By Margaret Hopper

Cobre School Board's May 23 meeting began about 7:30, with all five directors present, Frank Gomez, Robert Montoya, Frances Kelly, Frank Cordova and Toy Sepulveda, board president. The early, closed session had begun at 6:06 p.m., where they reportedly discussed student identifiable material and limited personnel issues. No decisions had been made, according to Sepulveda.

Under unfinished business, the board acknowledged the second reading of the Emergency Leave Donation Policy, which should see action in the June meeting.

In a financial action, Superintendent Robert Mendoza asked the board to approve a $21,656 budget adjustment required by PED (education department) under the K-3 Plus program; (that is a budget decrease that has roots from mistakes made in years past, now working to the surface in schools today.)

In the superintendent's report, students from Snell Middle School came to demonstrate the projects that earned them awards through MESA, (Math, Engineering and Science Achievement) recently. Three projects made it all the way to a state invitation, and all three groups placed in the competition.

Snell Principal Chris Rottman introduced kids and explained the background of their work. Four girls made a Gǣvoice schedule,Gǥ a sock-like device students could wear on a wrist, that carried ideas and information to help them stay informed. Presley Tovar and Sierra Dean were present, representing also Toya Ortiz and Jannia Cohn. Their work earned them a first place award.

Isaiah Marquez demonstrated a button-signaling device that sat on the desk, alerting a teacher whether the student was still working, ready, or not, to participate. That placed second at MESA this year.

Anthony Esqueda, Alex Gulgas and Angel Villalobos designed a light wooden frame to fit over a desk to create a pop-up platform for a laptop computer. All the kids had to develop not only some device, but the records, promotional materials, business cards, financial sheets and more, then make the presentation. Cindy Lee,
seventh-grade science teacher, kept the students on track from start to finish. She said the boys' place was probably 4th or 5th, but not verified.

Mendoza informed the board of new fundraising projects, and a long list of end of school events. Graduation is Friday, May 27, at 6:00 p.m. The senior trip to El Paso will take all day, May 24. Their awards presentation is Wednesday, May 26.

Completion ceremonies are scheduled for Snell on May 26, 7:00 p.m., at the high school Performing Arts Center. A number of elementary schools have scheduled promotions: Bayard, Kindergarten at 10:00 a.m. and 6th grade at 1:00 p.m. Hurley, at 1:00 p.m. Central, Kindergarten at 1:00 p.m. and 6th, at 5:00 p.m. All these are on May 26.

On May 25, San Lorenzo will have Kindergarten at 2:00 p.m., and its 6th grade on May 27, 9:00 a.m. Central Elementary will also have a number of Pre Kindergarten promotions on May 25: Ms. Rottman's at 9:00 a.m., Ms. Pugmire's at 10:00, Ms. Montes' at 11:00 and Ms. DeLaRosa's at 12:00 noon.

The District is still working on the budget. Mendoza said the potential deficit was $910,000 that had to be resolved. After the meeting, Sepulveda said they had until near the end of June to figure this out, and they were hoping most of it would come through retirements, those transferring out, and similar kinds of attrition. He said nearly every district in the state was facing these deficits. He said he thought the schools in Albuquerque had an $18,000,000 problem to fix. They all had it.

In the public comments sessions, Linda Pafford of Mimbres asked about how the public could be informed on such things as the wording of the emergency leave policy. Sepulveda said once finished, it would be in handbooks. Before then, she could pick up copies from the office.

In the second period, Pafford said Kristine Bustillos of the Silver City Education Association could explain the new ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) to the board; she would try to get Bustillos to come in June or July to help the board with that.

Another citizen asked why the Hurley principal was being moved; they liked that person. Sepulveda said that was personnel information and the board could not speak on those issues.

Alma Grijalva, director of food service, asked to move the summer school meals for the K-3 Plus kids to Bayard Community Park, in parts of June and July. Barring rain, of course.

The next board meeting is scheduled for June 13, at the District Office, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting adjourned about 8:00 p.m.