5-day week prompts TPS departures

The prospect of a possible five-day work week this fall at Tucumcari Public Schools already is leading to the departure of several educators.

Interim superintendent Dave Johnson said during the school board’s regular meeting last Monday at least five to seven teachers or staffers “are not coming back” for the 2024-2025 school year.

He said five to seven educators are looking for positions at another school district or another vocation because they don’t want to commute to Tucumcari five days a week. He said some of those teachers reside in Nara Visa, Mosquero or Amarillo.

He said another five to six educators are considering retirement.

Board member Matthew Pacheco said the possible loss of a four-day work week “is going to make it harder on us” to attract new teachers.

TPS has used a four-day schedule for almost 20 years.

The board unanimously approved a resolution that supports the superintendent’s involvement in the New Mexico School Superintendent Association’s legal defense fund to fight the Public Education Department’s 180-day plan that would end four-day work weeks at many school districts.

The resolution is similar to ones approved by school boards in San Jon, Logan and House. TPS would spend no more than $1,000 to the superintendents’ group to legally challenge the PED’s rule.

Johnson recommended passage of the resolution and to join the lawsuit when it is filed.

“I just hate to lose local control,” he said before the board’s vote. “I think we’re allowing one branch of government over another branch. It’s a separation of powers issue. I’d like to see us hold our ground on it.”

Johnson also said during a budget work session a five-day week would add costs for transportation and utilities.

In other business:

— Business manager Monica Martinez said TPS would see substantial cost increases for risk insurance and medical insurance for the 2024-2025 school year.

She said the district’s risk premiums are set to rise 38.4%, or nearly $206,000, in the coming school year. The average premium increase in the state is 32%.

Johnson attributed that hike to more lawsuits against districts.

“Everybody’s sue-happy,” he said.

Martinez also said medical insurance is set to rise 15.5%, along with a 5% increase in dental coverage and a 3% rise in vision insurance.

Martinez said “we’re not going to have enough money” from the State Equalization Guarantee Distribution, or SEG, to cover those cost increases.

In response to a question, Martinez said the district would have an estimated $2 million cash reserve by the end of the current fiscal year in June.

Martinez acknowledged she didn’t have a full picture of revenue projections but thought she would by the board’s May meeting.

The district’s budget is due to be submitted to the state by June 4.

District technologist Patrick Benavidez said he is formulating a possible new salary schedule for mid-level employees that would provide more opportunities for growth. Johnson said many of those employees probably are underpaid.

— Kaeley Weimerskirch of RBC Capital Markets, appearing by videoconference, said it sold $1.5 million in voter-approved bonds on March 4 and those funds are available to the district for several projects.

She said the bonds sold have about a 2% interest rate, including about $150,000 in funds at no interest because TPS is a disadvantaged district.

She said because the Federal Reserve recently backed off from rate cuts, the district’s rate on its new debt probably would have been a half-percent higher if the bonds had been sold a month later.

— The board went into a closed executive session for 75 minutes to discuss personnel and took no action when open session resumed.

The board held final interviews with three superintendent candidates on April 12 and has scheduled a special meeting the evening of April 22 to make a decision on that position. (The meeting was after the Quay County Sun’s deadline; updates will be posted at qcsunonline.com.)

Previous superintendent Aaron McKinney retired on Jan. 1 after 18 years of running the district.

— During his construction update, Johnson said the new baseball and softball fields still have drainage issues because of a design flaw. He said the district will build a gutter system to address that.

“I don’t think it will be that major,” he said. “I think we can get it done without too much cost.”

— Two administrators reported unusually high student participation in assessment or college-readiness testing. Elementary school principal Tonya Hodges said only four students were absent earlier this month for state testing. High school principal Nicole Bright-Lesly said no juniors missed SAT testing this month.

— Middle school principal Lendall Borden reported two of the school’s students were part of an FFA food-science team that won state competition.

Also, he said the digital media class won Best Comedy for its 10-minute film “Baking Bread” during Film Prize Junior New Mexico.

— The board approved these donations to the district: $200 from Pacheco Family Dentistry for the high school softball program; $112 from Wells Fargo/The Blackbaud Giving Fund to THS volleyball; $25 from Katrina Hayes to THS track; $56 from Wells Fargo/The Blackbaud Giving Fund to THS volleyball; $25 from Tim and Andrea Clark to THS track; $100 from Jack and Noreen Hendrickson to THS powerlifting; $100 from C&C Septic and Construction to THS track; $25 from Richard and Emelia Chavez to THS track; and $56 from Wells Fargo/The Blackbaud Giving Fund to THS volleyball.

— The board approved an annual resolution that states the district will offer health insurance to employees who work 15 to 20 hours per week during the 2024-2025 school year.