District B Seat Declared Vacant.

During a special board meeting, the RE-1 board declared a vacancy in District B, formerly held by Bill Downey. No one is running for election in that district, which leaves RE-1 in a tight spot. If no one steps forth to fill the vacancy, someone will be appointed. Interested parties should contact the district office.

The Gardner School Foundation is sponsoring a 7^th & 8^th grade field trip to Mesa Verde which the board approved. William Polniak was hired as a long term substitute for the district and will be teaching math at John Mall. A substitute cook was added to the list and the old football scoreboard was declared surplus. A price of no less than $500 was suggested for anyone interested in purchasing the scoreboard. Yulanda Valerio volunteered to be the BOCES representative for the board.

The second half of the meeting was a board workshop. Doyle reported that the full day Kindergarten is proving a success at Peakview. Teachers appreciate the extra time to work on vital lessons.

The sports complex is still under construction with the concession stand and locker rooms still to be finished. Doyle is considering asking the community for donations due to financial shortfalls.

Lisa Brgoch and Donna Millis reported on the Gifted and Talented program issues in the district. Testing has been done for most of the district, and now evaluations and Advanced Learning Plans (ALP’s) will be done by December to keep the district in compliance. The board expressed concern that there had not been more accomplished since the state mandated the program in 2006. Issues regarding funding and co-operation with BOCES were brought up by Brgoch and Millis. The board said that the program will be discussed at further meetings.

The Daycare Center has made two offers for the Tioga building and old football field. The board stated that they would like at least $80,000 for both and would look forward to solid offers at the next meeting.

Bill Downey mentioned that the board should send condolences to the family of Jonathan Aguirre, who lost his life last week. The board was in agreement.

Huerfano County School Board Candidates.

School board candidacies are an interesting mix this year. Budget cuts, building projects, test scores and curriculum issues bring a serious side to what is often seen as a popularity contest by most voters. Accountability is a driving factor for many candidates this year. Not only do they realize that the schools are in the spotlight to improve, but so are the teachers, superintendents and their ruling bodies, the school boards.

RE-2 has one incumbent, A.R. Miller and four new candidates. A.R. Miller’s stated reason for running is to serve the people and students of RE-2 with the knowledge he has gained over the last four years. He has family in the school system and a desire to work with the district and the community. Miller wants to do his best for the kids.

Cindy Campbell, who has children in the RE-2 system would like to be more involved with the whole educational process. She wants to see improvements in test scores like the ACT, and better preparation for college or vocational schools. Cindy would like to see improved communications between the district, board and community.

Casey Watson is a substitute teacher with children in school. She would like to see RE-2 retain its standing as a good school and feels the hands on approach is one way to help. Her goal in joining the school board is to keep RE-2 a school of excellence and integrity.

Annalee Hickey works at the O&E school in Walsenburg. She is passionate about education and feels a young perspective would be important to the school board. An upbeat and invigorating viewpoint is what she would like to bring to RE-2.

Sabrina Kreutzer wants to be involved with the decisions that impact students. She has children in the school system, and feels being active in education is important. Working as a substitute in the district has given her insight and a desire to work with the school board.

RE-1 has two incumbents and two new candidates. Jesse Jackson, incumbent and board president is running again because he feels that there is too much unfinished business for him to walk away at this time. He feels that whichever candidate is chosen, will do a wonderful job.

Elisha Meadows is running against Jesse Jackson. As a parent, she would like to see better communications in the district for the benefit of everyone. College or job preparation is important as well, because children need every chance to succeed. Elisha feels that it is time for a different perspective on education in RE-1.

Robert Duran, incumbent, while originally undecided about running changed his mind. He too feels that he has too many projects left undone. Robert said that it takes a long time to understand all the ins and outs of being a board member and that four years just gets you started.

