001WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT IS 6:00 ON THE BUTTON. SO EXCITING. I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE ALL OF YOUR LOVELY FACES HERE TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR THE BOARD MEETING. SECRETARY NOLAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE ROLL? YES. [ ROLL BEING CALLED ] THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR STUDENT ADVISER, XOCHITL, FROM LAS CRUCES HIGH SCHOOL. SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU UP HERE ON THE DAIS AGAIN. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE? I THINK LAST YEAR IN MARCH. OKAY. OH, YOU ARE OUR MARCH PERSON. BUT YOU ARE A SENIOR AND NEXT MARCH I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO. VERY SAD. BUT WELCOME. EXACTLY. WE ARE SO HAPPY YOU ARE HERE. AND YOU DO KNOW THE DRILL BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN UP HERE BEFORE.
002ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO OUR CONVERSATIONS ? THAT IS WHY YOU ARE HERE. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL MANUEL, AMARIZ, JOSE, AND KARLI FROM MESILLA PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. WOULD YOU TAKE THAT MICROPHONE AND BRING IT DOWN? THERE YOU GO. SO WE CAN HEAR YOU. WHEN YOU ALL ARE READY. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. [ SPEAKING IN A NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE ] I SALUTE THE FLAG OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, THE ZIA SYMBOL OF PERFECT FRIENDSHIP AMONG UNITED CULTURES. [ SPEAKING IN A NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE ] LET'S GIVE THEM A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
003[ APPLAUSE ] WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE COME UP HERE? YOU ALL DID THE BEST JOB. WE WOULD LOVE TO SHAKE YOUR HAND OR GIVE YOU A HIGH FIVE. THANK YOU, ALL, FOR COMING TONIGHT. YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB. ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ] DO WE NEED TO STAND? OKAY. [ INAUDIBLE ] WATCH US SOAR. [ SPEAKING IN A NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE ] [ APPLAUSE ] >> NICELY DONE. THANK YOU. DO Y'ALL DO THAT FOR THE STUDENT BODY EVERY MORNING? I LOVE IT. THAT'S FANTASTIC. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US. MIGHT --MADE MY DAY. I WOULD NOW LIKE TO CALL MR. JOSEPH , OUR DIRECTOR OF FINE ARTS, TO INTRODUCE US TO TODAY'S ENTERTAINMENT. GOOD EVENING, MADAME PRESIDENT CORT AND ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND EVERYONE ELSE HERE THIS EVENING . IT GIVES
004ME GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO YOU THE PICACHO MIDDLE SCHOOL SCREAMIN' SCORPION JAZZ BAND UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MICHELLE LANG. TONIGHT, THE PICACHO JAZZ BAND WILL BE PERFORMING BLUES MACHINE BY MICHAEL SWEENEY. FEATURED SOLOISTS WILL INCLUDE ALBERTO ON CLARINET, BRONCO ON TROMBONE, AND CHRISTOPHER MARCUS ON . EVERYONE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE PICACHO SCREAMIN' SCORPION JAZZ BAND . [ APPLAUSE ] [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] [ APPLAUSE ] [ MUSIC ] [ APPLAUSE ] WOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PLAYING , AND THE SCREAMIN' SCORPION JAZZ BAND, YOU ALL ARE AMAZING. IT'S MY FAVORITE PART OF THE MEETING. AND THANK YOU FOR STARTING US OFF SO WONDERFULLY. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE. THEY WERE AWESOME. [ APPLAUSE ] ALL RIGHT. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AS THEY ARE GETTING
005THEMSELVES READY TO GO, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MARCH 24th , 2026 REGULAR SESSION AGENDA. PRESIDENT? MAY I SUGGEST WE MOVE ITEM 5B SIX, THE DISCUSSION OF CESAR CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL UP? WE MAY HAVE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE HERE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THAT TOPIC RATHER THAN --PUT IT BEFORE THE POLICY REVIEWS WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION. OKAY. PUT IT BEFORE THE POLICY REVIEW. SO YOU ARE SAYING IT SHOULD BE THE FIRST ITEM IN OLD BUSINESS. PRESIDENT, IF I MAY, PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, IF THAT IS A CONSIDERATION, MAYBE ALSO MOVING --EVEN THE FFA POLICY. I KNOW THAT HIS NEW BUSINESS. YES. THANK YOU. YES. >> SO, PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD , ABSOLUTELY. THAT WOULD BE CERTAINLY WITHIN THE PREROGATIVE OF THE BOARD TO DO THAT AS PART
006OF THIS AGENDA ITEM . AND I AGREE WITH MR. REESE IF IT IS GOING TO BE MOVED TO MOVE 5B 5 AND 5B-6 TOGETHER. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE RELEVANCE TO 4D , THE SUPERINTENDENTS UPDATE. 3 , AM I CORRECT? SO PERHAPS AFTER THE SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT . SO AFTER THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. IT IS THE TOP OF BOARD ITEMS. EXACTLY. IT WOULD BE AFTER. IT WOULD BE AFTER. YES. IT WOULD BE AFTER THAT. SHOULD WE MOVE THE POLICY CALENDAR UPDATE? I THINK IT IS FINE WHERE IT IS. BUT THIS IS YOUR -- NO. I WOULD SUGGEST WE MOVE [ INAUDIBLE ] ALL RIGHT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR THE MARCH 2020 -- MARCH 24th, 2026 REGULAR SESSION AGENDA WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT VICE PRESIDENT WOFFORD SAID. MOVING 5B-6 AND
0075 B -5 . SECOND. >> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. ALL OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. THE AYES HAVE IT. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FEBRUARY 27th, 2026 EXTENDED WORK SESSION MINUTES AND OF THE MARCH 3rd , 2026 WORK SESSION MINUTES. SO MOVED. I WILL SECOND. >> MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT WOFFORD AND SECONDED BY SECRETARY NOLAN PUT ALL IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. ALL OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. THE AYES HAVE IT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. 5B-1. 2026 2027 BILINGUAL MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAM APPLICATION. 6A 1 BID NUMBER 25---26-01 PRICE AGREEMENT COMMODITY FOOD PROCESSING --EXCUSE ME. 6 A-2. BUDGET ADJUSTMENT REQUESTS OR BARS. 6A 3, PROPERTY DISPOSITIONS, VENDOR PAYMENTS, AND PERMANENT CASH
008TRANSFERS. SO MOVED. >> THANK YOU. MOVED BY MR. FRANK AND SECONDED BY MS. TENORIO. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. ALL OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE BOARD MET IN CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION ON TUESDAY, MARCH 24th, 2026 , TO DISCUSS LIMITED PERSONNEL MATTERS AS PERMITTED UNDER SECTION 10-15-ONE H2 OF THE MEXICO OPEN MEETINGS ACT SPECIFICALLY SO THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT COULD UPDATE THE BOARD IN LEGAL COUNSEL -- ADVISE REGARDING SPECIFIC EMPLOYMENT MOVEMENT AND COUNSEL COULD ADVISE REGARDING THE INVESTIGATION OF CLASSIFIED AND/OR CERTIFIED EMPLOYEES, AND B TO, TO DISCUSS PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS AS PERMITTED UNDER SECTION 10-15-ONE SPECIFICALLY SO THE BOARD CAN DISCUSS THE 2026 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION AND I AFFIRM THE ITEMS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION WERE LIMITED TO THOSE STATED ABOVE. I WOULD NOW LIKE TO CALL MR.
009FLOREZ BACK TO THE MICROPHONE, OUR DIRECTOR OF FINE ARTS, TO INTRODUCE OUR 2-D AND 3-D ART WINNERS . MR. FLOREZ. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT REESE FOR ALLOWING THE TIME IN THIS MEETING TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE TWO OUTSTANDING VISUAL ARTS STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS. FOR DECADES EVERY YEAR, LCPS FINE ARTS INSTALLS FOUR LIKE ART EXHIBITS IN THE FOYER OF THIS BUILDING. MOST RECENTLY OUR ART GALLERY TEAM COMPRISED OF FIVE LCPS OUR TEACHERS INSTALLED OUR NEWEST EXHIBIT, WHICH IS STILL ON DISPLAY AND FEATURES THE INCREDIBLE 2-D AND 3-D ARTWORK OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS OUR DISTRICT. OUR ART GALLERY TEAM JURIED ALL OF THE ENTERED PIECES AND SELECTED THE MOST OUTSTANDING 2-D AND 3-D WORKS FOR RECOGNITION AND AWARD. LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER MR. GREG FROM
010PICTURE FRAME FACTORY OUTLET IN GALLERY IS A GENEROUSLY SPONSORING EACH OF THE $50 CASH AWARD PRIZES AS HE DOES FOR ALL OF OUR EXHIBITS AND WILL BE PRESENTING THE PRIZE TO EACH STUDENT THIS EVENING. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE HIM TO JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE JUST A COUPLE OF WORDS. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. I ASKED MR. FLOREZ IF THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO SPEAK JUST BRIEFLY TO YOU THIS EVENING. AND I WROTE SOME THINGS DOWN, SO IT MAY SOUND A LITTLE REHEARSED, BUT GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT CORT, SUPERINTENDENT , AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS GREG GROVES. I AM THE OWNER OF PICTURE FRAME OUTLET IN GALLERY. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MR. JOSEPH FLOREZ FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
011SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHY I HAVE CHOSEN TO PURSUE DEBATE IN THIS WORTHWHILE RECOGNITION OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU AS A BOARD FOR YOUR CONTINUED DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY . I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR YOUR PAST SUPPORT OF ARTS PROGRAMMING ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP, STUDENTS HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE CREATIVITY, BUILD CONFIDENCE, AND DISCOVER THEIR VOICES. THE ARTS ARE NOT AN EXTRA. THEY ARE AN ESSENTIAL. THEY STRENGTHEN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, SUPPORT EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, AND CREATE CONNECTIONS THAT HELP STUDENTS FEEL SEEN AND VALUED . IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD, CREATIVITY, CRITICAL THINKING, AND SELF-EXPRESSION ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. AS WE LOOK AHEAD, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE PRIORITIZING AND INVESTING IN ARTS EDUCATION, YOUR SUPPORT ENSURES THAT EVERY
012STUDENT REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND HAS ACCESS TO THESE TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES. THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN THE POWER OF THE ARTS AND IN THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY STUDENT IN LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THAT IS MY WELL-WRITTEN REHEARSED VERSION. I AM AN ARTS STUDENT. I ATTENDED MESILLA PARK ELEMENTARY LIKE THESE STUDENTS HERE. I ATTENDED MIDDLE SCHOOL AND LAS CRUCES HIGH SCHOOL. I MET MY WIFE IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DIANE. SO THE ARTS HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT MEANING IN MY EDUCATION UPBRINGING IN LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND SO THAT IS MY REASONING FOR PARTICIPATING AT THIS LEVEL . AS SMALL AS IT MAY BE , IT IS MY OWN PERSONAL WAY OF GIVING BACK AND SAYING THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS AND EACH OF THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
013THAT ARE IN LEADERSHIP IN OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] AND MR. GROVES, IF I JUST MAY ADD TO THAT, YOU ARE A BAD PARENT FOR --I DID IT FOR SIX YEARS. HOW MANY YEARS WERE YOU A BAD PARENT? THANKS TO COVID, I DID IT FOR SIX YEARS AS WELL. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. OF COURSE. OUR TWO DIMENSIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARD WINNER IS MELANIE MILLER. HER ART TEACHER IS MARCUS . LILY AND MS. ALEJANDRA'S, WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM FOR RECOGNITION? [ APPLAUSE ] BEFORE PRESENTING THE AWARD AND PRIZE, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT LILY WROTE ABOUT HER WORK. SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT INSPIRED THE CREATION . SO SHE WROTE, HELLO, MY NAME IS
014LILY MILLER. THE TITLE OF MY ARTWORK IS HEART. THE IMAGE IS A HUMAN HEART I CREATED USING PRINTMAKING TECHNIQUES. I CREATED THIS WORK TO LEARN AND PRACTICE LINOLEUM BLOCK RELIEF RENTING. I WAS INSPIRED BY EXPERIMENTING WITH PRINTING IN DIFFERENT COLORED INKS TO WHICH I REALLY ENJOYED. THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING MY EFFORTS . I HAD FUN USING THE PRINTMAKING TECHNIQUES I LEARNED FOR THIS PROJECT. LILY, IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR SELECTION AS THE LCPS MIDDLE SCHOOL ART EXHIBIT 2-D AWARD WINNER , MR. GROVES WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU A $50 CASH AWARD DONATED BY HIS BUSINESS. CONGRATULATIONS, LILY. [ APPLAUSE ] AND AT THIS TIME, LILY IS GOING TO TAKE HER ARTWORK UP TO THE DAIS TO SHARE WITH US. WHERE IS THE ACTUAL LITHOGRAPH? THANK YOU. ALL KINDS OF STUFF. [ APPLAUSE ] OUR THREE
015DIMENSIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL EXHIBIT AWARD WINNER IS SANCHEZ FROM PICACHO MIDDLE SCHOOL. KIRA, WILL YOU PLEASE JOIN US AT THE PODIUM FOR RECOGNITION? [ APPLAUSE ] LIKE OUR 2-D AWARD WINNER, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT KIRA WROTE ABOUT HER WORK. WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ IT YOURSELF , KIRA? YOU DON'T HAVE TO. I CAN READ IT FOR YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE. IT IS TOTALLY UP TO YOU. YOU COME AND DO IT. YOU HAVE BEEN PREPARING. [ INAUDIBLE ] I LIKE TO MAKE SURE IT MEANS SOMETHING. BECAUSE WHEN I SEE ALL THE CONFLICT AROUND THE WORLD, I THINK THAT WE ARE ALL THE SAME. WE ALL HAVE HEARTS. THAT'S WHY I DID THAT. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] KIRA, IN RECOGNITION AS THE LCPS MIDDLE SCHOOL ART EXHIBIT 3-D AWARD
016WINNER, MR. GROVES WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU A $50 CASH AWARD DONATED BY HIS BUSINESS. CONGRATULATIONS, KIRA. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO BOTH OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS. EVERYONE PLEASE STOP BY THE FOYER ON YOUR WAY OUT THIS EVENING TO ENJOY THE REST OF THE ART EXHIBIT. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. IF YOU ALL WOULD PLEASE STAY UNTIL THE END OF THE AWARDS, WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE OUR PICTURE WITH YOU. NOW DR. MILLER IS GOING TO COME UP AND TALK TO US ABOUT A FABULOUS HUMAN BEING. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, STUDENT ADVISER AND MR. RUIZ. THIS IS COOL. DOING POLICIES ARE COOL. BUT THIS IS REALLY COOL BECAUSE I GET TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE THAT I WORK ALONGSIDE EVERY DAY . A COLLEAGUE THAT IS REALLY FOUNDATIONAL TO THE WORK THAT WE DO
017HERE FOR STUDENTS. SO GABRIELA ALANIZ HAS BEEN A CTE TEACHER AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL SERVED AS THE PRINCIPAL FOR HAROLD HAD PARKED EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL AND OUT LEADS EFFORTS IN CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR CTE. AND ALL OF THESE CAPACITIES SHE HAS BEEN A ADVOCATE FOR STUDENTS AND ADVOCATING FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS BUT REALLY OPPORTUNITIES THAT REALLY MATTER . ONE EXAMPLE IS PAID INTERNSHIPS . SO GABBY HAS REALLY PUSHED FOR PAID INTERNSHIPS AND THESE ARE LIFE-CHANGING FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS. AND SHE ALSO PUSHES REALLY HARD FOR THEM TO TURN IN THEIR TIME SHEETS, WHICH IS KIND OF THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT COIN. SO GABBY --IF YOU KNOW GABBY, SHE LEADS WITH PASSION . SHE LEADS WITH HEART , AND SHE WILL KNOW WHAT I MEAN. JUST
018THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF HUSTLE. AND SHE ALSO RUNS WHEN NO ONE IS CHASING HER, WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYMORE. SO GABBY WAS NAMED BY THE NEW MEXICO ASSOCIATION OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AS THEIR ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR FOR 2026 . A WELL-DESERVED AWARD. SO , GABBY ALANIZ. [ APPLAUSE ] SO CONGRATULATIONS, GABBY. HERE IS THE CERTIFICATE AND THEN HERE IS THE OTHER REAL CERTIFICATE THAT I MADE , WHICH IS THE SUPERHERO. SO YOU SEE ALL OF THE THEMES. GABBY WAS A MEDIA TEACHER AND WHEN I ASKED HER WHAT KIND OF TEACHER WERE YOU, SHE SAID, I JUST LET THE KIDS FIGURE IT OUT. AND I SAID, OKAY. ON MY SPEECH THAT I WROTE, I SAID, OKAY, STUDENT CENTERED. WE HAVE HER RUNNING SHOES AND THE FOOD TRUCK. WE WON'T GET INTO THAT. AND THEN
019HER SHIELD . NMACTE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR. CONGRATULATIONS. [ APPLAUSE ] SHE ALSO TAUGHT MY KIDS AND I WORKED WITH HER FOR A LONG TIME AND WE DID SPIN CLASS TOGETHER. SO NOT ONLY DOES SHE RUN, SHE SPINS. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MS. DENISE SHEEHAN. DENISE, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME UP AND TELL US ABOUT THE COOL THINGS HAPPENING AT PARK ELEMENTARY. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT RUIZ. I ALSO HAVE JAN WITH ME SO WE WILL BE PRESENTING TOGETHER. SO THIS EVENING WE ARE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE YALE PARK COMMUNITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR RECEIVING STATEWIDE RECOGNITION FROM THE NEW MEXICO PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT DURING BILINGUAL DAY AT THE LEGISLATURE ON FEBRUARY 12th FOR EXEMPLARY IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS BILINGUAL MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. THIS RECOGNITION IS AWARDED TO SCHOOLS THAT DEMONSTRATE STRONG EVIDENCE
020OF BILINGUAL PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS , INCLUDING TWO YEARS OF STUDENT GROWTH AND PARTNER LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY, TWO YEARS OF ACCESS ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT DATA, AND CLEAR EVIDENCE OF SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION. MS. PARKS PROGRAM REPRESENTS NEW MEXICO'S LONG-STANDING COMMITMENT TO BILINGUAL EDUCATION ROOTED IN OUR STATE CONSTITUTION AND THE BILINGUAL MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION ACT, WHICH AFFIRMED THE DEVELOPMENT OF BILINGUALISM BY LITERACY AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS. STUDENTS AT MESILLA PARK WHO PARTICIPATE IN DUAL LANGUAGE ARE DEVELOPING STRONG PROFICIENCY IN TWO LANGUAGES WHILE MEETING RIGOROUS ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AND STANDARDS THAT ARE PREPARING THEM FOR COLLEGE, CAREERS , AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE MULTILINGUAL WORLD. THE SCHOOL IS ALSO STRENGTHENING THIS WORK AS IT TRANSITIONS TO A 90-10 DUAL LANGUAGE MODEL, BEGINNING WITH KINDERGARTEN THIS YEAR. THIS RECOGNITION IS TRULY A REFLECTION OF THE DEDICATION OF THE TEACHERS , THE LEADERSHIP
021OF THE SCHOOL, THE SUPPORT OF OUR FAMILIES, AND THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF OUR BILINGUAL EDUCATION TEAM. MESILLA PARK COMMUNITY SCHOOL EXAMPLE TIES THE DIVISION OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION IN NEW MEXICO WHERE LANGUAGE IS AN ASSET, ACHIEVEMENT IS ACCELERATED, AND STUDENTS THRIVE ACADEMICALLY AND CULTURALLY. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE MESILLA PARK BILINGUAL TEAM AND SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT TO PLEASE STAND SO THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS. [ APPLAUSE ] AND THEY DID RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE AT THE LEGISLATURE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE CERTIFICATE FOR THEM. BRAVO. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. LET'S TAKE SOME PICTURES AND WE WILL DO IT IN THE ORDER OF THE PEOPLE HOW PEOPLE RECEIVED THEIR AWARDS. WE ARE GOING TO START WITH OUR 2-D WINNER
022FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL. [ MUSIC ] [ APPLAUSE ] AND NOW OUR 3-D WINNER. [ LAUGHTER ] [ MUSIC ] [ APPLAUSE ] [ MUSIC ] WE KNOW HOW TO CLEAR A ROOM, HUH ? BEFORE WE MOVED TO PUBLIC COMMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND OUR AUDIENCE OF THE BOARD'S PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH ARE FOUND IN BOARD POLICY PDH AND ON THE FORM REFERENCED IN POLICY. LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER , HOWEVER, THE BOARD PRESIDENT MAY FURTHER RESTRICT OR WAIVE THESE TIME LIMITS. THE BOARD WELCOMES PUBLIC INPUT. THE BOARD DOES NOT PROHIBIT PUBLIC CRITICISM OR COMMENT UPON PERSONNEL MATTERS, HOWEVER, ANY PERSON MAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT OF THEIR COMMENTS. THE BOARD NEITHER ADOPTS NOR ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY COMMENTS MADE BY INDIVIDUALS DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT
023SECTION OF THE BOARD MEETING. TONIGHT WE HAVE THREE COMMENTS --THREE PEOPLE. AND I WILL CALL THEM UP IN THE ORDER THEY WERE RECEIVED. OUR FIRST PERSON IS MELINDA SANCHEZ. WELCOME. HELLO. MS. CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT RUIZ. MY NAME IS MELINDA SANCHEZ AND I'M HERE AS A CONCERNED MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY. I WAS PRESENT DURING THE PROCESS OF RENAMING TO OREGON MOUNTAIN AND SEEING IT UNFOLD IS EXACTLY WHY I AM STANDING HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY. I WAS ACTUALLY PREGNANT WITH MY SON AT THE TIME OUTSIDE PROTESTING AS I GRADUATED FROM LAS CRUCES HIGH SCHOOL . WE OFTEN HEAR THE ARGUMENT THAT WE NEED TO CORRECT HISTORY BY REMOVING NAMES , BUT HISTORY IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN REWRITE OR DELETE. IT IS SOMETHING WE MUST LEARN FROM. EVEN TODAY YEARS LATER, PEOPLE STILL REFER
024TO OREGON MOUNTAIN. CHANGING A SIGN ON A BUILDING DOES NOT CHANGE THE HERITAGE OR THE MEMORY OF THE COMMUNITY. EVERYONE HAS HISTORY HAS HAD FLAWS. WE ONLY FOCUSED ON THE FLAWS, WE LOSE THE POSITIVE IMPACT BEHIND IT. I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY NOT JUST AS A CITIZEN AND A SURVIVOR OF ESSAY --I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO CARRY HEAVY HISTORY, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD IF WE STAY TRAPPED IN A VICTIM MENTALITY. WE SHOULD BE RAISING OUR CHILDREN TO BE VICTORS. CESAR CHAVEZ REPRESENT A HISTORY OF LABOR RIGHTS AND ADVOCACY THAT HAS DONE IMMENSE GOOD. WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE LEGACY RATHER THAN DISCREDITING BECAUSE OF THE MODERN TREND . JUST BECAUSE THE SURROUNDING AREAS OF THE DISTRICT ARE JUMPING ON THIS BANDWAGON TO RENAME SCHOOLS DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD BLINDLY FOLD.
