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Carrizozo Board of Edu cation rehired teachers, accepted resignations, and got senior activities in motion at its meeting Tues day night. All board members accepted the resignation of Bill Wise, Wayne Mason, Gretchen Becker and Ron Becker. They re-employed, for the 1991-92 school year, Nancy Maxwell, Dana Rhoten, Gabriel Papponi, Douglas Jarrard, Linda Caldwell, Ginger Shafer, Evelyn Schwartz and Michael Schwartz. Sharon Baker, Mercie Epperson, Pat Holland and Gerald Montes have con tracts through 1991-92. June Caster, Mike Gaines, Mar iann Patterson, Wini Wil more and Bob Hemphill have contracts through the 1992-93 school year. Members met in closed session about two hours to consider personnel before approving staff in the open meeting. The room was crowded with teachers, parents and seniors who were interested in who was to be rehired and who wanted to voice their feelings about senior activities. After the board accepted Supt. Danny Burnett’s recommendation of Candace Wilcox as Valedictorian and Val Archuleta as Salutato rian for the Class of 1991, two parents spoke about school policies affecting the top two seniors. Linda Archuleta had talked with Capitan and other schools on rules about valedictorian when a student jumps a grade by taking cor respondence courses. Capi tan allows only two credits for correspondence courses, which would “not bump off” other seniors who want to be valedictorian or salutatorian. Archuleta and Ben Shee han had approached the pre vious board about the subject of imposing strict rules on students who transfer into Carrizozo Schools with a high grade point average. The mothers argued their children have worked their way through the Carrizozo School system with good grades hoping to become Val edictorian or Salutatorian. However, they received no reply, not in the form of a pol icy statement or phone call. The mothers considered the situation unfair to those Carrizozo students. Board president J.C. Richmond said the board decided to go with the exist ing policy and could not make any changes to it now for this year. Member Gary Hightower asked how long Candace Wil cox had been at Carrizozo Schools, which has been two years. He indicated that is long enough to determine her ability to make the high grades in the Carrizozo school setting. His opinion was the policy should be changed only to reflect the length of time a student has to determine abilities. Richmond promised to look at the policy. Senior Class sponsor Bill Wise then approached the board with a tentative itiner ary for the senior trip to Tex as, including Padre Island, the Alamo in San Antonio and Sea World with an esti mated total cost of $4191. However, a problem arose that day about the amount of participation by each stu dent to earn a share in the senior trip. Two years ago the seniors set an 80 percent participat ing requirement for the trip. Now seven seniors lack the 80 percent. Wise recom mended eliminating the 80 percent requirement because record keeping has been inaccurate since the stu dents’ freshman year. Students lacking percen tage can make it up with cash. Member Jan Barham agreed on the inaccurate bookkeeping, and Burnett worried some students with enough percentages also had inaccurate bookkeeping, but how to figure that out. Kevin Sheehan, a senior, said it would not be fair to people who worked to let those who were not at 80 per cent to get a “free ride.” Senior Nancie Vega said all students knew about the 80 percent rule and also thought it unfair to let those without 80 percent to go without paying. Wise said most of those without the 80 percent have indicated they would pay out of pocket to go on the trip. The board directed Wise to meet with the seniors and come back to the board about their decision on the 80-per cent rule. Wise also presented his recommendation for bacca laureate and graduation speakers, Rev. Hayden Smith of Carrizozo Baptist Church and Rev. Tom Broom of Carrizozo Methodist. The board approved the speakers. Burnett presented a cer tificate from the State Dept. of Education signed by Supt. Alan Morgan, honoring Can dace Wilcox for her outstand ing academic achievement and ACT score, as a 1990-91 ACT Scholar. Wilcox scored 31 on her ACT overall and a perfect 35 in the English sec tion. She is in the 95th per centile in the nation. The design work for the new football field lighting project was reviewed. The old poles will be removed and replaced with poles and hal lide type lights which will boost candle power on the field from the current 6-8 to 34-40. Estimated cost is $55,000. Funds will come from the bond issue passed in 1990. The school will contact designer Gary Anderson and a call for bids will be adver tised within one month. The board hopes to get the project completed before football season in the fall. Another project, to remodel the chemisty lab, was debated when member Gary Hightower wanted to hold off until the school bought equipment for a phys ics lab. Science teacher Mar iann Patterson argued only three students want to take physics and could not justify a course and ensuing equip ment just for those three. She suggested correspondence physics course. But Hightow er insisted the school should provide a lab for those in a correspondence course. Patterson was anxious to get the lab remodel under way, to be ready by the fall. She cited safety problems which need addressing now. She was not against the physics. “I would love if all wanted physics,” she said. But most students indicated their preference for Biology II. Student teacher Ralph Ramos supported the Biology II, which fits the needs of stu dents going to college in related fields. “Carrizozo does stand out above the rest (at college),” he said. Patterson debated with Hightower for a time and supported her views that her program was working. For mer board member Hoot Gib son told Hightower board members must realize they cannot do all things, rather should have the responsibili ty for the majority of kids. “Offer physics to three or Biology II to eight?” he asked. Gibson said the chemi stry lab in its present state is an “accident waiting to happen.” Board members favored the chemistry lab remodel, then directed Patterson to compile a list of needed phys ics equipment and costs for consideration later. Wong teacher Mike Gaines volun teered to pursue any avenue of outside funding in the way of grants to finance equipment. Budget time has arrived at the school and the board talked about a proposal (Con’t. on P. 10)
Newspaper Details
Carrizozo Lincoln County News
Carrizozo, New Mexico, US
Thu, Apr 18, 1991
Page 5
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USA 24 Jul 2026
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