Sandra Dotter is running against Robert Duran. She served on the board of St. Mary’s school and would like to bring her business experiences to benefit RE-1. With family in the district, she understands that there is a need for balance in the curriculum between sports, academics and the arts and humanities. Sandra supports the idea of working to give every student the best chance at success.

This election promises to be interesting. Get out and vote!

The Need is Great!

Sandy Dolak in her presentation bid to be the grant writer for RE-2 stated that while the need is great, the money is less than ever before. This sentiment was echoed throughout the meeting on a variety of topics. Dolak was there as part of the team “Take us for Granted”, the grant writing business run by herself and Debbie Channel. She presented information during an interview held during the regular meeting. The board thanked her for the information and stated that they would get back to her at the next meeting. John Manos, the other grant writer scheduled for an interview was not present.

The meeting packed with board candidates, and other audience members heard A.R. Miller discuss discrepancies in the building projects that have been ongoing. EMC and the district have had numerous disagreements on issues concerning the kitchen at the elementary and the HVAC system in the buildings. After animated discussions, it was decided that A.R. Miller, and Superintendent Seaney would pull out all the paperwork involving various building phases and try to make sense of EMC’s change orders and billings. Board members stated that some of the confusion stemmed from the change of project managers. It was finally decided that the board would meet with EMC and discuss various frustrations. Until such time as the board is satisfied, over $50,000 in payments will be withheld.

In budget discussions, the board was made aware that the funding level would be approximately 3.7 million for the school year. This is down over $700,000. Monies from CDE and DOLA are not enough to cover a potential shortfall of $215,000. As with many small districts, 82% of the budget goes toward salaries and benefits. Director Law requested that CDE be contacted to help the district with health benefit issues. Seaney reiterated that while there is great need in the district for various programs, benefits and teachers, the funds are simply not going to be there. This is not an isolated problem, but one all districts will be facing next year.

An item of interest to the board considering budget concerns was the substitute pay scale. As RE-2 has one of the lowest rates for substitutes, it was suggested that they adopt a sliding scale commensurate with RE-1’s. More information would be brought to the board at the next meeting.

In other business, the board approved sending five students to the National FFA convention in Indianapolis, IN, on October 20^th-25^th, and Jeremy Hamlin was approved as the Junior HS football coach with commensurate pay.

Starry Skies

Just before dawn on Friday will see Saturn, Venus and Mercury in our skies close together in a vertical line to the right of the waning moon. Jupiter is still visible at night in the east.

On the 18^th, the new moon is in Scorpio. New moons are about energizing and birth. New ideas, new projects and innovative thinking are the order of the day. Use this time for hard work and planning strategies. Now is a time for decisiveness. Investigate candidates up for election and other ballot issues. Plan your garden for next year by getting those beds cleaned up now and compost the dead leaves and garden waste. Figure out your schedule to take in those football games or Thanksgiving trips. Plan your gift giving strategies for the holidays. Take the determined and positive energies flowing with the new moon and fight the battles worth fighting.

Starry Skies

Mercury went direct on Tuesday, so scrambled communications and computer issues should be clearing up soon. Jupiter shares the night sky with the harvest moon this week. Looking south-southeast, it will be the bright star just below the moon.

The Full moon in Aries on October 4^th reminds us to get organized. Now is a great time for those outdoor activities before the weather gets too cold. Football games, Homecoming parades, aspen viewings and the last harvests from the garden await.

Use your leadership skills and move forward with projects. Organize or plan your holiday lists. Visit your local stores for Halloween costume inspiration. Better yet, make those Thanksgiving holiday plans. Avoid those last minute frustrations with forethought and inspirations. Remember that Aries represents the child of the zodiac, so enjoy yourself before the nights are long dark and cold.