025WE SHOULD BE LEADERS WHO VALUE STABILITY, HISTORIC CONTENT. LET'S STOP TRYING TO ERASE THE PAST AND INSTEAD FOCUS ON TEACHING THE FULL COMPLEX HISTORY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHAPED OUR WORLD. I ARGUE AND URGE THE BOARD TO KEEP THE NAME OF CESAR CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY. LET'S CHOOSE TO BE VICTORS OVER HISTORY AND NOT VICTIMS OF IT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT PERSON IS RAY . WELCOME. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT, PRESIDENT CORT. I NAME IS RAY. I AM A RESIDENT OF LAS CRUCES. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS SPECIFICALLY REGARDING THE LACK OF CONSISTENT DRESS CODE AND THE RISING RATES OF STUDENT ABSENTEEISM. FIRST, REGARDING DRESS CODE , SCHOOLS ARE MEANT TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING . A CLEAR ENFORCEABLE
026DRESS CODE HELPS MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS AND FOSTERS A SENSE OF EQUALITY AND PURPOSE AMONG STUDENTS. WHEN THE LINES ARE BLURRED, IT CREATES UNNECESSARY FRICTION BETWEEN STAFF AND STUDENTS AND OFTEN SHIFTS THE FOCUS AWAY FROM ACADEMICS . NOT LONG AGO, I APPROACHED ONE OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND ASKED IF IT WAS TRUE THAT THERE WAS NO DRESS CODE IN HIS SCHOOL. HE REPLIED THAT IT WAS TRUE AND HE FOR SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS ALMOST AS IF HE WAS HELPLESS TO CHANGE IT. I URGED THE BOARD TO CONSIDER A MORE STRUCTURED POLICY THAT EMPHASIZES MODESTY AND APPROPRIATENESS IN OUR SCHOOLS. SECOND , THE ISSUE OF TRUANCY HAS REACHED A CRITICAL POINT . WHEN STUDENTS ARE CONSISTENTLY ABSENT , THEY ARE NOT JUST FALLING BEHIND INDIVIDUALLY , IT DISRUPTS THE FLOW OF THE ENTIRE CLASSROOM AND IMPACTS OUR DISTRICTS
027OVERALL PERFORMANCE AND FUNDING. WE NEED PROACTIVE OUTREACH AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES THAT INVOLVE BOTH THE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO ENSURE OUR YOUTH ARE IN THEIR SEATS AND READY TO LEARN. BOTH OF THESE ISSUES --HOW STUDENTS SHOW UP DRESSED OR WHETHER THEY SHOW UP AT ALL --ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN LAS CRUCES. SO WHO'S SHOULDERS THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THESE FAILURES? TEACHERS ? ADMINISTRATION? THIS BOARD ? MY OPINION IS THAT WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE . STUDENT ATTENDANCE AND CONDUCT ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION THAT WE GIVE OUR STUDENTS HERE IN LAS CRUCES. WHEN WE PASS STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT MET THE STANDARDS --AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING -- WE CONSIGN THEM TO A LIFE OF INTELLECTUAL AND FINANCIAL POVERTY. THIS SYSTEMIC FAILURE STEMS FROM A LACK OF
028MUTUAL SUPPORT . TEACHERS FEAR ENFORCING RULES WITHOUT ADMINISTRATIVE BACKING , AND THE BOARD OF BOARDS --A VOICE ACTION IN FEAR OF REDUCTION AND FUNDING. EVERYONE LOSES, ESPECIALLY OUR KIDS. WE MUST STOP APPLYING BAND-AIDS AND FIND THE COURAGE --YES, COURAGE --TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS BEFORE AN ENTIRE GENERATION STOPS CARING -- IF IT HASN'T ALREADY HAPPENED. WE MUST ACT DECISIVELY . THIS STATEMENT IS A CRY FOR HELP FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR PARENTS , AND FOR OUR TEACHERS. I ASK THIS BOARD TO PRIORITIZE THESE CONCERNS IN THE UPCOMING POLICY DISCUSSIONS TO ENSURE SCHOOLS REMAIN DISCIPLINED, SAFE, AND EFFECTIVE. I ALSO URGE OUR COMMUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED. THIS BOARD CANNOT SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IF IT DOES NOT KNOW OUR EXPECTATIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. DR. PAUL FIRTH ?
029HELLO, PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND SUPERINTENDENT RUIZ. I PUT BEFORE YOU REFERENCES SO YOU CAN CHECK WHAT I'M DESCRIBING . DECEMBER 30th, 2025 IN AN ARTICLE, CHILDREN DO NOT BELONG TO THE GOVERNMENT, CALIFORNIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAN NO LONGER DECEIVE PARENTS OR FORCE TEACHERS TO KEEP PARENTS IN THE DARK ABOUT THEIR CHILD'S GENDER CONFUSION AFTER A FEDERAL COURT DECLARED THE PRACTICE TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE HAS ISSUED A PERMANENT INJUNCTION AGAINST WHAT HE CALLED PARENTAL EXCLUSION POLICIES, WHICH REQUIRED TEACHERS TO WITHHOLD INFORMATION ABOUT A STUDENT'S GENDER EXPRESSION UNLESS THE CHILD CONSENTED. THE DECISION CAME AS A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY PARENTS AND TEACHERS. AN UPDATE ON MARCH 10th, 2026. SCHOOLS MUST NO LONGER HIDE CHILDREN'S GENDER TRANSITIONING FROM PARENTS BY SARAH SMITH OF LAS CRUCES . SHE WRITES ON MARCH 2nd, THE U.S.
030SUPREME COURT HANDED DOWN A LANDMARK DECISION THAT SCHOOLS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HIDE UNDER TRANSITIONING FROM PARENTS. FOR YEARS, NEW MEXICO TEACHERS HAVE BEEN HIDING STUDENTS' GENDER IDENTITY FROM PARENTS PER POLICY SUCH AS ALBUQUERQUE PJ 30 AND LAS CRUCES JB D GENDER INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS. ACCORDING TO THE SUPREME COURT, THESE TYPES OF POLICIES CUT OUT THE PRIMARY PROTECTORS OF CHILDREN'S BEST INTERESTS, WHICH IS THEIR PARENTS . UNDER LONG-ESTABLISHED PRECEDENT, PARENTS, NOT THE STATE, HAVE PRIMARY AUTHORITY WITH RESPECT TO THE UPBRINGING AND EDUCATION OF CHILDREN. BOTH ALBUQUERQUE AND LAS CRUCES SCHOOL DISTRICT MUST NOW RESPECT PARENTS RIGHTS TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN'S GENDER CONFUSION AND PARTICIPATE IN DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH . FROM MARCH 18th, 2026, FORMER INDIANA TEACHER $650,00 IN RELIGIOUS DOES, NATION CASE . A FORMER INDIANA TEACHER HAS WON A LARGE RELIGIOUS DOES,
031NATION SETTLEMENT AGAINST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT FORCED HIM OUT AFTER HE REFUSED TO VIOLATE HIS CHRISTIAN BELIEFS. BROWNSBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION AGREED TO PAY THIS SOME TO SETTLE THE LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY FORMER HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHER JOHN , WHO DECLINED TO USE PERSONAL PRONOUNS THAT DID NOT MATCH STUDENT'S BIOLOGICAL SEX. IN ADDITION, THE DISTRICT HAS AGREED TO TRAIN STAFF HOW TITLE VII OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT PROTECTS RELIGIOUS EMPLOYEES FROM DISSEMINATION. TITLE VII REQUIRES EMPLOYERS TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR EMPLOYEES' RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES. WHEN THEY FAIL TO DO SO OR WORSE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL GRANT NO RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS AS BROWNSBURG DID, THEY CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. WE HOPE THIS SETTLEMENT SHOWS TEACHERS THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO BOW THE KNEE TO IDEOLOGICAL MANDATES THAT VIOLATE THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND SCHOOLS SHOULD LEARN THAT REFUSING
032TO ACCOMMODATE RELIGIOUS EMPLOYEES CAN BE ILLEGAL AND EXPENSIVE . FINALLY, ON MARCH 13th, 2026, A CHRISTIAN TEACHER WINS THE RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF TEACHING SAME SEX MARRIAGE TO FIRST GRADERS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. SUPERINTENDENT RUIZ. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD . STARTING OFF WITH OUR NEA-LC AND CSEC-LC UNION PARTNERS. PRESIDENT IS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT. I DO HAVE A STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT THAT SHE WANTED ME TO READ FROM OUR LAS CRUCES PARTNERS . CSEC LAS CRUCES AND THE DISTRICT WILL BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS THIS THURSDAY AND THE CSEC LAS CRUCES NEGOTIATION TEAM LOOKS FORWARD TO POSITIVE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE DISTRICT FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CLASSIFIED SUPPORT STAFF. THAT IS PRESIDENT . AT THIS TIME, I WILL TURN IT
033OVER TO OUR STUDENT ADVISER XOCHITL FOR OUR STUDENT REPORT. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT CORT , MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT RUIZ. BEFORE I BEGIN MY REPORT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TONIGHT. IN OUR RECENT STUDENT ADVISORY MEETING, PRESIDENT CORT JOINED US ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE I.T. DEPARTMENT. WE WERE ASKED TO SUGGEST IDEAS FOR A NEW LCPS WI-FI NAME . THE DECISION IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED. FOLLOWING THAT DISCUSSION, THE DISTRICT PLANS TO PRIORITIZE REPLACING HIGH SCHOOL COMPUTER DEVICES FIRST . SCHOOLS WILL MAINTAIN A STOCKPILE OF DEVICES SO THAT STUDENTS CAN IMMEDIATELY RECEIVE A REPLACEMENT WHEN THEIR DEVICE BREAKS . A THIRD-PARTY COMPANY WILL COLLECT --WILL THEN COLLECT THE BROKEN DEVICES AND REPAIR THEM . STUDENTS WILL NO LONGER BE CHARGED FEES FOR BROKEN DEVICES , ALTHOUGH THERE WILL
034STILL BE CONSEQUENCES FOR MISUSE. ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY CONCERNS THAT WE DISCUSSED WERE FOR SIGNAGE AND VISIBILITY FOR ACROSS CAMPUSES, ESPECIALLY AT ARROWHEAD PARK EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL. SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS AROUND CAMPUSES NEED REPAIR. WHEN OPENING A NEW BROWSER TAB, THE DEFAULT WILL BE CHANGED TO LCPS PAGE INSTEAD OF A NEWSFEED DUE TO PREVIOUS ISSUES. BRING BACK GOOGLE CLASSROOMS BUT ALSO KEEP CANVAS. LCPS INTERNET FILTERING IS CURRENTLY VERY STRICT . USE DIFFERENT PRIVATE WI-FI. WI-FI IMPROVEMENTS ARE PLANNED FOR ARROWHEAD . WHERE ONE SIDE OF CAMPUS CURRENTLY HAS BETTER CONNECTIVITY THAN THE OTHER. THESE OF -- THESE UPGRADES ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE ABOUT THREE MONTHS. AS MY REPORT COMES TO AN END, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR ALLOWING ME TO SIT ON THE DAIS THESE LAST THREE YEARS I HAVE BEEN PART OF STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL.
035IT HAS BEEN INSPIRING TO SEE HOW STUDENTS CONTINUE TO STAY INVOLVED , OVERCOME CHALLENGES, REPRESENT OUR SCHOOLS WITH PRIDE . I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE BOARD, OUR TEACHERS , ADMINISTRATORS, AND STAFF FOR THEIR CONSTANT SUPPORT AND DEDICATION. AS A SENIOR, IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE AND SHARE THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE. I'M CONFIDENT THAT LCPS WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE STUDENTS TO SUCCEED JUST AS IT HAS FOR ME. EACH SCHOOL HAS OPEN SEATS FOR THE SENIORS THAT ARE GRADUATING , SO MAYFIELD HAS FOUR, OREGON MOUNTAIN HAS TWO, LAS CRUCES HI HAS THREE, CENTENNIAL HAS ONE, ARROWHEAD PARK EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL HAS TWO , AND RIO GRANDE PREPARATORY INSTITUTE HAS ZERO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE ARE GOING TO MISS YOU NEXT MARCH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE
036GOING TO DO. YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, XOCHITL, FOR THAT REPORT. ON THURSDAY, MARCH FIFTH, I ATTENDED S.T.E.M. NIGHT. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS WITH A GREAT STUDENT AND PARENT TURNOUT. THANK YOU AS WELL TO THE MANY SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND HIGHER ED PARTNERS THAT CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS A VERY FUN EVENING. MARCH 6th MARKED AN EXCITING MILESTONE FOR LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH THE DESIGNATION OF SUNRISE AS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL. WE CELEBRATE OUR EIGHTH COMMUNITY SCHOOL SINCE LAUNCHING THIS WORK IN 2016. EACH COMMUNITY SCHOOL REPRESENTS AN INVESTMENT NOT JUST IN A CAMPUS BUT IN AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SUNRISE WAS ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT AS THE ONLY COMMUNITY SCHOOL SERVING THE EAST MESA. EXPANDING ACCESS TO CRITICAL SUPPORTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THAT AREA. COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ARE
037MORE THAN A PROGRAM. THEY ARE A PATHWAY TO TRANSFORMATION AND EQUITY HELPING ENSURE EVERY STUDENT AND FAMILY HAS WHAT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. AT SUNRISE , WE SAW THAT VISION COME TO LIFE AS LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER IN MEANINGFUL WAYS. THANK YOU TO JOHNNY RIVERA, CARLY REAGAN, AND PRINCIPAL FOR THEIR WORK IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN. BEFORE SPRING BREAK, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH A COUPLE OF GROUPS TO RECORD SOME COMMUNITY MESSAGES. IN ADDITION TO PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF LAS CRUCES POLICE ON A COMMUNITY MESSAGE, I ALSO SPENT TIME IN LAS CRUCES HIGH SCHOOL AND BULLDOG REDUCTIONS RECORDING A MESSAGE TO THE LCPS COMMUNITY. I REALLY ENJOY RECORDING THESE MESSAGES WITH OUR STUDENTS. WE HAVE DONE THIS AT LEAST SEVERAL SCHOOLS AND IT IS IMPRESSIVE TO SEE THE TECHNICAL SKILLS THAT
038OUR STUDENTS DEVELOP . THE BROADCAST LABS WE VISIT ARE IN PART FUNDED BY LEGISLATIVE FUNDING INTENDED TO SUPPORT FILM AND BROADCAST IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF REALLY EXCITING EVENTS COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. WE ARE ENTERING A REALLY EXCITING TIME OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WHERE THE HARD WORK BY SO MANY IS REWARDED. PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME OR JOSH SILVER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THESE. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THERE'S JUST SOME GREAT ACTIVITIES. SOME HOT DOG COOKING THERE. [ LAUGHTER ] ALL GREAT EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP HERE. AND BEFORE I WRAP UP MY REPORT, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE RECENT ALLEGATIONS REGARDING RELATED TO THE HISTORICAL LEGACY OF CESAR CHAVEZ AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN OUR DISTRICT THAT BEARS HIS NAME. DISTRICT LEADERSHIP IS
039AWARE THESE DEVELOPMENTS AS WELL AS THE MEDIA COVERAGE SURROUNDING THEM. AS A DISTRICT, WE WANT TO ENSURE ALL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS ALIGNED WITH OUR MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES. ULTIMATELY, WE WILL FOLLOW THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AS ANY DECISION REGARDING A POTENTIAL NAME CHANGE RESTS WITH THE BOARD. IN ACCORDANCE WITH DISTRICT POLICY AND WITH INPUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY. AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR DISTRICT LOBBYISTS, MR. CHRIS, WITH AN UPDATE FOR THE 2026 NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE SESSION . AS YOU WILL SEE IN THE REPORT TODAY, I WANT TO WELCOME HIM AND ALSO MS. O'BRIEN. MAKING THE DRIVE FROM ALBUQUERQUE, RIGHT, SIR, BUT AS YOU WILL SEE, IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL SESSION FOR US AND FOR MANY ACROSS THE STATE BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR US. JUST THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR THE
040TEAM. ALSO FOR OUR BOARD OUT OF SIX --ADVOCACY AS WELL. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE TEAM. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, XOCHITL, AND SUPERINTENDENT. MR. BALZANO AND I ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO GIVE THE BOARD AN UPDATE ON THE 30 DAY LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT JUST ENDED IN MARCH, AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CHRIS TO GET US STARTED. GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND SUPERINTENDENT RUIZ . IT IS GOOD TO BE WITH YOU GIVING ANOTHER REPORT. I WANT TO THANK EACH ONE OF YOU FOR BEING UPDATED IN SANTA FE. I THINK THE REPORT TODAY IS SOMETHING VERY EXCITING ESPECIALLY IN MY CAREER BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN LEARNING THERE ARE THREE THINGS WE NEED TO ACHIEVE THE RESULTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO PRESENT
041TONIGHT. GRASSROOTS, ADVOCATING, AND LOBBYING. WHEN WE PUT ALL THOSE THREE THINGS TOGETHER, THIS IS THE PRODUCT. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE CABINET, THE BOARD, AND WORKING ALONG ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, JUST GIVING SOME STATISTICS ON THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. 815 BILLS. I'M SORRY. 815 PIECES OF LEGISLATION WERE INTRODUCED. THIS INCLUDES BILLS, MEMORIALS, AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS. IF YOU LOOK THERE ON WHAT WAS SIGNED OUT OF THE 71, IT'S A VERY LOW NUMBER. AND THEN YOU TAKE A LOOK. THE BOTTOM BULLET ON EDUCATION THAT WE WERE TRACKING AND MONITORING. 73 OF THOSE 815 WERE RELATED TO EDUCATION. YOU ARE GOING TO SEE IN THIS PRESENTATION WHEN IT COMES TO STATISTICS WE ALSO SAW A LOT OF POLICY ON HOUSE BILL TWO AND WE HAVE TO PAY
042A LOT OF ATTENTION ON THAT. HOUSE BILL TWO, WHICH IS THE STATE BUDGET BILL. IT IS VERY SIMPLE. IT'S JUST NUMBERS BUT WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK INTO THAT. LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THE TIMELINE. MARCH 11 WAS THE DEADLINE FOR THE GOVERNOR ON SIGNING BILLS. WHAT IS COMING UP NOW IN MAY IS GOING TO BE THE INTERIM ORGANIZATION MEETINGS. MY JOB AS YOUR LOBBYIST IS TO BE IN SANTA FE, PAYING ATTENTION TO HOW THOSE MEETINGS WILL TAKE PLACE, WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE PLACE, WHAT EXACTLY THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IS GOING TO BE DURING THIS PART OF THE YEAR UNTIL THE 60 DAYS REGULAR SESSION THAT IS COMING UP NEXT YEAR. AS A REMINDER, JULY 1st --STARTS. WE MONITORED THE PROCESS TO LET YOU KNOW
043AS WELL. WE ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE CABINET TO SCHEDULE OUR LEGISLATIVE REFORM THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR WITH LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION. LET'S GO ON THE HIGHLIGHTS ON BILLS RIGHT NOW. HB 47 , WHICH WAS THE INSURANCE PROGRAM BILL. THAT WAS PASSED. THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE MADE SURE WAS THERE AT THE STATE. HOUSE BILL 253. THIS BILL CREATES RECALCULATION ON VIRTUAL UNITS STATEWIDE AND IN REFERENCE TO UNIT VALUE AS WELL. THIS HAS TO DO WITH DISTANCE LEARNING DONE THROUGH VIRTUAL SCHOOL PROGRAMS. GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. HB 30 . THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS. ADJUST THE AMOUNT OF THE STIPEND FOR TEACHING RESIDENTS. ALLOW TEACHERS RESIDENTS TO WORK IN ANY PUBLIC SCHOOL AFTER RECEIVING RESIDENCY. SB 37. WHAT IT DOES. IT CREATES A STANDARD FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND ASSESSMENTS. ALSO ASK THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
044DEPARTMENT TO ASSIGN LITERACY IN STRUCTURAL -- INSTRUCTIONAL COACH. SB 29 WAS THE MATH BILL. WHAT IT DOES IS INCREASES MATHEMATIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE FOR A TEACHING LICENSE AND ENDORSEMENT. SB 64 WAS THE CREATION OF THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, KEEP IN MIND THAT THAT OFFICE WAS ALREADY THERE. THE DEPARTMENT HAD DISCUSSIONS TO CREATE A DEPARTMENT SEPARATE FROM --OR JUST MAKE OFFICIAL WHAT IS ALREADY HAPPENING UNDER PD. THAT WAS THE CREATION OF THAT. PROBABLY ABOUT THREE YEARS OPERATING UNDER THE PD. AND THEN WE HAVE HERE IN DIRECT BILL THAT IS NOT REALLY RELATED TO EDUCATION, BUT AT THE LAST DAY OF THE SESSION WAS AMENDED TO GIVE THAT 1% INCREASE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL PERSONNEL AROUND THE STATE. SO WHAT THEY DID, THEY AMENDED INCOME TAX BILL AND IN THAT LANGUAGE A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE SESSION
045WAS DONE. SO WE WERE THERE MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD HAPPEN. OVERALL, LIKE I SAID, HOUSE BILL TWO IS --THIS YEAR. A LOT OF POLICY. WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER ON ANALYZING THAT BILL. YOU RECEIVE AN ANALYSIS OF HOUSE BILL TWO IN YOUR PACKET. WE WILL SEND YOU AN EMAIL WITH ALL THE DETAIL. I'LL BE HAPPY DO IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS LATER ON. ONE OTHER SITUATION ON HOUSE BILL TWO. THERE IS $3 MILLION THERE FOR THE SUMMER INTERNSHIP . THAT IS THERE TO BE USED FOR THAT ON HOUSE BILL TWO. WITH THAT, I WOULD PASS TO SHERRY SO SHE CAN GIVE YOU REPORT . THANK YOU, CHRIS. SO I GET TO DO THE FUN PART OF THIS PRESENTATION. [ LAUGHTER ] AND TALK ABOUT THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED SO,
046WE WANT TO THANK OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION WHO DEFINITELY SHOWED THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR CAPITAL OUTLAY AND GEO-REQUESTS THIS YEAR. WE RECEIVED 6.825 MILLION IN CAPITAL OUTLAY FUNDING FOR OUR FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER AND OUR CTE CENTER. 3 MILLION OF THE CTE CENTER CAME FROM OUR GOVERNOR , AND WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR HER --FOR THAT SUPPORT. THE FUNDING WE RECEIVED FOR THE FSC PHASE THREE WILL BE ENOUGH FOR US TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK FUNDING TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT DURING THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION. ON THE GR O ASIDE, YOU CAN SEE HERE UNDER OUR SECURED COLUMN THAT WE SECURED FUNDING FOR ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PROJECT THAT WE REQUESTED FUNDING FOR. WE RECEIVED $1,030,00 IN GR O FUNDING . SO WE GOT FUNDING FOR OUR AVIATION PROGRAM, OUR FSC CENTER. THE FOOD TRUCK.
