Quality Education is job 'One'

The Ruidoso Municipal School Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting 5:30 p.m., Oct. 9 at the Administration building, 200 Horton Circle.

The meeting was called to order by President Luther Light. In attendance were Vice President Marc Beatty, Secretary Gillian Baudo, and Superintendent Dr. George Bickert.  Board members Gina Klinekole and Shane Holder were not present. Student liaison, Carson Vasile, from Ruidoso High school was in present representing the student body.

The focus of the meeting addressed all the schools and teachers and the recognition they are receiving from the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED). Ruidoso schools have recently been sent their individual letter grades from the NMPED with all the schools having shown some improvement or leveling off (none of the schools dropped in grades).

More: National report praises New Mexico’s teacher evaluation system

Teachers have been praised by the NMPED and many are receiving awards of recognition. Several teachers and staff were presented with awards by Dr. Bickert honoring all their hard work this year as they continue to strive to ensure that all students are receiving the best possible education. Administration and staff have been focusing on several different methods to see that each child has the opportunity and resources to excel academically.

More students are graduating from High School and the schools have a higher retention rate this year. “We are seeing a high enrollment this year. There are more students in the classrooms than last year. Even though there had been a ten-year decline, we flattened out over the last two years, and this year we have gone up in the number of students we have in our district,” Bickert said.

Administration and staff have been working diligent to keep these grades up while focusing on plans to increase the student’s over-all testing scores. “We need to see if we are meeting the state average.”

Receiving a School Improvement Grant (SIG) the schools can focus on coordinating a behavioral specialist that would work directly with students and staff. The schools have volunteers from both Ruidoso Middle School and Ruidoso High school to receive training for “Capturing Kids Hearts”.

The school district believes this program will help students who may be having difficulties in class that may not be linked to their learning capabilities. The program will train teachers and staff having 23 volunteers at the White Mountain Complex (WMC), 20-30 certified staff members and teachers from each grade level involved with the program.

“Principals Perusing Excellence” (PPE) Program was discussed.  PPE would focus 100 percent on a way to “Better lead learning for all grades” while emphasizing student efforts, student learning, student joy, and increase learning practices. The district would like to see student’s confidence levels increase as it will help them in the class room.

“We want to see the students ask how I many questions did I get right on the exam, not how many did I get wrong,” Dr. Jenkins said. Currently the after-school program at WMC offers tutoring in reading and math allocated by a grant. The district is one year into a four-year grant. “What will happen when this grant runs out in three years. Will there be another way to continue these programs?” Marc Beatty said.

Addressing the question, Dr. Bickert assured that there are many grants out there that will help to continue these types of after school programs. “We are always looking at alternatives for other sources of funding; grants. There are many available grants and programs that we will qualify for. I do not believe that this is an issue,” Dr. Bickert said.

In other business, voting this next Nov. and how it will affect the schools in the district was discussed.  According to board member Beatty there will be a school bond on the ballot and he addressed Dr. Bickert for clarification.  “All I can say is please get out there and vote. The Blue-Ribbon Committee can talk about different bonds, I cannot,” he said. The Blue-Ribbon Committee has both teacher and board member representation with committee members coming on board in 2016.

Related: New Mexico's Guideline for Homeless Students

Additionally, the board discussed the student homeless population in Lincoln County, specifically in Ruidoso. As defined by the State of New Mexico Laws, Administration Code and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001, as amended by Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 defines the term” homeless student” as one who lacks a fixed, regular, or adequate residences through the night.

Students who live with someone else, in a motel, hotel, trailer park or camp ground, car, park, a public space, an abandoned building, substandard housing, a bus or train station, or anything similar, due to the lack of alternative accommodations, or are living in emergency shelters or transitional shelters, have been abandoned or are awaiting foster care are considered to be a “homeless student”.

“We have several students in our district that are homeless. We cannot turn them away no matter what their situation is. It is against the law, and we would not refuse the right for any child to receive an education, not matter where they live,” Dr. Bickert said. “In one year we had as many as 35 homeless students in our district. This has much to do with their family and home life. Many of them leave their homes for one reason or another, stay with a friend or an overnight shelter. New Mexico has a very high poverty level, and many issues at home can be a factor including alcohol and/or drug abuse. The student seeks a way to find other places to go. They ‘couch surf’."

Additionally, progress on the WME Complex was addressed. There has been the need for roof repairs and the situation is being handle. “I have seen some leaks; rainstorms over there. Have they been fixed yet?” Beatty said. “It was an unfortunate mistake. They haven’t been fixed yet, or at least I do not think so, but I am hopeful. We will know tomorrow,” Maintenance supervisor Clay Clemons said.

In closing, Action items were voted on and were approved/carried.