Socorro School Board reorganizes, meets twice a month

Socorro Consolidated School Board voted to start conducting two monthly meetings on Mondays to streamline its decision-making process.

The decision was made during a special meeting on Monday, August 5, where it also updated its committees.

The new schedule would include a regular meeting on the first and the third Monday, with committee meetings scheduled in between on the second Monday of the month.

Interim Superintendent Aubrey Tucker said the schedule would allow for board reports from their committees to be presented at the third Monday board meeting.

“I like that it’s sandwiched between, so we can have issues that come up on the first Monday that the committees can discuss. And then on the third board meeting, go ahead and present it,” Sharon Sessions, board member, said.

David Hicks, school board president, said he felt the extra meeting would allow them to catch up on policies, “it places us in a situation to where everything that comes up can get addressed within two weeks, instead of a month.”

Board members Tara Jaramillo and Pauline Jaramillo also spoke in favor of the extra meeting.

“I really liked this idea; I have found that I have a disconnect when it comes to waiting for information or waiting for another board meeting to gain information,” Tara Jaramillo said, “especially now that we’re in a transition time and addressing issues sooner rather than later. I think would be to the benefit of the community and certainly the school community at large.”

Tucker added that a second board meeting would also benefit the administration, who often have deadlines that require board approval.

Committees

Tucker recommended the formation of a Construction/Maintenance committee, and the board approved it.

“I personally think it’s a great idea as well. To keep up with a lot of money being spent right now so we can all discuss it and talk about it and get the public and everybody involved in it,” Hicks said.

Hicks appointed himself and Pauline Jaramillo to serve on that committee.

Hicks also appointed Tara Jaramillo and board member Kathleen Ocampo to be on the finance committee and for himself and Sessions to be on the policy committee.

Hearing officer

Tucker recommended that June Romero perform all hearings. He told the board that he has “respectfully removed” himself from the school’s hearing officer position because it would create a conflict of interest.

He said Romero has over 30 years of experience in districts of all sizes and understands legal processes and policies, such as special education laws.

“She’s not the type of person to say okay, this is what the book says. This is what I’m going to do. She wants to work with the student. She wants to work with the district. Yes, it is something in which there is going to be an accountability. She believes in accountability, not punishment, and we’re not here to punish children,” Tucker said. “She’s going to have a consequence for their actions. And whatever is possible for them to return back into the public school system. She’s going to work with the district to do that.”

The board voted in favor of Romero.

Executive Session

The special meeting began with a two-and-a-half-hour closed executive session “for the purpose of possible legal exposure of district equipment; possible legal issues in reference to district properties of Sarracino Middle School, Zimmerly School, and Socorro High School. Reviews of legal claim of current employee of the district, possible legal claim of a former employee of the district.”

The board voted to come out of the executive session without any comments on the discussion.

The next board meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., August 19, in the board meeting room at the Socorro District office.