047IT IS KIND OF EXCITING. THIS WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO PARTNER WITH OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND OUR BEST BUDDIES PROGRAM. SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT SECOND FOOD TRUCK IN THE DISTRICT. AND THAT WAS COURTESY OF REPRESENTATIVE . WE ALSO RECEIVED FUNDING FOR OUR STUDENT MEDIA BROADCAST LABS. MR. RUIZ REFERENCED THAT EARLIER IN HIS REPORT THAT THOSE ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE DISTRICT. SO THEY WILL HAVE SOME FUNDING TO DO SOME REFRESHES WITH SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND THEN ALSO FUNDING FOR OUR CTE CENTER. SO IN TOTAL, WE RECEIVED $7,855,00 THIS YEAR . AND THAT IS A RECORD FOR US AS A DISTRICT AS FAR AS I KNOW WILL GO WITH THAT. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR DISTRICT AND OUR STUDENTS. AND IT
048IS A TRUE TESTAMENT TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR SUPERINTENDENT, OUR LEGISLATORS, OUR LOBBYISTS, THE BOARD , AND OUR CABINET MEMBERS . BECAUSE WE ALL WORK VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET INTO MEETINGS WITH OUR LEGISLATORS TO EXPLAIN WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AND THE IMPACT THAT THEY WILL HAVE ON OUR STUDENTS. SO ULTIMATELY, OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES BENEFIT FROM THESE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS . THEY ARE GAINING ACCESS TO ENHANCED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND CRITICAL SUPPORTS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS FUNDING. AND SO IT IS A HUGE CELEBRATION FOR ALL OF US. A BIG WIN. AND WITH THAT, WE WILL STAND FOR QUESTIONS. PRESIDENT, IF I MAY? THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD BRIDGES PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WENT AROUND THIS. THANKING OUR LEGISLATORS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS PAST WEEK
049AT OUR BUDGET CONFERENCE THIS PAST WEEK , LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS MENTIONED BY A COUPLE OF OUR LEGISLATORS AS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE PROCESS AND HOW WE KEEP OUR LEGISLATORS INFORMED OF WHERE THESE INVESTMENTS ARE BEING MADE AND HOW THAT IT IS GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE CLASSROOM. WE HEAR THAT A LOT ABOUT, IS THE MONEY GOING TO THE STUDENTS ? I THINK ALL OF YOU WERE THERE WHEN WE HOSTED THEM FOR DINNER AND WE SHOWED THEM THE CTE WORK THAT IS HAPPENING. OUR TEACHERS. SO GOOD AND BAD. GREAT THAT IT WAS RECOGNIZED, BUT NOW OTHER DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO PICK UP ON THAT AND WE WILL HAVE MORE COMPETITION FOR THIS. [ LAUGHTER ] >> BUT I THINK IT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE WORK AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER . YOU KNOW,
050THAT IT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND THE RESULTS ARE THERE. SO THANK YOU TO THE TEAM AND THANK YOU, ALL, FOR YOU AS WELL. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU, CHRIS AND SHIRLEY , FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR THE HARD WORK. 30 DAYS IS ROCK 'N ROLL. RIGHT? THE CAPITAL OUTLAY STUFF. THAT IS REALLY EXCITING. PARTICULARLY THE FUNDING FROM THE GOVERNOR. THAT IS GAME CHANGING FOR THE DISTRICT. SO WHAT A HUGE GAP THEY ARE FEELING WITH THAT. WE ARE NOT CALLING IT A GIFT. FUNDING. >> SORRY. I AM IN WORK MODE. SO YES. THANK YOU. GOOD WORK, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU ARE DOING. THANK YOU FOR THAT REALLY NICE PRESENTATION. AWESOME. [ LAUGHTER ] GREAT JOB. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR DRIVING UP. AND
051NOW WE HAVE MOVED TWO OF OUR ITEMS -- SORRY, SUPERINTENDENT. HAVE YOU CONCLUDED YOUR REPORT? MY APOLOGIES. I HAVE. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. I FEEL LIKE I JUMPED THE GUN. GET A CHANCE TO ASK XOCHITL QUESTIONS ? OKAY. >> I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAD QUESTIONS. I THOUGHT WE HAD A SPACE TO ASK. I MUST BE LIKE A SNAIL. THAT SPACE IS SO FAST. SORRY. LET'S GO BACK. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK RUSSIANS? THIS MAY BE A HARD QUESTION LIPS AS IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE. GIVEN THAT YOU HAVE A COUPLE YEARS ON THE STUDENT ADVISORY, I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THERE WAS SOMETHING FOR YOU THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE BE CHANGED , ENHANCED , OR WERE YOU PRETTY HAPPY WITH THE EXPERIENCE ? I WAS PRETTY HAPPY WITH THE EXPERIENCE.
052I LEARNED A LOT AND GOT TO MEET A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE. THANK YOU. AND JUST GOING OFF OF THAT, IS THERE ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE YOU ALL FEEL WELCOME --TO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE MORE OF A VOICE? BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS HAVE A VOICE. I FEEL PRETTY WELCOMED. WE ALL HAVE A VOICE. THANKS. IF YOU THINK OF ANYTHING, YOU LET US KNOW, PLEASE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR STUDENT ADVISER? COMMENTS? I WILL PROBABLY JUST GO BACK AND WATCH THE LIVE STREAM WHEN YOU ARE LISTING OFF THE STUFF -- YOUR DISCUSSION POINTS. I DON'T WANT TO BOTHER YOU WITH THAT. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU. FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, WE MOVED TWO AGENDA ITEMS TO THE TOP OF NUMBER FIVE, SO WE
053WILL MOVE TO 5B -5 WHICH IS THE FIRST READING OF FAA, NAMING OF SCHOOL FACILITIES , WITH DR. MILLER TOMLINSON. THANK YOU, DR. MILLER TOMLINSON. WE NEED A SUPERHERO POLICY SHIRT. YES, WE DO. NOT SHIRT, BUT POSTER. >> THANK YOU, MADAME CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT RUIZ. I'M HERE THIS EVENING FOR FIRST POSSIBLE FIRST READING OF POLICY FFA, WHICH IS NAMING SCHOOL FACILITIES . SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS JUST WALK YOU ALL THROUGH THE POLICY AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS AND LET YOU ALL HAVE A DISCUSSION FROM THERE. SO, STARTING WITH THE PURPOSE OF THE POLICY, THE POLICY 'S PURPOSE IS TO ENSURE THAT NAMING OR RENAMING OF SCHOOLS SHALL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BOARD. SO IT CLEARLY STATES IN THE PURPOSE OF THE POLICY THAT THIS IS THE BOARD'S JOB TO
054NAME FACILITIES. ONTO THE BACKGROUND . SO IT TALKS ABOUT OPENING NEW SCHOOLS OR RENAMING EXISTING SCHOOL FACILITIES THAT THE BOARD WILL HAVE AN OPEN PROCESS TO SELECT APPROPRIATE NAMES AND THE BOARD WILL MAKE AN EFFORT TO RESPECT COMMUNITY PREFERENCES , BUT AGAIN, THE DECISION IS SOLELY THAT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. IN THE POSITION STATEMENT , JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR YOU TO NOTE . AGAIN, THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR SELECTION . HAVING THE SUPERINTENDENT UTILIZE A PROCESS TO SOLICIT COMMUNITY INPUT. THAT IS FOR NAMING A NEW SCHOOL. IN B, THE POSITION STATEMENT, THE FINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OFFICIALLY SELECTING A NAME RESTS WITH THE BOARD. AND IN C, THERE IS SOME BRIEF CRITERIA . NAMES THAT RECOGNIZE AND/OR REFLECT ESTATE'S TRADITIONS, THE HERITAGE OF THE STATE . STRONG CONSIDERATION TO NAMES
055OF WOMEN, MINORITIES, THOSE WHO HAVE HAD A HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE . AND IF YOU CHOOSE TO NAME A FACILITY AFTER A LIVING PERSON, YOU HAVE TO ASK THEM IF IT IS OKAY WITH THEM FIRST, WHICH SEEMS FAIR. IN E , THERE IS A STRONG INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY TO RENAME A SCHOOL, A BUILDING, OR A FACILITY -- AND THIS HAPPENS A LOT WITH FIELDS OR THINGS LIKE THAT . COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL PETITION TO NAME THAT AFTER A COACH OR A PARTICULAR PERSON THAT WAS RELEVANT AT THE SCHOOL SO IT SPEAKS TO THE PROCESS . AND IN THOSE CASES, IT GOES ON TO SAY THAT THOSE COSTS ARE NOT BORNE BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT . SO THAT ESSENTIALLY IS THE POLICY . AND IN A NUTSHELL , IF YOU WILL, THIS POLICY WAS IN PLACE WHEN IN
0562020 WHEN HIGH SCHOOL WAS RENAMED . SO THE POLICY AND REGULATION CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS WERE BOTH USED AT THAT TIME . I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT THIS POLICY SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS ENDURING . YOU KNOW, ANY CHANGE TO POLICY SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO ENDURE OVER TIME AND NOT JUST WE ARE CHANGING IT BECAUSE WE WANT A CERTAIN OUTCOME OR WE WANTED TO HAVE A CERTAIN PROCESS FOR THE HERE AND NOW. IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WILL -- AGAIN, WILL STAND FOR A LONG TIME . THAT IS WHY MANY BOARD POLICIES DON'T HAVE TO BE REVISED. BECAUSE THEY ARE GENERAL ENOUGH THAT THEY ARE APPLICABLE IN MANY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS , AND A LOT OF THE WORK IF THERE IS ANY TO BE DONE COULD BE DONE THROUGH A REGULATION ASSOCIATED
057WITH A POLICY. SO WITH THAT, I WILL STAND FOR QUESTIONS OR JUST STANDBY FOR YOUR DISCUSSION. THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A SUMMARY OF THE POLICY . AND I HAVE BEEN GOING OVER IT QUITE A BIT, AND I FEEL PERSONALLY THAT IT MEETS YOUR CRITERIA THAT IT IS AN ENDURING POLICY. IT IS GENERAL ENOUGH WITH SPECIFICS WHERE THERE NEEDS TO BE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS ARE NAMED PROPERLY. SO, BOARD MEMBERS , TAKE IT AWAY IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, CONCERNS. MR. FRANK ? I THINK IT IS AN ENDURING POLICY. ON READING IT, I WAS NOT TOO CRAZY ABOUT THE PURPOSE STATEMENT . BECAUSE WHAT IT SAYS IN THE PURPOSE IS STATED LATER IN THE POLICY . SPECIFICALLY IN 3B. WHERE IT SAYS THAT THE BOARD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR DOING THIS. SO
058I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVE TO STATE THAT IN THE PURPOSE. I THINK THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY IS TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS BY WHICH WE COME UP WITH NAMES . THAT IS JUST MY OPINION. I LOVE IT THAT YOU GO THROUGH AND FIND [ INAUDIBLE ] GOOD STUFF. I WILL MAKE A COMMENT. YES. >> I WAS ON THAT BOARD WHEN WE HAD TO PUT A VOTE ON DISCUSSION OF WHETHER OR NOT TO KEEP THE ONYOTE NAME . AND HAVING THAT IN MIND WHEN I READ THE POLICY , I FEEL LIKE IT IS NOT EXPLICIT OF, LIKE , WHY YOU WOULD RENAME . WE ALL CAN ASSUME THAT WE KNOW WHY WE ARE RENAMING , BUT IT IS NOT SPECIFICALLY WRITTEN DOWN . IT SAYS WHY YOU SHOULD NAME, BUT IT IS NOT TALKING ABOUT
059WHY YOU ARE TAKING AWAY A NAME . THIS IS TALKING ABOUT GIVING A NAME . AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT MAYBE WE COULD ADD ANOTHER ITEM TO THAT POSITION . ABC. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A D . BUT FROM WHAT I REMEMBER READING ON IT , IT DOESN'T REALLY GIVE YOU ENOUGH ON RENAMING . AND IT SEEMS TO BE A THING WE ARE DOING. NOT THAT WE ARE DOING BUT THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING. AND I WOULD PREFER IF FUTURE BOARDS WOULD HAVE SOME GUIDANCE INSTEAD OF JUST LIKE , OH, WHAT DOES THIS FEEL LIKE? IT SHOULD BE LIKE , WHAT ARE THE REASONS WHY WE WOULD RENAME . AND DO YOU HAVE SOME VERBIAGE OR SUGGESTED VERBIAGE TO GO WITH THAT ABOUT WHAT KIND OF THINGS WE COULD ADD? I DID
060NOT REALLY THINK ABOUT IT. I JUST KNEW THAT IT JUST WASN'T IN HERE. OKAY. I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE --LIKE, I CANNOT REALLY SIT RIGHT NOW AND PUT THE SENTENCES TOGETHER. I JUST WOULD SAY --I WOULD ASK THAT WE PUT TOGETHER A COUPLE STATEMENTS ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED IN ORDER TO RENAME. OR, LIKE , TO TAKE AWAY A NAME. YES, THANK YOU. IF I CAN ASK IF THERE'S ANY ILLEGAL ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN ADDING THAT TO THE POLICY. SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD , I TOO CERTAINLY DID NOT SIT AS A BOARD MEMBER BUT SAT HERE DURING THOSE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT THE BOARD HAD TO MAKE WITH REGARD TO THE NAME CHANGE FOR ONYOTE, SO I WAS EAGER TO HEAR WHAT BOARD MEMBER TENORIO RECALLED FROM THAT.