Budget Woes to Come

“Cut programs, not things,” was the advice Superintendent Seany was given at the Superintendent’s conference he recently attended. He explained that the State has a $770 million shortfall to deal with over the next three years. Educational budgets are a prime target for cuts. Seany explained that the district will be returning nearly $50,000 in new money given to the district this year by January 2010. Fortunately, money had already been set aside in case of just such a reality. Seany stated that districts were advised to start making contingency plans for future budget shortfalls. Consolidating services and perhaps consolidating school districts was mentioned. Better yet, come up with plans and solutions before the state mandates them, he was advised.

School is running smoothly, with two new students and plenty of homecoming activities for this week. NWEA testing has been finished with an in-service to be held in order to evaluate the data and use this information to help aid students. Students attended the Song of Pueblo and the Celtic Festival, much to the delight of students. Student council elections were held, the nature trail was cleaned by Mr. Kasper and some students, and Ron Ortivez III qualified for the State Golf Tournament.

Building projects are at a standstill. The HVAC system is still being tuned, Charlie Park awaits benches, the Preschool fire alarm system is nearly finished and training is the final step to complete the intercom system. Seany is requesting more bids on the bat infestation clean up. Board members asked Seany to investigate the possibility of CDE helping the district with the building issues and information regarding health insurance for district employees. Two candidates will be interviewed for the position of Grant writer for the district. Interviews will be held at the next meeting.

In other business, the substitute teacher list was approved, and Seany was asked to find out more information concerning local pay scales for substitutes. The highest bids were accepted for the two Suburbans and the school bus, and the new owners will be notified.

Local Talent

Local talent is something most people associate with grade school shows, and TV programs. This week sees the 5^th Annual Celtic Music Festival gracing stages across the county. The festival showcases talent from around the world. What most people don’t realize is how much local talent goes into making this festival happen.

Lighting, sound, stage management and administrative skills all go into making this happen. People just appear out of the woodwork with skills or abilities that make the festival possible.

This happens with La Plaza, Gardner Hippy Days and the Black Diamond Jubilee as well. Each event sees the appearance of musical performers and other artisans from the community. Where does all this local talent come from?

It hides. It waits. It lurks in the shadows, showers and quiet corners of our community. Better yet, it isn’t just musical or entertainment talent that take on ninja style qualities. Huerfano County is full of artists of all kinds. There are quilters, painters, storytellers, woodworkers, singers, cooks, musicians, writers, craftsmen, and indispensable organizers. While they lurk in our community, we know some of them. At bake sales, we know who’s tortillas or scones to buy. Need a band or a sound system? A familiar handful of names come up. Want a perfect present? Follow that golden path to those local individuals at the crafts fair.

The astounding thing is the lack of recognition these people get. Beautiful voices grace the shower. Fantastic works of art get lost amongst papers in a back office. Individuals who make computers sing or offices sit up and beg hide. Why? Is it nerves or fear of not meeting some unknown expectation? Or is it habit? After years of being told to be humble or unassuming, are they afraid to share?

Local talent, like produce is best appreciated when shared. Our festivals showcase local talent. Our newspaper is the product of local talent. The craft festivals and art communities would not exist were it not for local talent. Perhaps it is time for more of us to step out of the shower and sing with a local choir. Take a chance and display those paintings, quilts or pottery at the next craft fair. Volunteer at that community meeting and dazzle them with your organizational skills. Better yet, next time you see someone who has talent hiding under a bush, take their hand and help the rest of our community benefit by their expertise.

Valerio Appointed New District G Director

After public interviews, the RE-1 board chose Yulanda Valerio as the new Director replacing Lynette Kleinschmidt who resigned last month. Valerio presented a resume as well as letters of recommendations from Roger Cain and Ray Garcia. She looks forward to representing the Gardner area.

The Senior Class of John Mall petitioned the board for the privilege of taking lunch off campus. The four class representatives presented a letter, contract and rules to the board for inspection. The board approved this proposal to the delight of the representatives.

Principal Bennett reported that a new Falcon logo has been adopted. The art work is by Jan Frye. The kitchen is due to receive a temporary occupancy certification by Friday and the teacher teams are working diligently on a variety of projects. The farmer’s market was a big success.

