Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Highland Elementary School's custodians Anthony Armijo and Maria Alvarado lower the flags Wednesday afternoon to close out the school day.
CLOVIS — When school's out for summer, the plan is to tear it down.
At least that's the plan Clovis school board members have for Highland Elementary, which would be rebuilt in time for the 2019-2020 school year.
Board members on Tuesday night unanimously approved Highland's demolition, contingent on state approval.
The process would begin this summer, with the new school opening at the same location, 100 E. Plains St., in the fall of 2019, Superintendent Jody Balch said.
Highland has 270 students, who will be relocated to Parkview Elementary for the 2018-19 school year until the new building is completed, Balch said.
Balch said demolition and construction will cost $14 million, of which the state will pay 80 percent and Clovis Municipal Schools will pay 20 percent, or $2.8 million.
Highland first opened in 1952.
Also at Tuesday's meeting:
• Board members voted to dispose of district inventory, including a broken iPad and other damaged or obsolete items.
• Gattis Middle School Principal Gloria Mendoza gave an update on the school. Mendoza said one focus at Gattis has been building school culture, which has been done by promoting Gattis P.R.I.D.E., standing for perseverance, respect, integrity, discipline and excellence.
Mendoza said she has been pleased with the school's mathematics improvement over the course of this school year from the school's second- and third-tier students.
• The board unanimously approved two travel requests: the Clovis High Choir to compete in the "Music in our Parks" contest and perform at the Dixie Stampede in Branson, Missouri, and a senior cultural trip for members of Upward Bound to visit the University of Washington and Seattle University.
• The board reviewed the questions selected last year for the Board of Education Quality of Education Survey. The board will finalize the questions for the upcoming survey at its January meeting.
• Deputy of Instruction Joe Strickland updated the board on the district's participation in the University of Virginia Darden/Curry Partnership for Leaders in Education school turnaround program.
Strickland said Executive Director of Instruction Misti Estes will serve as the district's shepherd, the district official responsible for overseeing the turnaround initiative.
Balch said the plan is to put the turnaround initiatives into place at the district's three middle schools, but that will be finalized when members of the district leadership team attend District Boot Camp in March at UVA.
• The board discussed the district's chief procurement officer. Bryan Jones will serve as the chief procurement officer until Jan. 5 and Heather Nieto will take over the position starting Jan. 8.
