Portales board tours school cafeteria

PORTALES - Members of the Portales Municipal Schools Board of Education and other PMS staff toured the recently renovated Portales Junior High School cafeteria prior to Monday night's board meeting.

Michael Rael, project manager for Nick Griego & Sons, highlighted the changes to the cooking area, which included new flooring, ceiling, dishwasher, restrooms and kitchen equipment in what he called "a complete gut and renovation of the interior."

Superintendent Johnnie Cain said if the new seating and tables arrive in time, the plan is to serve the first meal in the new cafeteria the Wednesday following Thanksgiving break.

Also at Monday's meeting (all votes 5-0):

• The board approved 18 budget adjustments including $5,000 bonuses for six elementary teachers who received an exemplary rating on their evaluations.

Cain said those ratings are based on principal evaluations as well as student test scores.

n An executive session to discuss the evaluation of the superintendent was postponed and the agenda noted the board may hold a closed session at its Dec. 10 meeting.

• The board approved a travel request for the Portales High School marching band to attend Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio for a parade-style performance from April 11-14.

Earlier in the meeting the PHS band was recognized for its performance during the fall season, which Band Director Kelli Morrison said included co-hosting the Green and Silver Classic Marching Festival along with Eastern New Mexico University at Greyhound Stadium and tying with Lovington for second place among 4A schools at the Tumbleweed Classic Marching Festival in Denver City, Texas.

• The board also recognized teacher Heather Christensen for having a lesson plan accepted by the University of Arizona Center for Middle Eastern Studies and high schoolers Alyssa McAlister and Monte Foster for earning the title of grand champion at the Eastern New Mexico State Fair for lambs and ag mechanics, respectively.

• The board approved a petty cash cap of $1,500 for the PHS athletic department and other student organizations.

Finance Director Sarah Stubbs said the change was meant to bring the district into alignment with New Mexico administrative code, which has a $100 limit for petty cash, which Stubbs said is not enough for the athletic department when there are multiple events going on or when student organizations go on trips.

• The board approved a revision to the finance department's manual of procedures, which Stubbs said would be used to calculate how much the district spends per student.