its end, saying how much good it had done her son. Barry Form, physical ed teacher and bus driver, did his part by picking them up at 1:00 a.m. and getting them to the airport in El Paso. So many in the community did so much for them, she said.

According to Morris, she had told the kids she and they would raise money, and all those who met certain standards over the 2014-2015 year would plan a five-day trip to commemorate the quality work they achieved. It would take a huge effort, but it would be a lifetime memory to remind them that they could set goals and make something good happen. It would take the whole year to prove it. In the end, 34 students met those goals, and they and five adults shared the experience.

The schedule was packed each day. One surprise was the harbor cruise. They reported visiting Balboa Peninsula and had the guided tour. Other beaches were Huntington and Laguna; temperatures and wave conditions were all different. At the end of the presentation, some students wrote and read their personal experiences. All thanked the administration and board for allowing this to happen.

Morris admitted the fundraising was overwhelming and unlikely to happen again, but said the kids were great. Chris Rottman, her principal, said the students were academically driven and should be an asset to Cobre High. The trip had been a remarkable effort. The laughter came when some suggested Morris could take a group to Hawaii.

Administrative actions adopted or approved by the board included the legal notice of 2015-2016 board meetings, the Open Meeting Resolution updates and transportation contracts. The Porter contract is estimated to be $505,903 and the Montoya was made for $155,490.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation contract for the 75 percent/25 percent match on paving the high school parking lot was explained. The shares of the $22,789 job come to $17,092 for DOT and $5697 for Cobre, for about 1100 linear feet of work. All the above were approved by the board.

Under finances, the June check register needed approval for $2,392,196.17 of bills. The Title II initial budget request adjustment (BAR) was for $62,755. Robert Mendoza, superintendent, said it would allow for the hiring of a teacher or two for classroom-size reduction and some professional development. The food services request for New Mexico fresh grown fruits and vegetables was for $1384. Diaz Farms was mentioned as the closest acceptable grower. All were approved.

In the superintendent's report, Mendoza informed the board of recent fundraisers. The cheerleaders had put on a car wash/bake sale so they could attend a gymnastics day camp. The volleyball team worked for money to go on summer trips. Others had paid for uniforms and equipment with what they had earned.

He gave the board disturbing news on school and economic rankings; New Mexico came out 48th or 49th out of the fifty states. Kelly asked what was being done to remedy this. Mendoza responded that the association of superintendents said: “it took money." And that Mississippi was down there with them. Other concerns included information being needed on new Special Education legislation.

Changes on rules for substitute health care would begin in January because of the Obama mandates. Substitutes working more than 28 hours a week would start receiving medical insurance. That type of insurance could cost about $13,000 depending on conditions, the sliding scale, and similar factors. He said they were working on a plan that would avoid that obligation; they couldn't afford it with budgets this tight. There might be complaints, but with the economy, this was reality.

Leadership staff development would begin tomorrow, July 28 and part of Wednesday, July 29. New staff orientation would begin August 10, all staff on August ll, work days would begin on August 14, and professional development on the 15th. Sports schedules would be coming out soon.

The meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.