By Lynn Janes
The Cobre Consolidated Schools held a board meeting at on July 10, 2023. Gabriella Begay called the meeting to order. Other board members in attendance included, Gilbert Guadiana, and David Terrazas. Superintendent Dr. Jeff Spaletta also attended. Elizabeth Dean and Serena Murillo didn't attend.
Reading of the board norms took place with each board member reading a norm. The norms consist of five rules the board strives to adhere to during the meeting. They are listed as actively listen to all perspectives, respond to concerns and questions as a unified board, professionalism expected, assume positive intent, and be positive and responsive.
The Pledge of Allegiance and salute to the New Mexico flag took place.
Public input on agenda items none currently.
The board approved the agenda with changes. They tabled approval of the minutes from April 24, 2023, May 1, 2023, June 26, 2023, and quarter three financial statements. They also moved school pantry, introductions to principals, cabinet members and update on Summerfest to after the approval of the agenda.
Dave Chandler with The Commons addressed the board and said they have been glad to partner with Cobre for the school pantry. He had a document he provided for the board. Currently they have been in the Bayard Elementary and hope soon to be in all the elementary schools. The Commons will provide family boxes of food, snack packs, a farm stand, and a pantry. They had acquired the needed funding to do the project. The building behind the school board building has been getting renovated and they will move in there. The Commons will be working with Theresa Villa, coordinator of family engagement.
Spaletta said six of the seven principals will be new this year. He asked them each to come forward and introduce themselves.
Shay Biebelle, San Lorenzo principal, said she lives in the Mimbres on a cattle ranch and had two kids.
Erin Brown-Meeks, Cobre High School principal, has been in education 15 years in both New Mexico and Texas. She has two kids, and her husband works with the post office.
LaVerne Martinez, Hurley Elementary principal, has been in education for 25 years and with the Cobre school district. Her husband works for Cobre also, and they just celebrated 23 years of marriage and have three kids.
Artie Sanchez, Snell Middle School principal, and Cobre High School assistant principal. He also serves as athletic director. He has three sons, who are all alumni of Cobre. He has been in education for 20 years, but this will be his first year in administration.
Margaret Flores Begay, Snell Middle School principal, she is a native of Grant County and has four daughters. She has a background in the juvenile justice system. She had been teaching for over 20 years. She feels her background will enhance her skill set for the position. She has served on several boards, one being Juvenile Justice Board.
Roxanne Ogas, Central Elementary School principal, has been in education for 27 years and 22 of those in elementary schools. She has been married 36 years and has three kids.
John Olson, Bayard Elementary principal, has been in education since 1991 and has worked in several districts. He has two boys.
Executive Secretary
Stephanie Snyder, executive secretary/ board secretary, graduated from WNMU (Western New Mexico University) and had obtained a bachelor's degree. She had also worked for AmeriCorps and the US Forest Service.
District Cabinet
Villa said she graduated from Cobre and was born, raised, and still lived in the district. She has three kids and has 10 years experience with families and students.
Alma Grijalva, supervisor of food services. She said she has 30 years of food service experience.
Norma Ramirez, coordinator of human resources and data, has lived here all her life. Her husband had retired, and her son works with the Town of Silver City as a firefighter and EMT. She had retired from the Town of Silver City.
Katelyn Church, coordinator of technology, said this would be her eighth year doing technology in the schools and she has 23 years of experience with information technology. "I am also an ordained Baptist minister."
Erica Luckhurst, coordinator of special education, said she has 15 years of special education experience.
Directors
Suzanne Chavira, director of academics, has been with the district 10 years, been married for 37 and has two kids.
Michael Koury, special projects, has 25 years in education. He believes the district needs to focus on the students and feels the new Innovation Grant will allow some exciting changes.
Lisa Walton, director of operations, said she has a wide variety of experience that has prepared her for this position. She has been married for 37 years and has four kids.
Frank Ryan, director of finance, has 35 years of accounting experience, with 28 of those in public schools.
