TPS board declines to impose phone policy

The Tucumcari Public School board last week declined to implement a cellphone-use policy after apparently being satisfied with administrators’ varying approaches to students with their devices.

Board members heard each principal's rules regarding cellphones during a July meeting and an Aug. 15 meeting.

Elementary school principal Tonya Hodges said pupils there are required to keep phones in their lockers or backpacks.

Middle school principal Lendall Borden said it adopted a more lenient cellphone policy during the start of the previous school year in the wake of COVID-19 restrictions, but it went back to stricter rules after students showed they “lacked the maturity” with the devices.

High school principal Nicole Bright-Lesly said each teacher sets his or her own policy for cellphone use. Students also use phones to check the Tyler Technologies app for class schedule changes.

Bright-Lesly said New Mexico State Police conducted a seminar for students regarding social media, including conveying the fact police can confiscate the contents of a phone during a criminal investigation.

She said the seminar made an impression on students.

“I think they’re going to take a hard look before they hit ‘send,’” she said.

Board member Matthew Pacheco said he was disinclined to impose a unilateral cellphone policy because of the differing approaches by teachers and administrators.

“You can’t set a policy that applies to all age groups,” he said.

While acknowledging many people are “addicted” to smartphones, superintendent Aaron McKinney said he was reluctant to recommend a no-tolerance policy for the devices.

“Cellphones are a problem for all of us,” he said. “They’re here. Are we going to create more of a problem than a solution?”

Board member Jerry Lopez asked about students who don’t have cellphones. Bright-Lesley said students can use the Tyler app and other programs through district-issued Chromebooks.

Lopez, noting recent board-approved changes in the district’s dress code, said he was willing to “put on the brakes” and not adopt a cellphone policy at this time. Though he still expressed concerns about online bullying, he said it appeared administrators “have got it under control” with cellphone use.

The board then unanimously approved a motion to not move forward with a cellphone policy.

In other business:

– The board heard reports from principals about the first day of the school year earlier that day.

All reported higher enrollment than the previous year. The elementary school’s student count rose from 415 to about 460, the middle school increased from 200 to about 212, and the high school rose from 242 to about 265. They attributed the increases to the normalization of instruction in the wake of the pandemic.

Bright-Lesly reported the district’s revised dress code was “no big deal” to students, and that only two were referred to administration due to inappropriate appearance.

– The board voted to have the district pursue equipment that would allow it to broadcast meetings live on the internet, then archive footage for on-demand viewing.

McKinney said district technologist Patrick Benavidez assured him the board can livestream its meetings, probably with a tablet computer with a camera, plus overhead microphones.

Lopez said students could take part in helping Benavidez set up the technology. Board President Heather Gonzales said the archived footage also would make it easier to prove to constituents what was done at meetings.

– Board members voted to accept a recent donation of land from the city for the district’s ballpark development project.

Voters in the district in February 2019 approved a $3 million bond issue for the project, which has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the unexpected complexity in surveying the site that included city and county land.

Earlier in the meeting, McKinney said the project’s architect will come to the site on Aug. 24 with three potential contractors. McKinney said he anticipates selecting a construction bidder in September.

– The board approved a new joint powers agreement regarding its Mountain View School that would require tenant Eastern Plains CAA Head Start to take over maintenance of the building.

McKinney said district costs for upkeep have risen sharply in recent years. He expressed confidence the federally funded Head Start program would sign the modified contract and assume those responsibilities.

McKinney said the state’s anti-donation clause prevents the district from selling the property to Head Start for a nominal sum. State law requires such transactions to be of market value.

– The board officially took no action on whether to modify the board’s compensation and expenses policy.

Though current board members have opted out of being paid for board meetings, they were reluctant to change the policy in case a future board member needs the money due to financial hardship.

For out-of-town conferences and meetings, board members are paid mileage and per-diem rates to help cover meal expenses, as required.

– The board voted to waive the district’s nepotism rule. McKinney explained his brother-in-law is going to be employed as a substitute teacher and may become a coach in the district. Assistant superintendent Dave Johnson will make such personnel decisions instead of McKinney.