By Lynn Janes
The Silver City Consolidated Schools held a work session and regular meeting, on June 18, 2024, at the Silver High School theater. Members in attendance Ashley Montenegro, Michelle Diaz, Mike McMillan and Kimberly Klement (phone). Superintendent William Hawkins also attended. Patrick Cohn didn't attend.
Work session
The board went into executive session to discuss the superintendent's 2024-2025 contract.
The board came back from executive session and said no action had taken place and the superintendent's contract would be addressed during the regular meeting on the agenda.
Regular meeting
Information and presentations.
Several teachers that had attended the TCEA 2024 Conference came to present to the board what they had learned. The conference provides professional development for educators and centers on AI (artificial intelligence). They addressed acceptable guidelines and future plans for AI use in the classroom. The teachers had been able to see how other districts compare and how they have been using AI. One of the teachers said it has made things more efficient for them in the classroom and was not as scary as people think. The conference took place in Austin, Texas for six days and they learned about cyber security and how AI will be a part of the world. Each teacher said they had all found it very useful and it had given them better insights. They realized the fears but also saw the benefits. The teachers felt comfortable using it in their classrooms. The group said they knew that they needed to have community outreach and educate students and parents.
Hawkins said they would be doing an acceptable use policy that made it all clearer. Diaz said she admired them for stepping out and being proactive. "We want to see the tool used responsibly." She asked them how it would be integrated long term. One of the teachers said that it is new, and they will still be looking at how they will integrate it into the classroom. For now, it would not be a separate course.
Montenegro said they have a current policy but because of the conference and what had been learned they will be making changes and updating it. Hawkins said they had sent out the policy at the beginning of last year to the parents and students. This year they will be doing the same thing with the updated one. Diaz said they just needed to make sure they continued to be transparent on all the policies concerning AI.
Montenegro asked the teachers how they had been using AI in the classrooms and one said they had actually been using it for several years with math classes. Teachers have been using it to filter information and it made it quicker. The kids have already been using it with Snapchat. Hawkins said they had started using it in the wellness program. Students can ask for help using an AI software. One of the teachers said people have been using AI for a while and have just not been aware.
They discussed having a separate class for students on AI. One of the teachers said, "We are not there yet." He described it as being on horses and the first Model T had just come out, they needed to work up to it. The future will be AI and the district needed to help the kids. Much of it will be new and untested but they needed to stay connected. It will be a long process to integrate AI and they will have bumps in the road. Many that have been afraid of AI have been using Snapchat and don't realize they have been using AI.
Klement wanted to clarify that the students and teachers would be receiving the new policy at the beginning of the year. She asked what they would do if a parent refused to agree to AI and how would they handle it. The policy will only be addressing plagiarism.
Shane Coker, SPED (special education) director, addressed the board to give an update. He started out his presentation wanting the board to know that Michiko Moore, La Plata Middle School teacher had received the LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) award for district educator of the year, and she also received the state educator of the year award.
They had received changes for SPED in the last legislative session. He had incorporated those changes and presented it to Walsh Gallegos Law Firm, the school district's attorney for approval. This year they had to make small changes. Diaz asked some question concerning the district having to pay for evaluations up to 100 miles away. Coker said they mostly have been done locally but have been able to do the rest using Zoom. The IEA-B application had been submitted and they have just been waiting to hear on the award amount.
Superintendent report
Hawkins went over the four pillars of the strategic plan. He addressed the achievements, surveys and the feedback from the surveys. They use that data to set new goals. Dr. Gayle Juneau-Butler, Studor Education, has provided them with guidance all along the way. "We look forward to the feedback from the staff, students and parents, it lets us know what we need to change to meet the needs and concerns."
Hawkins updated the board on the GO Bond and SB9 process. The plans had been set in motion for the special election. They will have an ad in the paper alerting the public to the election proclamation. The district will then arrange payment to the county clerk for the special election. In July the voters will receive notice of the upcoming election and at the end of July the ballots will be mailed out. Hawkins said he has still been doing presentations anywhere he can.
The New Mexico Vistas school designations had been released. They had received excellent, spotlight and traditional designations at each of the schools. In May PED (public education department) revised the designations saying they had new data, and it would reflect the schools more accurately. In that change some schools went up and some went down.
Louis Alvarez, associate superintendent, gave the board a personnel report. He provided a list of openings but said they had applications and interviews coming. Currently the district is staffed at 97 percent. They had hired two people since the report had been compiled. All the teaching positions except one had been filled. They have been struggling to fill custodian positions.