Spaletta said last year Summerfest had around one thousand participants and 54 booths. This year it will be much bigger. He turned over the presentation to Villa. She said this year they would have 150 booths, 20 of them will be food. They will also have a car show, and many bands to play live music. They had lost their DJ but was hoping to get him replaced. The district had received $12,000 in donations for the event. Villa thanked everyone involved for their hard work. Begay asked her about parking. Villa said that had been a concern of hers also. The police will block off one road by the high school, and they would have the school parking lot and possibly use the tennis courts.
The board approved the bills. Begay said they had gone over them in the finance committee meeting and approved them.
The board approved the quarter two financial report, which Spaletta recommended.
The board approved application to the Grant County treasurer for the board of education positions to be filled in the November 7, 2023, regular local election. They will have three positions up for election.
Spaletta recommended and the board agreed not to approve the RFP (request for proposal) for school psychology services.
The board approved the RFP for physical therapy services. The company will be the same one they have been previously using, which was the only bid received. Guadiana opposed because he felt there had been a lack of process.
The board approved reposting the RFP for school psychology services.
The board approved reposting the RFP for occupational therapy services. They had not received any bids the first time.
The board approved reposting the RFP for speech and language services. They had not received any bids the first time.
The board approved reposting the RFP for diagnostic services. They had not received any bids the first time.
The board approved the resolution for lease purchase of education technology equipment. The district had received a letter from the state treasurer with documents that needed to be signed to receive the funding. Regina Gaysina, director of municipal finance with the state, joined the meeting online and explained the resolution, and terms of the loan. It will only be a one-day loan. "The lease purchase language is misleading but had to be worded that way legally." The district will have five years to spend the proceeds and will be receiving a little less than $1 million. They will have to provide a list of the expenditures to the state to make sure the expenditures would qualify for use of the funds. Next year they will receive another amount. The district will be asking each school for their technology needs.
The board approved the food service revised salary schedule. Begay said finance had approved it after the corrections had been made.
The board approved the revised stipend schedule. Begay said finance had approved after the corrections had been made.
The board approved the revised coach's stipend schedule. . Begay said finance had approved after the corrections had been made.
The board approved the resolution for the central drainage project. Begay said finance had approved after the corrections had been made. It will need an environmental report, but the project would start in August.
Unfinished business none currently.
Finance committee report
Begay said they had talked about the board norms and what they should be responsible for as a finance committee. They went over the day and times of their meetings. They will be the for now the first and third Tuesdays of every month. They eventually want to make the meeting once a month.
Audit committee report
Guadiana said they had not met this month but will next month. They have been waiting for the next audit to start. The meetings will be monthly but will not be open to the public due to audit sensitivity.
Superintendent's report
Spaletta said currently they only have one fundraiser going.
They had a little over $1 million left on the 2017 bond. A list of projects had been made with the public's input. They had seventeen total projects being worked on and a few have finished. Spaletta went over each one and they discussed the process of each one.
The district has been in the process of implementing "Small Find Express." Ramirez said it will be a software program to help with substitutes and coordination of what they need and where. It will make the process easier and faster for both the district and substitutes.
Spaletta said they have been meeting with Frontline Recruiting and Hiring to help with filling positions. They have an online presence and will cost the district $5,000-$6,000 a year.
The new cabinet had a retreat the previous week and eight people will attend training, in Albuquerque the following week.
The principals will all attend the training academy and a four-day training in Silver City the following week.
The district will have a public meeting in August to get feedback for the Tech Bond money the schools will be receiving. This had previously been talked about in this meeting and the amount available will be a little less than $1 million. The attending board had discussions of what they thought they needed and had disagreements between Begay and Guadiana of what they should have.
New business none currently.
Public input none currently.
The board went into closed session for a little over an hour. It would be for the superintendent to update the board on a formal complaint against the district with the New Mexico Public Education Department special education division.
The board came back into open session and reported no action had been taken.
Adjourned