Principal Martinez reported on the new full day Kindergarten program. 90% of the parents are happy with the new arrangement. Accommodations have been made to help the kindergarten students cope with the long day. The Learning Force program for math is starting and NWEA testing has been completed. October 22^nd will see the school carnival, Oktoberfest at Peakview. Bingo and the cakewalk will be featured.

Principal Siders focused her report on the fact that this is a year of Restructure for John Mall. There are a variety of changes in attitudes and programs. Curriculum is being assessed and more NWEA testing done. Surveys specifically for the community and businesses are going out soon. Efforts to make the 8^th graders more comfortable at the high school are in the works. Homecoming is next week and Siders hopes that the community will come out and support the kids. Superintendent Doyle stated that there are 21 O&E students with one graduation in mid September.

The meeting was punctuated by resignations and and retirement notices. Butch Romero retired after 13 years of service to the district. Romero and Kleinschmidt received gifts at the meeting. Ray Bustos resigned as basket ball coach, prompting the district to approve an extra duty assignment for Michael Gidden. Erin Ruiz, social studies teacher at John Mall received approval for maternity leave until January. Most heartfelt was the resignation of Eva Benine, on the grounds of family health issues. The board accepted her resignation with deep regret and hoped all the best for her.

In other business, the board approved various readings of seven district policies, approved parent volunteers and a volunteer trainer, approved the District Accountability/Accreditation Council and hired a custodian for the district. They approved the application for a USDA grant to fence the new track for $25,000. There were also additions to the Substitute Teacher and Secretary list. Last but not least, old track uniforms will be sold for $1 or given away.

Laptops & Computers & Projectors, Oh My!

The Board approved the purchase of laptops, number pads, and projectors for the Elementary, and High School. It was noted that the request for these items reflect the teachers desire for more technology in the classroom.

Joan Hanley updated the board on the eagle statue for Charlie park. She estimated its arrival was three weeks out. Insurance and funding was briefly discussed. Benches and tables are still needed to finish Charlie Park and the school grounds.

The HVAC system is complete except for final tuning. The trenching work at the preschool has been completed and the intercom and fire alarm system should be done soon. The kitchen vent hood still has problems. Classes at both schools are going well, and the kids love the grassy areas.

Heath Higgins was hired as a long term substitute for the 6^th grade, pending alternative licensing with the state. NWEA testing has begun. The teachers are more involved this year, with extra monitoring working well. The official population count is at 246.5, an increase of 18 students. The 1^st and 9^th grades have the highest pupil count.

Repainting the LV on the hill was mentioned. A change in land ownership will allow for the repainting of the rocks. It was stated that this must be a non-school function due to insurance issues. Tim Dixon, auditor, stated that the district is in good standing and praised Angie Geiser and the business office for their efforts in preparing the the district data.

Bats in the ceiling of the counselor’s office prompted the board to caution Mr. Sciacca to prepare to move out while repairs are made to his office.

In other business, there are five candidates running for election. The board hired a full time custodian, and instructional aide, accepted a grant for $15,474.53 for kitchen equipment, and accepted propane and fuel bids for the year. Board policy on health care and substitute pay rates are to be discussed.

Starry Skies

The new moon is in Virgo on the 18^th. The equinox is September 22^nd. Combined, the two bring the influences of balance, harvest, and harmony. It’s a good time to harvest that garden or head up into the mountains to pick rosehips, choke cherries or other wild bounty. New moons are about growth and beginnings, which work well for starting back to school or the new football season. Clean up your health habits, garden and tackle box. Take time out of your Fall cleaning to take in a Panther’s game. Enjoy a drive to see the aspen change color. It’s a good time for fishing or that last picnic before the weather changes.

And if you’re feeling just a bit disorganized or your computer is screwing up, Mercury went Retrograde on the 7^th. It is due to turn itself around on September 29^th.