001I 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. All right, welcome visitors. Um, item 2.03 approve the regular board meeting. Move to approve the regular board meeting agenda as presented. I second. >> Yeah. Go ahead. You got it first. Sorry, AJ. It's fine. AJ Wilson? Yes. Ann Bennett? Yes. Mark Emery? Yes. Michelle Erickson? Yes. Susie Carnes? Yes. Motion carried. You threw me. I wasn't expecting to go first. Yeah, usually I'm first. Wait a second. >> [laughter] >> I did it alphabetically by first name this time. Okay. There you go. Just to make sure we're paying attention, That works. Keep us on our toes. Um agenda item 3 3.01 donation of $750 to Pueblo
002West High School girls basketball from anonymous donor. Bob De Pietro. >> [snorts] >> Good evening. This will be quick. I was nominated to do this. They did receive an anonymous donation. We do not know obviously where it came from, but $750 very generous. It will go towards their girls basketball program and they will use it for certain things such as equipment, travel, whatever they see fit, summer programs, things like that. So. I love that. >> [applause] >> Item 3.02 accept the gifts. Do I have a motion to accept the gifts with appropriate knowledge? So moved. I second. AJ Wilson? Yes. Ann Bennett? Yes. Mark Emery? Yes. Michelle Erickson? Yes. Susie Carnes? Yes. Motion carried. Agenda item 4 4.01 PCEA spotlight Kate Paycheck. I guess he isn't Oh, there's Kate. It's not. You're going to hear
003from me later, so Ivana's going to read for me today. Yeah, she puts me in the hot seat when I'm here, so I do it. >> [laughter] >> She has so many great leaders. That's all right. I'm happy to do it. The first PCEA spotlight we would like to recognize is Courtney Truehill from Pleasant View Middle School. Courtney is truly present. She shows up every single day not simply because it's her job, but because teaching is her calling. Her students trust her. They know she genuinely cares and she consistently puts them first in everything she does. That level of persistence and commitment creates a classroom where students feel supported and valued. Courtney's positivity is contagious. She is one of the most cheerful colleagues you will ever meet, always with a smile on her face. Her
004bubbly personality and ability to connect with middle school students make math approachable and engaging. She built strong relationships that foster both confidence and academic growth. Please help me celebrate Ms. Courtney Churchill. >> [applause] [applause] >> THE SECOND PERSON WE'D LIKE TO recognize today, and I apologize if I say your last name wrong, Jessica Shumway from Vineland Elementary School. Jessica consistently demonstrates exceptional teamwork and professionalism. She is always willing to step in whenever wherever, excuse me, she is needed ensuring students and staff feel supported throughout the school day. Jessica's ability to connect with students and adapt to individual needs makes a meaningful difference every day. She supports classroom instruction seamlessly and provides steady, reliable assistance that strengthens learning environments. Her flexibility and positive approach make her a trusted partner to teachers and steady support for students.
005Please help me in congratulating Jessica. >> [applause] [applause] >> JESSICA COULDN'T BE HERE, SO WE'RE GOING TO give her stuff to Crystal who's at Vineland, and then we got Jean to say he'll take Courtney her her things as well. So, they will get delivered tomorrow. Yay, thank you. All right, yay, thank you. Agenda item five, 5.01, information from the board and the superintendent. So, we'll start with Mr. DePietro and um followed by Ms. Rain. All right, just a couple things this evening. Um first things first, really exciting, it's that time of year for the Rye uh FFA uh oyster fry and silent auction. It is uh Wednesday, March 18th, so if anybody is interested in attending that, it's a really cool event. Uh they auction off uh several different items that are donated, and then
006they auction off the uh FFA students um to do work. So, you can go bid on um someone to build a fence, paint a fence, cut grass, I whatever uh your heart desires. Uh it does raise a lot of money for them, and if you really want to know do the Rocky Mountain oysters taste like chicken, you'll have to go and find out cuz we have We have both options, so you can do a comparison right there. Uh so, again, a great event, so just uh Mr. Beeman wasn't able to stay today, but definitely want to recognize that. Um also attended my second PECOG meeting, and I'm still trying to get my footing on that. Uh Commissioner Lucero, you might have to give me like a two-day session. That's you know, I'm politics isn't in
007my my lane, but just a couple things to note. Um if you're interested in how the Highway uh 50 bypass is going uh coming along, it is coming along great as you can see the work on it. Uh the weather this uh winter has been great for them to pour a lot of concrete, so that is on uh pace to be completed in the summer of '27. And then one other project that could have an impact uh for us is they are doing a a drainage study on 50 and 36 where we have a lot of flooding uh during major storms in that area. So, they are in the planning phase of uh doing a a study on that and some potential funding in 2027 maybe diverted to doing some projects around that. That's my
008report for tonight. All right, thank you. You didn't report on the the large sewage collapse that we have. So, thank you thank you for your patience tonight with our um our issues that we have going on around this building. So, I I I appreciate you bearing with us. Um I've spent the last week uh comforting my staff. Uh there are several people on the collective bargaining unit in this room tonight, and we don't always agree, but we we do always come to the table um to come up with a compromise. And there are a lot of staff that are not feeling safe and secure right now, and that affects morale. And morale directly affects teaching and learning for our students. Students have to feel safe and secure in order to be taught and to learn.
009I would ask that you help our staff and students feel safe and secure tonight by approving the extension of the collective bargaining agreement. Right now is the prime time for posting positions, recruiting staff and students, and they need to feel this stability that our district has always driven. We don't want to lose either of them, either staff or students. Approving the extension to the collective agreement provides an opportunity for all of you to work together to bring peace of mind and stability for our staff and students. I sincerely implore you for the sake of our kids and staff, please provide this stability. THANK YOU. >> [applause] >> DID YOU? THANK YOU. I'LL GIVE HIM A MINUTE. UM THANK YOU all for coming out tonight. I also want to thank everybody for their prayers and well
010wishes with all of the medical stuff that uh apparently public knowledge now. So, thank you all and that's all I have. Glad to [applause] see you. Susie? Yes, if I may, I wanted to take this time um first of all just to say thank you to the board. I'm so excited to be here. Thank you to everyone here and watching online. Um over the last few weeks there's there's been a lot of people um speaking for me or about me, so I really wanted to take this opportunity to speak for myself. I want to share with you a bit of who I am um and the work I plan to do while I'm on the board. Um so, if you'll give me just the next few minutes and allow me to share that. Is that
011okay? >> Um So, the work of the school board is not about power. It's about responsibility. Responsibility to students, responsibility to families, and responsibility to govern with integrity even when circumstances are difficult. Tonight, I stand before you steady, lawful, and unafraid. >> [clears throat] >> Steady in my commitment to the students, teachers, and families of this District 70. Lawful in the oath I have taken and in the responsibility I now carry. And unafraid to do the work this community expects from its leaders. The past several weeks have been difficult for many in our district. There has been tension, disagreement, and intense public attention. And that is never easy. But strong emotions often surround issues that affect our children. And passion for education is not something to fear, it is something to respect. Because schools succeed
012when parents are trusted, when teachers are supported, [clears throat] and when students are challenged to rise. That is the vision I bring to this role. And now the work of governing continues. And process matters. Due process matters. And healthy disagreement strengthens democracy. But disagreement cannot be allowed to paralyze governance, and discourse will not cross the line into intimidation. There is no place for that in civil dialogue. They have no place in our district, and they have no place in the governance of our community. I have had direct conversations with those involved. I appreciate the willingness expressed to move forward with professionalism. That is what leadership requires. Accountability, humility, and a renewed commitment to doing better. So, let this be a turning point. The people of District 70 deserve disagreement handled with dignity. They deserve leaders
013who model the conduct we expect from our students. And I believe something important about this room. Every person here cares deeply about the children of this district, even when we disagree about how to best serve them. Now, my focus is on the work ahead. I come to this role as an educator, a community member, and a mother. The most important relationship in a child's life is the relationship between a parent and their child. Parents are not outsiders to education. They are not obstacles to education. Parents are essential partners in education. When parents are respected, students thrive. When parents are excluded, trust erodes. No school system is stronger than the trust it keeps with its families. Strong schools also require a strong community. Our students deserve to see real opportunity beyond the classroom. That means stronger
