This past year was a challenging one for Montezuma-Cortez School District Re-1 (as if they all havent been lately!). Two of the key issues we dealt with throughout the year were finances and aging facilities.
In the financial arena, the year began with the ominous threat of Propositions 60 and 61, and Amendment 101 being placed on the November ballot. The passage of any or all of these would have been disastrous for all public services in Colorado. Thanks to the monumental efforts of the League of Women Voters of Montezuma County, all three of these ballot measures failed in our county by the same margin they did across the state.
Then, of course, with the states budget cuts, we confronted a $1.5 million budget reduction. Montezuma-Cortez School District was no different than all the other districts in the state, except weve been in budget reduction mode for the past eight years instead of the past three. Your school board faced these cuts with the determination to take the right and responsible course of action, rather than draw down the Carry Over Fund.
Beginning last July, the board began the daunting task of developing a district facility master plan. The master plan was developed by an outside architectural firm and was built on a study conducted by the Colorado Department of Education. This CDE study scored all buildings in the state on health, safety, structural and educational adequacy. A buildings score of 70 or above indicated that serious consideration should be given to replacing the building. With the exception of Cortez Middle School and Lewis-Arriola Elementary, all of Re-1 buildings scored 85 and above. Manaugh scored 105, and Montzuma-Cortez High School scored 95.
After long, anguished and conflicting discussion, the board voted to seek a BEST grant for building new buildings. They all disliked seeking this grant in our communitys current economic condition, but felt that the community deserved the opportunity to say yes or no.
At the state level, the BEST board put Re-1s request on the short list to be funded, but there simply were not enough BEST funds for the number of requests they received. Re-1s application was prioritized below the funding line. Throughout the process, the Re-1 board was thoughtful and courageous.
I am proud of Re-1s board of education, and you should be, too. They have never shirked their duty. They consider what impact their decisions will have on our community. They have a vision for what the district should be. They are committed to improving how we educate students in the district. They always look at what is best for students. Their names are Jackie Fisher, Diane Fox, Tim Lanier, Ann Hight, Eric Whyte, Brian Demby and Jack Schuenemeyer. Thank you each one for what you do for the sake of our children.
There are five board seats up for election in November. If you would consider serving on the board, please contact Linda Diffendaffer at 565-7282.
Stacy Houser is the Montezuma-Cortez School District Re-1 superintendent.