061WHAT I RECALL IS A HESITANCY TO CHANGE THE POLICY WHEN THERE WAS A DECISION ON THE TABLE . AND SO GENERALLY SPEAKING WHEN I LOOK BACK ON HARD DECISIONS THAT THIS LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD HAS HAD TO MAKE OVER THE YEARS --IN FACT, SOME OF THOSE WERE ONES THAT YOU REFLECTED ON DURING YOUR LAST EXTENDED WORK SESSION. YOU KNOW, THE IDEAL TIME IN MY VIEW TO LOOK AT POLICY CHANGE IS AFTER YOU HAVE LIVED THE POLICY. AND I KNOW THAT IS WHEN WE ARE MOST TEMPTED TO SORT OF FORGET ABOUT IT ALL BECAUSE A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE. SO I WILL SAY THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, SINCE OUR ROLE ISN'T AS DECISION-MAKERS -- THAT IS YOUR ROLE --WAS TO JUST LOOK AT THE POLICY IS WRITTEN AND THE REGULATION AS WRITTEN REFLECTING
062ON THE HISTORY, WHICH WE ALL KIND OF HELPED REFRESH EACH OTHER'S MEMORIES ON TO SEE HOW WE WERE ABLE TO ASSIST THE BOARD IN NAVIGATING THROUGH THIS EXISTING POLICY AND REGULATION THROUGH THE DECISION AND REFLECTING BACK ON THAT WHILE NONE OF THE DECISIONS WERE EASY, I THINK THE BOARD DID SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT , AND SO I'M A LITTLE BIT HESITANT TO SUGGEST THAT YOU SORT OF IDEALIZE THE POLICY IN THE WAKE OF POSSIBLY ANOTHER DIFFICULT DECISION AND MAYBE WOULD ENCOURAGE UNLESS THERE IS SOMETHING REALLY MATERIAL WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE IT MADE THE DECISION DIFFICULT AND COMPLICATED IN AN IMPROPER WAY BEFORE. IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE, THEN I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU NAVIGATE ANOTHER POTENTIAL DIFFICULT DECISION THROUGH THE EXISTING POLICY AND THEN REFLECT ON CHANGES AFTERWARDS . AND I'M HAPPY TO ELABORATE
063ON THAT IF YOU NEED ME TO . I'M ALSO HAPPY TO COMMENT ON THE POLICY AS I SEE IT AND WHY I THINK THAT THE POLICY AS IT EXISTS ALLOWS YOU TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE PERHAPS ANOTHER DIFFICULT DECISION. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. YES, OF COURSE. I DID MENTION JUST LOOKING DIRECTLY AT THE POLICY. BUT IF YOU WANTED ME TO GO BACK AND REMEMBER WHAT THAT PROCESS WAS , I WOULD SAY THAT FROM MY RECOLLECTION , THERE WAS -- IT WAS DURING THAT WHOLE -- GEORGE KING --WHAT WAS HIS NAME? GEORGE FLOYD RIGHT AFTER HIS DEATH, THE WHOLE COUNTRY FLARED UP EMOTIONALLY . I KNOW WE HAD STUDENTS WHO MADE A RECOMMENDATION , I BELIEVE, TO THE PRESIDENT . TOTALLY BLANK TODAY. AND SO THAT IS WHERE THEY KIND OF STARTED WITH
064SOME KIDS . I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE PULLING OR SUGGESTING TO THE PRESIDENT . IT WAS DURING COVID SO ALL THE KIDS AND STAFF WERE AT HOME. EVERYTHING WAS BY SCREEN . AND I REMEMBER MS. DOLMAN KIND OF LEANING IN ON PRINCIPAL AT THE TIME TO KIND OF GAUGE WHAT WAS THE EMOTIONAL ENVIRONMENT AT THE SCHOOL WITH THIS NAME WITH ONYOTE AND THAT THEY KIND OF -- HE JUST WOULD TALK ABOUT HOW IT WOULD COME AND GO. AND A WHOLE OTHER TYPE OF FLARE. SO YOU WOULD HAVE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF KIDS WHO WERE REALLY UPSET BY THE NAME AND THE REPUTATION OF ONYOTE NOT JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT HE DID WITH THE YAKIMA --THE MEN GETTING THEIR LEGS CUT OFF OR FOOT CUT OFF. IT WAS BEYOND THAT. HE WAS THE CRIMINAL.
065HE HAD DONE A LOT OF TERRIBLE THINGS AS FAR AS RAPE, EMBEZZLEMENT. HE WAS DOING TERRIBLE THINGS THAT THE SPANISH KINGDOM AT THAT POINT SAID, YOU ARE OUT OF MEXICO. YOU NEED TO COME BACK TO SPAIN. AND SO I THINK A MAJORITY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT FULL HISTORY. THEY MAY JUST KNOW ABOUT . AND I FELT THAT I WAS BEING PRESSURED WITHOUT A LOT MORE OF THE COMMUNITY INPUT. I FELT LIKE WE KNEW THAT THERE WERE SOME STUDENTS WHO WERE UPSET ABOUT IT AND THEN PEOPLE KIND OF STARTED CHIMING IN, BUT IT FELT LIKE IT WAS RUSHED. AND IT FELT LIKE WHEN I WAS ASKING FOR --I KNOW HE WAS LIKE, HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST, RIGHT? AND I REMEMBER LEAVING --I DON'T KNOW, GETTING READY FOR THIS MEETING AND JUST TELLING MYSELF,
066OKAY, IF I HAVE -- THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR ON THE BOARD . IF I HAVE THE BUDGET --AND I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH IT IS, AT LEAST I KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS. I WOULD HAVE MORE CONSCIOUS IN TAKING A VOTE. AND WHEN I ASKED FOR THE BUDGET, WE DID NOT HAVE A BUDGET. AND THERE WAS NO ANSWER FOR THAT. SO I ENDED UP ABSTAINING AND JUST FEELING LIKE IF MORE PEOPLE KNEW THE HISTORY, MAYBE THEY WOULD BEND TOWARD WANTING TO GET RID OF THAT NAME . BUT YEAH. I THINK SIMILAR TO HEAR WHEN I GET CALLED FIRST AS A VOTE , IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING WITH ME TAKING MY NAME OUT ON WHAT THE OTHERS ARE GOING TO DO. SO HE VOTED NO. AND THEN I THINK CAROL VOTED YES . HE
067VOTED NO. AND THEN MS. FLOREZ VOTED YES. AND SO THAT PAST AS FAR AS JUST GETTING THE NAME. BUT THEN ANOTHER READING TO START TALKING ABOUT WHAT TO RENAME IT . AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF WE WERE JUST THROWING OUT NAMES OR SOME OTHER --IF THE SCHOOL HAD ANY SAY IN IT, AND THAT KIND OF BOTHERED ME. RIGHT? THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO NAME THEIR SCHOOL OR AT LEAST GIVE A COUPLE NAMES TO PICK FROM. THAT IS MY RECOLLECTION. AND I THINK TWO WEEKS AFTER WE VOTED TO REMOVE ONATE, THAT IS WHEN THEY FINALLY GAVE US A BUDGET AND SOME FINANCES AS FAR AS, THIS WOULD BE --YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE COST IS WAY DIFFERENT THAN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. YEAH. AND THEN THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT IT MADE MORE SENSE THEN,
068AND SO ON MY SIDE, IT FEELS LIKE I COULD HAVE VOTED. AND I KNOW I HAVE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE CLOSE AND THEY ARE LIKE, WELL, I WOULD HAVE VOTED. AT THAT POINT, I WAS JUST THINKING , I WANT INFORMATION. I WANT TO HAVE AN INFORMED VOTE . AND I GUESS I WOULD ASK AT LEAST SOME GENERAL BUDGET . AND IT IS NOT TO SAY I AM OPPOSED TO DO IT DEPENDING ON THE BUDGET , BUT I DON'T LIKE TO VOTE ON THINGS BLINDLY . I DON'T KNOW. SO. MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION? >> SURE. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE POLICY HELPED GUIDE YOU THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS? I THINK ULTIMATELY WE ARE LOOKING --WE ARE LOOKING AT THE POLICY. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE WAS -- I THINK THE PRESIDENT WAS STEERING THAT
069SHIP PRETTY STERNLY. I REMEMBER AT ONE POINT TRYING TO MAKE A MOTION TO DELAY OR TO POSTPONE FOR THE NEXT MEETING TO VOTE . WHAT WAS THE RUSH ? BUT APPARENTLY FOR SOME PEOPLE, THERE WAS THAT RUSH . AND SO IT HAD TO HAPPEN THEN. I DON'T KNOW WHY. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? TWO WEEKS LATER THEY TELL ME -- COULD THEY HAVE MORE TIME TO GET THAT BUDGET. BUT AT THAT POINT THEY DID NOT HAVE IT AND NOBODY WAS ON MY SIDE TO POSTPONE IT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> SO IT WAS NOT --BASED ON THAT, IT IS KIND OF HOW THE PRESIDENT STARTS TO PUT IT IN MOTION. UNDERSTOOD. >> AND THERE IS NOT A LOT HERE TO TELL YOU. IT IS NOT VERY STRICT. RIGHT. IT IS PRETTY GENERAL. THANK YOU. DID
070YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? SO, PRESIDENT CORT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, IN REFLECTING AS FAR AS PROCESS BECAUSE MEMBER TENORIO IS TALKING ABOUT PROCESS. SO LOOKING AT THE POLICY AND THE REGULATION --BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT AS ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING AT , COULD ANOTHER DECISION REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF THAT DECISION BE NAVIGATED WITH EXISTING REGULATION . AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY EXAMINED --FIRST OF ALL, PACING. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE TENORIO BROUGHT THAT UP . PACING IS STRICTLY A DECISION OF THE BOARD. SO WE DO HAVE THE PACING OF A POLICY. POLICY ADOPTION WITH OUR THREE READINGS. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, PACING IS TIED TO AGENDA SETTING AND TO MOTIONS TO TABLE AND MOTIONS TO POSTPONE. ALL OF THOSE THINGS. SO PACING I THINK IS
071STILL WITHIN THE BOARD'S CONTROL AND WOULD NOT REQUIRE A POLICY CHANGE. THAT IS REALLY JUST WHAT HAPPENS AT THE DAIS. AS FAR AS THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT , WHICH WAS THE OTHER THING THAT MEMBER TENORIO BROUGHT UP, WE REFLECTED AND THANKFULLY ALSO HAD THE BENEFIT OF THE MINUTES AND THE ADMINISTRATION'S STUDY OF THOSE MINUTES TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. AND WHAT WE EXAMINED AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO REFRESH OUR MEMORIES ON IS THAT I THINK FROM A POLICY AND REGULATION STANDPOINT, WHAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE IS THE ISSUE OF IN THESE CONTEXTS OF REMOVING A NAME AND THEN ONCE THAT NAME IS REMOVED, THEN THE NAMING PROCESS . AND SO REMOVING THE NAME AS IT EXISTS RIGHT NOW IS A DECISION LEFT ENTIRELY TO THE BOARD . HOW YOU GET THERE IS THROUGH
072VARIOUS MEANS. LIKE ANY OTHER DECISION. YOU HAD PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT. THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM TONIGHT, SO I ENVISION THAT YOU WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN ON THIS ISSUE. I ENVISION THAT YOU WILL HAVE THOSE REACHING OUT TO YOU AS MR. RUIZ REMINDED US AT THE EXTENDED WORK SESSION. THERE IS THE ABILITY OF THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT ON THE PLATFORM AND REACH THE BOARD THAT WAY. SO CERTAINLY YOU CAN TAKE INPUT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, BUT THE REMOVING OF A NAME IS LEFT ENTIRELY TO THE BOARD WITHOUT A PROCESS. THE EMPHASIS IN THE POLICY AND IN THE EXISTING REGULATION IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS THEN ONCE THAT NAME IS REMOVED HOW A NEW NAME WILL BE SELECTED. AND THAT IS WHERE WHEN YOU COMBINE THE EXISTING POLICY AND THE EXISTING REGULATION, THERE
073IS A STRUCTURE IN WHICH THERE IS A RATHER INVOLVED STRUCTURE . SOME WITH SOME ANTIQUATED LANGUAGE, BUT STILL DOABLE FOR SOLICITING PUBLIC INPUT FOR ASSESSING THAT INPUT AND SUPPORT SO THAT THE BOARD IS CHOOSING THE NAME . IT IS STILL THE BOARD'S DECISION, BUT THEY ARE CHOOSING THE NAME WITH THE FULL BENEFIT . HARD TO HOLD THIS BUTTON. WITH THE FULL BENEFIT OF INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC. SO I DO THINK IT IS KIND OF IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO THINK ABOUT A DECISION IN THE CONTEXT OF EXISTING POLICY AND REGULATION. IT REALLY IS A TWO PART DECISION. ONE IS, ARE WE GOING TO THE RACE, REMOVE A NAME? WHICH IS THE BOARD'S DECISION AND DOES NOT STRUCTURE A SYSTEM OF PUBLIC INPUT. AND THEN ONCE THAT DECISION IS MADE, IF THAT
074DECISION IS MADE TO REMOVE THE NAME, THEN THERE IS THE PROCESS OF SOLICITING PUBLIC INPUT , WEIGHING THAT , ASSIGNING RECITALS -- PERCENTAGES TO THAT AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO THE BOARD IS MAKING IT FULLY WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PUBLIC'S VIEW ABOUT WHAT THE NEW NAME SHOULD BE. THANK YOU. MADAME CORT? IT FEELS REALLY WEIRD TO BE TALKING. AND I WANT TO --FOR BRINGING THIS UP. IT FEELS ODD TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS POLICY WHILE THE VERY NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. THE THING THAT WE ALL KNOW WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT. CESAR CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY. NAME. AND TO SLOW THAT DOWN TO TALK ABOUT A POLICY , THAT GIVES US THE RIGHT TO DO THIS AND START THIS PROCESS . IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE JUST MUDDYING THE WATERS IN A
075WAY THAT WE DON'T NEED TO . AND THAT REGULATION IS A DOOZY OF A REGULATION . THERE ARE LAYERS UPON LAYERS OF DIFFERENT MECHANISMS IN THAT REGULATION. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS YOUR BALLPARK OVER THERE . THE WAY I SEE IT, THE PUBLIC WANTS US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IF WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THIS NAME. WE SHOULD HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. TALKING ABOUT THE POLICY STUFF JUST MUDDIES IT, DELAYS THE CONVERSATION. WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS . AND BRINGING IN THE POLICY CONVERSATION WHILE DOING THAT IS, I THINK, REALLY CONFUSING . AND IT DOESN'T GET US WHERE WE NEED TO BE. HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, WE CAN DO THAT. THAT IS, REALLY, WHAT WE NEED AT THIS POINT. IF I MAY, I THINK THAT IS WHAT SHE SAID,
076TOO, IS DO WE-- AND THAT IS WHAT I WAS ASKING, TOO, DOES SHE FEEL WITHIN THE POLICY AND THIS REGULATION, WAS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT WAS NOT HELPING THE SITUATION? RIGHT? I THINK THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED IT IS NOT, REALLY. I MEAN, THE POLICY IS FINE THE WAY IT IS, I THINK THAT IS, FROM HERE, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS MOVE ON, UNLESS THERE IS MORE DISCUSSION, ON THE POLICY, BECAUSE WE HAVE KIND OF MOVED AWAY FROM THE POLICY A LITTLE BIT. LETS GO BACK TO THAT. IF WE ARE DONE WITH THIS DISCUSSION, WE CAN MOVE ON AND THEN WE CAN GO TO 5B6, WHICH IS DISCUSSION OF REMOVAL OF A NAME. WHAT DO WE DO WITH THIS POLICY MOVING FORWARD? IT IS A FIRST READING, SO, WE WILL HAVE A SECOND READING
077ANY, LIKE MR. FRANK'S COMMENT ABOUT THE PURPOSE, WE CAN MAKE THAT CHANGE AND I AGREE THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO MAKE STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THIS POLICY, THAT IT SHOULD BE DONE AFTERWARDS WHICH MOVES TO TABLELING AND NOT A SECOND READING. I JUST HAD TO TALK IT ALL OUT. THAT WAS MY SECOND QUESTION, SO IT WOULDN'T BE-- RIGHT. >> WE ARE STILL DOING THE POLICY PROCESS WHILE STILL-- EXACTLY. >> POTENTIALLY HAVING THE OTHER CONVERSATION THAT WE ARE NOT HAVING. THANK YOU FOR--I NEEDED TO SAY IT OUT LOUD AND THEN IT ALL MADE SENSE. I DON'T KNOW THIS IS A FIRST READING, I THOUGHT WE WERE BEING PRESENT WOULD THE POLICY TO REMIND OURSELVES HOW WE GO ABOUT RENAMING. IT SAYS FIRST READING. THAT IS THE WAY I PERCEIVED IT. THAT SEEMS TO HAVE COME LATER
078IN THE PROCESS, WHEN I FIRST READ IT, IT DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT A FIRST READING, THAT I RECOLLECT. THAT IS WHY I DIDN'T MAKE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT IT PRIOR TO THE MEETING. TITLE DID SAY FIRST READING. THE TITLE DOES SAY FIRST READING. IT SAYS IT HERE BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE PACKET WHEN I LOOKED AT IT A FEW DAYS AGO. IT SORT OF WAS WRITTEN OUT, DIDN'T SPELL THAT OUT AT THE TIME. I AM TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF PUTTING IT ON THE BACK BURNER UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THE OTHER ISSUE, CESAR CHAVEZ ISSUE. CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE? YOU DON'T NEED. >> IT IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM. IT DOESN'T NEED-- >> EVEN THOUGH IT IS FIRST READING? I AM GOING TO TRUST THE LAWYER ON THIS. I THINK SHE
079SORT OF TALKED THROUGH CRITERIA AS DESCRIBING THE HISTORY OF THE POLICY, IF WE DO A REVISION-- BUT I DIDN'T. LIKE IF I WERE TO TALK ABOUT RENAMING, AND, LIKE, THE REASONS WHY PUT UP FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE, IT WOULD BE, WELL, I GUESS, BECAUSE OF REPUTATION, RIGHT? HISTORICAL, LIKE, MORE HISTORICAL ACCURACY OF THE REPUTATION, COULD BE THAT THERE WERE CRIMINAL ACTS NOT KNOWN BEFORE. RIGHT. >> WHICH IS-- IF WE ENTER INTO A RENAMING OF A SCHOOL, YOU SUGGESTED WE BE MINDFUL OF EXPENSE, AND THEN YOU SUGGESTED WE HAVE SOME CLEAR CRITERIA FOR WHY WE ARE DOING, HOW IT REFLECTS VALUES. I DON'T THINK THE RENAMING, ITSELF-- I THINK, FOR ME, WHEN I VOTE, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE COST IS, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE THAT, FOR ME, IT IS INVALUABLE AS FAR AS
080WHETHER IT WAS FOR THE COST OF CHANGING IT OR RENAMING IT IS ACTUALLY THE EXPENSE, RIGHT? HAVING TO CHANGE EVERYTHING TO OM, WHAT IS IT O-M-H-S? WHY DID WE NOT PICK O-H IS TO ANOTHER O? I DON'T KNOW, THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED SO WE NEED TO FIGURE HOW TO ADD AN M IN THERE, CREATED MORE COST. AND I DON'T KNOW--I WOULDN'T SAY THERE IS A CRITERIA, FOR ME, IT IS YES, I WANT TO ASK WHAT THE BUDGET IS. IT IS NOT NECESSARILY A DEAL BREAKER FOR ME. I JUST WANTED-- I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I I WOULD VOTE NOT ASKING FOR IT. BUT, FOR ME, MORE IMPORTANTLY, I GUESS, AND FOR EACH PERSON, EACH BOARD MEMBER MAY BE DIFFERENT, BUT IT WOULD BE MORE ABOUT WHY IS THAT NAME COMING UP IN THE FIRST PLACE? RIGHT?