014partnerships with local businesses, stronger partnership partnerships with civic leaders and community organizers, stronger pathways connecting education with real-world opportunity. I have spent years building those partnerships, bringing people together to collaborate for the benefit of the community. And District 70 can lead in that work. Preparing students for life requires more than textbooks. It requires more It requires mentorship, exposure to opportunity, and community invested in the next generation. Imagine a district where students graduate not only with knowledge, but with connections and pathways into meaningful careers, skilled trades, service, and leadership. And that future is within reach. If we want strong schools, parents must be trusted. If we want thriving classrooms, teachers must be supported. If we want a bright future, our students must be challenged to rise. >> [clears throat] >> Imagine a district where every child
015feels supported, every teacher feels valued, and every parent knows that their voice matters. Where schools and community prepare students not just for tests, but for life. That is not merely an aspiration, it is the standard our students deserve. So, let us recommit tonight to respectful dialogue, to lawful governance, to modeling for our students how adults handle disagreements. Because the purpose of a school board is not to win arguments. The purpose of the school board is to serve students well. So, let us tie ourselves to these principles. Trust parents, support teachers, challenge students. That is the work before us, and that work begins now. THANK YOU. >> [applause] [applause] >> THANK YOU, MARIE. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SPEAK? I'M GOING TO GO LAST. Thank you, too. You know, this is a strange thing for me. It
016has nothing to do with proceedings, but when I look around the room, I'm probably the oldest guy here. And I can't say that's just a weird feeling. But I I have a just a couple couple of good-natured things. I'm surrounded by very articulate >> [clears throat] >> women. And I'm just going to talk. Um if you've come to any of my concerts for the Pueblo Municipal Band, you know this happens. So, first thing I'd like to say, this has been pardon my language, this has been hell. Oh my gosh, it's been it's been really hard and and I'll tell a quick story just real quick. I uh have coffee with my wife every morning. And I check my sleep score on my watch. How did I do? Well, an indicator on my phone came up
017that said extremely high heart rate with no physical exercise. Now, I exercise a lot, but I thought, what? Guess when it was? 6:00 a week ago. And and so I thought, okay, that makes sense. Anyway, so going back to what I said is being tough and I did this 8 years and and it wasn't as hard, but we're getting better, aren't we? Uh and so I was stressed. And I teach once a week at a high school. Uh high high school high school band. And they were having a jazz festival that day. And I walked in to the auditorium and the county high school jazz band was playing. And they kicked butt. They were fantastic. In fact, I I hope to invite the band and and their director because they're just doing a good job
018and I just wanted to give them some praise. I think they really did it really well in the jazz festival, too. It's a two-day festival. Okay, second thing. All right. Can you tell I love kids? Well, I do. Amen. And [clears throat] I visited South Mesa Elementary School. And I visited a third-grade class and oh my gosh. It was the joy of my life. It was wonderful and I got so many hugs. And a little girl followed me out the door and I said, "Go back. So anyway, the last thing I'd like to mention is this woman on my left. This is Suzy Cortez. I'm going to pause because I'm getting emotional. Oh. I don't know. I've known Suzy's family for more than Suzy's been born. Before she was born. They lived right across the
019street. Our friends are our uh kids were all best friends. Suzy's still good friends with my daughter. Best friends. And one of the hardest things in my life is when she was sitting right in front of me, right there. It'll go down as one of the very hardest things. Well, I want to tell you, I had a hour conversation with Suzy a couple days ago. And it's almost like when I used to make call girls for dates because it's hard to dial that phone. >> [laughter] >> Because I was nervous. So, I talked to Susie, and we talked an hour, and we made an agreement. Biz will not change us. And I I was worried it had. Biz will not change us. We may disagree on things. We probably will. But, I love Susie, and
020I love the Tutones. The Tutones are sitting in the second row right here. And Frank and Fran are their parents. Uh and Ruthie and Nancy are here. I'm sorry, I don't know the guys' names. So, welcome. Welcome, Susie. I love you. >> Thank you, Mark. I love you, too. Thank you. >> [applause] >> So, hello, good evening, and thank you for being here tonight. I know it's a big night. Um I think for all the things that I might have said at the previous board meetings, I don't know that I actually formally introduce myself, and I thought I should take this opportunity for you to get to know me a little bit. To begin, I want you to know that I care deeply about District 70, our students, our staff, and the community as a
021whole. I am proud to be a retired District 70 educator. I had the privilege of working with dedicated, determined, driven staff who tirelessly worked to provide the best, most innovative educational opportunities possible. Education is about preparation, preparedness, and the pursuit of excellence for all students in the immediate and long term. Strong academic programs provide a foundation for all kids, whether they want to go to college, pursue a trade, or become an entrepreneur. We have pathways throughout this district to help students take the next steps. Finally, as a lifelong learner and board member, I look forward to working with the other directors in the best interest of our students, staff, and the community. It is our task, to the best of our ability, to focus on the resources and facili- facilities necessi- Sorry, necessary for students
022to thrive across all regions and grade levels, and to work closely with administrations, staff, and stakeholders to stay informed. Thriving students, competitive wages, and well-cared-for staff and facilities are key to our success. I look forward to working with all of you at every turn on behalf of our students. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. Margaret's wisdom was in my classroom for as long as I taught. And she guided me as long as I can remember. And I wanted to share this with you in light of my task to serve District 70. To everyone in the room, please reach out. If you have questions or suggestions for me, please reach out. I'm available to you. And if you're in doubt,
023and you have a question for me, I would like the opportunity to correspond with you. That was always my goal. When I was elected on November 5th, when I decided to run last June, my goal was to serve District 70. And I'm going to keep doing it. And I'm really, really excited um to see all of you tonight um because I really believe in what we do. THANK YOU. >> [applause] >> THANK YOU, GUYS. THANK THANK ALL OF YOU. Um I would like to thank all of you for attending tonight. I sincerely appreciate and welcome the involvement of our stakeholders. Um It is no secret that the last several weeks have been very contentious. I've spoken with many of you about these events. I do make it a policy to largely avoid social media. Um
024however, I've been made aware of two issues circulating within our community that I would like to address directly. First, there have been allegations that I possess a conflict of interest relating to Forging Education. Those allegations initially centered on my daughter's employment. I've openly acknowledged that she is employed by Forging Education as a teacher. And I just want to say I'm proud of my daughter. I'm proud of the work that she does. And I recognize that I may be biased, but I firmly believe she's among the finest elementary educators I've ever had the privilege to know. She's phenomenal. She really is. Um More recently, claims have surfaced suggesting that I am currently employed by Forging Education. And that assertion is false. In the past, I did work for Forging on a very part-time basis. I taught
025at a home school enrichment program one day a week. Um I've made no secret of the fact that I home schooled my children for many years. And anybody that knows me will tell you that I still kind of mourn the loss of those years. I really [clears throat] loved that time in my life. Teaching at that program gave me an opportunity to engage with kids again um and teach life skills that aligned with my interest. It wasn't educational uh topics. It was It was life skills kinds of things and it was really really fun for me. Um It's been alleged that that former employment creates a conflict of interest, but both state and federal law define conflict of interest as a situation in which an elected official stands to gain financially as a result of
026their governmental position. That simply is not the case here. In fact, my resignation from Forging Education resulted in financial loss. I have nothing to gain here at all. It just simply it it's a it's a straw man, a false allegation that there's just no meat to it. Um Neither Director Karnes, my daughter, nor I have received nor stand to receive any financial gain whatsoever. So, I just I I wanted to address that directly cuz I I want you guys to understand that those aren't true allegations. There is no legal conflict of interest. Um and the allegations do succeed in sowing division and mistrust, but they are categorically factually inaccurate. Campaign contributions are public record. It is therefore also public knowledge that both of my colleagues received significant in-kind union-related support. And I'm not criticizing you
027for that. I want to be clear about that. Um but we are preparing to vote on the union's master agreement. Um And that financial support raises legitimate questions. I've been told that Mr. Emery's wife is also employed by the district. Meaning his household stands to benefit directly from decisions related to the teacher contract. Um I'm not accusing either of them of any misconduct. I simply would like to raise the point that where there have been some financial ties, there's no Nobody is raising concerns of conflict of interest. And yet, in a situation involving my daughter, involving me, there's no financial benefit, and yet we want to keep perpetuating this narrative. Second, I'd like to address the rumor that I am opposed to the teacher union or to the master agreement itself. When I announced my
