Clovis school board passes 2022-23 budget

The Clovis Municipal Schools board of education unanimously passed a $152.7-million budget for fiscal year 2022-23 Tuesday at their regular monthly meeting.

Two board members, Paul Cordova and Terry Martin, were absent from the session. Board members Sean Hamilton, Sharon Epps and Cindy Osburn were present, the three of them making a quorum for any action that was taken at the meeting.

Deputy superintendent of finance Shawna Stone made a presentation of the proposed budget, one that covers a 170-day student calendar for 2022-23, 183 days for teachers.

Notable in the budget is across-the-board pay increases of varying percentages for personnel. Pay raises in the upcoming fiscal year are due partially to an infusion of funds from the state legislature that went to school districts across the state.

In other business, the school board approved $30,014 in funds to go to Adair Transportation, the school bus contractor for Clovis schools. The money was specified to go toward increased fuel costs.

Board members also approved renewal of the 2022-23 bus service contract with Adair valued at nearly $1,9 million.

Deputy superintendent of employee services Joe Strickland told the board there are 40 teacher openings in the district. He reported that there have been good applicants and good interviews.

“I feel really good about where we are,” Strickland said.

Approval was given for student organization trips in the upcoming year:

A Family, Career and Community Leaders of America conference in San Diego, a Health Occupations Students of America Future Health Professionals leadership conference in Nashville and CHS Wildcadettes trip to Orlando, Florida for the dance team union national competition.

Faced with 2020 census-driven voting district changes for school board member districts the board voted to go with the option with districts that closely resemble the ones for the Clovis Community College board of trustees.