At the first meeting of the 2025–26 school year on Monday, the Mancos RE-6 school board received updates on Cortez’s status with BOCES, district goals for the new year, and immigration policies, among other items.
Board President Emily Hutcheson-Brown discussed recruiting two new student board members and encouraged students to apply.
“We want students to realize what an impact they could have,” board member Craig Benally said.
The board also noted that two seats will be up for reelection in November.
Rachel McWhirter provided an update on BOCES and the Montezuma-Cortez School District’s efforts to leave the organization. She said the BOCES board voted not to oppose Cortez’s departure this year.
“It is up to CDE for the final decision,” McWhirter said.
Board member Tim Hunter expressed disappointment in the decision, and the board discussed how Cortez’s exit could affect Mancos and other rural districts if approved by the Colorado Department of Education.
McWhirter added that there is no “reported ill will” between Cortez and BOCES and that collaboration may still occur when needed.
In her first report as superintendent, Audrey Hazleton shared that she has been in the role for seven to eight weeks, with five weeks spent in person in Mancos.
Hazleton said she was “really impressed” with family engagement efforts at the Early Learning Center and highlighted the new math curriculum at the elementary school and the high school advisory program.
She said she is focused on building a district-wide leadership team and recruiting to fill open positions.
Hutcheson-Brown informed attendees that the school resource officer position is no longer filled, as the designated officer resigned. She emphasized that local law enforcement still provides coverage and that the existing memorandum of understanding remains in effect.
In the business manager’s report, the board received a budget update and was told the district would continue operating under the current budget, despite some challenges.
Toward the end of the meeting, Hazleton presented the district’s mission goals for the year, focusing on strategic plan alignment. The goals were drafted by the district’s administration team.
“Our current strategic plan is robust and complex,” the presentation rationale stated. “An alignment and articulation process ensures every staff member sees the immediate connection of their role to our goals, mission and vision for the district and every student in the 2025–26 school year.”
The goals center on building a healthy community, fostering engaging learning, and strengthening cohesive systems and structures. These align with the district’s Portrait of a Graduate competencies and other existing initiatives.
A staff survey showed strong support for the goals, and next steps for implementation and community presentation were shared.
The board also discussed updates to the district’s immigration policies to comply with Senate Bill 25-276, signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis in May.
The law designates schools, hospitals, and similar areas as “protected locations,” barring immigration officials from entering without a warrant to conduct status checks.
Districts must now adopt compliant policies, train staff, and update guidelines. Staff are prohibited from discussing student or parent immigration status with law enforcement or others unless ordered by a court.
On Aug. 25, the board adopted an emergency resolution titled “KLG-R Relations with Federal Immigration Officers.”
One section of the policy states:
“The district will not collect the place of birth, immigration or citizenship status or information from passports, permanent resident cards, alien registration cards or employment authorization documents for students or their parents/guardians, except as necessary to verify information as required by state and/or federal law or to comply with a subpoena, order or warrant issued by a federal judge.”
Another section states that no person or agency may access a student’s academic record without consent from the student, parent or guardian, or as required by law.
The district designated Hazleton – or the acting superintendent at the time – as the point person for immigration matters. Elementary Principal Mary Marable and High School Principal James Hughes were named as alternates.
The policy also outlines procedures for responding to official requests for student immigration information.
The next Mancos school board meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 15, at 6 p.m.