028candidacy, Kate Paycheck approached me and invited me to seek union endorsement on the condition that I agree to support the master agreement. I declined. Not because I oppose the agreement, but because I will not I will not commit to supporting any document that I have not carefully reviewed. Endorsing something, anything without due diligence would be absolutely irresponsible. I met with Kate last week and I reiterated my same position. I take this responsibility seriously and I will not agree to anything cart blanche. At the same time, I made clear to Kate that I care deeply about our teachers and our staff. Two of my daughters are teachers. I understand firsthand the dedication required of the profession. I recognize that many teachers work hours far beyond what their compensation reflects. I respect their commitment, their professionalism, their
029importance to our students, and to our community. I live in Rye. Our whole community revolves around our school and our teachers. I understand the importance that our teachers um are to our community. My responsibility is to make decisions that serve students, families, teachers, and staff with integrity and fairness. >> [clears throat] >> I have my suspicions about the source of these rumors, but rather than speculate, I'll simply say this: Spreading unnecessary fear and anxiety among our teachers and staff serves no one and accomplishes nothing other than increased discord and division. I would also like to know with regard to the last regular board meeting, when we were unable to obtain a majority vote to approve the agenda, the meeting was effectively stalled. Without an agenda, the meeting could not proceed. Had we approved that agenda
030and allowed that meeting to proceed, we certainly would have resolved the issue of the master agreement last week. In the last couple of months The last couple of months have been both dis- divisive and difficult. It's my sincere hope and expectation that we will find a constructive path forward. On Saturday, Director Erickson reached out to me. We had a thoughtful and productive conversation. During that discussion, we expressed a mutual desire to build rebuild relationships and restore trust among board members. While we may continue to disagree on certain issues or the best course of action, we are united in our commitment to what matters most, serving the children, families, and staff of our district to the very best of our ability. And I will just say as we came in tonight, I greatly appreciate um the
031warmth and the goodwill that we were able to greet each other with. Um and I I appreciate you reaching out. And I look forward to work working with all of you. And welcome, Susie. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> [applause] >> ALL RIGHT. AGENDA ITEM SIX, 6.01 presentation of the Pueblo West High School baseball trip to New Mexico and Arizona. All right. Tag, I'm going to get um these two trips were uh on the agenda for last week um due to the fact that we weren't able to address them. I did speak with um Coach Sanchez knowing that he did need to get moving on securing certain things for that trip, but they are in front of you today um Pueblo West High School, they usually take this trip. It's a annual trip. They go down
032to New Mexico. They take their varsity and their junior varsity teams. They play in a tournament there. Once that tournament's over, their junior varsity [clears throat] team comes home and their varsity team continues on to a very larger tournament um in Arizona that coincides with spring break and you know, the Rockies and all that stuff. Um it is a fund-raised trip. Uh students do have to pay a minimum out of pocket of about $150. Um they [clears throat] will be taking uh First Student buses down and Mr. Baumgardner, if you're around, if I say something wrong, let me know. First Student buses down there, then they will bring the other kids back and then they will charter buses to Arizona and then those buses will will bring them back. Um they do miss two school
033days. They will be leaving um on the 18th right before spring break and then they will be back at the end of spring break. And so that that is again in consent agenda, but Mr. Sanchez has uh been working on making sure that they have all their uh stuff secure. The second trip uh that was on the uh agenda was uh Sergeant LeMaster is taking his Raider team. Again, this is a Raider team is a ROTC team that it per- uh has competitions almost like um obstacle course type things. Uh they are going down to the championships in the fifth battalion championships down in San Antonio, Texas. They do have it looks like 10 kids going to that. Um, they're going to put some miles on one of our mini buses because they are driving.
034Well, it looks like they are leaving on the 19th of uh, March. They will stop in Lubbock, Texas, spend the night there, then make their way to San Antonio for two nights, and then again they will uh, come back, stop in Lubbock Lubbock, Texas, and then uh, spend the night there and then head home. Uh, like most of the ROTC trips, they are paid for uh, by the army. The kids just have to have $100 for miscellaneous. I think they're going to go to Six Flags one day. So, they'll purchase that ticket and then just have, you know, if they want to buy some different food or things like that and then they have that money. So, again, a very little cost to our uh, athletes or participants. Any questions on those two trips? Did
035I cover that, Mr. Baumgardner? Perfect. Okay. Thank you. Dr. Martinez, presentation of the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum. Tony, Mr. H wanted to jump ahead of me, but we'll we'll keep him in line there. Uh, ladies and gentlemen of the board, thank you for uh, having me tonight. Uh, tonight I'm I'm bringing you Handwriting Without Tears uh, for your consideration as a supplemental handwriting curriculum for our school district. Um, program's been in our district in the past. Uh, we discontinued its use when we adopted literacy curriculums that included a handwriting component. The current literacy curriculum we use does not have a dedicated handwriting component, and so we want to bring this back as a potential supplemental uh, addition to our literacy curriculum. Uh, principals across multiple schools have identified the handwriting and penmanship as an area
036of need. Additionally, our math curricula that we are in the pilot uh, process of considering um, has large unlined uh, problem-solving spaces for our students. And what we're seeing is that many students struggle with legibility, making it difficult to effectively effectively use that space to demonstrate their thinking. And so, we recognize that having handwriting curriculum will support our students in being able to use the spaces in their in both their math and their CKLA curriculums. Uh so, we're bringing forward Handwriting Without Tears as Handwriting Without Tears as a supplemental resource to support foundational writing in our early grades, kindergarten, pre-kindergarten through second. Uh the schedule uh it's presented to you tonight. I actually placed it in room two. It's out on the tables in room two, so you can see kindergarten, first, second, uh and
037pre-K, K, one, and two materials. Um and then in 2 weeks, we'll come back to the board and ask for adoption. Any questions for me? No, but I'll make a comment. It's been many years, but I had used that curriculum in the past, and I really liked it. Yeah. That's what we keep hearing. It was a good one, so I'm glad you've been able to bring this one that's recognized and has been used in the past. Thank you. I appreciate it. >> All right, Mr. Yates. Thank you. I I'm here to kind of quickly present the tech plan that was presented to you all during the presentation of the budget. I did uh visit with Ms. Carnes before the meeting and kind of got her up to speed on that. So, what you have before
038you is the a 5-year sustainable tech plan for the district. It would set aside $1.3 million per year towards the purchase of technology at that time. By doing this plan, it would offset high spikes in purchase of technologies that we've experienced in the past years of millions of dollars, so it actually helps the district budget in the long run. Um Also in the planning in your packet that you had, you will you will see the uh documents to to lease the machines where in the past we had purchased machines. And uh that also helps with the budget. It provides the technology we pur- purchase provides a return on investment at the end cuz we can sell them back to a reseller. And actually Apple has guaranteed us $225 per device at the end of the
039life of these documents. And uh it also creates a reserve fund. So when we do have those 28 29 high cost years, we have the money in the reserve fund to go ahead and purchase machines without asking for extra money. And with those documents what were in your packet, those will be the documents to get the plan going to purchase Chromebooks that we badly need and Apple laptops for the students. Then in the 28 29 year we'd buy uh I excuse me, 27 28 we'd buy staff machines. And then 28 29 we'd finish up the Chromebooks that we their end of life will be >> [cough] >> 28 29 were that were purchased during COVID. If you have any questions, I'm willing Yes. >> So to clarify, students at the elementary level will students at
040the middle school level will have one type of machine and students at the high school and staff will have a different kind of machine, right? >> Right. All our I'd say K8 schools, but all our students from kindergarten through eighth grade have Chromebooks. Our high school students have the MacBook Airs. We did do a survey with all the staff. And this high school level they need those higher powered machines with their instruments they use in science and their AutoCAD, and those kind of things that they do in their classrooms. And with the adoption, all things, like all resources necessary to use that machine to its, you know, it will be compatible with teachers' classrooms. Yes. Great. We also worked into We also worked it into the the plan that on that fifth year that we
041would have money to upgrade systems and to do what you're saying, like, you know, if there were Promethean upgrades or things like that that needed to be upgraded that slowly become obsolete over years. So, there's four years of plans for computers, and then that fifth year is more of a systems purchase. By the way, Mr. Gates, what happens to the old computers? We work [clears throat] with uh kind of work with several different resellers and go after the best price, and then we resell them to the reseller. Do we get money back? >> Yeah. In the past, when we've sold resellers, we got anywhere from 400 to 500,000 back on resale. So, that money could help out future. I I do want to add one thing. Um I am very appreciative, uh you know, obviously,
