Virtual classrooms coming to Clovis

Virtual classrooms are coming to Clovis public schools.

Clovis Municipal School board members on Tuesday approved a request for proposal for virtual classroom teaching services to help with a shortage of licensed teachers.

The process includes teachers in other states who meet New Mexico standards teaching classes via videoconference. Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Cindy Martin said the process was much like a session on Skype. Human Resources Director Kerry Parker said the classes would include an educational aide to help with in-person elements like material handouts and ensuring students were doing their work.

The plan is to have two virtual classrooms at Clovis High School and one at Gattis Middle School.

Superintendent Jody Balch said the district is down 15 teachers, and has been down seven special education teachers the entire year.

Board member Justin Howalt said he’d want to see followup at the end of the year to see if the program is something worthwhile for the district. Parker said that shouldn’t be a problem, and Martin said she’d make arrangements should Howalt want to observe a session.

Other actions from Tuesday’s meeting:

• The board approved a pair of travel requests.

The first was for CHS students in Clovis Community College’s Upward Bound Program to take a cultural trip to San Francisco, with eight students traveling to various college campuses and education sites in San Francisco, March 28-31.

The program requires the students be enrolled as either freshmen or sophomores in the CHS system, be a potential first-generation college student, show interest in education beyond high school and show academic and financial needs to qualify for Upward Bound services.

The trip is otherwise covered by a grant for the program.

The second request came from the dance teams of Clovis High School Freshman Academy and Yucca, Marshall and Gattis middle schools to travel to Santa Fe on March 11 for the Santa Fe Classic dance competition.

The costs of $110 per room and $850 for entry fees will be paid through prior fundraising from the teams.

• The board approved removing three vehicles from inventory — a 1997 Ford Taurus, a 2005 Chevy Impala and a 1999 Chevy pickup — and store them until they can be part of an auction held by the district.

• The board approved a review of the bond proceeds and expenditures for the 2014-15 fiscal year. The list included a $3.4 million reimbursement from the state, based on the district justifying its build of Gattis Middle School in excess of state recommendations; labs for Yucca and Gattis middle schools totaling $736,000 and $780,000, respectively; and $2.5 million in various work on the new James Bickley Elementary School.

• The next meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Feb. 23 at the CMS administrative offices.