The Montezuma-Cortez Re-1 school district met in their new boardroom Tuesday, April 16, while discussing new social studies materials for the middle school and parent surveys.
In presentations, Cortez Middle School students Costner Hernandez and Cassidy Whited informed the board what they have been learning in health class, including the effects of social media on young people.
Both Hernandez and Whited shared some positive ways that social media can affect adolescents, as well as some of the physical and mental dangers.
Hernandez shared that some young people could unintentionally harm themselves by mimicking what others are doing on social media without realizing the safety implications.
After the social media presentation, the middle school provided the board and Superintendent Tom Burris with information on the proposed curriculum for social studies classes.
The material will be displayed at the boardroom, 400 N. Elm St., April 17 through May 20. The public is invited to review the materials Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Burris expressed his excitement about the new boardroom, saying that it was “professional and relays our efforts for student outcomes.”
The board desk can be moved from the stage, and Burris said they had offered the room to Beech Street Preschool for a graduation ceremony.
Burris gave an update on the mill and bond efforts, saying they need a nonschool employee treasurer to do fundraising for signs, flyers and other materials.
The bond proposal is on schedule, according to Burris.
He also mentioned the proposal for strategic planning, which was in the board’s consent agenda.
In the finance report, Stotz donated $5,000 to the MCHS Agriculture Department, and the district received a request for $86,988.68 from the MCHS general fund for Pueblo Community College.
The invoice was initially $106,009, but the district was given a credit of $19,020 for the PCC classes that are being taught by Montezuma-Cortez High School teachers.
Jim Parr, executive director of Student Academic Services, shared results from the 2023-2024 engagement surveys sent to parents of district students.
Kemper Elementary’s survey had 63 respondents, and most responses reflected positively for the school, specifically in the areas of teacher and student relationships, student safety and student learning.
In the question, “I know which areas the district has targeted for academic improvement based upon district/school improvement plans,” 21% of respondents said that they neither agreed or disagreed.
The high school survey also showed positive responses, with two that fell out of the “agree” or “strongly agree” category. The survey recorded 118 parents or guardians who participated.
The survey showed that 32% of respondents neither agree or disagree with which areas the district has targeted for academic improvement based upon district/school improvement plans,” and 23% of respondents neither agreed or disagreed with “I get as much information as I want regarding my student’s progress.”
Out of the 98 middle school respondents, 30% neither agreed nor disagreed with “the school lets me know right away of incidents involving my child,” 39% marked neither agree nor disagree with “my child’s school is good at encouraging two-way communication with families,” and 31% disagreed with the statement “I know which areas the district has targeted for academic improvement based upon district/school improvement plans.
Mesa Elementary School had 51 respondents, 37% of whom said they neither agreed nor disagreed that their child’s school is good at encouraging two-way communication.
In the realm of safety, 39% of parents said they agreed with the statement that their child was “safe and welcome at school,” while 37% said they neither agreed nor disagreed with that statement.
Lewis-Arriola had the strongest positive responses, with 55% of 38 respondents saying that they felt their child was safe and welcome at school. Twenty-two percent of respondents said that they neither agreed nor disagreed with, “I know which areas the district has targeted for academic improvement based upon district/school improvement plans.
Lisa Megel, executive director of Exceptional Student Services, spoke to the board about the April 5 training that the special education teachers and administrators in the district took part in with Elena Gallegos.
The full-day training covered legally defensible Individualized Education Plans and practices.
ESS teacher training also took place on April 12, and the next day of training will take place Friday, April 26. BOCES said they will no longer provide the services beginning in the 2024-2025 school year.
“This training will help our teachers to have time to practice and build skills with support going into the next school year,” Megel said.
They also had a paraprofessional training with BOCES on April 12 to better prepare for students with needs that relate to mobility and independence, according to Megel.
The next Montezuma-Cortez school board meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 21 at 6 p.m.