042I'm a retired teacher now, but this the skill sets that our students learn because they have um these great computers are I I it's it's amazing, transferable to whatever they do next, whether it's going into the workforce or going to college. They have skills, and they're able to use platforms that otherwise are are very challenging for uh first-time college students. So, I'm Yeah, I just I think it's great. One more thing. Yes, sir. Uh we were one of the first districts to have individual computers for our students and for our teachers. And I visited a school district close by a few years ago I was going to work with their band. And the teacher had a Mac computer and I said, "That's nice. Did the school get that for you?" He says, "Oh, no." I
043said, "Well, all our teachers have those." And he said, "We know." >> [laughter] >> I have a question, Mr. Yates. I had a parent contact me, actually probably I mean immediately after I was sworn in and she had some concerns about protections related to technology. She felt like her student was accessing content while at school that that she doesn't allow him to access at home. So, I don't know if that's if this is the appropriate time, but I just curious what kind of protections we provide. Well, we block all questionable content at the district level through our filter. Okay. >> And then at the on the Chromebooks, we have a program called Securely that we can track what they're going to and look at what they're doing. We're looking at stuff we're able to do
044that as well. Just out of question, what grade level? Um eighth grade, I believe. So, they would have been using Chromebooks, so Yeah. But one challenge that we have with students is if they at that level they could have a cell phone. And they could if their cell phone had a hotspot, they could hotspot to their cell phone and then they're [clears throat] out on their cell phone network and not on ours. Yeah. Yeah, I appreciate that. It's just I wasn't quite sure how to respond to her question, so that I I'd ask >> You can always direct towards me. What's that? >> you can always direct her towards me and I can answer her question. >> Okay, I appreciate that. Any other questions of Mr. Hayes? Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Okay, presentation of
045the tentative agreement between PCEA and Public County School District >> [clears throat] >> 70. So, we do call this the collective bargaining agreement because it's not it's between all of us and it's good for all of us. So, >> [clears throat] >> I just want it it was referred to as a master agreement and something we've really worked to on this year is acknowledging it as something that we all do together and that's important to me because we have worked really hard to move that section, I feel like. Okay, so what is your you prefer to call it the collective bargaining agreement? >> agreement. Yeah, cuz we work together on it. Yeah. So, um good evening board. Thanks for the opportunity share more about our collective bargaining agreement. To be honest, we want you to
046know this is about more than our CBA. It is about how we all work together to create the best conditions for students, staff and the district. It is about how we support our employees, help the district retain quality educators and ensure students have the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by those educators. Having a CBA creates conditions that allow staff to take care of their families, maintain balance, mental health and provide the best for students. Most importantly, the CBA gives us a strong starting point for conversation we need to have to protect and support our educators in our school. Extending the CBA affirms and provides a commitment to stability, collaboration and continuity. Tonight we will present >> [clears throat] >> an employee and employer benefits of this collective bargaining agreement. We will hear from
047staff and administrators regarding the benefits of the CBA. We will present a tentative agreement to extend the contract for 5 years from July 1st, 2020 20 2026 to June 30th, 2031. District 70 and PCA have a shared history. PCA was founded April 12th, 1971, and for more than five decades has worked alongside District 70 to represent and support the educators who serve our students. Since 2012, PCA has been a wall-to-wall association representing both certified and education support for professional sorry, ESP. Together, we represent the full spectrum of school employees across the district. The people who show up every day committed to students, schools and families. Our work is grounded in connection, advocacy, and collaboration. When challenges arise, PCA, our district leadership, and our school administrators have worked together to problem-solve and keep our focus on
048what matters most. In the last year, we have addressed funding challenges through coordinated advocacy. We began working to launch an ESP mentoring program to improve retention and training. We've developed a problem-solving team for academic leave to support professional growth. >> [snorts] >> Some of our historic highlights include a sick bank and donated day structures to support staff in medical need, development of hard-to-fill language or an MOU to strengthen recruitment efforts. This history matters because it reflects a shared commitment putting students, schools, and our communities first. This tentative agreement to extend our CBA continues that tradition of partnership, stability, and working together to support District 70. The collective bargaining agreement is about working together for the betterment of all. It provides stability, predictability, and trust. It reinforces that collaboration still matters in our district. At its
049core, the CBA helps ensure that everyone can stay focused on what matters most, our students. By setting clear expectations, the agreement allows educators and our ESP to concentrate on teaching, supporting, and caring for kids, rather than worrying about inconsistencies or uncertainty. The collective bargaining agreement creates consistency and fairness around essential areas such as salaries, benefits, planning time, leave, and fair processes. These aren't just staff concerns. They directly impact the quality of instruction, staff retention, and the overall stability of our schools. Without clear agreements, everyday issues can become conflicts. With a strong agreement in place, we have a shared solution and a common framework for addressing challenges. Ultimately, the collective bargaining agreement serves as a guiding document that helps prevent problems before they arise. So, we can continue working together in partnership to support students, schools,
050and our community. This agreement works because it provides structure. For the district, it creates clear expectations, standardized processes, and consistent communication. That clarity reduces confusion, prevents unnecessary conflict, and keeps the focus where it belongs, on serving students well. For staff, this this agreement builds confidence in the process. When expectations are clear and fairness is embedded, educators and ESP can focus on teaching our students and serving families. An extension reinforces to staff, both certified and our ESP, that their voices are recognized and respected. It honors the work our teams have put into building the CBA. The CBA provides fairness, stability, and balance. Balance between time, well-being, and professional for our staff, and that balance directly impacts our students. Why does this matter for the students we serve? Stability for educators means consistent learning. Fair working conditions
051means more energy focused on kids. Retaining experienced educators and ESPs ensures continuity in services and relationships. Our students get to be in schools with thriving, inspired educators. The agreement strengthens stability across our schools and helps retain high-quality staff. At its core, the CBA represents partnership to create conditions where professionals can do their best work and students can do their best learning. This tentative agreement from for a CBA extension is grounded directly in the voices of our staff. Through our 2025-2026 bargaining survey, all staff, certified and ESP, members and non-members were invited to share their input. Hearing staff voices matters because this agreement impacts everyone in our schools. The feedback was clear. Staff prioritized an extension of the CBA. They value stability, fairness, and clarity it provides. Above all, they want the CBA so they can
052focus on teaching, being present for their students, and available for their communities. This extension reflects staff priorities and reinforces the stability our students depend on. When staff are supported, students benefit. Those are some quotes from our um survey that our staff had. And then go ahead. Have our video. very important. It gives us teachers a voice, a checks and balances of what can and cannot happen in our place of employment. It also helps establish that as well. It's important to me to know that the topics that have already been fought for aren't getting taken away in years to come. We love and believe. I want CBA here because I care about them, they care about us, and I want to work at a place that cares about our children as much as we care about
053them. Hey girls, what does CBA mean to you? Equality. Equitable representation. Democracy. Fairness. Consistency. Job security. >> [laughter] >> Protection. Job is important to me because I want to be secure in my job and salary. retire. Staff are being paid for all of the hard work that we do every day. To help us get better wages and benefits. It's very important. The contract is important to me because after 33 years of being an employee of District 70, I'm nearing retirement and it is important to have job security. It means peace of mind. I have a voice. I have a voice. I have job security and I have a good work environment. I really appreciate having a contract with the board of education because it helps me feel like I'm represented and I have a voice
054and it gives me more time to do my job. So, my voice is heard. Having a framework of understanding between employees and the school district provides protection for administration and staff. Having consistent rules across the district helps employees focus on educating children, which is why we're here. The BTA is important to us because we have someone on our side. And our voices are heard. We all work too hard to not have a contract. We all need to protect our negotiated pay and the time that we're given and just be able to continue having that voice. So, I hope that we continue to allow that voice for all of our members. Get better wages and benefits. I say it's for the potential for better working conditions. My contract is important to me because we need it
