At their meeting Tuesday the Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 school board heard testimony from a teachers, approved a superintendent’s contract and ratified a Colorado Department of Education decision allowing the district to become its own administrative unit.
The board entered executive session to obtain legal advice and negotiate contract terms. Afterward, members unanimously approved a contract for incoming Superintendent Eddie Ramirez.
Board President Sheri Noyes celebrated the finalized agreement, noting there would be no more contract meetings. Deb Ramsey, executive assistant to the superintendent and board, presented plaques to Superintendent Tom Burris and outgoing members honoring their service.
At the December meeting, new members will be sworn in. Mike Lynch will remain on the board.
The board also recognized last weekend’s middle school play, an FFA trip to Washington, D.C., and a successful Family Engagement Night.
In his report, Burris offered advice to incoming members and discussed recent personnel issues. He urged the board to care for all students, including ESS students and students of color.
“They are not riffraff and thugs, they are all children, souls, that you are responsible to educate,” he said.
He warned against “entitled” parents and “elite” classes that limit access to top academic honors. Burris said teachers should prepare lesson plans and “address all students’ needs” and cautioned against micromanaging staff.
He noted “several” recent personnel issues involved law enforcement “when appropriate.”
“While the ‘community’ might want the transparency, it is not ethical to release disciplinary action to the public,” Burris said.
After reports from the assistant superintendent and finance director, Exceptional Student Services coordinator Lisa Megel updated the board on special education training held Nov. 4 and additional training scheduled Dec. 12 with Elena Gallegos. She said district nurses now use iPads to monitor blood sugar levels of students with diabetes without disrupting classrooms.
During public comment, Kasey Hamerschlag raised concerns about the strategic plan lacking preschool action steps needed to support literacy outcomes. English teacher Samuel Thomas thanked the board for its honesty in presenting recent test scores.
Thomas said that honesty inspired him to share scores with students, who are now “rising to the challenge” to improve. He emphasized “progress, not perfection.”
He praised fellow teachers for focusing on academics and “build into students’ character,” and administrators like Principal Jennifer Boniface for fostering trust.
“I’m really proud of the teachers I work with,” he said.
Thomas invited skeptics to visit his classroom.
“I love my calling, and my door is always open,” he said. “If you want to see the work that is happening in the school … please call and make an appointment, come visit and ask for Mr. Thomas’s class. My door is always open.”
Both Noyes and Ed Rice responded emotionally.
“I just want to thank you. That’s going to be one of the last things I hear on this board, so thank you,” Noyes said.
Rice, a retired educator, reflected on relationships with students.
“I appreciate the relationships too that you talked about … unless you taught, I don’t think you can understand those relationships. I had a student from 20 years ago, married, has four kids now, decided to go back to get her teaching degree and six months ago … sorry,” Rice said, tearfully. “Told me to mark the date in December to walk the stage up in Laramie. So, that’s about having relationships.”
In action items, the board approved a resolution ratifying the Colorado Department of Education decision allowing the district to separate from BOCES and form its own administrative unit.
The resolution states: “Now, therefore, we, the Board of Directors of M-CSD, hereby declares that it will accept the release from San Juan BOCES upon receipt of its granted petition from the CDE and will form its own administrative unit.”
The next board meeting is Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m.
