School board approves nepotism waiver

The Tucumcari Public Schools board of education during a special meeting last week approved a waiver of the district’s nepotism rule so the superintendent’s sister-in-law could be hired in the elementary school.

Assistant superintendent Dave Johnson said he wants to hire Portales elementary school principal Deanne McKinney, a sister-in-law to superintendent Aaron McKinney, as an elementary school teacher and reading specialist.

He said the district could use a reading specialist to help elementary students who have fallen behind during remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Johnson also said Deanne McKinney’s background as a principal also could help elementary principal Tonya Hodges with her annual evaluation of teachers.

After questioning from board member Jerry Lopez, Aaron McKinney said he is advising the formation of a school board committee of two members to the hiring committee regarding that case.

“I wouldn’t do it any other way because it wouldn’t look right,” McKinney said.

The district’s nepotism rule forbids the relatives, spouses and in-laws of staff members, faculty and board members to the school district.

The special meeting May 24 was the rescheduling of a May 17 meeting because the district inadvertently provided the wrong remote-access information. McKinney said it is likely the regularly scheduled June meeting would be in-person at the district office. It would be the first such in-person meeting in more than a year because of the pandemic.

In other business:

n District technologist Patrick Benavidez said he soon would begin installing online work stations, including interactive projectors, in classrooms.

McKinney said the district is committed to offering both in-person and online classes. Benavidez also said Tucumcari is far ahead of many school districts in such an endeavor.

“We don’t want to lose our students if we didn’t offer (online classes),” McKinney said.

Benavidez said T-Mobile hotspots provide internet access for a 15-mile radius of Tucumcari and offer a content filter.

McKinney estimated the district will have $2.6 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds, which may include hiring another technologist.

• McKinney said he likely would convene a work session before the board’s regularly scheduled June meeting to discuss plans for reconstructing the baseball and softball fields. He said he soon would meet the architect of the project, and it would include input from baseball and softball coaches and community members. The project is being funded by a voter-approved, $3 million bond issue.

• Middle school principal Lendall Borden said in his report a majority of his students showed good proficiency in reading and English, but 44% of them need support in math.

• The board approved a salary schedule for the 2021-2022 school year that reflects state-mandated 1.5% pay increases.

• The district sent out a memo Friday that stated that more than $322,000 in scholarships were offered to the Class of 2021.