055to attract and keep quality teachers. Since it's been years, I believe that it shows a trust and respect aspect that teachers need to know exists between them and the board. And what does BTA mean? Well, feel supported. Fairness. Equity. Having a voice. Listen to. Security. Protection. Respect. Support. Fairness. Fairness. Fairness. Fair wages. Openness. Most of all, having >> A collective bargaining agreement defines work day length, planning time, supervision limits, evaluation proceed procedures. Leaders can focus on instructional improvement rather than conflict management. Stability in staffing is one of the biggest predictors of building success. Hello, this is here at Pleasant Knoll School. From my standpoint, I believe the collective bargaining agreement is more than a contract. It is a foundational framework that strengthens our entire school system. It creates space for multiple voices to be heard
056giving teachers, staff, and administrators a defined path forward. More input in ensuring decisions reflect those closest to This inclusive structure leads to a stronger and more informed outcomes. Ultimately, this agreement has been an essential part of our district community supporting the thoughtful leadership, collaboration, and culture of shared governance and teamwork. Hi, it's Victoria Vidya, principal at Diamond Dell Elementary. The negotiated agreement is an essential part of our partnership with our district union. It creates consistency, fairness, and transparency across our district. I'm grateful for this collaboration and for the shared commitment that we have to one another and to the success of our students. How the CBA supports me. The collective bargaining agreement supports the Department of Instruction by providing guidance for our professional learning. It allows us to give guidance to staff on the courses
057they take and the courses they submit for horizontal movement. The collective bargaining agreement [clears throat] and gives us guidance for the structure of our work day. That includes the time that the work day starts and ends, and the planning and prep time that staff receive as part of that collective bargaining. The collective bargaining agreement is an important resource in the work that we do. In my opinion, uh the agreement really provides an actionable and equitable um form of support uh for me as a principal um in management of my staff um and it it provides a layer of an account of accountability uh for me in my interactions uh with with my teachers. Um and not only does it help me to hold people accountable, um it helps me to to support them appropriately as
058well. Um to me it's invaluable. It helps create a great environment, a supportive culture uh within my building. Very supportive of of continuing uh contract and negotiated agreement within the district. Okay. So for me, um instead of the happy wife, happy life, it's happy staff, happy students. As we close tonight, we want to thank you [clears throat] for your commitment to our students to and our schools. This tentative agreement represents decades of conversation, problem-solving, and collaboration. It reflects compromise, careful consideration, and a shared commitment to what matters most, our students. Our CBA is not about winning or losing. It's about creating stability. It provides clarity for staff, predictability for our district, and guidelines for all. It allows principals and administration to focus on instructional improvements rather than navigating uncertainty and conflict. Most importantly though, it
059supports the people who show up every day for our students. This agreement reflects a balanced approach, fiscally responsible, operationally sound, and supportive of the educators who make our schools strong. We respectfully ask for your support of this tentative agreement so we can move forward together with clarity, stability, and a continued focus on student success. Thank you. >> THANK YOU. >> [applause] [applause] >> I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE I'M TALKING. YOU DID. I REMEMBER. You failed to introduce yourself. And who are you? Uh I'm Kate Paycheck. I um have the privilege of representing our staff as the Pueblo County Education Association president. Good evening. I'm Stephanie Russell, the director of Human Resources. >> [applause] >> Thank you. Appreciate it. Um I am 6.06 presentation of the student survey for strategic planning. Good evening, Madam President, members
060of the board. I'm Lynette Bonfiglio. I'm the public information officer for Pueblo District 70. Still in the vein of student input and student importance, as I shared in my email dated February 10th, you have received a proposed student survey. That is intended to be administered at our three high schools. The survey is designed to work in tandem with a staff survey that was recently distributed. Together, these two tools will provide meaningful insight to help guide District 70's vision, values, and priorities. Our goal is to ensure that our student voice is intentionally included in this process. High school principals will be asked to distribute the survey to approximately 50 student leaders at the senior level at each high school and will have flexibility in how they administer it to best align with their schedules. The feedback
061gathered from both students and staff will support informed discussion and thoughtful decision-making as this work of a strategic plan moves forward. This evening, I am respectfully requesting the board approval to move forward with the student survey as presented. Do you have any questions for me? Okay. Thank you for your consideration. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Item 6.07, presentation of the gym floor refinish project. Yes, good evening, board. And uh before I begin, I want to give a shout-out to Mr. Yates. Some of you probably didn't recognize him without his hat, but he looks pretty good. >> [laughter] >> So, maybe we'll see him more often without it. And I know a guy that can shine you up real good, okay? So, back to the gym floors. Um the gym floors are why I'm here. Um
062but we shared in our budget pieces that we got to start taking care of some of our items, right? So, we look at three of the floors in the presentation in front of you. Three of these floors have had um years and years of wax put put on them. It's time we can't bring that shine back. We've got to pull it back down to the back to the bare wood, restripe, re-logo, and then refinish, and then continuing our maintenance plan to take care of that down the road. The other project that's on there is a full replacement of gym of the Rye High School gym floor. That one, like I shared during our budget um summit, we'll call it, right? Uh we've got some areas that were in need some nails sticking out, so on
063and so forth. Um but it's time for that to come completely out cuz we can no longer go back down to the wood and repaint and refinish and go from there. So, they're there in front of you as far as that process. We We did follow the RFP process. Um it went out um early July or January, excuse me. We're looking for a completion of July. Um it went out early January um and when it closed, we had a group of of uh employees review that, and based on our selection, those are the two two companies we're looking at um to get that done in completion for July for our next meeting. Questions? Doesn't look like it. Perfect. [laughter] Thank you. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Okay. Okay, item seven, um 7.01, open forum for
064comments. Um I would remind everyone wishing to share comments that we do have guidelines. I believe that they were provided for you, and I just um trust that we're going to uh honor those and act respectfully as we have the privilege of hearing from you. So, do you have any? I do. Would you like to read them? You're welcome to. I just pulled them cuz I was the first one to >> ahead and call. That's fine. Yeah. So, I'm going to go in order that um they were numbered. So, my first person will be Devin Ingo. You'll have 3 minutes. When you start talking, I will push start and it will pop up on the screen, I hope. If not, I'll verbally give you a a warning. Good evening, Madam President and members of the
065board. I am a parent in the district, a past District 70 student, and this evening my comments are about governance, fiduciary duty and compliance with Colorado law, and clarity. Under Colorado Revised Statute 22-31-129, the board does have 60 days to fill a vacancy by majority vote in a public meeting. After 60 days, the statute provides that the president of the board shall appoint the replacement. That authority is very clear. What must also be clear is this. The appointment of a board member is still official public action. Official action must be transparent and properly documented in accordance with Colorado's open meetings law. The swearing-in video is not the issue. The issue is this. When and where was the formal appointment made? Was the president's actions properly memorialized in the official minutes? If that process was not
066clearly documented in a lawful and transparent manner, then there are concerns about statutory compliance. There is another concern. At a prior meeting regarding this vacancy, President Bennett left the meeting resulting in loss of quorum and preventing the board from continuing work. While any member may leave the may leave a meeting, the board president has heightened responsibility to facilitate governance, not halt it. Breaking quorum stops the people's business, and that undermines the public's trust. Leadership requires discipline, steadiness, and adherence to procedure, especially during disagreement. In addition, legal counsel exists to ensure the board complies with statute and procedure. If questions now exist about whether proper process was followed, then a transparent review of the legal guidance provided is appropriate. If statutory procedures were not followed with full transparency, accountability must follow. That includes serious consideration of
