By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Consolidated Schools Board held a work session April 25, 2022. President Ashley Montenegro called the meeting to order. Other board members in attendance included Patrick Cohn, Eddie Flores, Mike McMillan. Superintendent William Hawkins also attended. Michelle Diaz came in after roll call.

The board approved the work session agenda.

Emmarie Flores, Silver High School FCCLA teacher, introduced her students that had won their competition recently in Albuquerque. The students winning included Gabriella Castillo, Gabriel Castanon, Meghan Barnes, Kassidy Harris, Alexis Flores, and Mia Rasco. The students will now compete in San Diego at the FCCLA National Leadership Competition. FCCLA stands for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, also once known as Future Homemakers of America. The students have been doing fundraisers and raised about $8,000. They still need $7,000 to pay for travel, meals, transportation and hotels. Flores came before the board to ask for any help available. The board asked several questions such as driving versus flying and the cost savings.

Superintendent Hawkins had an update on the strategic plan that Studor had been working on. The board decided to move it to the board meeting.

Work session adjourned.

Regular meeting

The Silver City Consolidated Schools held the board meeting April 25, 2022. President Ashley Montenegro called the meeting to order. Other board members in attendance were Michelle Diaz, Patrick Cohn, Eddie Flores, Mike McMillan. Superintendent William Hawkins also attended. The pledge of allegiance and salute to New Mexico flag took place.

The board approved the minutes from the work session and board meeting March 21, 2022.

The board approved the agenda for the meeting.

Information and presentations

Kiwanis presentation moved to later in the meeting until representative arrived.

Victor Oaxaca, maintenance director, gave the board an update on the mold issue in several places at Cliff High School. A company from Albuquerque came in and tested. They recommended a course of action in several areas. A company is being brought in from El Paso to do the abatement. Oaxaca explained all the procedures. He said in the future they will be doing a regular check to make sure it all stays clear.

Diaz said two years ago they had this issue and would like it continually monitored. She asked Oaxaca what else could be done to avoid this problem. He said they are checking for water leaks and fixing them.

Oaxaca gave the board an update on the parking lot repair. This is for Harrison Schmitt and will do the entry way this summer and then start phase one summer of 2023 and phase two will come after that. Hawkins thanked him for all his efforts getting the grants to do the project. He said he had been meticulous with the grant writing.

Dottie Pfeifer from Kiwanis presented the students of the month awards. Chris Medina,La Plata Middle School; Jordan McCain, Silver High School; and Jazmine "Jazzy" Williams of Cliff High School received the awards. The students are given a certificate, bumper sticker, and gift certificate.

Mrs. Bustillos wasn't available to give the SCEA report but sent it to Montenegro.

Hawkins turned over the presentation of the budget workshop to Michelle McCain, director of finance. The board received a summary of the meeting. They had discussed how to budget with the increasing costs, various program funding, transportation increases, and capital outlays.

Hawkins gave the board an update on the Studor strategic plan. He provided the board with documents. He said they had received the documents and a steering committee will start the implementation. This will be a starting foundation for the plan. He lined out four main themes of the plan. Prepare students to fully advance in their education, empower the employees, involve parents, families, and guardians, and build community partnerships.

Hawkins gave the board the summer school schedule. Elementary, middle, and high school will be June 6-24, Monday – Thursday, five-hour days. Breakfast and lunches will be provided. He said they were still looking to hire for the summer. They would also be offering a rigorous geometry course starting in May. They will only have one teacher so it will be a first come first served for the course.

Hawkins told the board in the past they had common planning time for the teachers once or twice a month. This is not enough time and needs to be done weekly. It establishes a collaborative culture, a time to problem solve, and ultimately increase student achievement. It will also give support to new teachers. It gives the teachers time to do assessment intervention and thereby consistent standards of learning. Hawkins said they expect to see positive results in time. Starting next school year every Wednesday will be an early release day. Student outcome is the most important.

Hawkins said the new 2022-2023 calendar went out with three choices. The first mirrors this school year, the second has a full week off for fall and Thanksgiving and two professional development days (MLK day and Presidents Day) also training on January 5 and 6. In the third calendar fall break is shortened to three days and a full week for Thanksgiving. He said: "So far most want the second one, but there is time to get your vote in."

Louis Alvarez, Associate Superintendent, gave the board the personnel report. He said they have people coming and going. He attended a job fair, but they only had 30-35 attend and looked at a few resumes. All jobs are now posted on the website and can be applied for directly. He said it streamlines the process.

Alvarez introduced the new principals and a director.
Silver High School principal Claudia Smith, Silver High School assistant principal Daniel Burk, La Plata Middle School principal Candace Starr Cruz, La Plata Middle School assistant principal Gary Allison, and special education director Shane Coker

Montenegro said compared to Texas with the last raise they are getting more competitive with salaries for teachers.

Cindy Barris, Associate Superintendent, reported to the board that enrollment had been going up and down. However, the number of virtual students has gone down considerably.

Barris said the adoption of K-8 English Language Arts (ELA) is beneficial to the students. She explained that the students learn what they decide to. "Our students here are different from those in other areas." She pointed out that the prices for materials are higher now.

Michelle McCain, director of finance, gave the board a packet for their review. She said she attached the salary schedules. She said they had worked hard to make them equitable and fair but still hit the minimum for the state mandates on salaries.

Montenegro said the board of education had their meeting last Thursday and had advertised it to follow the open meetings act. In a training she recently received the recommendation had been made. She said they mostly talked about the salary increases and the impact they will have on the budget. Hawkins added in that salaries compromise 92-96 percent of the budget here and around the state. They are supposed to only be 86 percent. He explained that a variety of reasons explain why the difference. Although the state is supposed to fund the raises it doesn't quite happen that way. They did fund but not accurately or proportionately.

Board comments

Montenegro said graduation would be coming soon. She commented on how high the morale of the district has been.

Diaz said spring is in the air and all the sports are doing well. She said spring fever is upon us, but we need to keep up the momentum.

Cohn said he agreed with Montenegro and Diaz. He wanted to thank the junior prom committee for doing a great job on the prom. He thanked Hawkins for a great job and facilitating such good morale in the district.

McMillan thanked Cliff for their hospitality. He said he really likes the direction the district is moving. He reminded the seniors they only have fifteen days left.

Flores congratulated all the seniors and agreed with what all the other board members had just said.

Public comments none currently

The board approved checks for March totaling $2,538,708.94 and cash transfers from the audit that just need to move from one account to another in the amount of $5,943.70.

The board approved the lowest bid for Harrison Schmitt Elementary entry way paving project.

The board approved several donations. The Silver High School golf team received $500 from the Elks Lodge. The Silver High School tennis team received $500 from USTA Southwest Section. A $4,000 scholarship for any Silver High School student pursuing a nursing degree from WNMU at a $1,000 each year was donated by friends and loved ones of Diana Montes. FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) received $2,000 from WNMU.

The board approved the leave of absence request from Jessica Scott, Silver High School history teacher, for the remainder of the current school year.

The board approved superintendent checks and incremental pay increase in line with the district administration.

Public comment none currently.

Meetings and announcements

Next work session and board meeting May 9, 2022 (this moved from 16 because of graduation being that week)

Silver High School graduation May 19, 2022

Cliff High School graduation May 20, 2022

Finance committee meeting TBA

School law conference June 2-4, 2022

2022 NMSBA leadership retreat July 14-16, 2022, location TBA

Hawkins thanked Cliff for providing a great meal for them.

Adjourned.