Alvarez went over all the new 2024-2025 student handbooks and the changes. He said many had very few changes if any. They meet each year and invite parents to go over the handbooks line by line and discuss. He thanked the parents that had been involved. They had made some major changes concerning cell phones. Cell phones have become a big distraction. Cell phones and ear buds can only be used in designated areas and times in the new handbooks. It will also include the staff. Exception will be addressed with students that need their phone for medical reasons. In the high school they had changes concerning bullying and stay away contracts. They had changed the discipline matrix and made it more about finding the problem. It will take more time, but they had decided it would be better for the students. To let the students know about the changes they will have school assemblies and post it on Parents Square and the district website. Hawkins said, "This ensures students are present in their learning process."
Cindy Barris, associate superintendent, said the district has done a health adoption that covers all the schools from 8th grade to high school. They have also done a CTE (career technical education) adoption. Each teacher can choose their own program that can be done online or through books.
Joyce Barela, mental health coordinator, didn't attend due to a two week training she had been taking at the time. Barris said they had a document with her report, and she could answer any questions they had. Hawkins said that the wellness rooms had a positive impact on the students.
Michele McCain, director of finance, said she had not provided the board with a fiscal year 2025 increment salary schedule. She had provided it to them and went over all the changes from the previous year.
Montenegro said the finance subcommittee had met and had looked the increment salary schedule over. They had addressed the significant budget loss in transportation. They had lost $360,000 from what had been received the previous year.
Montenegro did the first reading for:
Policy Advisory No. 238 BBA – Board Powers and Responsibilities
1st Reading Policy Advisory No. 239 BE – School Board Meetings
1st Reading Policy Advisory No. 240 BEC-E – Executive Session/Open Meetings
1st Reading Policy Advisory No. 241 BEDA – Notification of Board Meetings
1st Reading Policy Advisory No. 242 BEDBA – Agenda Preparation and Dissemination
1st Reading Policy Advisory No. 243 BEDG –Minutes
1st Reading Policy Advisory No. 244 BEDH –Public Participation at Board Meetings
1st Reading Policy Advisory No. 245 CB –Superintendent
These changes in policy had been due to the recent legislative changes.
Board comments
Montenegro said she wanted to send her concern and caring for the people of Ruidoso. Her thoughts and prayers would be with them. She commented on how great the track looked and the roads around the high school looked all done and finished. She hoped everyone had a wonderful summer and they had many new things coming in the fall.
Diaz wanted to thank all the parents involved in bringing the handbooks up to date. "AI is exciting, and it is better to be proactive." She thanked the educators that use their own time to further their education. "It shows how much they care." She said McMillan would not say anything, but he had been inducted into the Athletic Trainer Hall of Fame in New Mexico.
McMillan hoped everyone had been enjoying their summer and thanked those still working. "I am excited to see the roads and track done and the recreation center started."
Klement said she agreed with everyone about the track and McMillan's award. She had attended the Ron Clark Academy and is excited to see how it develops. She had seen a renewed compassion with the educators.
Action items
The board approved all requests made by Michelle McCain, finance director. She had checks totaling $5,032,771.71 and no budget adjustments or bids. They also received donations.
Elks Lodge No. 413-Silver High NHD (National History Day) $500
Allison & Daniel Heneghan- La Plata Middle School NHD $1,128.20
Town of Silver City- La Plata Middle School $2,000
Silver City Dental-Silver High School NHD $1,000
First New Mexico Bank-Silver High School $500
NM Humanities Council-Silver High School NHD $6,000
AZNM Property Holdings LLC-Silver High School $3,000
Action Realty Dale Spurgeon- Silver High School Lady Colts $500
Terrazas Funeral Chapels- Silver High School Lady Colts $500
Antonio Andazola, transportation director, presented the 2024-2025 fleet service contracts to the board. He told the board they had taken a real hit on the budget and had let the contractors know that the district has applied for emergency funding to help.
The board approved the 2024-2025 superintendent's contract
The board approved the 2024-2025 student handbooks
The board approved the 2024-2025 special education manual.
The board tabled the IDEA-B application since they did not have a dollar amount.
The board approved the fiscal year 2025 increment salary schedules.
The board approved the fleet service contracts for 2024-2025
The next finance committee meeting will take place July 11, 2024.
The next regular work session and board meeting will be July 15, 2024
Adjourned