067whether the president's actions and leadership best serve this district. Additionally, I request that if the attorney failed to provide provide appropriate legal guidance, >> [clears throat] >> that the board consider terminating the contract and engaging an independent replacement counsel to ensure full statutory compliance. This This is not personal. This is not personal. It is strictly structural for me, and it is about trust and governance. It's a passion of mine, and I just as a parent in this district, I expect governance that models integrity, respect for our law. Our children are watching who's leading. When process is compromised, trust is compromised. Please restore clarity, transparency, and trust. THANK YOU. >> [applause] [applause] >> NEXT, WE HAVE ONE OF OUR STUDENTS, COLTON SEEBOLD. Good evening, board. I had a whole speech prepared, but I am going to
068tell you guys what the students are saying and how we are feeling. First of all, my name is Colton Siebold. I am a sophomore at Pueblo West High School. I come here tonight because after watching and hearing what has been going on in the meetings, we the student are pretty disappointed in your guys' behavior. As a youth as as the youth in government governor, I was shocked to see how you can't even follow a simply parliamentary procedure. Our teachers and coaches work very hard to teach us how to work together and even if we don't have similar beliefs or similar ideas, we have to figure out how to compromise and figure out how to coexist. As a mem as I mentioned earlier, I was elected as the Colorado Youth in Government Governor of Colorado. And
069do you know who my lieutenant government is? She goes to County High School. Our sworn enemies. So here as 15-year-olds that have found a way to work together as members all I ask for you tonight is number one the lawyer and also the other people of this board to stop acting inappropriately and to start acting with a little bit more professionalism because you guys are are examples. But for me to be a part of politics, I have to look up to you. And if I have to look up to you, I have to understand how to do the process correctly but with respect. And honestly with the past couple of meetings that have been going on and what I've heard it doesn't seem that you guys value the ability to be great role models for
070not only your teachers, your co-workers, but also the students you guys are supposed to represent. People come here with presentations and they work very hard on their opinions that you guys need to hear. By acting like this, you have basically told all the students and teachers that we don't matter. We matter. And because we feel like you don't that you can't do your job, you Essentially, I have a petition that I've gone around County High School and Pueblo East High School calling for the three board members that have been acting like elementary students calling for the resignation. The students have spoken >> [cheering] >> and we are also asking for you to guys to at least have some decent respect for the students of this district. THANK YOU. >> [applause] [applause] >> SO, MY THIRD
071PERSON IS CARRIE TRISTANO. Good evening, board members. My name is Carrie Tristano. I have been a math teacher in District 70 for 20 years. I currently teach at County High School. I'm here tonight in collaboration with Ellen Mackendou to explain why the collective bargaining agreement or CBA is vitally important to the certified teachers of District 70. As you've heard from Kate and Stephanie, the CBA provides clear and direct language and guidance for school professionals. Here are the areas I find to be the most important for certified teachers. As any teacher will attest, planning time is critical for preparing instruction. Having planning time defined in the CBA guarantees that educators are given time in their school day to complete essential work, designing lessons, providing feedback for student work, collaborating with collaborating with special service providers, etc.
072Plan time is used by educators at every level and is an essential part of the educators day. Annual leave is another important component. Article 7 specifies that teachers are allotted 12 days of leave to use at their discretion for personal leave. Teachers wear many hats, not just that of teacher. We are parents, spouses, coaches, scout leaders, pastors, volunteers, caregivers, amongst many other roles. Teachers should be able to make their own choices about taking days off. By providing a transparent salary schedule for teachers, as well as a separate pay scale for coaches, financial compensation is not a mystery. It also clarifies step and lane for advancement. Other benefits, such as insurance and retire contributions, are also bargained by the bargaining team. These benefits can help attract highly qualified educators to our district and help us keep
073our highly skilled and qualified educators from leaving District 70. Article 14 provides direct language on how administrators are to evaluate teachers and is overall a tool for reflection, review, and professional growth maintained by state law and honored by the CBA. These areas help to prevent teacher burnout and allow District 70 to continue to stand out in the crowd of the 178 school districts in the state of Colorado. I personally believe our CBA is one of the major reasons why we are able to attract and maintain so many amazing teachers. The CBA is a long-standing and historically vital part to how District 70 operates. It is the foundation that outlines policies and procedures that create a desirable and safe working environment for all employees. Our working environment also doubles as a learning environment for the students
074in our schools. Therefore, the CBA directly affects all aspects of District 70. Thank you. >> [applause] >> OUR NEXT ONE IS CRYSTAL TERRELL. UH GOOD EVENING. Um my name is Crystal, and tonight I want to speak to you about the importance uh maintaining our collective bargaining agreement for our custodial staff. Custodial professionals are often the unsung heroes of our organization. They are the first to arrive and the last to leave. They are sure our buildings are clean, safe, and ready for students, parents, employees, and the public. Their work is physically demanding, detail-oriented, and essential to daily operations. The CBA is not just a document. It is a commitment. It protects the rights of our custodial staff by clearly outlining wages, benefits, working hours, overtime policies, and leave procedures. It ensures fairness and consistency, so everyone
075understands the expectations and the standards that guide our work ethics. Maintaining this agreement promotes stability. When policies are clear clearly defined, misunderstandings are reduced. If If [clears throat] diffi- Excuse me. If disagreements arise, there is a structural grievance process that allows issues to be resolved professionally and respectfully. This straight strengthens trust between employees and management. A strong agreement also supports fair compensation and safe work conditions. Custodial staff works with chemicals, heavy equipment, and sometimes in challenging environments. A CBA helps establish safe safety standards, training requirements, and reasonable workloads that protect their well-being. Furthermore, honoring and maintaining this agreement boost morale and retention. When employees feel valued and protected, they are more engaged, more committed, and more likely to remain in their positions. High retention leads to experienced staff who take pride in their work and
076contribute to a positive organizational culture. Ultimately, keeping a collective bargaining agreement reflects our respect for the people who keep our facilities functioning every day. It shows that we believe in fairness, transparency, and collaboration. By maintaining this agreement, we are not just supporting custodial staff. We are strengthening our entire organization. THANK YOU. >> [applause] >> OUR NEXT PERSON IS GINNY PROFFER. Good evening. I'm a 27-year veteran teacher, a parent of a current student in District 70, and two children that are now adults, and I live in this community. Collective bargaining bargaining agreements, CBAs, are a necessity. Our teachers' working conditions are student learning conditions, and vice versa. I'm going to talk from the student points of view. Our public education system's most valuable valuable resource is people. It's being forced to do more and more with
077increasingly less. Collective bargaining agreements are designed to bridge the expectations that stakeholders have and the reality of what school learning environments have for resources, including the people. CBAs improve student student learning conditions. CBAs can be used to reduce the amount of testing in a school, which directly improves the learning environment of students. Teachers can develop new ways to evaluate student learning that fit better with daily instruction through collaborative efforts during planning times. CBAs help protect planning time. CBAs can protect smaller class sizes, which means more quality attention given to students. Smaller class sizes equal more time to address individual needs and have intervention for students who need more time to learn new concepts. This has to be accomplished by not just counting the number of students and deciding how many teachers that equals in a
078building. More than ever students need increased access to nurses and counselors. The social emotional well-being and behavioral needs of kids is higher than ever before in schools. Lack of social work for families outside of school is impacting the learning environment of all students in classrooms. Adding more specialized instructional support personnel, also known as non-classroom educators at the federal level, to address students' needs requires more positions. These staff include counselors, school psychologists, and/or social workers. Right now, teachers are expected to fill that role in most schools since not all schools have a counselor and school psychologists are spread thin to maybe one day per week at a school. The high needs of the student population is not a factor for staffing the number of teachers and support personnel in a building or district. This increases how
079many students who are struggling in classrooms they may already have more than 30 students and need smaller class sizes. By boosting teacher pay, improving working conditions in a school, including protected plan times, reducing turnover, and increasing educator voices on the job, students win. By addressing issues that impact us and our student learning conditions and work sites, everyone wins. Collective bargaining benefits students and communities as a whole. >> [applause] >> MY NEXT PERSON IS ELLEN MACKENDOW. Good evening, board members. My name is Ellen Mackendow. I've been in this district for 18 years. And in my many years of service, I've very rarely ever had to come and speak before the board. But I feel that need and that need has changed recently. Tonight, I'm here to address the embarrassment that was the previous District 70 board