081WHY IS IT IN THE SOCIAL CONSCIENCE? IT IS CONSCIOUSNESS, IT IS BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THEY DID? IF I AM-- THAT IS NOT SEEM PALATABLE OR AGREEABLE? OR MORAL? SO THAT WOULD BE MORE OF LIKE THE RENAMING PART, TO ME, IF IT IS NAMED AFTER A PERSON. IS THERE A SITUATION WHERE IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF NAME THAT WOULD CAUSE SOME TYPE OF SOCIAL AND MORAL IRRITANT, YOU KNOW? SO MY POINT WAS TO BE IF WE DO WANT TO REVISE THE POLICY, WE COULD ESTABLISH THOSE CRITERIA FOR WHY A SCHOOL MIGHT BE RENAMED AND SUGGESTED EXPENSE AND OUR VALUES AND INVOLVE THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. BUT I BELIEVE THE POLICY, AS IT IS WRITTEN, IS FINE. WE CAN CONTINUE WITHOUT CHANGING IT. WAS DR. WENDY, WAS IT YOUR PURPOSE FOR US TO CHANGE THE POLICY
082WHEN YOU BROUGHT THIS? OR TO REMIND US OF WHAT OUR CRITERIA WERE? SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, MR. WOFFORD, SO THIS WAS ADDED TO THE AGENDA FOR YOUR DISCUSSION, THERE WAS NO--NOT NECESSARILY INTENT TO CHANGE. I THINK TO THIS POINT, AND YOU CAN WEIGH IN ON THIS, AT THIS POINT BECAUSE IT IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM THIS EVENING. WE CAN SCHEDULE SECOND READING FOR THE POINT IN THE FUTURE, WHEN YOU ALL ARE READY TO TAKE ON THIS POLICY FOR REVISION. ABSOLUTELY. IT WAS PUT ON THE AGENDA, SO THAT WE WERE CLEAR IN OUR MINDS WHAT IT IS EXACTLY, IF IT DOES HAPPEN, THAT WE HAVE CLARITY WITH CHOICES MOVING FORWARD. CORRECT. I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT FORWARD. REGARDING ACTION ITEMS, SINCE IT IS ON THE AGENDA, DISCUSSION OF THIS POLICY AND DISCUSSION OF THE CESAR CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY,
083I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD HAVE TO BE NECESSARILY FLAGGED AS THIS IS--CAN BE AN ACTION ITEM. I THINK, IN ROBERT'S RULES, THE FACT IT IS ON THE AGENDA, IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION ON SOMETHING, WHY COULDN'T WE ? PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, IT HAS TO DO WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, NOT ROBERT'S RULES AND REQUIRE THE PUBLIC BE ON NOTICE OF THE POSSIBLE ACTION THE BOARD MIGHT TAKE, AND SO YOUR AGENDA SPECIFIC COLOR CODE TO BE ABLE TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN, VERSES THE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN. SO WHEN IT WAS ADDED TO THE AGENDA, THE THOUGHT WAS YOU DON'T WANT ACTION TAKEN, SOMEBODY DID NOT WANT ACTION TAKEN. TABLING IS AN ACTION. TABLING IS AN ACTION ITEM AND THIS IS--I AGREE, FIRST OF
084ALL, I HAD THE SAME RPZ QUESTION, WHY IS IT ON THE AGENDA WHEN THERE ARE NO PROPOSED CHANGES? I THINK THAT HAS BEEN CLEARED UP BY THOSE INVOLVED IN AGENDA SETTING, IT WAS PUT FORWARD FOR A DISCUSSION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE PROPOSED CHANGES OR NOT, AND THAT IS, AT THIS POINT, AN AGENDA SETTING WITH YOUR TRADITION, THAT WOULD BE AN AGENDA-SETTING DECISION, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH HOW DR. MILLER TOMLINSON DESCRIBED THAT, THAT IT WOULD BE AN AGENDA SETTING ISSUE WHEN YOU MIGHT BRING IT UP, WHETHER BRING FORWARD CHANGES, RED LINE CHANGES, FOR A SECOND READING AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED THIS PROCESS, REGARDLESS OF HOW THIS PROCESS CONCLUDES, OR WHETHER YOU WOULD DO IT POSSIBLY BEFORE THE PROCESS AND COMPLETELY POSTPONE THE PROCESS, OR SIMULTANEOUS. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS TALKED COMPLICATIONS
085OF DOING IT SIMULTANEOUSLY OR DOING IT BASICALLY FOR A PROCESS, AS OPPOSED TO REFLECTING AFTER A PROCESS. ABSOLUTELY. I AM NOT SURE WHEN FIRST READING GOT ADDED AND DON'T REMEMBER THAT BEING THERE, SO, YES, THE PURPOSE WHEN WE DID AGENDA SETTING WAS TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT WE HAVE THIS POLICY AND REGULATION, HERE IS HOW IT WORKS TO INFORM, POSSIBLY INFORM DISCUSSION OF NUMBER SIX, DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE NAME CHANGE. SO WITH THE BOARD'S PERMISSION, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ON DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE NAME CHANGE OF CESAR CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. ARE WE ALL GOOD? SUPERINTENDENT . YES, AND THANK YOU, DR. WENDY, I KNOW SHE BROUGHT UP THE COST, R QUESTION, WE HAVE A VERY ROUGH ESTIMATE AT THIS POINT OF POTENTIAL COST, $12 TO $15,00, LETTERS, REPLACING LETTERS, FEE, SLIDER, WOULDN'T HAVE TO REPLACE THE
086ENTIRE MARQUEE. JUST FYI. EXCELLENT. NICE TO HAVE A ROUGH ESTIMATE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MOVING ON TO 5B6, DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE NAME CHANGE OF CESAR CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. BOARD MEMBERS. DR. LASANO, AND THANK YOU, DR. MILLER TOMLINSON. SORRY, GET STUCK IN THE NOTES AND THE SCRIPT. SO LOVELY TO SEE YOU. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. SUPERINTENDENT REESE, I COME BEFORE YOU TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU ALL JUST HAVE, REGARDING POSSIBLE NAME CHANGE. REALLY, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS EMPHASIZE SOMETHING DR. WENDY HAVE ELOQUENTLY SPOKE ABOUT IN THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PREROGATIVE OF THE BOARD, WITH THE CURRENT POLICY THAT YOU HAVE NOW. SO, UP IN THE SCREEN NOW IS THE OPENING STATEMENT, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE BACKGROUND, WHICH, BASICALLY, IN SHORT, SAYS THE BOARD HAS AUTHORITY TO NAME
087OR RENAME, JUST HAVING AN OPEN PROCESS, SO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS REALLY FACILITATE A CONVERSATION CONNECTED TO SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT BOARD MEMBER HAD BROUGHT UP ABOUT INFORMATION OR WHERE WE TAKE IT FROM HERE. BECAUSE IT SOUNDS, TO ME, LIKE YOU HAVE AGREED TO START THE CONVERSATION NOW AND, REALLY, BD FORWARD ADMINISTRATION IS REALLY ABOUT HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH WHETHER IT BE, IF YOU CHOOSE TO AGENDIZE THIS ITEM FOR THE NEXT BOARD MEETING DURING AGENDA SETTING, TO TAKE ACTION, ADMINISTRATION TO GATHER FEEDBACK, OR WHATEVER THE BOARD PLEASES, TO ALIGN WITH OPENING STATEMENT HAVING AN OPEN PROCESS FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE. SO, REALLY, THAT IS WHAT I AM HERE TO DO IS TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK AS TO THE NEXT STEPS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE POLICY, AS MENTIONED ELOQUENTLY EARLIER, FIRST
088THERE WOULD BE ACTION FROM THE BOARD, AS MENTIONED, WE HAD TO REHASH WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED WITHIN A MONTH. SO THERE WAS AN AGENDA ITEM WHERE, BASICALLY, IT--THE BOARD GAVE AUTHORITY THE ADMINISTRATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ILLICITING FEEDBACK FROM DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS, STUDENTS, STAFF, AND AT THAT TIME THE FEEDER PATTERN. IT WAS IN REGARDS TO THE NAME. SO, AT THAT POINT IT WAS, DO YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SELECTING THE NAME? IF THAT IS A YES, THEN OUR NEXT STEPS WERE LETS GATHER FEEDBACK AND THEN WE CAME TO GIVE FEEDBACK. THERE WAS A SURVEY SENT OUT WITH DIFFERENT RESULTS AND THAT IS HOW THE BOARD DETERMINED THE NAME, AND THERE WAS A DISCUSSION WITH THE S, OR NO S, THAT WAS INTERESTING. SO-- YEAH, I THINK THE BOARD WAS ALSO TRYING TO,
089LIKE, ADD NAMES, IT WASN'T JUST FROM THE SURVEY. I DO RECALL THAT. >> SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WITH THAT, REALLY LEAVE IT UP TO YOU TO-- WHAT I HAVE ON HERE IS IT WOULD BE A FUTURE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING ITEM AND THERE WOULD BE ACTION OF THE BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ADMINISTRATION SEEKING THAT FEEDBACK REGARDING THE NAME CHANGE, OF COURSE, WE WOULD INVOLVE OUR SCHOOL STAFF, CESAR CHAVEZ PARENTS, FAMILIES, AND, OF COURSE, COMMUNICATION WOULD BE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND I WILL STAND FOR ANY FEEDBACK, COMMENTS, SUPERINTENDENT, IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING. THANK YOU, DOCTOR, AGAIN, I THINK IT HAS BEEN STATED ALREADY AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS PROCESS, IF WE MOVE FORWARD, BASED ON BOARD ACTION, IT WOULD BE TO ILLICIT FEEDBACK, AT THE END OF
090DAY THE BOARD HAS FINAL DECISION ASK SAY WHAT THAT NAME WOULD BE IF THAT IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED. OKAY. >> UM, FOR ME, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY E-MAILS OR ANY CALLS OR ANY COMMENTS ABOUT REMOVING THE NAME FROM THE SCHOOL. AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE KNOWING TO BE MOST DIRECTLY INVOLVED. IT FEELS ALMOST TOO SOON FOR ME TO MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE I DONE KNOW HOW THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY FEELS. I FEEL LIKE I WOULD PROBABLY--I WOULD PRIORITIZE THEIR FEELINGS AND THEIR THOUGHTS AND MAYBE PEOPLE IN THAT PATTERN, PEOPLE HAVE GONE TO THAT SCHOOL, AND EVERYTHING ELSE BEFORE I DECIDED THAT I WAS GOING TO REMOVE A NAME. I JUMPED IN THERE FIRST. MR. FRANK? I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
091I MEAN, WHAT ARE WE DISCUSSING? I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE TIME FOR ME TO SPEW MY OPINION ON THIS THING. SO WHAT ARE WE DISCUSSING? WHAT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE IS, YEAH, LETS GET FEEDBACK, BUT ULTIMATELY, THIS NEEDS TO BE AN ACTION ITEM, AND THEN WE NEED, AS A BOARD, WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION. IT SHOULDN'T BE, LIKE SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO WITH SOME DEGREE OF PROMPTNESS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF THAT KIND OF A PLAN. OKAY. WE NEED TO GIVE TIME TO GIVE FEEDBACK, BUT I WOULD SAY IN THE APRIL MEETING, IT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME FOR US TO MAKE A DECISION AS THE BOARD, WHAT WE WANT TO DO ABOUT THE NAME OF THIS ELEMENTARY
092SCHOOL. THANK YOU. DOES THAT WORK? THANK YOU. YES. >> DID YOU MEET WITH THE FACULTY AND STAFF AT CESAR CHAVEZ? PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBER, OUR PRINCIPLE HAS MET WITH THE STAFF AND JUST ASSUREING THEM THERE WAS GOING TO BE A CONVERSATION AROUND THIS BUT LETTING THEM KNOW THERE WOULD BE A COLLABORATIVE AND TRANSPARENT EFFORT. OR PROCESS, SORRY. YEAH. BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DECIDED. YES. >> JUST A POINT OF UNDERSTANDING, I AM WITH MEMBER FRANK. WHAT CAN WE START HERE TODAY? CAN WE START A PROCESS TODAY? YES. WE CAN-- THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. OKAY. OR-- NO. >> IT IS AN ITEM TO START. >> LIKE IT IS TO ASK-- YOU CAN ASK LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS, OR WHERE IS THIS INFORMATION? OKAY. I UNDERSTAND NOW. I GUESS, THE THING THAT I WOULD SAY
093IS I THINK WE SHOULD START WHATEVER THAT PROCESS IS, WE SHOULD TALK TO THE CESAR CHAVEZ COMMUNITY THEATER PATTERN. I DON'T KNOW HOW WELL, I THINK IT WORKS BECAUSE IT IS LIKE KIDS GOING TO THE HIGH SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT THAT, BECAUSE CESAR CHAVEZ IS K THROUGH 1, RIGHT? TWO. >> TWO? >> PRE-K THROUGH TWO? YES. >> YEAH, REAL YOUNG ONES. SO THERE, YOU KNOW, NOT A FEEDER PATTERN GOING INTO CESAR CHAVEZ. I AM WONDERING HOW WE ARE THINKING ABOUT HOW TO GO ABOUT-- IS IT LIKE THE FEEDER PATTERN, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL? I AM WONDERING WHAT--WHO IS THE MOST IMPACTED COMMUNITY BESIDES CESAR CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY? ALSO, FULL TRANSPARENCY, I THINK IF THEY ARE LIKE WE WANT TO KEEP THE NAME, I WOULD HAVE SOME DIFFICULTY WITH
094THAT DECISION, THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST CESAR CHAVEZ ARE REALLY SERIOUS AGAINST CHILDREN. SO I AM JUST--IT WOULD BE A TOUGH DECISION FOR THIS BOARD TO MAKE AND I AM JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE. I WOULD FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION THAT WE TOOK, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD ENGAGE THE CESAR CHAVEZ COMMUNITY IN HOWEVER THAT LOOKS. QUESTION? MADAM PRESIDENT? YES. DOCTOR? >> WHAT I AM HEARING IS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, MADAM CORT, YOU MENTIONED FEEDBACK, CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, WHETHER THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO PURSUE CHANGING THE NAME. I BELIEVE VICE PRESIDENT NOLAN WAS MORE ABOUT THE FEEDBACK BEING ABOUT THE NAME OR YES OR NO ON WE WANT TO CHANGE IT? I AM JUST SAYING I WOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE IF THAT COMMUNITY CHOSE TO KEEP THE NAME ON THAT SCHOOL, AND IT WOULD
095PUT US IN A POSITION WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE TO CONTRADICT, IF THAT IS THE CASE. RIGHT? I THINK WE HAVE TO FIND THAT ANSWER OUT. THAT IS THE FIRST STEP, TALKING TO THAT COMMUNITY. BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO SEEM LIKE WE DON'T HAVE ANY AGENCY IN THIS DECISION, BECAUSE I AM, PERSONALLY, I THINK, INCLINED TO NOT KEEP THAT NAME ON THE SCHOOL. YES. VICE PRESIDENT. >> WHEN I READ THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE, I WAS HORRIFIED, I WAS ANGRY, I WAS SADDENED. CESAR CHAVEZ IS, OR DO I SAY, WAS, A HERO OF MINE, OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT AND WHAT HE DID FOR LABOR HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT IMPACTFUL PART OF OUR COUNTRY. THIS SCHOOL WAS RIGHTLY NAMED CESAR CHAVEZ BEFORE WE KNEW WHAT ALL WE KNOW NOW. BUT DEBORAH ROJAS AND, WAS IT ANNA,
096THEY WERE CHILDREN. AND THEY WERE ABUSED. DELORES HAS CARRIED THIS INTO HER 90s. NO, I AM WITH BOARD MEMBER NOLAN IN SAYING WE CANNOT DIGNIFY THAT WITH A SCHOOL NAME. IT IS UNCONTIONABLE TO THINK THAT, KNOWING THIS, WE CANNOT CHANGE OUR COURSE OF ACTION AND RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HISTORY AND COMMEMORATION. WE ARE NOT ERASING HISTORY, WE NEED TO TEACH CESAR CHAVEZ AND ALL NOW, BUT WE SHOULD NOT COMMEMORATE THIS LEADER WITH A SCHOOL NAMED AFTER HIM. I HAVE A COUPLE MORE THINGS TO SHARE. I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO KEEP GOING BACK TO MY EXPERIENCE WITH RENAMING THE HIGH SCHOOL. IT WAS EXTREMELY, LIKE, CHALLENGING, LIKE IT SEEMED LIKE EVEN THOUGH WE WERE ALL ON SCREENS, YOU COULD FEEL THE NOISE OF JUST THAT PRESSURE SHS YOU KNOW, I HAD A
097LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, FRIENDS THAT GRADUATED FROM THEIR SCHOOL, AND THEY WERE VERY CONNECTED TO IT, AS A SEQUENCE OF LETTERS, LIKE IT WASN'T A PERSON, IT WASN'T THIS MAN THAT THEY RECOGNIZED AS THEIR SCHOOL, IT WAS JUST THE LETTERS REPRESENTED A NAME OF THEIR SCHOOL. I THINK THERE WAS PROBABLY MORE PEOPLE OPPOSED TO CHANGING THE NAME THAN FOR CHANGING THE NAME. HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH--AND THIS IS TERRIBLE, LIKE EVEN THOUGH I ABSTAINED BECAUSE I WAS LIKE I NEED THE NUMBERS, RIGHT? I KNEW THAT CAROL DID THE RIGHT THING AND SHE WAS LIKE MY HERO. TO THIS DAY, THE FACT THAT SHE WAS THINKING THIS IS GOING TO KEEP COMING UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND BE A PROBLEM FOR THIS SCHOOL, AND WE JUST NEED TO STOP IT. RIGHT? AND THAT IS WHERE THE DIFFICULTY
098COMES, IS THAT IT IS AN UNPOPULAR DECISION, EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I THINK THAT IS WHERE WE ARE SITTING OUT NOW WITH CESAR CHAVEZ, AND WHEN IT CAME TO THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS SYMBOL OF MOVEMENT AND WORKERS' RIGHTS, I DON'T KNOW, I THINK I SEE THEM AS FAMILY, RIGHT? WHEN YOU SEE THEM IN YOUR CLASSROOM AND YOU ARE LIKE, THEY CAN DO SOMETHING I CAN DO SOMETHING, IT IS THE POINT OF HAVING THEIR POSTER IN THE CLASSROOM WHEN YOU ARE 80-90% HISPANIC, AND KNOWING DELORES GREW UP IN NEW MEXICO, SHE WAS IN DAWSON. SHE LOOKS LIKE--SHE REMINDS ME OF MY GRANDMOTHER, SHE IS SO SMART AND I THINK WHEN PEOPLE START QUESTIONING HER MOTIVE OF COMING OUT NOW, THEY DON'T REALIZE SHE HELD ON TO THIS FOR HER ENTIRE LIFE,
099HAD TWO CHILDREN AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND WHY WOULD SHE COME OUT NOW? PROBABLY TO HELP DEFEND THOSE YOUNG WOMEN WHO WOULD NEVER BE BELIEVED OTHERWISE. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW CESAR CHAVEZ FAMILY AND FOUNDATION HAVE NOT REFUTED ANYTHING OF WHAT HAS COME OUT. YEAH, THERE IS THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE, AND THEN THERE WAS AN INTERVIEW VIEW WITH DELORES, AND MARIA, SHE IS-- YEAH, IT IS HEART BREAKING. ANYWAY-- SINCE PEOPLE ARE BEING HONEST BOUT THIS WHOLE THING Y HAVE TO TELL YOU, IT IS VERY UNLIKELY MY OPINION WOULD BE SWAYED BY PUBLIC OPINION. SO, YOU KNOW, ANYWAY. WE CAN'T HAVE A SCHOOL NAMED AFTER SOMEBODY THAT COMMITTED THESE ATROCIOUS ACTS. YOU KNOW, WE DO--DELORES IS THE PERFECT RENAME, IN MY OPINION, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SHE DID EVERYTHING AND SHE PROBABLY DID MORE
100THAN HIM, AND NEVER GOT THE FULL CREDIT. AND I REALIZE DO WE DO HAVE A CHARTER SCHOOL WITH THAT NAME, BUT SO WHAT. SO WE ARE HONORING THE LABOR MOVEMENT, AND DOING THE RIGHT THING AT THE SAME TIME. THE FOUNDATION DID COME OUT WITH A STATEMENT, THE CHAVEZ FOUNDATION. I KNOW. YEAH, I AM SAYING THEY DID NOT REFUTE IT. SORRY. I MISUNDERSTOOD. >> THEY WERE LIKE, INSOLIDARITY WITH THE VICTIMS. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I JUST WAS--WHEREVER PEOPLE WERE POSTING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE DISCUSSED, SOMEBODY SAID THAT THEY WERE A KID AT CESAR CHAVEZ WHEN IT WAS JUST OPENING, I GUESS THEY WERE LIKE TRYING TO SURVEY THE KIDS ON WHAT TO NAME THE SCHOOL, AND THEN SHE WAS PRETTY UPSET THEY DIDN'T PICK HER NAME, BUT SHE HAD
101PICKED SUNSET, I THINK. SUNRISE. >> SUNSET. THAT THAT WAS REALLY CUTE. YEAH, THAT IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFF AND ASKING FOR THEIR INPUT, NOT SO MUCH ON LIKE CHANGING THE NAME, BUT LIKE, IF IT WERE TO CHANGE, WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST? YES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, ALL FOR THAT. I WANT TO ADD THAT THE FACT THAT WE ARE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION NOW DOES NOT MINIMIZE IN ANY WAY, ALL OF THE WORK AND SACRIFICES OF EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE UNITED FARM WORKER'S MOVEMENT. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO DIMINISH THAT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM. WE HONOR THAT. HANG ON, I AM SORRY. YOU HAD SOMETHING TO SAY. YOU ARE FINE. SO, PRESIDENT CORT, AS I AM LISTENING TO THE COMMENTS, I REALLY WANT, IN TERMS OF
102PROCESS, TO UNDERSCORE, BECAUSE I THINK MAYBE NOW IS THE TIME, THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING THE TWO ISSUES SEPARATE, OF WHETHER OR NOT THE NAME WILL BE REMOVED, AND THEN WHAT THE NEW NAME SHOULD BE, BECAUSE IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE YOUR POLICY, AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE YOUR REGULATION OTHER THAN, PERHAPS, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BRING IN WHAT VOTING MACHINES, AND MAYBE DO A MODERN APPROACH. THAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THAT RIGHT THERE. SENT IT GREAT? YOU GOT TO LOVE IT. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY BE KEPT SEPARATE, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLICY AND THERE WAS WISDOM, I WANT TO COMMEND THOSE WHO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA TO TALK ABOUT THE POLICY FIRST. IF YOU LOOK AT THE EXISTING POLICY, IT SAYS THAT THE
