San Jon schools to upgrade phone system

San Jon Municipal Schools soon will upgrade its phone system for less money and also comply with two laws.

The district’s board of trustees voted Dec. 21 to enter into a three-year agreement with Plateau to improve its phone system. The cost, which includes the district’s fax service and internet, would be $470 a month. San Jon presently is paying $502 a month.

The phone upgrade also conforms with Keri’s Law and Ray Baum’s Act before the deadline of February, or else the district would have faced an initial fine of $10,000, plus $300 a day, it was out of compliance, superintendent Janet Gladu said.

Kari's Law requires all multi-line phone systems to provide direct access to 911 service without a caller having to dial an initial number, digit, prefix or other access number. Ray Baum’s Act requires all multi-Line phone systems to provide a "dispatchable location" on all emergency 911 calls. The Plateau upgrade fulfills both requirements.

Gladu recommended a three-year pact with Plateau instead of a five-year deal. She said she was reluctant to commit to five years to the new phone system because technology is moving fast and it might already be out-of-date after three years.

Gladu said the upgrade also would prove more useful for administrative assistant Stacy Kent, who would be able to access the system with her cellphone.

Kent said the district’s last phone upgrade was in 2009, and it cost $16,000.

In other business:

• The board approved a $25,304.52 bid from PlayWell of Albuquerque for a new merry-go-round, wood-chip surface and borders in the elementary school’s playground area. The bid came in under the $30,000 the district had available from the New Mexico Public School Facilities Authority.

Other bids were higher, and some exceeded the $30,000 budget. The bid must gain final approval from the state before San Jon proceeds with the work.

• Gladu said she had received just one bid for a project manager for facility upgrades. She said she hoped to receive more bids by the board’s next meeting in January, with a possible decision on choosing one by February.

• Gladu said the district recently earned a $24,000 grant to help update the district’s facility master plan. The district’s share of the cost for updating the plan is $8,400. The plan is due by the end of January.

• Gladu and board members briefly discussed upcoming COVID-19 saliva tests for all staff members. She said the district needs two weeks of no confirmed cases among employees before it can bring children back for in-person teaching Jan. 18.

Gladu said one problem with the new testing method is it must be transported to the nearest UPS air-shipping facility, which is Amarillo. One advantage is results will come back in as soon as 36 hours, she said.

• The board voted to use the same paper and electronic forms as last year for Gladu’s annual evaluation by staff and board members.