080meeting. On February 24th, the board's attorney, Brad Miller, unfortunately, he's not here tonight, engaged in unethical behavior, which indicates either a severe lack of knowledge about board meeting procedure or a severe conflict of interest between his other commitments and his representation of our district, District 70. Instead of serving as legal counsel for the entire District 70 school board, Mr. Miller only seemed interested in acting as a personal legal counsel to President Bennett, contributing to last week's dysfunctional spectacle. Mr. Miller repeatedly refused to listen to Mrs. Erickson or Mr. Emery's very, very real concerns. Moreover, these board members were following Robert's Rules of Order, which is in accordance with this body. But, Mr. Miller advised President Bennett in a completely different manner, ignoring the proper protocol and ultimately scuttling the meeting. During the brief, shambolic ex-
081exchange we all witnessed last week, Mr. Miller spoke derogatorily to Mrs. Erickson and Mr. Emery. It's getting harder and harder for Mr. Miller to hide his deeply personal, religious, and frankly unprofessional alliances that he's been stitching together. And his open encouragement of President Bennett's irrational behavior is enormously concerning. As the board's attorney, Mr. Miller is supposed to answer questions and guide the board, not undermine the entire process. I believe these are reasons enough to have an RFP and get better, more knowledgeable, local, and fair representation of the entire school board. District 70 students, parents, employees, and community members deserve to have an attorney for the board whose only agenda is the success and empowerment of our students. THANK YOU. >> [applause] [applause] >> MY NEXT PERSON IS MILES LUCERO. Commissioner Good evening. My name is
082Miles Lucero. I'm a resident of District 70. Um I first want to start by saying I unequivocally stand with our teachers, our custodians, our staff, our administrators, and I strongly urge you to uh support the collective bargaining agreement tonight. I will also say um I have the honor of of representing this community as a county commissioner. And what I am going to say are my views and my views only. They don't represent the Board of County Commissioners and they don't represent anybody else that works at the county. I'm here tonight to again to address safety concerns, safety of our children. Last time I was here, I talked about the Riverstone Academy that was operating down on Aspen Circle and the steps that the county was taking to make sure that there was a safe environment
083for learning for our children. The good news is that after a cease and desist letter was sent to them and after we threatened to cut off their utilities, they are no longer in that building. The bad news is we don't know where they are. They refuse to confirm or deny their current location. I'm sure there are folks in this room that may have an idea, but as far as the county's concerned, we don't we don't know where they are today. We heard rumors. We've heard of secret meeting places, but they're only rumors right now because again, the organization refuses to confirm or deny where these kids are. And I have to assume as a leader of this community that if an organization is willing to put kids safety at risk one time, they're likely willing
084to do it again. So, what I'm here tonight is ask for your help. There are four new board members here since this MOU was signed. This MOU reads explicitly the district hereby confirms its agreement that ERBOCES may operate Riverstone Academy at a location within district boundaries. A location. Where's the location? If we can't agree on children's safety, what can we agree on, folks? This is my obligation. This is your obligation. I'm imploring you, respectfully, review the terms of this MOU and exit it immediately. And I would strongly advise, as I did last time, that you seek a different legal counsel than Mr. Miller because of his myriad conflicts of interests with Riverstone Academy, forging education, I all of it. It's too messy and I don't believe you will get sound legal advice from him in
085this regard. I will leave you with this. In regard to the previous meetings, in regard to the behind closed doors appointment, this community is watching. The teachers are watching. The children are watching and we will not look away. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> [applause] [applause] >> MY NEXT PERSON IS CHRIS SUTTON. ALL RIGHT. Uh I want to start by saying hello. Uh I am Chris Sutton. Any other veterans in here, raise your hand. No, just me. Okay, I'm the only veteran. So, when I sit for the flag, don't get mad. Uh also, any other licensed educators in here, raise your hand. Licensed educators? Oh, awesome. Awesome. Thank you for confirming. So, my point on this and I want to continue real fast. There's a lot going on. Ms. Bennett's probably the only person who's implied
086that I'm dishonest. I am the Powhatan parent. That is my Facebook page. I You were very nice, Ms. Bennett, to go and say that you used to work for Riverstone or not Riverstone, but forging education and the home schooling Richmond program. However, you did not say when you resigned. Rumor is that it was last week. I don't know. That's the rumor. I would love for you to share when that resignation took place cuz yeah, you can say, "Oh, it's not a big deal." But, you did. You worked there. When did you quit? Oh, was that after I raised a stink? Now, moving on before uh aside from that conflict of interest, I want to go back to December 9th. The There's three people here that were sworn in on December 9th and saw that episode.
087I have a criminal complaint with the Pueblo County Sheriff's already under investigation. I've spoken to the Attorney General Phil Weiser about it and it there is a criminal complaint of bribery for Brad Miller and Anne Ochse. You were out You mentioned about how there's not a crime and all this other stuff. This MOU that was just mentioned was voted on on June 24th. On June 4th, which Mr. Wilson has confirmed today via a phone call and I have other board member of previous board member that also confirmed it via via fiduciary duty. That June 4th email about a uh a a test case for Supreme Court that Miller sent is legit. He sent that on June 4th. On June 9th, they then Anne Ochse, the former board president, signed a contract with BOCES, Brad Miller's
088ER BOCES, to work there for six figures. You were mentioning about it's only a bad thing or a crime if you profit off it. Anne Ochse, the former board president, uh was told to do something. She took a job and then she fulfilled that into the contract by signing that MOU. We might not even need you to null and void it because if we can prove that that was a crime, it's nullified anyways. So, like and I'm going to ask the board members that are new to really look into that criminal complaint with the evidence that I as as well as the police report number and everything else or the sheriff's report number and everything else that's on there and go back and review it. Really take into consideration why you should get rid of
089Brad Miller. I made it very clear. I've been called a lot of things but dishonest isn't one of them. If you have a question, Ms. Bennett, about the things I'm putting out there, by all means share. Sit down with me. I will talk to you and I will make it public. I have You were You were worried about so many people sending emails from Ms. Carnes. First and foremost, we queried those. I read them. I want to say that there is a very big difference between the uh level of writing for the people that were against it and the three pair three sentences that were saying, "Hey, yes." So, really taken for granted, and also the number of people who emailed to ask for your resignation. >> [applause] >> So, my last person is Calvin
090Sutton. Uh hello, I am Calvin Sutton. I am a student of this district at Pueblo West High School. Um I'm here today with concerns of this board. Um but, I just want to first off introduce myself a little. I'm a member of my high school's HOSA, DECA, mock trial, march and marching band. Um I So, I was trying to write a little bit more of a speech, but I got carried away with my mock trial regionals that happened this weekend actually. Um but, I want to know that I've seen more organization in my marching band's leadership team than I've seen in this district board. That is disgusting to me. That is embarrassing. Now, um I'm find it important that students of this community community directly affected by this board's proceedings are speaking out about this
091board. Um I One of my [snorts] biggest well, not biggest concerns, but one of my more recent concerns comes from this board's president. Especially with the walking out of these meetings. Is it not important to stay for these meetings? I mean, you yourself are the president. You hold power over these. And again with that, I find it very important to not hold 4-minute 4-minute meetings and adjourn based upon a faulty legal counsel. Now, we've spoken about integrity today. I've seen zero integrity come from this board's president. Due process does matter. I've seen very little come from that with the legal counselor of Brad Miller. Leadership requires accountability and dignity. Accountability does not come from having meetings behind closed doors or appointing behind closed doors. Now, again with that, I've seen students, my own fellow students,
092have better accountability and dignity than this board has had in the past few weeks. >> [snorts] >> Now, challenging You you've said today that your only bias stands with your personal ones and there are no legal problems. However, legal problems don't need to come from you directly to show that there are problems with Brad Miller. And if we've brought up real teachers time and time again today and I don't the only two I see on this board is one that taught me and one that is a band teacher. Um I have nothing more and thank you. >> [applause] >> CALVIN, HOW DID YOU DO WITH YOUR MOCK TRIAL? Um none of our teams have placed. However, my team went up against one of the ones that they managed to make state. Good. Well, congratulations. Congratulations.
