Enrollment rises at Tucumcari schools

Tucumcari Public Schools is seeing a significant rise in enrollment this fall, according to its superintendent and principals.

Superintendent Aaron McKinney told the school board during its regular meeting on Aug. 21 that total enrollment in the district is 921, compared to 854 last year. That is nearly 8% higher.

Elementary principal Tonya Hodges said her school’s enrollment stood at 461, with six or seven more students pending. She said that compares to 404 students a year ago.

Middle school principal Lendall Borden said his enrollment was 231, compared to 205 a year ago.

High school principal Nicole Bright-Lesly said her enrollment was 229, with seven more pending of transfers from out of state. She said enrollment is “up a little.”

Board member Robert Lucero said he’d heard Logan Municipal Schools has stopped accepting transfer students, possibly boosting Tucumcari’s numbers.

Logan superintendent Dennis Roch said Lucero is incorrect.

"Logan is still accepting transfer students, except in just a few grade levels which are at capacity," Roch stated in an email. "Parents who may be interested in bringing their children to Logan should visit with Principal Crystal Burns."

In other business:

— McKinney said construction of the baseball and softball parks continued to be on schedule for October completion, though he expressed optimism it could be sooner.

McKinney said once the ballparks are finished, the district will begin to construct buildings at the site.

“”Every time I go by there, I get excited,” board member Jerry Lopez said.

Board President Heather Gonzales suggested naming the baseball park after Jayden Gloms, a freshman who died in a vehicle accident in January. Gloms participated in several sports, including baseball.

“He’s still heavily missed by all his teammates,” she said.

McKinney said he would put the item on the board’s September meeting agenda.

Later during the meeting, McKinney said an upcoming $3 million bond issue, if approved by voters, would be used for new air-conditioning units at schools and retrofitted LED lighting at one of the ballparks.

— Board members received copies of student handbooks for the elementary, middle and high schools.

Borden said his school’s handbook saw few changes except for language about tardiness before school and between classes.

Lopez said he sees a lack of consistency between the middle school and high school on penalties for fighting. The high-school suspension for such an infraction is eight days; the middle-school penalty is four days.

Administrators said the penalty for high-schoolers was more severe because of students’ greater maturity levels.

During a discussion of in-school and out-of-school suspensions, administrators said they have to balance between proper punishment and loss of instruction time, though Chromebooks allow homework assignments for those temporarily kicked out of school.

McKinney said the state is beginning to look at keeping more students in school during suspensions. He said some students intentionally get into fights so they are suspended from school and “get a free vacation.”

In some cases, however, in-school suspensions can make the situation worse if the two warring students are in classes together.

— McKinney said new climate-control units at the elementary school were scheduled to be “substantially completed” in 10 to 14 days.

Hodges said she’s already seen a difference.

“We are so thrilled that it not be 105 degrees in those classrooms,” she said, noting those rooms became as chilly as 45 degrees during the winter when the school’s aging boiler system wasn’t working properly.

— Bright-Lesly distributed a flyer for the elementary school hosting “Parenting with Love and Logic” that includes free dinner and classes for parents each Tuesday from Sept. 12 through Oct. 17. Dinner begins at 5:30 p.m., with classes starting at 6.

— During board comments, several congratulated the volleyball team and especially the football team for successful opening weekends.

“How about those Rattlers and Lady Rattlers?” Gonzales said at the start of the meeting.

They discussed a new “two-strikes-you’re-out” rule by the New Mexico Activities Association to address bad behavior by players, coaches or fans.

Bright-Lesly said the rule had been a long time coming. She said players often are embarrassed when parents confront referees during games.

Board member Matthew Pacheco suggested an announcement be read over the public address system at games to remind fans of the new rule.