Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
SAN JON — The San Jon school board last week officially swore into office a new member who won his election in November but is soliciting letters of interest to fill a second open seat.
Board President Frank Gibson administered the oath of office to new member Jeremy Wade Allen during the board’s regular meeting Jan. 10.
Allen initially ran for the Position 4 seat against incumbent Pam Slater, but she officially withdrew from the race shortly after the filing period in August. That left Allen unopposed.
Superintendent Janet Gladu administered the oath for the other incumbents, Gibson and Cynthia Lee, who won re-election and were unopposed.
During the reorganization of the board, Gibson was re-elected president, while Dale Bone was voted as vice president and Lee as secretary.
The board still has an open seat after Tommy Evans resigned in November, citing conflicts between his job at Tucumcari Public Schools and the San Jon board.
Gibson will accept hand-delivered letters of interest for the position at the San Jon school district’s main office through noon Feb. 10. Letters also can be mailed to San Jon Municipal Schools, c/o Frank Gibson, P.O. Box 5, San Jon, NM 88434.
Board members hoped they would make a decision on applicants by the board’s next meeting on Feb. 14.
In other business:
• The board approved a school calendar adjustment of adding Friday, Jan. 21, as an instruction day because that is the same day as the Missoula Children’s Theatre performance at 6 p.m. In exchange, the board removed March 28 as an instruction day.
• Gladu said the district will consider bids from firms to take a roof core sample and a geotechnical survey of the grounds. Many roofs on district buildings are leaking, and drainage remains an issue.
• Gladu said during her superintendent’s report a recent appeals court decision in Oregon upheld state mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.