By Margaret Hopper

The Silver school board opened Thursday, October 6, meeting promptly at 6:00 p.m. with all five members present, Ashley Montenegro, Chris Arvidson, Mike McMillan, Frances Vasquez and Arnold Torres, and School Board Association President Dr. Dan Patterson, who is providing the Superintendent Search Service was there, as well as temporary superintendent John Carter and his secretary, Linda Hernandez.

After roll call and approval of the brief agenda, they immediately went into closed session to discuss limited personnel matters, which consisted of screening the applications turned in to date in the process of searching for a new superintendent. That open period extended from September 4 through September 28, officially closing at 5 p.m. on that date.

Of the ten applications received, six were selected for further review and background checks. The next step comes on Monday, October 10, when the school personnel and community committees meet for training at 3:30 p.m.. They will offer questions for the board to consider.

The school committee members are Claudie Thompson, Katrina Bustillos, Christine Chavez, Ben Duran and Ben Potts. The community people on the second committee include Dr. Michelle Diaz, Justin Wecks, Heather Hansen, Alex Brown and Priscilla Lucero.

A board workshop meeting, held later at 5:30, will be additional training for board members to develop those questions to ask the applicants. It will go into closed session after that, according to Patterson.

The six candidates selected for further consideration include Jonny Benavidez of Cobre, a past principal; Audie Brown of Estancia Valley; Michael Chavez, director of federal programs for Deming; Frank Chiapetti, superintendent of Gallup; Dr. Greg Rockhold, athletic director and assistant principal of Hobbs, with additional administrative assignments in Alaska and Colorado; and Tom Meyer, superintendent of Bellevue, Iowa, schools.

Later, on October 27, the chosen group of candidates would be introduced to the community in an open forum. All candidates would be asked those questions the board had decided upon as of October 10. After that forum, the board meets again on Oct. 28 to select a person; the final selection will likely be made in executive session and announced immediately. Failing that, a second round of candidates and questions could be initiated.

This screening session lasted from 6:02 to 8:51. It adjourned immediately after.