Check Out: Cloudcroft School & Library News
Check Out: Cloudcroft School & Library News
Highlights from the Board of Education meeting and upcoming school and library events
Board of Education welcomes new leadership and discusses Title IX changes. Plus, Public Library updates, Saturday night dancing, and a black bear spotted by the golf course
Cloudcroft Schools: What’s New
The Cloudcroft Municipal Schools’ Board of Education (BoE) met on Tuesday, August 20th, with reports from the new Superintendent, Jocelyne Gillespie; the new athletic director, Joni Watson; the new Elementary and Middle School principal, Nolene Adams; and input from the board’s latest member, Cassandra Saffle.
There is a new procedure for online board meeting visitors: they can email Cindy Preslar at cindy.preslar@cmsbears.org before the meeting to be able to speak.
Cloudcroft High School welcomes Isiac Johnston to the Math department and Amy Coor as the head track coach.
Of Coor, Joni Watson says, “She has been great with the Cross-Country team. [We are] happy to have her step into more prominent roles.”
The Parent-Teacher Organization, PTO, now in its third year, boasts a new board composed of president Alisha Pye and secretary Callie McDonald. BoE member Cassandra Saffle introduced the new PTO board, where she served as founder and president since its inception.
PTO volunteers help organize and promote the popular Fall Festival, Scholastic Book Fairs, and more. The Fall Festival is the school’s largest fundraiser and offers carnival games, face painting, a cake walk, bingo with prizes, and, this year, a haunted house.
Mark your calendars—the fall Scholastic Book Fair is October 10th-11th.
Proceeds from the Book Fair benefit the Elementary and Middle School Library. Last year, the PTO purchased new rocking chairs, wipeable and stackable seating for students, books for every classroom, and new book releases for the school library.
Before the Principal’s and Superintendent’s reports, the board readily voted to accept donations from local businesses and organizations, including the Western Bar and Cafe, High Altitude, Cloudcroft Runners, the Otero County Electric Cooperative, as well as six bear statues and a football “run-through” tunnel donated by Bigfoot Enterprises.
Elementary and Middle School Principal Nolene Adams said the YONDR-pouch cell phone policy has yielded good results. Adams said, “That’s what we’re seeing in the lunchroom. [Before it] was just disengagement.”
Jocelyne Gillespie delivered her superintendent report, which included:
The Bus Barn is nearly ready for use, and the new construction is awaiting a walkthrough inspection. After recent rains, Gillespie said drainage seemed adequate.
The sound system at the football field was “blown [out] by a lightning strike.” Repairs hope to be completed for the August 30th home football game.
Title IX is expanding. Gillespie said,
“This was meant as review and discussion only. I’ve included it so we know what the changes are, and what might be coming our way.”
“The first is the expansion of discrimination definitions…to include discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, sex stereotypes, and pregnancy.
I’ll have you know that in our handbooks, we did change that two years ago. This handbook says we do not discriminate based on all of that. We took a step ahead.”
“Number two is the broadened definition of harassment…to broaden sex-based harassment to include conduct that is severe or pervasive, instead of requiring conduct to be both severe and pervasive.”
“Number three: simplified grievance process. So just use, perhaps, a single investigator and also informal resolutions.”
“The regulations mandate that schools provide supportive measures to individuals involved in sex discrimination cases regardless of whether a formal complaint has been filed.”
“Number five is pregnancy and related conditions. Specific protections are provided to students and employees related to pregnancy and associated conditions, ensuring that they are not discriminated against in that reasonable accomodations aren’t made.”
“And so far, with one through five in the policy, I think that those all seem quite understandable.
Number six is where the litigation starts. Gender identity and program participation. The regulations state that in most instances where schools provide gender-segregated programs or services, individuals must be allowed to participate in accordance with their gender identity.”
“So that’s what’s in litigation. In Cloudcroft, I know…whatever is on the birth certificate. I know we did have a situation not too long ago where that’s exactly what we did.”
“We do have gender-neutral bathrooms that students can use, should they feel comfortable, and that’s what they want to use.”
Gillespie named at least six available gender-neutral bathrooms on the High School campus. She continued,
“Number seven, litigation and injunctions. There has been significant litigation around these changes, with some federal courts issuing injunctions that prevent the regulations from taking effect in certain states.”
“The document notes that New Mexico has its own laws prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity in public schools.”
“They don’t have any timelines so far, that I’m familiar with. But I do feel that we just continue the policies that we have in place here. I think they are working well for us and I think that we are all very understanding of our students.”
“I do want to say that if the student wants to be called a certain name, that is that student’s right. If a student wants to identify as a boy or girl, that student has the right to do so.
However, we go by the name that’s on the birth certificate…for an IEP, on a diploma, it will be the name that’s on the birth certificate.”
Gillespie promised the board that she would “keep them abreast of what [she] learns” after her report. And;
The Elementary and Middle Schools are undergoing construction to replace windows and doors. National Construction, based in Alamogordo, is contracted to repair the building.
Check Out the Michael Nivison Public Library
The Village library, housed in the historic Old Red Brick Schoolhouse, now offers a Facebook Page where folks can stay updated on seasonal hours, library offerings, and community events like the upcoming Homeschool Symposium.
The Second Annual Tiny Art Show, sponsored by the Friends of the Library (FOL), will host a reception and awards ceremony on September 7th. Any media submission is accepted if the work is 7 inches or less. Entries are due September 6th during library hours.
The non-profit FOL recently funded the teen center remodel, star parties and the Tiny Art Show, new library furnishings, and computer lab computers.
The group has open membership and fundraises through used book sales in the Old Red Brick Schoolhouse foyer.
Head to the library on the corner of Swallow Place and Burro Avenue to see the revamped children's area, ask about volunteer opportunities, and check out the Lego room, teen center, computer lab, and more.
Of note: Library Director Karen Sonnenfelt recently announced that she is the point of contact for the Village’s Community Calendar. You can email her your event for inclusion at ccvillagelibrary@cloudcroftvillage.com.
The Cloudcroft Fun Committee is a newly formed group of volunteers for community events, including Phyllis Turner, Abby Wuersching, Chris Breyer, Cindi Bradshaw, Karl and Laura Campbell, Gracie Jo Grey, Vickey Wiley—the list goes on.
They are hosting the Cloudcroft Community Street Dance in the west lot of Dusty Boots this Saturday, August 24th. Line dancing will be from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., and the dance will last until 9:00 p.m. when a DJ will spin tunes.
Also, around town, recent black bear sightings have been noted on the Cloudcroft Community Facebook page, including this cutie by the Lodge Pro Shop, shared by Mickey Ray.
The Cloudcroft Reader is proud to be sponsored in part by great businesses such as:
Cloudcroft Therapeutic Massage: Providing pain relief and injury recovery since 2003. 575-415-4756. www.cloudcrofttherapeuticmassage.com
To learn about sponsorship opportunities for your business, contact us at sponsor@cloudcroftreader.com