103SUPERINTENDENT WILL UTILIZE A PROCESS TO SOLICIT COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER'S INPUT FOR DETERMINING SUGGESTED NAMES FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER. AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE REGULATION AND IT HARDLY MAKES SENSE TO USE THAT PROCESS, TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO REMOVE A NAME. TRUE. >> SO THE REMOVING OF A NAME, AND I AM NOT IN ANY WAY ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE HOW YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO ABOUT, EITHER THROUGH PACING AND ACTIVE SOLICITATION, OR WHATEVER, GETTING INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW REMOVING THE NAME MIGHT IMPACT THE COMMUNITY, THAT IS FINE. HOWEVER, YOU WANT TO PROCEED, I THINK PACING WHICH WAS REFERENCED EARLIER, CERTAINLY IS A WAY TO INFLUENCE THAT, RIGHT ? IF YOU GIVE PEOPLE TIME, THEY ARE GOING TO SHOW UP AND COMMENT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. BUT THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM
104THE SOLICITATION, THE STRUCTURE SOLICITATION OF INPUT WHERE NAMES A PUT FORWARD, THE NAMES ARE THEN NARROWED DOWN, AND THEN PRESENTED TO THE BOARD IN A VERY STRUCTURED WAY. THAT IS THE CHOOSING OF A NEW NAME. SO THE DECISION TO REMOVE A NAME IS NOT-- IS NOT SET OUT IN ANY POLICY OR REGULATION, THAT IS REALLY LEFT UP TO THE BOARD THROUGH PACING AND HOW YOU DECIDE TO APPROACH THAT PROCESS. BUT THEN IF YOU DO DECIDE TO REMOVE THE NAME, THEN WHAT KICKS IN IS A FAIRLY ELABORATE PROCESS, LARGELY DRIVEN BY THE ADMINISTRATION, THE SUPERINTENDENT, ADMINISTRATION, TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK ON WHAT THAT NEW NAME SHOULD BE WITH, AGAIN, THE BOARD ULTIMATELY DECIDING WHAT THE NEW NAME SHOULD BE. INTERESTINGLY, THOUGH, IN THE POLICY, IT TALKS ABOUT NAMING AND RENAMING AND DON'T YOU HAVE TO REMOVE A
105NAME TO RENAME? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BY DEFINITION. YES, YOU DO, BUT IT DOESN'T REGULATE HOW THE REMOVAL OF THE NAME, TO RENAME. THAT IS TRUE. SO WHETHER NAMING OR RENAMING, YOU ARE STILL NAMING. AND THE DECISION TO REMOVE A NAME IS--IT HAS TO COME FIRST, IF IT IS AN EXISTING-- OF COURSE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ARE WE GOOD ON OUR DISCUSSION? ARE WE READY? AND, THROUGH THIS DISCUSSION, ARE WE WANTING TO-- AM I ALLOWED TO ASK IF WE WANT TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, OR NO? NO? THE WAY THIS WAS WRITTEN--THERE IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM. PERFECT. THIS IS TO AFORM AGENDA SETTING. IF THE BOARD-- IF MAJORITY OF BOARD IS NOT HAPPY WITH HOW THE AGENDA SET, THEY CAN VOTE TO TABLE IT AT THE NEXT MEETING, BUT I THINK THAT WHOEVER
106IS INVOLVED TAKES THE INPUT, LOOKS AT POSL POLICY, TO SET AN AGENDA AND CERTAINLY EVERYBODY ON WILL HAVE SOME ULTIMATE SAY SO THROUGH THEIR VOTE. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT GUIDANCE AND APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION, AND THANK YOU, DOCTOR DR. LAZANO. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU COMING UP AND FACILITATING THE CONVERSATION. YOU OKAY? YEAH. I AM GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOW WE ARE BACK TO POLICY GBEBB. >> NOW BACK TO POLICY, SECOND READING OF POLICY GBEBB, WHICH IS SO FUN TO SAY. CAN I SAY IT AGAIN? GBEBB. THANK YOU. >> GOOD EVENING, I COME BEFORE YOU TO PRESENT THE SECOND READING OF POLICY GBEBB, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE IN BLUE, AND THEN THE STRIKEED OUT RED, WHERE ALL OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM FIRST READING, WHAT HAS ALSO BEEN ADDED
107IS 4H, WHICH IS MY OWN PROPOSED LANGUAGE FOR EMPLOYEE SELF REPORTING OF ARRESTS, CHARGES, AND/OR CONVICTIONS. ALSO, I DID RECEIVE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND I HAVE NOTED THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MY THIRD READING CHANGES. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? SUGGESTIONS, ON POLICY GBEBB ON SECOND READING? WELL. >> TALKING ABOUT ETHICAL MISCONDUCT. LITTLE HEAVY. INDEED. INDEED. AFTER WE PUT YOU THROUGH IT ON THE FIRST READING, I THINK OUR SECOND READING IS AWFULLY SMOOTH. YEAH. OKAY. >> I THINK WE ARE GOOD TO GO. WE WILL LOOK AT-- YOU OKAY? YES, JUST SORT OF SHOCKED. >> I THINK THIS IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. >> YOU GET IT ALL DONE IN THE FIRST READING AND THEN THE SECOND READING IS FABULOUS. PLOT TWIST, I HAVE 30 QUESTIONS. EXCELLENT. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE THIRD READING
108AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF POLICY GBEBB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. MS. JAMISON. FINGERS CROSSED IT IS ALL GOING TO GO WELL ON THIS SECOND READING. THANK YOU, MS. JAMISON. THANK YOU FOR THE HARD COPY. YOU GUYS GET COLORED. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT AND STUDENT ADVISOR, TONIGHT I AM PRESENTING THE SECOND READING OF POLICY KHB, ADVERTISING AND MARKETING, WHICH ESTABLISHES A CLEAR AND CONSISTENT FRAMEWORK FOR HOW ADVERTISING SPONSORSHIPS AND PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES ARE MANAGED ACROSS ALL LAS CRUCES PAUBLIC SCHOOLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. TO ALIGN WITH COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS WHILE PROTECTING STUDENTS AND MAINTAINING APPROPRIATE CONTENT STANDARDS. TO RECAP, ULTIMATELY IT GIVES CONSISTENT DISTRICT-WIDE STRUCTURE TO GUIDE BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE PRACTICES. SINCE OUR FIRST READING, WE MADE TWO PRIMARY UPDATES, FORMATTING EDIT TO INSURE CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE POLICY, THANK YOU
109FOR THAT REVISION, WE ADDED LANGUAGE IN SECTION 3E TO CLEARLY OUTLINE LEASE AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING TERMS, TIMELINES, AND AUTHORIZED SIGNATURES BASED ON LEGAL GUIDANCE. THE CLEAN VERSION BEFORE YOU REFLECT IMPLEMENTATION. I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFUL FEEDBACK FROM VICE PRESIDENT, WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN THE COPIES I DISTRIBUTED. I BELIEVE THEY COULD HELP EVALUATE KEY AREAS OF THE POLICY AND TO SUMMARIZE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, HE HAD-- YOU CAN COMMENT ON THIS, I WAS JUST GOING TO SUMMARIZE THAT HE QUESTIONED WHETHER BOARD APPROVAL SHOULD BE REQUIRED IN SPECIFIC CASES, SUCH AS LEASE AGREEMENTS OR SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT S CLAIR CLARIFYING DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY DELEGATED TO THE SUPERINTEND, STRENGTHENING INSURING STUDENT DATA IS NOT COLLECTED FOR MARKETING PURCHASES, REINFORCING STUDENT PARTICIPATION IS NOT MANDATORY, AND CONSIDERING WHETHER TO EXPLICITLY ADDRESS ADVERTISING IN CLASSROOMS, THE ROLL OF BOOSTER CLUBS, PARTNER, OR LCPS FOUNDATION
110AND HOW ANY REVENUE GENERATED FROM ADVERTISING WOULD BE HANDLED. WITH THAT, I STAND FOR QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE. IN ADVANCE OF OUR NEXT READING. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS? >> SHALL I JUMP IN? VICE PRESIDENT? YES. YOU SEE THE DOCUMENT, OR THE E-MAIL I SENT TO MS. JAMISON, AND SO I WONDER, WOULD WE DESIGNATE TO SUPERINTENDENT PRETTY MUCH ALL AUTHORITY IN THIS POLICY, AND I WONDERED IF WE NEEDED TO HAVE SOME MOUS OR THINGS NEED TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD OR SOME ADVERTISING, FOR SOME DOCUMENTS, I SUME THE DAY-TO-DAY ADVERTISING NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF, BUT, PERHAPS, THIS WAS MY QUESTION TO MS. JAMISON AND TO YOU, BUT MAYBE SOME THINGS COME UP TO THE LEVEL WHERE THE BOARD NEEDS TO MAKE THAT DECISION IN AN OPEN MEETING. THAT WAS MY QUESTION ABOUT D, AND E,
111LEASE AGREEMENT AND SPONSORSHIP, JUST FOR OUR DISCUSSION. MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT D AND E BEFORE YOU MOVE ON? ARE YOU LOOKING AT ANYTHING THAT IS OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT, THEN IT COMES TO THE BOARD, AND HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS GIVE ME GUIDANCE, IT SEEMS OUR PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO HAVE MOUs ON DIFFERENT THINGS. I LOVE SEEING CITIZENS BANK NAME RIGHT UP THERE NEXT TO THE MARQUEE AND WE SAY V TO SAY THANK YOU, THERE MUST BE SOME LEVEL THAT THESE PEOPLE KNOW THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT. SO, PRESIDENT CORT, IF I MAY, WE ALREADY HAVE A PROCESS FOR MOUs AND I THINK IT WOULD COVER IF THERE ARE MOUs IT WOULD COVER WITHIN ADVERTISING AND MARKETING. THERE MAY NOT BE A NEED, I GUESS, IS WHAT I TRYING TO
112SAY, WE ALREADY HAVE A PROCESS. THERE IS A PROCESS ALREADY, SPONSORSHIP. CORRECT. >> YES. ANY NEW MOU, LEASE, ET CETERA, WILL COME TO THE BOARD IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM. OKAY. YOU PROMISE NOT TO SELL SPACE ON THE WEBSITE. THAT WAS A JOKE. OKAY. THANK YOU, APPRECIATE THE ANSWER. PRESIDENT CORT, I TOENT DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD MANAGE SELLING SPACE ON THE WEBSITE. THERE IS NO SPACE. POP-UPS, EVERYBODY LOVES POP-UPS. DON'T THEY? WE COULD MAKE MONEY. >> I DID ASK, I WAS WONDERING ABOUT STUDENT PRIVACY AND CLEARLY PUTTING GUARDRAILS THERE. IT WAS LETTER E THAT SENT ME THERE, LET ME SEE IT CLEAN COPY, IT IS HARD TO READ THE OTHER. LETTER G, TONOF THE SECOND PAGE. ADVERTISING MARKETING EFFORT MUST COMPLY WITH STUDENT PRIVACY LAW INCLUDING FERPA AND SHOULD NOT COLLECT OR USE
113DATA WITHOUT PROPER AUTHORIZATION. WE DO SAY WE BELIEVE STUDENT PRIVACY IS AN IMPORTANT THING HERE I WONDERED IF WE ARE CLEARLY SAYING YOU CANNOT TAKE OUR STUDENT DATA AND SELL IT? MAYBE THE LANGUAGE IN G SHOULD REFLECT STRONGER LANGUAGE THAN SHOULD NOT COLLECT OR USE AND WE CAN EDIT TO USE "WILL NOT USE." MY THOUGHT WAS MAKE IT A SEPARATE SENTENCE AFTER FERPA AND MAKE IT CLEAR WE DO NOT ALLOW THAT. CAN I JUMP IN? DON'T WE, AS PARENTS, HAVE TO LIKE SIGN PERMISSION FOR THEIR DATA TO BE USED, EXTRACTED, IS IT EDUCATIONAL--NOT FOR PROFITS? FEDERAL? I DON'T KNOW WHO GETS PERMISSION TO USE THAT. PRESIDENT CORT, RIGHT NOW PARENTS HAVE TO ELECT WHETHER TO WITHDRAW STUDENT INFORMATION FROM THE DIRECTORY. THE DIRECTORY IS CONSIDERED PUBLIC INFORMATION AND WE MAY RELEASE THAT TO MILITARY RECRUITS
114AND WE CAN RELEASE THAT INFORMATION ONLY URDER DIRECTORY GUIDELINES. SAY PSAT, THEY CAN BE MARKETED, THE STUDENTS START GETTING, YOU KNOW, ALL KINDS OF COLLEGE INFORMATION. THE DIRECTORY, RIGHT? THAT IS USING THE DIRECTORY INFORMATION, CORRECT, I KNOW WHEN KIDS ARE SIGNING UP FOR AP TESTS, THEY ARE ABLE TO OPT IN OR OPT OUT AT THAT POINT OF ALLOWING UNIVERSE TEASE KNOW THEY ARE INTERESTED IN SCHOOLS. IN WHAT PLACES DO WEVER STUDENTS PROR S PROVIDE NRGZ, WHERE DOES THIS HAPPEN IN OUR SCHOOLS? PRESIDENT CORT, I AM NOT SURE, SPECIFICALLY, WHERE THAT IS HAPPENING. I KNOW THAT THROUGH THE INSPECTION OF PUBLIC RECORDS ACT, WE ROUTINELY RECEIVE REQUESTS FOR THE DIRECTORY INFORMATION, SEPARATE AND APART FROM THAT, IF A TEST IS COLLECTING THAT INFORMATION SEPARATELY THERE, BY-PASSING, SO THEY CAN COLLECT COLLECT IT DIRECTLY AND NOT HAVE
115TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. AGAIN, IT DIRECTORY INFORMATION, WHICH IS NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, AND I BELIEVE CURRENT GRADE LEVEL. AND PRESIDENT, IF I MAY, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THAT IS ALSO THROUGH OUR DATA SHARING A LOT OF TIMES AS WE DO DATA SHARE TYPE OF AGREEMENTS WITH ASSESSMENT PARTFERS, ET CETERA, TESTING AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. MR. PETERSON, AM I RIGHT ON THAT? YEAH. FOR THE RECORD, I THINK MR. PETERSON SAID THERE IS DATA SHARING AGREEMENT THROUGH INFORMATION OPERATION DEPARTMENT. I WAS GOING TO MAKE HIM COME UP. PRESIDENT CORT, CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG BUT I BELIEVE THAT IS HOW THE INFORMATION IS COLLECTED OUTSIDE OF THE DIRECTORY. I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING SAID, I JUST WANT TO CLEAR UP DIRECTORY INFORMATION, UNDER FERPA THERE IS AN EXAMPLE LIST BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT
116OF EDUCATION ON WHAT INFORMATION ISN'T CONSIDERED HARMFUL, IF RELEASED. IT IS A LIMITED LIST, IT IS NOT AN ENDLESS LIST. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT CANNOT BE DIRECTORY INFORMATION. THEN THE DISTRICT, BEYOND THAT, AND YOU HAVE DONE IT THROUGH YOUR POLICY, WITHIN THAT LIST YOU HAVE DESIGNATED WHAT YOU, AS A DISTRICT, ARE WILLING TO TREAT AS DIRECTLY INFORMATION, SO THAT MAKES THE LIST EVEN SHORTER. THE OPT OUT IS STRICTLY THE OPT OUT, ON A FAIRLY SHORT LIST OF THINGS THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONSIDERS IF RELEASEDED NOT HARMFUL. THE HARMFUL INFORMATION REALLY ISN'T SUBJECT TO THE OPT OUT. A PARENT WOULD HAVE TO--OF A MINOR, WOULD HAVE TO CONSENT AND MAKE CONSENT REQUIREMENTS OF FERPA IF IT WAS INFORMATION OTHER THAN DIRECTORY INFORMATION. THE OPT OUT ONLY PERTAINS TO THE DIRECTORY INFORMATION GENERALLY CONSIDERED AND
117THEN EVEN MORE SPECIFICALLY, BY YOUR SCHOOL BOARD, CONSIDERED NONHARMFUL. OKAY. THANK YOU. KEEP GOING? >> ONE, I HOPE THIS HELPS US GENERATE REVENUE, RIGHT? I KNOW THIS ISN'T THE END ALL TO BE ALL, BUT I HOPE IT IS BUILDING TOWARDS US USING SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO GENERATE REVENUE. BUT I AM CURIOUS ABOUT F, 3F, WHAT ARE IMPLICATIONS OF DISTRICT NAME OR LOGO OR ANY SCHOOL-RELATED LOGO MASCOT, OR RELATED BRANDING? MAY NOT BE USED IN ADVERTISING? ARE WE TALKING GEAR? I KNOW WE SORT OF TOUCHED ON THIS LAST TIME, FORGIVE ME IF I MISSED THAT PIECE, BUT I AM-- WHAT IS THE IMPLICATION OF THAT? PRESIDENT CORT AND SECRETARY NOLAN, I BELIEVE THIS CAN BE ADDRESSED IN REGULATION BUT IT IS REALLY, TO NOT GO TOO DEEPLY INTO THE TRADEMARK CONVERSATION, THE POLICY CAN REINFORCE HOW WE
118REGULATE THE USE OF LOGO AND LICENSING, I DID SOME RESEARCH FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT AND DISCOVERED THAT ASIDE FROM ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THERE ARE NO DISTRICTS ON RECORD THAT HAVE TRADE MARKED THEIR LOGO, SO WE CAN'T PATTERN A POLICY OR REGULATION AFTER THAT. VERY FEW APPEARED TO FORMALLY--MOST DISTRICTS RELY ON PERMISSION-BASED CONTROLS, SO I BELIEVE WE COULD WRITE LANGUAGE INTO THE REGULATION THAT WOULD SPEAK TO THAT AND REINFORCE HOW THOSE ARE USED. THANK YOU. THAT WAS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS HOW MANE WOULD WORK. THANK YOU, THE REGULATION WOULD DO THAT THE LAST THING I WONDERED ABOUT WAS, I HAVE 4A WRITTEN DOWN. ADVERTISING VENUES. YES. I HAVE-- MEMORY OF CHANNEL ONE, WE GOT LITTLE TVs THAT YOU COULD ALMOST SEE, THE FRONT OF THE ROOM. YEARS AGO. AND WE HAD ADVERTISING DIRECTLY TO OUR STUDENTS, AS
119PART OF THE NEWS PROGRAM THAT THEY VIEWED. SO THERE WAS MANDATORY PARTICIPATION, PRETTY MUCH, IN TERMS OF ANY KID IN THAT CLASSROOM WAS SUBJECTED TO THAT ADVERTISING. SO MY QUESTION ON 4A WAS--AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS. WE CAN'T SAY NO ADVERTISING IN A CLASSROOM BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A POSTER OF THE BASEBALL KIDS OVER THERE, AND A SPONSOR ON IT. BUT HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT, TO GIVE KIDS AND FAMILIES AN OUT FROM BEING FORCED TO PARTICIPATE IN ADVERTISING? PRESIDENT CORT, VICE PRESIDENT, I DON'T HAVE A CLEAR ANSWER FOR THAT, ASIDE FROM THE POLICY AS IT IS WRITTEN IS DESIGNED TO GIVE EXPLICIT CONSENT TO THE SUPERININTENDANT TO PROVIDE GUIDELINES TO PRINCIPLES ON HOW THAT WOULD WORK. PERHAPS THE REGULATION COULD SPEAK TO THAT AND GIVE CLEAR GUIDELINES. I HAD NOT THOUGHT
120OF POSTERS IN CLASSROOMS BUT YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY AND THAT IS HOW OUR SPARTS TEAMS AND ACTIVITIES RAISE MONEY. THIS COULD REINFORCE WHICH SPONSORSHIPS GO ON THE POST AND PROVIDE CLEAR GUIDANCE. IT WAS DESIGNED TO STREAMLINE HOW THIS WORKS SO IT DOESN'T PUT THE BURDEN ON PRINCIPALS TO MAKE DECISIONS AND WE ARE ALL UNDER ONE POLICY. REGULATION NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. IT IS JUST A CONCERN. VALID. >> WE PROTECT THE KIDS' PRIVACY RIGHTS. IF I MAY, 4C TALKS ABOUT MAYBE ACKNOWLEDGE DISTRICT FORMATS, BANNERS, ET CETERA BUT NOT INFLUENCING CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTION, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, A BIG PIECE OF THAT, AS WELL. I THINK GOING BACK TO MR. NOLAN'S COMMENT ABOUT GENERATING REVENUE AND DEFINITELY THAT COULD THIS HAPPEN HAPPEN BUT THE MAIN PRIORITY OF THE POLICY
121WAS INSURE WE HAD SYSTEM STRUCTURE AROUND ADVERTISING AND, YOU KNOW, FUNDRAISING, BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE A POLICY AROUND THAT; AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE. THANK YOU, APPRECIATE ALL. I HAVE A QUESTION, IT JUST CAME TO ME, AS FAR AS ADVERTISING TO STUDENTS, WHAT DO WE KNOW CURRENTLY OF LIKE, IF THERE IS ANY CHALLENGES? ARE THERE--IS THERE ANYTHING HAPPENING CURRENTLY? ANY COMPLAINS THAT HAVE HAPPENED? PRESIDENT CORT, NOT THAT I AM AWARE OF, THAT I CAN--NO, NO, NONE WE ARE AWARE OF BESIDES ADVERTISING FOR, YOU KNOW, LIKE OUR CLUBS AND SPORTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT YOU SEE BANNERS, ET CETERA. NO CONCERNS OR COMPLAINTS AROUND HAVING THOSE UP. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MS. JAMISON. >> THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR THIRD READING. APPRECIATE YOU, THANK YOU. QUESTIONS? WE ARE GOING TO MOVE
122ON TO NEW BUSINESS, WE WENT NEW, OLD, NEW. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE A MOTION FOR ONE LPCS GRADUATING SENIOR FOR SCHOLARSHIP CONSIDERATION. MADAM CORT? >> YES? >> I MOVE FOR OUR BOARD TO SELECT KINLEY RAY CARTWRIGHT AS OUR STUDENT. I WILL SECOND. IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. PRESIDENT? BEFORE WE VOTE I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT THAT WE HAD EXCEPTIONAL APPLICATIONS, ABSOLUTELY EXCEPTIONAL KIDS WHO APPLIED. IT IS A SHAME WE CANNOT SEND THEM, CHOOSE THEM ALL. AGREED. >> AGREED. ABSOLUTELY. LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE HAVE AMAZING STUDENTS AND THE TIME AND EFFORT THEY PUT INTO THE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION IS CERTAINLY APPRECIATED. AND ADMIRED, TRULY. SO, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE NOMINATE KYLIE RAY CARTWRIGHT FOR THE 2026MS BA, TO BE A CANDIDATE, PULL IT TOGETHER, MS. CORT. YOU WANT ME TO
123DO THAT AGAIN? NO. WE GOT IT. DON'T DO IT AGAIN. PLEASE, PLEASE. ALL IN FAVOR. >> AYE. AYE. >> ALL OPPOSED? CONGRATULATIONS TO KYLIE RAY CART--KINLEY, SO SORRY, KINLEY RAY CARTWRIGHT TO BE OUR SENIOR FOR SCHOLARSHIP CONSIDERATION FOR NMSBA. CONGRATULATIONS. ALL OF MY WORDS ARE NOT COMING OUT PROPERLY. FINGERS CROSSED IN REGION 7. IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. CAN I MAKE A COMMENT? TO PIGGY BACK ON VICE PRESIDENT, WHAT HE SAID, ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT SUBMITTED ARE WORTHY OF BEING NOMINATED AND SUPPORTED IN THIS, AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE WE WERE ONLY ALLOWED ONE. AGREED. >> SO-- THANK YOU, MR. FRANK. ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION BY LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR APPLICATION FOR THE 2026 NEW MEXICO FINANCE AUTHORITY FOR THE SOLAR ACCESS FUND.