093>> [applause] >> Okay, action item um agenda item number eight action items 8.01 approval of the 2026-2027 calendar changes to reflect the two literacy days. Director of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Anthony Martinez. Ladies and gentlemen of the board, I recommend that you um approve the revisions as presented to include two literacy testing days in the 2026-2027 school calendar. Any discussion? Okay. AJ Wilson. Yes. Ann Bennett. >> Yes. Mark Emery. Yes. Michelle Erickson. Yes. Susie Carson. Yes. Motion carried. Thank you. Thank you all. >> [applause] >> Item 8.02 approval of the tentative agreement between PCEA and Pueblo City School District 70 regarding Article 18 terms of agreement. Um Director of Personnel Stephanie Russell. Madam President, members of the board, I recommend that the Board of Education approve the tentative agreement between PCEA and Pueblo City School
094District 70 regarding Article 18 terms of agreement. Any discussion? Second read first. I will. Yes. Yes. >> [laughter] >> I I would like to make a couple comments. Um First of all, Kate, I I thought you were back there. I can't see you. Apparently. Um I I want to thank you personally um and publicly for taking time to sit with me and talk to me about this as well. Um there are some How do I say this? I was ignorant about certain things with it and I really appreciate you clarifying some of those with me. And it was it was very much appreciated. You know, you took a lot of time out of your day to to sit with me and do that. The other thing that I I hear from a lot of our
095teachers and from this agreement is about job security. This was one thing that I did not realize was that if this wasn't signed and and correct me if I'm wrong, okay? That our employees would only be guaranteed a year. Is that Is that correct? So, it depends on the staff. There's a statute statute for certified educators um that and the Tecta Tecta Tecta law. Um so, that provides us non-probationary status. However, it has to do with their evaluations and a lot of other pieces. Our counselors are on our certified schedule, so they would not have that fall under that same guideline and neither do our ESPs. So, So, I was close. >> [laughter] >> A large majority of our staff are on So, I want our staff to feel comfortable here. One of the coolest
096things that I've been a part of on the board is getting to go to the staff awards for the anniversary awards. And seeing teachers that I had or teachers that have been there for you know, 20 plus years speaks volumes to what this district is doing. And I appreciate that. I appreciate our staff staying with us for the long haul through the good and the bad. And for committing to this community, their willingness to serve. And on that note, I think your presentation should be presented to every new board that comes in. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Yeah, if I may, I also want to thank Kate. You know, she reached out to me and we were supposed to just have a little meet and greet for coffee and that little meet and greet turned
097out to a 2-hour conversation um in the hot sun and my dad actually got a sunburn from that. Kate sat across from me. But hey, it was February. It was toasty. It was toasty. Um and I really appreciate how she um she welcomed me. She acknowledged the fact that I was put into quite a sticky situation um that was beyond my control. Um we shared our love for Pueblo. We shared how um you know, Kate, how she returned after some absence from Pueblo and how I did the same. Um and we we were able to bond on that and how much we love this community and I do. I love [clears throat] this community with all my heart. I purposely when we moved back, moved into District 70. Um I wouldn't have it any other
098way because I wanted my son to attend Pueblo County High School where I ran around the gym with Mark Emery growing up and um it it just holds a very special place in my heart. Um I'll also say that contrary to I don't know what is floating around, I am very much for our teachers and our staff. Um you know, I when my husband was teaching for District 60 we marched in the teacher strike back in 2018 and had he not had the protections of the union at that time, I don't think he would have felt safe to do so. This is a you know, we had four children at the time and that's um that's quite a big risk to walk out on your job when you have four kids and a wife at
099home um and you have to rely on the protections that have been put in place to keep your job secure so that you can fight for what matters. Um we made signs, we marched with him and I believe in it. So I I'm I support um any effort to equip or support our teachers and our staff at any chance. Um, I will always be a champion for our teachers and our staff. It's very important to me and it's one of the reasons why I'm here because, um, you know, we we went through the financial issues of trying to raise a family on a teacher's salary and it's it's not easy. So, um, so I just want to put this out there in no uncertain terms. I'm here for the teachers. >> [applause] >> Oh, I'm
100going to say something. The reason in those stories The reason I asked the ladies to say who they were it was a very impressive. I know many of you know who they are. However, it was the administrator working with the teacher. And that is the hand-in-hand cooperation and coordination that we've seen. Now, I will tell a short story. >> [laughter] >> There was a time when I was a teacher when the collective bargaining wasn't run the way it is now. It was cutthroat. It was it was aggressive. It was like going to war with the teachers [snorts] and on the other side the administrators. I have sat in just to observe as a board member on several collective bargaining. There's not raised voices. It's all in a matter of cooperation. And just seeing the two
101ladies there was just so fantastic for me. So, obviously I support And you know what? Michelle and I were supported by our teachers association. But that has nothing absolutely nothing to do with the words I just said. It's just It's a wonderful thing that we have in the district and we appreciate all your teachers' work. All you who are teachers' work. And the time you spend, the money of your own you spend. And I see you nodding and you know, you know. So, thank you and uh thank you for allowing me to ramble. >> [applause] >> I now just make one quick comment. Um I like to take notes. I don't know if you know me, for those of you sitting right here, I'm a note taker. And things that I wrote down that I
102think are really important Um all of it's important and beautiful presentation. Um obviously hit that that that I mean the amount of time to uh go out and interview everybody and it just was powerful. Um but things that I I thought uh big takeaways for me, benefits, voices, admin, uh teaching staff, everybody working together. Um consistency, fair um fair um it's fair, there's a framework. And I just think about how geographically large our district is, how diverse it is from And we are a K through 12. We do so many amazing things in this district. And um I just appreciate all that you um all the work that went into this. And I do want to say I had an opportunity one time to come and tell my story when I was a teacher about
103how important it is, like teachers work long hours. They work um because they're passionate about their jobs and our support is important. So, THANK THANK YOU. >> [applause] >> WELL, I IN MY EARLIER COMMENTS, I think I already addressed um how I feel about teachers, but I would just echo again that we I do value you. I do realize that without our teachers, we don't have a school district, and I can point to these teachers that have fundamentally changed my life. One of them worked with for District 70, Donna Boswell, my seventh and eighth grade gym teacher and and volleyball coach, and I can still to this day recount some challenges that she made to me that that really formed my character. And so, with that, I think we're ready to vote. Okay. I think
104everybody's patiently waiting to vote. >> [laughter] >> AJ Wilson? Yes. Ann Bennett? Yes. Mark Emery? Yes. Michelle Erickson? Yes. Susie Carnes? Absolutely yes. ROCHELLE CAREY? >> [applause] [applause] >> BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE all of the teachers and staff back here at the next meeting. I think that would be really cool, so. Oh. Perfect. I sent out a email to all the principals, and maybe they didn't share it. I told you the joy of my life was visiting the third grade classes. How come none of you have asked? Okay, agenda item nine number nine, consent agenda 9.01, approval of consent agenda items. Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented having been reviewed by the board? So moved. Second. I'll second. AJ Wilson? Yes. Ann Bennett? >>
105Yes. Mark Emery? Yes. >> Michelle Erickson? Yes. Susie Carns? Yes. Motion carried. Agenda item 10, future meeting announcements. 10.01, the next board meeting is scheduled Tuesday, March 17th, 2026 at the Educational Services Center, 24951 East Highway 50, Pueblo, Colorado beginning at 6:00 p.m. Do I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? So moved. Second. Second. A.J. Wilson? Yes. Ann Bennett? Yes. Mark Emery? Yes. Michelle Erickson? Yes. Susie Carns? Yes. Motion carried. It is 7:43.