Band recognized at school board meeting

CLOVIS — The Clovis Municipal Schools Board of Education recognized the Clovis High marching band for strong finishes in recent competitions at the board's regular monthly meeting on Tuesday.

CMS Director of Music Education Brandon Boerio told the board about the band's results this year including a second-place finish at the Bands of America Regional Championship and winning the Grand Champion award at the Zia Marching Festival, the de facto state championship, for the fifth straight year.

Band President Adilene Rodriguez, Vice President Kylah Masterson and Treasurer Megan Edwards were on hand with their medals at the meeting.

Also at Tuesday's board meeting:

• Executive Director of Instruction Mitzi Estes discussed CMS' involvement with the University of Virginia Partnership for Leaders in Education program.

Estes said the school turnaround program will analyze all aspects of the district and provide a report on its successes and failures.

Superintendent Jody Balch said three CMS schools will be selected to follow the model of the report starting next school year, and he mentioned the Clovis High Freshman Academy as being one potential school because every student in the district attends the school at some point, with the other two schools likely being low-achieving elementary schools.

Balch said updates on the status of the program will be given monthly or every other month at future board meetings.

• The board unanimously approved a revision to the board policy regarding student suspension and expulsion.

The policy was amended to say that when a student receives a short-term suspension, a letter to the students' parents will be hand delivered or emailed, rather than just being mailed as the policy previously said.

Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Kerry Parker said the change will ensure parents will be notified of their student's suspension more promptly.

• The board unanimously approved an amended contract with Adair, Inc. to provide school buses for the 2017-18 school year. The new contract included a $40,000 increase in rental costs, according to Deputy Superintendent of Operations Carrie Bunce.

According to the revised contract CMS will pay Adair slightly over $2 million for bus rentals, inspections and insurance for the 2017-18 school year.

• The board unanimously approved a $1,080 petty cash request to provide meals for the CHS Choir's trip to the All-State Choir from Jan. 10-13.

• Parkview Elementary Principal Wayne Marshall presented an update on the school to the board.

Marshall said the school has about 400 students and 25 teachers.

Marshall pointed to Parkview's improvement from receiving an F grade in 2014-15 to a D grade the past two school years and said he hopes to earn better than a D in the next report.