124AND--MS. BLANCO. I WAS LIKE, I SAW YOU, AND THEN-- STILL HERE. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AS SHE GETS SETTLED IN TO GIVE US THIS INFORMATION, FYI, CHIEF RODRIGUEZ IS IN DC ADVOCATING ON OUR BEHALF AND MEETING WITH SOME FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES, CONVERSATIONS AND SO SHE IS HERE IN HIS PLACE, A GREAT REPLACEMENT TO GIVE US THIS INFORMATION. THANK YOU. MS. CORT, MEMBERS, . MY NAME DELORES, SOCIAL DIRECTOR WITH LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS HERE ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT, REQUESTING YOUR APPROVAL AND VOTE TO DESIGNATE MR. DINIC AS DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL PLATTE TO BE THE APPLICANT OF THE FUNDING THAT IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE NEW MEXICO FOUNDATION OF, SORRY, CAN YOU-- MOVED ON, SORRY. I AM A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS. I HAVE BEEN WAITING A MINUTE. NEXT SLIDE? I AM GOOD. SO, THIS FOUNDATION IS, ORPHKOSHGS
125FUNDING AND THE PURPOSE OF IT IS TO ENABLE AND TO SUPPORT ANY ENTITY THAT QUALIFIES WITHIN THE ENTITIES THAT, FOR ENERGY COST, OBVIOUSLY LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAN QUALIFY FOR THIS COST, I NEED TO TAKE A BREATH FOR SOME REASON, I AM SORRY. OKAY. I APOLOGIZE. PLEASE DON'T APOLOGIZE. YOU ARE DOING GREAT. TAKE YOUR TIME, PLEASE. AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO FACILITATE AND SUPPORT ECONOMICALLY, ANY ENTITY THAT QUALIFIES FOR-- CAN I GET SOME WATER, PLEASE? SURE. >> MAY I HAVE ONE? >> HERE. HERE WE GO. IF I MAY-- NEED A GRANOLA BAR? NO, I AM SO SORRY. WOULD A GRANOLA BAR HELP? JUICE? >> OKAY. OKAY. I AM SORRY. PLEASE DON'T APOLOGIZE. >> SKIPPED A MEAL. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE OKAY. THANK YOU. MY APOLOGIES. >> PLEASE DO NOT
126APOLOGIZE. WE ARE ALL GOOD. PRESIDENT CORT, I AM GOING TO DO MY BEST TO BE BE HER SUBSTITUTE IF THAT IS OKAY. IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, I THINK SHE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP US. OF COURSE. OF COURSE. SO THE ACTION REQUESTED THIS EVENING IS APPROVE OF RESOLUTION FOR, I WILL GO BACK ONE SLIDE HERE, WITH THE NEW MEXICO FINANCE AUTHORITY FOR THE LOCAL SOLAR ACCESS FUND, FUNDING. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM, HERE WE GO, IF WE GO THROUGH THESE FOUR BOXES HERE, THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO SUPPORT SOLAR PROJECTS WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, WITHIN PUBLIC ENTITIES WIN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO TO REDUCE ENERGY COSTS AND IMPROVE RESILIENCE OF PUBLIC FACILITIES WHICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE PART OF THAT UMBRELLA, WHO CAN APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM, THAT SECOND BULLET, ELIGIBLE
127APPLICANTS, NEW MEXICO COUNTIES, MUNICIPALITIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHICH IS US SH LAND GRANT INSTITUTIONS AND TRIBES. COUNCILS OF GOVERNMENT ALSO LIMITED TO, LIKE ABILITY TO APPLY BUT IT WAS REALLY ONLY ABOUT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THERE WERE TWO CATEGORIES OF ELIGIBILITY, THERE WAS ELIGIBILITY FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND LARGER UMBRELLA AND PART OF WHAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR. LOOKING AT THE THIRD LITTLE ICON THERE, FUNDING AMOUNTS, SO, AGAIN, THIS IS FUNDING AMOUNT FOR THE LOCAL SOLAR ACCESS FUND PROJECTS. THEY WERE AVAILABLE UP TO $1 MILLION PER PROJECT, AND, AGAIN, REMEMBER THERE WAS TWO UMBRELLAS U ONE FOR ONE MILLION AND SMALLER UP TO $50,00, FOR LAS CRUCES WE FALL UNDER THE LARGER UMBRELLA. WHAT THE APPLICATION NEED, REQUIRED SUBMISSION THAT INCLUDED A PROJECT SCOPE AND SEQUENCE, TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT, REQUIRED SITE AND INTERCONNECTED INFORMATION, BUDGETING SOURCES, TIMELINES, COMMUNITY BENEFITS
128AND ALL THE THINGS DELORES PUT TOGETHER, TRULY, PUT TOGETHER WITH THE SUPPORT OF HER TEAM, BUT SHE REALLY TOOK THE LEAD ON MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE PIECES WERE TOGETHER, AND ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS WERE COMPLIANT AND ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS WERE SUBMITTED ON TIME. SO, WHAT DID WE SUBMIT? PERFECT. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR TEAM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO, BOARD MEMBERS, AGAIN, WE MADE THE, OF COURSE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF SELECTING THE FIVE SITES THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FUNDING UP TO THAT ONE MILLION, WHICH WE SAT DOWN AS A TEAM, WE DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, WHAT SCHOOLS AND WITH WHAT PURPOSE AND WHAT ELEMENTS WOULD ACTUALLY CHECK OFF THE BOXES FOR APPROVAL. SO THE FIRST ONE THAT WAS SELECTED WAS CONLEY, IT IS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL, WHICH IS VERY CENTRALIZED
129AND CAN BE UTILIZED AS RECOVERY, A SHELTER IF ANYTHING WAS TO HAPPEN WITHIN OUR DISTRICT OR COMMUNITY. IT IS ALSO HIRE ASK RATES PER STUDENT AS FAR AS COST. LAS CRUCES HIGH SCHOOL IS THE HIGHEST ENERGY COST PER STUDENT AND CAREER PATH FOR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, AN ELEMENT REQUIRED, HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THE USAGE OF THE FUNDING AND TO INCORPORATE CAREER PATHS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND WE, OF COURSE, ARE JUSTIFICATION WOULD BE TYING IT WITH OUR TLC TEAMS THAT ALREADY HAVE THE PROCESS. THEY HAVE A CHECK LIST THAT THEY HAVE CREATED FOR THE FUNDING SO THAT IS ONE ONE OF THE PIECES WE WANNED TO INCORPORATE. THE SELECTION OF LYNN COMMUNITY SCHOOL, IT CENTRALIZED AND HAS THE SPACE. WE WERE LOOKING AT WHAT IS OUR BEST USAGE OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT WE HAVE
130ACCESS TO, AND LYNN IS ONE, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE SECTIONS WHERE THESE WOULD BE SELECTED. AGAIN, JUST TO MENTION, BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO SAY THAT ALL OF THE PROJECTS ARE FOR SHADE STRUCTURES THET INCLUDE THE SOLAR PANELSISM CESAR CHAVEZ IS HIGHEST ENERGY COST PER STUDENT AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. AGAIN, THE STRATEGY WAS TO SELECT THESE SITES THINKING ABOUT THE WHOLE AREA, LOOKING AT WHERE IN LK, AND LOOKING AT, EAST MESA SECTION, AND THEN OUR LAST SELECTION WAS FAIR ACRES, THINKING ABOUT THE OUTSKIRTS OF LAS CRUCES, THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE RURAL AREAS, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT NEED TO BE CHECKED OFF. WHEN WE CREATED OR SELECTED THE 5 OO SITEATIZE WAS SITES IT WAS THINKING ALLOCATING WITH LAS CRUCES, WE WERE THINKING IN COLLECTING THE INFORMATION AND PROVIDING THAT TO, THE BOARD
131MEMBERS AND MR. REESE AND THE ENTITY THAT WILL BE PROVIDING THE MONEY, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR, INITIALLY. AGAIN, THIS IS A REQUEST TO DESIGNATE MR. DINEIC TO BE THE APPLICANT ON BEHALF OF LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU, MS. BLANCO, THANK YOU FOR THAT PROCESS AND WE HAVE EXPLAINED THE PROCESS, AS YOU HEARD, LOOKING AT ENERGY USAGE, POTENTIAL CTE TYPE OF PATHWAY, GEOGRAPHIC, SO, THE GOAL HERE AND THE POSSIBILITY, IF THIS IS APPROVED, IF WE ARE ALLOCATED THIS GRANT FUNDING, THESE SHADE STRUCTURES COULD PROVIDE POTENTIALLY DOWN TO ZERO COST ELECTRICITY, IF I AM CORRECT, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT. I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, OUR MATH WIZARD, LEADERSHIP TEAM MEMBER AND HE ASKED ME TO REMINE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE GRADUAL, IT IS NOT GOING TO BE SOMETHING WE
132ARE GOING TO LOOK A HUNDRED PERCENT COST, BUT STARTING WITH 20%, I REMEMBER IT IS 20%. THAT IS OUR GOAL. 20% OF $650,00 IS A LOT. THAT IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AS A WHOLE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, AND SO THE ASK IS TO, PART OF THIS PROCESS, IS THE ASK THAT WE DESIGNATE AS A DISTRICT OR THE BOARD HAS DESIGNATE SOMEONE TO THEN BE THE SUBMITTER OF THIS APPLICATION, BUT, REALLY WANTED TO UPDATE YOU, THE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY HERE, RIGHT? FOR THIS, IF THIS GRANT FUNDING IS ALLOCATED, SO THIS IS REALLY STARTING THE PROCESS, BUT THIS IS PART OF THE PROCESS IN IDENTIFIED SITES, THE WHY, ET CETERA. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM SORRY WE MADE YOU WAIT SO LATE. I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT. BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THANK YOU
133FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. TO YOU AND STEVE AND MATT, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIMELINE CRUNCH YOU WERE UNDER AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS. WHEN WILL WE FINE OUT WHETHER WE ARE AAWARRED THE GRANT CHT YOU NEED TO DECIDE IF YOU ARE GIVING THE DESIGNATION FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD. YES, BUT WHEN WILL THE STATE LET RECIPIENTS KNOW? WE WEREN'T GIVEN A TIMEFRAME, THE SELECTION IS OPENED BUT IT WAS CLOSED SO IT IS UP TO THEM TO REVIEW. OKAY. WE REACHED OUT TO SECRETARY THAT IS HANDLING THE WHOLE VETTING AND SHE SAID WE WILL REACH OUT TO YOU. OKAY. >> UNFORTUNATELY IT IS ONE OF THOSE. SOUNDS NORMAL. YES. THAT IS GRANTS. SORRY, WHAT DEPARTMENT? WHAT SECRETARY? THIS IS THE FINANCE THROUGH THE FINANCE AUTHOR, STATE FINANCE AUTHORITY. REMIND ME, THIS CAME THROUGH
134AN E-MAIL AT SOME POINT. IS THIS THE SAME THING? YES. >> YES. WELL DONE, EVERYBODY. >> YES. THANK YOU, GREAT. I LIKE THE FINANCIAL FIGURES AND ALL THAT STUFF. THAT MAKES SENSE. THIS IS A NO BRAINER. SAVE ENERGY, I LOVE THE CTE CONNECTION, THAT IS REALLY GREAT. SMART THINKING. SO, YES, WELL DONE, EVERYBODY. WONDERFUL. THE THING IS, I AM THINKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE IN THE FUTURE? LOOKING AT FIVE SITES OUT OF 40, THEY WOULD ALL BENEFIT, SOMETHING OF THIS SORT. IS THERE ANY WAY TO COMMENT ON WHAT THE POTENTIAL WOULD BE? YOU KNOW, FOR, YOU KNOW, GRANTS DOWN THE ROAD? PRESIDENT, IF I MAY, MR. FRANK, GREAT QUESTION. NOT SURE WITH REGARDS TO THE FINANCE AUTHORITY, NOT SURE THERE WILL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THIS ENTITY BUT WE ARE LOOKING,
135WE HAVE PARTNERED WITHIN AN OUTSIDE PARTNER AROUND GRANT FUNDING TO LOOK AT THESE TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES, AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO APPLY AND SEE WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND AROUND THIS. GREAT. >> OKAY. >> WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT, FOR SURE. EXCELLENT. >> QUESTION? >> YES. THEY WOULD AWARD ONE OR ALL? CORRECT. >> FINGERS CROSSED. >> I AM NOT DOING WELL TONIGHT BUT CAN YOU REMIND ME WHY THESE SCHOOLS WERE SELECTED? WAS IT FOR SAME REASON OR DIFFERENT REASONS? THEY ALL CHECK AT LEAST THREE BOXES OF THE REQUIREMENTS. WHAT WERE THOSE? >> HIGH SCHOOLS WITH THE CAREER PATH, AND THEN INCENTIVE FOR STUDENTS BECAUSE WITH OUR PLANNING, THE TEAM DECIDED THAT WE WOULD USE THE SHADE STRUCTURE FOR STUDENT PARKING LOTS, THAT IS THE INTENT, INTERNSHIP THAT WILL
136PROVIDE FOR STUDENTS, PAID INTERNSHIPS BECAUSE WE WOULD BE TIE WOULD THE WORKFORCE SOLUTION, AN APPLICATION WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH, OF COURSE, I AM NOT THE EXPERT. THAT IS THE LINK THERE. COMMUNITY SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS ARE IN WITH REQUIREMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY AND IT IS AN ADDED IN CASE SOMETHING NATURAL DISASTER OCCURS, THAT IS GOING TO BE THE SITE UTILIZED FOR THAT COMMUNITY FOR USAGE IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS, WITHOUT NECESSITY OF HAVING POWER BECAUSE WE ARE--THE INTENTIONS ARE THE STORAGE OF POWER. SO THEY WILL HAVE BATTERIES? WE ARE NOT THERE JUST YET BUT THAT IS THE PLAN. WHOLE DIFFERENT BEAST. LIKE, SEEMS TO HAVE A TIGHT PARKING LOT, SO SELECTING THAT ONE, WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THAT? THAT ONE SPECIFICALLY, WE HAD TO FOCUS FOR EVERY SITE IT IS GOING TO BE THE
137INTENTIONS ARE FOR CAR PORTS. WE WOULD BE USING, WE HAVE EXISTING, BUT FOR PARKING SPOTS. AND IF I MAY ADD, PRESIDENT CORT, FOR AIRFAIR ACRES ANOTHER REASON WAS INSURING WE WERE LOOKING AT RURAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL. WE WANTED TO LOOK AT GEOGRAPHIC AREAS, NOT ONLY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS BUT CENTRAL LOCATION, RURAL LOCATION, WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE USAGE OF POWERS OR USAGE SCHOOLS WHERE THESE POTENTIAL SHADE STRUCTURES THAT ARE GENERATING ELECTRICITY WOULD HELP THE COST, OR BRING DOWN THE COST OF THAT SITE. SO THOSE TYPE OF CRITERIA WERE USED IN THE PROCESS. YEAH. I THINK A PLACE LIKE LAS CRUCES WHERE IT IS SO HOT, EVERY PLACE SHOULD HAVE A STRUCTURE. GREAT START. THANK YOU. >> ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN MOTION FOR THE LOCAL SOLAR ACCESS FUND, INCLUDING DESIGNATING AUTHORIZED LCPS REPRESENTATION.
138WANT ME TO INCLUDE MR. DINEIC'S NAME? SO MOVED. SECOND. >> THANK YOU. MOVED AND SECONDED BY MR. FRANK. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I AM SORRY WE MADE YOU SO LATE. WE WILL MOVE TO THE 2025/2026 POLICY CALENDAR UPDATE. WHAT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR. WHO DOESN'T WANT TO-->> ABOUT TO HAPPEN. WHO DOESN'T WANT TO END ON A POLICY CALENDAR? EXACTLY. >> HAPPY TIME. I WAS ALREADY FOR BOARD REPORTS, I WAS LIKE WE ARE ALMOST DONE. YEAH, WE HAVE THIS TOO. SO, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CORT, MEMBERS OF BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT, THIS SHOULD BE BRIEF. SO, EACH YEAR WE SET A POLICY CALENDAR TOGETHER FOR YOU ALL TO REVISE YOUR POLICIES AND SO THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, SOMETIMES THINGS GET REARRANGED,
139AND WE HAVE A FEW POLICIES LEFT FOR THE YEAR, SO TONIGHT WE HAD SECOND READING OF GBEBB, AND KHB, SO THOSE ARE SLATED FOR THIRD READING AT THE NEXT MEETING. SO, AFTER THAT, STARTING IN MAY, WE HAVE ONE MORE SET OF POLICIES FOR THIS CALENDAR YEAR. THOSE ARE GBJB, AND GCG. BOTH HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES, SO WHAT ADMINISTRATION IS ASKING FROM THE BOARD IS WHO WOULD LIKE TO HELP MR. PERIO WITH THESE POLICIES, BECAUSE SINCE THESE WERE SHIFTED AROUND, THERE WERE NO BOARD MEMBERS ASSIGNED TO ASSIST STAFF WITH THESE POLICIES THE ASK FOR THIS EVENING IS FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO ASSIST ON THESE POLICIES. I THINK IT IS GOOD TO HAVE-- I THINK, TWO BOARD MEMBERS, FOR EACH POLICY, IF WE CAN DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT AND THAT WILL HELP MOVE THINGS ALONG, SO
140DO I HAVE VOLUNTEERS FOR GBJB? JUST LIKE THE FUN ONE TO SAY. I WOULD BE WILLING-- YOU SAID IT OUT LOUD? SIGNATURE. >> GBJB. >> YES, I AM. I CAN BE THE SECOND PERSON ON THAT WITH YOU. OKAY. >> ALL RIGHT. AND CAN I HAVE A COUPLE OF VOLUNTEERS FOR GCG? SURE. >> THANK YOU. I CAN DO THAT WITH BOB. THANK YOU. RESPECT ON THAT NAME. >> ALL RIGHT. VICE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY WORKING ON GCG. THANK YOU. WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I AM ASSUMING MR. PERIO WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH US? YES. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO BOARD REPORTS. WHO WOULD LIKE TO-- I WOULD LIKE TO, SO I DON'T FORGET. MR. FRANK, ON BEHALF OF NMSBA AND ALL OF YOUR WONDERFUL TRAINING, YOU HAVE--
141YOU HAVE THE OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AWARD. EXEMPLARRY AWARD, HOLY SMOKES, LOOK AT YOU, YOU SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED 36 HOURS LEVEL 2 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, NICELY DONE. AND YOU HAVE ALSO EARNED 20 OR MORE HOURS OF TRAINING FOR THIS PAST YEAR. MR. FRANK, NICELY DONE. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] AND MR. WAFFORD, YOU APPARENTLY WEREN'T HERE EITHER WHEN WE GAVE THIS. I THINK I WAS IN-- YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN. MY APOLOGIES, MR. FRANK, YOU GET--EXEMPLARY AWARD PIN, AND OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP PIN. THE GO. WEAR THEM PROUDLY. I SHALL. >> I WILL WEAR THEM TO TENNIS TOMORROW. AND, WOLFORD, YOU HAVE EARNED 20 OR MORE HOURS OF TRAINING WITHIN THE 2024/2025 PROGRAM YEAR EXEMPLARY AWARD, . NICELY DONE. TOTAL. YES, SIR. HOW MANY DID YOU GET? HOW MANY HOURS? 20 OR MORE. >> PLEASE, JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS, WE
142ARE REQUIRED BY THE LEGISLATURE, WHO DON'T REQUIRE ANY TRAINING FOR THEMSELVES, THEY REQUIRE THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST--IF YOU A NEW BOARD MEMBER, TEN HOURS OF TRAINING PER YEAR, IF YOU ARE EXISTING BOARD MEMBER, FIVE HOURS, AND WE HAVE ALL EXCEEDED THAT. WE ALL GOT-- BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW. THEY DIDN'T NEED TO REQUIRE US. LIKE, WE ARE NERDS. WE ARE NERDS AND WE DO IT ANYWAY. WE ARE SPECIAL NERDS BECAUSE THIS BOARD ALL HAS GOTTEN THE EXEMPLARY AWARD, WE HAVE ALL HAD 20 OR MORE HOURS. WE ARE DOING IT. AT LEAST THE TRAININGS ARE GREAT TOO. SO I WILL CONTINUE ON, I WILL START AND MOVE FORWARD. I ATTENDED THE SUNRISE COMMUNITY SCHOOL AT SUNRISE, THE RIBBON CUTTING AND IT WAS SO GREAT TO BE THERE ON THE BLACK TOP WITH THE KIDS AND IT
143WAS JUST-- IT WAS GREAT. I LOVED IT. I ATTENDED A SITE-BASED LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETING AT LYNN MIDDLE SCHOOL AS PART THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL PROCESS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IS THAT THE BOARD, THE DIRECTORS, THE BOARD, GO AND VISIT THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND VISIT THEIR SITE BASE LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETINGS TO FIND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOLS. I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO GO TO ANY OF THEM UNTIL I WENT TO LYNN AND IT WAS FANTASTIC, THEY WERE TALKING BOUT WHAT THE TO DO WITH THEIR ADVISORY PERIOD, JUST TO MAKE IT MORE WORTH WHILE, MAKE KIDS WANT TO COME, AND JUST THROWING OUT ALL OF THESE REALLY GREAT IDEAS. I WILL BE ATTENDING A LOT MORE OF THE SITE-BASED LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETINGS. I AM GOING TO MCCARTHER THIS
144WEEK AND DOING MORE IN APRIL. I AM HOPING TO HIT ALL OF THEM BY THE END OF THE YEAR. IT HAS BEEN EXCITING AND I AM REALLY GLAD THAT JOHNNY SAID YOU SHOULD GO TO THESE MEETINGS. IT HAS BEEN GREAT. I WENT TO MIDDLE SCHOOL ART RECEPTION AND SAW THE TWO WORKS OF ART. HER DAUGHTERS ARE SO TALENTED, INDEED. I ATTENDED IMPACT 26 BUT JUST IN THE MORNING, I WAS ONLY ABLE TO ATTEND IN THE MORNING BUT I WAS ABLE TO HEAR NANCY, OUR CURRENT 2026 NEW MEXICO TEACHER OF THE YEAR SPEAK, HER SPEECH WAS AMAZING AND SHE IS A TRUE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR NEW MEXICO SCHOOLS AND I AM SO PROUD OF HER. SHE IS STARTING ON HER YEAR OF SERVICE THIS JOURNEY THAT IS GOING TO BE SO IMPACTFUL AND SHE IS GOING
145TO BRING IT ALL BACK TO US. I AM SO EXCITED. ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS I GET TO IT IS LISTEN TO BILINGUAL SEAL APPLICANTS GIVE THEIR PORTFOLIOS. AND BECAUSE THERE AREN'T MANY FRENCH SPEAKERS, I GET TO LISTEN TO THE FRENCH ONES, AND WHAT IS SO COOL ABOUT THAT IS THAT MANY OF THE KIDS THAT GIVE THEIR BILINGUAL SEAL THAT TAY THAI DO THE PORTFOLIO IN FRENCH, THEY ARE ALSO DOING IT IN SPANISH. WHAT THIS REQUIRES IS THEY GIVE A PORTFOLIO AND THERE IS CERTAIN WORK THEY HAVE DO AND YOU LOOK AT THEIR WRITTEN WORK BUT THEY HAVE TO SPEAK FOR TEN MINUTES, SEVEN MINUTES IN THE LANGUAGE OTHER THAN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE, AND THREE MINUTES IN THE LANGUAGE THAT IS THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE. AND JUST TRYING TO SPEAK FOR SEVEN MINUTES IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE,
146IT IS SO DIFFICULT AND THEY DO SUCH A BEAUTIFUL JOB. IT IS--THEY ARE SO ELOQUENTLY DONE, AND JUST TO WATCH THE KIDS GO FROM FRENCH TO SPANISH TO ENGLISH, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, LIKE NO BIG DEAL. IT BRINGS ME SUCH HAPPINESS. I CAN NERD OUT ABOUT IT FOREVER. I ATTENDED THE SAC MEETING, REALLY EXCITING AND I WANTED TO ATTEND MORE AND I WAS HAPPY I GOT TO THAT. I AM HOPING TO ATTEND THIS MONTH AS WELL. I WENT TO THE CONLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL STEAM NIGHT, WHERE THEY HAD SNAKES AND THEN THERE WAS A GOAT OUTSIDE, AND THERE WAS CIRCUITRY AND I PUT ON GLASSES AND LOOKED AT LIGHT, HOW LIGHT GETS--THE CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT WAS THERE, HOW LIGHT CHANGES WITH DIFFERENT GLASSES AND LOOKING UP IN DIFFERENT-- I DON'T KNOW, I AM A FRENCH TEACHER, SO, COOL
147THINGS WITH GLASSES, THERE WERE KIDS MAKING THEIR OWN LAVA LAMPS, WITH OIL, AND GLITTER AND FOOD COLORING, AND ALKASER, I HAD SO MUCH FUN DOING ALL OF THESE, THAT IS MY REPORT. OUR SCHOOLS ARE AMAZING. WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO NEXT? SURE. OKAY. I JOINED YOU, I THINK MEMBER FRANK AND MS. DONORIO WERE THERE AT THE DEDICATION, THAT WAS A FABULOUS PLACE TO BE THAT DAY. WHAT GREAT SCHOOL. IT IS SO NICE TO SEE THE KIDS ENERGIZED, THE PHOTO NAT YOU HAD IN YOUR REPORT HAD JUST INCREDIBLY HAPPY FACES. ENJOYED THAT VERY MUCH. I WAS AT THE CESAR CHAVEZ SCHOOL FOR THEIR STEM NIGHT. NO COOL OPTICAL THINGS I RECALL BUT OTHER THINGS THAT WERE AMAZING. THE TEACHER, WHO WAS-- THERE WAS ONE NEAT THING WITH MAMMALS OR INVERTEBRATES AND SHE HAD WORKED AT THE
148ZOO AND BEEN BITTEN BY A SLOTH. THERE WAS SOME SLOTH THING GOING ON, AND THEN BECAME A TEACHER. SHE CHOSE WISELY. SO IT WAS VERY NEAT TO BE OUT THERE, I THINK THE STOMP, CHOMP, AND SOMETHING WAS PUT OFF, I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, WHERE THE KIDS ARE DINOSAURS. ALSO WENT TO THE 5th GRADE JAZZ SHOW, IT WAS A SCHOOL WIDE ASSEMBLY AT DESERT HILLS. YES. >> I THINK YOU WERE OUT OF TOWN, OTHERWISE I KNOW I WOULD HAVE SEEN YOU THERE. IT WAS JUST A FABULOUS OPPORTUNITY. THE KIDS DRESSED UP AS JAZZ MEWITIONS MUSICIANS, ELLA FITZGERALDLOOKED PHENOMENAL. MEGHAN MCGUSHG, I GOT TO READ IN THEIR DR. SEUSS, WHATEVER THING, THAT WAS ALSO A LOT OF FUN TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM WITH KIDS. I WAS GOING DOWN HERE. NO. >> I WILL GO BACK
149TO YOU. WE WERE ALL AT SUNRISE RIBBON CUTTING, AS FAR AS COMMUNITY SCHOOL, WE HAD TO SWITCH THE CITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TO SWITCH. DID YOU DO THE COMMUNITY SHARE? I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN WAS USED, I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD UTILIZE, IT IS OUR BANNER IF YOU WANT TO USE IT. SAYS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AT YOUR SERVICE, SO THEY KNOW WHO YOU ARE. IF YOU WANT TO BE AT A TABLE, I LIKED YOUR IDEA OF WALKING AROUND AND INTERACTING, WHEREAS I HAD TO WAIT FOR THEM TO COME TO ME, AND WANT TO STOP. RIGHT. >> YEAH. SO I SHARED MY--I HAVE LIKE CIRCUITRY GAMES AND THE KIDS ARE SO DRAWN TO THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CARE THAT I WAS A BOARD MEMBER, THEY REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT TO SHARE, MAYBE
150A GOOD THING, AND THEN, YES, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ART EXHIBIT WAS, I GUESS, LITTLE EXTRA SPECIAL BECAUSE I LET MY KIDS MAKE MESSES GROWING UP, PART OF THAT IS MAKING ART. JUST LOVE TO DO IT. AND THEN RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR THAT STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL, I KNOW MR. NOLAN HAD EXPRESSED AN INTEREST, AND MYSELF, WE HAVE NOT--I DON'T THINK I HAVE DONE IT, HAVE YOU? I HAVE NEVER--I DID NOT. I THINK WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO AND THEN IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. MAYBE WE CAN ALL TAKE TURNS SOMEHOW. ABSOLUTELY. >> YEAH. I DON'T THINK WE KNOW WLEN IT HAPPENS, SO, IF WE COULD ALL GET INVITED AND ROTATE. EXACTLY. I CAME ACROSS THAT DATE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, I SAW SOMEBODY AND THEY TOLD ME. IT WAS SAIM WHO TOLD ME ABOUT IT. SO,
151YEAH, IF WE COULD GET A LIST OF THE DATES. JOHN SILVER IS PAYING ATTENTION. THANK YOU. >> IT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY SOLVABLE THING. YES. ABSOLUTELY. >> IT IS KIND OF THE SAME DRAW THAT I STILL HAVE WITH THE TASTINGS. YES. >> IT WILL NEVER GO AWAY. I WANT TO BE PART OF THAT. YEAH. THAT IS ALL. SO THAT IS ALL, THANK YOU. UM, YEAH, I WILL GIVE A QUICK-- I WAS OUT OF TOWN SO I MISSED THE SUNRISE COMMUNITY SCHOOL CELEBRATION, BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM. THE EQUITY COUNCIL IS, WE ARE WORKING ON OUR PRESENTATION FOR YOUTH SUPERINTENDENT, SO WE ARE, WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW, SORT OF TRYING TO DIVE INTO TO WHAT THE EQUITY PROMISE MEANS AND HOW WE WANT TO WORK AS A COMMITTEE. SO, EXCITED TO SEE THAT PROCESS MOVE FORWARD.
152I ALSO, TODAY, I GUESS I AM GOING TO BE HONEST Y AM A LITTLE FRUSTRATED-- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CESAR CHAVEZ ISSUE, I AM A LITTLE FRUSTRATED THAT WE DIDN'T TAKE ENOUGH ACTION TODAY AND I DON'T KNOW WHY. I GET IT THAT IT WAS SPRING BREAK, AND THAT IT IS, LIKE, TWO WEEKS AGO, CESAR CHAVEZ WAS NOT ON OUR MINES, AND IT WAS SPRING BREAK. I AM JUST A LITTLE FRUSTRATED THAT WE DIDN'T MOVE QUICKER ON THAT AND DISAPPOINTED. YEAH. SO, I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU. MR. FRANK. >> I WAS ALSO ALT SUN AT SUNRISE,BEAUTIFUL SETTING, SOMEHOW I ENDED UP GETTING SUN BURNED. ME TOO. IT WAS REALLY GOOD. I ALSO OBSERVED JOE HAYES, WHO IS A STORY TELLER, AND HE WAS TELLING STORIES AT HILLS ARE, AND, I MEAN, I
153WATCHED HIM GET LIKE PREK KIDS EXCITED AND THEY WERE VERBAL AND IT WAS REALLY A WHOLE LOT OF FUN. AND THE OTHER THING THAT I DID WAS I PICKED UP A BUNCH OF THESE READ ACROSS NEW MEXICO POSTERS, AND ROSALINDA TOOK MOST OF THEM AND TRIED TO DISTRIBUTE THEM TO, WE ARE TRYING TO GET THEM INTO 32 ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND I STILL HAVE A BUNCH IN MY CAR AND I WAS HOPING I COULD DROP THEM OFF TOMORROW AT CENTRAL OFFICE AND WE CAN SPREAD THEM OUT. I KNOW THERE IS A WEEK LEFT OF THE WHOLE MONTH OF THE ACTIVITY BUT THE POSTER FEATURES NINE BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS, MAYBE UP THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT THESE BOOKS WERE ALL WRITTEN BY NEW MEXICO AUTHORS AND IT IS INTERACTIVE. THERE IS A QR CODE AND
154YOU CAN GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE BOOKS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE POSTERS GET THE HECK OUT OF MY CAR AND INTO SCHOOL FACILITIES. LIBRARY. >> I WILL DROP THEM OFF TOMORROW, MAYBE. DO YOU KNOW WHICH SCHOOLS YOU ALREADY DROPPED OFF, LIKE WHO HAS THEM? UM, NO. I CAN TELL YOU, BECAUSE ED GAVE ME SOME HERMOSA HEIGHTS, CONLEY, MVLA ALL HAVE BECAUSE I DELIVERED THOSE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WOULDN'T MIND DROPPING OFF AT THE SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT. OKAY. THEY ARE IN MY CAR RIGHT NOW. YEAH. >> IT WOULDN'T HURT TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE, TWO IS BETTER THAN NONE. THAT IS FOR SURE. I AM--LIKE MAYFIELD AND FICACO ARE NOT IN MY DISTRICT, WEIRDLY BUT I DROP MY KIDS OFF EVERY DAY SO I CAN TAKE THEM THERE. THAT IS--AFTER THE MEETING, SEE
155WHAT WE CAN DO. SURE. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU BET. FOUR MORE MINUTES. I KNOW. ANY PARTING WORDS? THIS IS YOUR LAST TIME, ANY WORDS OF WISDOM, ANYTHING YOU WANT US TO LET US KNOW? THAT I HAD A GOOD TIME AND LEARNED A LOT BEING PART OF THE STUDENT COUNCIL AND IT HAS BEEN INTERESTING, SEEING WHAT EVERYBODY HAS TO SAY. IS SOMETHING YOU ARE GOING TO CONTINUE? MAYBE IN THE FUTURE. YOU CAN SAY NO, I HAVE LEARNED ENOUGH ABOUT IT. I AM JUST KIDDING. SHE HAS GOT SUCH ENDURANCE. I KNOW. >> IF IT WERE ME, I WOULD BE LIKE YOU ALL NEED MORE SNACKS, I LIKE SNAPPLE. MAKE SOME DEMANDS. WE SO APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU AT SENIOR HONORS AND GRADUATION. THANK YOU. >> YEAH. >> SO EXCITED YOU ARE
156HERE. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WITH THEREAT, I AM GOING TO--OH, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED. SECOND. >> MOVED AND SECONDED BY SECRETARY NOLAN. I THINK YOU SHOULD DO THIS ONE BY ONE. ONE BY ONE? ROLL CALL VOTE? I THINK WE CAN--ANYWAY, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. >> AYE. >> NAY. >> ALL OPPOSED? NAY. >> ALL RIGHT, WELL, THE AYES STILL HAVE IT. ALL RIGHT. I AM CALLING THIS MEETING AT 9:00 P.M.